goodmotoring - GEM Motoring Assist

Transcription

THE MAGAZINE FOR MEMBERS OF GEM MOTORING ASSIST
GOODMOTORING
ROAD SAFETY І CAR REVIEWS І HOLIDAYS І FEATURES І YOUR LETTERS
AUTUMN 2015
WINNERS
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BE OUR
GUEST...
...for a tour
of the Morgan
Motor Company
MIND YOUR
BACKS, folks
We help you alleviate
the pains that are
driving you to distraction
REVEALED: the car odours you hate the most
Recommend
a friend...
Refer your friends & family to one of GEM’s Breakdown Services
and every time one of them joins, you’ll receive a £20 M&S voucher.
Here’s what you need to do:
1 Tell your friends and family about our award winning Breakdown Cover
2 Visit motoringassist.com/eraf1009 and enter yours and your friends’ details
(please note, you will need to know the email address of the person you are recommending)
Or call 01342 825676 (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm)
3 When your friend joins our breakdown cover we will send you your £20 M&S voucher.
Find us on Twitter (@motoringassist) & Facebook (gemmotoringassist)
REC
GEM B OMMEND
COVER REAKDOW
N
AND RE
CEIVE A
£20
VOUCH
E
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Best Breakdown Cover
Award winning
breakdown cover
Provides one of the most comprehensive
policies in the market as indicated by
a Defaqto 5 Star Rating
GEM Motoring Assist
Terms & conditions: This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. GEM Motoring Assist have the right to withdraw or amend this offer at any time and without prior notice. We will only use your
friends’ email addresses in conjunction with this ‘Refer a Friend’ offer. By entering friends’ email addresses you are confirming that you have obtained their consent for this. Please only suggest friends who you
believe will be interested in GEM Motoring Assist Breakdown Cover. Gift vouchers only issued once new member joins. This offer is not available to members upgrading their policies. No cash alternatives available.
Voucher will be sent out approximately 28 days after the membership policy start date. Please note this offer is only open to GEM Motoring Assist Members.
Welcome tO THE AUTUMN EDITION!
As I write this, I am looking with pride and satisfaction at the results of the recently-published
Auto Express Driver Power Survey. Thank you very much if you took the time to complete the survey,
because once again GEM has been voted the overall winner, as well as ‘Best Buy in Breakdown Cover’.
We are passionate about giving you the very best possible service, not just in breakdown recovery but
for everything connected with your motoring. Everyone at GEM joins me in thanking you for your
loyalty and support. We are more motivated than ever to find ways of improving our service to you in
the years to come.
It’s not very often that we get the opportunity to organise a GEM member event, so we’re excited
about the exclusive tour of the Morgan Motor factory in Worcestershire on Thursday 22 October.
Unfortunately we won’t manage to fit every member onto the tour, but there are 10 pairs of admission
tickets to be won. Somehow it reminds me of a Roald Dahl story, but if you expect me to dress in top
hat, tail coat and cane for this tour, then you’ll be disappointed. And please remember my name is
Williams, not Wonka!
Anyway, all the details of the tour, and how to apply for a pair of tickets, can be found on page 6,
right next to our car insurance advertisement, which I would love you to investigate if you may soon
be in the market for a renewal of your annual premium. Our colleagues at Shield offer a top-class,
professional service which I recommend highly. Do give them a try. Better still, if you contact them for a
quote before 31 August 2015, your name will automatically be entered into a draw to win a £250 prize.
Other goodies available this time: we have a fabulous weekend for two in Cambridge (page 28) on
offer as our competition prize and two robust and highly visible Stoplock
car security devices (page 11).
Enjoy this edition and stay safe.
David Williams MBE
Chief Executive
ALL ABOUT GOODMOTORING MAGAZINE
GOOD MOTORING is
the magazine for members
of GEM Motoring Assist.
Editor: James Luckhurst
Editor-at-large:
Valerie Singleton
Road Test Editor:
David Motton
Proofreader:
Roger Rushton
roger@english-proofreading.com
Advertising enquiries:
David Breary, Creative
Publishing Services
david@breary.com
getting in
touch with
goodmotoring:
Good Motoring is published by
GEM Motoring Assist.
© GEM Motoring Assist 2015
Good Motoring is the property
of GEM Motoring Assist. All rights
reserved. The views expressed in
this magazine do not necessarily
reflect the views of GEM Motoring
Assist.
GEM does not accept any
responsibility for errors or omissions.
Good Motoring is distributed
quarterly via Royal Mail to members
of GEM Motoring Assist worldwide.
For questions and comments
relating to GEM membership, Good
Motoring subscriptions and editorial,
contact GEM Motoring Assist.
Complaints policy: We
hope you never experience
any problems relating to the
contents of Good Motoring.
GEM Motoring Assist can
accept no responsibility
for problems arising from
advertisements with Good
Motoring. In the first
instance, complaints and
correspondence relating to
advertisements should be
directed to the advertiser
concerned. Should you not
reach a satisfactory conclusion
within a reasonable period of
time, please contact us by post
or email.
Write to: Good Motoring, GEM Motoring Assist, Station
Road, Forest Row, East Sussex, RH18 5EN
Telephone: 01342 825676
Email: editor@motoringassist.com
Please note: magazine enquiries only to this address
Website: www.motoringassist.com
ARE YOU SITTING
COMFORTABLY?
As we get older, we all tend to suffer from
aches and pains, stiffness and reduced
flexibility. But if this affects your ability to
get in and out of your car - or drive around
safely and in comfort, then it’s definitely
worth exploring a few ideas that could
make driving life a bit easier.
A brand new video from GEM explores
some worthwhile tactics and tools that could
really make a difference and ensure your road
journeys are made in comfort.We look at
the whole science of ergonomics, we make
suggestions on journey planning
and we give advice on what to
look for if you’re considering
changing your car. Do
encourage family members
and friends to take a look at
the video, which you’ll find at
motoringassist.com/drivercomfort
Cover image: Close-up of a Morgan
sports car. For a chance to join us on a
Morgan factory tour, please see page 6.
41
3
CONTENTS
BACK TO
BASICS
Paul Caddick
considers how the
increasing stress of
modern driving is
affecting our health.
There have been great
strides in the design
and manufacture of
modern car seats to
adjust in accordance
with different
body shapes using
them, but these are
compromised by cost,
space and other safety
paraphernalia.
Page 20
THE
AUTUMN
EDITION
Autumn 2015
ON THE
COVER
CELBRATING GEM’S SUCCESS
Readers of Auto Express once again voted us number
one in their latest Driver Power Survey. As a way of
saying thank you for your vote, we have 10 pairs of
tickets for an exclusive GEM tour of the Morgan Car
factory in Worcestershire taking place on 22 October.
Page 6
THE ALL-SEEING DRIVERLESS CAR
Harrison Keasey, a blind 13-year-old
schoolboy from Worcester, ponders on
the future of road transport and his own
vulnerability. Will driverless cars prove the
answer to the challenges he faces? How
affordable, reliable and secure will they be?
Page 18
HITCHING A RIDE...
ON THE
COVER
Deborah Meaden, star of
Strictly and Dragon’s Den,
chats to our editor-at-large
Valerie Singleton about her
choice of car, her driving skill
and her views on road safety.
Page 22
CUBA’S CHEVVIES AND LINCOLNS
Alan Hart spent a few days on the sub-tropical island, just
as hostilities with the USA were being patched up with
presidential handshakes. But, as he reports, the new accord
could see much of the ‘real’ Cuba (including its amazing
line-up of old cars) disappear without trace.
Page 30
FRAGRANT VIOLATIONS
“I did a supermarket shop. Some time later a horrible
smell developed in my car. I searched everywhere
but could not locate the source. Eventually, I found a
haddock fillet had lodged itself under one of the seats...”
We conducted a poll recently to establish what you rate as the
worst smells you can encounter in a car, as well as your most
unpleasant smell tales. Not for the faint hearted... plus details
of the Government’s forthcoming in-car cigarette ban.
Page 15
4
www.motoringassist.com
CONTENTS
Autumn 2015
WONDERFUL
WEEKENDS
Enjoy our eight-page selection of
sensational short breaks - perfect
for a late season get-away.
Page 38
FANCY A LUXURY TWO-NIGHT
BREAK IN CAMBRIDGE?
... then don’t miss our fabulous competition with
a truly brilliant prize. Good luck!
Page 28
NEW MAZDA MX-5
BIKE BREAK
Fresh from a short trip to
the Dordogne, Henry Harris
offers some wise words on safe
motorcycle touring and the toll a
full day of concentration can take.
Page 34
PRODUCT TEST
Rod Ashley, ably assisted by his
picky grandson Louis, puts five
portable child booster seats through
their paces, assessing them for
comfort, durability and support.
Page 26
FAB
PRIZE...
BACK CHAT
Our member interview
page returns, and for
this edition we pay a
visit to Edward Loofe
in Prestwich.
Page 66
Fresh (and soaking) from the
launch in Scotland, road test
editor David Motton was just in
the nick of time for his review.
As owner of a Mk3 MX-5, he
was excited to be one of the first
to drive the fourth generation
version of the world’s bestselling two-seater sports car.
Page 48
ALSO INSIDE
Your letters....................................................8&9
Your GEM member benefits...................10&11
GEM Road Safety Charity news...................19
Motorcycle safety tips.....................................36
On the Road.................................................47-63
Mazda MX-5 Mk 4 road test.........................48
Buying a second-hand Audi TT....................51
Hyundai i30 road test...................................52
Volvo XC90 road test.....................................54
Toyota Avensis road test.................................56
Mazda CX3 road test......................................58
5
Special event
UK’s
e
h
t
s
u
e
d
a
m
nce again vider!
o
e
v
a
h
s
e
t
o
v
Your
wn pro ver Power survey
o
d
k
a
e
r
b
e
n
o
number r results of the Auto Express Dri
See inside fo
Thank you for voting
us number one!
To show our true appreciation of the loyalty and support we receive from
our members, we have 10 pairs of tickets on offer, to join us for a tour of the
Morgan Motor Factory in Worcestershire. It’s taking place on THURSDAY
22 OCTOBER, with coffee, our own private factory tour and a light lunch
included. See below for details of how to enter the draw for tickets
RESULTS FROM the 2015 Auto
Express Driver Power Survey
show for another year that GEM
Motoring Assist remains the UK’s
number one breakdown recovery
provider. The result sees GEM
achieve number one for overall
service for the sixth year running,
as well as occupying number
one position in each of the seven
categories.
We are absolutely delighted to
be in top position this year, and
we thank everyone who voted for
us. We have made a significant
recent investment in the way we
handle calls for assistance from
our members, and the aim is to
continue our efforts to achieve
even higher standards, so that
our members always get the very
best possible breakdown recovery
service.
Unfortunately we can’t thank
every member whose vote put us
in the number one slot, but we do
have an exciting opportunity for 10
lucky GEM members to receive two
tickets for an exclusive tour of the
Morgan Motor Company factory,
starting at 11am on Thursday 22
October. Coffee will be served from
10.30 and the tour itself will be
followed by a light lunch.
We’ll watch a short film before
heading to the Morgan factory,
where we will visit the workshops
6
and see the process of hand-made
assembly that makes a Morgan such
a cherished piece of engineering.
The tour will finish in the
museum, where you can chat to
David Williams, Good Motoring
editor James Luckhurst and road
test editor David Motton.
We’ll be picking and announcing
the 10 lucky winners on Wednesday
16 September. To enter, please email
editor@motoringassist.com and
you MUST put Morgan Tour in the
subject line of your email. Good
luck - we hope to see you there!
Winners will be provided with the terms
and conditions relating to this promotion.
Apply by 15 September to editor@motoringassist.com
www. www.motoringassist.com
New GEM Car Insurance
There’s no
turning back...
25f
£
ofory Offer
†
uct
od
Intr
... We’ll get quotes from our panel of
carefully selected car insurers and
choose the one that’s best for you.
GEM has teamed up with Shield Total Insurance, a lifestyle and leisure insurance specialist with a reputation for friendly
and knowledgeable service. Together we’ll bring you a wider choice of cover and additional benefits* including:
Call now and quote “GEM 13” for £25 off
01277 243 010
motoringassist.com/carinsurance
 up to 75% No Claims Discount
 up to 240 days European Cover
 up to £500 Personal Belongings Cover
 up to £1,000 Accidental Trailer Damage Cover
†£25 Off Introductory Offer only available when speaking to one of our agents on the phone quoting GEM13. *Benefits
shown are only available through certain insurers. Shield arranges insurance on behalf of GEM members. Shield is a
trading name of Vantage Insurance Services Limited (”VISL”). VISL is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct
Authority. VISL is registered in England No.3441136. Registered Office; 5th floor, 41 Eastcheap, London EC3M 1DT.
your letters
Feedback
Beware your safety features
Have we gone too far with modern high intensity
headlights, super sticky tyres and powerful
braking on every day vehicles? Arguably these
high performance assets can encourage overconfidence, leading to excessive speed in adverse
conditions.
Extremely bright headlights are a hazard to any
oncoming driver or rider on an unlit road. The
wall of intense white or blue light coming towards
you does not allow any vision of your kerbside.
This is not conducive to safety. In my opinion, this
and other modern assets cannot be considered
safety features if the driver uses them to their
limits. I ride vintage and classic motorcycles as
well as drive cars. The biggest problem for me are
those bright headlights.
Dave Blanchard
Foot up, foot down?
It seems obvious to me that John Burkitt (letters,
summer edition) has no experience of automatics,
and of high intensity lights. High intensity lights
have nothing to do with the brakes. They should
only be used in foggy conditions. Automatic
transmissions are designed to be kept in ‘drive’
at all times, and the footbrake applied and kept
depressed where stationary at traffic lights or halt
signs. Where delay is experienced, the automatic
gearbox should be placed in ‘neutral’ or ‘park’, the
engine switched off and the handbrake applied.
Tony Vardy
The “i-stop” in my car cuts out the engine when
the car is stationary, if I keep my foot on the brake.
This is a new fuel economy device and is being
fitted to more and more cars.
Graham Edwards
One explanation for the use of footbrakes at traffic
lights may be drivers’ lack of knowledge as to how
to deal with the new automatic stop/start engines.
For example my car requires a further pressure
on the pedal when the engine stops to ensure that
the word “HOLD” appears on the panel - you
can then remove foot from brake pedal and brake
lights extinguish.
Michael Green
editor@motoringassist.com
I am often stopped at traffic lights when there
may be a dozen cars in front of me, with possibly
only one or two cars not showing brake lights.
Is this just plain laziness? The subject is further
complicated, by the increasing use of the engine
stop/start system in modern vehicles. If this is
the case, then car manufacturers should modify
the system, so that the handbrake has the same
effect and the Construction & Use Regulations be
amended to suit.
Ken Toone
While I am in total agreement with John Burkitt
on the subject of people driving with fog lights
on, I should point out that many modern cars
rely on drivers keeping feet on the brake when
stationary, to enable operation of the stop/start
function, particularly if the car is an automatic.
This is the case on my Mazda CX-5, where the
“i-stop” function is triggered by additional
pressure on the brake pedal.
Richard Hurrell
I would have thought that the manufacturers
would be able to devise a system where you
could stop the car on the footbrake then engine
cuts, apply handbrake, release footbrake and
engine stays stopped. When it’s time to pull
away, the engine should restart with the release
of the handbrake. For now, please appreciate it
maybe the car’s fault and not the driver’s.
Alan Woolidge
Mr Burkitt’s problem is more likely to be caused
by the use of the “autohold” function in many
modern cars. It is possible to override the
function or even switch it off but it’s provided
as an additional safety feature.
Bryan Peak
I think we have heard quite enough about
dazzle from rear lights, so this strand of
correspondence is now closed. Ed.
Motorway moan
I wish to gripe about the consistently poor
lane discipline on our motorways, particularly
on the newer four-lane sections. Recently on
“
Do speed
cushions
really work,
or do they
create extra
risk?
”
REC
GEM B OMMEND
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£20
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GEM_RAF Ad 400x43mm_01.14_#1.indd 1
VOUCH
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your letters
a four-lane M25 section, I was in the fastest,
least congested inside lane and, ludicrously,
the overtaking lane was the slowest, most
congested lane. Perhaps a few more convictions
for lane-hogging and tailgating under the 2013
regulations would address these poor habits.
Marcus Loxton
Spare a thought for cyclists
As a GEM Member I would have expected
Mr Etchells (summer edition) to have a more
considerate approach to vulnerable road users
as called for in the Highway Code. A minority
of cyclists ignore the rules to suit themselves,
but so do a significant minority of motorists and
motorcyclists. Cycle routes can be inadequate
and are advisory. Often they suddenly stop
before a destination, are too narrow, are parked
on by motorists, have drains, glass and other
detritus across them.
Roy Finch
Know your A35s from your A40s
The caption to the photo of the Austin on page
45 of the summer edition says it is an A40
whereas I think it is an A35.
Geoff Castle
Thanks, Mr Castle, and to Reg James and others
who spotted the error. The photographer, Mr
Sowersby, says sorry!
Humps and bumps
Do ‘speed cushions’ actually work? Or do they
create greater risk? Cushions and chicanes
were recently installed in my quiet village and
have resulted in many dangerous practices as
drivers are delayed behind chicanes on a road
which otherwise would not be restricted and
thus would not impede the free-flow of traffic.
These devices may look fine and dandy on
the planners’ model but it seems to me they
represent a menace in the real world.
John Richards
Preaching to the converted
Paul Caddick, in his article on setting a good
example, is preaching to the converted. We were
brought up by parents who taught us sensible,
safe and responsible behaviour. How many times
do we see the exact opposite these days?
A parent dragging a small child across a busy
road in the face of traffic, mobile phone pressed
to ear, is an often encountered example.
Roy Smith
Slow progress
My grandson is currently taking driving lessons
- he is 18. He has had at least 30 lessons and tells
me he has yet to park in a bay, parallel park in
the road, reverse around a corner and execute an
emergency stop. I know I took my test some 30
years ago but had just six lessons and covered
all of the above. I did pass first time and have
enjoyed driving ever since. What might others
think about modern instruction methods - more
complicated now, I know? Could his instructor be
taking advantage, and is there a set programme
of items to be covered during lessons? Any advice
welcomed.
Joy Phillips
Bubble, bubble, bubble, stop!
Whilst I welcome the presence of traffic police
conducting speed checks near my home in
Hereford, I take great exception to the sight of
the officer with the ‘gun’ chewing bubble gum
and blowing bubbles ‘on the job’ as I drove by.
It looked revolting and certainly did nothing to
foster respect for his role or the worthwhile work
he was doing.
