UK Leasing and Contract Hire

Do you know the dangers of driving whilst tired?

2010-08-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

With the holiday season in full flow many of us will be making longer journeys than perhaps we normally take, how many of us consider just how tired we might be? Recently published research by Brake and Direct Line shows the vast majority admit driving while tired, and drivers don’t know the difference between fact and fiction on tackling sleepiness at the wheel.
It is not only you and your family you are placing at risk but fellow road users and pedestrians are also potential victims. This issue effects us all not just at holiday times but whilst on business in company cars or vans.
Are you responsible for your company cars or van fleet?

If you are have you put together a policy or document bringing this issue to the attention of your drivers? In the event one of your company car/van drivers fell asleep and caused a significant accident and it was proven that the driver was feeling forced to drive you could find yourself in very hot water indeed. Best to take a few moments to familiarise yourself with your responsibilities under the Duty of Care act

Brake and Direct Line’s survey found that nearly three-quarters of drivers (74%) admit driving whilst tired in the past 12 months – with almost one in ten (9%) saying they did so at least once a week. This represents a significant....read more

Car Fleets finance reliance increased by 21%

2010-08-10T05:21:00.000-07:00

Is the recovery really underway in the business car market, is confidence soaring or is the increase in vehicle sales on finance due to companies having to replace older cars and vans?
The latest figures produced by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show just under 30,000 fleet sales using finance were completed during the month. It brings the total for the rolling quarter to more than 109,000 – also a 21% rise on the same period last year.

“These figures look good, and they’re up 1% in the 12 months to May. But the problem is it’s an increase from a very low base. There’s confidence in the market, but it’s fragile,” said an FLA spokeswoman.

With the all businesses looking to make cost savings and ensure they are getting best value for money, many have deferred replacing their car and van fleets and are now finding that they have to begin replacing them due to the age and mileage. As we all know the cost of running and maintaining both cars and vans increase with the age and mileage of the vehicle and there comes a point when deciding not to replace them becomes uneconomic. This is not just due to the cost of servicing and repairs but also the down time, not much use having a van for.....read more

Cars further reduce Co2 emissions

2010-07-29T06:45:00.000-07:00

The humble car has often been sited as a major source of Co2 emissions and a significant contributor towards climate change. Whilst generations of politicians have urged us to use public transport for many of us this is still not a viable alternative to the car. As you would expect the manufacturers have had to respond to ensure they continue to capture market share especially in the super competitive fleet and business user sector where company car drivers are now taxed based on the C02 emissions of their car.

Well the really good news is that this new 'greener' technology is now beginning to show positive results, recent figures produced by the SMMT show that average new car CO2 figure was down 4.7% in first half of 2010 to 145.2g/km, compared with the same period in 2009. It is also interesting to note the sales of alternatively fueled vehicles doubled in the same period which proves there is clearly a demand for....read more

Jaguar What Car Green Luxury Car award - Contract Hire yours today!

2010-07-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

What Car? has awarded Jaguar 'Luxury Green Car' with its XJ 3.0 Diesel V6 Luxury model, this is indeed a turn around as who would have thought ten years ago Jaguar winning a Green award.

The judges said : "In a class dominated by understated design, the Jaguar XJ’s styling takes your breath away. It’s powerful yet athletic, imposing yet sleek. No other luxury car gets as much attention for the way it looks. You’ll enjoy driving the XJ an awful lot more than most of its competition, too. The Jaguar XJ is stunning, in every sense of the word."

The really good news is, this fabulous car is both British designed and built in the UK, once again this prestige marque showing the world the way forward. Jaguar have made a big weight reduction by using aerospace aluminium technology which has helped to shave off ....read more

Mazda - Fleet Contract Hire and Leasing up

2010-07-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

With the Business and Fleet sector still an important area for car manufacturers Mazda's recent strategy is paying off with fleet growth up by 18% compared to the same period in 2009.

Mazda fleet and remarketing director Peter Allibon said: “We have experienced a significant growth in our ‘net fleet’ channels - registrations by contract hire and leasing companies, Mazda Contract Hire, end-user fleets and Mazda Local Business Centres – a deliberate strategy that compliments Mazda’s strong appeal within the retail sector.

Mazda have not always faired so well in the main stream fleet and company car market, in many instances not even featuring on drivers lists. However Mazda are now being seen as a real alternative with good build quality favourable running costs and in many instances great Contract Hire and Leasing rentals

The rise in fleet volumes in 2010 comes with total Mazda new car half-year sales standing at 24,873 registrations - up 21.4 percent on last year’s six-month total of 20,491 units, according to Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ data.

Last month Mazda sales totalled 4,031 units - up more than 41 percent on June 2009 - with fleet registrations accounting for 929 vehicles of which 598 cars were categorised as ‘net fleet’.

With cash for cars still being requested by many company car drivers Mazda are...read more

Chevrolet -5 Years Maintenance,Warranty,Road Side Recovery

2010-07-08T07:10:00.000-07:00

Chevrolet have launched their latest offering the 5 year promise ! Chevrolet have made a commitment to offer 'the best ever warranty and after sales package in the UK'. The deal includes five-year warranty, free servicing, roadside assistance, MoT test cover and vehicle health checks.
This appears to be a retail offer but I am sure a version of this will be rolled out in some shape or form to the Contract Hire and fleet market in the fullness of time.

Anyone who buys a new car right now can count on Chevrolet to keep a cap on their motoring....read more

Audi Cars - New feature could save you hundreds!!!!

2010-07-08T06:18:00.000-07:00

If you have ever put petrol into your diesel car you will be fully aware of the costs that are associated with this mistake. I have to confess I have been guilty of this stupid mistake, a few years ago, having popped out to pick up a takeaway (I know junk food is bad for you) I called into fill up at my local station and proceeded to put in £40 worth of petrol into my diesel car. Five hours later and a £500 bill I returned home to throw out my ruined meal.

In all fairness it is easily done and Audi have come up with an ingenious fix on their A4,A5 and Q5 Tdi models, which will prevent this accident happening. The fuel filler neck has been redesigned to incorporate contact points that open an internal fuel flap only when the larger diesel pump nozzle applies pressure on them. The smaller diameter petrol nozzles do not make contact, ensuring that the filler flap remains closed to prevent access to the reservoir.
If you are car is on contract hire even with full maintenance you won't be covered in the event you mistakenly....read more

Small and Green - Volkswagen Win Top Award

2010-06-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

Volkswagen has long been seen as a manufacturer of desirable and good quality vehicles. We can all remember the legendary Golf Gti the hot hatch that really performed as well as having outstanding reliability. Over the years Volkswagen has developed it range and been aggressive in acquiring other brands and now stands as one of Europe's largest car and van manufacturers.

They recently had more success with their outstanding 1.4-liter TSI Twincharger which has secured overall honors at the International Engine of the Year Awards 2010. This powerful yet small capacity engine, which won the overall Awards’ title for the first time last year, boasts almost 180bhp this in part due to the intelligent use of both a turbocharger and a supercharger. The engine is now a popular choice for customers across much of the VW model range, including the Golf, Scirocco, Eos and Tiguan ranges; it is also found in the Seat Ibiza Cupra derivative.

Volkswagen have long been a popular with the mainstream Contract Hire and Leasing Companies this is due to factors such as competitive pricing,good reliability and high resale value. Many Fleet drivers....read more

Driving Abroad - Have you informed your Contract Hire or Lease provider

2010-06-16T03:00:00.000-07:00

With summer upon us many people will be looking forward to getting in their cars and taking a trip across the channel, but have you informed your Contract Hire or Car Leasing provider?

We all spend lots of time looking at what route we will take, where we will stay and how much money we need. But for most of us with a vehicle on a Contract Hire agreement or a Personal lease have we remembered to contact our car leasing provider in advance. It is important to do this as you will need to gain the lease providers permission to take the vehicle out of the UK and for them to arrange a VE103 document. Simplistically this document is evidence that you are not the legal owner of the vehicle but as the user your Leasing provider has given written authority for you to take the vehicle outside of the UK.

As this is very often outsourced by the Contract Hire company it is advisable to give your lease provider....read more

Company Car Use Fuel Rates Change

2010-06-11T03:03:00.000-07:00

Many of us who use our cars for business where we claim back the cost of business fuel, have been waiting patiently to see whether the HMRC (H M Revenue and Customs) increase the advisory fuel rates to match the rapidly increasing fuel costs. Well with the new coalition governments austerity programme beginning to kick in then you won't be surprised that the changes are not exactly generous!

