RHA slams Government for not addressing fuel duty issue

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has spoken out against the Government following the news that the UK has entered a double-dip recession period, with the economy shrinking by 0.2 per cent in Q1 2012.

Geoff Dunning, chief executive of the RHA, could not hide his disappointment at the Government for not attempting to tackle the problem of fuel duty, with reduced taxes on petrol and diesel fuels likely to provide savings for motorists that can be fed back into the economy through a number of other channels.

"Of course we are disappointed at the news that the UK has returned to a state of recession. However, what comes as an even greater disappointment is that this news is not unexpected," he said.

"If the Government would heed our advice and address the issue of fuel duty once and for all, this is a situation that could almost certainly have been avoided.

"Users of petrol and diesel fuels are desperate to see a reduction in fuel duty. The price of a tank of fuel would reduce and the subsequent savings would be put back into the economy, giving trade the boost it so desperately needs."

Reducing driving costs is most definitely a pertinent issue for UK motorists, who are battling against increasing fuel, car insurance and road tax costs. Second hand car owners in particular are choosing to keep their existing car on the road for as long as possible with the purchase of used car parts that are recycled from end-of-life vehicles sent to be scrapped for cash.

At ASM Auto Recycling we proudly supply second hand car owners with an excellent range of recycled car parts that are cleaned, tested and protected by our very own 90-day guarantee. If you are looking for peace of mind at the wheel then make the most of our car recycling expertise today.

Cost of petrol to reach £100 per tank by 2015

UK motorists are being told to brace themselves for further dramatic increases in the cost of fuel in the coming years. The cost of filling up a tank of petrol could reach as high as £100, according to leading economists.

Families could be forced to pay up to £1.54 a litre for their unleaded petrol within the next four years. Experts predict that the cost of filling up a Ford Mondeo, which has a 70-litre tank, will increase from £93 to almost £108.

Forecasters at the Ernst & Young ITEM Club believe fuel costs will soar amid rapid demand for oil from booming Asia economies, which will do nothing to help UK households at a time when average pay rises are below inflation.

Neil Blake, a senior economic adviser to the ITEM Club, said: "By 2013 prices at the pumps will be eating into household finances once again.

"Demand from the emerging markets will maintain the pressure on inflation, as will the increase in fuel duty on the home front."

With the cost of fuel per litre on an upward curve, the importance of a fuel-efficient vehicle has never been greater for UK households.

Second-hand vehicles with greatly reduced engine sizes not only do more miles to the gallon, but they can also be considerably cheaper to insure.

There is an emerging trend for motorists purchasing salvage vehicles in the UK, with a number of these repairable vehicles proving cheaper and more efficient than purchasing an expensive, fuel-thirsty form of transport.

Online salvage auctions give motorists the ability to acquire a damage-repairable or stolen-recovered vehicle at a greatly reduced cost – sometimes more than 50 per cent cheaper than if the same model was bought from a car showroom!

At ASM Auto Recycling we bring together some of the UK’s largest independent motor salvage dealers for an extensive online salvage auction. All re-sale cars included have been inspected by qualified engineers and are suitable for repair in accordance with ABI guidelines.

Motorists to face £6 a gallon at the pump

The soaring cost of oil due to the unrest in Libya is set to hit UK motorists further with many petrol stations across the country now charging £6 a gallon.

The price is only likely to rise with the continuing leadership crisis in Libya. Industry experts predict that motorists will pay as much as 10 pence per litre more after Easter, with the Government also set to raise fuel duty.

It is quite possible that the cost of oil will reach its highest level since August 2008 – the height of the global recession.

Paul Watters of the AA, said: “Drivers are going to have to brace themselves for a significant increase in fuel prices, perhaps as much as 2p a litre in coming days.

“Further increases will depend on how long troubles in the Middle East and North Africa continue. We hope that, once these subside or OPEC intervenes to boost oil supply, a drop in oil prices will filter through as quickly to the pumps.”

As a consequence of the likely fuel price increases motorists are growing increasingly desperate to find cheaper alternatives to purchase and maintain a car.

One emerging option is to acquire a vehicle from online salvage auctions. With a choice of over 500 cars, vans and bikes for salvage every week, there is a great variety of models to suit a variety of budgets.

Motoring enthusiasts capable of getting their hands dirty can also repair a salvage car themselves using our used car parts that are significantly cheaper than brand new parts and are recycled and tested to legal roadworthy standards.

You can also reap significant financial rewards by purchasing a popular salvage car model. Once restored to roadworthy condition the vehicle will instantly increase in value, providing an excellent profit.

Diesel cars worth more than petrol cars

Second-hand diesel cars are becoming increasingly more valuable than their petrol-fuelled counterparts. The British Car Auctions (BCA) unveiled its latest auction house price data which showed that used diesel vehicles are now £1,600 more expensive than petrol models on average.

This is particularly interesting as many second-hand diesel cars are sold with significantly more miles on the clock than petrol vehicles, largely due to their fuel efficiency over long distances.

Tony Gannon of BCA, said: “There can be little argument that the average price of a diesel car always outperforms that of a similar average petrol model.

“There is a clear and significant difference in average value at remarketing time – as much as £1,616 in January 2011 – equivalent to a 32.3 per cent variance or nearly a third more on average.”

Diesel remains an attractive option for drivers that pound the motorways on a daily basis with its fuel efficiency and eco-friendly CO2 omissions. Diesel car owners also have the added bonus of lower car tax charges and can go up to three or four years without paying any servicing costs.

These are just some of the considerations when purchasing a car. If you are looking at second hand vehicles it may be wise to contemplate purchasing a salvage car or a stolen-recovered vehicle that can be repaired to roadworthy condition. These can be picked up from an online salvage auction significantly cheaper than brand new and second-hand models on dealership forecourts.

At ASM Auto Recycling we store over 2,000 salvage cars for sale with models from Volkwswagen to Porsche. It is quite possible to pick up a bargain diesel model if you have the commitment and/or know-how to restore it to roadworthy condition.

Our online salvage auction offers a selection of over 500 damage-repairable and stolen-recovered cars each and every week!