Rose Newton
A smarter satnav
Making
contact:
We welcome
your letters and
we do our best
to publish as
many of them
as we can. Do
please keep any
letter meant for
publication to a
maximum length
of 200 words.
Important
Please don’t
send any
membership
enquiries or
change of
address notices
to the editor, as
there may be
a delay in our
response.
Mr Stokes’ article reviewed GPS units with a
small side bar regarding smartphone satnav, and
he suggested Scout and Waze. If you actually
want a GPS just to get you somewhere, without
social media capability, then OsmAnd is the
outstanding winner. It is genuinely offline, it has
routing for car, cycle, public transport and foot, all
sorts of search facilities and you can try it out for
free, the only limitation being the number of map
downloads. And the purchased version is £4.99.
Stephen McKinnon
Text, Facebook, BANG
Recently, I have noticed a pattern appearing in
radio traffic reports – repeated motorway and
road incidents, similar locations, similar times.
Drivers texting? I believe that many drivers will
get out their mobiles and carry on with their texts
and social media. Some of these people will drive
mindlessly straight into the vehicle in front. The
rest of us can either note and avoid these stretches
or apply an enhanced level of defensive driving.
Graham Clifton
We will be focusing on distractions in the winter
edition, with results of a large-scale member
survey on the subject. Ed.
7
01/08/2014 11:36
Your
GEM
IF YOU NEED HELP
IF YOU want GEM to help you reduce
the stress and strain after a road
collision, please follow the following
procedure:
n If you are involved in any road
accident which will result in a claim
being made on a motor insurance
policy (irrespective of who is at
fault,), please call Integrity Claims
Management on 0345 3700 945 from
the scene to get immediate help.
n If you are involved in a minor
road accident which will not result
in a motor insurance claim, and from
which you only need a short recovery,
contact the GEM breakdown number
on 0330 999 2505.
n Remember that GEM Breakdown
Cover is restricted to a maximum
claim of £70 if you are involved in a
collision.
n You can be sure that whether you
suffer a vehicle breakdown or are
involved in an accident, help is just a
phone call away.
n Check motoringassist.com
for more details of our Accident
Management Service.
Offering you
a helping hand
At our recent Annual General Meeting, a member requested
that GEM’s free Accident Management Service be more
widely explained and promoted. Chief executive David
Williams is happy to oblige
Being involved in any road collision
is a traumatic and frightening experience.
Apart from the initial shock and
safety concerns, you also face lengthy
procedures to inform insurers, arrange
repairs, access courtesy cars, deal with
legal issues and much, much more.
However, thanks to GEM’s free accident
management service provided by Integrity
Claims Management Ltd, these issues
need no longer be a worry. Integrity will
take the strain of managing the whole
process - from recovery of the vehicle at
the scene through to legal issues involving
the other drivers involved in the accident.
Integrity can help whether you are at fault
or not. Their experienced claims handlers
will liaise with your own insurer and
those of the other vehicles involved to
ensure you are back on the road as soon
as possible.
Russell Ryan of Integrity Claims
Management said, “Our dedicated team
of advisors will guide you through the
whole claims process; this includes taking
legal action in cases where you have
been the victim in a collision caused by
another driver. Our service is backed by
a legal expenses policy underwritten by
ARAG, which offers an indemnity limit of
£100,000 and could give you the chance
to make a significant saving on your
motor insurance policy, as this additional
option often adds around £30 to your
annual premium.”
Integrity will also arrange for a likefor-like replacement vehicle in non-fault
claims and they have their own firm of
specialist solicitors to work on members’
behalf in the unfortunate event of any
personal injury. This legal service will
even make sure that you recover out-ofpocket expenses such as loss of earnings,
travel costs, damage to personal effects
and even medical treatment in cases
where there is clear third party fault.
Thanks to a number of nationwide
nominated and insurance-approved
bodyshops, the service can also arrange a
top quality repair of your car.
DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT
We were unfortunate to have our car written off in an incident where a young driver reversed
out from his drive into the lane we were travelling on. It was a “hands up” sorry I didn’t see you.
I decided to use GEM’s Accident Management Service. I contacted Integrity that evening and
spoke to a Claims Manager giving all the relevant details. She organised for our vehicle to be
collected the next day. Before lunchtime we had a courtesy car for the duration of the claim.
The service we received from the team was first class, updating us regularly as the claim
progressed. All the staff at Integrity who dealt with us were friendly and efficient from start to
finish and we were grateful for this.
Having passed the driving test in 1957 with clean licences ever since and being members of
GEM for 38 years we would certainly recommend the above Management Claims Team to any
members who unfortunately find themselves in a similar situation.
Joan and Tony Agg
REC
GEM B OMMEND
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A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BENEFITS OF GEM MEMBERSHIP
COMPETITION WINNERS
OUR SUMMER edition broke all recent records in terms of how
many entries we received to the competition and draws. So first of
all, we must congratulate
Mr Daniel Lister of
Maidenhead in Berkshire,
whose entry was chosen
from more than 600 correct
emails and cards submitted
up until the deadline of
31 July. It will now be our
pleasure to ensure that
Daniel and his guest will
be well looked after at the
Warner Leisure Hotel of
Warner Leisure Hotel,
their choice.
Holme Lacy
We also congratulate
the following members
whose entries were drawn at random to win a GEM/RoSPA driving
assessment. They are Mrs Nyria Atkinson, Mr Brian Norwood, Mrs
Ann Simpson, Mr Maurice Kibble and Mr John Adams-Lewis.
The five winners of the Philips Atlas were Mr George Towns, Mr
Ramesh Rathod, Mr Dave Hutton, Mr Peter McLoughlin and Mr Bob
Pryor. A copy of the latest Philip’s European Road Atlas is on its way
to each of them.
Don’t miss a cracking line up of competitions, prizes and offers
in this edition. You could win a two-night luxury break for two in
Cambridge, with city tour and leisure activities (details on p28), a
tour of the Morgan Motor factory with coffee and lunch included
(p6) or one of two £29.99 Stoplock security devices (immediately
below). There’s also a cracking reader offer from our friends at the
Bird in Hand country inn near Maidenhead (p24). Good luck!
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
If you’re stuck on a technical matter, chances
are you’ll find some help in our online reference
library (motoringassist.com/car-maintenance).
If you’re still stumped, call the office (01342
825676) and we’ll pass your question to our
technical team.
PICTURE WINNER
Our £50 prize for this edition goes to Dan
Searles, a sports injuries specialist and
holistic health practitioner from Coventry.
Dan is pictured with his son Ralph coming
home from a recent holiday in Spain. “You
can see behind us the Rock of Gibraltar
and the Monarch plane that flew us back to
Birmingham. We had a great time, although
I didn’t get to drive as we were chauffeured
around by my mother-in-law,” he writes.
Thanks and well done to Dan. We’ll
look forward to receiving your picture
submissions for next time, and as it’ll be our
80th anniversary edition, we’ll up the prize
to £80. So, if you’re heading somewhere
extraordinary or special, make sure you
have Good Motoring ready for the photo
that could earn you £80! Send your entries
to editor@motoringassist.com and ensure
images are high resolution.
TWO STOPLOCKS TO GIVE AWAY
Stoplock continues to be in great demand with customers seeking a
robust visual deterrent to car thieves. It’s the UK’s leading security
brand, fitting most vehicles. Stoplock is fully attack-tested, has a
10-year guarantee and is easy to fit. It continues to receive category
3 approval by Thatcham Research, which assesses vehicle security
systems for the car insurers. If you
would like your name in the draw
for one of two Stoplock devices,
each worth £29.99, then send
an email to competition@
motoringassist.com, ensuring
you put Stoplock Draw in your
title. Make sure you include
your membership number,
too. The closing
date for your
entries is Friday
30 October 2015.
01/08/2014 11:36
News updates
‘FAILED TO
LOOK’
RESEARCH REVEALS
TOP CONTRIBUTOR
TO COLLISIONS
DATA from the IAM shows
that ‘failure to look properly’ is
the most common contributory
factor to a collision, included by
police officers in more than 30,000
reports of incidents annually.
Pic: John Sansom
JOHN ROGERS
GOES ITALIAN... IN
LONDON’S WEST END
A RISKY BUSINESS ON
Lucky winners of a recent
Good Motoring competition John
Rogers and his wife Jane are seen
here about to enjoy the first part
of their prize: a Theatre People
(theatrepeople.com) dinner show
and overnight package. Next was
a trip to see the show The 39 Steps
and a night at The Queens Park
Hotel. Next day John and Jane
took a trip down the Thames and
had lunch on the boat, courtesy of
City Cruises (citycruises.com).
GEM MEMBER Peter Baker, from
Cheadle Hulme, was driving with
a colleague on the M61 near Bury
recently. It was morning rush hour, so
the motorway was busy. At one point
they were following a silver minibus,
whose driver seemed to be having
difficulty keeping a constant speed
and staying in the inside lane.
“We were aware that he was slowing
down, speeding up and wandering
on and off the hard shoulder. At one
point we were actually worried that
he might be ill or losing control of the
minibus. I pulled out and drew level
with him while Tom my colleague
peered across. No surprise that he was
simply compromising his own safety
and the safety of others by talking on
his mobile phone,” says Peter.
“Tom got the above picture apologies for reflected papers. Even
though we’re level with the minibus
driver, you can see how far onto the
hard shoulder he has drifted.”
GEM’s recent survey on distractions
revealed just how much of a risk
members believe this behaviour to
CARS WORTH
A SECOND
GLANCE >>>
Our ‘On The Road’
section starts on
page 47.
12
SKODA SUPERB
Forecast to have sectorleading residual values
USED AUDI TT
Expect to pay from £6k
for this sleek sports car
MITSUBISHI ASX
Satisfying performance
from this 2.2-litre diesel
MAZDA CX-3
The six-speed manual
gearbox is a pleasure
A LITTLE HELP
WITH A NEW CAR
Dear GEM,
I need to replace my Vauxhall Astra Estate this year
with a similar size car but having a higher seating
and driving position for easier access. I need a petrol
engine (as I cover a low annual mileage) and automatic
transmission. The Ford C-Max looks ideal but doesn’t
have a petrol automatic option. The Ford B-Max has
this option but is smaller than I would have liked. Can
you suggest any other cars with a petrol automatic
option that I could consider?
Martin Frayn
THE MOTORWAY
be. GEM chief executive David
Williams said, “We surveyed 3,313
members earlier this summer. Of
these, 89% said they never use a
hand-held phone while driving,
while fewer than half of one per
cent (16 people in total) admitted
using a phone a lot of the time on
their journeys.
“The survey went a stage further,
and invited respondents to reveal
the consequences of being on the
phone while driving.
“Three people admitted they
had crashed as a direct result; 17
said they had nearly crashed and
89 admitted the need to make a
sudden correction.
“Good journey planning includes
building in breaks to check for
messages and voicemail. There is
really never a justification for using
the phone while driving.”
Picture: Tom Gregory
PARENTS AT
ST GREGORY’S
ACADEMY IN
STOKE-ONTRENT ARE
TO PAY £15
A TERM IN
CHARGES IF
THEY USE THE
SCHOOL’S
NEW DROPOFF ZONE.
THE SCHOOL
SAYS IT WON’T
WASTE ITS
EDUCATION
BUDGET
TO SOLVE
PARKING
PROBLEMS.
Road test editor David Motton replies:
If you are looking for a petrol automatic with a high
seating position and easy access you could consider the
Toyota Verso (pictured below). This MPV is available with
a 1.8-litre petrol engine and an automatic gearbox. This
version of the Verso is priced from £24,300. The editor of
Good Motoring, James Luckhurst, recently reviewed the
Verso and was impressed.
You might also want to test drive the Volkswagen
Golf SV. It’s larger and higher than the regular Golf
hatchback. It’s available with a 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine
with a DSG automatic transmission. I’ve driven this car
myself and found it capable, and with this engine and
gearbox it’s priced from £22,390. The Citroen C4 Picasso
THP 165 is another petrol car with an automatic gearbox.
It has the high-up driving position you are looking for
and a roomy and comfortable cabin. It’s priced from
£22,710. I hope these suggestions are useful.
Also, take a look at our brand new video on comfort and
ergonomics: motoringassist.com/drivercomfort
13
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96%
96%
Smells survey
Pics: Katherine Jones
Fragrant violations
We conducted a poll recently to establish what you rate as the worst smells
you can encounter in a car, as well as your most unpleasant smell tales. So if
you’re of a delicate disposition, you may prefer not to turn the page...
“
A bad smell
is dangerous
because
it distracts
you from the
driving task.
”
OUR RECENT ‘pong poll’ gave you the
opportunity to tell us what you thought
were the most unpleasant odours to
be found on your car journeys. Being a
family publication, we thought we should
maintain decorum and propriety by not
going into too much detail; however, you
can browse the graphic on the next page for
details of how you rated different smells.
“Although this was a light-hearted
and unscientific study, it’s important
to remember that a bad car smell is no
laughing matter,” says GEM chief executive
David Williams. “Not only does it spoil
your journey, but it’s also potentially
dangerous because it distracts you from
the driving task. Of course, the important
thing is to deal with any smell as early as
possible. This is straightforward (though
possibly not quick) if the source of the smell
is obvious.
“However, if you cannot work out where
a smell is coming from, then it makes sense
to get your car checked,” he said.
We reached our ‘honours board of
automotive aromas’ by totting up the
number of first, second and third votes
each received, to give a total out of 150.
Interestingly, those sweet-smelling artificial
air fresheners (popular with many taxi
drivers) finished ahead of wet dog, takeaway food and petrol in the smell stakes. >>
15
Smells survey (continued)
TELLING OF THE SMELLING...
Thanks to everyone who took part in our Pong Poll, and for sharing your
horror stories with us. We don’t have space to include them all (and
some fall outside the acceptable boundaries for a family publication
such as this), but here are a few that may stir a few memories for you:
I once parked alongside the River Thames for
a lunch date. It wasn’t until someone asked
why mounted police were checking the cars
that I realised mine was sitting in water. I
managed to reverse the car onto dry land. I
tried everything to try to get rid of the smell
to no avail. It took six months before the smell
went.
I remember borrowing a friend’s car, a
fishing enthusiast, who had forgotten he had
left live bait in the boot. After one hot day it
was unbearable!
Spilt milk got under the boot carpet and was
not cleaned up, because we could not see it,
but we did eventually smell it.
Recently I was driving in Canada. We
passed over what had obviously been a
collision site with a skunk. There was no
sign of the animal but the smell was on the
road and stayed in the car for 30 minutes
after we drove over the spot. Our local
friends said they knew people who had
to sell cars after hitting skunks as they
could not get rid of the smell. We are
lucky in the UK.
We were in Scotland. I had trodden in
dog muck on the beach without
realising. As we drove away,
I was in the passenger
120
seat and a sheep leapt in front of our car. I
instinctively “braked” with my foot, grinding
the mess into the carpet. The smell was
horrendous. We had to stop and scrub the
carpet and use a de-odourising spray.
My little boy managed to upend his
(supposedly spill-proof) milk beaker when
he was about 2, and the back seat of the car
stank until I used some bicarb on it. You
only had to open the car door...
My youngest son, on a long trip to Cornwall,
ate a pack of chicken crisps, only to bring it all
up five minutes later over the back seats. All
we could do was scoop it up into a plastic bag
until we got to our destination. Neither my
wife nor myself can eat chicken crisps now.
I did a supermarket shop. Some time later
a horrible smell developed in my car. I
searched everywhere but could not locate
the source. Eventually, I found a haddock
fillet had lodged itself under one
of the rear seats.
Our new puppy ate a quantity
of duck mess on a walk, then
brought it up in the car shortly
afterwards. I swear Proctor &
Gamble shares rose 10% next day
on the back of the quantity of cleaning
products we purchased.
117
80
SMOKING BAN
FOR CARS
n From 1 October it
will be illegal to smoke in
private vehicles carrying
someone under 18. The
fixed penalty will be £50.
n Private vehicles will have
to be smoke free if they
are enclosed and there
is more than one person
aboard, and one of them is
under 18.
n If another passenger
is smoking and there is
someone under 18 in the
car, then the driver will be
liable for the fine.
n The rules apply to
motorhomes, campervans
and caravans when they
are being used as a vehicle
but don't apply when they
are being used as living
accommodation.
n A driver aged 17,
smoking alone in a vehicle,
will not be committing an
offence.
PONG POLL: RESULTS
This graphic shows how you
voted for your worst car smells.
The final scores represent
a combination of your first,
second and third choices.
77
34
33
32
18
7
16
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Point of view
What will the all-seeing
driverless car do for me?
Harrison Keasey, a blind 13-year-old schoolboy from
Worcester, ponders on the future of road transport and his own
vulnerability on the move
Cars have played a key role in the
lives of many people, when it comes to
transporting them to a destination safely
and efficiently. Since the arrival of the car
more than 100 years ago, and especially
since its increased affordability in the last
50 years, they have grown increasingly
popular amongst hungry consumers.
However, for those of us who have a
disability – for example a visual impairment
or other eye conditions such as cataracts
– learning to drive is out of the question.
This also means that because of our
vulnerability, we will have to rely on other
means of transport, some of which come at
a financial cost; taxis, for example.
These are people who want more
independence and greater freedom, and
they might just get it in a few years’ time.
Back in 2010, Google announced the
arrival of so-called driverless cars, ie
cars that would incorporate the latest
technology to give the disabled community
a revolutionary driving experience. At
the time of writing, these vehicles are
undergoing thorough tests to ensure they
are safe and secure for driving.
Many visually impaired people have
questions that need to be answered prior to
the release.
Affordability: ideally we would want
everyone who needs it to be able to afford
such a car. However, we also want it to
be reliable and at the cutting edge of
technology and this often means a premium
price for new products which can be way
beyond the means of ordinary people. I
believe the price to the consumer should
be kept to a reasonable level, as this would
open up the market to as many people as
possible. However, there may need to be
some sort of subsidy for this to happen, at
least initially.
Reliability: obviously, consumers will
want to operate this car in the same way as
existing cars. Therefore, the new technology
needs to be 100 percent reliable in much
the same way as in an aeroplane, so that
the safety of the occupant, pedestrians and
other road users shouldn’t be compromised
in any way. The operating systems should
18
be capable of being adapted for people with
as wide a range of disabilities as possible.
Permanent software: all the systems,
including the firmware in the car, will
need to be easily updatable. For example,
the engine management system and the
satellite navigation systems will need to be
kept current.
