One of the benefits of vehicle contract hire is it allows you to drive a better vehicle than you think.  Comparecontracthire.com, the UK’s first contract hire price comparison site, has looked at two rentals for the same brand and range- Audi, to explain why.

An Audi A3 1.6 SE Hatchback has a manufacturer list price of £14870 and an Audi A3 1.9 TDie 5 door Sportback has a manufacturer list price of £17030. That is a list price differential of £2160.

The contract hire rentals, for both vehicles, on a three year non maintained business contract hire rental at 10,000 miles per annum is as follows.

Audi A3 1.6 SE – the lowest rental on the site is £209.00 excl VAT.

Audi A3 1.9 TDie Sportback – the lowest rental on the site is £211.84 excl VAT.

So for near enough the same rental you can drive a vehicle that has manufacturer list price of over £2000 more. The main reason for this is that contract hire provides you a total life cost rental. In other words the contract hire company calculates what they will buy the vehicle for and what they think they will sell it for. The resale value is the biggest factor when calculating a contract hire rental.

This demonstrates the benefit of looking at contract hire as a way of funding your next vehicle.

So if you want to drive a new car or van that actually costs more than you want to spend, you might find you can afford it on contract hire. Try using the budget shopper on Comparecontracthire.com to see your options.

www.comparecontracthire.com/quote/shop-by-price.php

You will be amazed at the differences in rentals and quotes can be provided on any manufacturer make or model. Business and personal contract hire prices are also shown so whether you are a small business or a private individual , contract hire may be right for you.

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The new exciting Fiat 500 Abarth has been voted the “Best Hot Hatch” by the team at Top Gear magazine, one of the UK’s most respected and widely read motoring magazines.

This new model has not even been launched in the UK but has already picked up this top industry award. Powered by a 1.4 litre 16v turbo charged engine very similar to the one in the Fiat Abarth Grande Punto, this new hot hatch delivers 135bhp at 5500rpm, has a CO2 emission of just 155 g/km and returns 43.3 MPG on the combined cycle. It goes on sale in February however if you want to look at information on other Fiat models then try the new Vehicle Information search engine at Comparecontracthire.com - www.comparecontracthire.com/technical/index.php . You can search for any make or model and see options, standard equipment, an image and all technical data i.e. 0-62, MPG, CO2 etc.

If you are also interested in contract hiring your next vehicle, car or van, you can also compare live prices from our 12 finance partners.

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The new Volkswagen Scirocco has been named as the “Car of the Year” by the team at Top Gear Magazine, one of the UK’s most respected and widely read motoring magazines.

The Judging panel was made up of members of the road test team and journalists from Top Gear magazine. Chris Craft the Director of Volkswagen UK, commented: ” The Scirocco has received a fantastic reception since its launch earlier this year and to be named Car of the Year by such a tough and well respected group of judges is a real honour.

The new Scirocco is the most technically advanced production coupe that Volkswagen has produced. There are seven variations with 4 diesel models and 3 petrol models. The 2.0 Litre TSi GT 3 Door DSG, for example, has a 0-62 time of 7.1 seconds, a CO2 g/km output of 179 g/km and a combined MPG of 37.2.

All models benefit from Advanced Chassis Control (ACC) which operates via a set of four electronically adjustable dampers to alter the cars’s suspension, steering and throttle response set-up. This allows the driver to choose the most appropriate setting for their journey.

Comparecontracthire.com has a vehicle information search engine at www.comparecontracthire.com/technical/index.php where you can search for data, images, options, standard equipment plus much more on all the models. If you are also interested in contract hiring your next Volkswagen you can also see contract hire prices compared on line from our contract hire partners.

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Personal Contract Hire is an easy and affordable way for a consumer or private individual to finance their next car. It provides fixed cost motoring at a price you can afford.

The recent Pre-Budget report has reduced VAT from 17.5% to 15% from the 1st December 2008 for 13 months.

VAT is normally added to the contract hire base rental and cannot be recovered by a private individual. So for example on a base rental of £300 the VAT difference is £7.50 a month or a £285 saving over a three year contract with a 38 month payment plan.  

