Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

Mazda outlined a concern affecting some Mazda6 vehicles equipped with a passenger-side air bag. The supplier of air bags, Takata Corporation, notified Mazda Southern Africa that the subject coverage of the recall campaign affects Mazda6 vehicles produced from April 2002 through June 2003 with model VIN code (GG). This concern had deemed a recall campaign necessary. 

The recall is due to an inappropriate production condition and storage of the propellant in the inflator. The density of the propellant may be insufficient on the inflator for the passenger seat airbag. This might cause the propellant to ignite abnormally at the time of airbag deployment and potentially result in extremely high inner pressure of the inflator causing a rupture of the inflator case.  In a case of a rupture, the airbag might not deploy as designed and may lead to passenger injury.

There have been no recorded incidences on Mazda vehicles globally; however, there have been 3 recorded incidences on other brand vehicles. Since there is a potential that the same defect may occur on some Mazda vehicles, Mazda Southern Africa will conduct a repair procedure to replace the passenger-side air bag inflator with an improved unit on the possibly affected vehicles.

Mazda SA urges all owners with possibly affected Mazda6 vehicles to contact the Mazda SA Dealer Ne2rk or the Mazda SA Customer Care Centre on 0860 069 700 or email customercare@mazda.co.za.

Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

Mazda outlined a concern affecting some Mazda6 vehicles equipped with a passenger-side air bag. The supplier of air bags, Takata Corporation, notified Mazda Southern Africa that the subject coverage of the recall campaign affects Mazda6 vehicles produced from April 2002 through June 2003 with model VIN code (GG). This concern had deemed a recall campaign necessary. 

The recall is due to an inappropriate production condition and storage of the propellant in the inflator. The density of the propellant may be insufficient on the inflator for the passenger seat airbag. This might cause the propellant to ignite abnormally at the time of airbag deployment and potentially result in extremely high inner pressure of the inflator causing a rupture of the inflator case.  In a case of a rupture, the airbag might not deploy as designed and may lead to passenger injury.

There have been no recorded incidences on Mazda vehicles globally; however, there have been 3 recorded incidences on other brand vehicles. Since there is a potential that the same defect may occur on some Mazda vehicles, Mazda Southern Africa will conduct a repair procedure to replace the passenger-side air bag inflator with an improved unit on the possibly affected vehicles.

Mazda SA urges all owners with possibly affected Mazda6 vehicles to contact the Mazda SA Dealer Ne2rk or the Mazda SA Customer Care Centre on 0860 069 700 or email customercare@mazda.co.za.

Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

Mazda outlined a concern affecting some Mazda6 vehicles equipped with a passenger-side air bag. The supplier of air bags, Takata Corporation, notified Mazda Southern Africa that the subject coverage of the recall campaign affects Mazda6 vehicles produced from April 2002 through June 2003 with model VIN code (GG). This concern had deemed a recall campaign necessary. 

The recall is due to an inappropriate production condition and storage of the propellant in the inflator. The density of the propellant may be insufficient on the inflator for the passenger seat airbag. This might cause the propellant to ignite abnormally at the time of airbag deployment and potentially result in extremely high inner pressure of the inflator causing a rupture of the inflator case.  In a case of a rupture, the airbag might not deploy as designed and may lead to passenger injury.

There have been no recorded incidences on Mazda vehicles globally; however, there have been 3 recorded incidences on other brand vehicles. Since there is a potential that the same defect may occur on some Mazda vehicles, Mazda Southern Africa will conduct a repair procedure to replace the passenger-side air bag inflator with an improved unit on the possibly affected vehicles.

Mazda SA urges all owners with possibly affected Mazda6 vehicles to contact the Mazda SA Dealer Ne2rk or the Mazda SA Customer Care Centre on 0860 069 700 or email customercare@mazda.co.za.

Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

Mazda outlined a concern affecting some Mazda6 vehicles equipped with a passenger-side air bag. The supplier of air bags, Takata Corporation, notified Mazda Southern Africa that the subject coverage of the recall campaign affects Mazda6 vehicles produced from April 2002 through June 2003 with model VIN code (GG). This concern had deemed a recall campaign necessary. 

