Monthly Archives: September 2013

VOSA Cracking Down On Vans!

VOSA (the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) says it intends to ramp up roadside inspections and other enforcement activities in a bid to improve standards of van operation.

At the 3rd event in the Freight Transport Association’s Van Excellence conference series (taking place in Dunblane next month), the keynote address will be by Gordon MacDonald, VOSA’s traffic enforcement policy manager.

Focusing on the impact of the recession on operator practices, he will outline VOSA’s views on the operational standards required for vans across the UK.

“Van Excellence proves that operators are entirely capable of self regulation,” says Mark Cartwright, FTA’s head of vans.

“FTA applauds the efforts of VOSA to increase general operational standards and we are delighted that VOSA has agreed to come along and provide its views on the issues facing van operators.”

If your company is feeling the “Pinch” of the recession why not give us at Aarons Autos a call to see what we can do for you from genaral servicing to full Fleet Maintenance, we are here to help.

MSVR Team Trophy

Norfolk N Chance Race Team take to Brands Hatch for the 5th round of the MSVR Team Trophy.

David Slater and Aaron Harding from Aarons Autos who had never raced at Brands Hatch had to take the plunge and drive there hearts out to try and win some silver wear for the Team Trophy Cabinet.

The start of the race went very well which gave us half a chance of a good finish, but as these races are one hour endurance races many things can happen between the start and the finish.

Unfortunately we finished fourth in class which meant no silver wear but a great day was had by all involved.

Please click on the picture to watch the video from our onboard camera.

Car Park Dings !

Cramped parking spaces are costing motorists approximately £500 million in repairs as careless drivers dent doors and bash bumpers.

According to a study, more than ten million car owners have returned to a parking space to find their car damaged after another driver has swung open a door and hit their paintwork or banged the wing mirror.

And shoppers at supermarkets are also to blame for squeezing through narrow gaps between cars with metal belt buckles and bags catching on paintwork and mirrors.

The survey by high street chain Halfords found two out of three drivers shell out more than £50 for minor repairs for scuffs and scrapes with 50% of damage to the car body.

Bumpers are also vulnerable, accounting for 14% of repairs and mirrors make up another 13%.

Despite the size of the average car growing, Department for Transport rules governing car park space sizes have remained the same since 1994.

Modern cars can be up to two inches wider than the 5ft 11 inch minimum space recommended by the government department, meaning even a Ford Focus at 6ft 1in wide is too large to fit a regulation bay.

And at 6ft 7ins wide, a BMW 3 Series would need to straddle two tiny spaces to have any chance of parking safely.

Halfords spokesman David Howells said: “There is a squeeze on the nation’s car parks and the consequences are hitting frustrated motorists hard earned money.

“The majority of drivers we questioned blamed their scratches and repair costs on inconsiderate drivers parking too close to them but our research shows that the actual size of parking spaces is leaving them little choice.”

Donna Howard of paint protection experts G3 Pro said: “Even the smallest scratch can be very annoying and reduce the value of a car by hundreds of pounds.

“But with car park operators looking to maximise visitor volumes and revenue, there is little incentive for them to exceed the recommended minimum size requirements.”

The survey of 2,187 motorists found that local supermarkets were the worst for cramped bays with shopping malls second and railway stations in third place.

Skipping Next Service?

More than one in three motorists on UK roads are planning on skipping their next service, new research has found.

When interviewed, 39% of motorists admitted to considering skipping their next service, while 10% confessed to never checking their tyres. More worryingly, 15% admitted they were currently experiencing a problem with their brakes but were not looking to repair them!!

Motorists in the South West are the most likely to skip their next service, with 45% of drivers admitting to doing so, while in drivers in Scotland are the most likely to maintain their cars service schedule, with just 22% planning to skip their next service.

“It is very concerning to find that so many motorists are thinking of skipping their next service — especially considering the number of drivers who don’t make their own checks on their car”.

“Tyres, brakes and lights are all crucial to road safety, so it is vitally important that they are regularly checked, and not just left until the MOT is due.”

Here at Aarons Autos we recommend that you have your car serviced at least once a year whether it be at the same time as your MOT or spread the cost and have it done 6 months after you MOT.

We also recommend oil, antifreeze, tyres and lights should be checked regularly to help decrease the chance of breakdowns.