Relevant Insurance Documents

Whilst we would not recommend keeping all your car’s documents in the glove compartment due to risk of theft, it is handy to keep a paper copy of your insurance information in your vehicle. Best stored in a plastic wallet for weatherproofing, keep insurance information – including your policy number, breakdown details, and provider contact details – to hand to save you hassle in the event of a breakdown. Some providers have apps where your membership details can be saved, so consider downloading your provider’s app if available.

Torch

A torch is a lifesaver if you break down at night or need to make a repair to the underside of your car. To ensure your torch works when needed, purchase either a wind-up torch, or an LED model with a long-lasting battery life. Pack a couple of extra batteries in your car to be on the safe side. For only £3.50 this LED one is a great stocking filler.

Relevant Insurance Documents

Keep a first aid kit with basic supplies so that you are prepared for any kind of incident. A basic list to build your fist aid kit would include plasters, disinfecting wipes, bandages, and pain relief medication. It is also a good idea to store a couple of doses of any prescribed medicine that you take, just in case you unexpectedly need to stay away from home for a night or two. If you do have a medical condition, keep details of this in your first aid kit for medical personnel to easily access in an emergency. Here’s our favourite.

Blankets & Warm Clothing

Particularly during colder months, store blankets and spare warm clothing in your car. Even some summer nights can turn chilly, so don’t be caught out without extra layers in case of a breakdown. Blankets will also be welcomed by passengers on night trips and can save your car upholstery from muddy paws, should you take your dog with you on your journey. This waterproof find is a good option. 

Paper Maps

Whilst we usually rely on satellite navigation or our phones to direct us, there are occasions when these digital helpers can fail, and we need to use a paper map. Keep a UK roadmap in the car and you will have a tool to fall back on should your phone battery expire or your sat nav give up on you. 

The Met Office has predicted snow in November across the UK, and while the snowy weather might make for extra cosy nights curled up on the sofa, it can be particularly harsh on our vehicles. As the weather gets colder and wetter, our brakes, in particular, can become more susceptible to damage like rust or freezing. 

In the colder, wetter seasons, drivers should check their brakes more frequently to ensure their car has optimum braking power on wet or icy road surfaces. 

However, new research from Dick Lovett can reveal that a whopping 3 in 10 (30%) drivers admit to not performing safety checks on their car’s brakes. That’s the equivalent of over 12.4 MILLION* drivers at additional risk of potentially life-threatening brake malfunctions. 

And while most modern cars will be fitted with sensors to warn you when something isn’t quite right or needs to be replaced in your brake system, technology can fail, so it’s vital drivers carry out thorough safety checks on their brakes ahead of the winter weather. Or have a professional check them over. 

As such, to help drivers remain as safe and prepared as possible for winter brake malfunctions, the experts at Dick Lovett have pulled together the 8 steps drivers should take if their brakes fail. See below: 

Statistics from a Dick Lovett survey of 1,000 British drivers (aged 18+) between 21st and 24th Oct 2024 conducted by 3Gem.  

During October, fuel prices remained almost unchanged in what was ultimately a very stable month at the pump.

After a month of rumours about what would be included in Rachel Reeves’s first budget and if fuel duty would be increased by five or even seven pence per litre (ppl), the fuel retail market hardly even moved. Reeves announced an extension to the current duty cut and a continued freeze on the duty escalator, meaning that fuel duty will remain at 52.95ppl beyond March 2025.

Unleaded and diesel supermarket prices increased by 0.6ppl and 0.4ppl, respectively, during October; the rest of the market moved slightly more, with a 0.9ppl unleaded increase and 1.2ppl on diesel. The average price of unleaded was 134.9ppl at the close of the month and 139.9ppl for diesel.

The rather steady month was a result of stable wholesale prices. Brent crude oil, the main feed component for unleaded and diesel, opened in October at $73.56 and closed, almost unchanged, at $73.16. There were early price increases at the front of the month as prices rose to $80.93 before falling back to the month’s low of $71.12 on the 29th. The exchange rate between the US dollar and the Great British pound fell slightly during October from 1.33 to 1.30 $/£. This drop increases prices once converted from dollars into pounds.

