Friday 21 December 2012

DVLA hint at getting rid of the tax disc

The DVLA is at last considering getting rid of tax discs,  although not an open discussion, they have confirmed to the BVRLA that it is in deed being considered.  For many years,   trade and fleet bodies have petitioned the Department of Transport to stop using tax discs.   Modern systems, using the registration number can immediately, from a hand held scanner, tell whether a car has tax and insurance, rendering the tax disc unused.   This being the case means that the whole system from the DVLA to administration in companies and fleet operators is spending time and money handling something which is simply not uses. 


Fleet companies and the BVRLA have always included the tax disc in the list of unnecessary time wasting jobs and it reared its head  again this year as the BVRLA carried out an audit that they called their Red Tape Challenge. Estimates already put the savings for the government at something close to £90m plus company savings as well.


What is not being suggested is that the tax is scrapped.   Recent newspaper articles suggesting this is the case and that cheaper fuel from reduced tax would be replaced by toll roads for Government income have been denied by the government.   The merit of this is clear for all to see as someone covering more miles then pays more tax to cover the cost of servicing the roads that they use with the opposite being true of someone covering low miles.   Unfortunately common sense like that does not come easily to a government, especially when they have an existing cash cow, what is being proposed is a tax system that records the payment without raising a disc.  

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Carlease UK Video Blog | Audi Q5 | Car Leasing Deals

Carlease UK Video Blog | Audi Q3 | Car Leasing Deals

Carlease UK Video Blog | Mercedes Benz E220 Cdi | Car Leasing Deals

Choosing an ideal car to lease if you opt out

At Carlease UK we know that when a customer opts out of the company car leasing scheme, that you are going to need the best car lease offer that we can arrange for you and help in choosing your car.

We strongly believe in eco-cars and  modern efficient cars like the Focus EcoNetic and Ecoboost   and Hybrid cars like the Toyota  offer fantastic savings in terms of running costs and road fund licence.  In fact, manufacturers have done such a good job that it is beginning to cost the treasury money

At our premises, open 6 days a week,  just up the road from Bents Garden Centre, you can visit us and deal with us personally, something not often offered in our industry.  Our professional account managers will take the time to explain how you can achiever cheaper vehicle leasing, we will discuss your mileage requirements, how long you want to have the vehicle, what deposit you ideally want to pay, do you want to include a maintenance deal and help you understand GAP policies.

If you want to find us, have a look at a Google+ site with location and instructions with a Google Map.  

Opting out of a company car lease deal

If you are opting out of your company car scheme, then you will probably want to speak to someone you can trust and find out about personal contract purchase, PCP. 

Once you have agreed your cash for car allowance and avoided the company car tax, you are free to choose a car more suited to your choice and needs rather than the company car that you were simply going to be given no choice about.  Discounts only given to large fleet buyers are matched for customers taking PCP, when you lease a car this way, you get the best of both worlds.  Carlease UK lease deals give you choice of car, colour, specification and mileage per annum so that it really is the car of your choice. 

You can choose a period for you lease between 24 and 48 month. Your annual mileage can vary between 6000 and 40,000 miles per annum, these factors will of course vary your payment per month.  This can be changed early in your agreement if you believe that you need more miles, it will of course change your monthly payment.   If you opt for a maintenance package, you can have your servicing cost covered, unlimited tyres and exhausts, subject of course to fair wear and tear. 

You may also wish to consider GAP insurance. If you are unfortunate enough to have your car stolen or even written off, this policy will make up any short fall between the outstanding amount on the finance agreement and the amount your insurance company pay out. 

Your choice of vehicle is total; any of our 8500 vehicles are available to you subject to credit.  But, at any given point in time, along with our funders, we have special offers available which represent the best lease deals available.  

Your can normally add accessories as the car will be dealer supplied.   It will come from a huge network of supplying dealers and be delivered to your door at an agreed time on a day to suite you.  

As its your car to use, you can used it to suite you, including taking it abroad, contact us and we will make sure you have any paperwork that you may need.

Our team of experienced account managers will guide you through the process of getting a credit line in place; you will then sign an order form with ourselves that we can use to confirm to supplying dealers the car details. The finance agreement will be emailed or posted to you for completions and return. 

Friday 14 December 2012

Carlease UK Video Blog | Audi A3 3 door | Car Leasing Deals

Carlease UK Video Blog | Audi A4 Saloon | Car Leasing Deals

Carlease UK Video Blog | Audi TT Roadster | Car Leasing Deals

Carlease UK Video Blog |Audi A1 Sport | Car Leasing Deals

Forgetting the lessons of a driving test

It has to be said that in modern road use safety does not always seem to be at forefront of everyone’s mind. It doesn't  need to be excessive, but after the third driver I had seen this week alone starting to break to turn without having signaled  caused a panic in the driver behind them who was taken completely of guard, it got me thinking. How many of the meticulous rules of the driving test, that we have all had to pass to be on the road, do most people actually follow now that there is no one watching over their shoulder.


Ok so the most obvious point that  I’ve already mentioned is that some people seem to think that they don’t need to indicate in order to turn, or even worse to change lanes on the motorway. This is an outright fail on a driving test and with good reason. Failing to signal and then braking suddenly or turning into someone else’s path gives them no hints at what your going to do and can be extremely dangerous.

