John Leigh Wins Lifetime Achievement Award

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Recognised for 40 years as key industry figure.

John Leigh, Managing Director of Europcar UK and National Car Rental, has received the highly coveted lifetime achievement accolade in the Holiday Autos Partner of the Year Awards, confirming his status as an industry legend. In acknowledging his enormous and positive influence which has helped to shape and evolve the sector, the Holiday Autos Partner of the Year Awards ceremony honoured John for his dedication and commitment to the vehicle rental industry.

The Award was presented by Brian Murphy, Group Managing Director of Lastminute.com at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

“The evening was very emotional for me and I feel proud to be honoured by the industry in this way,” said John Leigh. “The Award was a complete surprise and it means a great deal to me to be recognised by my colleagues and partners who have put this industry where it is today.

John Leigh began his working life promoting concerts of legendary acts like Roy Orbison and Pink Floyd. In 1967 he decided to get a proper job and joined Godfrey Davis eventually to become Europcar, where he held a number of management roles. In 1972 he joined Swan National where he enjoyed a successful career culminating in his appointment as Managing Director in 1990 shortly after it had rebranded itself as EuroDollar.

Following an MBO from TSB and the acquisition of EuroDollar by National Car Rental USA, John was given responsibility for launching National into the EMEA marketplace.

In February 2007, the European operation was acquired by Europcar and John was appointed Managing Director of Europcar UK Group the largest daily rental company in the country.

As Chairman of the BVRLA in 2006/7, John played a leading role in defining and implementing industry standards for quality and customer service. He is also a Vice President of Chelsea football club, as well as being a very active patron of the Make-A-Wish-Foundation, a charity that grants wishes to often terminally ill young people. Two years ago he was also honoured with an “Unsung Hero Award” by the Celebrity Guild of Great Britain in recognition of his charitable work.

“I cant think of anyone more deserving of this award than John” confirmed Brian Murphy of Holiday Autos. “He has been the driving force behind the success of the industry, not just the growth of his own business. His vision and dedication has led to many of the innovations car rental customers now take for granted and he continues to challenge and lead the sector forward to new levels of service.”

Car Hygiene Tips In Washing Your Car

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How old is your car? Some cars are just three years old yet look saggy some are ten but still groovy. Big deal right? It really is. Just when you think of selling it, the buyer gets disinterested because of corrosions, really in dilemma. Here are some tips before getting it listed in a cars classifieds or before having it sold in a car auction.

Cars are like humans. Actually they are extension of the owners themselves. Washing cars regularly, at least once a month brings back the exuding sensual image of the car. Bugs, limestone drippings when not removed might cause damage to the car leaving a permanent stain. Difference exist when washing a car and not. When it’s dirty, the moisture accumulates in dirty areas causing corrosion but when the car is clean, all the moisture dries up quickly.

Using a pressure wash once in a while removes the dirt from the parts that are difficult to reach. Holding out the pressure wash jet closely to the painted surface might peel the loose paint. Places like behind moldings, inside wheel arches, under the bumpers should be washed off. This is where the dirt and salt could be accumulated. The dirt in the wind shield must also be wiped and washed. Dirts accumulated in the windshield gets caught by the windshield wipers blades and scratches the windshield when the wipers are operating.

Drying the car is one of the most important process. The wrong method of drying can cause water spots, streaks and even scratches. This ultimately ruins the car. Although not everyone has this luxury of drying, the best method is to park it in a garage or shade. Most people recommend the use of a 100 percent cotton towels to dry up. Others would recommend chamois. However this may lead breakdown and leave residue on cars. Good thing, science is constantly doing innovation, the use of synthetic chamois is great and useful.

Same with how the car wash was done, using the chamois, start at the top and work way down. The flat surface must be first done before working on the sides and bumpers. Dry up under the door handles and under the side mirrors, these areas tend to hold water that will sneak up on you later. Next, grab a clean towel and open up all the doors and wipe down the door jambs, then do the same on the inside of the trunk and hood.

Just like men, grooming follows bathing. Waxing the car regularly helps. The wax protects the paint minimizing harm from chemicals. It also gives protection from fading out. The plus factor from this that it looks shiny. Waxing takes only about 30 minutes to wax a whole car. For high quality waxes this stays up to three to four months. Superb!