November has seen a slight increase in the cost of Brent crude, currently trading around $75.50. This isn’t a large enough increase to cause any current concern with potential further increases at the pump, but a break above $80 or below $70 may become an indication of price movements.

Morrisons had been the price leader on both unleaded and diesel for large parts of October. The gap has now closed with the price stability, and there is almost no difference at a country level between the four major supermarket brands.

A nearly identical number of stations are currently increasing and decreasing prices, but the vast majority are holding prices at current levels. With this in mind, and the relatively flat wholesale market, large price movements in the next couple of weeks seem unlikely. However, there is still movement at a local level, so do check prices before buying. The key indicators are that prices will remain at current levels for the next couple of weeks, with only a slight upward pressure currently.

 1 Millon Prices!

The PetrolPrices app received over 1 million price updates in October, a record amount. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed and helped other UK motorists save on their travel.

UK drivers have seen a welcome drop in unleaded petrol prices, now averaging 135p per litre (ppl) – a level not witnessed since October 2021. This decline is largely due to an oversupply in the wholesale market, which has pushed down the price of Brent crude oil. The strengthening of the pound (GBP) against the US dollar (USD), rising from $1.27 to $1.33 USD/GBP between July and September, has also helped lower prices at the pump, as a stronger pound makes oil imports cheaper. 

While some reports, including from the RAC, suggest prices may continue to fall and could reach a three-year low by the end of September, our analysis indicates that further significant drops are unlikely. The price of Brent crude oil has fallen sharply from $86 per barrel in July to $69 by mid-September, a 20% decrease. However, prices have since rebounded to $75 per barrel by the 25th of September, suggesting that the market has stabilised. 

At the forecourts, unleaded prices have dropped from 145ppl in mid-July to the current 135ppl. Yet, the pace of these reductions has slowed, and without continued declines in wholesale oil prices, the likelihood of further significant cuts at the pump is low. 

For now, price competition among local petrol stations will play a crucial role in determining whether drivers can benefit from lower prices. Supermarkets like Morrisons have led the charge, consistently undercutting rivals by over a penny per litre compared to Sainsbury’s and Tesco. Checking local prices using tools like the PetrolPrices app can help drivers find the best deals, as some independent stations are also offering competitive rates. 

Regionally, London remains the most expensive area for unleaded fuel, while Northern Ireland boasts the lowest prices. The gap between the two has narrowed from 8ppl in May to 5.5ppl in September. 

Despite the recent drops, unleaded prices are still down by 13% compared to this time last year, but with 56% of the overall cost still made up of VAT and fuel duty, significant further reductions may be hard to come by. 

When heading out on a car journey, a key part of establishing the atmosphere of your upcoming trip is the music, with over half of drivers (59%) listening to music for the majority of their car rides. But with plenty of choice, it can be difficult to decide what should be on your driving playlist. 

In a bid to discover the top artists and genres for drivers of each car brand, Group 1 Automotive analysed 350,000 YouGov profiles, revealing how our music tastes differ from driver to driver. 

Overall, pop music comes out as the top genre, with 2 in 5 (41%) drivers voting it to be their favourite genre.

Other top genres include rock (37%), R&B (23%), indie (21%) classical (21%), and country music (21%). 

However, some drivers did have an eclectic mix of genres, with dance music voted one of the top genres for Audi and Tesla drivers.

For those heading on a road trip with any Hyundai, Peugeot, or Volvo drivers, be prepared for some show tunes, as musicals made the top genre lists of these drivers. 

When it comes to the artists we’re listening to, our favourites vary from car brand to brand. However, overall, Fleetwood Mac was voted as the top artist amongst drivers (71%), followed by Diana Ross (67%) and Kylie Minogue (66%). Phil Collins (66%) and Adele (66%) took the fourth and fifth spot in the study. 

