It is understandable that people are looking to save money where they can. It may seem like an unnecessary spend when money is tight but regular car servicing will save you money in the long term.

He went on to say,

There has been a big increase in untrained and illegal operators at the fringes of our Industry offering to service cars. While it may seem like a bargain at the time, often the work carried out by such operators is to a poor standard, which could leave a car in dangerous condition and the owner out of pocket when something goes wrong with their car.

Certainly one of the problems we face when it comes to getting our car serviced is cost, there isn’t a set price list and we don’t know what we’re getting for our money. With the SIMI APR there is a more open attitude from the workshop to customer with a “What’s quoted is what’s charged” policy, and you will get a phone call prior to any extra work being carried out so no nasty surprises. All the old parts will be kept if you wish to see what you’re getting for your money.

Operating under a strict code of ethics already set down by the SIMI you can be reassured that a qualified technician will work on your car. Cars serviced in member garages receive a completion sticker and can have its service details added to a national database, with your permission, giving you an approved and recognised service record at time of trade in or sale. Download a fully detailed leaflet here.

Noel Brett from the RSA welcomed the scheme saying,

the RSA fully welcomes the SIMI APR scheme which will help motorists understand why getting their annual service is so important, not only from an economical point of view but from a road safety aspect. Badly worn tyres and brakes can make a car a lethal weapon and when you consider the consequences of some car crashes, simple maintenance and regular servicing is absolutely necessary.

Outline of what’s expected of participating garages,

• 1. Only allow qualified staff to work on a vehicle.
• 2. Keep all old parts that are replaced and educate the customer as to what work was completed.
• 3. What is quoted is what is charged. There will be no increase from the quote unless additional work is identified and authorised by you.
• 4. Log the service record on the National Service Database (with your permission).
• 5. Each garage should be involved in promoting the scheme.
• 6. Offer real value when it comes to trading in a vehicle that has a service history.
• 7. Each garage should carry out a service to the standard recommended by the Manufacturer.
• 8. Use only original parts or parts of matching quality.

Ask any feminist and they’ll tell you there’s nothing more liberating than whipping your top off in public. It’s even more exciting when you do it in a crowded street as shoppers look on. Some are shocked, some are stunned while others are just downright envious.

Well, as they say – if you’ve got it … flaunt it.

And that’s exactly what we did only this was legal, above board and fully legit. The top in question is the roof of the stunning new Golf Cabrio and the shocked and stunned looks were probably down to the fact that it’s early May and the temperatures are still well below 10 degrees. That was never going to stop this intrepid reporter and as long as the rain stayed off so would the lid.

Now, to say that we were blown away by the new offering is an understatement (literally) … but not by the very things we were expecting. Yes, we were more than impressed by the two tone effect of the black canvass roof and the pearl toned metallic white paint. We were more than pleased to see a toughened glass rear window where once a plastic one would have sat. One even warmed to the more aggressive styling which is refined by smatterings of chrome trim and piano black finish, especially around the grille where the two worked fantastically well.

Yes, we relished the more luxurious interior with half leather/ swede bucket seats which were given an even more sporty feel by red mesh that hugged the sides. The premium feel didn’t end there and here is where the attention to detail kicks in. We discovered the door pockets covered in soft carpet-like material which is perfect for delicate items like mobile phones, cameras or iPods etc.

That finish continued on into the glove compartment should you want to store them in there. The build quality of the cabin is as you’d expect typically Germanic – practical, functional and indestructible if not a little dull especially the digital radio display. But the real surprise was hidden under the bonnet in the guise of the TSi petrol engine.

And what a little dynamo she is.

You see, a 1.2 litre powerplant in a car this size should be massively underpowered, sluggish and downright thirsty. Not so.

In fact, the 105bhp Bluemotion engine is punching well above its weight and even had me checking under the hood after its first outing. At one stage I was convinced the 1.6L badge had fallen off or I had been misinformed in the press pack. A pleasant surprise indeed.

She was packing more than enough grunt for city driving and absolutely purred like a kitten on the motorway.
It sips the juice too and over the week I clocked up an astounding 700kms before I got the nod to refuel.
Thanks to Stop/Start technology and six speed box I averaged well over 42mpg and with emissions of just 134g/km – seeing it reside in Tax Band B and annual duty of €225.