Another point that most people seem to have forgotten is the speed limit, going over which is, again, an instant fail on your test. The issue with this is not so much the people doing 90 mph down the motorways, but more those that do 45 in the 30 zones. Speeding really does cause a lot of issues with safety especially in built up areas. The limits are set up for a reason to make sure that the drivers are in full control of their cars and although this is one of the main things that you are taught when learning to drive people seem to disregard it at the first possible opportunity for sake of cutting down on travel time.


These are only two examples of things that people seem to forget after they no longer have somebody watching over them, but it’s possible to list them off, for example: are you still doing all of your mirror checks as you set off, pass around parked cars and generally drive around? This says a lot about the way that driving ability is tested and the frequency with which it should be done, I would love to see some of these drivers cope with a test at the poor quality that they drive at. Most of all however if you look at the ridiculous way in which some people drive it becomes very apparent were a lot of road accidents come from. No matter what we can try to blame for things going wrong on the road, most of it is always going to come down to human error and worse than that human stupidity!

Avoid losing your car due to heavy flooding

With warnings about heavy flooding across the UK now in effect its time that you start thinking about your safety while out driving in these dangerous conditions.

 

Stories are constantly coming in to Car Lease UK  from our customers  abandoning their cars that have been trapped in flood waters. In reality it really isn’t that hard to avoid getting stuck in a situation like that and unless you are caught in a flash flood it’s very unlikely that you ever will. Firstly if there is a flooded area ahead of you it’s never really sensible to attempt to brave it if you can’t gauge the depth of the water. If the water starts to get into your vehicle it is very likely that this will cause some pretty severe issues and may even result in it ceasing to function entirely. In this situation, you need to be cautious even if you are in a 4x4.  


Flooding and heavy rain also means wet roads, so drive a bit slower and just generally use a bit of common sense when you’re out on wet roads. Listen for traffic advice on the radio and plan your journey out in advance to avoid dangerous roads that are susceptible to flooding.

Wet roads bring with them a whole series of issues but nothing that needs to affect you if you are sensible about it

Friday 7 December 2012

Will the new Transit be the number one van again?

For me the Transit has always been the iconic van of Great Britain. If somebody was having building work, gas, electric or even a decorating job done, the van parked outside has always seemed to be a Transit. Over the last year or so the Transit seems to have fallen from its pedestal somewhat, beaten back by its European rivals. It seems however that all that may be about to change, with the release of the new Transit we are expecting great things.

 

Via our sister company VanLeaseUK,we  have always got our eyes open for the top of the range commercial vehicles. We have had many years of business partnership with Ford Commercial Vehicles and we are  looking  forward to this van, we  also look forward to  your views on it, contact us on social media via any of the links below:


The new Transit the usual level of quality that we have come to expect from Ford and whether it is the new top of the range totally depends on what you are looking for in your commercial vehicle. With the short wheel base van holding as much as 5.20 cu.m to 7.94 cu.m at as little as 2,582 mm load length, its no surprise that the jumbo van with a load length of 4,122 mm can hold a whopping 14.3 cu.m! So if it is space you’re looking for then this is sure to hit the spot.   

 

There are a lot of options with this van that allow you to customise it to exactly the specs that suit your van leasing deal. With a choice of SWB, MWB, LWB and even jumbo with another huge variety of customisations within each of these selections to boot!

 

Apart from the choices,  the base van itself is full of great features that put this van in the highest ranks of quality. The 2.2 litre Duratorq TDCi engine comes with 7 configurations spread across FWD and RWD with one option for AWD as well. With this engine on board as well the Auto-Start-Stop (not ASS) which can reduce your fuel consumption by automatically switching off your engine when the vehicle is idle, the van is built to be eco friendly to save you money and reduce your emissions. With features like the coated diesel particulate filter than can remove as many as 95% of particle output from the exhaust. If you feel like the default isn’t enough, you can even opt for the eco package!

 This van is something to look forward to on the commercial vehicle leasing scene, and we are expecting something great.

Thursday 6 December 2012

Carlease UK Video Blog | Audi Q5 Quattro | Car Leasing Deals

Carlease UK Video Blog | VW POLO | Car Leasing Deals

CarLease UK are on FreeIndex for Car Leasing - Check Us Out!

In this online age of car leasing, most companies will profess to be “No.1”, “the best” or “the leading”. Unfortunately, such claims are often very difficult to substantiate and while we do not claim any of the above, we do believe when its comes to leasing a car or leasing a van, we offer good service, competitive prices, an array of vehicle funding options and a number of special offers. This combination of skills makes us a preferable choice for some potential customers; but not everyone!

That being said, the team at CarLease UK believe that we should let our customers should do the talking when it comes to our business. To help us with this, we are now incredibly active with FreeIndex, an independent website which allows customers to rate their experience with the company in question. In our case, you can see what our customers think of CarLease UK for “vehicle leasing”. Some of the reviews are great, while others outline areas we need to improve on. We take on board all comments received and use them to develop our car lease profile, to ensure all our customers have an enjoyable experience.

If you are in the market for car leasing or contract hire, take this opportunity to review us at FreeIndex. Currently 2nd out 118 companies, maybe we are worth your consideration!

Thank you from the team at CarLease UK.

Why choose CarLease UK For Audi Business Contract Hire and Car Leasing -

At Carlease UK, our team of account managers specialize in Audi leasing, both personal contract hire and business contract hire.

In both cases it’s an easy and good value way of financing your cars. Your payment is a fixed monthly amount and your vehicle will be brand new with a full manufacturer’s warranty.  Your capital can be put to better use either privately or in your business.

We can arrange your contract to suit your requirements, you new Audi lease vehicle will typically be financed over 2, 3 or 4 years. You have the option of including top class maintenance.  