In fact if you are one of the many people who run a diesel car with an engine capacity of between 1401cc and 2000cc, which I suggest is the majority of us then the rate of reimbursement hasn't changed. Interestingly the larger engined vehicles of over 2000cc have been the biggest winners, is this showing commitment to reducing emissions or is it that ministers and senior civil servants all run bigger capacity cars?...read more

Mazda MX-5 - A Contract Hire favourite and JD Power winner

2010-06-09T02:30:00.000-07:00

The Mazda MX- 5 has recently been awarded the JD Power 'Best Sports Car' award for 2010 based on their expansive survey with over 17,000 UK car owners taking part. The Mazda MX-5 an iconic two seater sports car received top scores for appearance,exterior and interior quality as well its legendary reliability. It also scored well on performance, running costs and dealer service.

In terms of numbers the Mazda MX-5 scored an overall satisfaction rating of 82.3%, beating a strong group comprising of the Mercedes-Benz SLK, the VW Eos and Audi TT to lift the award of 'Best in Class'.
It may surprise you to know the Mazda MX-5 has been with us for twenty years, this pretty little soft top has one many owners affection being well known for being fantastically reliable as well as holding its resale value well. It has long been held in high esteem by many Contract Hire companies who know they tend to fetch a premium price at the end of their contracts.
You can get a Mazda MX-5 1.8SE for only £199.00 + Vat through some advertisers on UK Leasing and Contract Hire .com a leading website where independant Contract Hire and Leasing brokers advertise some of the UK's best Car and Van leasing offers. Or what about one on a Personal Leasing contract £233.83 including Vat a great way of getting you behind the wheel of one of these great little sports cars
Mark Cameron, Sales Director of Mazda UK commented '' Today, the Mazda MX-5 remains unrivalled as a rewarding sports car that can be used for everyday motoring all year round. The MX-5 soft-top continues to offer the purest,fun to drive thrills,whilst the Roadster Coupe adds to those thrills with an even more premium experience,together with....read more

Personal Leasing a great way to drive a new car

2010-06-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

Are you looking to drive away a new car and not have to worry about selling it at the end of 2 or 3 years? You may find a Personal Contract Hire or Lease agreement may be just the right thing for you.
A Personal Lease is a funding option where you take a new vehicle, typically over a two or three year agreement and at the end of the term [More...] the vehicle is collected by the leasing company and disposed of for you. These Personal Contract hire arrangements typically only require a minimal initial up front payment normally the equivalent of 3 months rentals, this is then followed by a further 23 or 35 payments.

With most personal leasing agreements the vehicle is delivered to your home or place of work and will have road fund licence included for the first twelve months, in fact most of these contracts will include road fund licence for the full term of the hire agreement. You can also specify whether you want to include full maintenance provision to your hire agreement. This will enable you to budget the running costs of the car accurately as all routine servicing,breakdown cover and tyres are included,only accidental damage is normally excluded.

Once your contract is due to...read more

Bank Holiday - Time to Lease a new Car or Van?

2010-05-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

With the Bank holiday fast approaching why not take some time to find a new Car or Van Leasing bargain!

How do you normally go about purchasing your new Car or Van? Do you normally go to your local dealer and organise a finance deal? Do you have a Leasing company you have used before where you always get your vehicle through?

If the answer to the above is yes maybe it's time to sit back and let your fingers do the searching!

With so many more transactions taking place on line even the most techno phobic people have started to use the....read more

Company Car Users addicted to Smart Phones

2010-05-26T03:26:00.000-07:00

Despite all the warning many Company car users are ignoring the advice of their fleet car managers and are being drawn to the little red flashing light on their Blackberry Smart Phones. During a recent get together with some fairly senior executives from all areas of industry they all admitted being drawn to their phones if it indicated a new e mail or message had arrived. Some had decided that whilst driving they would put their phones in the glove box or in extreme cases in their brief cases in the boot. The temptation is huge for many of us especially with all the features these smart phones have available, do you really need to check your Twitter, Face Book or Linked in updates whilst travelling at 70mph, does the e mail telling you the sandwich van has arrived need to viewed as you pass the local school? I suspect not.....read more

April Car Registrations up - Car Leasing brokers are encouraged

2010-05-13T08:58:00.000-07:00

According to the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) new car registrations rose during April which is the tenth successive month we have seen an increase. This on the face of it is great news but these figures are based on a like for like basis with 2009 which we all know was terrible for the motor industry and related industries.

So what of the future?

We are indeed in interesting times with some of the Euro zone looking to be increasingly fragile, Greece already in deep trouble and Spain and Portugal looking vulnerable as stringent spending cuts need to be made. Other EU states and the IMF already making provisions for billions of Euro's to pumped into these weak economies if the need arises. What about good old blighty, just coming to terms with the news that we have the first coalition government since the second world war and saddled with a debt mountain of biblical proportion. Well despite all of this here in the UK new car registrations were up by a very acceptable 11.5% with 8% being made up of the extended scrappage scheme. To put this into numbers 148,793 new cars were registered in April.

Even more encoraging is the fact that vehicles built in the UK actually out paced the market and grew by 25%, so the car industry in the UK is looking strong and healthy. Based on these new figures the 2010 registration forecast has been increased to 1.924 million units,still significantly behind the heady heights of 2007.

What does this mean for independent Car Leasing and Contract Hire brokers?
Well the fleet and small business sector has been slower to get going than the retail market mainly due to the scrappage scheme, however there are positive signs that both fleet and small businesses are beginning to want to replace both cars and vans. You may have seen my recent blog where the van market is also showing positive signs of improvement. As the majority of car and van leasing independant brokers rely heavily on these two sectors for the majority of their business, through out 2009 many found trading difficult, again this was coupled to a major changes with some of the key leasing funders decidingto withdraw or reduce their operations in this sector, see previous article Car Broker market hit by funders withdrawing from the market. However from the reports I have been getting things are looking much more positive, with many brokers reporting increased levels of business and funders beginning to release more capital into the market.

During a recent meeting with one of our adverisers, ''St John Everitt MD of West MidsVehicle Leasing stated, ''the demand for new cars seemed to be building and we have had a record month in April. There are issues around....read more

Citroen Vans - Another great month

2010-05-10T09:01:00.000-07:00

Well it appears the van market is really getting some momentum going in April. I recently reported in previous blogs the Van and commercial market is showing signs of recovery and that April had been the best month year to date. One of the big winners have been Citroen who are reporting a spectacular 47.58% increase in registrations in April, enabling the company to gain a 9% share of the market. Strong performance from...read more

The Van Market up in April

2010-05-10T04:24:00.000-07:00

According to the latest registration figures the Van market shows signs of recovery in the first quarter of this year with a marked improvement during April. The heavier commercial vehicle market remains depressed which reflects the downturn in the economy over the last eighteen months.

Does this mean the future is looking brighter for the Van market?
As the recession took effect many companies put an immediate hold on vehicle acquisition and Vans in particular seemed to suffer. A high percentage of Vans are operated by sole traders or SME’s and this end of the market felt the pain of the down turn in market conditions very quickly. With economic confidence beginning to increase and the fact that many existing vans should have been replaced earlier has led to the potential of a real pent up demand. Lets hope the spectre of a hung parliament and problems in the euro zone will not put the brakes in this recovery.
Paul Everitt Chief Executive of the SMMT commented....Read More

Van - Lease or Contract Hire- which is best?

2010-05-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

With many companies being heavily reliant on van’s (LCV) for the effective running of their day to day activities vans need to be looked at carefully before purchasing or leasing.
One of the questions which is frequently asked is ‘What’s the best way of acquiring my next Van’?
During times of recession or economic downturn like we are in at the moment most businesses are looking to tak as little money out of the business as possible. Here at Uk Leasing and Contract Hire we are seeing a much larger interest in Contract Hire as a method of acquiring a new van or numbers of vans......Read More

The New Mitsubishi Outlander - A Contract Hire Favourite

2010-04-27T06:44:00.000-07:00

Mitsubishi has long been associated with building good quality 4x4 vehicles, with the trusty Shogun spearheading the companies off road credentials with both long wheelbase and short wheelbase models. Bring in the awesome Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution range and you have a four seat car with outstanding performance and handling, the top of the range FQ-400 produces a staggering 403BHP which outs in firmly in the super car bracket.
One of the attractions of the Outlander range is their versatility being able to carry up to 7 passengers and being the lowest CO2 ommitting vehicle in its class. With the ability to select two or four wheel drive the Outlander can turn in an impressive 40mpg which makes it a popular choice for those that need space and want similar fuel consumption to a family saloon.