The recall is due to an inappropriate production condition and storage of the propellant in the inflator. The density of the propellant may be insufficient on the inflator for the passenger seat airbag. This might cause the propellant to ignite abnormally at the time of airbag deployment and potentially result in extremely high inner pressure of the inflator causing a rupture of the inflator case.  In a case of a rupture, the airbag might not deploy as designed and may lead to passenger injury.

There have been no recorded incidences on Mazda vehicles globally; however, there have been 3 recorded incidences on other brand vehicles. Since there is a potential that the same defect may occur on some Mazda vehicles, Mazda Southern Africa will conduct a repair procedure to replace the passenger-side air bag inflator with an improved unit on the possibly affected vehicles.

Mazda SA urges all owners with possibly affected Mazda6 vehicles to contact the Mazda SA Dealer Ne2rk or the Mazda SA Customer Care Centre on 0860 069 700 or email customercare@mazda.co.za.

Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

Mazda outlined a concern affecting some Mazda6 vehicles equipped with a passenger-side air bag. The supplier of air bags, Takata Corporation, notified Mazda Southern Africa that the subject coverage of the recall campaign affects Mazda6 vehicles produced from April 2002 through June 2003 with model VIN code (GG). This concern had deemed a recall campaign necessary. 

The recall is due to an inappropriate production condition and storage of the propellant in the inflator. The density of the propellant may be insufficient on the inflator for the passenger seat airbag. This might cause the propellant to ignite abnormally at the time of airbag deployment and potentially result in extremely high inner pressure of the inflator causing a rupture of the inflator case.  In a case of a rupture, the airbag might not deploy as designed and may lead to passenger injury.

There have been no recorded incidences on Mazda vehicles globally; however, there have been 3 recorded incidences on other brand vehicles. Since there is a potential that the same defect may occur on some Mazda vehicles, Mazda Southern Africa will conduct a repair procedure to replace the passenger-side air bag inflator with an improved unit on the possibly affected vehicles.

Mazda SA urges all owners with possibly affected Mazda6 vehicles to contact the Mazda SA Dealer Ne2rk or the Mazda SA Customer Care Centre on 0860 069 700 or email customercare@mazda.co.za.

Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

Mazda outlined a concern affecting some Mazda6 vehicles equipped with a passenger-side air bag. The supplier of air bags, Takata Corporation, notified Mazda Southern Africa that the subject coverage of the recall campaign affects Mazda6 vehicles produced from April 2002 through June 2003 with model VIN code (GG). This concern had deemed a recall campaign necessary. 

The recall is due to an inappropriate production condition and storage of the propellant in the inflator. The density of the propellant may be insufficient on the inflator for the passenger seat airbag. This might cause the propellant to ignite abnormally at the time of airbag deployment and potentially result in extremely high inner pressure of the inflator causing a rupture of the inflator case.  In a case of a rupture, the airbag might not deploy as designed and may lead to passenger injury.

There have been no recorded incidences on Mazda vehicles globally; however, there have been 3 recorded incidences on other brand vehicles. Since there is a potential that the same defect may occur on some Mazda vehicles, Mazda Southern Africa will conduct a repair procedure to replace the passenger-side air bag inflator with an improved unit on the possibly affected vehicles.

Mazda SA urges all owners with possibly affected Mazda6 vehicles to contact the Mazda SA Dealer Ne2rk or the Mazda SA Customer Care Centre on 0860 069 700 or email customercare@mazda.co.za.

Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

Mazda outlined a concern affecting some Mazda6 vehicles equipped with a passenger-side air bag. The supplier of air bags, Takata Corporation, notified Mazda Southern Africa that the subject coverage of the recall campaign affects Mazda6 vehicles produced from April 2002 through June 2003 with model VIN code (GG). This concern had deemed a recall campaign necessary. 

The recall is due to an inappropriate production condition and storage of the propellant in the inflator. The density of the propellant may be insufficient on the inflator for the passenger seat airbag. This might cause the propellant to ignite abnormally at the time of airbag deployment and potentially result in extremely high inner pressure of the inflator causing a rupture of the inflator case.  In a case of a rupture, the airbag might not deploy as designed and may lead to passenger injury.

There have been no recorded incidences on Mazda vehicles globally; however, there have been 3 recorded incidences on other brand vehicles. Since there is a potential that the same defect may occur on some Mazda vehicles, Mazda Southern Africa will conduct a repair procedure to replace the passenger-side air bag inflator with an improved unit on the possibly affected vehicles.

