Top Car Guide

Once upon a time, all disabled vehicles looked much like Del Boy’s Reliant Regal – and didn’t they stand out like a sore thumb. They were awful! Times have well and truly changed, thank goodness!

Now, before anyone shouts out Del Boy’s three-wheeler was a Reliant Robin, it must be pointed out, in the most politest of terms, that it wasn’t. There’s no mistake here. Reliant Regal is correct.

And the three-wheeled disabled car? It was called the Invacar, a common sight during the 1960s and 1970s until it was phased out because of its inherently unstable and dangerous design.

The Invacar shows how much society has moved on. Wheelchair users are no longer stigmatised by such poorly designed vehicles. Now you can’t tell the difference between a modern wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) and any other car.

WAVs, these days, even come complete with a choice of automatic or manual transmission. Engines incorporate the latest of design improvements, thus reducing emissions and making them ever more fuel efficient.

But irrespective of how much the situation has improved for wheelchair users – whether driver or passenger – buying a suitable car is still a daunting prospect.

So take your time. Talk to your carer. Get as much input as you can from those around you. Then arrange for a test drive. It’ll be free. Test drive a number of vehicles if possible to see what works for your particular set of circumstances.

There are a few points to consider right from the word go. And no, we’re not talking about the colour of the car. That’s for much later in the process, once some rather more important issues have been decided upon – like price, for example, or size of vehicle!

Are you buying or leasing? Are you looking for new or second hand? Do you need a small car, medium sized car or even a larger vehicle? And that’s just for starters.

How are you going to get in and out of your car? Most have a ramp. Larger vehicles may also have the option of an electric lift. Your carer might even need to employ a winch to get you and your wheelchair up the ramp.

Headroom is always a prime consideration. It’s as well to know what height you actually are while sitting in the back of the WAV in your wheelchair. Most WAVs have a lowered floor for extra headroom. It also helps lower the angle of the ramp, thus making getting in and out so much easier.

It’s also worth noting that some WAVs have raised roofs, which might mean problems parking the car in the garage. Something to think about. Also, think about the sort of journeys you normally take – like to the shops, the doctor, or the local library.

Will there be enough room to park the car and for you to manoeuvre your wheelchair around and about so you can get in and out easily? These are just a few of the questions you must seriously consider.

Many of you may find buying salvage cars rather not beneficial. This is because you are not looking for a particular spare part that is hard to find or normally costs a lot of money. For classic car lovers, auto repair shops, and many other car lovers, auto salvage auction is a treasure field just waiting to be explored.

One of the main reasons to buy salvage cars is for parts. Even when the car is extensively damaged in a collision, there are a lot of salvageable parts the car can still offer. Engine parts, interior, and body parts can all be salvaged and used to restore or repair another car of the same type.

The cost of buying a salvage car is substantially lower than the market price for the car itself, and you can still find cars being listed as salvage in a relatively good condition. These repairable cars are often considered a good alternative for those of you who are looking for cheap cars for various reasons; even after the repair costs and other charges, the salvage cars are still very much less expensive than buying used cars off a car dealership or a previous owner.

Do you know that there are over 5,000 of cars currently being auctioned online as parts? Whether you are in the process of restoring a classic or you simply need parts for repairing your current car, visiting a good auto salvage auction website online can really help you find everything you need in no time at all.

If you are looking for a good car to use, it is always best to find a nice car with a clear sale document. However, there are also cars being sold with salvage sale documents that are still very much repairable. Considering you can get these cars for substantially less, buying a car from a auto salvage auction can be a good alternative to look into.

On the other hand, cars with extensive damages can still have good parts to salvage. Compared to buying parts individually, buying a car from auto salvage auction site will allow you to save up to 70% of the spare part costs rather easily.

It is clear that auto salvage auction websites can help you find the parts you need – or a very cheap, repairable car to purchase – rather easily. Find a good auction site to day and explore the possibilities.

Before you can purchase the best auto insurance policy for your car, you need to first understand several basics of auto insurance. To help you get started, we are going to discuss some of the basic coverage types of auto insurance right here in this article.

We all know that auto insurance policy generally offers two types of coverage: comprehensive and collision coverage. The comprehensive coverage protects your car against damages caused by natural disasters, riots, fire, and other non-collision causes. Collision coverage, on the other hand, protects your car against damages caused by a car accident or a collision with other car or object.