The contract hire and leasing providers have responded positively to the Outlander as traditionally re sale value on Mitsubishi product has been strong which will reflect in the rental. Coupled to good reliability, maintenance budgets tend to be really competitive which again helps to produce a low monthly rental. An example of this is the Outlander Equipe at only £269 + Vat per month......read more

The good news is Mitsubishi

Seat Leon FR --Good to Drive - Great to Contract Hire

2010-04-21T03:25:00.000-07:00

Seat have recently launched a new version of their exciting Leon FR,this top of the range sporty model hosts a wealth of new innovation but not at the expense of performance. Since the take over of Seat by VAG Group the brand has gone from strength to strength and is seen as an exciting with a vibrant model range. Seat have marketed themselves with modern and appealing advertising, which has very often been targeted at the younger upwardly mobile set. The model line up has something for most people with sporty Cupra and Leon FR, the appealing Ibiza range, the alternative to the VW Golf in the Altea along with saloon and estate in the Exeo range and finally the versatile Alhambra people carrier.
So whats so good about the new Seat Leon FR?.......Read More

Fiat Cars Support British Cycling

2010-04-21T01:38:00.000-07:00

How often do you think of Fiat and 'off road vehicle's, probably not very often. However Fiat Automobiles have agreed to be official car supplier to British Cycling. If you are interested you can see their involvement this weekend (23-25 April) at the 2010 UCI Mountain Bike Cross-Country World Cup.

This event is scheduled to take place in Read More......

Car Insurance are you correctly Insured?

2010-03-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

How often do you check the small print on your car or van insurance policy? Fail to know about your policy could result in you not being adequately insured or worse not insured at all!

I have just come across this story on the.....read more

Skoda Wins Again

2010-03-24T06:52:00.000-07:00

Škoda add two more trophies to its already bulging awards cabinet this month, as the manufacturer won twice at the prestigious Fleet News awards 2010.

Skoda was named the Most Improved Fleet Manufacturer and the Superb model won the accolade of Best Upper-Medium car, at a glitzy awards ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on the 16 March.

Skoda have made huge.....read more

The Little Black Number ...And it's not a Dress!!!!!

2010-03-18T06:10:00.000-07:00

With all the bad news surrounding Toyota and its recalls it's great to see they have launched a new model of the Toyota Aygo. The Toyota Aygo Black is the new flagship model in this range and certainly has good specification, as we all know some great things come in small packages and this Toyota certainly fits that criteria. The Aygo has claimed a stake in.....read more

Alfa Romeo Mito ...Green and Mean

2010-03-17T09:04:00.000-07:00

The iconic Italian car manufacturer Alfa Romeo is now launching its new generation of diesel engine technology with the introduction of MultiJet II. How times have changed, would you have ever imagined Alfa Romeo developing 'oil Burning' technology? Traditionally known for their......read more

Satellite Navigation just gets better and better

2010-03-17T07:04:00.000-07:00

Do you remember a time when we used to have to take a map,or even worse actually planning a journey in advance? Well if you do you will probably have embraced the revolution in satellite navigation . In recent years we have seen a proliferation of easy to use and accurate satellite navigation systems which can be fitted to any car or van. In many cases these devices can be used in Europe as well as the UK. One of the market leaders.....read more

Design and Innovation at the Motor Show

2010-03-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Geneva motor show is the opportunity for the worlds car manufacturers to show off their new models for 2010 as well as give a glimpse of the future. There is a multitude of concept cars with some actually going to end up being built and sold. The theme has been very much angled towards not only exciting innovation but with the emphasis on being green

Some of the exciting new models and concepts are....read more

Electric Cars are given huge boost in the UK

2010-03-03T02:46:00.000-08:00

The constant debate about mankind's impact on global climate change due to the amount of CO2 we produce, seems to produce so many differing opinions its hard to keep pace. Recent polls indicate there is a growing number of us who are becoming increasingly cynical of what is causing the changes in the climate we are all being told about. As the UK has signed up for some tough targets in reducing our CO2 the transport market is a prime target. It is reported that car use can contribute significantly to amount of carbon we deposit into the atmosphere.

It is true there is a greater interest in low carbon vehicles with more....read more

Vauxhall March to Help The Hero's

2010-02-25T06:31:00.000-08:00

With the conflict in Afghanistan intensifying with operation Moshtarak, the news of allied fatality's and injury's appears to be increasing on a daily basis. With so many young men and women being injured in recent conflicts Bryn and Emma Parry decided it was time to provide some practical help and created Help for Heroes. This is a charitable organisation that since its inception in 2007 and has raised millions of pounds which has been used to provide positive help to young injured service personnel.

It has been announced Vauxhall have decided to become a supporting partner for the next two years. There help and financial support has been welcomed.....read more

Is it a thing of beauty or a carpet cleaner

2010-02-24T07:55:00.000-08:00

What do you think of this, a cutting edge and desirable vehicle of the future or something that Dyson have produced to clean your carpet.

I love to see real futuristic innovation and think this Honda concept vehicle looks great. I am sure it will never really see the light of day in this format but if only car manufacturers were braver we could see some really exciting new vehicles speeding down a road new you.

The french manufacturers such as Renault tend to be bold and produce exciting looking new vehicles and of course the manufactures of super cars such as Spyker and Ferrari also push the boundary's.

Love to hear your comments so post them below.

Superminis- Good to Contract Hire or Personal Lease?

2009-09-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

There has been an inexorable rise in the popularity in superminis over the last few years, this can be attributed to the acquisition cost, running costs and the need for small cars especially in congested cities.

Contract Hire and Personal Leasing both are attractive ways of acquiring these diminutive cars due to the low initial purchase price and generally speaking high residual value. With many customers wanting to downsize from bigger more expensive vehicles the demand for good conditions, low mileage superminis has increased which is good news for all. The Contract Hire and Leasing companies constantly monitor the performance of their disposals and where strong performers are identified stronger residual values are applied. This results in lower monthly rentals for the customer a win win then.

I have been reading in the excellent Fleet Confidential publication comments from Martin Keighley, HPI's valuation expert and his views of the superminis residual performance which makes interesting reading.

There are now many more less mainstream manufacturers entering this very competitive sector, Keighley said'' The traditional volume players such as Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa and the Volkswagen Polo have strong competition from the low volume players offering styles to suit everyone, from the sporty to basic frugal models.''

''Add to this their generally lower than average production of carbon emissions, and these cars offer guilt-free,greener motoring and good value''.

So who are the real winners in this group, which make good Contract Hire and Personal Contract hire options?

HPI have come up with their top ten superminis based on residual value percentage.

1 Honda Jazz

2 Hyundai i20

3 Seat Ibiza

4 Mazda 2

5 Mitsubishi Colt

6 Suzuki Swift

7 Volkswagen Polo

8 Toyota Yaris

9 Chevrolet Aveo

and in joint 10th spot

Renault Clio

Ford Fiesta

Kia Rio

Some real surprises there so when considering your next Contract Hire or Personal Lease vehicle may be check out those in the top 5 first. There will be the opportunity of finding a super competitive Contract Hire rental, so save you money and the planet at the same time.

Some of the very best examples of Contract Hire and Personal Lease rentals can be found at Uk Leasing and contract hire with the winning Honda Jazz http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/car-leasing/Honda-cars/Jazz%20Hatchback/contract-hire.htm

Vauxhall Update Job losses looming

2009-09-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

You may have been following my thoughts on the changes going on at Vauxhall, well it now looks like our fears are well founded for the UK work force. As I have previously reported the Canadian parts maker Magna who successfully purchased Opel (which includes Vauxhall) are now looking to make radical changes to the business throughout Europe.

A source close to the talks has told the BBC News that some 1,100 jobs could be lost in the UK, these losses will be shared between the Luton and Ellesmere Port, where they build the Vauxhall Astra and Vauxhall Van range. Even after the frantic negotiations in Germany a German newspaper has reported up to 1,400 jobs could be lost there as part of a total European job reduction of 11,000 people.

The new Vauxhall / Opel Astra has been unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show last week which will be a major seller for the new owners Magna, however in spite of the glitz and glamour of a new model launch Magna's co-chief executive, Siegfried Wolf,informed reporters up to 10,500 jobs would need to be lost , worryingly for Angela Merkel 4,000 of them in Germany.

In the UK 5,500 workers are directly employed by Vauxhall and thousands more indirectly in Vauxhall dealers, Vauxhall Contract Hire and Leasing arm along with delivery companies and motor factor businesses. The unions in the UK are clearly concerned over the future of their members in both Luton and Ellesmere Port plants. Tony Woodley of the Unite Union said he had''growing concerns'' over Magna's plans for Vauxhall.

Mr Woodley also repeated what he had said at the recent TUC conference that''at last the truth is out about Magna's intention towards the UK plants at Ellesmere Port and Luton''

Is this the end of Vauxhall building cars in the UK?

Only time will tell but for all those affected this must be a worrying time, these large employers are the backbones of the communities and large scale job losses have dire consequences on these areas.

On a positive note the Vauxhall Astra is not only a popular family car but a significant vehicle to the fleet industry, a market any volume car manufacturer would be foolish to turn their back on. Vauxhall need to look forward, with the world leaders all appearing to believe the global economy is coming out of recession the insatiable demand for cars will again make manufacturing an attractive proposition.