Mazda SA urges all owners with possibly affected Mazda6 vehicles to contact the Mazda SA Dealer Ne2rk or the Mazda SA Customer Care Centre on 0860 069 700 or email customercare@mazda.co.za.

Mazda announces Recall Campaign on certain Mazda6 vehicles for airbags issue

How will new legislation address the issue of parking license disks for the disabled?

Question:

My sister has contacted the local municipality responsible for issuing Disabled License Discs.This is a renewal not a new application, she was told that they would have to print the registration of her vehicle on the disc, and they are not allowed to issue more than one disc per person for any other vehicles.

This makes absolutely no sense, because that confines her to the use of only one vehicle. She owns 3. She also works in an environment which requires her to use different pool vehicles at any given time.

Please advise as there must be a way to resolve this because it is not practical or helpful to her situation.

Answer:

Reg 305A to D will hopefully address the matter once it is implemented.Parking for person with disability

305A.     A person—

(a)          whose mobility is severely impaired by a chronic neurological or physiological condition; or

(b)          whose mobility is temporarily but severely impaired,

may apply to a MEC of the province concerned to be exempt from any provisions relating to the parking of motor vehicles in the area of jurisdiction of any local authorities in that Province.

;

Application for parking exemption

1. (1)              For the purposes of this part, “occupational health practitioner” means an occupational medical practitioner or a person who holds a qualification in occupational health recognised as such by the Health Professions Council of South Africa as referred to in the Health Professions Act, 1974 (Act No. 56 of 1974).

(2)           An application for exemption from the provisions relating to parking shall be made on form AEP as shown in schedule 2 and shall be accompanied by-

(a)          acceptable identification of the applicant;

(b)          the appropriate fees as determined by the Minister; and

(c)           form AEP as shown in schedule 2, completed by an occupational health practitioner, stating the disability of the applicant.

;

Issue of parking exemption certificate

305C.     (1)         On receipt of the application referred to in regulation 305A the local authority shall satisfy itself that the application is in order and may issue an exemption certificate on form ECP as shown in schedule 2, to the applicant.

(2)           The holder of an exemption certificate referred to in subregulation (1) shall display such certificate-

(a)           if the motor vehicle is fitted with transparent windscreen, in a transparent protection holder, in an upright position on the inside of the windscreen in such a manner that the print on the face of the exemption certificate is clearly legible from the outside to a person standing in front or to the left front of such vehicle;

(b)          if the motor vehicle is not fitted with a transparent windscreen, in a conspicuous position on the left front side of such motor vehicle in such a manner that the print on the face of such certificate is legible from that side’ or

(c)           if such exemption certificate is required to be displayed on a motor vehicle in a position where it is exposed to the weather, such certificate shall be protected by affixing it to the inside of the transparent front of a durable watertight holder.

;

Period of validity for the parking exemption

1.      An exemption granted in terms of section 80 of the Act is valid for-

(a)          an undetermined period where the mobility of the applicant is permanently impaired; or

(b)         a period as recommended by the occupation health practitioner referred to in regulation 305B where the mobility of the applicant is temporarily impaired: Provided that the period for a temporary exemption shall not exceed 12 months.

• Inserted by r. 71 of GNR 846 of 31 October 2014 w.e.f a date to be determined by the Minister

;

;

How will new legislation address the issue of parking license disks for the disabled?

How will new legislation address the issue of parking license disks for the disabled?

Question:

My sister has contacted the local municipality responsible for issuing Disabled License Discs.This is a renewal not a new application, she was told that they would have to print the registration of her vehicle on the disc, and they are not allowed to issue more than one disc per person for any other vehicles.

This makes absolutely no sense, because that confines her to the use of only one vehicle. She owns 3. She also works in an environment which requires her to use different pool vehicles at any given time.

Please advise as there must be a way to resolve this because it is not practical or helpful to her situation.

Answer:

Reg 305A to D will hopefully address the matter once it is implemented.Parking for person with disability

305A.     A person—

(a)          whose mobility is severely impaired by a chronic neurological or physiological condition; or

(b)          whose mobility is temporarily but severely impaired,

may apply to a MEC of the province concerned to be exempt from any provisions relating to the parking of motor vehicles in the area of jurisdiction of any local authorities in that Province.

