Despite the recession, the UK’s car market is prospering.

But, with so many other industries failing, how is this possible?

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So, you want to become more environmentally friendly.

Well, if you’re a driver, that probably means you’ve been thinking about swapping your car for something a bit less damaging to the environment.

If you drive an older vehicle, you might just find that it isn’t great for the planet, which is why choosing a newer, more environmentally-designed car could be the ideal choice.

And this is where electric cars come in.

In the UK, 76 per cent of people think that they’re well-informed about current environmental issues. Whether you count yourself in this percentage or not though, if you’re thinking about switching to an electric car you should probably figure out how practical a solution this would be for you before taking the plunge …

1) Calculate your daily driving distance

From dropping the kids at school to getting stuck in a traffic jam on the way home from work, it’s important that you know exactly how many miles you travel in a day.

As a general rule, electric cars can complete around 60 miles in one day. So, if your work is 20 miles away and you also need to carry out 15 miles of errands (school runs, shopping, general driving, etc), you probably won’t be able to get away with one.

2) Consider the cost of charging

In order to get your electric car to run, you (obviously) need to charge it. This is often done overnight, so your vehicle is ready for the morning, but how much could a full charge set you back by?

According to This is Money, on Economy 7 tariff and with a car from a major manufacturer, you’d pay around £1.50 for a full charge (roughly 1.4p per mile for a small electric car). In contrast, a standard diesel car could cost around 9.5p per mile. So, it’s far cheaper to run an electric car.

3) Don’t forget repair charges, though

No matter what kind of car you own, if it breaks down you’re likely to expect the worst concerning repair bills. But, when it comes to electric cars, you could even up breaking the bank even further.

Unfortunately, electric car batteries do wear out after a time. It’s thought that an electric car can manage 100,000 miles before the battery begins to become a bit useless.

Replacement batteries can vary in price, depending on the age, type and size of the car, but they usually cost between $1,000 and $6,000 (£642 and £3,856). Ouch.

4) Think about additional charges

As any car owner will know, there are always additional charges you need to consider before buying a vehicle. We’ve covered the major one already, maintenance; but what else is there?

You’ll also need to think about the cost of MOTs, servicing and insurance for your electric car. Handily, you won’t need to worry about road tax (as they’re exempt), the London congestion charge and, obviously, fuel.

You’ll also be granted £5,000 from the government when buying your electric car, which will certainly help.

So, the fact of the matter is that buying an electric car is probably only a viable option for some people. If you don’t travel very far, you’re willing to spend more to buy your car outright, and you’ll be able to front the cost of any repairs that may be required, an electric contract hire car may be ideal.

And, if not, have you thought about getting a hybrid car on daily rental?

(Images courtesy of Shutterstock)

Škoda. The name brings many things to mind, depending on who you are talking to.

For the older generation, the images conjured when talking about this car brand are not always positive.

A reputation for being a ugly, bulky vehicle was shared by many….

“Where’s first gear? Ah, I need to put it in H…’

Today, you just can’t laugh at Škoda. They don’t deserve your scorn. Here are three very good reasons why. For a start…

Volkswagen runs the show now

With Škoda, especially a few decades ago, there was always a sense that they weren’t really being taken seriously in the car market. After all, the running joke was they weren’t good at running whatsoever!

However, they got some serious backing in 1991 when the Volkswagen group entered into a joint venture, taking a 30% stake in the company. Eventually, this rose to a staggering 70%, meaning that when you now make fun of Škoda, you’re pretty much mocking precision, high level German engineering.

And no one makes fun of the Germans.

Modern, reliable design

Related to the previous point, it seems that you just can’t laugh at a Škoda these days when to comes to the whole driving experience. Once, they were scorned for shabby construction and low level design.

Of course, it’s a totally different matter today. In fact, Auto Express released a list of the best 100 cars to own, and guess who came out on top?

Yes, the Škoda Yeti came in at #1 in terms of running costs, performance and how easy it is to drive.

Although the open-top model was a hit.

It’s a numbers game

The great thing, it seems, about the Škoda today is that it really comes into it’s own and has done a remarkable thing by turning the brand from laughable to bankable. Affordable driving to buy. It’s even affordable driving if you only wanted to lease a Škoda for a short time. That’s what makes it so popular now. Don’t believe us? You only have to look at the figures.

In 2011, an impressive 879,000 models were sold worldwide. Last year, almost 1 million, with the UK market increasing by 20%.

These numbers are certainly no joke. And neither is Škoda any more, it seems.

Yes. You heard. I rock.

What do you think of Škoda?

[Images via flickr.com, wearemarketing.it, topskips.com]

Muscle cars; just the name brings up images of gleaming car bonnets, roaring engines and vintage Americana.

But, let’s face it, they aren’t the most practical of cars.

I’m probably going to cause a stir here among classic car lovers, but I’d even go so far as to say that, these days, all muscle cars can really do is look pretty.

When it comes to car hire, we like to think we can offer you practical yet pretty cars at Central Contracts. Unfortunately, we don’t have any muscle cars available though. That’s probably a good thing, to be perfectly honest.