Security: will the entry and ignition
systems be voice-operated to maximise
its market? If so, what security will be in
place to ensure only authorised people
can use it? Or will these vehicles feature
physical buttons arranged in a layout
that is simple enough for the user? Or
perhaps both, so that users can choose their
preference for operating the car. Going
back to the maximum security, can means
of encryption be enabled that prevent
unauthorised people from using the car?
To conclude, whilst visually impaired
people are able to reach a destination on
foot with the aid of a white stick or guide
dog, there is no doubt that the freedom
the introduction of the driverless car
would give would be of great benefit.
Assuming that technology proves to be
all that is claimed, the potential market
for a driverless car must be huge, not
only among visually impaired but also
sighted people. The speed with which this
market is exploited may well depend on
how reasonable the initial price is, as well
as how the benefits of a driverless car are
marketed to all. GM
“
Many
visually
impaired
people have
questions that
need to be
answered...
”
Road Safety Charity
ARE YOU sitting comfortably? Do you
experience any discomfort or pain when you
get in and out of a car? What about when
you’re looking over your shoulder to check for
traffic? Perhaps you’re regularly offering lifts
to someone who’s less able than you and who
does need a little help sitting comfortably in
your car.
The Charity agreed to co-fund the
production of a useful and informative
video that focuses on the whole issue of
‘ergonomics’, which is the scientific discipline
that applies theory, principles, data and
methods to design in order to optimise human
wellbeing and overall system performance.
In other words, it’s all about you and your
passengers being comfortable and well looked
after while you’re on car journeys, with as
much physical stress as possible removed from
the process.
The video script was prepared in
consultation with experts at Wessex
Driveability, part of the Forum of Mobility
Centres. We’d also like to acknowledge the
support from Westminster City Council, who
helped with the funding of the production.
Video presenter Peter Baker said working
on the project had been a revelation. “I
suffer from stiffness in my back and frequent
restrictions on movement, so getting in and
out of a car can be painful,” he said. “I learnt
a great deal about some of the simple but
effective aids that are available, so I no longer
suffer in silence and I urge you to look for
solutions that will make driving a pleasure
once again.”
Pic: Mark Taylor
New Charity video homes
in on driver comfort
Presenter Peter Baker
learnt a great deal from
working on the GEM
ergonomics video.
Take some time to watch GEM’s brand new safety video on ergonomics and
driver comfort. Go to motoringassist.com/drivercomfort
Take a look some of the
other GEM Charity videos
Topical, informative and relevant for everyone
Blue Light Aware
How can you best help an emergency
vehicle on a blue light run, while also
ensuring you stay safe and legal? Take a look
at bluelightaware.org.uk
Drugs, driving and the law
We guide you through the recent changes
in legislation, and explain what effects
drugs (including medicines). Check out
motoringassist.com/drugs
Still Safe to Drive
We designed this suite of informative videos
to help you stay as safe as possible on the
road, for as long as possible. Have a look
through the site: stillsafetodrive.org.uk
Stay safe in flood conditions
The UK’s unpredictable weather means
we need to have the right skills and
understanding to stay safe. Take a look at
motoringassist.com/drivinginfloods
43
Back to basics
Paul Caddick is urging us
to get up and be active –
or risk the consequences
of sitting still for too long
20
It’s ironic that we all still look forward to
collapsing onto the sofa or into an armchair at the
end of the working day and taking the weight off
our feet, yet most of us will have spent nearly all
of the day sitting down at work. According to the
stats, the average British adult spends between
50% and 70% of their day sitting down, and it’s
not doing any of us any good. World Health
Driver comfort
Organisation figures show that physical inactivity
has been identified as the fourth leading risk
factor for global mortality, causing an estimated
3.2 million deaths globally. The main concerns
are: Obesity and Slower Metabolism, leading to
cardiovascular issues and diabetes in particular;
Cancer and Heart Disease, an increased risk of
60%; and Rheumatic Disorders due to wear and
tear to joints caused by a lack of activity and sitting
badly.
But the biggest issue we face from our sedentary
life is back pain, and apart from the desk job and
leisure time in front of the TV, it’s the car that’s
at the heart of the problem. In a recent study of
business car drivers, at least half had suffered
from lower back trouble in the last 12 months, and
leisure drivers are similarly afflicted. It is essential
as drivers that we note this and take care of our
backs, in order to make ourselves safer, better
focused and more comfortable behind the wheel.
Sitting Time Bomb
Bryan McIlwraith, an Inverness-based osteopath
and an expert on car ergonomics, writes: ‘Ask
an anthropologist and he will say that man is
essentially a hunter-gatherer; we are designed to
be up and about all day, trotting around looking
for things to eat. Instead, modern man sits at a
desk during the day, slouches in front of the TV
at night, and in between may drive for several
hours a day. When we use our backs in such an
inappropriate way, is it any wonder that they fail?’
Almost 31 million days of work were lost last
year due to back, neck and muscle problems,
according to the Office for National Statistics
(ONS), and this is in spite of the fact that the
country’s workforce has largely swapped heavy
manual labour for sitting in offices. As Prof
Steve Bevan, director of the Centre for Workforce
Effectiveness at the Work Foundation, bluntly puts
it, ‘Sitting is the new smoking. The more sedentary
you are, the worse it is for your health.’
Desperate Driving
Sitting puts 50% more pressure on our lumbar
discs compared to standing, and then combine it
with the bumps and shocks from the road surface,
the use of the pedals to brake and operate the
clutch, not to mention the twisting when looking
around, and it’s surprising we can still walk when
we get to our destination.
Of course the increasing stress of modern
driving and living is a growing problem, but then
there is the seat we’re sitting on – the car seat is
far from ideal. There have been great strides in
the design and manufacture of modern car seats
to adjust in accordance with the great variety of
body sizes and shapes using them, but they are
compromised by cost, space and the other safety
and driving paraphernalia surrounding them. As
Dr Graham Cox, an author on the subject (and
inventor of a simple device to improve driving
posture – the ‘SHOFT’), writes: ‘Most seats are
designed so that our knees are above the level
of our hips, which is good for safety but poor
ergonomically. When driving we need to extend
our legs asymmetrically to move the pedals, turn
the steering wheel, change gears and constantly be
on the lookout for danger. ‘
Though we often start out well and with due
consideration for back health when driving, it is
not long before we are slouching or slipping down
into the danger zones. As soon as your bottom
moves forward and a gap between the back of the
seat and your own lower back appears, or between
your shoulders and the top of the seat, then it is a
sure sign that your spine is in the wrong physical
shape and certain areas of the spine are taking
excessive strain. What’s more, the vibrations and
bumps also dehydrate the spongy discs that sit
between our vertebrae and allow us movement,
and act as shock absorbers – the less fluid, the less
they work.
The point to remember is that you need to sit
well back in your seat so that your back is in
contact and supported from top to bottom.
Less Pain, More Gain
According to the Chartered Society of
Physiotherapy (CSP), the essential thing to keep in
mind is just to keep your back moving throughout
the day. If you are sitting, whether in a car or at
a desk, get up and walk around for at least five
minutes or so every hour – ‘movement is medicine’
is their motto; keep your back moving to keep it
flexible. They have a useful simple leaflet (check
out csp.org.uk/publications) for desk-based
workers with examples of stretches that can help
drivers, too.
The more we abuse this incredible part of our
body’s architecture, the more we will suffer
throughout every part of our physical and mental
being. Take care of it and it will take care of you.
Being fit and healthy, and free of pain, can only
make us all better, safer and happier drivers.
Back pain can ruin your day, but as a dangerous
distraction behind the wheel, it can all too easily
ruin the lives of others, too. GM
Prevention
& Cure
So what can we do
to improve our lot?
n Take frequent breaks.
The Highway Code
recommends that a 15
minute break be taken
for every 2 hours of
driving. This is the
maximum time you are
recommended to drive
without a break and at
each break you should
get out of your car and
walk about (i.e. change
of posture).
n Do regular neck
exercises to stretch your
spine.
n You can check your
posture whilst driving
by being aware of your
vision and mirrors; if you
begin to slouch in your
seat your vision of the
road/mirrors will not
be as clear. Use this as a
reminder to re-correct
your posture.
n Choose a car that has
a seat and steering set
up with a good range of
adjustments.
n Make sure you sit
well back in the seat
to ensure your back is
always supported from
top to bottom.
n Drink plenty of fluids
throughout the day.
n If you are suffering
from continuing back
problems, make sure you
make an appointment
to see an appropriately
trained specialist or
your GP.
CHECK OUT OUR NEW VIDEO...
The GEM Road Safety Charity has co-funded the
production of an informative video that looks at
ways you can make your driving experience more
comfortable. With expert help from Wessex
Driveability, we examine some simple but effective
aids. We also guide you through the process of
changing your car if the time has come to choose
something more appropriate for your needs. Take a
look right now at motoringassist.com/drivercomfort
21
Wheel life with
Dragon Deborah
Deborah Meaden is probably best known as one of those fearsome Dragons on
BBC Television. She is also a successful businesswoman and entrepreneur. Her
recent appearance as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing won her a fresh
audience of fans and has given her a fun new hobby. We caught up with her
recently to hear about her driving, and to exorcise a few automotive demons
Interview by Valerie Singleton, Pics: John Eccles
“
My mother
gave me her
yellow Fiat
850 as my
18th birthday
present...
”
Hitching a ride
What car do you drive?
I drive a Porsche Carrera 4S. I had to look
that up because I’m not a terrible car nut.
I enjoy my cars but I don’t know the latest
and greatest. My car is a convertible and I
love it.
Civic, only two days after I bought it, in
the middle lane trying to turn right and
someone waved me across and I went into
the side of a vehicle. I don’t trust anyone
now saying I can go. I always check myself
that it’s safe.
How long have you been driving and who
taught you?
I was impatient - very impatient - to learn to
drive. I learnt in Brighton with BSM when
I was 17 and passed my test in Minehead.
I crammed the lessons in, worked hard
and really went for it. I nearly failed my
test because Brighton was very controlled
with lots of traffic lights and Minehead had
hardly any at the time. I was used to being
told ‘it’s green now, you can drive’. In
Minehead I was waiting too long and had to
make my own decisions. But I passed.
You’ve mentioned a love of speed. Has that
ended you up in trouble?
I have lost my licence twice from speeding.
What was your first car?
My mother gave me her yellow Fiat 850
as my 18th birthday present. I was a very
lucky girl. I was allowed to do with it what I
wanted. It was very old so I traded it in for a
new grey Honda Civic, my pride and joy at
the time.
How often do you change your cars?
I’m quite funny about my cars. I have to
know which car I want next and there has
to be a reason. I love my Porsche. I’ve had
it for seven years. It starts when I want it
to, it hugs the road, goes fast, it’s good in
the winter and great with the hood down
in summer. I love it. I’ll keep it until I see
another car and think ‘oh that’s lovely’.
Do you like driving or is it just a means of
getting from A to B?
I loved driving. And then for a while,
because of work, I was just driving sensible
cars for miles, rather than cars I loved, and
driving became a chore. But now I hardly
drive at all, although I do, I absolutely love
it and really enjoy it.
On a scale of 1 to 10 how good a driver
would you say you are?
I’m actually not a bad driver. Blowing my
own trumpet, I think I’m a good driver. I’d
say 8.
Why not 10?
Touch wood I get from A to B without any
problems. I had three minor accidents in my
first year of driving. One I literally drove
my car into a boat on the back of a trailer
along Brighton beach front; I was looking
at handsome young men at the time. I got
their attention but not for the right reasons.
I didn’t have a lot of money then and my
parents weren’t going to help so I had to
repair the car myself. That taught me a
lesson. Another time I was in my Honda
Talk me through the circumstances...
Both times I have been banned through the
‘totting up’ system. The tickets I’ve had
always came from driving on my own very
late at night. I’m not saying it with pride but
on a motorway it was a bit too easy for the
speed to creep up.
What speeds are we talking about?
For the first ban, I already had two speeding
offences and I was caught doing about 100
miles an hour. I was going way too fast,
driving a BMW. So I lost my licence and
couldn’t drive for 6 months.
And it was not once but twice?!
It wasn’t until I did it a second time and lost
my licence again for 6 months that I really
learnt my lesson.
You obviously like going fast and if you
drive a Porsche it must be very tempting.
I do like going fast and it’s so easy but
unfortunately they don’t accept that as an
excuse in court.
Are you a patient driver ?
I think so. I’m quite a practical person. I
can get really angry about things I can do
something about but don’t see the point
getting upset about things I have no control
over. If it’s a traffic gridlock there’s nothing I
can do about it.
Are you a good passenger?
I think in life I prefer to be the driver.
What annoys you about other drivers?
Rudeness, particularly in the lanes. There
are these unwritten rules about who
reverses, who pulls in, so it does annoy >>
When I went to meet
Deborah, she asked that
our £100 donation be
given to Tusk Trust, the
elephant protection
charity. Next time, my
colleague Maxine Ashford
will be asking questions
to former England
cricket captain
Michael Vaughan.
Val x
23
Hitching a ride
>> me when people just
don’t even bother to thank
or acknowledge me, and
also when I am riding too.
I’m always conscious to
thank people and do the
right thing.
You’ve been involved with
GEM before, supporting
a campaign for safety on
the road for horses. What
advice would you give to
drivers around horses?
Well certainly slow down… especially on
bends. And you must always be aware on
bends anyway as you don’t know what’s
around the corner. Slow down and give the
horses a wide berth. And people get past
the horse and then shoot off, revving their
engines. That’s scary for a horse.
What’s in your glove box?
I don’t really use my glove box. Probably
whatever they stuffed it full of when they
sold me the car! But in the back of the car is
a pair of dance shoes.
Is that as a result of being a contestant on
Strictly Come Dancing?
Yes it is and my husband and I now dance
GoodMotoring Ad A5_Layout 1 26/07/2015 08:02 Page 1
quite regularly. And I
usually get off my horse
after a ride and head
off to my dance lesson,
which we do locally.
What is the next dream
car that might catch your
eye? And while we’re at
it, your dream passenger
and dream journey?
Well, my Porsche isn’t
exactly environmentally
friendly, so I can’t really preach about the
environment. So I’d love the day when
I might have a totally environmentally
friendly car. I’d love to spend time with
Elizabeth I. I think I’d take her on the same
route as all the processions she used to make
and see what she makes of today’s journeys.
You are Road minister for the day. What
would you change or revoke?
There is way too much signage. I think it has
a negative effect, no one reads it any more.
I’m sure it doesn’t work. I would review
it all. Make people a bit more conscious
of their own driving and not relying on
being told what to do. I concentrate and
pay attention myself. I don’t need ten signs
saying it’s safe or not safe. GM
“
It was not
until I lost
my licence
for a second
time that I
really learnt
my lesson...
”
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Tried and tested
Riding high
Baby and child transportation
equipment comes in a bewildering
variety of sophisticated models. For this
review we focus on simple, yet essential
equipment – ‘Car Seat Group 2-3’
booster seats for children aged four to
12 years old. Spanning a wide age, size
and weight range (approximately 15kg
to 36kg), booster seats must be small
enough for a pre-school child yet large
enough for a first year secondary school
pupil. This is quite a task.
Many adults - parents, carers,
grandparents and child-minders - buy
backless booster seats. Some seats
(including the final two reviewed here)
are designed largely with portability in
mind for more temporary use, such as
in rental cars on overseas holidays. Each
seat reviewed meets current ECE R44.04
regulations and is listed as ‘Universal’,
so should fit most (if not all) car seats.
Each instruction manual stressed clearly
that use in the front seat is permitted
only if there is no active air bag and that
booster seats must be used with a lap
and diagonal belt.
We considered six features: child
comfort (an essential non-driver’s
judgement), usability (clear instructions
and easy adult belt-path guide), ease of
installing in different vehicles, ability
to keep clean (removable, washable
cover), portability and value for money.
Wider seats, whilst more comfortable
for older children, may be tricky for an
adult to see exactly where to fasten the
adult belt, so try before you buy. Except
where stated, all prices are at Halfords
at the time of writing.
Rod’s grandson Louis
offered his feedback for
these tests.
Rod Ashley takes a close look at
car booster seats
Diono Little Tikes Booster Seat with cup-holders
Price: £14.99 (Argos)
Size: 46 x 35 x 19 cms
Available in bright red fabric, this
booster seat features integral, deep
cup holders for drinks and snacks
which made it popular with children.
Its very light weight makes it highly
portable, partly because of the shorter arm
length. The design makes the seat slightly
bulkier and in deeply-contoured rear seats it did not
always lie entirely flat. User instructions are neatly tucked away in a
pouch under the machine-washable, removable fabric cover. The preconnected shoulder-positioning guide made the initial ‘clip and go’
use easier than any other seat. Excellent value as a basic seat.
ROD’S RATING:
BubbleBum
Price: £29.95
Size: 33 x 33 x 11.4 cms
Graco Booster Basic
(City design)
Price: £17.99
Size: 41 x 41 x 21 cms
Using high-quality durable plastics,
this solid yet quite light seat is
available in several colours. The
removable, machine-washable cover
is comfortably padded, making
it a popular choice with children.
They particularly admired the two
retractable cup holders – even a
smaller child could reach them easily
for drinks or snacks, although tall
bottles can tumble out. Neat touches
are the two-height position arms and
the slip-resistant foam-base runners
(reducing slippage on leather seats).
This model benefits from long arms/
belt guides. Accompanied by a
detailed, multi-lingual manual, the
Basic City represents excellent value
for money.
ROD’S RATING:
Offering an alternative approach to ultimate
portability, the BubbleBum name appealed
to children. Smaller than other seats
reviewed here, this very light, inflatable
model is particularly suitable if you need
three rear booster seats in a smaller car. Its
compact design allows quick inflation by
mouth. It also deflates quickly to pack away
(almost flat) into its own stretchy bag to
carry for holidays, hire cars, taxis, coaches
or school trips, saving rental costs. Memory
foam enhances comfort and Bubblebum lost
no significant air pressure over a fortnight
of use. The ‘surface-washable’ fabric seems
durable and comfortable, although some
children felt that the smaller seat size gave
less under-thigh support.
The BubbleBum has no
arm rests.
ROD’S RATING:
What’s the legal position? Very simply, the law states that you must use a car seat from birth until
the child reaches 12 years of age, or 135cm in height, whichever comes first.
Why not just use an adult belt? It’s against the law and, in the event of harsh braking or an
accident, the child could be injured. An uncomfortable child is likely to become restless and prove
a distraction. As the name suggests, the seat boosts the child’s height, so a child who can see other
occupants and outside is much more likely to be a contented traveller.