 At the end of your contract we will arrange its return and your replace it with a new one and begin a new Audi lease. 


 You choose the car, the spec, the length of contract and we will arrange everything else.

Starting at the Audi A1 from as little as £177.63 per month,   this gorgeous little car has won the What Car Supermini class for two years running. We are not surprised, it’s accomplished, economical, safe and great to drive, you could not ask for more. 
 Audi A1 Sportback
The A3 from £228.87, is available in SE, Sport and S Line models, all are superb and its time on the market has only helped as Audi have constantly worked on handling, ride and overall refinement. 
 
Audi A3 Hatchback
The A4 from £351 per month,   the saloon by which all other saloons are measured.   It has for years set standards along with the C Class Mercedes and the BMW 320, for all other medium size saloons.
 Audi A4 Saloon Special Editions
The A5 from  £331 per month, available in Convertible and Coupe form has increased its sales volume month on month since its launch.  It sits physically between the A4 and A6 Saloons and is aimed at the “stand out from the crowd” owner.

 Audi A5 Diesel CabrioletAudi A5 Coupe Special Editions


The Q3, Q5 and Q7 offer a four wheel drive with Audi quality in a size to fit all choices, they all use the Haldex part time four wheel drive system and are available on Audi Lease deals on a Business Contract Hire deal from Carlease UK. 


 Audi Q3 EstateAudi Q5 EstateAudi Q7 Estate Special Edition

 


Carlease UK are proud of the offering that we bring to our customers, the freeindex  website has been set up to offer people like you an indicator of  companies you can trust.   

Tuesday 4 December 2012

Looking for vehicle leasing around Manchester?

If you are looking for vehicle leasing around Manchester, then Carlease UK may be the place that you are looking for.
Car leaseUKis a family owned vehicle leasing company, based in Leigh,Manchester at our own freehold Business Centre.   Car Lease UK is part of Grange Services, a business that has successfully traded for over forty years.
Car Lease UK are members of the BVRLABritish Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association as well as being FSA approved enabling us to offer to GAP Insurance to our clients.
Comprising separate in-house account management and administration teams, Car Lease UK currently employs a team of 10 individuals and pride ourselves on the high level of customer service and client retention. Every client, whether a private individual, sole trader, partnership/LLP or Limited Company/PLC, will receive account management, guidance and after-sales care.
Specialising in eco and commercial vehicle leasing we will try to find you the perfect vehicle for you. We aim to provide consistently competitive funding options on most makes/models of cars and commercial vehicles, including Business Contract Hire and Personal Contract Hire packages, as well as Business and Personal Contract Purchase and also Lease Purchase.
Furthermore, should we be local to you or if you are simply passing nearby, we would welcome your visit to the Car Lease team at our offices in Leigh. For our address, please access the following link.
Car LeaseUKalso reward both loyalty and references, with a loyalty and referral scheme. Please do not hesitate to enquire about this when speaking to one of our team. If you would like to speak to a member of our friendly sales team to discuss your next lease vehicle then please call the number below. We look forward to hearing from you.

Carlease UK Video Blog | VW Golf Tdi | Car Leasing Deals

Carlease UK Video Blog | New VW Beetle | Car Leasing Deals

Thursday 29 November 2012

What is Business Contract Hire? Carlease UK explain

By far the most popular form of car leasing is Business Contract Hire. This is because if you are looking to lease a business vehicle it is often the most cost effective way of doing so in most cases.  CarleaseUKoffer alternative funding methods, such as finance lease, the criteria for your decision will lie in such things as whether or not you want to keep the vehicle and also whether you want the asset on or off your balance sheet. These are not the only reasons for your decision; at CarleaseUK we can help you make the choice.
 Business Contract Hire is commonly used to supply companies that have fleets and at CarleaseUK we are dedicated to making sure that you can find the optimum contract hire deal suited to your business. Business contract hire is often very popular because of the way it is set up and there are many advantages to using it to create your fleet.

 So how is Business Contract hire set up? Here is a run down of all of the main features that you might expect:
2_contract hire at carlease uk 1.jpg

The car leasing deal is set up so that your business will get use of the vehicle that you hire for a set mileage and time period that is decided upon when the deal is created. This is tailored to suite your business and will affect the cost overall.

 A low initial payment will be required up front followed by  fixed monthly costs for the term of the lease.  The initial payment is between 3 and 6 monthly payments, paid upfront, depending on how you want to set up your contract hire model. The cost of the payments will depend on things like, the vehicle, its initial cost, mileage and the value of the vehicle at the end of the contract plus the term of the lease.

 So why choose Business Contract Hire?  There are a number of things about Business Contract Hire that can save time and make it a popular business choice:

 For example, an extra fee on top of the standard monthly payment the leasing company will  take care of  maintenance including your tyres and vehicle replacement which can be a big an interruption.  The servicing cost at the garage is then paid for by the leasing company.  Tyre replacement includes blow outs as well as replacements and can normally by arranged at your place of work or at worse locally.

 Contract hire can also give you a lot of flexibility with setting up your fleet of vehicles, allowing you to change them around fairly often (standard leases will last about 2-3 years) without having to deal with the loss of value on the vehicle. During this period, subject to the set up of your business, you can offset the whole of the cost of the lease rather than the cost being still written down many years after the vehicle has been replaced.  Also,  capital that you would normally invest in company vehicles can be freed from your budget to be spent elsewhere while you are paying the low monthly payments.

