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The compromise car

February 9, 2012 By

When you’ve got kids, but you still like getting away with your mates at the weekend, you have to strike a bit of a compromise with your car choice. It’s all very well having a 4×4, but you have to ask yourself, how often will you actually need the off-road ability?  Chances are that it won’t be that often, and it’s more important to have a car that’s a practical choice for your family than for the occasional weekend.

A good compromise is to buy an estate car, as you’ll have plenty of room for the kids and everything you need to take on any family trip, but it’s also perfect for going off camping or hiking with your friends. Whatever your hobby, an estate car will have the space to accommodate it, whether you attach a bike rack for your mountain bikes or want to carry kayaks on the roof.

Take, for example, the Honda Accord Tourer. The diesel 2.2 litre i-DTEC engine starts at just over £25,000 and gets 51.4 miles per gallon. With emissions of 143g/km it falls into road tax band F, which will cost £130 a year. You can get the diesel as a manual or an automatic – whichever suits your driving style better.

As yet, there’s no hybrid in the Tourer range. If you want a hybrid and you’re a fan of Honda, then the Insight is the perfect family car. With the ability to get 64.2 miles per gallon and low emissions of 101g/km, the Insight offers family comfort while allowing you to do your bit to help the environment. As the Insight was one of the first hybrids to be produced, there are plenty coming onto the second hand market now – so if you’ve been put off buying a hybrid because of the initial extra expense attached to hybrids, then this may be the best option for you.

Of course, you don’t get quite the room you’d get in the Honda Accord Tourer, but you’ll be saving on running costs as the fuel bills are lower and because of the low emissions you only pay £20 a year in road tax.

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The best mileage in the UK

January 31, 2012 By

If fuel economy is your thing, then the car for you is the Kia Rio! This nifty little supermini is the most fuel efficient car available in Britain today.

The Kia Rio 1.1. CRDi 1 diesel will get an amazing 88.3 miles per gallon if you buy the manual version. It also comes in two petrol versions.

The Kia Rio is as good for the environment as it is for your wallet – with super low emissions of 94g/km of carbon dioxide.

It’s not exactly a sporty number; you have to wait a while for it to pick up speed when you first set off. However, the Kia Rio handles well once it’s got going, and you’ll feel smug as you keep passing fuel stations that everyone else has to stop at! It drives quietly for a diesel, too. As well as low engine noise, the car is well insulated from wind noise so you’re not going to have to shout to have a conversation with your passengers.

As with all new cars, the Kia Rio comes with some great new car offers, including a fabulous seven-year warranty. And if for some reason you decide to trade in your super-efficient Kia Rio, the new owner can benefit from the remainder of the warranty.

You may think the Kia Rio is just a tad too small for you and your family, and if so, not to worry. There are plenty of other cars available that offer great mileage – whether you choose one of the many hybrids or electric vehicles or you prefer to stick with the more conventional petrol or diesel fuelled engines.

Every new car that is launched by the main car manufacturers has improved mileage on its predecessors and this is a trend that is bound to continue.

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Quality every time

January 24, 2012 By

How many times have you tried to save a little bit of money on your equipment and lived to regret it?

 

I know I have. I’ve done it countless times – and it’s nearly­ always a mistake. Whether it’s skis, waterproofs, bikes, coats, rucksacks or whatever else, you nearly always regret buying down market.

 

Perhaps the most extreme example of all is walking boots. Walking boots are extremely easy to buy – but very difficult to buy right. When you’re trying boots on, they all feel OK, so the logical thing seems to be to go for the cheapest as you can’t see a good reason not to.

 

Unfortunately, this is almost always a big mistake. There are countless technical differences between makes you can’t really be aware of if you simply go into a shop and start trying them on.

 

But of course, you don’t really find out that it’s a mistake until it’s too late. The boots start to really give you discomfort when you’re up a mountain, or, most commonly of all, on a steep descent. That’s when you wish you’d paid a little more attention to the whole thing and that your toes weren’t getting crushed at the front of your boots with every step – and that’s when you really wish you’d done your research a little more thoroughly.

 

If you’ve ever been there – you’ll know what I’m talking about. So the best way around this is to do your research as thoroughly as possible – particularly in asking people whose judgment you trust and respect what they think and what their experience has been. In my case, the advice was to buy Scarpa Boots.

 

Once you’ve made your choice then by all means try and find the cheapest seller of the brand you can, like the Regatta outlet. Just don’t skimp on the choice in the first place.

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How can you love nature in the wrong car?

January 16, 2012 By

People who love the outdoors, who lead adventurous lifestyles and who love the sports and activities that go with them have to love nature. The two things go hand in hand.

If you’re a keen skydiver, mountaineer, skier, camper, walker, snow-boarder, mountain-biker or whatever else – well, you just couldn’t do these things without the natural environment so you have to love nature. Or if you can do them in a built environment, then it’s usually a ‘plastic’ / pale imitation of the real thing like an indoor jogging track or a climbing wall. These things have their place, but they just aren’t the real thing.

