Car Care and Tips

Alloy wheel insurance: Worth it or not?

Alloy wheel insurance: Worth it or not?

Alloy wheels can be susceptible to damage from potholes and other road hazards in addition to malicious damage. In some cases, this damage can be severe enough to require the replacement of the entire wheel. This is not normally something that is covered by standard vehicle insurance. You may need to take out additional insurance to cover this or pay for the repairs yourself. That's where alloy wheel insurance comes in.…

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Are electric cars automatic or manual?

Are electric cars automatic or manual?

As the UK comes ever closer to a, many drivers are starting to ask more questions about electric cars and how they work. After all, it's a major shift to go from a petrol or diesel car to an electric one, which you may have realised if you have already done so, from charging your car rather than filling it up, to getting used to the way your new car drives. Having said this, there is one pervasive question that gets asked the most when it comes to making the switch from fuel to electric: are electric cars automatic or manual? In this guide, we'll run through the answer as well as other key things you need to know.…

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How to pay for the Dartford Crossing Toll

How to pay for the Dartford Crossing Toll

When you're driving in England, there are a few tolls you'll have to pay along the way. One of them is the Dartford Crossing Toll. Here's a guide to how to do that, and some tips on making it as affordable as possible. Keep reading to learn more!…

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Major toll roads in the UK

Major toll roads in the UK

The UK's road network is key for travelling around the country and getting to where we need to be quickly. Sometimes though, our roads and motorways can get clogged up with traffic and slow to a crawl. To help solve this problem, the UK Government have introduced toll roads over the years to reduce congestion on busy routes. These toll roads see drivers pay to use them and enable motorists to enjoy a quieter, faster way to get to where they are going. Knowing about some of the most popular is useful, so you can take advantage of them if you happen to be travelling close by. But which are the UK's major toll routes?…

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What should you do if you hit an animal while driving?

What should you do if you hit an animal while driving?

Even the most careful of motorists can face challenging situations on the road. Including accidentally hitting an animal that runs in front of your vehicle. This is especially common on country roads, when wildlife dashes in front of your wheels, or in residential areas where cats roam freely and dogs escape from family homes. Apart from the distress this type of accident causes, you may also be unsure of what to do when you hit a pet or wild animal in your car. This short and informative article explains the steps to follow after your vehicle collides with an animal.…

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Tips for nighttime driving

Tips for nighttime driving

Even the most skilled driver can face challenges on the road. If you are a careful driver, then you understand the difficulties that may occur when driving at night. Whether for a short or a long journey, you may be uncertain how to drive in the safest way. Here, we take a look at some top tips for nighttime driving so you can feel more confident as you head out on the road.…

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What Should You Do If A Pothole Damages Your Car?

What Should You Do If A Pothole Damages Your Car?

Here in the UK, potholes in the road are a prevalent problem. The wet and cold weather associated with certain times of the year in Britain makes potholes a major concern. UK roads begin to form tiny fissures from tear and tear. As rain falls, water enters these cracks. As the temperature drops, this water freezes and then expands widening the fissures. Eventually, the ice melts leaving potholes on the surface of the road. When cars drive over them, they can incur a wide range of damage to their tyres, alloys and in more serious cases their suspension and undercarriage. Read on to discover the important steps to take when a pothole damages your vehicle.…

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A guide for young drivers getting car insurance: what to know and what to avoid

A guide for young drivers getting car insurance: what to know and what to avoid

It’s no secret that young drivers’ insurance is typically very costly and can prove quite the expense for parents, guardians or for the young driver themselves. It’s not uncommon for insurance to cost more than the price of the first car, either. On average, quotes for teenagers looking at car insurance can be as much as three times the amount of quotes for drivers who are in their mid-thirties. It’s clear that there is a huge disparity because as young drivers gain more experience and when they hit the age of 25, the insurance drops by almost 30%, continuing to decrease with each birthday. That’s why, here at Direct Gap, we’ve put together this guide for young drivers’ car insurance. The things to know and research as well as the things to be careful of.…

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Four types of other car insurance to protect your vehicle

Four types of other car insurance to protect your vehicle

In the UK, it is a legal requirement to have car insurance. However, there is a wide range of insurance policies you can look into, all of which provide different levels of protection for different aspects of your vehicle. This makes it hard to determine the best one for your needs. Read on to learn more about four possible insurance options and why these can protect you from significant financial harm in the long run.…

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Why you might need scratch and dent cover

Why you might need scratch and dent cover

Car insurance comes in many different forms. While standard motor insurance is compulsory to drive your vehicle on UK roads, other kinds of cover have been created to suit specialist circumstances. When you buy a new car, you may consider additional insurance options available to protect your new car. For example, you could take out Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP policy) or even a built-for-purpose insurance product for tyres or alloys. Another type of specialist cover you may want to consider is scratch and dent insurance. In the following sections, we take a closer look at this type of insurance and why it might have value for you as a driver.…

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