I need something cheaper to run than my current 5-series, without giving up too many creature comforts, looking to spend not too much over £10k (11 at a push). I've been looking at the options among 1-2 year old diesels and my shopping list's shrunk down to 2 (an odd couple you might think): a Megane hatch 120 DCi Privilege or a Mondeo TDCi Ghia (or maybe Zetec) 115 or 130PS. I've been given derisory spins around the block by dealers and both seemed very nice, lovely smooth engines with lots of mid range urge, and the Megane's handling seemed better than I'd been led to believe.

I know that if I want a Mondeo Ghia for the price of the Megane, I'd be looking at a pre-facelift model with a few more miles on the clock. Also I don't really need a car as big as the Mondeo, there just don't seem to be many smaller diesels around that offer that kind of refinement. I've read lots about how cheap the Mondeo is to run, but I was amazed to find cost per mile figures in What Car showed the Mondeo at 49p and the Megane at only 34.

I know I'm comparing apples with oranges here, but I really don't know which one to go for. Can anyone help me decide?

Thanks! Read more

Along the same lines as what came first, the chicken or the egg, I ask - what came first, the bus lane or the congestion?

For a couple of years I have sat here smugly at the computer in my wee village in Scotland, reading about all the complaints of bus lanes, congestion etc and rejoicing in the fact that my work is 20 mins away, on the motorway and I can park in the car park of the store.

Unfortunately, I am now working in Edinburgh for a couple of months and, oh my God, i just could not put up with this on a daily basis! Instead of travelling time of 40 mins per day, I am lucky to be less than 2 and a half hours!

Anyway, to get to the point, if I leave work at 3.50pm, I can do the 5 mile stretch of urban road through Edinburgh City Centre in as little as 7 to 8 mins.

However, when the bus lane opens at 4pm, and I leave work at 4.10pm, it can take me up to 35 mins to do the same 5 miles!!
Yes, the traffic will be a bit heavier but I can't help but think that this is purely down to the fact that the traffic is only on one lane.

I know this is what the traffic planners want to prevent cars in the city (David Begg was originally from Edinburgh), but I just can't help but think if there were no bus lanes the traffic would be so so much better.

So going back to my original question, are the bus lanes the cause of the congestion, or the solution? Read more

Hi

Most will be aware that we have the company that carrys out the car crash tests and gives the car upto 5 stars and 37 points max.

The Americans have their own version.

My query is, why are the tests not carried out on rear impacts?? This is a very important part of the safety feature, specially if you are rear ended on a motorway when you are stationary in traffic.

Another query, why are manufatures allowed to put seats in cars and MPV's right up against the rear window?? Can you imagine someone sitting in a MPV against the rear window and an impact from a lorry at 30mph??

Thanks in advance!!

Lucian Deville Read more

Car number plate camera trials see 13,500 arrested
By Philip Johnston, Home Affairs Editor The Daily Telegraph

Thousands of motorists stopped by police using number plate recognition scanners have been arrested for a range of non-driving offences.

David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, said the success of the new Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras was such that he was extending the scheme.

An extra £15 million would be spent equipping the police with the system, which is used by half the forces in England and Wales. Figures published yesterday showed that in a 12-month pilot period in 23 force areas there were nearly 13,500 arrests for a wide range of offences.

The Home Office said the arrest rate was nine times the national average. Police intercept teams stopped 180,000 vehicles using the system. They recovered 1,152 stolen vehicles worth more than £7.5 million, stolen goods worth more than £640,000 and drugs valued at £380,000.

Officers also recovered 13 firearms and 266 offensive weapons. There were 3,330 arrests for driving offences, 2,263 for theft and burglary, 1,100 for drug offences and 1,300 for vehicle theft.

The cameras can check up to 3,000 vehicles an hour. Mr Blunkett said ANPR was "a powerful tool" that brought enormous benefits to the police and to society.

The system works even if the targets are travelling at 100 mph. The infrared digital cameras can capture images, even in poor light, rain, reflection or dazzle. Computer software reads the number plates and sends the information to databases that can alert officers within seconds to stolen, unregistered, untaxed or uninsured vehicles.

Most drivers are stopped for failure to display a tax disc or for talking on a mobile phone and are given a £30 fixed penalty.

For more serious offences, such as driving without insurance, £200 endorsable penalties can be issued but the research showed that only 14 per cent of these were paid.

The report said there was evidence that penalties in court were sometimes less severe than the fines themselves, encouraging offenders not to pay the on-the-spot fine and go to court instead.

Read more

I am contemplating buying a ka that has been in a garage for 6 months. it was not prepared for storage. I am taking it to a garage to get it on the ramp but will he be able see problems due to this and will these problems be expensive(I am gettin a good deal so can afford to spend 500-700 quid) Read more