;

Application for parking exemption

1. (1)              For the purposes of this part, “occupational health practitioner” means an occupational medical practitioner or a person who holds a qualification in occupational health recognised as such by the Health Professions Council of South Africa as referred to in the Health Professions Act, 1974 (Act No. 56 of 1974).

(2)           An application for exemption from the provisions relating to parking shall be made on form AEP as shown in schedule 2 and shall be accompanied by-

(a)          acceptable identification of the applicant;

(b)          the appropriate fees as determined by the Minister; and

(c)           form AEP as shown in schedule 2, completed by an occupational health practitioner, stating the disability of the applicant.

;

Issue of parking exemption certificate

305C.     (1)         On receipt of the application referred to in regulation 305A the local authority shall satisfy itself that the application is in order and may issue an exemption certificate on form ECP as shown in schedule 2, to the applicant.

(2)           The holder of an exemption certificate referred to in subregulation (1) shall display such certificate-

(a)           if the motor vehicle is fitted with transparent windscreen, in a transparent protection holder, in an upright position on the inside of the windscreen in such a manner that the print on the face of the exemption certificate is clearly legible from the outside to a person standing in front or to the left front of such vehicle;

(b)          if the motor vehicle is not fitted with a transparent windscreen, in a conspicuous position on the left front side of such motor vehicle in such a manner that the print on the face of such certificate is legible from that side’ or

(c)           if such exemption certificate is required to be displayed on a motor vehicle in a position where it is exposed to the weather, such certificate shall be protected by affixing it to the inside of the transparent front of a durable watertight holder.

;

Period of validity for the parking exemption

1.      An exemption granted in terms of section 80 of the Act is valid for-

(a)          an undetermined period where the mobility of the applicant is permanently impaired; or

(b)         a period as recommended by the occupation health practitioner referred to in regulation 305B where the mobility of the applicant is temporarily impaired: Provided that the period for a temporary exemption shall not exceed 12 months.

• Inserted by r. 71 of GNR 846 of 31 October 2014 w.e.f a date to be determined by the Minister

;

;

How will new legislation address the issue of parking license disks for the disabled?

Phantom Menace: Boeing Solves Its Own Cargo Issue with a New-Age Jeep

It’s a typical government issue: You’ve spent billions of dollars building an aircraft in contrast to any other for the express objective of acquiring troops into remote areas more rapidly than traditional helicopters can. But the outcome, the tilt-rotor V-22 Osprey, is so ­narrow that military ground cars cannot be transported with these troops. So when you’ve rushed them into position, what then?

Now Boeing, 1 of the Osprey’s designers, has created a remedy with a name almost as silly as the issue it solves: ­Phantom Badger. Why not just Phantom? Why not just Badger? The 2 together sound like bad-notion Tuesday on Nickelodeon. But Boeing and the military are significant, and the U.S. Navy not too long ago certified the Phantom Badger for flight aboard the Osprey, providing personnel a versatile, rugged option for ground transport. Previously, variations on the civilian-ATV theme were the only autos that fit in the Osprey, but their modest cargo and personnel capacity restricted their usefulness. The Phantom Badger, on the other hand, can carry 3350 pounds or tow 4000.

Courtesy of Boeing Phantom Works

At only 60 inches wide, the PB is 6 inches narrower than a Honda Fit, enabling it to slip very easily into the V-22’s cargo hold. It utilizes the very same 3.-liter turbo-diesel V-6 as the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500. Here, the 6 swills either diesel or the JP-8 jet fuel that is plentiful on military bases and produces the exact same 240 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque as it does in civilian duty. The Phantom Badger weighs in at just below 8000 pounds thanks to its 4-wheel steering, it has an impressive turning circle of only 24 feet—11 feet tighter than even a Mini Cooper S’s.

It has mounts for each a .50-caliber machine gun and a 40-mm grenade launcher, but its size and open-air construction imply it is a lot more of an original Jeep than an MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected automobile). With a best speed of 80 mph on pavement and the ability to ford up to 3 feet of water, the Phantom Badger can go practically anyplace and get there quickly—just like the Osprey. But when the Badger arrives, the troops aboard it will truly be exactly where they want to be.

