American Graffiti named "Best Car" film.

According to Best buy magazine American Graffiti has been voted the best "Car" Film of all time.
Download the Film now.

Download here

Free Petrol or Diesel for a year

As petrol and diesel prices soar to record levels, just imagine the luxury of filling up for free.

You could win this fantastic prize and be driving off the petrol station forecourt with a full tank and no worries for a whole year.

Click here to enter

Petrol thieves to get the spike

A petrol station in north London has installed security spikes to stop motorists driving off without paying.

The Drivestop device has been fitted at the service station on Seven Sisters Road, in Finsbury Park, after a rise in the number of fuel thefts.

If a motorist drives away from a pump without paying, warning signs flash. Staff can then activate the spikes if the motorist continues to drive off.

The system tags the tyres so police can link the car to the petrol station.

'Try their luck'

Owner Mukesh Patel said: "Drive-off is a big issue now. Last year we lost about £7,000 - over five years we've lost about £20,000.

"All those drive-offs and we haven't had one come back yet [to pay] and the police are not doing anything about it, so we have to have our own security."

Jaginder Mudhar, who invented the system, said: "It gives the managers and the operators the ability to do something from behind that cash counter.

"Innocent people who forget to pay will stop when the red lights are flashing.

"People who have got something to hide, who have something to steal, will try their luck but will find that they won't be successful at all."

Crunch hits second-hand car trade

The credit crunch appears to be hitting the second-hand car market, according to latest figures.

The amount people intend to spend on used cars over the next few months has fallen compared with last autumn and the early part of this year, statistics from Sainsbury's Finance showed.

Around 4.9 million people plan to buy second-hand cars in the period March-August 2008 and intend to spend a total of £22.76 billion or £4,636 per vehicle on average.

Fuel prices to remain high for 8 years, UK motorists warned

With crude prices breaking 135 dollars per barrel (dpb) Thursday, accountants Grant Thornton suggested that petrol costs in the UK could reach Pnds 1.21 (Dlrs 2.40) per liter, if oil hits 140 dpb.

Prices would soar to Pns 1.46 per liter, if oil breaks 200 dpb, it said.

The average cost of a unleaded petrol in Britain is now over Pnds 1.13 per liter, with motorists suffering from almost daily rises over the past month.

The warning comes as investment bankers, Goldman Sachs, have been advising clients, including airlines and haulage groups, to buy oil supplies now for delivery in eight years, to insulate themselves from further increases.

The bank, which has previously forecast the possibility of oil reaching 200 dpb next year, has said that there could be a major shortage of oil over the next 10 years.

The escalating prices has prompted a renewal of fuel protesters, who are due to converge on London next week to demand that the government cuts the high fuel taxes, which are due to go up again in October by a further 2 pence per liter.

Britain's Automobile Association (AA) is backing the demand to shelve October's increase, while blaming speculators for the unprecedented run on oil prices.

"For the consumer it is very worrying that you have got financiers taking a punt on the price of oil which then becomes a self- fulfilling prophecy," said AA president Edmund King.

"This is now affecting the daily lives of millions of people and ministers should be looking at a range of options to deal with the rising cost of petrol," King said.

There is already anecdotal evidence that motorists are "downsizing" their vehicles because fuel costs for family cars are now so high, facing bills of more than Pnds 70 when filling up popular saloons, twice the price of three years ago.

US car dealer in free gun offer

A car dealership in the United States is offering a free handgun with every vehicle sold.

Max Motors in Butler, Missouri, says sales have quadrupled since the start of the offer.

Customers can choose between a gun or a $250 (£125) gas card, but most so far have chosen the gun.

Owner Mark Muller said "we're just damn glad to live in a free country where you can have a gun if you want to".

The dealership sells new and old vehicles, including General Motors and Ford cars and trucks, and its logo shows a cowboy holding a pistol.

It has sold over 30 cars and trucks in the past three days, an increase which the owners put down to their promotional offer.

Inspiration from Obama

Mr Muller said that every buyer so far "except one guy from Canada and one old guy" chose the gun, rather than the gas card.