 If you are interested in Business Contract Hire then why not speak to us at CarleaseUK. We are committed to getting you the best deals possible.

Wednesday 28 November 2012

The new Skoda Rapid, a car with more features than an iPhone 5

he new Skoda Rapid follows in Skoda’s series of successful, quality car releases of late and continues their legacy of adding features to their cars that you never knew that you needed. Complete with features such as a phone pocket, a multimedia holder and even, if you can believe it, and ice scraper built  into the fuel cap! It continues Skoda’s great legacy of safety equipment and includes all of the systems that you have come to expect and all of the acronyms that you could think of; ESC Inc. ABS, MSR, ASR, EDS and HBA! Carlease UK cant wait for it to land.

 

As far as the car itself goes the Rapid is spacious enough that it would be useful for any jobs that required large amounts of equipment, but still has a very elegant air about it. As with all Skoda’s this high quality comes in at a very affordable price and you can expect to get a very reasonable car leasing deal.

The interior is smart and full of modern concepts, coming in a series of great looking colour combinations with simple but effective designs, straight edged and practical. The car is designed to feel efficient even in the interior and it does a great job of that all round. Its full of storage throughout and you will never struggle in finding somewhere to keep you travel equipment, whatever that may be, an ideal company car with efficient engines and good benefit in kind rates. 

Personal contract hire falls in Italy in 2011

Bicycle sales in Italy surpassed those of cars in 2011, a country where its very common to lease a new car.  Italy has for many years been a front runner in the uptake of personal contract hire deals.

But, last year Italians purchased more bikes than they did cars according to the official figures, for the first time in  years. The figures are attributed to the economic crisis of the last couple of years and is said to be more largely related to a drop in car sales rather that a rise in sales of bikes.
 
Italyhas always been a country well suited to bikes. With densely packed cities and wide open country side, there is a lot of room for a slower way of travelling. Still dominated by scooters and small cars however, it is interesting to see that bike sales have actually been surpassing those of cars. Bikes of course are cheaper to get your hands on than a car and a lot cheaper to run as well, if you can get away with it in your daily life, so it’s no surprise that people move towards using them when the economy starts to plummet

 Its food for  thought really though. If you can get away with swapping out your car for a bicycle in these times were money is hard to come by then what is the sense in not doing it? Admittedly life in theUKis slightly faster paced and the weather is less suited  to a morning journey exposed to the elements, but certainly countries where the bicycle is a widely used mode of transport have consistently lower heart disease and weight problems.      
    Some countries have enormous bike use anyway, especiallyDenmarkandHolland. But whereas they are no warmer or dryer than theUK, they are incredibly flat and
transport in general has evolved to include separated bike lanes and superb crossings over rail and roads. 

 As always, thanks for reading from the team at CarLease UK.

 

Monday 26 November 2012

The 7th generation of Fiesta, Ford technology but in a small car


As the UK’s top seller there has become a certain level of quality expected from Ford’s Fiesta range and I am happy to say that this latest model has achieved that and then some. Offering a  large range of specs, the new Fiesta has so much variation it would be surprising if most people couldn’t find at least one to suite them. The price range reflects this as well and you could expect to find a car to lease regardless of your budget. So let’s talk about the car itself.

 
 Talking about the variety they include the new 1 litre in two guises, a  1.25, 1.4 and 1.6 petrol and 1.4 and 1.6 diesel engines in the standard range, allowing you to tailor your car to your personal needs. Standard to modern Ford, trims include Edge, Studio, Titanium and Zetec.  On top of this all of the models come with a choice of 3 or 5-door and there is the choice of the Econetic range which has low CO2 emissions, which is important for reducing your benefit in kind!


The design on the new models is very sporty and Ford have even managed to keep the generously well designed shape on the 5-door. It has all the distinctive features that you would expect from a ford, with the ‘kick’ at the rear edge on the back window. The front is designed to give the new Fiesta a friendly and open look while the back is sharp and distinctive with high lights and a roofline that runs smoothly into the spoiler.
 
The interior is sporty and striking around the dashboard which is busy but well co-ordinated and gives it  a very technology heavy feel. The rest of the interior is fairly standard for a fiesta with good boot space and plenty of leg room, slightly bigger than the outgoing model but without taking the Fiesta out of the small car class. 


If you’re thinking of picking up one of these great cars on a lease then why not give one of our team at Carlease UK a ring or an email and see if we can find the perfect fiesta for you.

Thursday 22 November 2012

CarLease UK hitting the shelves with the NFU Countryside Magazine

CarLease Uk are proud to announce that we will be appearing in November's edition of NFU Countryside, the popular magazine revealing all about Britain's countryside life.

Eager to broaden our customer base for Car Leasing, we decided to establish a partnership with the NFU magazine, in an effort to offer services to the farming community, particularly those who do not search for vehicles online. Although we are only to appear in  November's edition, we do hope to continue a long-term and successful partnership going forwards.

Don't forget to grab a copy of this month's NFU magazine and catch our car lease advert!

1 Millionth Fiat 500 Produced 5 years after the cars original release

While the Fiat 500 may not be the most popular car in the UK it is still, globally, one of the more popular small cars. At Carlease UK we always have at least one proposal on the go for a 500. The 500 provides Fiat’s quality and style in a small car at a very reasonable price and as such the sales of 500s have been perpetually high across Europe and South America. It is because of this quality that Fiat is proud to have reached this rather substantial milestone, with the 1 Millionth 500 rolling off the production line inPoland.