While the outside needs cleaning and so with its interior. The car accumulates dirts, dusts and rocks. The only way to get rid of the junks is to suck it up with a vacuum. With a slim nozzle attachment, this can reach even the smallest bit s between the seats and the hardest part to reach. Better to take out the mats. Shaking them up and vacuuming removes the old dirts sticked on it.

Get the dash and board cleaned up, from the top down to the center console. Wipe down the door sills, the rear deck and the plastic parts between the front and rear seats on four-door cars, after you have cleaned these areas, it’s time to apply some vinyl protectant. This maintains the vinyl by replenishing the oils and provides protection from harmful UV rays when parked outside. Lastly, clean the interior windows.

Once both the inside and out is clean, the result would be a shiny, and lustrous car. There is no reason why one should be shy to list it on car classifieds or car listings. If a buyer sees how good looking the car is, the deal is close. It would be difficult then to determine which is which? Is it under used cars or new cars?

Car Servicing And What’s Involved

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Car servicing is an important aspect of car maintenance that will enable you car to be safe. Whether you own a Mercedes, Audi, BMW or Volkswagen for example, it is good practice to keep to your manufacturer’s servicing schedule. This will result in the car being less likely to breakdown.

A service will often cover the following aspects; engine oil and oil filter change, checks on the levels of coolant/brake fluid/power steering fluid, checks on lighting /signalling/brakes/clutch, reading of onboard auto diagnostics, air filter/spark plug replacements. These checks will generally cover MOT and safety requirements and because of the complexity of today’s cars are best carried out by manufacturer trained mechanics. A further breakdown of service detail will outline the benefits of some of these areas.

Engine oil and filter change lifecycle will vary according to the oil type used. Modern oils have moved from mineral to semi-synthetic to fully synthetic. Synthetic based oils will generally last longer than the old mineral type and offer a greater range of protection to the engine, an example of which is Castrol GTX Magnatec that can protect the engine from the start due to magnetic properties built into the oil. A professional car servicing garage will use the oil recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.

Fluid levels for the brake, steering and coolant systems should be checked and topped up as necessary as part of a service, but these should also be checked by the owner from time to time. Lack of engine coolant may result in substantial engine damage to anything from the head gasket to the big ends (this will require engine replacement!). Lack of brake or power steering fluid will also cause problems with control systems which are obviously paramount for driver safety.

Almost all modern vehicles will have onboard electronics which may include auto diagnostic functionality. A properly equipped service garage will be able to link into these systems and gain information of any intermittent or impending problems that may have occurred since the last service thus giving an extra layer of security and oversight.

Air filter replacements are necessary at anything from 25,000 to 50,000 miles and are also dependent on environmental conditions. A clogged air filter will restrict air flow to the engine thus reducing power and fuel consumption. Spark plugs are amongst the least expensive parts of the engine and probably one of the most critical for engine tuning. Some spark plugs are claimed to have life spans of 100,000 miles, general manufacturer service recommendations will specify replacement every 30,000 to 50,000 miles. Even if longlife spark plugs are fitted they will require removal and regular cleaning to make sure they don’t seize in the engine.

Color Trend In Small Cars

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Small, efficient, smart and bright colored cars are the trend for 2010 in the automotive market. Automakers are focusing on small cars and as new models surge into the market, bright colors will blossom. Since car manufacturers are focusing on the small car line up, therefore to given them a jazzy and fiery appeal, bright colors are the order of the day. The experts also feel that if bright colors are put in large cars, it will be a little too much for the consumers; hence these colors are best suited for the small cars. When it comes to cars, colors matter a lot because it represents the personality of the person driving that car.

When the buyer visits any showroom, the first thing that attracts him is the color of the car and this is one of the main selling points of the car. The car aficionado feel that colors can bring the customers out of their recession-dull mood, therefore colors carry a lot of weight when it comes to make a purchase decision. People are now tried of black and grey and look for more vibrant colors in small cars like Chevrolet, A-Star, Hyundai i10 and many such names. The automotive color spectrum has been monotonous for many decades with only few colors hitting the car market including black, white and grey. Now even the eyes need a breather and for that vibrancy in looks can play a crucial role.

Jazzy and peppy colors are in these days as small cars represent the same. The new entrant in the small car segment, Maruti Suzuki A- Star is available in vibrant and peppy colors like bright red, paradise blue, sunlight copper, healing green, silky silver, desert brown, azure great, midnight black and arctic white. Why get a grey or white car when you can cruise in sunlight copper or electric blue instead? Dull and monotonous colors will not suit the small and zippy cars which are targeted at the youth. Let black, grey and white enhance the elegance, sophistication and exclusivity of the large or big cars. Small and vibrant is what people look for in todays time because of prices touching sky everywhere.

