Best Selling Cars – Matt's blog

1. Choose the right car

Although BestSellingCarsBlog does not review cars, the best-selling data published on the site can help you make a decision on your next new or used car based on how well it sell in your country. This is not a fool-proof way of choosing a car, but coupled with some solid online research about your target car’s capacity to breakdown and a thorough look into your trusted friends and family’s advice, it can help you avoid lemons.

2. Check your car every couple of weeks

You now have purchased your dream car. How to minimize the chance of a breakdown? Rain or shine, it pays to give the car a good check over every couple of weeks. This way you could prevent a breakdown and perhaps a large and unwelcome bill.

Fuel: Top up when you pass a filling station rather than delay looking for one until the fuel light comes on – particularly if you’re driving in an unfamiliar area. 

Lights: Clean all exterior lights regularly and check for blown bulbs and cracks in the lens.

Oil: Cars can consume as much as a litre of oil every 1,000 miles. Check the oil level regularly (your handbook will show you how). Don’t wait for the red oil pressure warning light to come on – engine damage may already have occurred by then.

Water: Overheating is a common cause of breakdowns, especially in hotter weather. Check the coolant level regularly (the handbook will show you how) and if the level always seems low, check for leakages. Top up the windscreen washer fluid too.

Electrics: Battery problems are the number one cause of breakdowns at any time of year. Renew an old, tired battery before it lets you down. Also make sure that your electric radiator cooling fan starts running when the engine gets hot – you can check this by running the engine with the car stationary.

Rubber: Incorrectly inflated tyres are not only unsafe, they wear out faster and can increase fuel consumption by around 5%. If you’re driving with extra passengers or luggage, remember to increase your tyre pressure accordingly (see your handbook).

3. Get the right Breakdown Cover

The AA is Britain’s most trusted brand, having more dedicated patrols than any other UK breakdown service, and a unique Breakdown & Traffic app giving you live updates on traffic and road works and enabling you to call out and track your AA patrol. 8 out of 10 cars are fixed at the roadside with the AA, and you can use a virtual membership card if you don’t have your real one handy. People who have used the AA have rated them 4.8 out of 5 with 1285 out of 1323 (97%) reviewers recommending this service.

With pictures having been leaked from an American magazine and the Mustang’s debut at the Detroit motor show, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding the new Ford Mustang. One of the biggest surprises is that it will be made available in the UK in a right hand drive version for the first time in over four decades. This is part of Ford’s new initiative known as the ‘One Ford’ plan, where it seeks to create cars which are marketed across the globe.  Ford claims this does not mean that the character of the Mustang gets diluted for the international market and they are not making a global Mustang, more that they are taking the Mustang concept onto a global platform.  The current model Mustang is highly successful and is the base concept of the new Mustang so this should be an interesting new car to watch.

How similar is this new car from the previous model though?  While the wheelbase remains the same, there have been some radical changes made to this new Mustang. The biggest change is that Ford has finally got rid of the live rear axle which most car manufacturers stopped using 3 decades ago. In place of this live rear axle there is now a completely independent rear suspension, while the front has been adjusted to fit with this, with a new lighter front sub frame. While the breaks have also been enlarged and a new limited slip diff & torque vectoring system are also new features. All of these features promise to improve ride and steering greatly.

Another interesting new feature is the completely new 305 BHP 2.3 litre, four-cylinder Eco boost engine. While no figures about fuel economy have been released, it is expected to better the old Mustang’s 3.7 Litre V6 by about 10%. This will not be the only engine, with a 5 Litre V8 with 420 BHP also available, although it will be replaced to a 500 BHP engine within 18 months.

The technical aspects are not the only things that have changed about the new Mustang, aesthetically it is different too, it has gained a more dynamic look, being made both wider and lower, with the drawn in middle of the car expanding to accommodate the heavily prominent wheel arches. They have not refined the look of the car too much though and Moray Calum, Ford’s design director has stated the understanding that to keep the signature look of the Mustang ‘there needs to be a lack of subtlety to the front end- like a fist flying through the air’, something which the new Mustang clearly reflects, keeping with its character of the classic American sports car.

Not to be forgotten is that there also is a convertible version, which looks reminiscent of the classic 1964 Notchback mustang. The convertible comes with a stylish fabric roof which takes just 7 seconds to be put down, due in part to the updated electric mechanism replacing the old hydraulic system.  It will be launched at the same time as the coupe, although the coupe is expected to have the majority of sales. Soon to be sold …. This new Ford Mustang (click here) looks like a great new introduction and finally being able to drive a right hand drive version looks like an exciting prospect for a great many British car enthusiasts.