Let’s take a look at some of the many reasons why muscle cars are possibly the most inconvenient cars on the planet:

Chevrolet Impala SS

1) They’re expensive

So you want to restore a classic muscle car, do you? Well, just buying it is likely to set you back by around £30,000. While there’s no definitive answer to how much is costs to actually restore a muscle car, you’re probably looking at a price tag in excess of £50,000. Ouch.

Not only that, but these cars are far from fuel efficient. In fact, rising petrol prices helped to bring about the demise of the muscle car. They guzzle petrol, meaning you’ll be left considerably out of pocket after each trip to the petrol station.

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When the first automobile was built, way back in the 1760s (yes, they are older than you realised), many people saw them as an interesting, but passing, fad.

Of course, the most widely used form of transport was by horseback. Surely, if it isn’t broke, why fix it?

How little did they know.

In 2010, automobile production surpassed over 1 billion. Transport by horse? Not as many.

Like any technology, the more we come to use it, the more we understand and know it. It evolves. It grows. It becomes better. Car design has followed this path, but unlike a lot of other technologies, many people still appreciate the classic aesthetic of a car.

A lot of cars hold a timeless appeal. Here are 7, highlighting how they looked in 1970 compared to how they look in 2013. The difference, in some cases, is staggering….

Ford then & now

This compact car is one of the most popular in the world due to it’s cost effectiveness, reliable nature and easy-to-replace parts. It’s kept a sport look throughout the years, becoming most streamlined.

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Like everything in life there are just some things which are just plain ugly, such as kitten heels and socks with sandals.

We all get it wrong sometimes and everyone has different tastes, but lets  face it there really are some hideous cars out there in broad daylight.

Don’t believe us? Have a look through our top 10 ugliest cars and all will become clear.

10. BMW X6

Is the X6  a sports car or a 4X4, we aren’t quite sure which. BMW are well known for their attractive, prestigious vehicles and this is no exception but you have to admit that it looks a little confused.

Released in 2009 by the German auto maker and marketed as a ‘Sports Activity Coupé’ which in a nutshell means that it offers both height of a 4X4 and the performance of a sports vehicle. It sounds almost too good to be true, which in our opinions it is as the way that it looks

The combination seems like the perfect concoction but in reality the X6 looks like it has been designed by two designers who just couldn’t agree. Instead of arguing about which was best they simply stuck them both together and voila the X6 was born.

Thousands of  X6′s have been sold and the model is still in production with many different specs  available. It just goes to show that there’s a car to suit everyone’s taste, even if Top Gear didn’t like the X6 it doesn’t mean you can’t love it!

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The motor industry may be totally different today if it wasn’t for a handful of cars which revolutionised motoring.

You may not totally agree with us but we have put together a list of ten cars which have shaped the motor industry.  So fasten your seatbelt and get ready to be reminded of the cars which shaped the motor industry as we know it.

The Mercedes 300SL Gullwing-  The Style Icon

Without this car many celebrities, rap artists and motor collectors wouldn’t be able to step out of gull-wing doors as they arrive at events all over the globe. The Mercedes 300SL Gullwing was the first ever car to have doors which resembled the wings of a bird. Not only is it one of the most beautiful cars ever to grace the road but it was also the first ever petrol – powered car to use fuel injection.

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You’re driving down the road minding your own business when suddenly a thud vibrates through your poor car, making you wince.

That’s right, you hit a pothole and you’re now worrying if any damage has been caused to your car!

Unfortunately some potholes just can’t be avoided! Not only are they uncomfortable if you hit one but they can also cause some serious damage to your car. If you car is damaged because of a pothole you can make a claim to your local council, however we aren’t really convinced that local councils care enough about fixing them.

Potholes seem to just pop up out of nowhere but they are actually formed when there is a weak spot in the road. As cars continue driving on the weak spot a hole will start to form and will eventually become a pot hole. read more…

Tomorrow the Fleet Show 2013 will take place, organised by The Fleet World Group!

Bringing together leaders of the fleet industry at the Silverstone Wing situated at the famous Grand Prix Circuit, Silverstone.

The event consists of the top fleet leaders exhibiting their products with test driving slot available from 10am- 4pm if booked with the relevant manufacturer. This is a fantastic chance for manufacturers to show what they have to offer the businessmen of today.

There will be two different circuits available, the Stowe Circuit which has a 60mph speed limit and the Grand Prix Circuit which has no speed limit. Anyone on the Grand Prix Circuit will have to wear a crash helmet and anyone racing on the track will be accompanied by a professional instructor.  read more…

The Toyota Aygo is one of the cool, city car gang but yet it is slightly misunderstood.

So don’t judge a book by its cover, maybe it’s time you took to the wheel of an economical city car!

Commuting to work can be costly and we know that no one loves spending ghastly amounts of money on fuel, which is why the Toyota Aygo could become your new BFF!

The Toyota Aygo offers around 65.7mpg combined which is phenomenal if you are looking to reduce your fuel bill.  Not only will your fuel go much further but because of its low emissions the new Aygo is exempt from road tax as it falls into tax band A.  If you’re fed up of congestion charges then good riddance to them as once you drive the Aygo you won’t have to think about them ever again! read more…