Reds, lime greens, orange, electric blue are in vogue in small car segment and this has increased the demand of thee cars among the youth. The color one chooses foe his small car is dictated by career choice, personality and popularity. For most of the people, car is more than just a utility item; therefore a lot of stress is there on the colors like yellow, green, red, blue, beige and white.

Personal Loan vs. Payday Advance Which is Better

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So youve found yourself in a bit of a financial bind, and need a little help to get through it. Dont be embarrassed; its happened to just about everyone at some point or another. What you need to do now is figure out how to deal with it in the best way.

And if your credit cards are maxed out, and your family members or friends cant help, there are only a couple of real options: 1) a personal unsecured loan, or 2) a payday advance.

Both Personal Loans and Payday Advances may help get you out of a short term financial jam. So now comes the very valid question: Which is better? Well, that can depend a lot on your personal situation, and what you hope to get out of the situation (besides the obvious cash). So lets take a quick look at both.

PAYDAY ADVANCE (LOAN): Its a cash advance, not a loan!
Many people refer to this option as a payday loan. However, the more accurate description is “payday advance.” It is not a loan. It is a cash advance with a large fee. You write a check to the Payday Advance company. They typically give you 80% of the check amount in cash, and then they hold the check until your “payday” which is typically when the money to cover the full amount of the check will be in your checking account. The Payday Advance company then deposits the check and keeps the 20% as their fee for the cash advance.

Odds are youve seen the brightly lit signs of a Payday Advance shop next to some liquor store or in a strip mall, or you have seen them advertised on TV, in e-mails or in banner ads online. The amount of money Payday Advance companies can provide is limited by state law and is typically a maximum of about $500. In California, the maximum advance is $300.

So, the advance may be enough to get you through small cash emergencies when youre between paychecks. If you need a quick couple of hundred bucks for groceries, if your cars alternator goes out, you chip a tooth, etc a Payday Advance might be a viable, but very expensive, option.

However, very often a Payday Advance is only enough to delay the cash emergency for a few weeks, and not enough to get you totally out of it. As a result many people find themselves getting multiple Payday Advances, which can be extremely expensive when each advance costs you a 20% fee. Ten payday advances over the course of year would equal an effective interest rate of over 200%! A very expensive way to go.

And, since a payday advance is not an actual loan, it can do nothing to help your credit status.

PERSONAL LOANS: Get much more money at a much lower cost.
A personal loan is actually a loan that you repay over time via affordable monthly payments. You can get much more cash than you get from those payday advance places – and you dont pay a 20% fee over two weeks!

Of course, if your credit isnt perfect, your bank will turn you down very quickly. However, CashCall makes personal unsecured loans, up to $5,000, to people in a cash jam, who have less than perfect credit! This is the kind of money that can really help if youre facing major car repairs, medical issues, looming bills, etc. The loan money is placed directly into your checking account in about a day, and there are no limitations on how you can use your cash. Its up to you.

A personal unsecured loan from a company like CashCall doesnt require any collateral or security. You dont need to be a homeowner, you dont need to turn over the title to your car you dont need to do anything except apply, and provide some simple paperwork. The cash can be in your checking account the next day.

You use the money to get out of the jam youre in. And then, you can either make the affordable monthly payments or repay the loan when you can. There are never any fees or penalties for repaying the loan early, and you will minimize the interest you pay by repaying the loan sooner rather than later.

Another benefit of a personal loan from CashCall is that you can actually improve your credit score by making your monthly payments on time. Thats right, you can rebuild your credit because CashCall provides all three credit agencies (Experian, Transunion, and Equifax) with your payment information because it is an actual loan, not a cash advance! And in the long term, thats the kind of thing that can truly get you back on your feet.

CashCall Personal Loans offers high-interest-bearing, unsecured term loans to qualified borrowers who typically use the loans for one-time purchases and debt consolidation. These loans of up to $5,000 are processed entirely over the Internet, phone and fax, and funds are wired into the borrowers checking account typically within 24 hours. CashCall Personal Loans are a good alternative to Payday Loans for borrowers. While interest rates are high, they are typically much lower than those of payday lenders, and CashCall Personal Loans have the potential to help customers rebuild their credit score by making payments on time.