Running a car

Buying a car is a big one-off expense, but running a car in the UK is an ongoing cost that can hit your pocket just as hard.

Fortunately, there are ways to minimise those running costs. We'll identify the biggest cost culprits and show you how to reduce their impact on your motoring life.

Here are the subjects we'll be looking at:

Insurance

We'll explain the key differences between third-party, third party fire & theft, and fully comprehensive insurance, and show you how to cut the amount you pay for them.

What do the insurance bands mean? How do they affect your premiums? What are the star money-saving cars in each band?

We'll tell you how to make an insurance claim, what to do in an accident and what 'Cat D’ means.

Fuel

How to use as little fuel as possible, not just through driving economically, but also by buying the most fuel-efficient cars and then finding the best fuel. We'll also show you how to discover the real fuel consumption of modern cars (as opposed to the 'official' consumption) by using our True MPG online tool.

Road tax

How is road tax calculated? How do the VED bands work? What's the ‘showroom tax'? Which cars are the cheapest to tax?

Company car tax

A simple explanation of what company car tax is and how it's calculated. What 'Benefit In Kind' means, all the company car tax bands, and the properties that make a good company car.

Servicing costs

The smart approach to car servicing, making the most of the open market, the best way to find a good garage, and the simple checks that you could – and should – do yourself.

Warranties

The difference between manufacturer and garage warranties, what they usually cover, what they don't, what will invalidate a warranty, and how What Car? can help you.

Breakdown cover

What exactly is breakdown cover, why it's a good idea to have it, and how you can save money when it comes to choosing breakdown cover.