Personal Contract Hire may now be an even more attractive financial proposition than buying a car. Cars lose value over time and the resale hassle and risk is down to the leasing company.

Full details are available at www.comparecontracthire.com which is the UK’s first contract hire price comparison site allowing customers to see prices compared direct from the finance companies.

When looking for a new car or commercial van on contract hire it can be a daunting task trying to obtain four or five quotations to make sure you are getting value for money.

Contract Hire is form of rental and provides fixed cost motoring at an affordable price.

The contract hire leasing companies all have different ways of calculating their rentals and the biggest factor affecting their price is the residual value or re-sale value of the vehicle in three or four years time.

For example on www.comparecontracthire.com a Ford Fiesta 1.6 Econetic Tdi 3 Door on a three year non maintained, business contract hire rental @10,000 miles per annum, the difference quoted from the various suppliers on displayed rentals, is £46 per month. 

That is 38 payments at £46 per month or a saving over the contract life of £1748. This is a massive saving and shows the value of price comparison via the Internet.

Comparecontracthire.com is the UK’s first business and personal contract hire price comparison site showing prices directly from 12 leading contract hire finance companies. Prices can be compared by the exact model of your choice, by your budget range, by CO2 g/km output or by Combined MPG.

With over half a million variations you can obtain a new car or van contract hire lease at the best possible price for you. The car and van leasing companies also display their latest car and commercial vehicle leasing offers as well. More information is available at www.comparecontracthire.com

The Chancellor, Alastair Darling, announced some changes to the new VED bands for April 2009, reports Comparecontracthire.com. There are currently seven Vehicle Excise Duty bands and this figure will move to thirteen in April 2009. The bands are based on the CO2 g/km output of your car.The intention is to encourage the design and manufacture of more fuel efficient vehicles together with influencing buyer behaviour.

However the proposed larger changes of Vehicle Excise Duty have been deferred and rates will not increase by more than £5 for 2009-2010. However the first year rate charge from April 2010 is still planned. For the second year and onwards you will pay the standard rate.

The final bandings are as follows.

Cars - Band K below includes cars that have a CO2 figure over 225 g/km but were registered before 23 March 2006. These cars will stay in band K.

Vans

• Light Goods Vehicles, 2009 -10 rate will be £185 and the 2010-11 rate is £200.
• Euro 4 & 5 emmissions compliant LGV’s, 2009-10 & 2010-2011 rate, is £125 in both years.

Comparecontracthire.com is the UK’s first car and van business and personal contract hire price comparison site. Vehicle Excise duty is normally covered with a contract hire rental however the leasing companies will build the future expected costs into their calculations. Choosing a greener, more CO2 efficient vehicle will save you money and be better for the environment.

IAM’s top tips for driving in winter weather

With blizzards and plunging temperatures forecast across the UK this weekend, the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) has warned of the increased danger for road users.

If the weather is bad, drive only if it is really necessary.  If the journey is necessary, drivers should ensure their car is properly prepared and they know how to cope with the changing road conditions.

The IAM advice for car and van motorists driving in bad winter weather conditions is:

-Take it slow and allow extra time for the journey, even if it is the usual work, van delivery or school run. Other traffic on the road will be driving slower as well so anticipate this

- In snow or ice, slow down and keep well back from the vehicle in front. When roads are slippery, it will take ten times longer to stop so drivers need to look a long way ahead and plan to move lanes as necessary

- Use low gears to help keep traction, especially on hills, and use gears to restrain  your speed on downhill sections to avoid the need to brake sharply

-The road in front of vehicles clearing snow is likely to be worse than the road behind. Don’t pass these vehicles and stay well back if they are gritting

- Check the windscreen washer is topped up with windscreen washer fluid for the appropriate outside temperature and that the wiper blades are clean and free of oli and grease. Drivers also need a clear view out of all windows not just the windscreen so don’t drive off if your windows are still frosted or covered with snow.

-Turn on headlights to see and be seen. Bad weather causes poor visibility for all motorists

-  Pack an emergency kit  such as warm outdoor clothes, a reflective jacket, a torch, a fully charged mobile phone.

- Drivers should also remember to be cautious at all times, check the weather forecast before heading off on their journey, and prepare for familiar, short journeys as well as long ones.