26
Graco Connext
Price: £27.99 (not yet in Halfords)
Size: 41 x 40 x 21.5 cms
ASHLEY’S
ACE
The Connext uses Isofix-compatible connectors, ensuring that the
seat always stays secure. Enhanced safety apart, this useful feature
means that a child can climb independently into the correct position
and that adults don’t spend time retrieving a dislodged seat. The
inwardly tapered cushion front helps ensure a snug fit in most
rear seats. Using high-quality durable plastics, the Connext is
available in several colours and has a large, well-padded cover which
is removable and machine-washable. Overall, this seat was a popular,
comfortable choice with children and adults. A detailed, multi-lingual
safety manual is even supplemented on the seat-base by a QR code to check
fitting instructions by Smartphone. Excellent value for money.
ROD’S RATING:
Trunki BoostApak
Price: £39.95 - £44.99
Size: 40 x 36 x 16 cms (plus 8 litre backpack capacity)
This attractive, beautifully-engineered seat offers a unique slant, doubling as a backpack for (and to be worn by) the child. The high quality of materials is evident and
the ingeniously-designed BoostApak complies with current aircraft hand-luggage
regulations. Both these aspects are reflected in the premium price, but the cleverlypackaged BoostApak could save a fortune in charges from overseas rental firms.
Instructions and safety labels are exemplary in their clarity and durability. The hard
plastic shell acts as the seat base and protects backpack contents, but does make the
item heavy for a small child to carry. Will parents end up carrying it? Available in a
range of lively designs, the fabric covering is wipe-clean.
ROD’S RATING:
Good Motoring competition
Win a luxury break
for two in Cambridge
We have a
very generous
short break
offer from
the Hallmark
Hotel and Golf
Club, close to
this historic old
university town
28
FOR THE competition in this edition of Good
Motoring, we think we have a truly wonderful prize,
kindly offered by the four star Hallmark Hotel, just
outside the beautiful and historic university town
of Cambridge.
Standing in a picturesque 200 acres, the Hallmark
Cambridge Hotel is just five miles out of town,
so you’ll have no troube heading in for a fabulous
day of exploring the colleges and museums, and
generally enjoying the atmosphere. Following
recent extensive refurbishment, the hotel offers
136 en-suite bedrooms, including executive and
family rooms, a spacious lounge and bar, extensive
free parking and free Wi-Fi. Dine within the hotel’s
AA rosette award-winning Brasserie restaurant and
pamper yourself in the Waves Health and Leisure
Club, complete with large indoor swimming pool,
sauna, spa pool and gym and the latest addition of a
spa treatment room, or test your golf skills on the
hotel’s magnificent 18-hole, 72 par championship
golf course.
We think you’ll be inspired by your time in
Cambridge. Take in one or more of the many
beautiful museums and art galleries. Admire
the beautiful architecture and majestic college
buildings, perhaps slipping into one of the chapels
and churches to hear the magnificent sound of
a college choir. Explore quaint passages situated
around the historic market place, where you might
feel as though you’re in the middle of a Harry
Potter film! You’ll certainly find it’s a unique and
relaxing shopping experience.
One of Cambridge’s most famous sons is Oliver
Cromwell, who was educated at Sidney Sussex
Enter!
now
About the prize
Hallmark Hotel Cambridge is offering a
two-night stay for two people, subject to
availability.The break includes one threecourse dinner (excluding drinks), breakfast
on both mornings, use of the hotel’s
leisure facilities, one spa treatment, one
golf lesson, a tour of Cambridge and a pub
lunch (maximum total value £60) in town..
Enter now...
Just answer this one question:
Who was elected MP for Cambridge
in 1640?
(Hint: the answer’s in the article!)
Send an email to us at
competition@motoringassist.com
with your answer. Please also include
your GEM membership number.The
closing date is 29 October 2015. You
can also enter by post (address on page 3).
Important...
Facing page: one of the most
famous views of Cambridge King’s College Chapel, seen from
across the River Cam.
This page (c/w from above):
inside King’s Chapel (Iain Lewis
- Visit England); a room at the
Hallmark Hotel; the Hallmark
golf course; a gate at Clare
College; enjoy tea at the Hotel;
the pool at Waves Health Club.
Pics: visitcambridge.org,
Britain on View
Ensure you put Hallmark Competition in
the subject line of your email.
If you choose another title, or
leave it blank, then your entry
will not be counted. Last time
we discarded more than 150
incorrectly-titled entries!
Terms and Conditions
This competition is subject to our standard
competition terms and conditions. Please email
the editor if you would like a copy.
For more information, visit www.hallmarkhotels.co.uk
College, and was elected Member of Parliament for
Cambridge in 1640. Previously he had been MP for
Huntingdon. He became Lord Protector of England,
and oversaw the beheading of King Charles I in
1649. After Cromwell died, Charles II became king,
and Cromwell’s head was displayed as the head of
a traitor. The head is now buried in Sidney Sussex
college, but they won’t say where!
Other well-known Cambridge alumni include
Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Clive James,Virginia
Woolf and Jack Lewars - a current contributor to
Good Motoring magazine!
So exactly what is included in your wonderful
prize? Well, you and a companion will receive
a complimentary two-night stay with breakfast
and one dinner at the hotel, plus some leisure
treats, two places on an Official Blue and Green
Badge Walking Tour of Cambridge (courtesy of
visitcambridge.org) and lunch for two at The
Pint Shop, one of Cambridge’s finest pubs.You
will be the hotel’s guest for dinner on one of
the nights - we’re enjoying a quick peruse of the
restaurant dinner menu right now, and can spot
highlights such as 14oz Chateaubriand prime cut
fillet, and event burnt Cambridge vanilla cream for
pudding (it’s a local variation on crême brûlée). But
that’s not all, because we want you to enjoy the
facilities of the hotel, including the Waves Health
and Leisure Club. Enjoy one spa treatment in the
hotel’s treatment room and one individual golf
tuition session with a professional (equipment can
be provided if you don’t have your own).
All in all, we reckon there’s everything here for a
fantastic and memorable two-night break.
Getting
there
Pub grub...
Cambridge is
known for its
colleges (there
are 31 of them)
but it also has
a deserved
reputation for
some of the
best pubs in the
country. Head for
the Pint Shop
(pintshop.co.uk)
where the
emphasis is on
food and drink in
equal measure.
29
Drive to the Alps
Cuba: visit before it
changes for ever...
Alan Hart spent a few days on this sub-tropical island, just as hostilities with the
USA were being patched up with presidential handshakes. But he sensed the new
accord could see much of the ‘real’ Cuba (including its amazing line-up of old cars)
disappear without trace
You could be forgiven for thinking you
had wandered onto a film set. Standing by
the roadside, I watched the gaudy, gleaming
grills and polished fins of brightly-coloured
Chevvies, Lincolns and Oldsmobiles
cruising by as though clocks had been
turned back 60 years to Hollywood’s golden
era.
When I walked out of the main square, it
switched to a scene from Soviet Russia in
the 1980s as a convoy of drab, box-shaped
Ladas headed my way. Welcome to Cuba.
This sub-tropical island in the Caribbean is
30
simply unique – but how long can it stay
this way?
The contrasting cars are in many ways
a lesson in Cuba’s recent history as it
stands on the threshold of a new era. Since
American president Barack Obama and
Cuban president Raul Castro shook hands
in December 2014, and agreed to end their
countries’ mutual hostility, the population
has been waiting nervously, with a mixture
of hope and fear, to see what happens next.
In the meantime there may be one last
chance to enjoy what Cuba has to offer now
“
Batista fled
the country
at 3am on
New Year’s
Day, 1959...
”
Cuban adventure
as a holiday resort and tourist attraction.
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean,
lying 93 miles south of Florida, 48 miles
west of Haiti, and 131 miles east of Mexico.
It was from Mexico on board the yacht
“Granma” that Fidel Castro, brother Raul
and the legendary Che Guevera returned
from exile in 1956 to start a revolution
with 80 other guerrilla fighters against the
repressive regime of Colonel Fulgencio
Batista, who had seized power in a coup d’
état in 1952.
Batista fled the country at 3am on New
Year’s Day, 1959, with 40 supporters and
an estimated $300 million in cash. Crowds
lined the streets of Havana to cheer the
cigar-chomping Fidel and his Communist
revolutionaries when they arrived in the
capital five days later.
They had witnessed thousands of their
countrymen being executed, with tortured
bodies dangling from lampposts as Batista
tried to cling on to power. His right-wing
regime had been supported financially not
only by the American government and
business tycoons, but also by the Mafia.
Mobsters such as Meyer Lansky and Lucky
Luciano controlled the gambling, drugs and
prostitution rackets.
Havana became a playboys’ playground,
attracting writers like Ernest Hemingway
and celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Ava
Gardner and George Raft to its parties. At
one time 11,500 call-girls were operating in
the capital as the divide between rich and
poor widened.
In his 1960 presidential campaign,
John Kennedy condemned the corrupt
relationship which had existed between
Batista and the American government. But
with the withdrawal of Washington’s aid
and the expulsion of Mafia racketeers, >>
Main pic: Cuba is
famous for its vintage
Chevvies, Lincolns and
Oldsmobiles. Top: the
La Merced Church in
Camaguey. Middle: a
Cuban trumpeter lets
rip. Bottom: palm
trees at Guama.
31
Cuba adventure
>> Fidel grabbed large amounts of US assets
and turned to Russia for support.
This led to a trade embargo and the 1962
Cuban missile crisis, when Moscow agreed to
remove its nuclear launch-pads if Washington
promised to leave Cuba alone.
So for many years this sub-tropical paradise
became the land where time stood still as
Castro quietly implemented his MarxistLeninist ideals. The only cars were those ‘50s
American classics which still roam the island to
this day.
Some have had different parts replaced so
many times that only the original bodywork
remains. A few of these gas-guzzling
Thunderbirds, Buicks, Pontiacs, Chevrolet
Impalas and Ford Victorias have been
preserved in mint condition. The majority are
daily workhorses, providing a taxi service for
nostalgic visitors.
They were supplemented in the ‘80s by
sturdy Russian-built Ladas, but the supply
dried up in 1993 as the Soviet Union
disintegrated.
After more than 30 years of isolation, Cuba
declared itself open again for holidaymakers
– although America banned its citizens from
visiting “an enemy state.” So for 20 years, the
island’s tourist industry has been dominated
by Canadians and Brits, who have taken
advantage of its sandy beaches, sunny climate
and bargain prices.
Every year the Cuban Tourist Board has
targeted a European country as its partner in
FitCuba – a celebration of the historic links
between Cuba and our continent. In 2015 it was
the turn of Italy to be honoured guests at their
May festival.
It was of course Christopher Columbus, of
Genoa, who discovered Cuba in 1492 on his
way to America. The island was occupied
in those days by Amerindians, who smoked
leaves called cohiba through a forked reed
called a tabac, played a game called batos
(baseball) and rowed around in boats they
called canoes. They cooked their food on a
barbecue and described the strong wind which
occasionally blasted their shores as a hurricane.
Spain’s Conquistadores followed Columbus
to Cuba, exterminating the Amerindians and
later shipping slaves from Africa to mine the
gold they found there. When that ran out, they
built vast plantations to harvest sugar and
distil rum.
Cuba libre (white rum, lime and lemon
juice and coke) is still the national drink,
although mojitos (white rum, sugar, lime juice,
Angostura bitters, crushed mint and soda) and
daiquiris (white rum, lime juice and crushed
ice) are also well worth a try.
Typical Cuban cuisine (cocina criolla) has
its roots in Africa and Spain. Try the ajiaco, a
rich vegetable stew, and the national dish of
morrosycristianos (black beans, rice and pork).
The favourite dessert is coco rallado y queso
(grated coconut with cheese in a sugary syrup).
Cuba has an abundance of white sandy
32
Top: an old Buick parked in an
historic part of Havana. Above (l-r):
a pretty church tower in summer
sun; a colourfully-dressed dancer.
Right: more beautiful old cars line
up in Havana. Below: the coastline at
Yunque Baracoa.
beaches, of which Varadero, on the north coast,
is the most popular. Here you can take your
pick from a row of five-star hotels which offer
all-inclusive deals.
Further east along the Atlantic coast there’s
a choice of other luxurious rooms at the Hotel
Melia, Jardines del Rey; the Brisas, Santa Lucia;
the Brisas Guardalavaca; and on the Caribbean
south coast at the Playa Pesquero and Hotel
Melia, Santiago, where you can simply relax, or
take part in the various water sports available
around the coral reefs. There’s also sea fishing
for big game like marlin and barracuda.
The city of Camaguey, with its elegant
Spanish colonial style houses, has a nightclub
called the Casablanca which is a replica of
the Hollywood movie classic of that name.
Dance fans can enjoy those toe-tapping LatinAmerican rhythms of the mambo, rumba,
samba, cha cha, salsa, lambada and tango.
But no visit to Cuba is complete without a
trip to the bustle and bright lights of Havana.
From my base at The Panorama Hotel I took a
ride in a 1952 red and white Buick convertible
into the old town.
Not far from La Bodeguita del Medio, where
Hemingway sipped his mojitos, there’s a
cosy bar restaurant called Nao in San Pedro
y Baratillo which has everything that’s best
in Habana Vieja – friendly atmosphere, live
music, great food and a wonderfully warm
welcome. Visit soon – in case it becomes a
burger bar.
Alan Hart was a guest of FitCuba2015, the
International Tourism Fair. For further information
on the island’s tourism opportunities, visit
travel2cuba.co.uk GM
Pics (from top): all
the fun and spectacle
of Tropicana Festival
time; Havana’s Plaza San
Francisco; art exhibits in
Havana. Below: author
Alan Hart at the wheel of
a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air.
33
Motorbike adventure
A gourmet weekend
on two wheels
London chef Henry Harris loves to share his passions for great food
and motorcycling. So much the better if he can combine the two.
With due regard to safety and concentration, Henry recounts a recent
long weekend
A long weekend in the Dordogne can be
quite straightforward if you fly. A process that
never enthrals me. Planning parking, traffic,
getting to the terminal, the whole check-in
palaver. The realisation that you have to go
through the process when you come home...
My wife and daughter were duly booked onto
a flight to Bordeaux and I was left behind to
work. Plans changed and I decided to meet them
there. I have never realised how easy it could be
to get an overnight ferry from Portsmouth. One
hour fifteen minutes from the front door in West
London to the petrol station by the ferry terminal.
Filled up and 15 minutes later, I was directed
through to join the other motorcycles already
queuing to board. Within 30 minutes I was on
34
board, bike strapped down, gear in my cabin and
having a glass of Macon to finish the day before
heading off to bed.
Spring in Normandy can be chilly first thing
when the ferry docks. Extra layers were vital, as it
was only 4.5 degrees. Satnav loaded, petrol tank
full - a getaway from Caen was easy.
Planning your trip and what you are capable
of on a motorcycle is crucial. It is easy to
underestimate the effects of total concentration.
You don’t want to get it wrong. Tiredness five
years ago meant I wrote off my bike pulling into
a gravel car park when I wasn’t paying attention.
It was embarrassing rather than painful.
500 miles is a good distance to cover on a
bike in one day. Planning to keep the fun gave
Weekend on two wheels
Main pic: the stunning
skyline of St Emilion.
From top right: one of
the Brittany Ferries fleet;
a chateau near Saumur;
wine cellars in Bordeaux.
“
Rolling
gentle hills
give good
sightlines to
read the road
and make
positive
progress...
”
me a schedule that was manageable. I took the
autoroute straight down to Saumur. Three hours
of slog but it meant the cold slippery roads
of Northern France wouldn’t be a worry. As I
pulled into Saumur the sun was shining and the
temperature read 26 degrees. Heaven!
Saumur is a beautiful town on the Loire. A
lazy wander for an hour to stretch the legs and
clear the mind was a pleasure. After that it was
country roads only - a real gem is the part from
Coganc to Segonzac. Then even more country
twisties all the way to the Dordogne.
French country roads are remarkable. Well
maintained and so full of corners that long
distances disappear easily. When I arrived at my
friend’s chateau at 7.15pm I was more pumped
from the journey than tired from its exertion.
The Dordogne is another treat. Twisty wooded
runs between Saint Aulaye and Riberac were
worth exploring and then down towards Saint
Emilion and Bordeaux. Rolling gentle hills
through vineyards give good sightlines to read
the road and make positive progress easy.
A day in Bordeaux looking at antiques was
followed by lunch at La Tupina. This is a part
of Bordeaux culinary heritage. Much of the
menu is cooked over burning embers in the fire
place, including a large shallow pan of oil where
delicious frites were also prepared. Flavours of
woodsmoke, garlic and duck seemed to work
their way into some of the dishes. A €39 menu
meant lunch provided a rustic country pate with
foie gras, then duck confit with those frites that
were moreish in the extreme. A rich chocolate tart
was dense and soft. Definitely worth a detour to
have proper French cooking that rarely and sadly
makes an appearance in France today.
On returning to the Dordogne we stopped off
at a local Cognac producer to buy a few bottles
of Pineau de Charentes. It is the aperitif of the
region; lightly fermented grape juice is fortified
with young brandy and the matured for at least
eight months.
We visited the village of Aubeterre-surDronne. Built into the hillside, it is not just very
picturesque as it sits on the river Dronne but
is also home to the monolithic church of Saint
Jean. This is one of only two churches in France
that have been built by carving directly into the
mountainside. The other can be found in Saint
Emilion. Further up the village the Chateau de
l’Aubeterre dominates the skyline with its towers
and walls surrounding a large garden. Sadly no
visiting as it is a private residence.
Leaving the bike, I joined my group for a look
at Lac Jemaye, a large lake in the Le Double
forest. In spring temperatures of 26C we walked
the lake for an hour and a half before taking a
table at the restaurant on the sand beach. Grilled
duck, steaks and salads fortified in the sunshine.
Later that afternoon we drove to the studio of
Geoffrey Image (metallimage.co.uk) who makes
the most beautiful metal sculptures of fish and
other sea creatures. The rest of the family then left
to fly home and I stayed on for one more night
with an early start to head for the ferry.
A few words of caution to the motorcyclist,
especially if you don’t regularly do large mileage.
Don’t underestimate the fatigue you’ll experience
from four days of concentrating. Always quit
while you are ahead; don’t push it if you’re tired.
I had an afternoon ferry and realised that at a
steady pace I could make it to Caen and spare
time for lunch. I must say that this was just what
was needed to restore me and refresh me after the
dullness of the motorway.
On the ferry it was straight into my cabin and
a fine siesta before awaking as the ferry made its
approach into Portsmouth harbour.