The metallic crunch of a bumper crashing into the back-end of another vehicle is a sound-bite we all try to avoid. In 2013, 17.2 million vehicles were registered to Australian motorists; while accident figures are skewed and the death toll is on the decline, statistics aren’t useful in the event of the unexpected. Despite the saturation of data out there, knowing what to do when you’re involved in a car accident isn’t covered in news reports or front page spreads.

So, what do you do when your day is shattered by an unfortunate car accident?

Keep Calm, Don’t Carry On

You may feel compelled to speed away and never look back – panic makes people do weird things. Instead, turn off the vehicle, check everyone is okay (if you’re not traveling alone) and get out to assess the extent of the damage and help anyone in distress. If serious injuries are present, call an ambulance? Wait, what about the cops? The authorities should be alerted if damage exceeds $2,500.

Down to the Details

If everyone is okay, collect the details of the other drivers involved. Occasionally, someone may reject your request for their name, address and registration – take down their licence plate number and contact the police. It is your right to claim against them if they have damaged your property. If you are responsible for part or all of the accident, do not acknowledge your charge at the scene. Instead, do what you can to make sure everyone is safe, and contact a reliable firm like Sinnamon Lawyers to ensure any matters are handled with proficiency and professionalism.

Do I Get Out of the Way?

Expect a range of reactions from surrounding traffic – rubber necking, glares, concerned looks, even anger and annoyance. Unfortunately, you’ll have to weather these expressions, unless the accident is impeding traffic, until the police arrive. If vehicles are in the way, move them to side of the road after marking where the impact took place.

Towing the Line

Tow-truck drivers can be very opportunistic. You may notice a truck or two turning up without being asked to do so; you may feel a bit confused and overwhelmed at this point, but do not let these drivers take your vehicle without a tow authority. From time to time, police will permit tow truck drivers to remove your vehicle if it is blocking traffic and causing a further hazard.

Anything Else?

Never lose your temper. Nobody wants to be in your shoes, including the other motorists waiting on the side of the road with you, heads in their hands and smart phones at the ready. While you’re waiting for the police, note down every possible detail – what the other cars look like, any existing damage you see that wasn’t caused by the collision, markings and paint-work, time of crash and a chronological list of events. Try not to discuss the accident, even if you feel bad; stick to the facts and don’t mention blame either way.

Remembering every factor when it comes to the crunch can be difficult; you’ve just lived through a potentially traumatic experience and there are a lot of unknowns. Be kind to yourself, keep calm, capture every detail you

Being involved in a car accident can be a traumatic experience, and almost everyone will at some time in their life experience one, so it is vitally important that you know what to do if it happens to you. In this article we will outline the key steps you should take after a car accident in order to ensure your physical and financial wellbeing.

Safety first

The first thing you should do after a car accident is to stay calm and assess if you or other people involved in the crash have any injuries, if anyone is injured call an ambulance immediately. Next, if it is safe to do so, move your vehicle out of the traffic to a safe area and put on your hazard lights if possible.

Call the police

Even if it is a minor accident, it is important to call the police and get them to file an accident report, this is essential for any insurance claims you may need to make. Talk only with the police and your insurance agent and do not get into discussions with the other driver about who was at fault.

Get all the details

Make sure you get all the relevant details such as the name, address and contact details of everyone involved in the accident. It is also useful to get their insurance company’s name, a description of the car and the licence plate number.

Get witnesses

Get the contact details of any witnesses to the crash, they might be able to give a better description of the crash and help determine who was at fault. Also take the name and badge number of the police officers who attend the scene.

Take photos

Use your mobile phone to take plenty of photos of all the cars involved in the accident. This can be crucial information for later insurance claims or court cases arising from the accident.

Make a sketch of the accident

Draw a rough sketch of the accident which has all the roads and objects as well as the placement of all the vehicles involved. This can be very useful when filing your insurance claim.

Contact your insurance agent

Call your insurance agent as soon as possible and get their advice on what other steps to take, you may not be thinking clearly after an accident and they can help remind you of the things you need to do.

Contact your lawyer

If you or someone else was injured in the accident, it is essential to contact a lawyer such as Turner Freeman as soon as possible after the crash to get advice on whether you are eligible to file a claim for compensation. There are strict time limits around how much time can pass before you file a claim for damages compensation and if you do not pursue it immediately, you may lose your right to make a claim entirely. So, while nobody wants to be involved in an accident, it is essential that you follow these tips to ensure the best possible outcome and ensure the safety of yourself and others.

