Recently my renewal came in from LV. They are usually quite good and can cut a deal. However this time a decent hike and no deal. So through a website I chose RCIB which turns out is a broker in Essex. I purchased the insurance using the same details I always use with my Daughter as a named driver. They took the money and the insurance started on 24/09/2020. So far so good. Two days ago I received an e mail asking me to provide DVLA codes and proof of driving licence etc. Quite a few hops to jump through considering the insurance has been in place for a couple of weeks and this question never came up on the proposal form. I contacted them, very difficult, left a message and they rang me back. They were quite shirty about the whole thing and almost demanded my compliance. I said I was not prepared to do all this work for their benefit. If they felt the need they can check the DVLA themselves. They said I should scan my licence and my daughters licence and e mail it to them. I said I am not happy to send such vital personal information via e mail. They said they could cancel the policy if I did not comply. I asked why the need for such information when previous insurers did not need it. They said it was in case of a claim and everything would work more smoothly. I laughed at this, which upset them a bit. I said in the event of a claim they would trawl through the whole proposal and policy to find a reason to reject or reduce the claim anyway, I left it that I would discuss it with my daughter and decide. She was not keen on this idea either. She is a serving police officer with good experience on traffic cars and the law in general and couldn't see the need for this information. I am now going to do nothing and see what they do. They may decide to leave it or not. Either way I am prepared to cancel and re-insure elsewhere. Near the end now!

Questions that remain are: If they cancel before I do will it go on my record as insurance refused? Also would they have the right to charge a cancellation fee? I am prepared to pay a pro-rata rate of however many days by a 365th of the premium but no more. If they take a fee from the refund is it a small claims matter to recover it?... Read more

Has anyone here any current or recent experience of running a Renault/Nissan with a DPF equipped 1.5dci?
It’s a fifth injector set up, so regen diesel injection can’t dilute the engine oil, and I’m looking for real world experience of the frequency of regenerations. Read more

Hi there I’m looking for some guidance on what to do next? I had my Volvo engine replaced in January by a company in Essex claiming on their website to be the “UK’s number 1 engine and gearbox replacement company”. Shows a pretty impressive website on first viewing and being in a desperate need for the vehicle to be back on the road and promised a 2 year warranty I put my trust in them. During the early part of lockdown and having driven no more than 1000 miles I noticed that the coolant level was low which had been a problem before. I called them and followed up with a text to the only member of staff I have ever had contact with Jack. He informed me via text they were closed due to lockdown and he would let me know when they were open. On the 26th of June the vehicle stopped running while I was on the M4. I called jack who said get it here and we will take a look. 7 hours later I arrived at the office address ( not the workshop) on the breakdown truck and left the car and keys as directed in one of their spaces. I have not seen the vehicle since, and have been told various different stories as to why it’s not ready yet. I’ve emailed the address advertised, no response, I’ve rung the office number no answer, email address bounces back now. Jack has maintained contact though and usually calls back if he misses my call, sometimes he rings me with an update! However it’s been 14 weeks now and my patience is running thin. On further investigation it appears the same grammatical errors appear in several of the reviews on the company website. No address has ever been given to me other than the office address not the workshop. The only contact is by telephone and when I tried to record the conversation via another phone the calls cut off three times. It gets even more interesting though as I responded on another forum to a guy asking about them. When we spoke on the phone it turns out they have had his car since June 1st and he is in Belfast! He has had exactly the same experience and has been told the same story over the past two weeks about ECU problems and now a blood clot on the brain of jacks daughter. So with only one phone number, one contact, no address other than the office and 14 weeks without the car with only a “next week” promise I want to ask... what can I do legally!! Read more

Hi... Read more

Got a friend who wants another 0-12 month old car for the daily commute into London, looking at another 108/C1/Aygo (their current C1 turned 7 this week and is starting to have a few issues in the MOT) or an alternative small city car.

I have told him there is little value in auctions as a private buyer due to the excessive buyer fees. However he still wants to get one via auction as this is how he acquired his current car.

Manheim and BCA are still online only and trade only. Are any other of the bigger auction houses still holding physical auctions and if so are they open to the public?
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