On returning to the car deck I was able to stand
at the front and admire the harbour lights as we
approached the landing dock. It is remarkable
with good planning how much you can fit into a
long weekend. GM
MAKE YOUR BOOKING
Henry Harris travelled courtesy of Brittany
Ferries, who operate year-round sailings
from Portsmouth, Poole and Plymouth to
five French ports as well as to Santander
and Bilbao in Spain. In high season, sail
from just £129 each way for a car plus two
passengers, travelling from Portsmouth
to Le Havre , To find out more visit
brittanyferries.com or call call 0871 244
1400 where you’ll find details of their
motorbike tours. And for all the latest
special offer visit brittanyferries.com/offers.
35
Saddle up for a
ride in safety...
Follow GEM’s safety tips and reduce the risk of being involved in a collision
n Check your motorcycle before riding. In particular
pay attention to tyre pressures, tread depth, chain
(if fitted) tension and lubrication and make sure
all controls move freely and - where possible - are
adjusted to suit you.
n Make sure you are wearing appropriate safety
clothing manufactured to a recognised standard. The
law only covers the crash helmet, but nowadays both
leather and textile garments come with protection
for vulnerable areas. Remember there is no such
thing as a cold wet motorcyclist, only a badly
prepared one!
n Take time to warm up, especially if you are not a
regular rider and not ‘bike fit’. Ease into the ride and
make sure everything is working as it should and the
tyres have warmed up before you start increasing
your speed and lean angles.
n Make use of all your senses when riding. You are
not cocooned in a tin box so you can smell diesel and
mown grass, and you can hear approaching sirens.
Because you are sitting higher than most cars you
36
can see things well in advance, giving you more time
to react.
n Motorcycles have a small silhouette, so always try
and position yourself so you can see into the mirrors
of the vehicle ahead. If you can see the driver they
can (hopefully) see you, but never assume. Trust only
your senses and skill.
n A motorcycle is very manoeuvrable and nimble,
so can filter through and past stationary and slow
traffic. But do so at an appropriate speed and give
yourself time to react and stop if a car suddenly
turns. A rider with real skill filters slowly rather than
at speed.
n Remember your journey only finishes when you
turn off the engine and place the machine on its
stand. Make sure the ground is safe for the bike and
it will not roll off the stand, causing damage or injury.
Also, consider machine security to ensure it is still
there when you next want to use it.
Compiled by GEM’s motorcycle safety advisor, Ian Kerr MBE
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65
Autumn breaks
Great getaways
Treat yourself to one of our fabulous and relaxing late-season breaks.
This tempting selection includes town, coast and country – so we’re sure
there’s something just right for you…
Jesmond Dene House,
Newcastle
Relaxing in the pleasant garden grounds of
Newcastle’s Jesmond Dene House, I pondered
over my recent walk through the city.
Before arriving I didn’t know quite
what to expect and any preconceived notions I had about it
having at best some sort of
decaying elegance turned
out to be quite wrong.
Here is a place that has
seen an abundance of restoration, especially down
by the river in the shadow
of the arched Tyne Bridge.
At the Quayside, fashionable
riverside apartments enjoy the
company of public sculptures,
vast pedestrian areas and a landscaped promenade. Nearby, stylish bars
and trendy restaurants look on to the Millennium Bridge that tilts to allow ships to pass. Other
buildings made of steel and glass reflect this
scene; it is all modern, chic and even cool.
The people of this city are officially known
as Novocastrians but its citizens prefer and are
proud to be called Geordies. There is probably
38
some truth that factions of Geordies have hedonistic tendencies and the prolific hen and stag
party trade fuels this inclination. However, visitors come to Newcastle for all kinds of reasons
such as graduation ceremonies, weddings, the
theatre, shows, exhibitions or when on a grand
tour of Britain.
In the city centre there are a bundle
of hotels. A much better option is
Jesmond Dene House, which is
rather hidden from the road,
settling in a tranquil spot
amid trees, shrubs and
colourful plants. In description it looks like a stately
home, which indeed it once
was, being built in Victorian
times.
Inside the main hotel there
are many more stately features
such as wood panelling, oil
paintings, polished oak floors
and grand fireplaces. Ceilings are
high with intricate plasterwork and public
rooms, apart from having sumptuous sofas and
easy chairs, are furnished with tasteful works of
art from the Gallery of Northumbria University.
There are also wire dogs of many types and sizes
produced by local artist, Gary Tiplady.
This hotel is a place for calm contentment
and soothing relaxation and I really just want
“
I really just
want to sit
quietly and
soak in its
grandeur
”
Ye Olde Bell, Barnby Moor
to sit quietly and soak in its grandeur while
being teased by the occasional warm aromas
of rotisserie chickens drifting from the kitchen.
Chef Troy Terrington from “down south” came
to Jesmond Dene a few years ago and he loves
it here. His enthusiasm for food ensures only
seasonal vegetables are used and all the produce
is sourced from local suppliers.
Thus we have Northumberland venison and
Belted Galloway beef from a nearby farmer, and
North Sea lobster and monkfish. Try the haggis,
duck egg on toast with salsa verde for breakfast.
Another must is the dark chocolate sphere that’s
filled with salted caramel and gingerbread ice
cream. Interestingly different.
Perhaps the best endorsement for Jesmond
Dene House is from the Geordies; they love it
and see the hotel as being somewhere distinctive
for that special occasion, even if it is just afternoon tea. It is that kind of place, ye knaa what ah
mean leik?
Andrew MacKay
Make your booking:
Enjoy an autumn breakaway with a seasonal dinner,
bed and breakfast package. The price is from £200
per couple per night sharing a Classic Room.
A supplement applies to deluxe rooms and suites.
Call 0191 212 3000 or visit jesmonddenehouse.co.uk
You would be forgiven for thinking that an inn called Ye Olde
anything would be worth avoiding, simply because it would be full of
clichés and camera-toting overseas tourists. So we are happy to give the
thumbs-up to Ye Olde Bell, near Retford in Nottinghamshire.
As a motoring journalist, I had heard of Ye
Olde Bell as the only intermediary control
Make your
point in the UK of the original Monte Carlo
booking:
Rally, the gruelling test of man and machine
A classic double room
devised by Prince Albert in 1911. So it was a
costs £175 per night.
treat to visit.
Check the website for
Ye Olde Bell is actually in the village of
special offers or call the
Barnby Moor, but is on the original Great
hotel for availability. The
North Road, so it’s really interesting to
£299 ‘Just the Two of You’
secret escape includes
motor along here to discover why this route
champagne, private dinner
was taken by our roadbuilder forefathers.
for two in your superior
Its selection as a route was actually made
room, full English breakfast
long before the motor car, and the hotel was
and a late check-out.
a well-known stage coaching inn on the
Call 01777 705121 or visit
Scotland to Dover route.
yeoldebell-hotel.co.uk
The place was bought by local couple
Paul and Hilary Levack who had grown
up with it as a special venue and wanted it to stay fairly and squarely
on the map. You can tell the passion and effort that has gone into every
corner of the 400-year-old hotel. Antique furniture and moulded wall
coverings have been lovingly repaired, oil paintings cleaned, deep
carpets and sumptuous curtains abound, and there are real surprises
around every corner: a commissioned colourful mural up the staircase,
a life-sized sculpture of a horse, and a jockey-weighing seat in reception.
Say, honey, get us a picture.
As well as superb food in the comfy bar area with a roaring log fire,
there is also the art
deco Restaurant Bar
1650, the St Leger
Bistro and space for
private dining and
events, including
an outdoor terrace
and large garden
completely hidden by
the road. Head chef is
Keith Firth, husband
of general manager
Kate.
So, is there an old bell here at all, and if so, where is it? Archive
pictures depict a large bell hanging over the entrance, but it
disappeared at some point mid-20th century. Maybe it was melted
down for the war effort. However, there are now plans to bring a
similar bell back, and either mount it in the gardens or even on the
large chimney and create a
bell tower.
Ye Olde Bell – or Ye Newe
Bell as I assume they may
soon call it – is a great base
for exploring Lincoln or
Chatsworth, or you could
take the train to Leeds or
York, just 40 minutes away.
Enjoy the historic links; you
may find some interesting
cars and owners in the car
park and you will be made
welcome by the staff. As
GM Kate told me, “The most important thing about running a hotel is
the hospitality. All the staff are trained to treat each guest as if they are
welcoming them into their own home”.
Peter Baker
39
Autumn breaks
Whatley Manor,
Malmesbury
Welcome to a classic Cotswold country house
with 12 acres of grounds that lead down to a
gently meandering stream. My reason to come
here is to experience the taster menu devised
by 2-star Michelin Chef Martin Burge and the
accompanying wines chosen by Italian sommelier,
Andrea Domenicucci. Each dish is explained by
the serving staff, who take pleasure in your looks
of surprise, and the conversation that results.
Martin’s menus reflect traditional produce with
fascinating twists of flavour. His own favourite
creation is seaweed and mint, yet he admits to
loving the simplicity of chocolate with hazelnut.
Andrea has developed a wine list that reads
like a world tour, including wines from Austria
and Switzerland. Yet, there is no pretentiousness.
For Martin’s English asparagus, dressed with
hazelnut sherbet, warm parmesan and deepfried quail eggs, Andrea chose the simple,
and satisfying white Bourgogne Aligoté as the
accompanying glass. He recommended an Italian
dessert wine with the cheese - an excellent idea.
Head Gardener Andy Spreadbury oversees a
diverse range of Whatley’s grounds, from the
small, secluded rose garden to the main lawn
popular with crows and scurrying wagtails. He
also conducts occasional tours where you may see
the blue sheen of an occasional giant dragonfly
hovering over a lily pond.
The former stables area is also the centre of
another distinctive feature of the Manor, the
Aquarias Spa. Its outdoor-indoor pool faces onto
another lawn and trees, making it an ideal place
to unwind.
Roger Crisp
40
“
You may
see the blue
sheen of an
occasional
giant
dragonfly
Make your booking:
Whatley Manor’s gourmet short break costs from
£520 for two, including dinner in the Dining Room,
use of spa facilities, early morning tea or coffee and
English breakfast.
Call 01666 822888 or visit whatleymanor.com
”
Autumn breaks
St Brides Spa Hotel,
Saundersfoot
Saundersfoot is a traditional Welsh seaside
town, where our accommodation for two nights
was the contemporary St Brides Spa Hotel, a
luxury retreat 10 years in the making for owners
Andrew and Lindsey Evans and their team.
The hotel dominates the headland, its enviable,
elevated position above Saundersfoot Harbour
offering stunning views across the waters of
Carmarthen Bay.
As the sun lowered in the sky, the fishing boats
headed out into the bay and the air temperature
dropped; the bubbling waters of the infinity
hydro pool wrapped us up in a warm, contented
glow and the force of the water pumping from
the swan neck fountain helped ease away
tensions.
Hotel guests have the opportunity to enjoy a
90-minute session in the spa. Complete with salt
infusion room, sensation shower, aroma steam
room, herbal rock sauna and ice fountain, it’s the
perfect way to wind down. There is also a long
list of soothing health and beauty treatments and
‘escape packages’ available, all based on marine
products designed to make use of the natural
healing properties of the ocean.
Just a 20-minute drive from Saundersfoot,
Tenby is a ‘must see’; its narrow streets festooned
with bunting, pastel-coloured houses lining the
front and golden sandy beaches we thought
could rival any found in the Mediterranean.
Located on Castle Hill, a promontory separating
the southern beaches from the harbour, the
award-winning Tenby Museum and Art Gallery
is the oldest independent museum in Wales.
Displays include the bones of a woolly rhino
found on Caldey Island, mammoth bones from
Amroth and part of the jaw of a cave lion.
Hidden on Quay Hill within the narrow streets
of the town we stumbled across the three-storey
Tudor Merchant’s House, the oldest home in
Tenby, which reflects how a successful Tudor
merchant would have lived with his family
during Tenby’s heyday. And just 15 minutes
by boat is Caldey Island, offering serenity in a
timeless location. Inhabited mainly by Cistercian
monks who have been living a life of prayer and
learning on the island since 1929, Caldey has
a guest house, post office, museum, tea room,
perfume shop and chocolate factory, as well as a
number of ancient churches and an impressive
Grade II listed abbey built in 1910.
Back at base that evening, the Cliff Restaurant
had a definite buzz about it. Described as
‘unbuttoned fine dining’, our menu had been
created by head chef Toby Goodwin, using
local produce that highlighted the best of
Pembrokeshire. We tucked in to pan fried
scallops, mâche and bacon salad with red
pepper pesto followed by local lobster with baby
potatoes with Café de Paris butter.
We witnessed the changing view of
Saundersfoot through large picture windows.
Lights came on across the headland like clusters
of candles flickering around the bay, whilst
inside the hotel stylish driftwood and shell
arrangements brought the seaside theme ever
closer.
Karen Bacon
“
Lights
came on
like clusters
of candles
flickering
around the
bay...
”
Make your
booking:
The Dining Escape
lets you stay any
two nights between
October 2015 and
April 2016 from £200
per night, including
accommodation, full
breakfast, three course
evening meal each
evening, a 90-minute
bookable session in
the thermal suite and
hydrotherapy pool,
access to the fitness
suite, Wi-Fi and car
parking.
Call 01834 812304 or
stbridesspahotel.com
41
Autumn breaks
“
Braye Beach Hotel,
Alderney
It was 25 years since my first and only visit
to Alderney, when I had been invited to the
wedding of friends who still live there. The island
has hardly changed. Perhaps it’s because it’s not
the easiest of the Channel Islands to get to that it
has remained so unspoilt. It’s the closest to both
Britain and France but the unpredictable seas
around Alderney, tides known as the Race and
the Swinge, make getting there by boat decidedly
troublesome. So plane is a better bet.
I stayed at the Braye Beach Hotel. From
outside it looks nothing like a hotel and is rather
unprepossessing. Inside it is different; elegant
and comfortable. I was given a charming room
overlooking the beach and a warm welcome by
Richard Proctor the manager.
What was extraordinary on my first short visit
was that I had completely missed the 12 huge
Victorian forts that almost ring the island…
except for the stretch of rugged cliffs which
was where I had taken a walk. What I had seen
were the remains of the gun emplacements
and batteries built by the Germans when they
occupied the island during World War 2. Today
a number of these bunkers are used for bird
watching, though they had a chilling atmosphere
that was more than just the cold and damp.
I decided on arrival to see the part of Alderney I
hadn’t seen first time around and those forts that
are such an unusual feature of the island. Only
three and a half miles long by one and a half
wide, it doesn’t take long to drive around and the
scenery is varied and interesting with numerous
deserted sandy beaches.
Annabel Finding who runs Alderney Mini Bus
Tours offered to show me around before dinner.
And the forts were incredible. Annabel gave me
a helpful tip. ‘Anything in stone is Victorian –
anything in concrete is German’. We drove out
to the Giffoine, a wild headland overlooking
two small rocky islands, Les Etacs, inhabited by
thousands of noisy gannets.
In 1854, while the forts were still under
construction, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
visited Alderney to take a look at the work,
surprisingly managing to get to the island by
boat. The long main street in St Anne, the only
town, was inaugurated Victoria Street and the
Queen wrote in her journal that ‘the island is
very rocky and barren but very picturesque’.
I called in at the island museum, like all
island museums a terrific mix of exhibits and
42
On my first
visit I had
completely
missed the
12 huge
Victorian
forts
historical stories. I liked the tale of Conrad Gries,
a German soldier who illicitly kept a map of
where the Germans had laid thousands of mines
during their occupation and when the war was
over gave that map to the liberating forces. He
apparently returned to Alderney quite a number
of times over the years.
After the museum I met Martin Batt, an
environmentalist who’s running the Living
Islands Project, a recently launched scheme
which aims to bring together, develop and
promote the island’s landscape, history and
wildlife.
I found the history of Alderney especially
absorbing but it is also today a lively island
with lots of events, festivals and guided walks.
The population is small, only about 1900, and
they all seem to know each other. Between my
exploration of the island and its history I spent
quite a lot of time tucked in a corner, meeting the
locals and hearing why they loved Alderney
so much.
Valerie Singleton
”
Make your
booking:
Three nights with the
Living Islands Tour costs
from £499, and includes
accommodation with
breakfast, a two-day
activity programme,
travel by air from
Southampton and a
choice of places to stay.
Call 08444 937 095 or
channelislandsdirect.co.uk
Pics: Martin Batt
Autumn breaks
Isle of Eriska, Scotland
Who wouldn’t love the run of a 300acre private island with a recently awarded
Michelin starred restaurant and a newlyopened spa? Eriska is a haven of tranquillity
and the perfect place to escape the
stresses of everyday life. Indulge
in long walks on the beautiful
untouched beaches, do some
otter spotting and enjoy a
heavenly treatment in the
newly opened spa that’s
complete with a state-of-theart thermal suite with sauna,
steam room and Rasul room.
The restaurant on the island
was awarded its first Michelin
star in September 2014.
Barney Burnham
Make your booking:
The Hilltop Spa Getaway costs £499 per person
(based on two sharing) and includes three nights’
accommodation in a luxury Hilltop Reserve on a
self-catering basis, as well as spa treatments and
one dinner in the restaurant. The Hilltop Reserves
come complete with their own private hot tubs and
stunning views over the loch towards the Isle of
Lismore. Or stay in the main hotel for 3 night’s dinner,
bed and breakfast costing £615pp.
Call 01631 720 371 or visit eriska-hotel.co.uk
43
Autumn breaks
The Talbot, Knightwick
It was nearly 10pm on a Monday
evening. From our first floor window
we had a perfect view of the local
Morris men as they rehearsed their
dances. The sun was still visible
in the western sky, and apart
from the banging of sticks and the
squeeze of the accordion, everything was peaceful.
Dinner had been excellent. Starters included pig’s head brawn,
French onion soup and cheese soufflé,
with exciting mains such as belly draft
of pork with griddled Talbot black pudding
and locally shot roe deer slow roasted in the Aga. Two courses
cost £27, three courses £33.
Breakfast was sure to be excellent, too. After all, the Talbot had
recently collected the British Pork Executive’s ‘Best Pub Cooked
Breakfast’ award, and we already knew they were pretty good
at serving the most divine soft, creamy scrambled egg. OK, it’s
not the hardest breakfast dish in the world to concoct, but we’re
constantly disappointed by pale, anaemic slabs of what’s meant
to be scrambled egg, microwaved to oblivion. If you’re in the
hospitality industry and this is how you serve scrambled egg, go
and try it at the Talbot, then leave, ashamed of yourself.
A quick word about the hours between dinner and breakfast.