Let's hope Magna don't start making cuts to soon, let's make sure the UK retains a viable car making capability, after all we are good at it, once those skills are lost they will probably never return.

If you are looking for some of the very best car deals on the market visit http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/ or for specific Vauxhall offers see http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/car-leasing/Vauxhall-cars/contract-hire.htm

Vauxhall Bought By Magna

2009-09-14T09:04:00.000-07:00

Late last week it was confirmed that General Motors had chosen the Canadian car parts giant Magna to buy Opel and Vauxhall in Europe, which has ended months of speculation and rumour.
As is well documented the German government had been lobbying hard, and is generally accepted that they had managed to ‘cut ‘ a deal in order to help preserve jobs at the Opel plants in Germany. Angela Merkel the German chancellor welcomed the news and said she was ‘’very pleased’’ about Magna’s decision.
In the UK there has been consternation amongst British Unions in the handling of the affair to try and protect the Vauxhall plants and the 5,500 workers employed by them. Peter Mandelson Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has come in for criticism for not appearing to be as aggressively involved as members of the German government have been, a claim he strongly refutes.
With every take over there is always a high risk of significant head count reduction, along with the UK’s 5,500 employees Opel in Europe have around 54,500 workers across Europe, with a significant proportion based in Germany (25,000). As Germany have been at the forefront of the deal will all their work force be spared the misery of redundancy or will they still face an uncertain future?
It is reported that Magna will look to reduce the workforce by over 10,000 in both Vauxhall and Opel, with Germany being proactive in coming up with a deal and contributing circa 1.5bn Euro’s already and committing to a further 3bn Euro’s in the way of loan guarantees. It is predicted only 2,500 of the job casualties will come from Germany and the rest from the remainder of Europe and the UK
A spokesperson for Magna has confirmed the company has committed to keeping the Ellesmere Port facility open which would effectively keep production of the Vauxhall Astra here in the UK. He also added that the existing contract to keep production of the vans at the Luton plant will be honoured until 2013. Magna have a desire to keep production here after that date, but like all take over’s and mergers things tend to change quickly.
Tony Woodley general secretary of the Unite Union said ‘’ The uncertainty surrounding the ownership of Vauxhall is now over, but the uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of British plants will continue’’. He also added ‘’ We need to make sure that British plants and people are not treated disproportionately during the restructure that takes place’’.
So at the moment its business as usual for Vauxhall in the UK, I suspect over the coming weeks and months greater clarity will be given to the future of the two plants and the workforce employed. The good news is Vauxhall Astra remains a strong brand in the UK and is popular both to individuals and Fleet drivers alike. Astra have a broad line up of derivatives such as Astra Diesel Estates, Astra Diesel Sport Hatch, Astra Diesel Twin Top, Astra Hatchback and Estate petrol and Astra Sport Hatch Special Editions.
For some of the best office on the web go to http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/car-leasing/Vauxhall-cars/contract-hire.htm where a range of the best independent car leasing brokers in the UK advertise. Whether you are looking for a new company car on Contract Hire or a Personal Lease, Personal Contract Hire agreement you will be able to find it here.

Contract Hire an Overview

2009-09-10T07:50:00.000-07:00

Contract Hire has become one of the leading leasing products amongst UK's national and local fleets in recent years. There are in excess of one million cars and vans being leased on Contract Hire currently though out the UK.
Contract Hire is one of several different types of lease and is also known as an operating lease, in simple terms Contract Hire is a .......Read More

http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/Article/Contract-Hire-an-Overview.htm

Contract hire online - save time and money

2009-09-10T07:42:00.000-07:00

Buy contract hire online and arrange everything quickly and easily.
Time and money are important - not just to businesses, but to individuals too. That's why we are always looking for the quickest way to arrange things like contract hire. Online companies offering goods and services know that most people like to surf the internet before they buy, taking the time to find out as much as they can before they commit themselves. Today, you can both research new vehicles and arrange contract hire online.....Read More

http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/Article/Contract-hire-online-save-time-and-money.htm

Contract car hire - UK drivers look for deals

2009-09-10T07:27:00.000-07:00

To get the most from contract car hire, UK drivers search for the best offers
If you're looking for an easy way to spread the cost of motoring, think about contract car hire. UK companies have used contract car hire for many years, in order to offer their employees the benefit of a vehicle without having to use capital to buy the cars and suffer the loss of depreciation in later years. Contract car hire, UK-wide, is very ....Read More

http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/Article/Contract-car-hire-UK-drivers-look-for-deals.htm

Contract car hire - leasing a good option in recession

2009-09-10T07:18:00.000-07:00

Contract car hire & leasing could be a cost-effective way to maintain key benefits

With countries around the world feeling the effects of recession, many businesses may choose to cut back completely on employee benefits such as company cars. This might be a mistake, however....... Read More

http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/Article/Contract-car-hire-leasing-a-good-option-in-recession.htm

Car contract hire online - where technology helps

2009-09-10T07:06:00.000-07:00

Using car contract hire online means you're making technology work for you.

The ongoing advances in internet technology mean that you can now access a wide range of goods and services from the comfort of your home or office. Pretty much anything that can be sold online, is sold online and that means you have an excellent tool at your fingertips. As well as buying .......for full details follow http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/Article/Car-contract-hire-online-where-technology-helps.htm

Business Contract Hire - a real alternative

2009-08-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

Business Contract Hire can help you to save money.

In tough economic times, finance departments and business managers are looking for as many ways as possible to reduce their expenditure. Before you consider drastic measures, such as losing staff or closing facilities, you should always take a look at your general expenses to see where savings could be made.....to read more http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/Article/Business-Contract-Hire-a-real-alternative.htm

CO2 Emissions on New cars fall at a significant rate

2009-08-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

The CO2 emissions generated by new cars fell at a record rate during 2008 according to the latest report from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, a full version of this can be viewed on the SMMT website (http://www.smmt.co.uk/)

It's interesting to note that whilst the numbers of vehicles on the road have increased long with distance travelled the total share of emissions have continued to ....... 'read more, go to http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/Article.aspx?ArticleID=14

Contract Hire an Overview

2009-08-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

Contract Hire is one of several different types of lease and is also known as an operating lease, in simple terms Contract Hire is ........read more @ http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/Article.aspx?ArticleID=20

Personal Leasing - How does it work?

2009-08-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

There are two main personal products available on the market, Personal Contract Hire (PCH) and Personal Contract Purchase (PCP), both offer the opportunity to obtain a vehicle for a fixed monthly payment over a pre agreed period.

With both PCP and PCH agreements you will select the car you would like along with any options you might want, you will then need to decide over how many months you would want the contract over. These are typically 24, 36 or 48 months however, ........read more @ http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/Article.aspx?ArticleID=21

GAP Cover - Insurance for Contract Hire and Personal Contract Hire

2009-08-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

When you enter into a Contract Hire or Personal Contract Hire agreement it is important to make sure you are correctly insured, many people assume their cover is sufficient but in certain circumstances this is not the case. You should check with your insurance company that your cover is suitable to cover vehicles that are on Contract Hire or Personal Contract Hire agreements.

It is also worth considering whether you may need 'Gap Cover, this is due to the fact that any new car or van begins........Read more....http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/Article.aspx?ArticleID=22

Google Street View

2009-08-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

Google's controversial Street View has been launched in the UK this week, this latest feature of Google allows people to view streets in 25 cities from Aberdeen in Scotland to Southampton on the south coast. The full story is covered on the BBC website including views of those for and against this new innovative feature.

As you can see some of these images will be acquired using a large camera mounted on top of what appears to be a Vauxhall Corsa. As a guide any car or van that is being leased on a Contract Hire agreement whether its business Contract Hire or Personal Contract Hire and you want to add non standard accessories or modify the vehicle in any way, you will need to obtain permission in advance ........for full story go to http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/Article.aspx?ArticleID=23

Bank Holiday Blues

2009-08-21T04:34:00.000-07:00

Well it's nearly here, August Bank Holiday, one of the busiest times on our roads with everyone scrabbling to take in the last of the summer (what summer I hear you ask).

According to Kwik-Fit who have carried out a survey into holiday makers that have decided to stay in the UK this year that ''6.6 million holiday makers will jump in their cars to Brit Hop this year. Between them they'll cover up to a whopping 6 billion miles at an average of 385 Miles per round trip'' The pressure on the roads is obvious, according to Kwik-Fit ''That's one tenth of the total mileage that Brits will cover in their cars during July,August and September 2009.''

So what can we do to have a great break with out the misery of endless queuing and even worse breaking down?

Here are some top tips to help you on your way.