Aside from the two basic types of auto insurance coverage, the insurance company will also protect you against third-party liabilities. Should another car is damaged in the accident or other parties are injured in the process, the liability coverage will kick in and cover you from the financial risks as well.

A good auto insurance policy will also offer added benefits including roadside assistance, rental insurance, and many more. Check the auto insurance information provided by the insurance company to see the kind of added benefits offered by the policy. You can also remove the benefits you don’t need in order to lower your insurance premium.

Choosing between different disability cars can be a frustrating and confusing experience – it is essential to get it right – but with these handy tips it doesn’t need to be quite so difficult. Once you have your specifications and priorities straight, you are already one step closer to buying the disability car that suits you. Here’s how:

Know what kind of car you want

There is a range of vehicles that can be converted to your specifications. From hatchbacks to saloons to vans and MPVs, choosing the right model for you and the needs of the user is important. Think about your lifestyle, what you use the car for, whether the disabled user is the driver or the passenger.

You will also need to think about what kind of access you need; whether you need a wheelchair accessible vehicle with a ramp, or a hoist; one that you can ‘drive’ into and position yourself with the appropriate restraints, without having to disassemble the chair, or whether you need a vehicle that simply stores the wheelchair or scooter and has appropriate features on the interior.

Measure out dimensions

To save time when looking at which kind of car would be suitable, you can take three simple measurements at home and bring them with you when looking around dealerships:

• The total length of the wheelchair from the furthest point at the front (the footplates) to the furthest point at the back (the handles)
• The total width of the wheelchair
• The total height from floor to the top of the user’s head whilst seated (allow an extra two inches for clearance between the top of the user’s head and the roof of the car)

Shop around

Price is an issue, and the only way to find the best deal is by investigating. Order brochures, search online, and look at what each company offers and what the longterm benefits will be when weighed up against the costs. See what comes as standard (features and modifications) and which extra features you might need, and how much these would cost.

Top Tip! Don’t forget to check whether you are eligible for the
Motability Scheme, which provides specially adapted disabled cars on lease or hire purchase at affordable prices. If you receive the higher rate of mobility component for your DLA (Disability Living Allowance) then you could be eligible for a brand new disability car for up to five years, with the option of ‘nil’ advance payment (AP)).

Pick the right features

Seat height, door opening angle and storage space should all be considered when deciding whether a car is suitable or not. It needs to be easy to get in and out of, comfortable, and safe. Beyond that, there are additional features to consider. Think about what else you might need, and ask your dealer for a list of features. Some to consider are:

• Ramps (for ‘drive on’ wheelchair accessible vehicles)
• Wheelchair restraints and hoists
• Push-pull hand controls
• Steering aids
• Adapted mirrors
• Rotating seats
• Cushions, covers and lumbar support

Good luck!

Although it is true that declaring bankruptcy does have certain implications which can affect the rates you would be getting in the event that you decide to buy a new car, it is certainly still possible for you to get approved for a car loan. As a matter of fact, plenty of car dealers today specifically cater to individuals who have bad credit or a low credit score.

One of the first options that you have would be to get a secured credit card. Secured credit cards allow individuals who have bad credit to improve their credit history. Since they are secured with some type of collateral, they are less risky for the card issuer unlike unsecured credit cards. Try to use the card regularly but make sure that you would be paying your outstanding balance in full every month. This would help you reestablish your credit history, which can give you the chance to be approved for a better rate on a car loan.

You can also get a co-signer to sign the loan agreement with you. Depending on the car dealership or lending institution that would be financing the car for you, you might actually be required to have a co-signer, especially if you declared bankruptcy in the past. When looking for a co-signer, try to get someone who has a good credit rating and make sure that that individual completely understands the terms and conditions of the co-signing agreement. A co-signer is important because in the event that you default on the car loan, it would the co-signer who would be held responsible for the debt.

Another way to buy a new car would be to agree paying a higher interest rate. There are many car dealers and lenders that can approve your car loan even without a co-signer, provided that you agree to pay a higher interest rate.

Lastly, you can try saving up for the down payment on the car you wish to get. This is probably your best option as having the money to make the down payment would persuade the dealer or the lender to approve your application even if you have declared bankruptcy in the past. It can also give you a bigger chance of being approved for a more reasonable interest rate.