Nice touches in the very comfy and individual bedrooms include
jars of biscuits and little ‘night cap’ decanters. If you’re unable to
disconnect from the modern world, then you might find the WiFi
system a little eccentrically temperamental, but that’s perhaps a
good excuse to switch off and enjoy the atmosphere, the comfort,
the home-brewed beers (called This, That and T’Other) and the
excellent food. We’re convinced that a night here did us good,
and will do you good, too.
Chrissy Wardrobe
Make your
booking:
Dinner, bed and
breakfast from £80 per
person, based on two
sharing. Single rooms
with breakfast available
from £60 per night;
doubles from £90.
Call 01886 821235 or
the-talbot.co.uk
44
Pics: Richard Sowersby
The Valley, Truro
On a sunny day this place is
enough to convince you never to
holiday abroad again. It has just
about everything you could want;
stunning beaches, great food, a
million places to visit, its own flag
and, to top it all, a fine line in both
cream teas and beer.
The flipside, of course, is that it’s
only when you drive there that you remember just
how far away from anywhere Cornwall actually
is (with the notable exception of Devon, which is
right next door; but Devonians presumably don’t
have much need of holidays in Cornwall).
It was fortunate, therefore, that if you were
choosing a site to cheer up three comatose
Londoners, this destination would be high on the
list. Even after eight hours’ driving in the pouring
rain, the immaculate cottages and beautiful rural
setting of The Valley were enough to put smiles
back on faces.
The complex is a converted caravan park, just
outside Truro, which now boasts 46 architectdesigned holiday properties. In a secure, gated
compound, the set-up boasts outdoor and
No Man’s Fort, The Solent
Make your
booking:
An overnight
experience on full
board costs from £450
per room per night
with Amazing Venues.
Call 0330 333 7200 or
amazingvenues.co.uk
This thumping great concrete edifice and its
three companion forts have been guarding the
waters of The Solent since the threat posed by
Napoleon III in the mid 1800s. Nothing could
seem more sturdy, in fact. In the lighthouse part,
things became clearer. I was watching, almost
eye to eye, a huge P&O liner passing by only
a few hundred yards away in the deep water
channel, followed by a massive Navy frigate.
It turns out that these forts, perched on a
shingle spit between Portsmouth and the Isle
of Wight, have almost no foundations. The
Victorian engineers had calculated that simply
the fort’s own weight would be enough to keep
it planted. Another surprising feature that the
cunning Victorians devised is that each fort is
self-sufficient. There are no pipes, cables
or attachments to the mainland. Even the
fresh water comes from artesian wells about
400ft down.
No Man’s Fort offers 22 bedrooms, meaning
that it accommodates around 40 people when
fully booked. Bear in mind 400 people at a
time were posted here during wartime. These
bedrooms are all en suite and huge.
Apart from the wonderful panorama from
the lighthouse tower, there are two outside hot
tubs, a small sauna, a spa, games rooms, golf
simulator and a library. The central atrium has
the Lord Palmerston Bar and lounge area. In fact,
the forts were known as Palmerston’s Follies,
because construction finished too late for them
to be used against Napoleon. Indeed, the guns,
which required 15 men each to use them, have
never been fired.
The transfer boat leaves from Portsmouth,
indoor swimming pools, a basic
gymnasium, an on-site restaurant
and bar, a mini football pitch and
a tennis court – plenty, therefore,
to amuse a family escaping to the
countryside.
The top end of a market always
requires investment and the owners
of The Valley have clearly bought
into this philosophy. The cottages
are beautifully built, with large
windows taking full advantage of
the rural views and any Cornish sunshine.
We considered the ‘Day Out Suggestion’ posted
through our door each morning (a nice touch) but
decided that a day in Cornwall needed four key
ingredients – beer, sunshine, the sea and fish and
chips. Accordingly, while my companions rustled
up breakfast, I was tasked with finding a pub by
the sea, which had an on-site microbrewery and
served fish and chips. Nae bother, as they say. It
is a matter of some pride that it only took me half
an hour to fulfil this request (and I’m fairly sure
that this place is the only one of its kind, even in
Cornwall). Better still, I was spared the task of
being designated driver.
Driftwood Spars is located on the sea front in
St Agnes and is an old-fashioned pub serving a
going first to Spitbank Fort and then on to No
Man’s Fort, making it about half an hour’s
cruise altogether. Some people on board might
be taking the day trip to have a look round,
enjoy a buffet lunch and then return. Others stay
overnight, as I did.
On arrival, and after a Prosecco reception,
we took a tour. Every space was carefully
designed, including shafts with pulley systems
to raise ammunition from the basement to the
guns. Although of a different era, the defensive
wartime theme is now continued in a lighter
vein throughout, with quotations from Churchill
written on the walls on each floor. Churchill was
a great lover of Pol Roger pink champagne and
he might have enjoyed finding time to come out
and learn how to open his favourite bottle with
a sabre.
No Man’s Fort and its neighbour at Spitbank
can be hired out for events, conferences, parties,
weddings, celebrations and any other reason that
fits an enclosed, independent, exclusive venue.
You can also book a room as you would a hotel,
as I did, with the proviso that you realise it’s not
exactly a hotel. Whatever your reason, the forts
are certainly unusual and welcoming places to
visit. The mix of Victorian wartime history and
secluded location is hard to resist. Take a book
or a newspaper and spend your time gazing out
from the lighthouse at the ever-changing scene.
It is the equivalent of casually people-watching
with a coffee on a bistro terrace in Paris or
Madrid.
The boat back to the harbour crosses the deepwater channel, calls in again at Spitbank Fort,
and then aims directly at the 170m-tall Spinnaker
Tower, Portsmouth’s unmistakable skyline
landmark.
Roger Crisp
mixture of its own beer and other craft ales, along
with a decent bar menu. A spacious outdoor
seating area allows customers to enjoy the sea
views and enhance their tans, while a specialist
fish restaurant adjoining the bar offers slightly
higher class fare.
As if the above were not enough, Lewsey Lou’s
Fish & Chips is immediately across the road from
Driftwood’s entrance. After a few hours slaking
thirst in the sunshine, a round of fresh caught fish
and chips completed as perfect a day as you can
have in England.
Jack Lewars
Make your
booking:
Prices at The Valley
for seven nights in a
2 bedroom cottage
sleeping four range
from £550 low season
to £1,575 high season.
Short breaks are
available.
Call 01872 862194 or
thevalleycornwall.co.uk
45
46
GOODMOTORING
Autumn 2015
ONTHEROAD
AT THE WHEEL OF THE NEW MAZDA MX-5
...AND WE PLAY IT SAFE IN THE NEW VOLVO XC90
Scottish Highlands, early August, wonderful roads... all in all,
the perfect time to be putting the new Mazda MX-5 through its
paces. Yes, we persevered with the roof down, but I think you
can see from the picture below just how wet it was becoming.
Never mind! ‘Icon’ is one of those words which is used
rather too often, but if any affordable sports car of recent years
deserves the description, it’s the Mazda MX-5. Some 25 years
after the first generation combined old-fashioned fun with
Japanese reliability, the MX-5 continues to be much loved by
car enthusiasts. As the owner of a Mk3 car, I’ve been looking
forward to driving the new Mk4 since I first saw photos of the
new
model last year. Mazda promises it’s lighter,
more efficient and – most important –
better to drive than before. You can find
out what I think of the new Mazda
on page 48. For the record, dear
readers, we never put the roof up
once, despite the deluge.
Mazda MX-5 p48
Hyundai i30 p52
Volvo XC90 p54
DAVID MOTTON
Road Test Editor
UK
David serves as a juror for the prestigious
UK Car of the Year Awards.
Read our car reviews online at motoringassist.com/car-reviews
Mitsubishi ASX p60
Toyota Avensis p56
Skoda Superb p56
47
road test
What is it?
How safe is it?
Who should buy it?
The new Mazda MX-5 is the fourth
generation of this popular roadster,
a modern-day equivalent to the
classic British sports cars of the ‘50s
and ‘60s.
Roof down, visibility is excellent
although it’s compromised a bit
with the roof up. Every model
is equipped with front and side
airbags and a pop-up bonnet.
If you reckon you can get by
with just two seats, or are
looking for a second car for those
sunny weekends, you won’t be
disappointed by the new MX-5.
Mazda MX-5
Driving and performance
You can buy quicker cars for similar money,
but few will be anywhere near as much fun as
the new MX-5. It really is that good.
That’s partly down to Mazda’s efforts in
reducing the car’s weight. The new MX-5 is
around 100kg lighter than its predecessor,
making it the lightest MX-5 since the first. The
centre of gravity has been lowered, and the
new MX-5 is shorter than before, with a more
compact wheelbase.
It makes for a car of remarkable agility and
balance. The steering is light, but provides
subtle feedback and unerring precision. Some
sports cars bully their way down the road; the
MX-5 just seems to flow. It’s quick to react to
the wheel but doesn’t feel nervous, and bumps
in the road are effectively smoothed away by
the brilliantly-judged suspension.
There are two engine options: a 131PS
(129bhp) 1.5-litre and a 160PS (158bhp)
2.0-litre. Don’t dismiss the less powerful engine
just because this is a sports car. What the 1.5
“
What the
1.5 lacks in
power, it
makes up for
in rev-hungry
eagerness...
”
lacks in power, it makes up for in rev-hungry
eagerness. Besides, in a car that weighs just
1090kg, the 1.5 is strong enough for a claimed
0-62mph time of 8.3 seconds. It needs to be
revved hard to give its best, but that’s no chore
when an engine is as smooth as this one.
For another £850, the 2.0-litre adds an extra
kick to the MX-5’s performance, lopping a
second from the 0-62mph sprint. As well as
extra top-end power there’s a lot more punch in
the middle of the rev range.
The 2.0-litre runs on 17-inch alloys rather than
the 16-inch wheels of the 1.5, and the ride isn’t
quite as supple. But this is still a comfortable
car by sports car standards.
Roof up, the MX-5 is quiet enough for
motorway journeys, with a noticeable
reduction in wind noise compared with the
previous model.
But the MX-5 is clearly not a car made for
motorway journeys. It’s at its best on winding
country roads.
Safety
Equipment
Costs
All cars have driver, passenger and
side airbags which have been designed
to protect occupants’ heads, even
with the roof down. Other safety kit
includes a pop-up bonnet, designed to
reduce pedestrian injuries in a collision.
The passenger seat has anchor points
for an ISOFIX child seat. With the roof
down, the driver has a good view all
around; over-shoulder visibility isn’t
quite as good with the roof up.
Mazda tends to provide lots of standard
equipment. Even the basic SE trim has
manual air conditioning, remote central
locking, 16-inch alloy wheels, LED
headlights and more. Upgrades to SE-L
models include climate control, cruise
control, a DAB radio and a touchscreen.
Sport models have parking sensors,
rain-sensing wipers, uprated stereo and
other goodies. Not surprisingly, SE-L
Nav and Sport Nav models have satnav.
Compared with most roadsters, the
MX-5 is very affordable, with prices
starting at £18,495. For low running
costs, the 1.5 is best, with official
combined economy of 47.1mpg and
emissions of 139g/km, putting the car
in Band E for Vehicle Excise Duty. The
2.0 is thirstier, returning 40.9mpg on the
combined cycle and emitting 161g/km,
bumping the car up to Band G for VED.
Resale values should prove strong.
48
Space and practicality
Price: £23,295
Performance: 0-62mph in 7.3
seconds
Economy: 40.9mpg combined
Insurance: Group 29E
Tax: Band G (£180 first year)
Figures for the 2.0 Skyactic-G
Sport Nav
Review: David Motton
If practicality is a big concern then perhaps you’re looking at the wrong car. There’s
space for two inside. The dashboard design has been brought up to date, with improved
fit and finish and sporty looking cowled instruments. All but the most basic model have
a seven-inch colour touchscreen display in the centre of the dash. It’s easy enough to
use, although you’ll either love or hate the way it sits proud of the rest of the dashboard.
Drivers of most shapes and sizes should find a comfortable position, though more
legroom would be welcome for the tall. The 130 litres of boot space is less than in the old
car. That’s enough room for two overnight bags, and the boot opening is very small.
Verdict and figures
4
6
It’s great to drive, and more affordable
than most two-seat convertibles.
Boot space is limited, but that’s to be
expected of a small roadster.
WE SAY: The MX-5 is an absolute hoot to drive, and great value, too.
49
Ford Galaxy
Despite the car’s size (it’s 4.8m long), as soon as you get underway
it hides its bulk very well on the road, which is just what you want
and makes both open-road driving and city manoeuvrability easy.
The suspension is on the comfortable side, but it’s far from sloppy.
You retain comfort and control on twistier roads, helped by
accurate steering.
Engine refinement in all conditions is first rate but there’s a bit
of wind noise at high speeds if the radio’s off. Power delivery from
the 180PS (178bhp) diesel is very linear and strong. Hauling seven
adults around wouldn’t pose the Galaxy any difficulty. The 0-60mph
time of 9.6 seconds for this car seems believable.
WE SAY: The £8490 Viva is a pleasingly simple
and simply pleasing small car.
Vauxhall Viva
The Viva is Vauxhall’s replacement for the Agila and is based on
the new Corsa, so it has a good start in life. It’s also very keenly
priced. Whichever way you configure the Viva, it comes with
a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. It gives 74bhp and, in
Ecoflex spec, emits 99g/km of carbon dioxide while delivering
65.7mpg average economy. The non-Ecoflex versions manage
62.8mpg and 104g/km of CO2 emissions, so neither is going to
break the bank on running costs. From rest to 62mph takes 13.1
seconds, quicker than a Suzuki Celerio or Volkswagen Up, so
the Viva is not left struggling in traffic.You do need to work the
engine quite hard to get up to motorway speeds, though, and
some road noise becomes audible at higher speeds.
Safety
Costs
Vauxhall provides six airbags
as standard and there is also
ESP stability control and a tyre
pressure monitoring system.
That’s decent kit for a small,
affordable car, but what you
don’t expect to be included is
a lane-keeping assist system
that is fitted to all Vivas. That’s
the kind of big-car safety kit
you usually find on much more
expensive models, so it’s a
definite plus for a city car like
the Viva.
Emissions and economy are
not class-leading, but the
£7995 starting price (with
lane departure warning on all
models) is very competitive.
Equipment
There are only two trims offered, comprising SE and SL. The SE
comes with cruise control, lane departure warning, six airbags
and front fog lights with cornering function as standard. Adding
air conditioning to the SE will contribute another £495 to the
final bill. The SL has climate control as standard, as well as alloy
wheels and Bluetooth hands-free connection.Vauxhall expects
60 per cent of Viva customers to stick with the SE trim.
Overall verdict
50
Costs
No EuroNCAP test yet. You
can choose seatbelt airbags
(at extra cost) to improve
occupant safety further
– although these aren’t
suitable for use with child
seats secured by the seatbelt
rather than ISOFIX mounting
points. Talking of ISOFIX,
we’re surprised that a familyoriented car like this doesn’t
have mounting points in the
front passenger seat.
Avoid the petrols and fourwheel-drive versions. Pick all
but the highest diesels and
both fuel and tax costs will
be good for the sector.
Space
The Galaxy’s space is vast.
Even in seven-seat mode
there’s still enough boot
room for the weekly shop.
Standard kit is good across the range with highlights including
DAB radio, steering wheel controls, keyless start, dual-zone air
conditioning and Bluetooth connectivity. Higher trim levels add
navigation, power-fold rear seats and power-fold door mirrors.
We spotted one notable omission - there’s no USB connection
for passengers in the middle or rear seats.
Space
It may be small, but Vauxhall
has pushed the body sides
of the Viva far to its edges to
create a very spacious cabin
for this size of car.
Safety
Equipment
Overall verdict
Read our full review online at motoringassist.com/car-reviews
Test: Tristan Young
Test: Al Suttie
WE SAY: The Galaxy (from £26,445) is very
practical and good to drive, too.
Words: Al Suttie
Used car choice
Audi TT (2006-2014)
Introduction
It’s hard to believe that the secondgeneration Audi TT has been around for
nearly 10 years. Good used examples can
now be bought from around £8,000.
The model arrived in 2006 with looks that
were handed down from the original’s.
However, underneath was a much more
modern chassis derived from the excellent
Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk5. The second
iteration offered more cabin space and a
larger boot, though the rear seats remain
just as cramped and useless.
Shop for a second-hand example and
front- and four-wheel drive versions are on
offer, along with strong four-cylinder turbo
petrols, frugal turbodiesels and a punchy
V6 petrol option. There is also the 335bhp
five-cylinder TT RS and a choice of Coupé or
Roadster open-top models.
A facelift for the whole TT range in 2010
brought xenon headlights with daytime
running lights for S line models, while the
2.0-litre petrol engine was boosted to
208bhp for more pace and better economy.
What to look for
Although generally robust, there are a
couple of areas to inspect. First are the
aluminium front wings and bonnet that are
prone to minor dents and are expensive to
fix properly. The paint on the TT is not as
well finished as you might think, so look for
a dull finish or chips. Still on the outside,
check tyre wear as these TTs get through
rubber quickly. Expect to pay around £500
for a set of quality tyres and reckon on
replacing them every 10,000 miles.
Audi recalled the TT in 2009 as the
vacuum pipe on the brake servo may
become damaged. There was another
recall for cars made between August and
September 2009 with the DSG paddleshift gearbox as the engine’s electronic
ECU brain could disengage the clutch and
leave the car without drive. In both cases,
check the service history for evidence of
remedial work.
Brake squeal is a common TT affliction,
but is usually simple to solve with some
copper grease applied to the back of the
brake pads. Inside, a wet boot carpet
points to blocked drain holes around the
rear hatch that need clearing out.
Which one to buy
The TT is a sleek sports car in either Coupé
or Roadster forms, so recommending the
2.0-litre TDI diesel might seem strange.
However, it packs a 168bhp punch combined
with 258lb ft of torque, which is more than
the 3.2 V6 can muster, so it’s no slouch and
delivers 0-62mph in 7.2 seconds. All this and
it also gives a combined economy of 53.3mpg
and 139g/km of carbon dioxide emissions
to keep running costs very reasonable. Like
all TTs, it handles superbly and has a much
more composed ride than the previous
generation TT.
If you must have a petrol, the 2.0-litre TTS
is the one to own. It hits 62mph from rest
in 5.2 seconds, feeling every inch the junior
supercar in pace and handling.
How much to pay
Around £6,500 will bag you an early TT 2.0
TFSI Coupé, though it will have quite a few
miles on the clock. Around £8,000 is where
the best cars start from, while a Roadster
will set you back another £1,500 on top.