1 Give your car a health check- Does it need a service, when was one last carried out? If in doubt get it booked in. I see that Kwik-Fit are offering a pre-holiday car check which covers items such as Oil and Tyre checking.

2 If you are able to why not do your own checking- check Oil level, obvious but often neglected, Fluid levels such as water in the Radiator, Windscreen Washer, Brake and Power Steering Fluids.

3 Tyres always neglected but critical for you safety and also fuel consumption. Under inflated tyres not only can be dangerous but will also increase your fuel consumption, in some cases by up to 10%. If you are carrying a lot of extra weight most manufacturers will recommend a higher pressure than normal, again there are many outlets such as supplying dealer or tyre specialists such as Kwik-Fit that can advise on this.

4 Bulbs and battery, get a member of your family to check all your lights with you, nothing worse than having a brush with an officer of the law because one of your lights is faulty.

5 Have you got a warning triangle and a high visibility jacket, you will need both if you break down. Both these items may sound a bit dull but could help save your life, dark lane in Devon trying to change a tyre and no high visibility jacket being worn, I will leave your imagination to the potential consequences.

6 Mobile phone, charged and with sufficient credit, again we often forget to fully charge our phones or check credit if you have pay as you go. No use to you if you can't make outgoing calls, I don't mean to your friends but the emergency services.

7 Have you got, or is your membership to a breakdown service still current. Have you got their number with you?

So those are some of the more obvious things to check and sort out, you have a week left to resolve any of those issues.

What else can we do to make life a bit easier?

1 Plan your journey in advance, you might want to consider alternatives to the Motorway especially if you are travelling at peak times. Every year there are the normal hot spots on these major arteries so why not take an alternative. If you have time, by taking the A and B roads you will actually see more areas of interest and may even give you new ideas of where you might want to holiday or visit in the future. Get the map book out or check sat nav well in advance, you may want to write some notes about which roads you need.

2 Give yourself plenty of time, there is nothing more stressful than arranging to be somewhere, leaving at the last minute then getting held up.

Why not consider leaving early or later so avoiding the main rush times, makes the journey more pleasant and will probably save you fuel into the bargain.

3 Consider taking food and drink with you for the journey (don't forget the animals as well if you are taking them. I don't mean the kids). You can then stop when ever you want as opposed to having to find service areas, again you will save yourself money at the same time.

4 Fill up your vehicle locally where you know the prices are at their best, traditionally Motorway fuel is more expensive than in town, or Supermarket filling stations.

5 Make sure you pull in to take regular breaks, to coin a motorway expression 'Tiredness kills take a break''

6 If you decide you are going to hit the continent and your car is on Contract Hire or a Lease you should ensure you notify the Leasing company in advance, they will need to raise the necessary paperwork to prevent any hassle on the other side. You should also check that your warranty and maintenance cover is sufficient for the country you are visiting. Don't leave this call to the last minute or you may find the leasing company has insufficient time to sort out the paperwork.

These are just a few ideas to help you on your way, the best advice is check your car, plan the journey in advance and try to enjoy the experience!!

On the other hand if you decide not to bother hitting the roads why not spend some time on the web looking at the great offers on the National Automotive website. We have brought together a selection of the best quality car finance brokers in the UK ,and have great Car and Van Leasing offers all in one place. Whether you are looking for your next Company Car or a Personal Contract Hire Agreement you won't do better than to visit National Automotive.

To help you find us follow the link http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/

If you join the rest of throng then I hope you have a great break

Whats's happening at Porsche?

2009-08-21T01:21:00.000-07:00

Most of us at some point have aspired to own a Porsche, this iconic German brand has been synonymous with being a must have for the well heeled and the up and coming wannabees. Whether you want a classic 911 in it's various guises or a four wheel drive executive in the shape of a Cayenne you will be making a statement about yourself and your expectations on life. Porsche have managed to create a brand which not only appeals to those who want a real driving experience but also don't want to spend hours going to dealerships to get their piece of exotica repaired.

So what on earth is going on, this highly sort after brand has had real aspirations to get involved in the volume market by showing more than a little interest in buying Volkswagen Group, a slight change in direction I am sure you will agree!

The sequence of events broadly speaking are listed below.

March 2008 -Porsche stated it would take a controlling stake in VW, this through increasing it share holding to 51%

October 2008-VW becomes the largest company in the world based on market value following a huge surge in their shares. This came about after it became clear that Porsche were buying up large chunks of VW shares, which left fewer available for hedge funds to buy, these were needed to allow the hedge funds to close their positions.

January 2009- Porsche ambitiously announce they want to increase their stake in Volkswagen to 75%, poor timing as the credit crunch and car sales in free fall prevented this going ahead. I am sure Volkswagen in some respects are more than a little pleased, hoping to see their position change for the better.

May 2009- The ongoing talks between Porsche and Volkswagen collapse after a merger was agreed but Volkswagen subsequently demanded that Porsche reduce it's debt.

June 2009- The writing is on the wall for Porsche as their request for 1.75bn euros loan is turned down, this money was needed as a direct consequence of it's attempts to gain complete control of Volkswagen

July 2009- A complete reversal takes place and Volkswagen announce it's planning to buy Porsche, shortly after this the chief executive Wendelin Wiedeking and financial director Holger Haerter both resign.

August 2009-Porsche acquisition hopes are finally completely dashed following Volkswagen announcing they will be buying a 42% stake in the beleaguered Porsche brand. Then to put the icing on the cake Porsche offices are raided by the federal prosecutors.

Why?

It is alleged that there had been market manipulation of Volkswagen shares, Porsche, have as you would expect denied the allegations and have agreed to co-operate with the prosecutors.

In the earlier part of the year (first three months)the share prices directly contributed to 6.4bn euro's to the company's pre tax profit of 7.3bn euros. This has led to comments from some quarters that Porsche had become an enormous hedge fund, with the car making side of the business as a second string.

So, this darling of the rich and famous has indeed had a monumental change in fortunes, no longer a cash rich business predominately in private hands. Only last week Porsche announced that the state of Qatar would take a majority stake in the business, Qatar will eventually become Porsche's third biggest shareholder behind the Piech and Porsche families and the German state of Lower Saxony.

It's fascinating to see these manufacturers constantly looking to acquire brands and build their empires, even in these difficult times with the global recession still hitting the motor industry hard. With Volkswagen acquiring 42% of Porsche they in effect will become the 10th brand under the Volkswagen umbrella. They will be joining some of the great names in the global market, VW Cars, Seat,Skoda, in the prestige car market they will join Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugatti. They also have a string Commercial vehicle offering in the shape of VW Commercial vehicles, Scania AB and a share holding in MAN SE.

So to sum up will this takeover have a negative effect on the Porsche brand, I suspect not it's certainly not had a negative impact on Lamborghini and of course the awesome Bugatti Veryon (would never have been built without Volkswagen deep pockets). Once the dust has settled it will be business as usual, however it could be fun to point out to some folk they are driving a cousin of Skoda.

To find the very best deals on a range of VAG Group vehicles why not visit our website where you will find a selection of the best car finance brokers in the market place. Whether you are looking for a company or business Contract Hire agreement, or your an individual wanting a Personal Contract Hire arrangement you need look no further. http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/ also has an extensive range of commercial vehicles at cheap and affordable prices, so don't delay visit the website today.

Follow these links for the very car leasing deals

Audi - http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/audi-car-leasing.htm

Seat -http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/seat-car-leasing.htm

Skoda -http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/skoda-car-leasing.htm

Volkswagen - http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/volkswagen-car-leasing.htm

Commercial vehicles / Vans -http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/van-leasing.htm

National Automotive Winners

2009-08-18T05:52:00.000-07:00

Here at National Automotive we recently ran a competition where we gave all our advertisers the opportunity of winning 12 tickets to the 20/20 Cricket World Cup. All the independent Car Finance Brokers who advertise on our site were each allocated a ticket and entered into the draw.

Their were 3 lucky winners who each received 4 tickets, they were -

NCA Vehicle Management

Autofinance UK

Purple Contracts

They all either attended the day or used the tickets to send their best customers to this exciting event. We love feed back at National Automotive and below is a resume of one of the lucky winners days.

“20/20 World Cup
Trent Bridge 10 June 09
Sri Lanka v West Indies
Ireland v India

I have to say that prior to this I was not a cricket fan, indeed I couldn't’t understand why a grown man would want to stand there, armed with a slim piece of wood against a solid lump of vicious leather and its contents being launched at him at 100 mph! And then to play for 4 days and it’s still a draw?!

This was different. In the middle of a rain soaked week (no change there) there was sunshine over Trent Bridge; well, for most of the day. We met up with clients at the ground, one of whom, Stuart, is a member of Lord’s. Thank goodness for Stuart. He explained the fielding positions allowed in the early overs of an innings, the two boundaries, and the etiquette. With Stuart’s help it began to make sense, and what’s more a thoroughly entertaining day.