To still be producing this car with some demand 5 years after release says something very positive and it has a history of high sales throughout its life span. The year after its release the Fiat 500 was being sold in over 100 countries and made up a whopping 13.9% of the European market for super mini’s.   It then went on to sell nearly 200,000 models in the following year as well.

This car has most likely been so popular due to the wide variety that is available within its model. If you are looking to lease a car with this level of pedigree and quality then why not have a look at our car leasing deals, we are sure we will be able to find a Fiat 500 to fit you.

Tuesday 20 November 2012

The RAC Future car challenge showcases some of the best eco cars

Here at Carlease UK we are big supporters of the move towards more environmentally friendly and eco cars and the recent future car challenge really did a great job of showcasing the kind of quality that we can expect to see in the near future.

I have never previously had any issues with making my opinions on electric cars known. They are just not good enough yet, with too high an initial running cost and a working distance too short for a substantial commute. This challenge however shows off the best of current and upcoming hybrid and electric cars and the future is looking bright.

For those of you that don’t know about this challenge, the competitors drive from Brighton to London with the winner being the one that uses the smallest amount of energy, along with awards given out in a few other categories as well. These awards fall under a number of different categories depending on the size and type of the car as well as how it fares and whether it is in production or just a prototype. In this years competition there have been three main winners, and a few other interesting competitors. A couple of noteworthy competitors this year were:

 The Renault Zoe which won in all three of the main categories that it qualified to enter, in the ‘production’ class. These included challenge winner, most energy efficient small car and best pure electric.
 The odd little German car the Windreich AG ME 2012 in which the two pilots sat open to the elements wearing aviator goggles did similarly well. In the prototype classification they took a number of awards, along with claiming the public’s hearts and taking the publics choice award.
 Also noteworthy was a Jaguar hybrid engine that won the best luxury car and really showed just how high quality the eco cars at the challenge could be.

 What does all of this mean for the electric car scene as a whole? A lot of the manufacturers still argue that at the moment hybrid cars are really the only sensible path to take when it comes to electric engines. They say that, at the moment, they are too expensive and just don’t give you enough distance in a journey. Up until now they were probably right too, the Nissan Leaf for example cost a massive £26,000 even after a government deduction of £5000, but the Zoe, say Renault, will be available for as little as £13,650 when it goes on sale next year. This price may seem very low, and yes it comes with a battery rental price of £80 extra per month, but this is the direction that electric cars are going and we can expect to see a drastic change in the near future.

There are a lot of eco friendly cars out there already however and at very reasonable prices, so if you are looking to pick one up, why not have a scan of our car leasing deals on the site and see if there is anything that sparks your interest.

Monday 19 November 2012

Carlease UK Video Blog| Range Rover | Car Fire | Emergency Services

At Around 10.0am on the 17th November, our attention was drawn to the sound of people shouting outside the offices we share with Enterprise Rent a Car on Warrington Road Leigh. On further inspection it became apparent that there was a vehicle ablaze just outside our car park, as can be seen from the video this was a serious fire.
The occupants managed to get clear of the burning vehicle, although the air ambulance was called in to take the more seriously injured directly to hospital. Hopefully they are receiving the quickest of medical treatment and will make a speedy recovery from this awful incident.
The emergency services showed us first hand the challenges they face everyday, taking everything in their stride. It seems there may have been an issue with LPG fuel on the vehicle, which somewhat exploded, a stark reminder of the potential issues with this type of setup. What was witnessed today was the professionalism and care of all of the emergency services involved, a big thank you to them!

Friday 16 November 2012

Toyota Recalls the 75 thousand vehicles as announced

Toyota will be recalling 75 thousand vehicles across the UK.Toyota are planning to recall models from the Corolla, Avensis and Prius ranges. In particular models from July 2001 to March 2009 for the Avensis or Corollas, or the Prius’ between July 2003 and April 2009.

Toyota has announced that it is committed to ensuring the safety of people who chose to drive their vehicles and the vehicles quality and performance.Toyota have promised to stretch this quality to not only their new models but to their older models too, and maintaining that is of the upmost importance to them.

They say that their rigorous monitoring of the cars that they provide allow them to quickly access and deal with issues such as this one.
Apparently the issue is to do with a component in the steering that causes a rattling or a knocking sound, and maybe even a reduction in the response when steering. AlthoughToyota maintain that even though this may be a slight issue cars will still remain safe to drive. They will be sending out letters with regards to when these cars need to be recalled, so if you have one, be on the lookout for one of these letters in the post. If you are looking for a faster solution you should also be able to take it into your local dealership and get it sorted out promptly.

Again with a quick reaction like this, it is very difficult to see anything truly negative about this recall. Toyota’s quick reaction to making sure of the safety of road users in their cars before any actual incidents have even occurred, really gives you some confidence that they are looking out for your best interest. If you’re worried that your car may be recalled the best thing to do is to contact your local Toyota dealership.

Thursday 15 November 2012

Is the 3 pence per litre tax increase going to be abandoned ?

After a delay of the tax increase from January in the new year to as late as April, it looks like the 3 pence per litre increase could be abandoned completely. The shadow chancellor has released a statement saying that by delaying the increase, by at least the 3 months that have already been decided upon, it will decrease the pressure on households going into 2013. His argument was that there is not a strong enough economic recovery and that it would be unfair to put an extra squeeze on families and pensioners.
 
The issues with this plan arose when it was predicted that many conservative MPs would vote with Labour against the increase. With the average price of a litre of unleaded standing at just under £1.40 at the moment it is obvious  that this would be a very unpopular idea. The shadow chancellor claims that the money could be made up by closing tax loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying as much tax as they should be paying.