Comparecontracthire.com also suggests three other items to consider

- Make sure your tyres are in a healthy condition – i.e. not near the legal limit of 2 mm and are not damaged. See www.comparecontracthire.com/tyre-safety.php for more details. 

-Take a blanket, a hot drink (tea or coffee) and a snack in case your car or van breaks down. The RAC, AA and other rescue recovery companies may be busy this weekend and you may be waiting a bit longer if demand is high,

- It might also help to plan your route so check out the live Trafficmaster map as well at www.comparecontracthire.com

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- Car production falls to 25.1% in the month to the lowest October level since 1991 – a worrying trend. 

- Commercial vehicle production remains up over the year, but down 41% in the month.

- Year-to-date volumes down 27.1% for all vehicles, but 75% still destined for abroad.

- SMMT urges the government to support UK manufacturing and to restore confidence in the market.

“The October production figures reflect the rapid reduction in global demand for motor vehicles and we expect to see further reductions in factory output in November and December,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive. “The figures are evidence of the scale of the challenge facing the industry and underline the need for prompt action in next week’s pre-budget report to assist the sector during this difficult period.”

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The new BMW 7 Series has arrived reports Compare Contract Hire.com

The launch of the new BMW 7 Series has heralded the arrival of a host of world-first driver and passenger-focussed technologies.  BMW has raised the technological benchmark again with the new model.

New features include;

- Speed Limit Display comes as standard with the optional Lane Departure Warning system.  The system cross-references the GPS navigation system information and  real-world information to constantly monitor the legal speed limit, and relays this information to the driver in the dashboard or, if specified, into the Head-up Display.

- Night Vision is a familiar BMW technology that has been advanced and adapted for the new BMW 7 Series. 

- Pedestrian Recognition.   With Individual Pedestrian Recognition, the system uses video data and algorithms to predict if any pedestrians are behaving abnormally and are likely to move into the path of the car. 

- Side view cameras are a BMW first and are available as an option working alongside the standard Park Distance Control and optional Reversing Assist Camera to assist parking.

- Integral Active Steering (IAS) – is effectively four wheel steering.  IAS offers more direct steering responses and a smaller turning circle at slower speeds while, at higher speeds, delivers a more composed ride.

Contract Hire quotations should be available shortly @ www.comparecontracthire.com or indeed any other make or model of vehicle via our unique contract hire quote engines comparing prices from 12 finance companies.

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SMMT calls for urgent government action to support automotive sector reports Compare Contract Hire.com

The (SMMT) and the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) have sent a joint letter to the chancellor, Alistair Darling and Peter Mandelson, regarding the impact of the current economic crisis on the UK motor industry.

The letter suggests a number of initiatives for them to consider. If their feedback is taken on board it should help stimulate the UK vehicle market and mitigate the short and long-term effects of the economic downturn throughout the fleet and automotive sector.

The measures include:

• Allowing manufacturers’ finance companies access to the funding available to banks through the special liquidity arrangements.
• Scrapping plans for increased VED and new first year rate. This would provide a strong signal to buyers and contract hire leasing companies and help to improve residual values.
• Increased capital allowances for fleet buyers, particularly for buyers of commercial vehicles, to stimulate immediate demand now.
• Shelve plans for reform of business car capital allowances, as the overall impact and timing is unhelpful.
• Remove expensive car restrictions under capital allowances to help demand for UK higher end manufacturers i.e. Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

“The motor industry faces a set of unprecedented market conditions. The dramatic falls in demand for new vehicles in the UK, Europe and around the world, combined with the limited availability of funding and liquidity now puts at risk valuable industrial capability. Urgent action is required to boost demand for new vehicles and ease pressure on UK automotive suppliers,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive.  “The pre-Budget report should set out the strategy and measures needed to restore consumer confidence and support valuable industrial capability during this difficult period.”

Paul Williams, RMIF Chairman said: “It is vital that the motor industry presents a united front at this time. These measures and others, jointly presented by the two industry trade associations, would go some way to helping the revival of consumer confidence in our sector. We urge the chancellor to undertake these measures, and to discuss further action with us if necessary.”

www.comparecontracthire.com

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