We witnessed Malinga the Slinger in full dubious bowling action, the podium dancers giving it their all for each six, the “Yahoo-oo” call (they were sponsors) on the bowler change, and the most acrobatic and possibly contentious bit of fielding from the Sri Lankans. If that wasn’t enough it was the highest scoring game of the tournament. The crowd of mainly Indians and Sri Lankans dressing up for the occasion, reminiscent of an Italian promenade, were in great form and everyone was having a good time.

I still don’t understand the grown man bit, or the 4 days and it’s a draw, but I’m sold on 20/20.

Well done Trent Bridge, and sorry we didn’t see too much of the Ireland/India game because the rain came in. It was great entertainment and thank you to National Automotive for the opportunity.

What’s more I didn’t need the Gaviscon for the burger!”

As you can see the event was a great success and has clearly made some new converts to the game.

At National Automotive we are committed to providing not only a great place for our independent car finance brokers to advertise all their special offers, but to work closely with them to develop the website into a one stop shop for the very best Contract Hire and Personal Leasing deals anywhere on the web.

If you are interested in talking to us about what advertising opportunities we have, please visit our website http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/dealer-signup.htm and complete the enquiry form.

Be part of something where YOUR views are valued and where many new and exciting innovations and offers will be extended to you.

BMW - Recovery 'not in sight'

2009-08-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

The prestige car makers BMW have stated they see little signs of an economic recovery after they confirmed their profits were down by three quarters for the period April to June. Against the same period last year net profit was £103m which represents a fall of 76% and new car sales down by a fifth.

These large reductions in profit I suspect will be experienced by many of the large manufacturers, Toyota also have announced a big quarterly loss after disappointing sales performance and earlier VW and Renault reported weak results.

However as these manufacturers operate in a global market there will always be good and bad areas to be in, Germany for example seem to be forging ahead with an increase in sales of 27% compared to the first seven months of 2008. This represents some 2.4 million vehicle sales over this seven month period, this increase in part could be due to the Germans version of the old car 'scrappage' scheme.

BMW stated ''The current business climate renders it impossible to make a reliable forecast regarding the further course of business in 2009'' and that ''the results of the global economic and financial crisis in the second quarter, resulting in a noticeable decrease in number of cars and motorcycles sold''.

BMW have been the king of the company car park for many years, however in this hyper competitive market they are coming under increasing pressure from rivals such as Audi, Mercedes and Jaguar, all wanting a slice of this prestige market.

With some of the banks reporting now reporting profits and funding becoming more accessible will confidence begin to return and companies who have put off vehicle acquisitions begin to return to the market?

If they do I am sure they will be looking for real value for their hard earned buck, will BMW's offering still be as attractive as they once were?

BMW still have a great reputation for the quality of their cars and the overall reliability is perceived as good, which should attract many of the loyal customers back to the brand. If you are looking to make a change you can find some great offers on Contract Hire @ http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/search.php?category=bmw-car&sec=leasing&page=1

Why not take a look these offers make great sense in these 'challenging' times.

Contract Hire End of Contract Recharges

2009-07-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

New to Contract Hire?

Don't get caught by recharges at the end of your Lease agreement it can hurt.

Many Car fleets and individual drivers get a very nasty shock once their vehicle has been returned to the Leasing company at the end of their contract in the shape of a 'damage recharge' invoice.

What is an end of Lease recharge?

In simplistic terms a Contract Hire rental is made up of the cost price of the vehicle, Maintenance if you have it in your contract, Road Fund Licence, Interest rate and the depreciation of the vehicle. The value the lease provider has set for the vehicle taking into account age and mileage (known as Residual Value) will determine the amount of depreciation from the price of the new vehicle. This value is based on the assumption the vehicle is of appropriate condition for the term and mileage covered. In simple terms if you were to buy the vehicle at auction what price is it worth, if it's damaged or in poor condition the sale value you would expect to pay significantly less.

What can I do to help make sure I don't get charged?

This is in essence should not be to onerous, apply the logic as if you had bought the car and wanted to get a good part exchange price when you changed the car after two or three years ,what would the dealer be looking at?

Ensure the car has been serviced in accordance with the manufacturers recommended intervals, dependant on the car and the leasing company this should be carried out by the correct franchised dealer for the vehicle. You can confirm the Contract Hire companies stance on this by contacting their technical services department, some will be happy for you to use independent garages which can be considerably cheaper.

Don't service the car and you will almost certainly pay at the end of the contract and this can really hurt.

Scratches and Dents leave them at your peril.

As a rule of thumb it is always better to get any scratches or dents repaired before your vehicle is returned, Contract Hire and Leasing companies are not renowned for finding the cheapest repairing agent. However make sure the repair you have carried out is of a suitable standard, you won't want to pay twice. Again this is an area where it's worth speaking to your car lease provider to confirm what they think is acceptable and what is not. Most Contract Hire companies will have a written policy on what they consider to be fair wear and tear and what in their opinion is accident damage.

Is the car clean?

If your car is not clean and tidy how will the collection agent be able to carry out a full appraisal of your car? You run the risk of damage being found once the vehicle has been cleaned and again this can result in bill you were not expecting.

For further clarification the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) have a definitive guide on end of contract recharges, this is worth checking out and details are available on their website.

Many of the independent Car Leasing brokers on our website are BVRLA members and would be happy to provide further information on this important area of your contract. Follow this link to to find top quality car lease providers. http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/car-leasing-company.htm

Hundreds of Jobs to be created at Nissan

2009-07-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

Nissan have announced that their factory at Wearside will begin to start producing batteries for electric cars which should create 350 new jobs. It is reported that Nissan have invested £200m in the factory with Gordon Brown saying '' this was great news for the local economy''

The news is especially good as the plant which is near Sunderland has had to compete against other plants across Europe with the decision being awarded to the UK.

Could this be the first step towards this plant producing electric powered vehicles?

Gordon Brown stated '' Sunderland could now be a strong contender to produce electric vehicles for Nissan in Europe, and we will continue to work with Nissan to ensure this happens''. A strong clue I would suggest.

With the recent announcement from Nissan's Japanese rival Toyota that they would be building the new Toyota Auris hybrid petrol-electric car at Burnaston in Derbyshire at some point in 2010, could this spell a change in fortunes for the UK's car manufacturers?

Could the UK become a world specialist in the production of 'green' cars?

The UK has long been known for having some of the best Research and Development teams in the automotive industry coupled with consumers wanting to have a 'greener' option these could be exciting times for the Automotive industry.

With many company car drivers wanting to maintain the benefits of a company car, but ensuring they pay the least amount of tax for the privilege, Hybrid cars offer a great deal. With Company Car tax now being calculated on CO2 emissions these Hybrid vehicles offer a real alternative to the previously popular diesel car.

As demand for these new Hybrid cars grow the used market will become stronger as used car buyers want to help do 'their bit' to help reduce their emissions, this will lead to stronger residual values, which will in turn make an impact on the rentals from Contract Hire and Car Leasing companies.

At National Automotive we have some of the best Contract Hire and Car Leasing deals in the market. Looking to go green, we have Toyota Prius Hybrid cars from £269.95 + vat per month for more information on these special offers follow the link.

http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/search.php?category=toyota-car&sec=leasing&page=1

Let's hope that once again the UK can be a modern and vibrant car manufacturer producing the highest quality and cleanest vehicles in the world.

DPF What is it?

2009-07-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of a DPF, no it's not some obscure sporting term but a piece of mechanical wizardry designed to make the environment a cleaner place.

DPF or to give it's full title Diesel Particulate Filter is being fitted to more and more vehicles in order to comply with the latest European emissions legislation and keep our air nice and clean, all good news then?

Actually No, as with all new technologies it is important to understand how they work and what are the potential problems or pitfalls.

How do they work?

In brief a DPF is a device fitted to the exhaust system of your car, it is designed to convert harmful exhaust gases into something less polluting as well as acting as a soot trap so those days of billowing black smoke being emitted from vehicles exhaust pipes should be over.

Still can't see any problems? Well there are some. As they are very efficient at collecting the sooty materiel created when burning diesel fuel they can also get blocked themselves if not driven to the manufacturers instructions.

What does this mean? In the simplest of terms the vehicle needs to be driven in such a manner so the DPF gets to a sufficient temperature to enable it to 'burn' off the built up soot, which allows the vehicle to run correctly. Failure to adhere to the manufacturers instructions can cause the vehicle to run in 'limp' mode or to breakdown. As a rule of thumb the vehicle should be driven on a regular basis at over 2000 revs, this will allow the exhaust to get to the correct temperature to clean the DPF. Volkswagen for example have a DPF warning light fitted which will come on when the filter needs to be regenerated, the advice is to drive continuously for 10 to 15 minutes at a speed of at least 40mph in fourth or fifth gear, and to maintain engine revs over or around 2000. If this is not carried out the soot will continue to build up and eventually result in the vehicle needing a new filter.