Pack it Up, Pack it in

The Phantom Badger is developed to travel aboard the Osprey, but Boeing is pleased to pack them into any of its cargo aircraft.

What do you get when you cross an Osprey with a Badger?

Advanced Tactics recently announced the initial effective flight test of its Black Knight Transformer, a hybrid truck/helicopter made for military use. 4 rotors on each side fold in for driving on narrow streets and can tilt forward like those on the Osprey for higher-speed flight. With the potential to be piloted either onboard or remotely, the Black Knight could manage tasks at the moment assigned to the Osprey and Phantom Badger.

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Phantom Menace: Boeing Solves Its Own Cargo Issue with a New-Age Jeep

Car Insurance a Central Issue in Nation’s Ridesharing Debate

What you need to know:

• Rideshare services, often referred to as “Transportation Ne2rk Firms” (TNCs), are smartphone-based services that connect drivers with passengers, with the drivers employing their private car to ferry passengers.


• A big situation with these services is whether and how TNC drivers need to to be covered by a industrial insurance coverage policy whilst making use of their private vehicles.


• Numerous state insurance officials are advising drivers to tell their coverage provider before making use of their private vehicle for rideshare solutions.


• Couple of states have concrete TNC regulations. California is producing the most headway officials are functioning out how drivers can switch back and forth amongst commercial and personal coverage.

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Ridesharing solutions like Uber, Lyft, Sidecar and others are increasingly common. But there’s also been escalating scrutiny.

Usually, these are smartphone-primarily based apps that connect men and women who want a ride to drivers who take them to their location.  But if that private automobile lacks the industrial coverage usually essential of taxicabs and other ride-for-employ solutions, ridesharers could fall victim to a gap in coverage if there’s a crash.

Even though main rideshare firms like Uber and Lyft started beefing up their insurance specifications final year, the sector has nevertheless drawn scrutiny from politicians, taxicab advocates, other transportation solutions and ridesharers themselves.

Various states are answering these queries in different approaches. But if there’s a particular point about this issue, it is that it’s ongoing.

Typical insurance-connected inquiries have been raised by state officials who are grappling with how to regulate this budding sector: What variety of coverage do ridesharers need? How a lot coverage is adequate to shield riders and drivers? When exactly does that coverage kick in?

On the internet Auto Insurance News (OAIN) has covered the subject in California previously, in articles about rules set by regulators and pushback from the taxicab industry in the Golden State. Far more background can be discovered in our FAQ on the insurance coverage implications of ridesharing.

Here’s a news roundup on a number of states and how the insurance side of ridesharing regulation is unfolding there.

Arizona

Arizona’s governor vetoed an attempt by lawmakers to regulate TNCs in April, saying the regulations had been too loose and didn’t consist of strong sufficient screening of drivers. She also said she was concerned about “gaps in insurance coverage.”

“The legislation does not demand a TNC to offer industrial coverage for damage to the driver’s vehicle, coverage for injuries suffered by the driver or home damage as a outcome of an accident,” Gov. Jan Brewer said in her veto letter.

California

TNCs in California are at the moment regulated by the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC), but the CPUC is seeking to boost its regulations, and state lawmakers are looking to take more than and put TNC regulation into law.

Existing regulations from the CPUC require TNCs to supply at least $ 1 million in coverage per accident. The CPUC is currently considering changes that could beef up insurance coverage-related regulations by requiring other varieties of coverage like health-related payments and uninsured/underinsured motorist.

Meanwhile, the state Assembly unanimously voted to support a bill regulating TNCs, AB 2293. State legislators are at the moment on break till August, the identical month that CPUC is set to vote on its newest regulatory proposal for TNCs.

Check back tomorrow when OAIN will have much more on the CPUC meeting that was held on Thursday. The meeting attracted a lot of TNC drivers, passengers, and their opponents, such as representatives from the taxi business. The CPUC will vote on its most current proposed TNC regulations in August.

Illinois

In Illinois, legislators passed a bill in June to create ridesharing guidelines, but the bill, HB 4075, hasn’t yet been presented to the governor for additional assessment.