Although this may be postponed for now there is no real guarantee that this increase won’t come though in the near future so it may be time to invest in a more economical car. At Carlease UK  we are really keen to get you into an environmentally friendly, efficient and cost effective car and this may be a great time to do it before you start paying more or your old one. For your next car, why not consider an economical model with great fuel savings and good benefit in kind tax savings.

Tuesday 13 November 2012

Hyundai ix35 Carlease UK Video Blog

The ix35 is one of our favourite deals here at CarleaseUKand to try and get you as excited about it as we are we have decided to do a quick video so you can see why we get excited  about this car. It is of course the sister car to the Kia Sportage, (Sportage blog) but some of our customers have already told us that they prefer the more rugged look of the ix35 and we agree

Although  a  close rival to the Nissan Qashqai,  the ix35 boasts a larger interior with its extra 10cm of length which is of great benefit for the long journeys for which it is built so elegantly. With soft suspension and high seating it offers a very comfortable ride as we have come to expect from this quality of car not to mention it looks extremely stylish to boot. It’s also very customisable with choice of 2.0 and 1.7 litre diesel and a 1.6 litre petrol engine and with both 2 and 4 wheel drive, you are certain to be able to get the car you want. Hundai blog .   Teh 1.7 litre diesel is a cheaper car to run and worth considering as an alternative where BIK is a consideration see our blog. 
What we like best about this car is just how practical it is. With a regular boot size as high as 591 litres us to as high as 1436 if you choose to fold down your seats. The car is adaptive and well designed, and runs extremely well in cold and wet conditions thanks to its wide stance.  Not to mention that with a 4 wheel drive that only activates as the car starts to lose its traction on the road it gives a smooth ride throughout your journey making it a great car leasing deal

Monday 12 November 2012

VW Jetta named Tow Car of The Year for second year in a row

Celebrating its second win in a row the Volkswagen Jetta has been named the tow car of the year by the Caravan Club. There were 23 suitable cars put through a number of vigorous tests to find which was the best suited in a number of categories based on their tax bands. The cars were loaded up to represent a family of four and the caravans filled so that they represented  85% of the cars  kerbweight, while within the recommended limits. The cars then underwent a series of tests, doing laps of Millbrook’s speed bowl so that they could be judged for stability both at speed and with the effect of any winds. They were also tested for their stopping distance and in power tests in which they needed to accelerate the over 20mph gaps. They were additionally tested for hill starts at various inclines including . their ability to hold caravanning holiday related items such as awnings, folding chairs, tables etc.

So those are the tests that were carried out, but what about the Jetta. First of all lets have a look at the class division that the Jetta was in and how it took the title with a fairly solid lead. It was placed in the most competitive class for this year (emission bands D-F). Even with the caravan in tow the car is powerful and gives a smooth, confident drive allowing it to accelerate from 30-50mph in just 7.6 seconds. It has a 510 litre boot too so you could get in plenty of extras in if your caravan is already feeling overloaded. Even though this was a new classification for testing this year (tax band rather than cost) the Jetta was also only the second most expensive car in this group, coming in just behind the Yeti and was significantly cheaper than a lot of its competitors. No wonder it then was rated as the best across all categories.

The VW CC won it own class with another VW Group car, the Skoda Yeti SE Plus, winning the up to 1800 kg 4wd class.  Mercedes Benz won the Class for emissions J,K,L & M and  over 1800 kg 4 wd class was won by the Chevrolet Captiva 2.2 LT.
Also, class winners were the Skoda Superb Estate 2.0DSG,  the VW Touareg and the Volvo V60 D5 AWD.
Just too late for the judging, was the launch of the Passat Alltrack with VW four wheel drive system.

These tests are taken very seriously by the manufacturers, with design and suspension set ups in theUKbeing tailored to what is a huge market of owners with caravans.  In some car cases, for example the Citroen Xantia, tow car of the year upped demand considerably. 

Carlease UK Video Blog|Ford Focus Estate|Car leasing deal

Friday 9 November 2012

BMW build the most trustworthy and reliable lease cars, according to a recent survey

According to the latest Fleet News,   BMW is now producing the most reliable company cars for theUK. The figure comes from a series of questions that were asked to a number of top leasing companies regarding the figures for breakdowns and warranty claims on a number of cars and vans.

BMW have not only come out as the best overall manufacturer, but also have 3 cars in the top ten for most reliable, giving them a very solid record. And this is the second year in a row in which they have achieved this as well. The 3 series was the best rated with very few issues with breakdowns or warranty claims and came out on top of the VW golf and the Audi A4.  


With this kind of quality recorded from a 600,000 uklease car market shows some real quality and if you have though about leasing a BMW we are hoping that this will push you just that little bit in the right direction. We have always campaigned to let people know that we love the quality of BMW and these figures support us in our argument, why not get yourself a quote now? This could be the kind of thing your’e looking for.

The 320D accounts for a good percentage of the BMW’s that we supply on lease deals and at Carlease UK we make no secret of it being our favourite, with two on our own fleet.  In September, What Car ? announced the 320d ED as their own Green Car of the year, yet another option to buyers who want to join the BMW leasing club.

Auto Express call the 320D the “perfect all rounder”, again not without good reason, the latest model is so much more than a face lift, it really is very nearly a new car.   

Jaguar XF S, gorgeous and great value. Economy, performance and style, what a lease car.