Anyone who works in the used car industry will probably be familiar with Manheim Inc., the renowned autos auction company. They have a huge stake in Auto Trader, they own Motors.co.uk, and in an intriguing new development, they’re set to rebrand Carmony.co.uk. You’re probably least familiar with Carmony, which was established in 2008. The rebranding will see the site attempt to break into the ‘dealer approved’ luxury car market, where cars are offered from franchised dealers nationwide.

The online used car market is fairly saturated. Brands like eBay, Gumtree, Auto Trader and Motors seem to rule the roost in terms of second hand sales. Even the luxury used market has precedents with ventures like Southport’s http://www.premiumtradecars.co.uk/, seeming to offer a decent range, but the USP of Carmony is that it’s nationwide, it has huge scale, and everything is dealer approved.

If you’re going to shell out £20,000+ on a new Mercedes, you don’t want the insecurities associated with private sales.

Let’s face it the advantages of second hand luxury sales are huge, with massive markdowns immediately after these cars have left the forecourt. It’s natural to want a Mercedes E-Class, an S-Class, or a Porshce 911, and it’s even more natural to want to buy from an approved franchised dealer due to the big sums involved.

Manheim probably see the Carmony site as a worthy ‘vertical shift’ from the Motors.co.uk site.  Motors deal with a mass market – you can get luxury marks on that site, but it’s not necessarily a focused niche the way that Carmony would be.

Look at Zoopla and Primelocation.com as examples of businesses making this so-called vertical shift. Zoopla is now a tried and tested brand in the housing market, so Primelocation.com – owned by Zoopla and DMGT – uses a bit of Zoopla’s leverage to break into the ‘Luxury Sales’ market. This kind of product diversity seems both clever and necessary.

Carmony could become a huge brand name in months to come, and Manheim are probably keen for their site to be first on the ‘nationwide luxury car market’ scene.

The site already has a big stock of luxury cars and with the right branding it could serve as a business model for any venture looking to diverge successfully into related markets. It’s all about getting the right marketing angles and giving the necessary reassurance to prospective buyers – the ‘approved dealers’ angle is a strong USP.

Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) have traditionally been more popular on the other side of the Atlantic, but in recent years they have begun to take the UK market by storm. As the vehicle type becomes more advanced and is able to incorporate a wider variety of features into its check list, it’s no surprise that more people in the UK are looking to SUVs when they shop for a new vehicle. While the UK’s SUV market is growing at a considerable pace, there remains one manufacturer who dominates it in every respect. Jeep has been known as the master of the SUV in the UK for quite some time and as the demand for SUVs in the UK increases, questions are being asked of Jeep by a number of other manufacturers who are releasing mid-level SUVs of their own.  The 2014 Jeep Cherokee has not only maintained the high standard promised by the manufacturer over previous years, but it has proved their ability to adapt and grow within a changing market. Here, we take a look at how the Cherokee has been able to maintain its grip on the growing SUV market in the UK.

Demand for versatility 

A decade ago, the SUV was something of a niche vehicle, popular with a specific audience. Families looking for extra space were enamoured still with people-carriers such as the iconic Chrysler Grand Voyager, while off-road enthusiasts were content with purpose specific vehicles and were happy to accept an almost complete lack of comfort in exchange for great 4×4 capability. Today, the story is different. Technology in the car world has moved quickly over the last decade and it’s no longer necessary for manufacturers to make their vehicles so application specific. The SUV is perfectly placed to demonstrate these changes and to appeal to a wider demographic than ever before. Today’s SUV – and the Jeep Cherokee in particular – is able to offer comfort and practicality at the same time. The 4×4 capabilities are astonishing, but they are no longer limiting. In the same vehicle, drivers can now travel across urban and rural landscapes in equal comfort while benefiting from a range of features and design surprises.

Urban comfort

The 2014 Jeep Cherokee is a comfortable car, designed with luxury in mind. The interior is packed with useful gadgets, from the wireless charging pad to the touchscreen navigation computer. Where larger, off-road vehicles were once clunky and stripped down, the Cherokee offers drivers the kind of comfort once reserved for mid-sized, executive saloon cars. Parking assistance tools make it the ideal companion for city driving.

