Honda Civic

There are many car leasing deals available at the moment with “low monthly rentals” which curiously seem to end in a “nine” i.e. £109 , £199, £299 per month, etc.

However don’t get fooled by these offers as the initial rental (first payment) will dictate how much the regular monthly car lease rental will be. The simple “rule of thumb” is the higher the initial rental, the lower the ongoing monthly, so always check how much the first initial payment will be.

Looking at the total rentals payable over the car lease term (i.e. the initial rental + all subsequent rentals) is the best way to see if the deal you are looking at offers value for money. That is why we recently introduced quotes on the site with 3, 6 and 12 rentals in advance, as these are the most common amounts required as the initial rental. You can instantly change the payment terms on our quote engines to make sure you are comparing car lease rentals on a like-for-like basis.

The Hyundai i20 offers great value prices, a 5 year warranty and makes it an attractive option to new car buyers or companies or individuals that contract hire.

CAP, the UK’s leading motor industry data specialist,has reported that the Hyundai i20 will have a better resale value than many if its rivals including the Toyota Yaris, Peugeot 207 and even the Ford Fiesta. CAP reckons the entry level i20 Classic 5 Door will still be worth 47% of its list price after three years and 30,000 miles.

The newly crowned dance champion from the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing show has just taken delivery of a new Fiat 500.

Tom already owns a Fiat 500 and said “I have always loved Fiat 500′s and bought the old one two years ago for my wife Claire. I am really pleased with this new car and am looking forward to driving home to Derbyshire in it for Christmas”.

The model Tom ordered was a Fiat 500 1.4 16V Lounge in Funk White. If you are interested in Fiat 500 car leasing offers or deals then have a look at www.comparecontracthire.com . Here you can compare live quotes on line from up to 12 car leasing companies.

The Fiat 500 is available with a choice of three Euro 5- ready ultra low emission engines: the 60 bhp 1.2 litre and 100 bhp 1.4 litre or the 75 bhp 1.3 litre Multijet turbo diesel. The three different trim levels available are Pop, Sport or Lounge.

Whether business or personal contract hire, the differential in prices, for the same model, can be quite significant between each car leasing company. For example the least expensive Fiat 500 1.2 Pop 3 Door is showing on the site at £152.73 (including VAT) on personal contract hire from Hitachi Capital.

The contract hire terms are non maintained contract hire, three years, payment terms are 3 rentals deposit followed by 35 subsequent rentals at 10,000 miles per annum.

The next closest rental for this car is £172.50 including VAT showing a saving of £19.77 per month or £751.26 over the contract life by using the site.

Citroen has scooped three awards at the Fleet Van Awards, claiming three of the top honours.

An independent judging panel drawn from major fleet operators and other van experts made the following awards. The new Citroen Berlingo was named outright “Van of the Year” and also “Best Small Van”, whilst the Citroen Nemo won “Best City Van”.

The Citroen Berlingo offers a wide choice of loads lengths, its Extenso multi-function dual passenger seat and the standard fitment of Trafficmaster Smartnav satellite system, Trackstar stolen vehicle tracking,as well as a dual fuel option won over the panel.

The Citroen Nemo was singled out because if offered more than its rivals , including the availability of dual fuel (petrol/lpg) option and its longer warranty.

Robert Handyside, Citroen’s commercial vehicle opeartions manager, comments, “The Berlingo’s success in becoming the first Van of the Year is a great honour for Citroen”.

Commercial contract hire quotes on all Citroen vans are available at www.comparecontracthire.com the UK’s first car and van contract hire price comparison site. All makes and models can be compared from our panel of finance partners on varying packages, contract durations and annual mileages. Other commercial vehicle leasing is also available from all manufacturers.

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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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

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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