So what do you do in practice? Well I’m guessing that for the main part, you pack up your car, your 4×4, your truck, pick-up or whatever else you drive with whatever your necessary equipment is – and you head off to the hills right?

Well my argument is that we shouldn’t be doing this. And I’m as guilty as anyone else. But when I was walking recently, I got talking to a fellow hiker who explained to me the nature of global warming and the role of the car and the world’s ceaseless demand for oil in this process. And I felt a little guilty; something of a hypocrite.

So my suggestion is that we should all be driving eco cars of one kind or another – to help protect the environment we all love so much (whether directly or indirectly because it allows us to purse what we love).

The cheapest hybrid option around (I’m not ready for an electric car just yet due to the limited range) seems to be the Honda Insight. Brand new, they start at around £16,995, but there’ll be an ever-increasing number of used models round.

Whatever environmentally friendly vehicle you go for – you know it makes sense.

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Sporty cars for sporty family dads

January 4, 2012 By

If you’ve reached a certain age; let’s say for argument’s sake you’re somewhere between 35 and 55, and you really love stuff like outdoor sports and haven’t lost your sense of adventure – or your fitness levels – but you’re also a “family guy” – then what the heck do you do about your car?

The “safest” option for those of us who find ourselves in this situation is perhaps the sporty SUV 4×4 type of vehicle. But then you can also feel like something of a cliché in these motors and how many of us really have the need to use the off-roader’s true capabilities?

So if you’re still with us and thinking “yep, that’s me alright” then have a look at the new Honda Civic.

To my mind, the latest version of Honda’s most iconic four wheel vehicle really does manage to straddle the line perfectly between sportiness and family saloon. And if you have a couple of kids to drive around, the sporty two-seater – or even the old two seats plus two “seats” if you’re five or under or of extremely diminutive stature – isn’t a realistic option.

For me, the civic 2012 really does hit the fulcrum point perfectly. But don’t take my word for it – have a look for yourself. The latest model is the ninth generation of one of the most successful cars of all time and the refinements included by the company deemed the UK’s most reliable car maker in various surveys over so many years really does pack in enough technical gizmos and improvements to leave you a little slack-jawed!

It even helps you decide what kind of mod you’re in – middle aged crisis “sporty” driver or sensible middle aged Dad via the “ECON” switch, which very much fits the latter’s fuel conscious bill! But maybe at other times, you aren’t completely ‘past it’ just yet…?

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How to get into climbing

December 21, 2011 By

Climbing is a great sport – suitable for all kinds of ages and abilities; young and old can find their own particular niche in climbing.

Traditionally, the usual route into climbing was to tag along with a group of experienced climbers.  It was learning on your feet in the most literal way. Learning with the experts is a great way to get climbing straightaway and you get to try out the practical side immediately. However, not everyone knows other climbers, so it’s not always possible to learn this way.

Instead, your first experience in climbing shoes can be at an indoor climbing wall. You can sign up for a course or just an introductory climb.  Having the controlled and safe environment can give you the support you need to get started with climbing, building up your confidence and skills before you head out to try climbing on real rocks.

If indoor climbing doesn’t appeal to you, you could try bouldering.  This is climbing on boulders and small outcrops of rocks. To do this, you don’t need rock climbing equipment or ropes, as you won’t be climbing up vertical rock faces.  Some bouldering involves using large crash pads around the outcrops so that injuries are avoided and less erosion is caused.

You can also join a rock climbing club. This is perfect for people who not only want to learn the skill of a new sport, but also are looking to socialise with new people, too. Most clubs welcome the arrival of novice climbers and there will plenty of experienced climbers on hand to give you tips and moral support when you first start out.

If you’re looking for a climbing club in the UK near you, contact the British Mountaineering Club which has details on all the local climbing clubs.

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The perfect road trip vehicle

December 14, 2011 By

If you’re going on an extended driving trip, then you might find it worthwhile hunting through the second hand sites and mags to change your vehicle to something that might offer you more than a set of wheels as you travel.

The Honda CR-V is a fantastic car for this kind of thing – as you can virtually live in it as you’re touring around.

The CR-V is a 4×4 and has gone through several different generations.  Ever since the beginning though, it has come equipped with a picnic table that folds away in the boot – great for on the road meals.

The cabin’s roomy, too, with plenty of space for five people, and rear seats that split so you can fold half down if you need to, while still leaving room for a passenger.

CR-Vs have been around since the early 1990s, so there are plenty of second-hand models now available, and they seemingly have very long life spans. Their second hand prices certainly don’t reflect the value you’d be getting compared to other makes.

Since the first CR-V came out in 1995, they have generally been problem free, so you should be buying a reliable car, but it’s worth paying a mechanic to give it a professional once-over before you go ahead with a purchase.

Mileage isn’t so bad for a 4×4; you’ll get an average of 31 mpg on the petrol models. There are some diesel CR-Vs, but they are harder to find.  The diesel’s not such a comfortable ride either, which is worth bearing in mind if you’re going to be travelling any decent distances. So far, Honda hasn’t brought out a hybrid CR-V yet, so there’s not really an eco-friendly option.