Family values 

The Jeep Cherokee sits between its larger brother, the Grand Cherokee, and its smaller family members, the Wrangler, Renegade and Compass to offer good family values. A vehicle of this size wouldn’t be complete without offering a whole host of features designed to suit family life, and the Cherokee does exactly this. Inside the high strength steel interior, which offers as secure a shell as you’ll find on the market, the Cherokee is packed with useful features. The sliding second row of seats is a feature which stands out in terms of practicality. Whether you’re hauling a hefty load of cargo, or are looking to transport all of your kids’ friends around town, you can adjust the ratio of space in the back, getting the most from the already ample interior. The wide range of interior configurations embodies a nod to the revolutionary people carriers of the 1990s, building on the successes of the car industry’s last great shift.

Off-road dedication 

Some years ago, the inclusion of features like those we’ve already mentioned could have meant only one thing for the off-road performance – that it had been neglected. Thankfully, with the 2014 Jeep Cherokee, this is simply not true. The Cherokee’s competitors – we’re talking now about the BMW X3, Nissan’s Qashqai and the Audi Q5, among others – all perform incredibly well in rural environments and the Cherokee is no different. In fact, with three separate four wheel drive options for drivers to choose from in the Cherokee, it is one of the best off-road performers in its class.

All-round success

The successful combination of off-road factors with fuel economy and comfort represent the significance of the SUV in 2014. For the first time, consumers are being offered affordable family vehicles which don’t come with the caveat of compromise. The Cherokee is the perfect example of a modern SUV which is able to marry a variety of desirable features without any conflict or neglect, and for that reason it is sure to take the UK’s SUV market by storm in 2014. Jeep’s new Cherokee leads a pack which is increasing with size each season, because it’s onto something new. As advances in fuel economy travel further than the hatchback market, the market for larger vehicles looks set only to grow in coming years.

This post is sponsored by Ford.

Coinciding with the 50th birthday of the iconic sports car nameplate’s launch, the Ford Mustang is finally headed to Australia as a proper right-hand drive version tuned to Aussie roads. To celebrate the occasion, Ford organised a Mustang lover convention in Sydney which will see two lucky winners flown to Las Vegas after winning a Facebook competition asking ‘Which road is Australia’s answer to America’s Route 66?’. There they drive 2015′s brand new Mustang, available in Australia in about 18 months.

Arguably the most recognisable automotive nameplate in the world, the Ford Mustang’s production started in Dearborn, Michigan on 9th March 1964 and was unveiled to the public on 17th April 1964 at the New York World’s Fair, five months before the normal start of the 1965 production year. Initially based on the platform of the 2nd generation North American Ford Falcon to cut cost and achieve a retail price of US$2,368 at launch, the Mustang ended up being Ford’s most successful launch since the Model A. Less than 100,000 units were forecast by Ford for the first year, but this milestone was passed in 3 months, after 12 months the total was 418,812 and in 18 months more than one million Mustangs were built!

2015 Ford Mustang. Picture courtesy of Ford.

The Mustang stepped into the pantheon of iconic cars with an appearance in the James Bond film Goldfinger in September 1964, but most of all when Steve McQueen drove one in the famous chase scene in the movie Bullitt (1968). The Mustang created the “Pony car” class of American vehicles: sports car-like coupés with long hoods and short rear decks, and inspired many competitors such as the Pontiac Firebird, Plymouth Barracuda, Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger. Although some other pony cars have seen a revival (the latter two nameplates are now back into production) the Mustang is the only original pony car to remain in uninterrupted production over five decades of development and revision.

10 years after the first model was unveiled, the 2nd generation launched, with first-year sales of 385,993 units, just short of the record established by the 1st generation but still a very impressive figure indeed. Fast-forward to current times and the Mustang still sold 1,054,198 units one the past 10 years in a much more competitive US market. The 2015 model is the 6th generation of the Mustang nameplate, unveiled worldwide on 5th December 2013 in Dearborn (Michigan), New York, Los Angeles, Barcelona, Shanghai and Sydney.

Check out the all-new Ford Mustang on Ford Australia’s official website.

If you want a hardcore off roader and family car all-in-one, few vehicles can match the Land Rover Discover. The Discovery for more than ten years has been a number one choice for families who want the safety and reassurance of an all-wheel-drive big car. Over the years, the car has been revised to fit in with modern lives, and the Discovery now has more technology and a better design than ever before. This year, Land Rover has released the LR4 HSE. This version of the Discovery an all-new V6 supercharged petrol engine with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Power is good, at 340 bhp and 332 lb /ft, and Land Promises that the LR4 HSE will offer drives a balanced drive.

So, what’s it like?