Available with the fire breathing 5.0 V8, and of course the supercharged version in the XFR, the XF already has rocket ship options to those who like to move quickly but quietly.  Now Jaguar, a company on a huge growth due to burgeoning demand inChina, have invested quickly and heavily into new models and technology.   Now we get the 3.0 litre diesel, available in 237bhp and 271bhp guise, the latter being capable of reaching 60 mph in 5.9 seconds an delivering an enormous 600Nm torque.  

These sort of figures will easily embarrass all hot hatches and many of the genuinely quick cars. The new engine is set up with sequential turbos,  a method used for a few years now by BMW,  where the first turbo is always running and the second one cuts in later, in the Jaguars case 2800 rpm.  Where Jaguar have somewhat deviated from the standard route is in using a baby turbo to run all the time and a bigger one to cut in later, the aim being to reduce or even eliminate lag. 

In a recent AutoExpress test, this car averaged over 40 mpg, fantastic for such a barnstormer.  The inside is roomy and easily carries five adults in comfort on the best British hide.  The XF is already a well specified car so loads of changes would not make sense,  people like the metal gear leaver the electric air vents and gorgeous drive that this car already possesses, so if it aint broke, don’t fix it.

Car leasing choice is often a question of compromise, if you are in this market, look no further. 
CarleaseUKvote for the big Jag. 

Thursday 8 November 2012

Is cycling a problem for road users ?

At CarleaseUK, we have cyclists on our staff, today we were sad to here about the accident last night that Bradley Wiggins had in Wrightington .  Due to other  recent news issues we have been thinking about the effect of cyclists on the road and this is what we think.

Cycling on the roads around theUKhas never really been the safest way to spend your nights, with over 100 cyclists killed already this year,  but figures would suggest that driver awareness and cyclist safety have greatly improved in recent years. What has really made me think about this subject today is obviously this issue with Bradley Wiggins having been involved in an accident which is currently plastered all over the news. It’s not really surprising that this has become such a big deal, Wiggins has not only just won a series of events, with Olympic gold and Tour De France victory under his belt, but is also a big name in campaigning for road safety for cyclists.

Cyclists are unlikely to ever be the safest of road users, there is just too much of them exposed to a collision for them to ever be truly safe. So what is the solution to such a pressing issue? Laws on lights are strict, but helmets lag behind,   but we need to make  other road users aware of their presence and  I think we are doing a pretty good job but not good enough.  It’s rare not to see a bike user at night that isn't in high visibility clothing and most have lights.   It would be very easy to say that there should just be more cycle paths away form the roads that mean that cyclists aren't exposed to the hostile roads but this isn't always practical in built up areas. I’m a big fan of more cycle lanes on roads and allowing cyclists to use bus lanes too, not only do these keep them separated form the main body of the faster traffic but they improve the flow of the roads too. It isn't always possible to have these separated sections available for cyclists however. Whether it be an issue of space or cost, it is inevitable that sometimes they will share road space with those driving  cars and vans and this will always present a level of danger due as well as human error risk.

Having cyclists on your road may seem like a pain sometimes. Trust me, everyone has been stuck behind a cyclist on a small road at 10mph at some point! Commuters that cycle however are doing you a good turn on the road. There are fewer cars which meaning less congestion not to mention a greener planet in the long term. So while there may not yet be a solution to a harmony between cars and bicycles on the road, it is going to be a lot more common going into the future.

Carlease UK Video Blog|Jaguar XF S|Car leasing deal

Friday 26 October 2012

If you want to lease a Skoda Octavia, we are all over it at Carlease UK. -

If you want to lease a Skoda Octavia, we are all over it at Carlease UK. -

In our latest car leasing product review, we look at the Skoda Octavia. Fundamentally based on the previous VW Passat, this vehicle offers tremendous value, while maintaining quality. 

Even vans can be Eco-friendly -

Even vans can be Eco-friendly 

 We explore the latest van leasing deals and discuss how the latest products are becoming more environmentally friendly, as automotive developments continually develop.

Wednesday 24 October 2012

Is the US leading the way forward for the UK with increasing numbers of cars on lease. - The Latest Blog Entries from Car Lease UK

Is the US leading the way forward for the UK with increasing numbers of cars on lease. - The Latest Blog Entries from Car Lease UK

Take a look at yesterday's blog on the comparisons between car leasing trends in the USA and car leasing trends in the UK.
To some extent car leasing in the UK in still a relatively new phenomenon, as potential customer's now genuinely consider the cost of buy v lease. In the USA, a more significant amount of new vehicle purchases are transacted through “leasing”, as the USA’s market is somewhat more mature.

Monday 22 October 2012

Friday 19 October 2012

A lease deal on a Land Rover Evoque? Why not consider the Ford Kuga - The Latest Blog Entries from Car Lease UK

A lease deal on a Land Rover Evoque? Why not consider the Ford Kuga - The Latest Blog Entries from Car Lease UK

In our latest Carlease UK blog, we take a look at the ever-popular Range Rover Evoque and consider whether car leasing consumers should be looking at more cost-effective but equally appealing options.

Any comments, get in touch with the team at Carlease UK. 

Monday 15 October 2012

Preparing Your Car for Winter – Tips from Car Lease UK - The Latest Blog Entries from Car Lease UK

Preparing Your Car for Winter – Tips from Car Lease UK - The Latest Blog Entries from Car Lease UK

Take a look a look at our latest hints and tips for the joyous winter weather hittign the UK. From the team at Car Lease UK, ensure that you drive carefully and safely at all times, remembering the key rules:

  • Plan Ahead
  • Prepare your Vehicle
  • Do not take risks
 If you follow the tips in our latest blog, you should be one step-ahead of any issues! 

