Top five best selling new cars

Here at Ron Skinner we aim to provide a bit of an insight into the future. The used cars in South Wales of tomorrow are the brand new cars of today, and with September’s registrations revealed we can see just which cars are likely to be in the showrooms of Ron Skinner & Sons over the next couple of years.

The Ford Fiesta remained the country’s best selling car last month, with more than 15,000 buyers picking up a new 61-plate supermini from Ford showrooms.

In good news for car manufacturers as well as those specialising in the sale of used cars in South Wales, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders revealed that the number of car registrations were higher than expected.

However, the forecasts for the sale of new cars next year is not anticipated to bring such good news for car sellers and those specialising in the retail of used cars in South Wales, with estimates being lower than industry insiders would like. It is thought the low forecast is down to continued weakness in UK domestic demand and the uncertainty across European economies.

As a seller of used cars in South Wales that is always giving, we thought a guide to the five best selling new cars would help you with those important decisions.

1st – Ford Fiesta

The Fiesta is a responsive car which is great to drive. The pick of the engines is the 1.25 Zetec.

2nd – Ford Focus

There is certainly not going to be a lack of used cars in South Wales with a Ford badge. This superb family hatchback is competitively priced and has a huge range of different specs.

3rd – Vauxhall Corsa

The Corsa is one of the most popular used cars in South Wales. It offers fantastic value and has a roomy, high-quality cabin.

4th – Volkswagen Golf

The Golf is one of the car industry’s great all-rounders. Refined and great to drive, the Golf is one of the most desirable used cars in South Wales. 

5th – Vauxhall Astra

The Vauxhall Astra is currently one of our best selling used cars in South Wales and here at Ron Skinner & Sons we have a large number currently in stock.

If you’re looking for used cars in South Wales the Ron Skinner & sons has one of the largest and most diverse ranges in the whole of the UK. Browse online and call 01495 713400 if you require any further information.

Reliability survey

Credit where it’s due, What Car? magazine do conduct a really expansive survey when they put their minds to it, and this time they’ve really outdone themselves. Here at Ron Skinner we thought it would be a big help for those of you considering buying used cars in South Wales if we brought you some of the highlights of the What Car? survey, so you don’t end up buying a car that’s slowly going to bleed you dry.

So how exactly is the reliability of used cars in South Wales measured? It’s not simply down to the number of times your car breaks down, there’s actually far more to it than that. The time required to fix used cars in South Wales is taken into account as are the costs to put everything right. The 2011 What Car? Reliability Survey has measured the reliability of 35 different makes of car and 250 models to bring you the definitive guide.

If you’ve recently bought a used car in South Wales then here’s hoping your car is in this part of the list.

And the winners are...

First place: Kia Picanto (04 - 11)
Here at Ron Skinner we’ve fallen a little bit in love with the Kia Picanto and this is the reason why. As if you needed proof that fantastic used cars in South Wales couldn’t come in tiny little South Korean packages, along comes the Picanto. Its triumph was based on a low failure rate and very low repair bills.

Second: Vauxhall Agila (00 – 08)
The Vauxhall Agila is another teeny tiny car and is easily Vauxhall’s most dependable model. Due to the Agila’s simplicity, if anything should go wrong it takes an average of just an hour to fix.

Third: Honda HR-V (98 – 06)
If you’re looking to buy used cars in South Wales then it is worth noting that Honda was the runaway winner of the most reliable manufacturer award. And coming in at third was their HR-V. Remarkably only 3% of Honda HR-Vs required any repairs at all.

If you’re in the market for used cars in South Wales, we hope this article helps to make your decision a little more informed. We currently have just one Kia Picanto in our showroom as they sell like hot cakes. This Galaxy Black beauty has just 24,895 miles on the clock and is on the market for just £4,699. For further information about any of our used cars in South Wales call Ron Skinner & Sons on 01495 713400.

Driving green

Driving green is not simply about going out and buying the most planet friendly vehicle money can buy. If that was the case we’d all be travelling around on horse and cart. There are ways of driving green without going out and spending a heap of money. In this guide we aim to help owners of used cars in South Wales drive green.

Shed some weight

No not you personally, although it would still help of course. Lose some weight from the car. There’s no point carrying unnecessary luggage in your car unless you need it. Roof boxes are bad. Simple. Not only do you have the added weight, you also have to accept that your aerodynamics have been completely shot. If they’re not needed, remove them.