It proved a really fine drive too cruising steadily and with ease on motorways while responsive and informed on smaller country boreens. Road noise, although hugely reduced is not completely eliminated and it still gets a little draughty in there, but you can’t blame the weather on VW.

So its fun and frugal too, but the fun bit is what will clinch the deal for potential buyers. I literally couldn’t wipe the grin off my face trying to gauge whether the looks on people’s faces were that of sympathy (for my 8-year-old passenger) or that of sheer disgust at the sight of a large, bald man cruising around town like a movie star. And that smile takes less than 10 seconds to appear as the lid retracts and is safely stored behind the back seats – all while moving at speeds of up to 30kph.

Because the roof isn’t stowed into the boot, you can actually carry luggage and there’s a decent enough 250 litres of space in there and as the rear seats fold down more awkward loads cam be accommodated. The downside to this is legroom is somewhat restricted and six footers like me wouldn’t relish a long journey. That said, I doubt many singletons especially professional young women will fret too much about the passenger load. As long as there’s room for the Jimmy Choos in the rear and a safe place for the must-have Hermes bag then all is well in the world.

Speaking of accessorising, there was plenty of options to personalise like black high gloss inlays, sports seats, Bluetooth, leather multi-function steering wheel and on-board computer.

After 10-years in the wilderness the new Golf really is a breath of fresh air.

Hot hatch fans will also be delighted with the news that a GTi Cabrio has just been launched which is packing 207bhp, a 0-100kph of 6 seconds an a top speed of 250kph.

Prices for the Golf Cabrio start at €28,465.

The hottest Polo ever

Volkswagen Head of Development Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg

According to a report by AA Ireland, 10% of motorists have put the wrong fuel in their tank and with the price of fuel constantly on the rise it’s a costly mistake. Ford are now fitting this new system to The Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo giving Ford owners peace of mind when filling up.

It has quite a simple operation, when the correct sized fuel nozzle for your fuel type is inserted a flap will be pushed open allowing fuel in, if it’s the incorrect size it doesn’t open, simple really.

There is no mention of what happens if you run out of fuel and have to fill from a can, probably best to keep an eye on the guage rather than test that one.

Antonin Guy and Xavier Degon have completed the first part of their Electric Odyssey and are now headed for Japan to drive from Tokyo to Nagasaki. Their aim, to prove electric cars are a plausible means of transport and if they can travel the world in one it can surely be used as a daily means of transport.

To follow the guys in real time visit their website, http://www.electric-odyssey.com

Many of the major car companies already have advanced working prototypes and some of this technology has already been put to use in cars which are on forecourts right now. Take the self parking system which is widely available, this works with the aid of sensors, cameras and servos, all technology derived from the fully autonomous system. Even the common cruise control, or speed control is a close relation giving the driver a feeling of some autonomy.

Mercedes, Volvo and Audi currently have a system in final testing that will take over the driving of a vehicle in a traffic jam or a in a road train situation and can operate at speeds of up to 50 km/h, vehicles fitted with these systems are expected on our roads as early as 2013.

Googles use of its own comprehensive mapping system including Street View, which was co-founded by the driverless car chief engineer Sebastian Thrun, and being the first to receive a license for an autonomous vehicle would seem to put Google ahead of the competition.

Even with these advancements the license does not allow the car to be driven without two people on board, one of these in the driver seat to take control of the vehicle at any time. While most of the questions for the future of driverless cars inevitably include the possibilities of beign able to text, tweet, eat or make phone calls, the emphasis is on safety and if taking the responsibility of driving away from humans will reduce collisions. The World Health Organisation say that 90% of motor vehicle accidents are due to human error so even if autonomous vehicles could reduce that by ten or twenty percent it would be a step in the right direction.

So whether you believe Google has just created some hysteria or not it’s hard to deny it is a step in the right direction. Oh and they’re not the only ones doing it.

By Philip Hedderman

In the M5 nobody can hear you scream…

Thankfully the snorting growl of the 4.4 litre, V8 drowns out the ear-splitting shrieks.

It begins as sheer terror and ends in a giggling hysteria akin to schoolgirls meeting One Direction.

The blood pumping, adrenaline rush began as the hulking saloon pulled out onto the M2.