I will be okay as I am on a full maintenance contract hire agreement, won't I? No is the answer, if the vehicle has not been driven in the correct manner the Leasing company will most probably charge you for the replacement part as they are unable to recover the cost of the part under warranty. They will consider the item to be chargeable as the vehicle has not been operated in accordance with the manufacturers operating instructions. If you require further clarification contact your Contract Hire or Car Leasing company to get their view of how they treat these circumstances. You can also seek guidance from the Car dealer or Car manufacturer, both will have detailed information you can access.

What sort of cost is a replacement? Typically between £500 and £1000 pounds.

You need to really think about your driving style and the typical journey you will be taking, so if you are doing mainly short journeys or live in a city commute environment you may want to consider a car without a DPF being fitted.

In summary when you are next changing your car, whether on Finance, Contract Hire or a Car Lease agreement you should analysis your driving style and the typical journey's you will be taking, take time to consult your Car dealer and your Leasing provider for their recommendations.

At National Automotive we have a huge selection of some of the best deals on Contract Hire and Car Leasing, whether you are a Company, Sole trader,partnership or private individual. With the very best Car Leasing brokers advertising on the site they can not only give you good advice but great deals on vehicles with and without DPF's. To access these super deals follow this link http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/

Contract Hire and Personal Leasing - What future for the Broker market?

2009-07-02T02:11:00.000-07:00

With the ongoing turmoil in the banking sector continuing many banks are continuing to look at all aspects of their businesses,and this trend has become particularly pronounced in the Contract Hire and Leasing Industry. As most of the large Leasing Companies are bank owned and funding being more difficult to obtain these large organisations have been under the spotlight, many already announcing significant changes to their strategies.

One area which has already seen and I suspect will see further significant changes relates to SME (Small Medium Enterprises) and the Personal Lease market. Over the last ten years many of the larger leasing companies took the decision that dealing directly with these channels was not a cost effective route to market, which in part became a catalyst for the proliferation of independent finance brokers. These entrepreneurial businesses flourished and have helped ensure the major Leasing companies still had a route to this market albeit through a third party. Brokers have many advantages to both the customer and the funder alike. The customer in many circumstances find they are able to lease a vehicle which under a traditional hire purchase agreement would have been prohibitive, this is in part due to the brokers being able to acquire the best dealer discounts, finding the funder with the best rates and residual value and in some situations obtaining enhanced support from the manufacturer.

Being mainly small businesses themselves brokers find they have a natural empathy with their SME clients and can also react quickly to changes in market conditions, making the best use of special offers and promotions.

From a Leasing companies perspective in a market which was all about growth and fleet size this was a quick and easy route to secure a cost effective stake in the Consumer and SME market. Establishing specialist teams to service the brokers many of the Leasing companies quickly established significant volumes of traffic which bolstered there overall fleet size.

However with the Credit Crunch and the resulting downturn in the economy many Leasing companies have found that their appetite for this market has reduced, with their share holders (in some cases you and I) demanding a better return on their investment along with the Government wanting their many billion back,many Contract hire companies are less interested in fleet size as one of the prevailing motivations of their business. Combine this with the belief that SME and private individuals offer a greater risk of default and bad debt this has helped to this market place seem less attractive. Leasing companies have also had to consider that with funds being harder to obtain in the amounts previously enjoyed, where these funds should be best deployed. Many Leasing companies have therefore opted to use these precious resources to continue to fund their major clients with whom traditionally they will be a able to foster longer term and more profitable relationships.

What's the future for the Broker market?

The key funders in the broker market in the past few years are companies such as Network, Lex, Bank of Scotland, Lombard, Automotive Leasing, Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, Arval and Lloyds which provided a good spread of products and rentals, however BOS merged with Lex, Automotive Leasing broker was taken over by Network, Hitachi withdrew from the broker market and recently it has been announced that Lex and Lloyds TSB Autolease will also be merging into one company.

So going forward the market will be dominated by a few, Network, Lex Autolease,Arval and Lombard. It is well rumoured that Lombard is also looking at it's future strategy and position in this sector, possible sale? Who would want or indeed afford this Goliath's book will be interesting to see. Out of these key remaining Leasing companies only two will be offering Personal Contract Hire , Network and Lombard.

How will this impact Consumer Business?

In the broker market Personal Contract Hire can account for between 30% to 50% of their business, so clearly this is a worrying trend.

With the recent growth of Personal Contract Hire are customers that are already locked into this method of vehicle acquisition going to want to revert back to more traditional funding options such as Hire Purchase or Personal Loan?

Whilst nothing is set in stone, at the moment I think it will be unlikely that finance will be seen as an attractive solution to their dilemma. I suspect you will see manufacturers contract hire arms becoming far more aggressive in trying to mop up this business, both as a profit centre but more importantly as a means to retaining customers to their brands.

As many brokers have traditionally had close relationships with their preferred dealers I suspect it will be business as usual with them using the manufacturers Contract Hire along with the remaining bank owned and independent funders

So in summary a lot of changes coming over the next twelve months, however the SME and Consumer market remains a huge opportunity and is an attractive prize for both car Leasing brokers and funders, one thing is for sure there will be a lot of businesses looking to make sure they get a slice of the action!

You will find a selection of the best quality brokers advertising a selection of their best Contract Hire and Personal Contract Hire rentals at http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/

Jaguar Land Rover Make Losses

2009-06-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

Jaguar and Land Rover are both iconic international brands and are seen globally as prestige manufacturers. From humble beginnings Land Rover went on to dominate the four wheel drive market, firstly with agricultural Land Rover 88 and ending up with today's flagship luxury Range Rover. As the 4x4 market grew Land Rover had increasing competition from a multitude of competitors all keen to capitalise on this lucrative market. With Land Rover being sold to Ford Motor Company much needed capital was injected to further expand and develop the model range to enable them to recover their shrinking market share . The range now consists of Land Rover Defender, Freelander,Discovery and Range Rover all having distinct niche market sectors.

Jaguar have followed a similar turbulent route with the much loved brand falling from favour prior to Ford purchasing them and putting some much needed resource in the research and development of new models. If you need proof the Jaguar XF has recently won "What Car Of The Year 2009 Best Executive Car" which is a real accolade coming up against stiff competition from some of the best Prestige car makers in the world.

Will this model become the must have company car for the UK's executives and finally knock BMW and Audi out of the company car parking bay's?

Following Ford Motor Companies decision to sell these two brands to the Indian giant manufacturer Tata Motors there has been much speculation about the future direction of both businesses. Tata announced when they purchased Jaguar and Land Rover that they were committed to manufacturing in the UK and further investing in the long term futures of these businesses. Since those announcements were made the world has gone from boom to a very significant global recession which has certainly hit both these predominately luxury car makers hard. Tata Motors have just announced that Jaguar Land Rover have made a loss of £280m (462 dollars) for the 10 months to the end of March. It has been well publicised that Tata are asking the government to provide some financial assistance and a spokesperson from Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed there is ongoing discussions taking place.

Jaguar Land Rover employ around 14,500 employees in the UK and with many other related industries dependant on Jaguar Land Rover for their businesses prosperity.

With the UK showing the first signs that there is some economic light at the end of the tunnel which is not the oncoming train, could these prestige brands have a rapid resurgence in their fortunes or was Tata's 1.7bn investment a bad move?

Nationalautomotive.co.uk update

2009-06-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

Great news

Our website nationalautomotive.co.uk where the UK's leading Contract Hire and Leasing brokers advertise their special offers, has had an unprecedented climb up the Google pages this week, which is due to the diligence, commitment and hard work of all those involved with the project.

We have all been working hard to also make the look and feel of the website both attractive and functional, giving our advertisers the best opportunity of getting their Contract Hire, Leasing and Personal Contract offers seen by prospective customers.

We have many new updates due to be posted over the coming few weeks as well as some important announcements of collaborations with leading industry associations.

Watch this space or visit the website to see them happen 'live'.

We love feedback so don't be shy..............

UK Car production continues to fall

2009-06-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

Despite the recent reports coming out relating to the improving trading conditions and dare I say 'coming out of recession' forecasts, the UK car industry continues to suffer. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) the numbers of cars built in May has dropped by 43% over the same period last year. This drop equated to 67,754 cars which actually represented the smallest drop this year to date, maybe at last its the beginning of the end of this down turn for car manufacturers?