Reduce your speed and keep it smooth

Driving at the speed limit will help to save you fuel. Enjoy your drive. Keep it calm and relaxed and your petrol gauge will look all the happier for it. Choosing the highest gear possible when driving used cars in South Wales will help you along the way, as long as you’re not forcing the engine to labour.

Treat your car nicely

Used cars in South Wales ferry us about without so much as a word of gratitude. We just expect them to work when we need them to, and leave them out in the cold when we don’t. It’s a one-sided relationship at best, so you really should try to look after your car as much as you can. Tyre pressure has a direct effect on fuel consumption so make sure they are properly inflated. Also regularly service used cars in South Wales to make sure they are ticking along as they should be.

Try to drive as if you’re out on test

Green driving = safe driving. The secret to driving green is to neither accelerate nor brake firmly at any stage. This requires anticipation. By concentrating on the road ahead you will be able to anticipate when you need to slow down or speed up, and do so gradually. It’s actually quite fun driving used cars in South Wales as smoothly as possible, so give it a go!

Regardless of how you drive, if you buy used cars in South Wales from Ron Skinner & Sons then you will make savings. However, why not kill two birds with one stone, not literally, that wouldn’t help the environment at all; buy used cars in South Wales, drive green, and save twice.

There's no better time to buy used cars

Everything’s really expensive when it first comes out. The scramble to be the first to own a new product ensures manufacturers can charge a premium close to release date. I’m transported back many years to my youth and the scrimping and saving which took place over a period of months so I could be the proud owner of a Nintendo Gameboy. Well this has happened with green cars. As the technology is improved it becomes cheaper to develop, and that green cars have been out a while, they are also starting to hit the used cars market. So if you’re looking for economy, now could be the time to find a great deal on green used cars.

The benefits of green used cars are multiple. Not only will you rest easy at night knowing you are easing your burden on the planet, you will also make tremendous savings on the cost of fuel and taxes. However, not many of us will be happy to completely sacrifice drivability, and now, with the quality of green used cars constantly on the up, you simply don’t have to.

The difficulty when choosing green used cars is just which one to buy. They all give associated CO2 figures, but carbon dioxide is far from the only harmful gas cars produce. So here’s a bit of a helping hand.

• Emissions and consumption – carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas which is causing the planet to slowly heat up. It originates from a wide number of sources, with cars a major contributor. Based purely on levels of CO2, the Toyota Prius is the best performer producing 87g/km.

• Nitrous oxides – are greenhouse gases which are harmful to both the environment and humans as they aggravate conditions such as asthma. Of all green used cars, the Kia Picanto is the big winner producing just 0.0006.

• Particulates – these are a big concern in diesel vehicles as they can cause cancer and heart disease when inhaled. The Seat Alhambra is impeccable in this department, producing 0.0000g/km. 

• MPG – all used cars have an associated miles per gallon rate. Average or combined MPG is based on a mix of urban and rural driving. The leader in this category, the economical Smart Fortwo, which travels 85.6 miles on every gallon of fuel.

So if you’re looking to do your bit for the environment then any of the above green used cars will help to reduce your impact. Take a trip to Ron Skinner where we regularly have green used cars in stock at a fantastic price.

The Corsa offers something for everyone

Here at Ron Skinner & Sons we sell used cars in South Wales of all shapes and sizes. Don’t be fooled into thinking we only specialise in the more petite of vehicles, just because we’ve gone a bit mad over the past few weeks reviewing some of the smallest and most economical cars in existence, that dosen’t mean we don’t like something with a bit more meat on it every now and then. That being said, allow us to introduce the Vauxhall Corsa (yes we know it’s still small, but compared to the Matiz it’s a giant!).

If you’re looking for used cars in South Wales then here at Ron Skinner we are a bit of a Vauxhall specialist. We currently have over 200 different used Vauxhalls in stock, so whatever it is you are looking for, there’s an excellent chance we will offer your dream wheeled chariot at a fantastic price.

Right, the Corsa. The latest reincarnation of the Vauxhall Corsa, launched in 2006, is probably the best to date, offering improved driver involvement compared to previous models. The handling is positive and reassuring guaranteeing stability and body control. The SXi and SRi models, two of our best selling used cars in South Wales, come with 20mm lower suspension and firmer dampers, which ensure a more reactive but firmer ride. They also offer more zip, with the 1.2 and 1.4 producing 85hp and 100hp respectively.