Dropping the hammer the dash lights up like a Christmas tree as the traction control struggles to contain the 560bhp that’s just been unleashed.

Her ample bottom gives a little wiggle as we rocket into motoring nirvana.

The rev counter loops into the red as the throaty rasp hits an orgasmic crescendo and we’re into second, then third and within the four seconds – she’s tipped the 100kph.

Amazing.

I don’t think I’ve ever travelled such a short distance at such speed in my entire life and I’m hooked.

Who’d have thought having your face peeled off was such an exhilarating experience?

The raw power so intoxicating I just couldn’t help myself and I’m drawn into committing an illegal act.

Details of the actual offence will remain a secret, so let’s just say I may have stumbled over the, erm, speed limit.

My time with the beast is limited, it’s mid afternoon and I’m 15 minutes from the nearest motorway.

Now, the book claims she can hit 200kph in around 13 seconds and we had no intention of trying to push it that far.

But it would be a crime not to give her a little tease.

Wow.

Fourth, fifth, sixth and even seventh gear have the power of a mini tsunami and it proved a bottomless pit of grunt, torque, and most importantly, control.

Therein lies the secret of the fifth-generation M5 which on paper looked like a watered-down version of its predecessor.

The engine shed 2 cylinders, going from a V10 to a V8, but don’t let that fool you.

Its potency is up gaining 10pc more power, 30pc more torque while fuel efficiency is up 30pc.

In cash terms that means a very decent 28.5mpg while emissions are down to 232g/km.

Astounding, considering this executive saloon with wall-to-wall leather is as quick out of the blocks as any Ferrari or Lambo while coping with every day life like the school run or the weekly trip to the supermarket.

On the odd day off you can take to the track to blow the cobwebs off and brighten your day.

That’s down to its race-bred chassis technology that includes, for the first

time, an Active M differential and electronic damping control which basically recalibrates all the driver settings to get her into rally mode.

You could get confused by all the different settings which can be altered individually like steering, suspension, gear ratio etc.

They should simplify this and save some time by offering just three -Normal, Crazy and Psycho.

Anyway, when you’re not in Psycho mode one can potter about town in the lap of luxury with every conceivable gadget and gizmo at your fingertips.

Standard kit includes Leather upholstery, Head-up Display, DAB digital radio, parking sensors, four-zone air-conditioning, Xenon headlights, Adaptive Headlights and front seat heating, sat nav with traffic bulletins, Bluetooth and USB interface.

Options including a rear-view camera, High-Beam Assistant, Speed Limit information, Lane Change and Lane Departure warnings, Surround View and BMW Night Vision ensure the driver is aware of anything and everything happening within the vicinity of the car.

A Mobile Application preparation allows iPhone owners to receive web radio stations and display Facebook and Twitter posts on the Control Display.

By far the fastest, safest most comfortable super car I’ve ever driven.

A true revelation.

Priced at €135,280 the new M5 really gives a whole lotta bang for your buck.

A line soon to be quoted by SAAB salesmen across the UK as they try to shift the last remaining right hand drive 9-3 convertibles. ANA in Trollhättan have been working tirelessly to knock out 26 of these to go on sale in the UK. Prices start at £22,750 and each car is etched with a limited edition number on the rear side windows, it may just be an investment in a piece of history but would you be willing to buy it as an everyday driver?

There’s no mention of warranty and with the company all but gone since last December who would offer the warranty? Its hard to see independent service centres offering anything as it wouldn’t be financially viable. When it was announced that SAAB was bankrupt last year, Quentin Willson announced he would offer a “Like for Like” warranty on all SAABs registered after March 2009, see warrantywise.co.uk, but will this include these cars which were built out of hours?

If you do invest in one you can expect a long list of options as standard including park assist, five spoke satin finish 18 inch wheels, leather seats with orange stitching, matching the paint job and all finished off with an ample amount of grey piping. Tasty.

No mention of Irish sales but I’m sure if you wanted one a UK dealer would be happy to talk to you, www.saab.co.uk.

Changan Ford Mazda Automobile have invested and further $600million into the expansion of its China production bringing their total investment to approximately $4.1billion, it’s part of their plan to increase sales worldwide by 50% producing in the region of 8 million vehicles per year.