S4

Every morning as I get in my car to leave for work, I see my neighbour from a few doors down pulling out in his new Audi

S4. I always delay getting in to my car so that I can hear him pull off; the sound of the V6 Supercharged engine at 6:30am always puts a smile on my face. I’m a petrol head, there, I said it. I went with him to buy used Audi S4 in Oxford a couple of years ago.

During the summer months my neighbour and I often take our cars round the back and wash them and chill with a can of beer. We both love our Audis and have mutual respect for each other’s cars. I used to have an S4 but I recently traded that in for a S5 as my kids are now grown up and no longer need lifts from me! 

Your Ad Here

Unreliable cars unveiled

In the world of cars some car manufacturers have a good reputation while others simply don’t. Some manufacturers have historically always produced reliable cars, but occasionally manufacturers with a good reputation turn out unreliable cars.

Based on claims made against the warranty on the car, below is a list of cars you probably thought were reliable but in fact aren’t:

The old Lexus LS sold between 2000 and 2003. Lexus is known for being both luxurious and of high quality but a massive 31% of this LS model broke down every year. And this is the same percentage as another Japanese car, the Mazda RX-8. But while a Lexus repair can cost up to £650, a repair of a Mazda RX-8 can total over £4,000. So if you own a vehicle like this, you should probably pray yours in one of the reliable ones.

Another well considered car is the Volkswagen Golf but the 2004-2009 model had a breakdown incident rate of 32%. Still a great car with excellent handling but clearly not as reliable as you would think. The Audi A3 is another well respected German offering which frankly disappoints when it comes to reliability. The annual failure of the A3 is a massive 38% with repairs costing up to almost £4,000.

But the least reliable of all is the Land Rover Discovery with a breakdown rate of 62%. This is a very popular car on British roads but with figures like that you have to wonder why. Repair bills can run as high as £3,000. 

Discovery

In the world of cars some car manufacturers have a good reputation while others simply don’t. Some manufacturers have historically always produced reliable cars, but occasionally manufacturers with a good reputation turn out unreliable cars.

Based on claims made against the warranty on the car, below is a list of cars you probably thought were reliable but in fact aren’t:

The old Lexus LS sold between 2000 and 2003. Lexus is known for being both luxurious and of high quality but a massive 31% of this LS model broke down every year. And this is the same percentage as another Japanese car, the Mazda RX-8. But while a Lexus repair can cost up to £650, a repair of a Mazda RX-8 can total over £4,000. So if you own a vehicle like this, you should probably pray yours in one of the reliable ones.

Another well considered car is the Volkswagen Golf but the 2004-2009 model had a breakdown incident rate of 32%. Still a great car with excellent handling but clearly not as reliable as you would think. The Audi A3 is another well respected German offering which frankly disappoints when it comes to reliability. The annual failure of the A3 is a massive 38% with repairs costing up to almost £4,000.

But the least reliable of all is the Land Rover Discovery with a breakdown rate of 62%. This is a very popular car on British roads but with figures like that you have to wonder why. Repair bills can run as high as £3,000.

So noticeably it’s the traditionally very reliable Japanese and German cars that also turn out to be the most unreliable just proving that even great manufacturers can produce duds from time to time. If you’re in the market for a new car, it’s clearly worth checking online how reliable your favourite car is before you visit any local car dealers in Kent or any other regions. It might even be worth looking at other car makers

Space Saving Small Cars

Space Saving Small Cars

With petrol prices continuing to increase and cars becoming more expensive to run, people are turning to small cars to solve their problems. These cars have gained incredible popularity due to their compact size, cost and fuel efficiency. These cars have contributed in a major way to the modern car industry and almost all of the major manufacturers around the world offer a range of compact vehicles.

The size of the car ranges from 4400mm and 4750mm long for convertibles, 4100mm and 4450mm long for hatchbacks. Small family cars based on sports utility vehicle design range from 4400mm to 4750mm in the international based models and for the U.S. models it is 4200mm to 4500mm. The considerations of compact cars in Japan are under certain conditions and they are as follows: the vehicle needs to be 3.4m long, 1.48m wide, 2m height with an engine capacity of 660cc to 2000cc, 4.7m long, 1.7m wide, and 2m height. There are no special considerations for hatchbacks, minivans, SUV’s or CUV’s. They run on either diesel or petrol with an engine capacity of 1.5 litres to 2.4 litres, some are 1.3 litres to 1.4 litres units for economy models, within an absolute range of 100 bph and 170 bph.

In the year 1950, the compact class was introduced, built on a 2500mm wheelbase and to it were added hardtops, hatchback and station wagon designs. The “compact” term was coined by the American motor industry, and is now used all over the world. It was between the 1958 and 1960 when modern compact cars were greatly expanded. During the 1960’s small vehicles evolved into slightly smaller versions with 6 cylinder engines, with two-bench six-passenger sedan but were among the smallest in North America.

Consumers today seek vehicles in the U.K. that are fuel efficient as well as fun to drive and for this reason the sale of small cars are at an all time high. Manufacturers are coming up with new ideas and innovative designs in this sector which is proving extremely popular. According to information in 2010 these smaller versions of cars made up about one third of the overall car sales. 

Folding sack trucks

A folding sack truck is basically a sack truck that is foldable. This fold ability provides an extra bonus to the already useful sack truck. Folding sack trucks are used to transport large or bulky items without difficulty or injury while having the luxury of small space storing. Folding sack trucks are commonly used in industrial facilities and most types of transportation trades.

Two pneumatic wheels can be found at a folding sack trucks base that provides greater stability on uneven ground, with telescopic handles at its top. A small platform- commonly known as a toe plate- is also located at the very base and folds up to minimize storage space requirements. When foldable sack trucks are in their upright position their toe plate is laid flat against the ground so that goods can be placed on top of the sack trucks platform with ease. Once it's loaded, the folding sack trucks are tilted back in order to move goods by balancing on its two wheels.

You might be a bit confused by having heard alternate names in reference to the foldable sack trucks but they are often used interchangeably and the most common names are; dollies, two-wheel dollies, hand trucks, stack trucks, hand carts and bag barrows.

Foldable Sack trucks are a key piece of equipment for the workplace or home. So often we find tools and other equipment to be too heavy to carry freely, a foldable sack truck is perfect for those times. In commercial use, foldable sack trucks can help move heavy or awkward shaped goods with ease. These trucks can save time, injury and money from the lack of manually carrying such items.

Some places where you may have seen foldable sack trucks used would be as follows:

1. Furniture stores

2. Large warehouse wholesale clubs

3. Any form of transportation of goods - like beverages to bars and retail stores, etc.

4. Train stations and airports utilize foldable sack trucks for assisting customers with their luggage & other items.

5. Storage facilities

Lots of different materials are used to make foldable sack trucks. This includes polystyrene, tube steel, aluminum steel, and aluminum excursion. A powder-coated steel construction also can help improve the quality of the frame, making it less susceptible to wear and tear.

It's hard picture a moving and transport company without the use of foldable sack trucks; how would the movers get all the furniture into the buildings and houses?

Picture a huge warehouse without the use of foldable sack trucks; perhaps the goods could be pushed around on skateboards.