Tips for preparing your car for winter

As the temperature outside starts to drop, it’s a signal to all car owners that it is time to prepare your car for the upcoming winter. Winter creates special considerations for car care and operating. By taking the time before the cold sets in to prep your vehicle, you can be spared costly repairs and problem situations.

One of the most basic yet most important things you can to do winterize your car is to make sure all of its regular maintenance is up to date. Regular maintenance would include such things as checking and topping off fluid levels. This would include oil, power steering fluid and transmission fluid. You also want to check your antifreeze. Test to make sure it is able to withstand frigid winter temperatures. If not, your radiator could potentially be damaged. If it does not meet the test, then either add antifreeze or replace it especially if you may have added water to it over the warm summer months. Perhaps, your car is ready for a tune-up. Now would be the perfect time to do that. Replacing wiper blades and checking to make sure all light are working properly is another good idea. Brake inspections are also important. Get any repairs done before your car needs to experience harsh winter conditions.

Another important part of getting a car ready for winter is to check the tires. They should be visibly inspected for wear. If they are dry, rotted or have little tread, you will want to replace them. You may also need to have them rotated. For some people who live in areas that receive a great deal of snowfall, snow tires might be a good investment for winter. These will help your car have better traction on the road. Another preparation for winter should be to make sure that your car insurance is in proper order. For a free check, consult the professionals at Endsleigh Insurance. Click here now.


The Honda Civic

Honda’s have always been the go-to vehicle for those that desire to own a reliable yet aesthetically pleasing vehicle.

They not only perform well, they are also very resilient and therefore most owners don’t experience many problems.

has two identities in total. On the Internet it is all about the Honda Civic Type R, however the showrooms seem to focus more on the rest of the range.

It has been described as an unbelievably reliable yet practical hatchback.

The all-new Civic however doesn’t come in the shape of a Type R and instead offers a high revving five-door model. The body is only available in this design as of yet.

It looks unusual, just as its predecessor did so. However this time around the body shape has been spiced up even further. The all-new Honda Civic offers a similar pyramidal outline, which is aesthetically increased by a set of waveform creases. These appear along the sides of the vehicle.

An added extra on the appearance front is the beak like black grill, which makes it appear quite dominating!

The engine is of 2.2 and is said to have a much better performance that the previous Honda Civic. It is also a diesel, which is great news for those that drive lengthy journeys on a regular basis.

The team at Honda has gone out of their way to make other vital improvements. These include the likes of aero improvements, a smoother ride, lower tyre noise and an aesthetically pleasing interior.

The major bonus of this vehicle however is the fuel economy feature; drivers are able to switch to fuel saving electrical power steering.

It is certainly one to think about if you are after a reliable and good looking car!


The Latest Honda Offers

Honda has a lofty reputation for producing some of the most reliable and well engineered cars on the road. They are nearly unparalleled in the reliability stakes and this is reflected in their sometimes premium rate price tag. Right now there a number of eye catching offers that make a Honda highly affordable.

The Honda CR-V can be purchased with up to £4,000 off at UK Car Discount. This is a stylish, curvaceous 4×4 with the option of a panoramic windscreen. Prices begin with the 2.0 litre SE, on offer at £19,110, representing a saving of £2,765 on list price. The fuel efficient diesel 2.2 i-DTEC offers the same specification and a saving of £2,655. Naturally, the discount goes up proportionally the higher you go up the range. The EX is packed full of gadgetry including viewing cameras, voice controls, heated leather seats and top of the range stereo. This costs £26,709 (a £4,266 saving on list price. The diesel comes in at £29,145 which is a saving of £3,975. At Nortonwayhonda.co.uk they have knocked up to £2,755 off the price of a new Civic.

Honda has an extensive range of quality vehicles with the Civic, CRV and Jazz all good sellers. All of these cars come with 4 years servicing, 4 years roadside assistance and 4 years 0% APR. The compact but fashionable Jazz starts at as little as £115 a month with a 50 per cent deposit. The Civic is a quality family car and its range starts at £159 per month with a 40 per cent deposit. For something a bit sporty the CR-Z is available for £185 a month with 50 per cent deposit.

With some good online research there are plenty of Hondas ready to be picked up for a bargain. A simple internet search means you can find your chosen Honda at any dealership and take advantage of a fully competitive market. Try www.motors.co.uk for some of the best deals around.


What is Honda ‘Warm Technology’?

Warm technology’ is the name Honda has given to the innovations encompassing safety, performance and environmental friendliness in the engineering of its vehicles – the notion being that they are improvements consumers will warm towards. It incorporates a number of technological developments including Advanced Compatibility Engineering, Advanced Driver Assist System and Adaptive Cruise Control, for Honda cars, as well as the development of the Home Energy Station, and the HondaJet.