What you should get though, from any second-hand CR-V, is trouble-free motoring during your trip and a great vantage point from which to admire the scenery along the way!

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Coastal hiking in winter

November 29, 2011 By

Although you might not always feel up to a day’s hiking in the depths of winter, it can be a great time to go, and breathing in the crisp, wintery air can be really invigorating.

There are so many places to go, but there’s something magical about walking along the coast in winter. It’s a great time to admire the beautiful landscape, without having to share it with the ice-cream brigade which flocks to the seaside in the summer months.

One example of a dramatic winter walk is to go exploring along the Jurassic coast which starts in Swanage, Dorset, and travels as far as Exmouth in Devon. Provided you pick a clear, blue skies day you’ll get really magnificent views of waves crashing onto deserted beaches from the clifftops.

Recently, the Jurasssic coast received the status of a World Heritage Site.  Following the South West Coast Path takes you the whole length of the Jurassic coast, and it’s easy walking for the main part.

Walkers have a bird’s eye view of the amazing rock formations and coastal features along the entire coastline.  If you haven’t got the time available to do the whole of the trail, you can break it down into sections and combine them with local footpaths to do a number of different circular walks.

Of course, you need to be well prepared if you’re heading out for a hike during the winter. Not only do you need to have some hi-energy snacks and drinks in a backpack, but you’ll also need to inform someone where you’re headed and how long you anticipate being out.  That way, if you get into any kind of difficulty at least people will know where and when to send out a search party.  Stick to the marked coastal path, and don’t be tempted to go too close to the edge – the cliffs are notorious for landslides. If there has been a lot of rain in the weeks before you go, there’s even more chance of this happening.

Make sure your clothing is suitable for winter.  Wear thermals as a base layer, including thermal underwear that covers your legs as well as your upper body.  Add a couple of insulating middle layers for warmth, and a waterproof jacket to protect you from the wind and any rain.

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Across America on a Honda Cub

November 24, 2011 By

Trying to get across the United States of America on a Honda Cub may sound crazy; not far short of the scene in “Dumb and Dumber” where the two heroes cross a couple of states on a lawn-mower engine powered “mini-bike”.

But it’s a trip many intrepid travellers have made. It’s also a lot of fun if you aren’t in a real hurry. And it’s very cheap.

Now just in case you don’t know what a Honda Super Cub is, it’s what you may know instead as the Honda C100 or Honda 50.

It’s the motorbike of small motorbikes; the best-selling motorcycle the world has ever seen. And it’s 53 years old this year. The Honda Cub has a 49 cc four-stroke engine and it’s been made continuously by Honda since it was first introduced back in 1958.

To date, over 60 million Cubs have been made around the world. In many ways, the vehicle is the predecessor of all modern small motorbikes. And when the Beach Boys’ kingpin Brian Wilson co-wrote the song “Little Honda” with Mike Love (which was released by The Hondells in 1964, followed by an original recording of the song by The Beach Boys) its place in American popular culture was sealed forever.

The modern Honda Cubs are a little more powerful than their predecessors. They’re also more economical and cleaner.

You can get a brand new equivalent in the States from around $2,600 via the San Yang Motorcycle of Taiwan which re-introduced the Super Cub to the U.S market a couple of years ago.

Called the “Symba” – it’s an updated version of the Cub classic, developed by the company over the 40 years it made the Super Cub inTaiwanunder licence from Honda.

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A legendary 4×4 journey

November 14, 2011 By

One of the world’s renowned journeys to be made in a 4×4 is the Dakar Rally, also known as the Paris-Dakar.

It’s more about endurance than rallying, as the race takes over tough desert conditions and entrants can cover up to 500 miles a day.

The race started in 1978, after racing driver Thierry Sabine got lost in the desert a year earlier and decided it would make a good rally route.  The general route has always been from France’s capital, Paris, to Dakar in Senegal.  Some years, the start has been in other cities in Europe, like Marseille, Barcelona and Lisbon, and the finish post has changed occasionally, too. However, the race was cancelled in 2008 due to security threats and since 2009, the Dakar Rally has taken place in South America.

It’s a race that’s open to both amateurs and professionals, though 80 per cent of the entrants are usually amateurs.

Of all the stories that have been part of the Dakar Rally legend over the years, one of the most remembered incidents is the disappearance of then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s son, Mark, in 1982.  He, his co-driver and their mechanic were separated from a convoy when they stopped to make repairs to their Peugeot.  They were found six days after being declared missing, all unharmed.

There are three classes of vehicles that take part – Motos, Cars and Trucks.The vehicles that take part come in all shapes and sizes, and tend to be true off-road vehicles rather than modified on-road cars.

While it’s generally the domain of petrol and diesel vehicles, a Latvian team has prepared an electric car called the eO for the next Dakar Rally. Actually, the eO is one of the series hybrids that have a petrol engine that will take over when the batteries run low, so it’s not quite fully electric.  While it’s unlikely that hybrid cars will ever be more than novelty entrants in the Dakar, the Latvian team’s entry will go a long way to show how they are capable of covering the same terrain as any other car.

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