Although Fleetwood Mac takes the top spot for the majority, our top artists do differ amongst some drivers, with Coldplay being crowned top artist for BMW drivers. Meanwhile the Eagles are top voted for Skoda drivers, and Ed Sheeran came out on top both Kia and Mercedes drivers. 

Analysing the favourite genres and top 10 artists for Audi, BMW, Ford, Mercedes, Toyota and Volkswagen drivers, Group 1 put together the ultimate driving playlist for each of the car brand drivers. 

From rock classics to James Blunt tracks, playlists for each car brand can be found here. 

Whats your go to song, artist or genre when driving? Let us know in the comments.

With new number plates introduced this month, September is naturally a more popular time for motorists to sell their car for a new model – and, as a result, the best time of year for new drivers to snag their dream vehicle. But which car is the best fit for your first ever?

Data reveals the most affordable cars for new drivers

• The Nissan Micra is the cheapest car for new drivers, with an average second hand price tag of £1,990.
• The Renault Megane has the lowest insurance estimate, at £2,493 per year.
• The highest initial price tag in the top 10 is the Nissan Note at £3,273.
• Connor Campbell, car insurance expert at Independent Advisor Car Insurance ranks the best cars for new drivers.

The Nissan Micra has been crowned the most affordable car for new drivers, according to a new study by Independent Advisor Car Insurance. 

The Car Insurance experts studied the average second hand prices for popular car models, as well as insurance quotes for young drivers for each model, to determine the most affordable options for a new driver.

The ten most affordable used car models for new drivers

The key factors:

• Conduct your own insurance research: Obtaining insurance quotes for multiple models that you’re considering is wise, in order to ensure that you can afford both the car payments and the insurance expenses for the year. Insurance is dependent on many factors including age, location, and available home parking, so be sure to check and compare your quotes via comparison websites.

• Conduct your own insurance research: Obtaining insurance quotes for multiple models that you’re considering is wise, in order to ensure that you can afford both the car payments and the insurance expenses for the year. Insurance is dependent on many factors including age, location, and available home parking, so be sure to check and compare your quotes via comparison websites.

• Pay attention to the insurance group: Every car belongs to an insurance group, numbered one to 50, that’ll make it more or less expensive to insure, with cars that fall into the lower groups being less expensive to insure than those in the higher groups. So, when shopping around for a second hand car, try and find one in a lower insurance group in order to keep the cost of your cover down.

• Consider the nature of your driving needs: These should always be a deciding factor when buying your car. For instance, if you are planning to do a lot of city driving, a micro or a hatchback may be more suited to your use, as opposed to a coupe or SUV.

• Factor in maintenance costs: Once you have decided on the type of car you are looking for, it is important to look into the running costs that it will incur. If you’re looking to have a cost effective and efficient car, these will often do more than 60mpg. Anything higher than 50 mpg can be regarded as good fuel consumption.

• MOT and service history: If you have the registration, you can check the MOT history of any car online via the government website. However, the car’s service history may not be so easy to maintain if it isn’t provided by the seller. Most used cars should come with a service log book, so make sure to keep an eye out for this information.

• Once you get your car, be sure to maintain it: After going through the lengthy process of researching and buying your car, maintaining it is the key to getting as much life out of it as you can, as well as keeping prices down. Some easier things you can do to maintain the health of your vehicle include; checking the tyre pressure and keeping this at an optimal level for your vehicle, change the engine oil at adequate intervals, change the coolant as needed, and finally, never ignoring any warning lights (should they appear) on your dashboard.

Unleaded prices dropped over 4 pence per litre (ppl) throughout August, settling with an average price of just under £1.40 per litre. Prices as low as this were last seen back at the start of the year, during the 3rd week of January.

There was also good news for diesel drivers, as August opened with an average price of £1.49 before falling to £1.44 at the end of the month.

Currently, unleaded and diesel prices average 139.0ppl and 143.5ppl respectively. Although we saw unleaded prices at these levels early in the year, it was back in July 2023 that diesel was priced at a similar level.