In terms of road vehicles, ‘warm technology’ developments include the Advanced Driver Assist System, a driving aid designed to help improve safety by minimising driver exhaustion. ‘Warm technology’ also includes other safety improvements such as the Active Front Lighting System, which enhances night time road visibility; Active Front Headrests, which help protect those in the car against head and neck injuries and the Pedestrian Protection Pop-up Bonnet System, which is intended to reduce the seriousness of head injuries caused if a pedestrian comes into contact with the bonnet, by causing the bonnet to open thus separating it from the heavy engine components underneath. Honda cars featuring these improvements are available from a number of sources including car classifieds sites such as motors.co.uk

‘Warm technology’ developments also incorporate the development of the FCX Clarity – the first commercially available emission free car. This is driven by hydrogen fuel cell, which causes no carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, within the environmentally friendly remit the company is also developing the Home Energy Station, which will provide electricity and heat for homes while also creating the means for a car fuelled entirely by Hydrogen. The HondaJet is another environmentally minded ‘warm technology’ development – a jet plane powered by the GE Honda HF120 turbofan motor engine, which is intended to make it the fastest, quietest jet plane in that class, as well as the least environmentally damaging, in terms of fuel consumption.


Honda Fit

Honda certainly has a way for understanding what the customer wants out of their vehicles. There are quite a few options that a person has if they are looking for a great car, and there definitely is no shortage of people who are into the idea of owning a Honda. Millions of people currently or previously had these cars, and they don’t seem as if they are slowing down. Every year, it seems as if they do something a little better, much to the happiness of people who are looking for an outstanding vehicle. Honda creates some pretty good vehicles that are as cost-efficient as they are affordable. There are quite a few options for Honda, and when it comes to the 2010 Honda Fit, they definitely have outdone themselves.

The 2010 Honda Fit is one of the most unique looking vehicles on the road. And to that token, there is definitely a lot to like, outside of the looks of the vehicle. It handles very well, and that actually is in part because of the styling of the vehicle. Secondly, the interior is some of the best that is on the Honda line, and in a word it is impressive. Also, one of the coolest things about the vehicle is the versatility of the Honda Fit’s backseat, as there are a few great configurations to help a person store and transport the things that they need to. Lastly, the car is pretty safe, as it did very well in the litany of crash tests that were conducted on the vehicle.

If you’re looking for one of the more stylish and versatile vehicles on the road, the Fit is very impressive.


Honda Civic Coupe

Honda is known for making some pertty impressive cars. Not only are these cars great when it comes to performance, they are some of the most cost-efficient vehicles on the road. Every day a person sees countless Hondas, as people on the road love what this company has to offer them. It isn’t every day that a person finds a company that has so many beloved fans, and this is a comlany that scertainly has no shortage of them. When you’re dealing with a company such as Honda, you understand that they will only provide vehicles that a person can depend upon. This is something that they have been doing for a while now, and they do not seem to be slowing down any time soon. When it comes to the 2010 Honda Civic Coup, this is a vehicle that will definitely get a person where they need to go in style.

There are quite a few things to like about this year’s Civic. One of the first things that you’ll realize is the look of the vehicle, as it has been updated a little. This is for the better, as there haven’t been a lot of people who were too happy about the 2009 model of the car. That being said, this is one that certainly dispels the rumors of bad visuals. Also, this car definitely is one for some great handling, something that the Honda has worked very hard to maintain, and they have come out well with the coupe. Also, this model has some of the best fuel-efficiency that we’ve seen in a while, and since budgeting is a pretty big deal, this is probably one of the biggest draws of the Honda Civic.

If you’re looking for one of the best economical cars on the market, the 2010 Honda Civic coupe may be just what you’re looking for.


Honda Hybrid

When you are looking for a vehicle that will allow you to invest in the cheapest car insurance out there, look no further than the Honda Hybrid. The Honda Hybrid is Honda’s answer to the most wallet friendly fuel-sipper on the market; it’s also the most affordable new hybrid car you can purchase.

The Honda Hybrid is said to be the cheapest petrol-electric hybrid available, with the entry level VTI not only being extremely friendly on the pocket, but also extremely friendly to insure. An extra bonus of this version of the hybrid is the all-new multimedia system, which houses an impressive DVD player, a leather wrapped steering wheel, a satellite navigation system complete with live traffic updates, 16 inch alloys and a reversing camera.

The car comes in the shape of a five door hatch back and is powered by a 1.3 litre four cylinder petrol engine that is attached to a electric motor, which allows the vehicle to produce a n impressive maximum output of 72kW of power and 167Nm of torque.