For a diesel, £10,000 is the starting point
for well cared-for examples, while V6 petrol
models can be picked up from £8000 in good
condition. A TTS Coupé will set you back
from £13,000 for one with average mileage,
while the TT RS starts at about £20,000.
Overall rating:
We say:
Sleek and great to drive, this TT satisfies
head and heart.
“A sleek sports car that’s
great to drive... this TT
will satisfy both head
and heart.”
Others to consider
BMW 3 Series Coupé: more practical and
with just as broad an engine range, the BMW
is handsome and drives superbly. Pricing for
equivalent models is similar to the Audi TTs.
Nissan 350Z: one for the more hardcore
driving fans, thanks to its muscular 3.5-litre
V6 engine and rear-drive handling. More
affordable than the TT, but pricier to run. GM
Buying used?
Simple tips to protect you and your
investment
n First things first: review how much
you can spend, what types of car best
suit your needs and what you can get
for your budget. Check and compare
website and newspaper advertisements.
n Buying from a dealer: ask friends
and colleagues for recommendations.
You get more protection; however, they
may well want to encourage you to buy
something that’s more expensive.
n Buying privately: you’re likely to find
lower prices than dealers are asking,
but there’s little legal protection if the
car is faulty unless you can show that
the seller lied to you or the car was
unroadworthy on the day of sale.
n Test drive: make sure you get a
proper test drive opportunity. Take
someone with you to listen out for
funny screeches, rattles and bangs while
you focus on what it’s like to drive.
n History checks: carry out basic
identity checks via the DVLA; but a
proper history check is essential.Visit
dekra-expert.co.uk/GEM for costs and
details of a pre-purchase vehicle check.
David Motton
51
road test
What is it?
How safe is it?
Who should buy it?
The Hyundai i30 is a spacious
family car offering plenty of kit and
low running costs. It’s stylish to look
at, but inside there’s still a whiff of
bargain-basement tinniness.
Stability control is standard on all
models, as are six airbags. The i30
also scored five stars in its Euro
NCAP tests. The driver’s knee
airbag is an optional extra.
If you’re looking for generous
equipment levels for your money,
then take this seriously. If you do a
high mileage, then don’t choose the
weak, lifeless model we tested.
Hyundai i30
First impressions are of an attractive, stylish
hatchback that’s likely to prove a worthy
alternative to pricier rivals in a highly
competitive sector. The cockpit was generously
(if over-fussily) equipped; finding a comfortable
driving position was made easy by the
adjustable steering wheel (rake and reach can be
changed). So quite a good start, really.
Switch on and start heading somewhere...
then the disappointment sets in. We found
little in the way of driver satisfaction from
this, the least powerful model in the i30 lineup. Acceleration was always an effort, rather
than being pleasurable or rewarding. From a
standing start, we were left wondering if we
would ever get up to sensible cruising speeds.
On motorway stretches we found we had to
plan any overtaking manoeuvres a lot further
ahead than we would have expected to, simply
because the i30 just ran out of va-voom too
quickly. We’d better get the negatives out of
the way, because our next gripe was the flabby
“
We found
little in
the way
of driver
satisfaction
from the
i30...
”
steering that gave little in the way of feedback,
and therefore did not inspire the confidence we
wanted. Disturbingly, this applied to journeys
on long straight stretches as well as round
corners. We had a little play with the ‘Flex Steer’
system, offering Comfort, Normal and Sport
settings.
Since the steering’s already too vague, why
would we want to make it any lighter by
engaging Comfort? And since this version of the
i30 is anything but sporty, there’s little incentive
to weight the wheel any differently. After all,
this is no VW Golf.
We drove a series of lengthy test routes,
totalling more than 500 miles. Comfort levels
were generally acceptable and the car’s air
conditioning proved to be fast acting and
effective on an extremely hot day.
Last moan? The satnav... strange phrasing at
roundabouts and some irritating directional
gremlins that could have really spoilt our day
had we needed to rely on the technology.
Safety
Equipment
Costs
The Hyundai i30 has been awarded
five stars by Euro NCAP, scoring 90
per cent in both the adult and child
occupant protection categories. Six
airbags assist in providing all-round
crash protection, and come as standard
on all models. Choose Premium trim
if you want a driver’s knee bag. Active
safety features include Hill Assist and
automatic flashing hazard lights for
urgent stops.
The i30 family includes five different
levels of trim, but even the most basic
model benefits from generous levels
of equipment. S trim models have air
conditioning, keyless entry, Bluetooth
and USB socket. Our version, the SE
Nav, came with rear parking sensors,
leather-trimmed steering wheel,
touchscreen satnav and rear view
camera. Choose Premium and you get a
stop/start button and 17-inch alloys.
Prices are keen across the range, and
don’t forget the peace of mind that
comes with a five-year warranty. The
1.4-litre petrol S version starts the
range at £15,195; its diesel counterpart
weighs in at £17,195. The 1.6-litre diesel
SE, at £18,495, looks an interesting
proposition, especially as it emits only
94g/km of CO2. For Premium spec
you’ll spend £20,295 for the 1.6-litre
petrol version or £22,295 for the diesel.
52
We didn’t initially warm to the endless
acres of grey that make up the i30’s interior.
However, space was reasonable in the cabin
(accommodating three adults in the rear for
any length of time would probably end in tears,
mind you) and at 378 litres, very decent in the
boot - that’s more than the Ford Focus. Even
more impressive is that you can quadruple the
luggage space by flattening the rear seats - a
simple task which frees up a total of more than
1300 litres.
Driver comfort, as already observed, was
adequate, but there was a sense of being
squashed in by the low roof. Any driver much
over six feet in height might find this too
restricting.
A final word about dashboard visibility. The
two main dials were easy enough to read, but
the fuel and temperature gauges were too small.
Verdict and figures
Price: £16,495 as tested
seconds
Insurance: Group 7
Tax: Band E (£130)
Review: James Luckhurst
Figures for the i30 5DR SE NAV 1.4
100PS.
4
6
Putting the rear seats down gave
masses of useable space.
This engine felt too weak and there
were gremlins in the satnav.
WE SAY: Good looking and spacious, but this version’s too much like hard work.
53
road test
What is it?
How safe is it?
Who should buy it?
The XC90 is an impressive new
range-topping SUV with impeccable
safety credentials and a quality
reputation, and unarguably the best
car Volvo has ever made.
Very. It’s a Volvo, which means it’s
made by a manufacturer that has
always put safety right at the top of
its list.
A well-heeled family driver keen on
protecting all the offspring in one of
the safest cars on the road, or a busy
executive looking for comfort and
efficiency while clocking the miles.
Volvo XC90
Volvo has excelled with the new XC90. The
car is all-round thoroughly impressive. It’s a
strong performer, civilised and refined, with
impeccable manners and an engaging feel
behind the wheel.
It is available with petrol or diesel engines,
and there is also a hybrid, but the pick of the
range is the new 2.1-litre, four-cylinder diesel
that’s expected to prove the most popular.
The engine has plenty of punch, with a
benchmark 0-62 mph acceleration time of just
below eight seconds. The car is capable of
almost double the British legal limit, so it is
by no means working hard for cruising at a
permitted motorway pace. As a result it feels
relaxed and is pleasantly quiet for a long trip.
You might expect a big SUV to be at home
on the motorway, but such bulky vehicles
don’t always suit twisting B-roads. However,
show the XC90 a winding country lane and it
rewards you with dynamically accomplished
“
You can
press on
without any
concern
about lurchy
cornering...
”
behaviour. For a big and quite bulky car, we
found the Volvo surprisingly good fun to drive.
It has a surefootedness, poise and body control
that is really enjoyable. The steering is pert and
informative, and you can press on without any
concern about lurchy cornering unsettling your
passengers.
Ride quality is very good on the car’s standard
suspension, so it doesn’t really
seem worth bothering with the expense of
optional air suspension at an extra £2,150.
That is really only worth considering if you
want to go for the optional bigger 21-inch
wheels that look impressive in filling the wheel
arches, but also firm up the ride.
Air suspension is very cushioning, and the
ultimate luxury, but with standard wheels
and suspension the car feels nicely damped and
perfectly acceptable.
Whether on steel suspension or air springs, the
Volvo is a comfortable, quick and capable car.
WE SAY: The XC90 is a luxury SUV that is roomy, cosseting and drives brilliantly.
54
This is a big and cleverly packaged car. The cabin is roomy,
with generous legroom, elbow space and headroom all round.
There are seats for seven adults, with the rear two rows easily
foldable to extend the carrying capacity. Volvo has made
the rear seats thinner to free up extra space, but they’re still
supportive and comfortable, and those at the very back are
not just for small children as in some seven-seaters.
The boot room is reasonable, at 397 litres with all seven seats
in use, then varying between 775 and 1,102 litres in five-seat
mode – the centre seating row is adjustable to let you increase
legroom at the very back. There is a maximum of 1,951 litres
of load-space as a two-seater. The car is well-endowed with
stowage places, including a pair of little cubby-boxes either
side of the boot. These amusingly have a spider’s web design
complete with cartoon spider etched inside their lids.
Safety
This car bristles with high-tech safety kit. It has autonomous
emergency braking to reduce the car’s speed if you fail to
react quickly enough to a danger it has detected ahead. There
is also an automatic protection system that activates in the
event of your accidentally driving off the road, in which case
all the relevant safety systems are armed, to guard against the
risk of serious injury.
Equipment
The big Volvo isn’t cheap, but you get a lot of kit for the
money. All versions come equipped with keyless entry and
start, satellite navigation, an electrically adjustable driving
seat, electric tailgate, LED headlights that turn into the bends
and dip automatically in response to an oncoming vehicle and
a cabin air-cleansing system. The satnav is combined with a
nine-inch tablet-style touchscreen infotainment system.
Costs
The XC90 gives exciting performance
4 and behaves perfectly on all road types.
You’ll get a nasty shock when you see
6 the price tag.
Prices start from £45,750, so it is in the luxury class. It has good
economy for its size and performance, and service intervals
every 18,000 miles. The D5 achieves an official combined
figure of 48.7mpg to 49.6mpg, depending on the size of alloy
wheels fitted. On paper, the T8 hybrid achieves 134.5mpg but
you’d be lucky to match that. It’s also expensive to buy, with
prices from £59,955.
Review: Sue Baker
Verdict and figures
Price: £50,185
Performance: 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds
Insurance: Group 34
Tax: Band G (£180 first year)
Figures for the Volvo XC90 D5 AWD Inscription Auto.
NEW VIDEO REMINDER
Funding from the GEM Road Safety Charity and Westminster
City Council has allowed us to produce a new video that looks
at issues connected with ergonomics and driver comfort.
Take a look at motoringassist.com/drivercomfort and tell your
friends to watch as well. There are some great tips that will
be especially relevant for anyone who’s a little less mobile and
flexible than they used to be!
55
Skoda Superb
Smooth, well-mannered and civilised, the Superb is a very
enjoyable car to drive. The previous model was always a satisfyingly
well-sorted car, and this new one has the same feel with just
a little more verve and refinement. The balance between ride
comfort and handling feels very nicely resolved. Even a coarse road
surface does not disturb the cabin’s calm unduly. The car has very
good body control, and so feels well composed for a swift drive on
a bendy road. Don’t expect sports car handling, though, because it
is more orientated towards a limousine’s composure, but with just
a bit of a sporty edge to it. The nicely damped and cushioned ride
quality makes the Superb a low-fatigue car over a long distance.
WE SAY: The Avensis is solid and reliable, but
lacks razzmatazz.
Toyota Avensis
The new Avensis is available in four trims. We tested the
Touring Sports model powered by the new 2.0-litre D-4D
diesel engine with six-speed manual transmission in Business
Edition Plus. Priced at £25,975 this model can sprint from
0-62mph in 9.8 seconds and tops out at 124mph. According
to official figures it can achieve combined fuel economy of
61.4mpg with carbon emissions of 120g/km.
When it comes to performance, the 2.0-litre engine delivers
plenty of punch and in fairness to Toyota they put the car
through a gruelling and somewhat punishing test run in
Switzerland with steep and twisting mountain climbs and lots
of hairpin bends.
Safety
Costs
Although we await the Euro
NCAP rating, Toyota is
confident the latest Avensis
will be awarded five stars.
As well as all the usual safety
features, the company has just
introduced its Toyota Safety
Sense system, which is fitted as
standard across the range. This
features a pre-collision system
with autonomous emergency
braking, which operates at
speeds between six and
49mph.
Prices for the Avensis start
from £17,765 for the 1.8
VVT-I saloon, rising to
£28,440 for the 2.0-litre
D-4D Touring Sports.
Equipment
Techno treats and creature comforts are plentiful; even the
entry-level models come equipped with LED daytime running
lights, air conditioning, cruise control, a six-speaker CD/radio
sound system and Bluetooth connectivity. The two Business
Editions have a very efficient Toyota Touch 2 Go multimedia and
navigation system. The range-topping Excel adds a panoramic
roof, adaptive headlights, 10-speaker audio and 18-inch alloys.
Overall verdict
56
Costs
The Superb has lane assist
to warn if the car is starting
to wander, and blind spot
detection to guard against
pulling out with another
vehicle where you can’t
easily see it. There is also a
traffic jam assist feature that
applies the brakes for you
in heavy traffic. Rear traffic
alert protects against the risk
of hitting something when
reversing out of a parking bay.
The vast majority of Superbs
will be sold as diesels, with
prices starting from just over
£20,000. Fixed price servicing
packages are available.
Space
The Superb has always been
excellent for space, and now
it is even roomier, up front
and in the boot.
All versions come equipped with multi-collision braking, LED
rear lights, DAB digital radio and a touchscreen infotainment
system. With SE trim you get cornering front fog lights, rear
parking sensors, adaptive and cruise control. There are also
clever details, like a folding umbrella stowed in each front door,
and a cup holder grip for opening a water bottle one-handed.
Space
There’s plenty - for people
and luggage. Drop the rear
seats and there’s 1,609 litres
of stowage, with cup holders,
deep pockets and handy trays.
Safety
Equipment
Overall verdict
Test: David Motton
Test: Maxine Ashford
WE SAY: The Skoda Superb really lives up to
its name’s bold claim.
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road test
What is it?
How safe is it?
Who should buy it?
The Mazda CX-3 is a small SUV
to rival the likes of the Nissan
Juke, Renault Captur and Vauxhall
Mokka. There’s a choice of petrol
and diesel versions.
There’s no Euro NCAP rating for
the CX-3 yet, but every version has
a long list of safety kit including
driver, passenger, side and curtain
airbags.
If you want a small SUV that’s great
to drive, the CX-3 is very appealing.
However, it’s not the roomiest car of
its kind, so think twice if practicality
is your priority.
Mazda CX-3
If you enjoy driving, you’ll love the CX-3. When
the road twists and turns, you’ll have more fun
in the Mazda than just about any other small
SUV. The steering is direct and precise, and
the car has a real appetite for corners. There’s
plenty of grip and very little lean.
Dips and crests are dealt with securely. This
firm control means the ride can feel a little hard
but it’s not uncomfortable. SE and SE-L models,
which are equipped with 16-inch alloys, ride
bumps more smoothly than range-topping
Sport Nav cars on 18-inch wheels.
Mazda expects most buyers to choose the
120PS (118bhp) 2.0-litre petrol engine. It’s
a perky enough engine, and delivers brisk
performance. Mazda claims a 0-62mph time of
around 9.0 seconds.
There’s noticeably more top-end punch from
the 150PS (148bhp) version of the same engine.
However, the more powerful petrol is only
available in the most expensive specification
level with four-wheel drive, so it’s rather pricey.
“
The sixspeed
manual
gearbox is
a pleasure
to use...
”
Although the diesel is noisier than either
petrol engine, we found it the pick of the bunch.
It might have just 105PS (104bhp), but it feels
much stronger. There’s plenty of pulling power
from low revs, so despite being 1.1 seconds
slower to 62mph than the entry-level petrol, it
feels quicker most of the time.
The six-speed manual gearbox is a pleasure to
use, with a slick and snappy action. A six-speed
automatic is available. It changes gear promptly
and smoothly, with paddles behind the steering
wheel for manual control. However, it adds
£1200 to the price of the petrol and £1300 to the
price of the diesel.
Most versions of the CX-3 are front-wheel
drive, but three 4x4 models are available. Don’t
expect to go chasing proper off-roaders through
the mud, but for staying mobile through the
winter the four-wheel-drive cars are a good bet.
Our only real complaint is that there’s too
much road noise at speed. Otherwise we’re
thoroughly impressed.
Safety
Equipment
Costs
There’s no Euro NCAP rating for the
CX-3 yet, but the car has a long list of
safety equipment. All models have
front, side and curtain airbags, as well
as stability control, Hill Hold Assist to
stop the car from rolling backwards on
a slope, and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring
System. SE-L and Sport Nav cars also
have Smart City Brake Support, which
slows the car at low speeds if it detects
a collision is likely.
Mazda is, as usual, generous with
standard equipment on the CX-3.
SE cars have air conditioning, a
touchscreen multimedia system, a
digital radio, cruise control and allround electric windows. SE-L extras
include rear parking sensors, heated
front seats and climate control. Sport
Nav cars have satnav, along with LED
headlights, a reversing camera and an
uprated stereo.
Prices range from £17,595 to £24,695.
That’s a lot when the cheapest Nissan
Juke is £13,930. However, the Mazda
is more powerful and better equipped.
It should be cheap to run, too. The
120PS petrol achieves 47.9mpg on the
combined cycle, while the two-wheeldrive 105PS diesel achieves 70.6mpg.
It’s worth knowing that SE-L spec is
cheaper to insure than SE trim because
of the extra standard safety equipment.
58
Verdict and figures
Price: £20,395
seconds
Insurance: Group 13E
Tax: Band B (£0 first year)
Figures for the Skyactiv-D diesel SE-L
Review: David Motton
The CX-3 is based on the 2 supermini. Although
it’s longer, taller and wider than the 2, the
distance between the front and rear axles is
identical. That means the cabin isn’t especially
roomy. Those in the front have enough space,
but the rear seats are cramped for adults. The
way the window line rises while the roof curves
downwards creates a rather claustrophobic feel.
How the CX-3 shapes up next to its rivals
depends on the comparison you make. The
Nissan Juke is very small in the back; the
Renault Captur offers a more family-friendly
cabin. Likewise luggage space is more or less
on a par with the Juke’s: think weekly shop
rather than family holiday. A Captur’s boot will
accommodate more bags.
