Car costs soar

[Wizzo]

The cost of keeping a car on the road is escalating with Brits spending a combined £51 billion each year on their motor.

The average British driver forks out a massive £1,766.62 just to have their car on the road with most of the money going on insurance, tax and parking fines.

Insurance firm Zurich carried out a study which found 91 per cent of us have seen our car costs grow in the last five years, with over a third seeing costs rise by £400 each year.

This is clearly having an effect on our finances and 74 per cent say that they have to budget carefully as a result of owning a motor.

As costs rise, drivers are becoming more skilful in avoiding meeting payment deadlines, with fifth of us delaying making a payment for as long as possible.

Some drivers, 30 per cent, put off paying for an MOT, while 22 per cent have delayed paying their car insurance.

"The cost of motoring has risen dramatically over the past few years, putting drivers under increasing financial pressure," said Mark Searles from Zurich.

"The most worrying findings from our research are those that show some drivers are risking their own and others' safety in a bid to save money.

"We need to change those attitudes and remember that it is a legal requirement to have both a valid MOT and insurance," he added.

[cosworth151]

It's the same over here. On the way in to the office this morning, I noticed that gas is back up over $3/gal. Before Bush, it never got above $1.25.

[Ian]

Think that'll get you about a pint over here cosworth I think, thank heaven's I don't need a car.

[Neil.P]

Hey, don't get me started on Car Costs. Us as motorist's get absolutely nothing back in return for the vast amount of money we keep shelling out. The government needs to build better, totally new roads in South East London. The whole area is totally gridlocked from 2PM to about 7PM because there is so many people here "boosting our economy".

And what about all those cars sitting there for hours on end belching out that nasty horrible Carbon, surely it must be better to get the cars to their destination quicker to cut out all that "global warming" we're all causing!

The government make the congestion worse as well with badly timed traffic lights, terrible road layouts and road narrowing!

Tony Blair has been in power 10 years exactly today, 10 years too long in my book. He's managed to ruin a country in every single way possible, and to think I used to be proud to be English!

What a shower of sh!t

I said don't get me started...

Neil.P

[Wizzo]

Neil, I'm voting for you at the next election! 

[Neil.P]

lol

I'm glad it's not only me who's fed up Wizard!

Neil.P

[Dare]

Don't feel alone Neil,we in America are blessed with a president
who will do down in history,along with his daddy as 2 of the
worse presidents in US history.How can you support a president
democrat or republican who allows the oil companies and
oil countries to screw the American people

[Ian]

That's nothing dare, wev'e got a Prime Minister who roll's over and lets everyone screw us, he's sold our country out to the EU so you won't be exchanging dollars for sterling, you'll be getting euros instead, goodbye England, it will be no more !!!

[davewilson]

You thought that was bad...The whole country is going to be Browned off in a few weeks time.

[Wizzo]

Has there been a sneaky petrol price rise? I filled up my car this morning and it came to almost £70! thats about £5 more than normal.

Imagine that our foreign friends thats $140 (US) per tank - how does that compare?

[cosworth151]

When I'm heading out on the road with the van fully loaded, driving about 14 hrs a day, I'll go through two $70 tanks full a day. Luckily, it all goes on company plastic!

[Dare]

You thought that was bad...The whole country is going to be Browned off in a few weeks time.

Stig,what does browned off refer to,sorry never
heard the term before

[Wizzo]

Browned off in the UK means you're really fed up with something.

But our clever friend Mr Stig has used this as a play on words as Gordon Brown is about to become our Prime Minister.