Happy Driving from Car Lease UK! 

Saturday 6 October 2012

Just like to say Hello to everyone at Blogger...we are Car Lease UK are new to this and hope to learn the ropes very quickly and make some interesting Blogs relating to Car Leasing Deals, The Automotive Industry, The UFC and our view of the world! 

Happy Reading! 
The Association of British Insurers is saying that the age group of 17 to 24 are responsible for the largest amount of crashes per road user in their group. The plans to reduce these numbers of accidents are described as ‘radical action’ and are an attempt to introduce a series of restrictions on young drivers to help prevent crashes.

ABI director general Otto Thoresen said, "A car is potentially a lethal weapon, and we must do more to help young drivers better deal with the dangers of driving. Improving the safety of young drivers will also mean that they will face lower motor insurance costs.”

The proposed plans follow a similar set proposed to go into place in Northern Ireland, and they include a series of restrictions on young road users.

The most striking reforms that they want to put into place are:
  • A ban on learners being able to take an intensive driving course as their sole way of passing the test
  • The introduction of a new licence for the first six months after passing a test called graduated, (like an enforced version of the ‘P’ passed plates)
  • A limit on the number of young passengers in a car with a driver classed as “graduated”
  • A curfew on these drivers between 11:00pm and 4:00am, unless they were driving to and from work or college
  • A zero tolerance on blood alcohol for these “graduated” drivers
  • Young drivers would be able to start learning earlier, at the age of 16 and a half so that a lower limit of a years driving before passing the test seems more reasonable
The ABI backed these ideas up with a number of statistics, that newly passed drivers were the riskiest on the road and that this was only made worse by the presence of passengers.
The issue that seems to come from this though, is that the curfews on young drivers and such imposed limits seem to be a little heavy handed a way of dealing with the issue. With a proposal to massively increase the amount of time before the drivers are allowed to take the test, it would suggest that if this wasn't enough then maybe the issue came from the way in which the drivers were tested. Does a short 1 hour session on carefully scrutinised driving technique give a good representation of a driver’s ability and reliability? Of course it doesn't. How could it, when it does not reflect the standard conditions for driving at all.
While I can agree that the increase in time learning to drive could certainly be of some benefit, it is a high cost to actually put in the extra hours to practice and get extra lessons that not everyone could get through even if they were very competent drivers. As for the limits on the people that have already passed. The need for this simply shines a light on the inadequacies of the system for testing that is already in place. Maybe before we start punishing the majority of young drivers who haven’t caused any issues on the road it would be better to find the issue that exists in the system that is already in place.
Car Lease UK have today launched a number of incredible car leasing deals on the Volkswagen Passat range, including the 1.6 and 2.0 Diesel Saloon and Estate Variants (a mixture of manuals and DSG’s are available). With nearly 100 vehicles in stock, ready for immediate delivery, any customer will be blessed with fantastic choice, at an incredible value.




The VW Passat is perhaps the flagship car within the genre - the self confessed "Dynamic Innovation" by Volkswagen themselves. The team at Car Lease UK have found, from customer input, that the Volkswagen Passat is a slightly better option than your Vauxhall Insignia and Ford Mondeo but most cost-effective than your BMW 3 Series or Audi A4. Often the desired choice for the company car user with a healthy, but considered budget, the VW Passat offers finesses, practicality and, above all, quality. That being said, as a car lease company which pushes healthily competitive car leasing deals, we supply whatever vehicle, whether personal contract hire or business contract hire, our customer wants.

What you need to know on the Volkswagen Passat Diesel Saloon 1.6 TDI BMT SE:

The 1.6 TDI SE is perhaps one of the most popular and best-loved vehicles within the range. Known for its value and its frugal but respected engine, the SE presents the driver with a good deal of standard specification. Remember, don't just take our word for it, please feel free to look at other independent reviews for example the Whatcar? review on the  Volkswagen Passat Diesel Saloon 1.6 TDI BMT SE

MPG = 65.7
CO2 = 114g/km
Key Specification = DAB Radio, 17” Alloy Wheels, Ipod Connection, Electric Seats,
Price = 3 year car lease deal from £230.25 plus Vat per month and a 4 year car lease deal from £213.96 plus Vat per month


What you need to know on the Volkswagen Passat Diesel Estate 2.0 TDI BMT SE:

If you have a little more of a budget and you want a more powerful diesel option, perhaps even one with a little more room, take a look at the 2.0 Diesel version of the VW Passat SE. The 2.0 diesel is the best engine to go for in terms of overall consumption, capacity and power. In terms of the car, this is a really strong contender in the estate class, with very few criticisms being affixed to the vehicle and possessing a good standard of specification. Again, don't just take our word, check out the Whatcar? review on the Volkswagen Passat Diesel Estate 2.0 TDI BMT SE - the review gives the car a 5 out of 5 stars!

MPG = 61.4
CO2 = 120g/km
Key Specification = DAB Radio, 17” Alloy Wheels, Ipod Connection, Electric Seats,
Price = 3 year car lease deal from £248.40 plus Vat per month and a 4 year car lease deal from £235.58 plus Vat per month.





Please note that these deals form part of Car Lease UK’s quarter 4 car leasing special offers, so if you are in the market for your next car lease deal, please ensure you email us at enquiries@carlease.uk.com or alternatively ring us on  08445766667 as soon as possible to avoid any disappointment.