The front wheels receive power via a continuously variable transmission and a little edge is added with the paddle shifters on the steering column, which certainly give it a little character.

With a minimal and impressive consumption figure of just 4.6L/100km and carbon dioxide emissions rated at a very low 109g/km, this particular vehicle is most certainly extremely eco friendly. The in-sight features such as an engine stop-start, which cuts the engine in traffic, and a traffic efficient mood-ring, which allows the driver to be notified when he or she is driving more efficiently

All of the above features make this car a very economical vehicle, which in turn make it one particular model to achieve some of the cheapest car insurance.


Temporary Car Insurance

There are times when one may need to make use of a car or van for a short period of time, say a day, a week or a month, but then there is always the problem of car insurance. Obviously you need to sort out insurance but if you are only going to be using a car for a short time then buying a long term policy is just no good.

This is where temporary or short term car insurance comes into play. This type of policy began in the middle of the last decade and was designed to help out people in the motor trade but the fact that it is still relatively unknown outside this area means that plenty of people who could be utilising these policies are currently unable to do this. Usually, people can get a policy that lasts for any length of time, from one to 28 days, so a there are plenty of options for drivers up to and including a month’s worth of insurance.

There are a number of scenarios in which buying a short term policy like this could be of use. For instance, if you are the owner of a classic car or something similar, a day’s worth of insurance may just be what you need if your are moving house or need to take your car to a show. Wasting money on anything longer would be a bad idea so take a look at the deals available from insurers.

Another situation where temporary car insurance may be a good idea is if another driver may need to use your car, or vice versa. Many people, with finances in mind only buy a single driver policy as they know they are the only person to use the car. There are times, such as when you go away when this can be impractical though and a short term policy can be just the answer you need. Have a look at what you can find as a policy like this can be a big help in plenty of situations. You can find numerous companies offering these types of policies, try searching for Hastings Direct Online for some more information.


Review: The New Honda CBR 600F ABS

Before we say anything about the new Honda CBR 600F we will take a quick glance at the original CBR 600F which was first seen in 1987. This was a 4-cylinder inline sportbike and was fully faired providing the best aerodynamics available on any bike of its era. It has a 598 cc engine which delivered 85 bhp and was the fastest sprint bike of its time. Production of this machine stopped in 2006.

Now Honda has resurrected this marquee as the new CBR600F ABS and it uses the same chassis as the CB600F Hornet. The first impression of this bike is that it has great looks and the aerodynamic styling is, if anything, even better than before.

The engine has been tailored to give an optimal standard everyday running plus a bonus of excellent power at the top end of the rev counter. It is a relatively easy bike to ride, whist it can also be a great deal of fun when you feel like taking it to the limit.

It has an excellent balance and the overall feel of it inspires confidence; hard braking, rapid acceleration and tight cornering are no problem at all and the seating position is spot on. As the new name suggests there is a combined antilock braking system which functions well.
Both the front and rear suspensions are adjustable for when carrying a passenger or luggage.

Despite the fact that the bike is built in Italy, the engine is imported from Japan and there is no reason to suspect that there might be any long term reliability problems.

For an entry level sportbike with an excellent pedigree, the CBR 600F ABS is likely to prove a hit and it is a lot of bike for the money. It looks great and rides great and will provide reliable performance for many years to come.


Review: Honda CBR250R

The Honda CBR250R is a straight forward entry level bike that is inexpensive to purchase and economical to run.

It is an obvious choice for people who have a category A licence and one the best motors around for those who are is looking for an everyday, straight forward, easy to ride machine that will get them from A to B without costing a fortune.

Naturally it won’t get from A to b at breakneck speeds. Although it is not a slow machine, it certainly isn’t a racer; in fact there are only 26 horses pulling you along. But despite the low bhp (in fact it would have been possible for Honda to add another 7 bhp and still be below the category A limit), riding this bike is pleasurable and it is the ideal bike for safely gaining riding experience before going on to something more powerful.

For a single cylinder bike there is very little vibration even when pushing it to the limit, and all the usual features are of high quality as you would expect from Honda. The quoted fuel consumption is 75 mpg.

This bike looks good, in fact at first glance it looks like a much bigger bike. It is also a pleasure to ride and very comfortable. Whether you are short or tall, small or large, the is plenty of seating flexibility to accommodate you. Certainly when seated you feel as though you have more bike under you than a 125.

Naturally at the price the bike is forced to be a little on the basic side, but there is all the functionality you are likely to need and the equipment that is supplies also has a quality feel; certainly you don’t feel that it might all fall apart and ff course, it has the Honda high reliability factor built in.

Overall the Honda CBR250R is excellent value for money and it is cheaper than much of the competition.