It’s a lot like any other Land Rover Discovery in truth. The engine, however, is something new to Discovery drivers and it’s really rather sweet, with lots of grunt low in the rev range, a sharp throttle response, and plenty of top end pull. The engine works best between 2000 and 5000 rpm and keep the engine boiling between here and the LR4 HSE flies. The supercharged V6 replaces the ageing V8. During regular driving, the engine is quieter and more refined and it feels just as fast when you put your foot down. It’s also more efficient.

The only outward differences to the older LR4 HSE are a revised front end – the fog light housings are now squared off and the grill has a new trim piece. At the back, the tail lights have a glossy black surround and there are new alloys, too. Unless you’re a dire-hard Discovery fan, though, you are unlikely to notice the revised exterior. That’s not a bad thing, really, because the LR4 still looks fresh and up to date.

Strangely, Land Rover have still not updated the LR4. The interior is now looking a little dated (the steering wheel is a prime example), and it’s not a patch on a Range Rover… a better interior finish would be welcome. According to Farnell Land Rover, the Land Rover Discovery will get a new interior in the next version. The LR4 now has air suspension as standard. This gives the Discovery a very subtle ride that never becomes unsettled. Whether you are on snow, tarmac, gravel, or scaling a cliff edge, the Discovery feels great. When bends come up, the Discovery is planted and agile. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget you’re in such a big car, such is the effectiveness of air suspension.

Overall

The new LR4 HSE might not be a huge update, but the new V6 supercharged engine and subtle exterior updates are enough to breath fresh life into the Discovery and attract new sales. It would have been nice to see a refreshed interior, but the Discovery is still the best car in its class for ruggedness – the interior will almost certainly fair well against bumps, knocks, and fidgeting children.

Whether you’re going overseas or you’ve been in an accident and need a replacement car, odds are you’ll need to go to a rental car company. Many people have no idea of all the hidden fees that some companies add to their prices. It’s easy to feel over your head, but with these simple tips hiring a car can be a simple exercise.

Do your homework

Before you even leave your house to go to the car yard, do your homework thoroughly. Every bit of information you gather before you make a decision will come in handy. There are a number of different services that offer rentals, so compare prices online to make sure you are getting the best deal. This can be done with a simple Google search. Just type in the name of the place you’d like to visit and you’re bound to get hits.

Smaller is better

When renting cars, smaller is always better. Depending on how many you plan to be transporting, and if you don’t mind not having a bigger car, smaller rental cars can make things much cheaper for you. This is especially true regarding petrol, as smaller cars are much more economical than sedans. Most of the time if the rental agency is out of small cars, they will upgrade you to a larger one for no additional cost.

Avoid airports

As a general rule, avoid renting a car from an airport. Usually airport prices for rented cars are hugely inflated compared to elsewhere. The best practice to adopt is catching a taxi to the closest rental company, where finding a better price is a sure thing. You can get away with not even hiring a car if you have a hotel close to the airport. Sometimes there will be a free shuttle that will take you there. From the hotel, you can ask a rental company to deliver a car if they offer that service.

Think about safety

Whether you’re buying or renting, the first concern you should consider is car safety. It may take some additional time, but researching which cars are the safest will provide you with the peace of mind you need, as well as the comfort of safety. There are many online resources to assist you in deciding the most secure way to spend your travels.

Say no to extra insurance

Try to opt out of paying for extra rental insurance that is offered by agencies. This is especially important if you already have auto insurance, or a credit card providing insurance. If you are already covered, getting additional insurance will be superfluous and just lead to you paying twice. No matter how much a rental agent tries to convince you, don’t give in! If you have a crash, make sure you know what your insurance will cover and know the laws of the country you’re in. If you’re in Australia, Motor Accident Legal Service at http://www.motoraccidentlegalservice.com.au/ can provide you with legal assistance and represent you in court over car accidents.

Using these tips, car hiring should be a breeze!

With the Mercedes A-Class

I’m Jack MacKenzie, 10, a while ago Matt introduced me to you all. He said my love of cars reminds him of himself at that age, except unlike him I already created a YouTube Series called Have you speed your pants - be sure to check it out! So Matt gave me the task to express my views here on BestSellingCarsBlog so you can get an insight into what is in the mind of the car buyer of the future (that’s me). And first I decided to talk about Mercedes and specifically its new A-Class. It’s no secret that Mercedes has been on a mission to rejuvenate both its clientele and its range. In fact, Mercedes France President Marc Langenbrinck recently said that in the past 3 years, Mercedes has managed to attract the youngest client base among premium brands, with the average age of A-Class customers being 10 years younger than for the previous generation, and over 55% of A-Class buyers come from a different brand…

The new generation Mercedes A-Class is the brand’s most successful launch so far.