Tips and Hacks

Unless you know your way around cars, buying a used car privately can be a daunting experience – but it doesn’t have to be. To help ease this potential headache, we’ve written a short guide to 10 Top Tips for buying a used car privately.

Selling your car and getting the best price possible is a mixture of preparation, honesty, and creativity. In this short guide we look the Top 10 tips for selling your car at the best price.

If you need to find out if a car owned by someone else is insured, there’s a service that will allow you to do this. Read all about it in our article about Ask MID.

Whether you’re buying or selling a car, it can be a great way to save money, or get the best price for your beloved ride. With a little planning, it can be plain sailing all the way. Get comfy – as we dish up the Ultimate Guide and Buying and Selling a car in 2023.

The cost of an annual car insurance policy is enough to make even the most experienced, claim and conviction free motorist driving a modest car sit up and gulp. Annual costs are spiralling, and so reading up on legit ways to save money on annual car insurance really is a no-brainer. We take a deep dive into honest and legitimate ways to shave a large chunk off your annual premium. Want gold-plated tips on how to save money on your annual car insurance? Step this way.

Some people are uber organised, while some people are more relaxed – letting life come to them. If you wake up in a cold sweat one night, and panic that your car may not be taxed, we have the answer right here. Quick and free to use the DVLA have a tool to help you check out the status of your car tax. Head on over to our article “How do I know if my car is taxed?” and sleep easy.

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has been subject to a number of changes since its introduction. Knowing when it applies, where it applies, and what it applies to could save you from a costly mistake. Find out all about the ULEZ in this short guide.

The impact of mobile phone distractions are frightening – and they impact on the driver, passengers, pedestrians, and property. But in a world where being connected is ubiquitous, and where mobiles are often used for navigation, how can we minimise distractions while driving? The answer is “Yes”, and it’s the law.

Every penny counts these days – right? And you want to get every penny that’s rightfully yours from the government? Yep – we thought so! While we’re not tax accountants or financial advisors, we’ve pulled together an article that looks at when temporary van insurance can be tax deductible.

If you’re selling a car, it’s legally required that the car is insured for any test drive. More than that, if someone you don’t know gets behind the wheel of your car and is involved in an accident, you could be seriously out of pocket if it’s not insured for them to drive. If they arrive for a test drive, and can’t prove their insurance (it’s on you to ask), Zixty temporary car insurance could offer them (and you) a solution. Our article looks at some of the myths about Driving Other Cars (DOC) insurance, as well as how to bring up the subject of car insurance when selling a car.

If something’s going to go wrong – you really don’t want it all going pear-shaped in the middle of the night – when help may be more difficult to get, and it looks like a scene from the Walking Dead out there. With some practical steps before setting off, travel with more confidence by checking out our guide to Staying safe when driving alone at night.

Finding a parking spot can be like finding a needle in a haystack – particularly when you’re driving to somewhere unfamiliar. In this handy round-up, we’ve hunted down what we think are 5 of the best parking apps in the UK.

Nobody wants their journey to go wrong at the best of times – but if things do go South, it’s easier when you have someone to share the drama with. Planning a solo trip? Worry not – we’ve pulled together some practical hints and tips about staying safe when driving alone.

Choosing the right car insurance doesn’t need to involve guesswork and voodoo. Taking the time to understand the questions to ask, how to compare car insurance, and pitfalls to avoid can ultimately save you time and money. Find 5 minutes to read our easy to digest guide to choosing the right car insurance.

Coming round once a year it can be easy to forget the date of your MOT, and driving around without one is a no-no. Fire up the internet, and visit the DVLA MOT Reminder website. Enter your details, complete the registration process, and peace of mind is waiting for you (or a rapid test booking…)

Insuring a leased vehicle has some slightly unusual considerations. If you’re looking to insure a leased vehicle with temporary car insurance, check out this article before committing.

Buying a car is a big financial commitment, so avoiding stolen cars is high up most people’s priorities. There’s no guaranteed way to know for sure that a car is legit, but there are some practical steps you can take to stack the dice more in your favour. The DVLA car checks website guides you through a series of steps designed to give you greater confidence that you’re parting with cash for something that won’t have the police at your door.

No problem – and you can check any car in the UK! Just head over to the Ask MID website, enter the reg and you’ll see whether the car is insured or not. It’s worth noting that it can take a few days for details of new policies and changes to policies to appear on MID.

If you’re not the most organised person in the world, and want to avoid a potential fine, the lovely people at the DVLA have a free service. Mosey on over to the DVLA vehicle checker website, enter the reg, confirm the car make and colour, and it’s right there in front of you.

Although it was over a year ago, E10 petrol changed the game for unleaded petrol, and you need to ensure you fill up any car you buy with the right fuel. Head over to the DVLA E10 petrol checker website, select the car make, and a list of models and their compatibility with E10 petrol will be shown. Nice.

When snow and ice hit, many parts of the country grind to a slippery halt as we marvel at the unexpected beauty! But if you need to get from A to B on 4 wheels, and you’re not a Norwegian rally driver, it can be daunting. We have a few tips for driving safely on snow and ice.

If you like the past, and would like to undertake some car related genealogy, the good people at the DVLA have a free service that lets you see the MOT history for a car. Saunter over to the DVLA MOT history website (which is free), enter the reg, confirm the car make and colour, and Bob’s your uncle. To get all of the information you’ll need to verify your entitlement to see that data by entering some more info.

The CO2 emissions for a car have a big impact, including how much road tax you pay, and the impact that driving will have on the environment. If you want to find out the CO2 emissions for a car, the DVLA vehicle checker website provides this info for free. Enter the reg, confirm the car make and colour, and it’s right there on the screen.

If you no longer need to tax your car, you can apply for a refund on your vehicle tax – otherwise known as Vehicle Excise Duty. Just visit the DVLA Vehicle Tax Refund website and follow the instructions.

The car group of a car is often used by car insurance providers when they are calculating the cost of providing cover. A car group is one way of putting the thousands of makes and models of cars into “buckets” of risk – being a reflection of their performance, value, desirability of theft, cost of repair, and more besides.

If you want to find out whether a car is taxed or not, the DVLA vehicle checker website has a free service. Simply enter the reg, confirm the car make and colour, and there you go.

Registering a car as off-road from an insurance and legal point of view can make financial sense in certain circumstances. The DVLA Make a SORN website is a free service. Simply enter the reg, confirm the car make and colour, and you’re on your way.

Ghost brokers operate in the shadows of car insurance in the UK, often targeting inexperienced drivers, or those with a poor driving history. Selling fake certificates they rip people off, leaving them uninsured and at risk of fines. Our in-depth article on How to Spot Ghost Brokers shines a light on this dark practice.

Vehicle tax and SORN (Statutory Off-Road Notification) cannot be passed on when a vehicle changes hands. This applies even if money isn’t exchanged for the vehicle – for example between family members.

The world of alcohol free beer has exploded recently, and the range can be bewildering. Whether you need a clear head in the morning, want fewer calories while retaining the taste, or just choose not to drink alcohol, there’s plenty of reasons to explore zero beers. Get some zero inspiration with our handy romp and run-down of some seriously good alcohol-free beers.

Whether you’re the designated driver and can’t drink, or simply choose not to drink, there may be times when you want a mocktail or an alcohol free drink that looks the part. Get the ice and mixers in ready, and dive into our guide to some seriously tasty alcohol free spirits.