He recommends a Kel-Tec .380 pistol, which he describes as "a nice little handgun that fits in your pocket".

He added that the promotion was inspired by recent comments from one of the Democratic nominees for the presidential election, saying: "We did it because of Barack Obama.

"He said all those people in the Midwest, you've got to have compassion for them because they're clinging to their guns and their Bibles. I found that quite offensive. We all go to church on Sunday and we all carry guns."

The website advertisement for the offer, which continues until the end of the month, mentions that an approved background check on gun ownership is required.

Dont get caught out by online auctions

Internet auctions are becoming an ever more popular route to buy and sell new & used cars online. Car buyers, particularly those in the market for used vehicles, have flocked to online auctions in ever increasing numbers. With thousands of people every day searching for that elusive bargain or "must have" car it has quickly increased the visibility of this sector making it one of e-commerce’s brightest success stories.

While the vast majority of online car deals go through without a hitch, the sheer volume of transactions performed on online auctions mean that it is inevitable that some auction users will be far from happy with their purchases.

Obviously buying a vehicle through an online auction site can present the buyer with problems not associated with buying from traditional auctions. However it can also provide the buyer with a wider range of vehicles, lower prices and much more accessibility.

You can negate some of the problems that may be encountered by following the simple 10 Step Safety Guide to purchasing vehicles supplied by AuctionAutoTrader:

# Check The Vehicles Details

Thoroughly review the description, pictures, model and price of the vehicle - it may be an idea to print this out. Ensure you know what you are buying prior to placing a bid. The old adage "if the price is too good to be true, it usually is" applies especially on high value/desirable vehicles.

# Check The Seller's Feedback

Feedback is a way for previous customers to rate the seller and this is worth checking prior to bidding on an item. Most online auction sites have a feedback system and it's a great way to see if your seller has a good trading history.

# Ask The Seller Questions

If you are unsure about any aspect of the vehicle you are considering purchasing then contact the seller. Good sellers will always be happy to answer reasonable questions. Can I have a test drive? Can I collect or will you deliver? Better to ask now than to leave it until it is too late.

# Vehicle Suitability

Consider the vehicles total running costs such as: Insurance, Servicing, Fuel Consumption, Replacement Parts etc How old is the vehicle? How many owners? Has it been regularly serviced?

# Vehicle Documents

If you are buying a car in the UK does it have its V5 Vehicle Registration document usually known as the "log book"?

# Vehicle Value

Nobody wants to pay over the odds for a car so to prevent yourself from bidding too high you may want to check what the cars usual sale price is. Prior to bidding you can seek out comparable used car pricing on sites such as Parkers or your local auto trader site - set a price you are prepared to bid to and stick to it.

# Vehicle Reports

When purchasing a car or any other vehicle you may wish to consider obtaining a report on it prior to bidding. As an example eBay UK motors offers potential bidders the opportunity to purchase a Vehicle Status Report. Specially designed for eBay Motor users and powered by HPI® the UK's most trusted independent information source for the motors industry this report offers the buyer peace of mind.

# Check The Small Print

How will the vehicle be delivered and is there a cost? A ploy by some unscrupulous sellers is to inflate the transport costs. Will the vehicle be insured in transit? How long will delivery take?

# Check How To Pay

You need to check what form of payment the seller will accept and whether there will be any associated costs. Never Pay With Cash!! The best methods of payment from the viewpoint of the customer are via Credit Card direct or through companies such as WorldPay. Alternatively an online payment service such as Paypal or NOCHEX is another secure way of making payment. Using the companies above will also ensure that the seller will not see your credit card number and details. By paying via Credit Card you may be entitled to additional protection subject to your card issuers Terms & Conditions. Finally as an additional option you may wish to consider using a reputable Escrow service to make payment.

# Check Your Bid

How much are you willing to pay? Consider any additional costs such as delivery etc and then if you are still happy with it place your bid. Remembering that if the bid is accepted then you will be expected to complete your side of the deal and pay.