28/05/2012
Britain producing cars again, but they don’t come cheap
Against the background of the Eurozone economic crisis, surging unemployment and rising car insurance costs, it is good to hear some positive economic news, however short-lived it might prove to be.
It was recently revealed that Britain was at last a net exporter in cars and car parts for the first time since 1976. Although Britain’s once mighty automotive industry might nowadays be in the hands of foreign owners, at least we’re busy producing vehicles and parts and sending them off to Russia, America and the emerging economies of China and India.
What do Aston Martin, Bentley, Jaguar, Range Rover, Lotus, McLaren, MG, Mini, Rolls Royce, Vauxhall, as well as the less British seeming names of Honda and Toyota have in common? They’re all building cars in Britain, bringing jobs as well as pride and status back to the British manufacturing sector.
Another thing that strikes me about the list is that, generally, these are not cheap cars. Compared to the average family vehicle, these are high-end models that come at a real premium both in the showroom and when it comes to buying car insurance, which, in the main, is a positive I guess.
When manufacturers look for a really first-class product, it seems they know they can rely on Britain to produce them. The only question that remains is, will our economy bounce back in such a way as to give the average Briton a good shot at buying one?
It was recently revealed that Britain was at last a net exporter in cars and car parts for the first time since 1976. Although Britain’s once mighty automotive industry might nowadays be in the hands of foreign owners, at least we’re busy producing vehicles and parts and sending them off to Russia, America and the emerging economies of China and India.What do Aston Martin, Bentley, Jaguar, Range Rover, Lotus, McLaren, MG, Mini, Rolls Royce, Vauxhall, as well as the less British seeming names of Honda and Toyota have in common? They’re all building cars in Britain, bringing jobs as well as pride and status back to the British manufacturing sector.
Another thing that strikes me about the list is that, generally, these are not cheap cars. Compared to the average family vehicle, these are high-end models that come at a real premium both in the showroom and when it comes to buying car insurance, which, in the main, is a positive I guess.
When manufacturers look for a really first-class product, it seems they know they can rely on Britain to produce them. The only question that remains is, will our economy bounce back in such a way as to give the average Briton a good shot at buying one?
Photo © sports-cars.fr via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: Aston Martin, car insurance, cheap, compared, Honda, Jaguar, mini, Range Rover, Toyota, Vauxhall, vehicle
24/05/2012
Baked beans or car insurance, the choice for young drivers
Us older drivers who have years of experience and, sometimes, the cherry-on-top of a long-standing no claims bonus, can’t help but feel sorry for younger drivers these days.
Not only are they having to pay for the economic extravagance of their forefathers by coming to terms with years of likely austerity, they are also, compared to us, having to pay through the roof for their car insurance.
According to one comparison site, which teamed up with professional services giant Towers Watson, drivers between the ages of 17 and 20 are having to pay an average of £2,500 for their car insurance.
This is a huge figure, but actually pales into comparison besides the average figure for a male driver – £3,635.
Perhaps most shockingly of all, this £3,500 plus figure is actually more than a quarter of the average annual salary for a young man.
Fine enough if you don’t need to drive, but many, such as my nephew, live miles away from bus services and have no choice but to commute to and from work.
All of which makes it more important than ever that customers are shrewd about finding the cheapest car insurance on the market.
Not only are they having to pay for the economic extravagance of their forefathers by coming to terms with years of likely austerity, they are also, compared to us, having to pay through the roof for their car insurance.According to one comparison site, which teamed up with professional services giant Towers Watson, drivers between the ages of 17 and 20 are having to pay an average of £2,500 for their car insurance.
This is a huge figure, but actually pales into comparison besides the average figure for a male driver – £3,635.
Perhaps most shockingly of all, this £3,500 plus figure is actually more than a quarter of the average annual salary for a young man.
Fine enough if you don’t need to drive, but many, such as my nephew, live miles away from bus services and have no choice but to commute to and from work.
All of which makes it more important than ever that customers are shrewd about finding the cheapest car insurance on the market.
Photo © Matski_98, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car insurance, cheapest, compared
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