Regrettably the Commercial market still remains weak where production fell by 73.5%, we have already seen LDV go to the wall are there others waiting in the wings to follow? Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive commented " Low business confidence" continued to depress demands for commercial vehicles - predominately Vans and Trucks. "Businesses across the economy are still holding back on new expenditure and will need to see better access to finance and stronger domestic demand"

Overall the down turn has been huge, car production down by 319,022 units compared to the first 5 months of 2008, this represents a staggering 54% reduction in output year on year.

The scrappage scheme launched by the government earlier in the year to help stem the downturn in demand has been slow to take off, however interest is beginning to grow and recent government figures show over 60,000 vehicles ordered under the scheme since its launch. The scheme is set to run until March 2010, the qualifying criteria is the part exchange must be 10 years or older,the person exchanging the vehicle having been the registered keeper for 12 months or more.

The £2,000 discount is split 50 50 between the government and the car manufacturer, with £300m pledged by the Government 300,000 customers could benefit from the scheme.

Clearly the manufacturers needed to halt the over production of many of their products as anyone could see it was clearly unsustainable to have disused airfields and docks full of unsold and unwanted vehicles, however have they now gone to far?

Feedback from many dealers and Contract Hire brokers is that increasing lead times on many popular models is causing problems to them and their customers, with some key models not being available until 2010 - 7 or 8 months for a base model Nissan Pixo for example has recently been quoted.

The impact for dealers and Contract Hire and Leasing brokers is pressure on cash flow which can spell disaster for large and Small businesses alike, this is compounded by the difficulty of many businesses in securing additional funding through their normal channels to enable them to continue running their businesses on a day to day basis.

However amongst all this Doom and Gloom Used cars are currently very buoyant with many customers deciding to opt for a used as opposed to a new car, coupled with the drying up of certain new stock, many late used cars are starting to fetch much stronger prices at auction. This is having a knock on effect with many Contract Hire and Leasing companies who are increasing their Residual Values (RV) in light of this improving market condition, which has a knock on effect by helping to reduce the monthly rentals, good news for the customer and Manufacturers alike.

If customers shop wisely there are still good bargains to be had, and where better to start their search than on Nationalautomotive's website where Contract Hire and Personal Contract Hire rentals are advertised by a selection of the best independent Leasing brokers in the UK

Saab agree sale to Koenigsegg

2009-06-19T05:26:00.000-07:00

Is this the look of Saab in the future?

The recent discussions between the beleaguered Saab brand and the super car makers Koenigsegg appears to be entering its final phase with Koenigsegg tentatively agreeing a deal to take over Saab from General Motors. It is a very different area for the management team of Koenigsegg to be entering into, from being involved in the manufacturer, marketing and selling exotic vehicles to the worlds rich and famous to taking over a once great Swedish brand used to selling circa 100,000 vehicles a year. Koenigsegg employ around 45 staff where as Saab have around 3,400 staff in Sweden and in excess of 10,000 jobs reliant on Saab throughout the country. They better book a bigger venue for this years Christmas party and may want to consider the merits of a free bar!

In spite of this remarkable move by Koenigsegg GM's Carl -Peter Forster who is GM's European President stated "Koenigsegg Group's unique combination of innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and financial strength... made it the right choice for Saab as well as for General Motors".

I am sure that Koenigsegg will have done their homework and that they will have acquired sufficient funding to lift Saab up to the prestigious brand it always was.

There are lots of special deals on Contract Hire or Personal Contract Hire on the existing Saab models and these can be found on http://www.nationalautomotive.co.uk/

What Future for Saab?

2009-06-15T05:19:00.000-07:00

As part of the troubled GM group, Saab's future has been questionable for some time with this once highly prestigious Swedish brand losing its shine since being aquired by General Motors. However there may be help at hand with the brand going back to a Swedish owner Koenigsegg, the makers of fabulous super cars with mind boggling price tags ( around one million euros) having shown a keen interest in this beleaguered brand

The top of the range Saab 95 is over 13 years old and clearly needs more than a make over to keep up with manufacturers such as Audi, Bmw and Mercedes, however with the Koenigsegg eye for design could this be what Saab needs to reinvent itself, bringing new life into this once great Swedish brand? It will certainly be a very different path for Koenigsegg who last year built around 18 vehicles, all of which were custom built, to being involved in mass production with Saab selling around 98,000 vehicles a year. Is this a good move for Koenigsegg, do they run the risk of taking on something that has defeated the giants, or will there ability to design and build sensational vehicles flow through to Saab?

It will be worth looking at Saab offers on Contract Hire and Personal leasing with news coming out of possible take overs going on, Leasing Companies may look to improve residual values therefore reducing the rentals you pay. The Saab 93 has been the mainstay over the last few years and is overall a good vehicle, the recently advertised Saab 93 TTiD model has twin turbos designed to give high performance as well as being fuel efficient. Saab also have a four seat convertable which has appeal to individuals as well as families. Contract hire&Personal Lease deals can be found on our website, we currently have Saab 9-3 Vector Sport saloon's @ £289 + Vat per month, or now the sun is shining what about a Saab 9-3 Vector Sport Convertable @ £287.99 + Vat per month.

Take a look at all the offers from the UK's leading independent Leasing specialists @www.nationalautomotive.co.uk

Summer Drink Driving

2009-06-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

It has been announced there is to be a crackdown on drink drivers this summer so be warned. We have been experiencing a great summer so far this year, and what's nicer than sitting in lovely pub garden with your favourite tipple and having a chat to your friends and family. It's easy however to get caught up with the ambiance of the evening and drink more than is safe, indeed do you actually know how much you can drink and remain under the limit. The amount of alcohol you can consume and not risk running foul of the law varies between individuals, gender and a host of other factors, a pint for some is fine for others it could mean a ban and a large fine. If you lose you licence and you have a vehicle on Contract Hire you will still be responsible for keeping up the payments, could be a problem if you have lost your job as well. You could early terminate your lease but this could be a really expensive option and one probably to avoid.

So the message is be careful and think before you have a drink and then drive, don't say you haven't been warned

Lexus wins JD Power Survey

2009-06-05T01:23:00.000-07:00

According to WHAT CAR? magazine it looks like Lexus have scooped the prestigious JD Power Customer satisfaction award for the 9th consecutive year. This is an amazing feat for Lexus, they have not been off the top spot since 2001 which proves they have a loyal and seemingly content customer base.
In previous years the Lexus IS range has been the vehicle to beat, however the RX derivative is the vehicle that has wowed it's owners this year.
The survey clearly demonstrates that Lexus still appears to be reliable, well built and with dealers that keep their customers happy.
If you are thinking its time to change your car it might pay you to take a test drive in a Lexus, after all nine top awards must surely mean these are great vehicles.
If you visit our website www.nationalautomotive.co.uk you will find great Contract Hire and Personal Contract Hire deals available to you, obtaining your new car through our website couldn't be easier with all our advertisers providing the highest level of service and customer satisfaction.

GM - Vauxhall / Saab

2009-06-01T02:40:00.000-07:00

The news has been full of the demise of one the largest vehicle manufacturers in the world, General Motors. It seems the world recession has been the final straw that has broken this large Camels back, with the worlds demand for cars in steep decline. There has been much talk about potential rescues or takeovers from both competitors and those industries allied to the Automotive Industry, it is expected that an announcement from the US government today will indicate they are prepared to inject a further $30 Billion dollars into the business. It also widely predicted there will be significant reductions in the number of employees and dealers in the US which will almost certainly be mirrored in Europe and the UK.
How will all this affect the Contract Hire and Leasing industry is yet to be seen, however if Vauxhall is seen to be a much weakened brand it will almost certainly see reductions in used values, which in turn will cause Residual values to be reduced resulting in higher and less attractive rentals. Will the new leaner company still have the appetite to offer significant Volume related bonuses and marketing incentives to make the rentals look attractive. Is this the start of the end of the Fleet market as we know it, with companies having to again review their fleet policies?
If you are worried about your next vehicle acquisition why not look at the offers featured on our website www.nationalautomotive.co.uk where you will be able to find competitive Contract Hire deals on all the major manufacturers, might the time to look at an alternative brand.

National Automotive - Contract Hire Maintenance

2009-05-25T11:10:00.000-07:00

With the Bank Holiday coming to close the roads will be busy with traffic going home, I suspect the RAC and AA will be busy with vehicles failing due to overheating in the resulting traffic jams. Having had an expensive weekend away the last thing you want is a large bill for a garage repair. When you look at taking a Contract Hire or Personal Leasing agreement it may be beneficial to opt for a full maintenance contract. For details on how this can work contact any one of our advertisers for full details.

Find us at www.nationalautomotive.co.uk

All things Contract Hire in the Automotive Industry

2009-05-20T10:04:00.000-07:00

Pete's first Blog on Contract Hire and if you would like more information on vehicle leasing and contract hire then do vist the National Automotive Website