Every driver knows how nostalgic it is to think of your first car. Just like the stuffed animal you wouldn’t go anywhere without as a child, our first cars are special to us. And new Dick Lovett research finds that more than a third (34%) of British drivers admit to missing their old banger. 

Is it a case of the ‘car that got away’ for British drivers? Well, it seems first cars occupy a special place in British nostalgia, with 3 in 5 (58%) drivers feeling nostalgic when they think about their first car. Another two-fifths (41%) of drivers even went so far as to say they still feel attached to their first car.

While Brits may miss their first cars, Dick Lovett’s research found that they didn’t hold onto them for long, as the average driver only kept their first car for around 3 years. 

However, with the average age of cars getting scrapped in 2023 sitting at 17, there’s a good chance many Brits’ first cars aren’t around anymore. Similarly, as car manufacturers discontinue old fuel models in favour of EVs, many of the UK’s most popular first cars could now be at risk of ‘extinction’. 

But, which ones could be the first to go? 

To allow Dick Lovett to make their extinction predictions, they looked at which of the UK’s most popular first cars are no longer in production and analysed how many of them are still licensed to drive on British roads, as well as the rate at which they’ve been scrapped over the past 5 years.

Which of the UK’s favourite first cars are the ‘rarest’? 

While some of the UK’s first cars are more at risk of extinction than others, which are you least likely to see on the roads? 

Looking at all the most popular first cars – both those still in production and discontinued – Dick Lovett’s analysis found the following 10 to have the least amount of ‘road-worthy’ cars left in the UK: 

Is your car on the list? Let us know in the comments. 

New research from Dick Lovett reveals that 7 in 10 (68%) British drivers don’t know how to merge in turn properly with lane closures.

Merging in turn is a traffic flow measure that makes cars from two or more lanes merge into one. Basically, all it does is allow multiple lanes of traffic to join together, with road users taking turns to merge into the new singular lane. Seems simple, right? Think again.

The correct way to merge in turn sparks debate wherever you go, and Dick Lovett decided to survey British drivers to see exactly which methods Brits are using most.

Their research shows the majority of drivers (68%) tend to move out of a closing lane immediately – or as soon as possible – after seeing a lane closure warning sign for road works or an accident. Why? Their main reason is to be ‘polite’ to other drivers.

If there’s something Brits are good at, it’s queuing. And a resounding 7 in 10 (69%) drivers told Dick Lovett they think it’s rude when other drivers don’t queue to get in from a closing lane early on.

What’s more, a third (33%) of drivers even said they actively try to stop other drivers from merging in turn when they do so at the ‘last minute’. Interestingly, men are 6% more likely to do this than women (36% vs 30%).

So, should you queue early for the sake of politeness or merge in turn? What exactly is the correct thing to do?

According to the Highway Code, drivers should wait to merge in turn at the point at which the two lanes merge into one unless it’s not busy, with section 134 stating: 

“You should follow the signs and road markings and get into the lane as directed.

“In congested road conditions do not change lanes unnecessarily.

“Merging in turn is recommended but only if safe and appropriate when vehicles are travelling at a very low speed, e.g. when approaching roadworks or a road traffic incident. 

“It is not recommended at high speed.”

The driving experts at Dick Lovett comment: “If the 68% of drivers moving lanes too early out of politeness decided to use both lanes, up until the merge in turn sign, it would result in less congestion during a lane closure as it allows the traffic to have a more consistent flow.  

“Next time drivers find themselves in slow moving traffic that’s approaching a merge in turn sign, they should try to resist the temptation to move over too quickly out of politeness and use all available lanes until they can’t anymore. 

“Granted, it’s difficult to beat the deep-routed British societal expectation of queuing, but moving over too soon will merely cause extended congestion. 

“Also, try to resist joining the third of drivers who stop people merging if they think they’re doing it too late.

“This could be classed as dangerous driving, and it’s not your right to stop people entering the queue.”