The CX-3’s boot floor can be set to two levels,
giving one large space or hidden storage under
the floor. However, top-spec versions lose this
facility and gain a powerful speaker under the
floor instead.
4
6
The driving experience excels in the
fun stakes for this mini-SUV sector.
The rear feels cramped due to conflicting
window lines and roof curves.
WE SAY: Great to drive and look at, but some rivals are more practical.
59
road test
What is it?
How safe is it?
Who should buy it?
The Mitsubishi ASX sits in the
highly competitive crossover sector.
The 2.2-litre diesel model we drove
offered gutsy performance and
excellent economy.
It’s always good to see five Euro
NCAP stars. Specifically there’s
stability control, traction control and
anti-whiplash head restraints, as
well as brake assist technology.
If you seek decent space, and a smart
interior with generous gadgetry, then
this should be a front runner. Just
make sure your passengers can put
up with the ride.
Mitsubishi ASX
We had a good 95-mile journey to become
familiar with the manners and quirks of
the ASX. A swift press of the starter button
and we were ready to roll. First test: some
sharp turns and roundabouts to get out of a
particularly complicated railway station oneway system. Top marks straight away for the
ASX’s tight turning circle.
In truth, it was an easy car to settle in to,
though it took a heavier than expected shove
to ensure the doors shut properly. Buttons,
switches and dials were all easy to see and
logically laid out. Additionally, we were
enjoying the best of both worlds; practicality
fitting a family saloon or estate, combined
with a nice high driving position that came
into its own on the narrow, twisting country
lanes around our home.
Our diesel automatic version came
equipped with paddle gear changes, so we
made good use of these immediately, while
also spending some time in fully automatic
“
It showed
efficient
acceleration,
especially
from
30/40mph
upwards...
”
mode. Well mannered in and around town,
the ASX was happy to glide smoothly
up to junctions, giving a comfortable (if
unspectacular) ride. In truth there was little
evidence of any big capability until we hit
some long stretches of wide, rural road.
Here we quickly became aware of the ASX’s
significant strength... and its weakness. It
showed efficient acceleration, especially from
30/40mph upwards, allowing for comfortable
cruising and efficient, deft overtaking. The
performance from this range-topping 2.2-litre
diesel model was more than satisfying.
Better still, the computer showed an average
economy of more than 45mpg. Wind noise
was prominent on the motorway, even with
the radio on.
But we couldn’t help but feel that the
ASX’s welcome gutsiness was let down by
soft suspension and vague steering - surely
not the best accompaniment to this sort of
engaging performance.
Safety
Equipment
Costs
There’s plenty of standard safety
equipment included in the ASX.
Seven airbags, anti-whiplash head
restraints, ISOFIX child seat mounts,
traction control and brake assistance
form part of every specification, as
does electronic stability control. Our
model had optional four-wheel drive,
allowing instant power to the rear
wheels. The same button locked us in
four-wheel drive mode.
There’s air-conditioning as standard
across all models, as well as heated
folding door mirrors, electric windows,
alloy wheels, Bluetooth and tyre
pressure monitors. Move to the ZC-M
and you get 17-inch alloys, cruise
control, rear parking sensors, climate
control and heated front seats. At the
top, the ZC-H includes satnav, electric
driver’s seat, panoramic glass roof and
leather seats.
Prices are attractive across the ASX
model range, which starts at £15,434
for the ZC 1.6-litre petrol version and
goes up to £25,134 for the 2.2-litre ZC-H
diesel automatic. The 1.6 petrol version
delivers 47.1mpg and has stop-start
technology. If you’re tempted by the
2.2-litre diesel, bear in mind its 9,000mile service intervals. Economy-wise,
the 1.8-litre diesel offers 61mpg and
average CO2 emissions of 119g/km.
60
seconds
Economy: 49mpg combined
Insurance: Group 20
Tax: Band G (£180)
Figures for the ASX 2.2-litre diesel
4WD ZC-H auto 5 door
Review: Abby Luckhurst, Pics: James Luckhurst
The ASX interior found favour on family journeys, with decent space in the rear seats
(legroom was particularly generous, thanks to the high front seats). A third adult in the
middle would feel restricted for head and leg room, though. Driver space is fine, and
finding a comfortable driving position is a doddle. The steering wheel is adjustable for
rake and reach via a chunky lever on its left hand side. There’s a big glove compartment,
with two centrally-located bins for storing bits and pieces. Space in the boot for
shopping, luggage and other paraphernalia is decent. There’s also an extra 30 litres of
stowage available under the boot floor.
Verdict and figures
4
6
The performance is exciting, the ‘box
is sweet as a nut in its mid range.
The suspension’s too soft and the
steering feels vague.
WE SAY: The ASX offers gutsy performance that’s rather let down by imprecise steering.
61
road
What test
is it?
How safe is it?
Who should buy it?
The V70 is the big boy of the Volvo
range. It offers refinement, style and
practicality, and the 181hp D4 engine
combines this with very decent
driveability.
It’s hard to argue with the safety
standards Volvo strives to meet. The
V70 has the Euro NCAP five star rating
that you would expect, and the car is
packed with safety features.
If you want a big, spacious car that is
also practical, comfortable and fuelefficient, then you’d be hard pressed to
beat the V70. Don’t forget the V stands
for Versatility.
Volvo V70 D4
Review and pics: Andy Turner
We feel particularly qualified to comment on the driving
and performance of this car, having just finished a 1,300mile road trip in one (to put that in perspective, it’s the
equivalent of London to Rome with a couple of side trips
thrown in). In fact, an 80-year old passenger was in the
back, so we made sure we asked about his experience too.
At 4,814 mm long, this is a big car, but it is particularly
easy to drive thanks to excellent all-round visibility, a high
seating position and light steering. The model we tested
was fitted with a 2.0-litre, 181hp V4 turbocharged diesel
that’s a perfect fit for the car; just sporty enough while still
remaining frugal. It’s front wheel drive and despite its size,
understeer is not an issue and cornering is precise and
confident. The optional 8-speed Geartronic transmission
(£1,550) and paddle-shifters (£150) are a logical option and
work well with the D4.
What we really liked was the comfort the car offers
both to driver and passengers. The front seats are really
comfortable and ideal for commuting or long road trips
such as the one we were on. Even those in the back aren’t
treated like second-class citizens and we didn’t hear one
grumble (other than the odd snore) from father in the
back. Another nice touch was the 70 litre (about 15 gallon)
fuel tank that needed replenishing after 900 miles.
62
Space
The boot is sensibly shaped so that the maximum space
is available, and at 575 litres it’s a decent size but still 120
litres less than the Mercedes E-Class. If you put the 40/20/40
folding seats down this expands to a whopping 1,600 litres.
Safety
One particularly clever detection system will
automatically brake for you if a cyclist who is heading in
the same direction tries to overtake you from behind and
then swerves in front of you.
Verdict and figures
Performance: 0-60mph in 8.6 seconds
Insurance: Group 29
Tax: Band D (£110)
Figures for the V70 D4 SE Lux S/S 5 door
“
This engine
is a perfect
fit for the
car; sporty
enough yet
still frugal.
”
Equipment
Standard equipment levels are OK but not up with the likes
of BMW. The SE Lux model is the most luxurious and comes
with leather-faced upholstery and an 8” active driver’s
information display and headlamp cleaning system.
Costs
The entry-level price of £27,195 is decent, especially
when you take the low CO2 figures into account. Volvos
are becoming more desirable but residual value is
unlikely to be as high as a BMW or Mercedes.
4
We liked how the car’s
performance only drained
the fuel tank slowly.
6
The purchase price
mounts up too quickly
when you add all those
tempting extras.
63
The car that Jack built
Andrew MacKay tells a fascinating story of privilege, genius and true engineering
nous that led one enthusiast to build his own special Bentley
As a wee boy, Donald Jack must have been the
envy of his school chums as he was chauffeured
around in the back seat of his father’s open
Lagonda. Indeed, it may well have been this
flirtation with gracious living that so seasoned his
automotive juices towards a life among Bentleys.
Donald Jack, through circumstances that did not
involve winning the pools or being favoured by
a wealthy aunt, has owned by his own diligence
a few Bentleys. It all started when his father
attended a presentation of agricultural equipment
and spotted a 1937 4.25-litre Derby saloon in the
showroom. Alas, he had just acquired a new car
but the Bentley had such a powerful allure he
bought it.
Some time later the car “blew up” and it was
recovered to a garage in Bathgate. Donald’s
father was disenchanted with this episode, his
honeymoon with the Bentley was over and he
64
offered his son the car. Thus the first Bentley
became a part of the Jack household. It was also
at this point where the genius, expertise and
engineering nous of Donald became evident.
He stripped the engine down and found that one
of the con rods had seized, broken the cap off and
the crankshaft had battered the piston right up into
the combustion chamber; the aluminium crankcase
was holed but not at a critical part. The engine was
repaired but there were indications that the car
in general needed an overhaul, so he completely
stripped it down, rebuilt and resprayed it.
All things Bentley were now coursing through
Donald’s veins and he had the inkling to start a
new project. So he decided to build a Bentley from
scratch. This was a car that had never been a car,
but a vehicle built with certain Jackisms that were
arguably an improvement on the factory model.
He chose to build a Bentley MkVI Special that
“
This was
a car that
had never
been a car, a
vehicle built
with certain
Jackisms...
”
Engineering project
Facing page (c/w from
top left): Jack’s Bentley
purrs off the drive, ready
for an adventure; the
chassis at an early stage of
the project; a rear view of
the Bentley; the side shot
shows just how long the
car is - the bonnet alone
is seven feet long; made to
measure - the thermostat
housing was cast and
machined to give the
correct offset to suit
the radiator
.
This page: Jack at the
wheel, ready to show our
rteporter just what his
creation was capable of.
would truly justify its name but it would “sort of
look like an Invicta”.
Donald did get off to a fairly good start with his
project as he had some useful Bentley parts in his
workshop that he could use. However, the process
of acquiring major organs and peripheral parts
took some time but he did make a start by seeking
a chassis and engine.
Providence shone upon him when an enquiry
from a Bentley enthusiast seeking parts brought
the two men together. On offer was a chassis and
an engine that had been bought from a magazine.
The engine was a B80 MkII “D” that was
probably made during the war or immediately
after the war. This engine had an aluminium
cylinder head, its con rods were fully polished
and the crankshaft was fully machined. It was a
straight eight Rolls Royce unit of 5.6 litres that was
supplied to Thornycroft; records show that 297 of
these engines were made.
The engine did not have a sump, inlet manifold,
starter, dynamo or bell housing, which would
indicate that it had never been used and was
probably a spare. This B80 engine used the same
pistons, con rods, bearings as the 41/4-litre MkVI
Bentley after the war, it was the same size and had
the same bore and stroke. Donald just happened to
have four 41/4 MkVI carburettors. There were four
Siamese ports going into the eight-cylinder engine
so he put a carburettor on each hole. The manifold
was made up of two 41/4 MkVI manifolds that
were cut and had extensions welded.
The windscreen came from a Beaulieu sale,
and he picked up 18in Derby Bentley wheels and
Derby hubs, which were grafted on to the MkVI
wheel bearings by a local engineering company.
The petrol tank, very likely from a 1920s Rolls
Royce was resourced in Paisley and his trawl
netted many more bits and pieces for this threedimensional automotive jigsaw. It would be some
time, however, before the starter button was
pressed and the engine fired.
Donald’s vision was of an Invicta 4.5 low chassis
model of the early thirties. He had altered the
chassis by moving its forward cruciform section
back and adding extensions. New springs were
made for front and rear suspension. A high ratio
crown wheel and pinion were fitted to the rear axle
and a Laycock overdrive was also included in the
drivetrain.
It is now becoming clear that Donald’s technical
expertise was apparent. He learnt how to cut
louvres on the bonnet; he built the body, cutting
wood to shape; fitted the aluminium panels and
made a cast from aluminium for the thermostat
housing. His engineering skills, knowledge,
expertise, craftsmanship and dedication could not
be disguised.
The centre portion of the dashboard is MkVI and
the remainder was constructed to blend in; the
whole was then veneered and lacquered. The seats
are Reliant Scimitar with the front ones folding flat,
which allows the tonneau to be flat.
After 15 years of collecting parts and three years
to build, the Bentley MkVI Special was completed.
He regularly drives the car to rallies and Bentley
Owners’ Club occasions all around the country and
even abroad.
Is he pleased with the finished result? “Yes, I’m
happy,” he says. “It is a pleasure to drive at the
national limit at 2000rpm. It returns 15mpg but is
a bit sore on front tyres. I’ve now purchased a set
of 18in radials, which are only now available and
which may improve this situation.”
I went for a ride (as a passenger) in Donald’s
Bentley. The engine produced a most glorious
powerful and deep roar on start up. I don’t think
I’ve ever been in car with such a long bonnet.
I was in the open air, speeding along, faster than
fairies, faster than witches. My hair was being
teased from its roots, whipping and stinging my
forehead. The car felt hugely stable and composed
and its brakes capably brought this huge car to a
convincing halt.
In front of me, the windscreen was shallow and
I had to duck to avoid the full blast of the wind.
There was no seat belt and no airbag, but I had a
metal handle to hold for some kind of reassuring
comfort as we accelerated.
Bentleys have a sporting heritage and it seems
that Donald has factored this into his driving style.
The ride is in fact extremely comfortable and in
this grand car I could hear the music of Dr Finlay’s
Casebook as we passed through villages. People
on the pavement were not in the least fazed by the
car’s presence. Perhaps there are more old cars
lurking in lock-ups than I realise and the sight of
them is common.
Donald says that he built the car for nothing
as he “doesn’t like spending money on that type
of thing”. His Bentley MkVI Special is a truly
magnificent car and if you fancy embarking on
a similar project I would advise you to add the
essential tweed cap with perhaps a cloak to your
shopping list. GM
65
Back Chat
Thanks to a blocked road, I
became a GEM member...
We called in to pay 90th birthday wishes to Edward Loofe, a long-standing
GEM member, at his home in Prestwich...
I enjoyed my driving test in 1946, but my
memories are more that it was a lesson, because
I learnt a lot from the examiner. We had a
difference of opinion as to which way I should
leave the front wheels pointing when parked
facing up a hill. I also had no idea where I
should position my car (a Hillman Minx) if
I was following a tram and wanted to turn
right. He was keen to know what I thought, so
I suggested holding over to the nearside of the
tramlines. No, no,
he told me, because
then I’d find other
cars coming up on
my outside and I
wouldn’t be able to
turn. Follow the tram
round, he said. Best
thing was he didn’t
fail me, and I picked
up some good tips.
I had never actually
had any driving
lessons. My father
was a tailor at this
time, and he used to
have to deliver and
collect work from Leeds two or three times a
week, so he let me do the driving. This was long
before the M62, and the journey took us through
Oldham and Halifax. I drove hundreds of miles
in this time, and I’m sure this must have been
advantageous when test time came.
The closest I came to having lessons was in
the RAF, in India. I was waiting to be demobbed
and I was put through some educational
and vocational training. This included three
30-minute lessons in a big van inside the camp
at Alahabad.
But far more scary than driving (though I
never thought anything of it at the time) was
the job I did assisting Spitfire pilots back to
the service bay after flights. The trouble with
them, as with most ‘taildrag’ aircraft, was that
the pilot couldn’t see forwards or downwards
when taxiing. So as part of a bizarre experiment,
I would wait by the runway and the pilot
would land and stop. I would then run out to
the plane, and with one hand on the cannon,
I would leap up onto the wing and guide the
66
pilot in. I certainly got used to the wind from the
1000hp Merlin engine. Happily, the experiment
was short lived and I came to no harm.
My father’s role as a tailor had some
advantages for me. We used to get free tickets
for shows at the Queen’s Park Hippodrome in
north Manchester, and I remember going to see
Tod Slaughter in Murder at the Red Barn. Tod
was very famous in his day, specialising in the
role of the over-the-top maniac. Better still, we
had tickets once for Laurel and Hardy at the
Manchester Palace. I’ll never forget that evening,
after all, they were true mega-stars, the like of
which you just don’t get today.
Can you believe that I became a GEM member
because someone else blocked the road I was
using? Let me explain. I was driving with my
manager to visit a shoe factory in Northampton
– it must have been around 1966, I think. I was
driving a Hillman Avenger. We were following a
car through fairly light traffic. The car suddenly
slowed down and stopped, the driver got out
and left his door open to ensure that no one
could get past. He then assisted an old lady to
cross the road, while the traffic was held.
We were rather in awe of this chivalry, and
the driver explained that he was a member of
the CVM; he showed us the V badge on his car
and gave us the address we should write to
(no website or email then!). That was that and
I’ve been a member ever since. Do I follow that
chivalrous example and stop the traffic to assist
pedestrians these days? In Prestwich on our
busy roads, no fear!
Nearly 70 years after passing my test, I
still take a pride in my driving. Cautious,
considerate and observant are three words to
describe my approach, and I still feel safe at the
wheel of my Renault Clio. I do own up to one
speeding ticket, which put an endorsement on
my licence and cost me £5, but that was a very
long time ago.
I’ve always been very content with compact
cars, but if you pushed me, then I’d consent to
having a Bentley for a weekend, as long as I
could put the lovely Holly Willoughby in the
passenger seat. We’d head north to the Lake
District, drop in for tea with my grandchildren
in Glasgow, and then make for the Highlands.
What an adventure that would be! GM
The driver
got out and
left his door
open to
ensure that
no one could
get past...
Our Back Chat
page is here
to stay, so if
you have some
interesting stories
you’d like to share
in a forthcoming
edition, why not
make contact?
Drop an email to
the editor
(the address is on
page 3).
Membership
What it means for you
All these specially negotiated benefits are ONLY available to GEM Members.
Contact them now quoting your GEM Membership number.
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Specially arranged car
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Plus £25 introductory
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GEM Motoring Assist is unable to accept liability for any loss or suffering in relation to goods or services provided by third party companies or organisations.
Motoring
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Good Motoring
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11
Six times a winner!
Best Breakdown Cover 2015
Best Breakdown Cover
GEM Motoring Assist
GEM Motoring Assist - Voted No.1 for Overall Service in the
Auto Express Driver Power Survey for the last SIX years running
“Your services have never let us down and I would never change to a different provider,
they would not match up to the service you provide.” Jackie Hass
GEM benefits at a glance:
✔ Nationwide service 24/7, 365 days a year
✔ Fully comprehensive cover
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To join or renew your cover, go to
motoringassist.com
or call 01342 825 676
(Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm)
We were voted:
1st
1st
1st
1st
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1st
Keeping you informed
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Overall experience
Source: Auto Express Driver Power Survey 2015

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