As far as we are concerned the cabin of the Corsa is the best of any of the small used cars in South Wales we sell. The overall fit and finish is better than any of its rivals, and the materials and fabrics would be more typically suited to cars in the class above. Compared to other used cars in South Wales of a similar class and size, the running costs and economy are competitive, with the diesel producing 47.6mpg, which although impressive, is a lot lower than the manufacturer’s claims of 61.4mpg.

If you’re looking for great value used cars in South Wales the Vauxhall Corsa offers a refined, comfortable, and affordable choice.

Pay Ron Skinner & Sons a visit or browse our wide selection of used cars in South Wales online. We ensure the prices we offer on used cars in South Wales are amongst the very best you’ll find anywhere in the UK. For further information call us today on 01495 713400.

Introducing the Economical Chevrolet Matiz

The Chevrolet Matiz is one of the top selling used cars in South Wales, and with its spacious and well-equipped interior, coupled with a fantastic economy rate, it’s really not hard to see why.

There are those supposed experts within the car industry who bemoan the Matiz for its lack of performance and luxury, but there are horses for courses, and this particular horse ensures pennies in your purse. The Chevrolet is a fantastic town car which not only saves customers money with an extremely low retail price; it then continues to help cut the cost of driving with its fantastic economy rates, and with the current price of fuel this is no small feat. If you’ve a lot of money to spend and performance is a key consideration then there are other used cars in South Wales which are more suitable for you. However, the job the Matiz was built to do, it does extremely well. Just take a look at the economy figures:

Urban  37.2 mpg
Extra Urban  61.4 mpg
Combined  49.6 mpg

Aesthetically speaking, the Matiz is a cute little thing, with curves in all the right places. It also looks tiny, making it perfect for driving around town; it is however a deceptively spacious, 5-door hatchback. It also comes in some lively colours, making it a joy to step into on those cold, dark winter mornings; an important quality for all used cars in South Wales!

On the inside the Matiz benefits from some intuitive design. It is pleasingly uncluttered and well-thought out, leaving plenty of space for day trips with family and friends. From the outside you assume that five adults packed into such a small car would be a bit of a squash, but this is not the case at all with five adults able to sit in comfort; an important attribute to consider when buying used cars in South Wales.

As you can see from the above review, here at Ron Skinner & Sons we’ve fallen a little bit in love with the Chevrolet Matiz. We truly believe that of all the used cars in South Wales, along with the Hyundai i10, the value for money it offers is unbeatable.

If you’re looking for used cars in South Wales come and pay us a visit. We stock a huge range of vehicles, from Alfas and Audis through to Volvos to Vauxhalls. Browse our website or visit our showroom for unbeatable deals on used cars in South Wales.

You’ve bought your used car and you’re delighted with it. Of course you are, you bought it from Ron Skinner & Sons. So what next? It wouldn’t be a bad idea for your used car to be able to take you where you want to go; with it being the 21st century, rather than a review of the best maps money can buy, we thought an insight into the satellite navigation systems on the market might be of more benefit.

So what makes a good Sat Nav?

• Ease of use

Spend some time playing around with the sat-nav. Ease of use is essential when you’re out on the road as you don’t want to be needlessly distracted. Something simple which doesn’t over complicate your journey is perfect. 

• Size and positioning

As always, the safety of all that travel in your car should be your first priority. A sat-nav which is too big for your car will limit your visibility. Also make sure it can be positioned well out of the way. The bottom right of the windscreen is fine; right in the middle is a no-no. 

• Is free-nav any good?

Actually the free navigation aids available on smart phones are extremely good. And perhaps more importantly, they’re free! So if saving money is your priority then this is the way to go. However, beware roaming charges if you travel abroad.

• Mapping

Make sure the sat-nav you are interested in allows you to buy foreign maps. This really comes in handy when travelling on the continent.

After extensive testing, in our humble opinion the best five sat-navs for your used car are as follows:

1. Garmin Nuvi 1690 - £350

2. TomTom Go Live 1000 - £280

3. Garmin Nuvi 3790T - £330

4. Garmin Edge series - £155

5. Garmin Nuvi 1240 - £140

Ron Skinner & Sons aims to be your helpful used car retailer. If there is anything you would like us to report on then we will happy do so, just send us a quick email. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a great price on a used car then search our site or visit our showroom for a look at our range.