Before buying cheap car insurance, first of all you have to realize that what is your actual budget? Like what is your range of money that you can spend on your car insurance? Along with this, you have to keep in your mind that new car always take more amount of money to get insured as compared to an old car. Your age and your driving record also make a significant impact on the calculations of total premium that you have to pay for getting car insurance. If it’s going to be your first car insurance then it is very hard to get cheap car insurance. You have to do certain things so that you can make ensure to the insurance company that you are a good driver.

Insurance companies don’t rely on eth new drivers as they have no proof through which they can check their record of driving. The companies have to rely on their own judgments only due to which the first insurance always come at higher rate as compared to the insurance that you get at older age. There are different online insurance providing companies that provide insurance cover through online procedures. Hence, you have to just click on the website and you can manage your account and forward your instructions to the car insurance company.

There are minimum coverage laws that should be followed by every driver and if you are not following the minimum coverage then you are simply violating the laws of state and state will consider you as a criminal. It’s compulsory for everyone to have insurance coverage so that he/she can avoid from financial loss that has to beard by him/her in case of accident. Your vehicle insurance company will pay you the damages that will be claimed by you as per the standards set by them.

Thanks to advancement in the circuit of GPS tracking, we are now privileged with employing GPS vehicle tracking device to the full. Over the years, a lot of unbelievable discoveries came about in this industry and here we are now enjoying the efficiency of the resourceful vehicle tracking systems whose applications have literally endless possibilities.

We have to recognize that continuous advancement in tracking and related fields have paved way for some unprecedented applications which come in handy especially during times when trouble knocks the door. For instance you could actually maneuver the control in such a way that you run your vehicle (that is poles apart) just by using an online device that is totally charged up for vehicle fleet tracking.

With such a robust setup, you lose no time to find exact positions of the vehicles, assign a short route if you sense any lag in transit and, in turn, delivery of the goods they carry, and generate complete reports as to the position and the duration to be taken. Of course, your clients would be too happy if you get in touch and convey the whereabouts of the vehicle and its position that they are so curious about. Usage of GPS tracking is thus very significant if you wish to reach that quintessential state of doing logistics business.

The Top Gear Botswana Special will always be treasured as the greatest Top Gear Episode in history and probably the best evidence for the need of 4×4 Hire in Botswana.  

The episode challenged the 3 hilarious pranksters and ‘sometimes car experts’ Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond and to traverse the treacherous wilds of Botswana 4×4 country.

Instead of being able to make use of a top 4×4 hire Botswana agent to book a fully equipped 4×4 safari vehicle for Botswana, the boys were given a budget of 1500 pounds and duly instructed to purchase a second hand car not designed in any way for off-road 4×4 use.

So armed with 3 fix-me-uppers the trio set off on the 1 700 km epic journey across the unforgiving Makgadigadi Pans and animal infested wilds of the Okavango Delta.

Here is a quick guide on the best options for 4×4 hire in Botswana and how renting a 4×4 from a 4×4 Botswana rental agency could have saved the Top Gear trio a few close calls. 

Toyota Landcruiser 4×4

Fully equipped with 4-wheel drive, power steering, air conditioning and some kick ass tyres the Toyota Landcruiser is one of our top recommendation for 4×4 hire. Botswana’s unforgiving Makgadigadi Pans, which often had Clarkson and May digging their cars out of thick mud, would be have been a breeze in the perfectly designed Toyota Landcruiser 4×4.

Toyota Fortuner 4×4

The V6, Turbo Diesel engine of the Toyota Fortuner 4×4, which combines speed with rugged performance and has a top speed of 180 km/h is the ideal way to travel in comfort across Botswana. 4×4 hire cars don’t get any faster and the the Toyota Fortuner 4×4 would have been the ideal challenge for the Stig’s African Cousin in the time trial of the Top Gear Botswana Special.

Land Rover Defender 110 4×4  

The Land Rover Defender 110 4×4 has become the iconic car for 4×4 hire. Botswana’s wildlife rich and waterlogged Okavango Delta and Chobe region are no match for the classic African safari vehicle, which combines power and performance.

The 2.4 litre engine and 4-wheel drive would have saved Hammond from his early swim in the croc- infested waters of the Delta and kept Clarkson safer than his shield doors of soft drink cans and wood.

Whether you are looking for speed, comfort or like the intrepid Top Gear team could use a little more rugged performance there are a number of off-road rental options to suit your needs in 4×4 hire. Botswana’s magical natural splendor and unique wildlife encounters will prove far more enjoyable with the right equipment.