The passage follows a public snafu in Chicago last month, when city officials told UberX that its drivers have been barred from choosing up passengers at Chicago airports. According to the Chicago Tribune, the rideshare business told its drivers that choosing up passengers at O’Hare and Midway airports was allowed. However, city ordinances only permit licensed ride-for-hire solutions at airports. UberX lacks such a license.

New Mexico

New Mexico’s Public Regulation Commission issued an order to Lyft to stop its solutions there, sparking debate between the company and officials over whether or not these services can be considered taxi solutions. In a recent article from The Albuquerque Journal, John Franchini, the state’s insurance superintendent, stated that personal auto coverage will come up short in the event of a crash.

“Under the personal auto insurance policy, their insurance coverage firm doesn’t even have to respond” to a driver’s claim, Franchini told the Journal. Franchini added that Lyft and drivers who use the application “aren’t violating the insurance coverage law … they’re just not covered.”

State insurance coverage officials also asked drivers to “exercise caution” when employing the service and be aware of the auto insurance coverage implications.

Nevada

The Division of Insurance issued a recent advisory in June warning rideshare passengers that “they might be driving with somebody who is uninsured.”

According to the advisory, riders ought to ask drivers for “proof of industrial liability insurance coverage just before accepting a ride.” Individual auto policies will not cover damage or injuries that occur throughout ridesharing rides, which officials called “a industrial venture.”

Officials clarified that this didn’t apply to “traditional share-the-expense carpooling or ride-sharing arrangements” among buddies, neighbors, or co-workers.

South Carolina

Drivers in Charleston, Greenville, Columbia and Myrtle Beach got access to the UberX app Thursday, according to The Post and Courier. Last month, state insurance coverage regulators issued a customer advisory about car coverage for rideshare solutions.

Virginia

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has fined drivers from both Uber and Lyft, according to media reports, and issued cease-and-desist orders to the 2 rideshare businesses till guidelines can be legislated during lawmakers’ subsequent session. Even so, Uber told the Hampton Roads Day-to-day Press that it plans to “operate as usual” regardless of the DMV’s order.

About the globe

The ridesharing problem isn’t confined to the U.S. In Europe, rideshare app Uber is drawing sharp rebuke from taxi drivers and the transportation groups that represent them.

Thousands of taxi drivers in London publicly protested Uber in July, part of a larger protest across Europe. Protests in major cities included Paris, Milan and Madrid, according to USA Today.

In Australia’s states of New South Wales and Victoria, official crackdowns on Uber services over the previous 2 months resulted in fines against rideshare drivers and notices of feasible legal action.

The Insurance coverage Council of Australia told publication The Age that ridesharers must know that there could be serious monetary repercussions if they’re involved in a crash even though using the service. According to the publication, the Council mentioned it was “unaware of any specific insurance items in Australia that covered ride-sharing.”

Photo courtesy of Alfredo Mendez

Car Insurance a Central Issue in Nation’s Ridesharing Debate

Feelgood issue fuels car sales boom

We’ve all gone car crazy! Or at least that is what the most recent motor market sales figures recommend.

The number of new vehicles registered in the very first half of the year soared by a lot more than 10% to practically 3 million – the greatest half-yearly figure because 2005.

There was a jump of 6.2% in new cars in June alone to 228,291, according to the Society of Motor Companies and Traders (SMMT), the motor trade association.

Customer self-confidence

Now, we all like a flash new motor, but what’s going on?

Mike Hawes, the SMMT’s chief executive puts the surge in new auto sales down to a surge in customer confidence. And he has a point. The European Commission’s Economic Sentiment Index (ESI) for the UK puts customer confidence at a record higher.

Men and women among the ages of 16 and 25 are specifically optimistic, with self-confidence levels at the highest given that data began in 1990. But the 30-49 and 50-64 age groups are also fairly buoyant, with confidence at its highest level because 1998.

Shopping spree

The development in retail sales would appear to reinforce the index.

Sales went up in June for the sixth consecutive month, as shoppers hit the high street. Furniture and carpets were among the big sellers, possibly on the back of a sturdy housing industry.

Forecourt attraction

But it is also fair to say that there are some appealing delivers on the forecourt as companies attempt to increase their sales figures.

Ford, for example, is giving a discount of £500 on numerous of its most common models amongst now and the finish of the year.

Then there are the finance deals. There are a lot of % finance provides available from auto dealers. Personal loan rates have also dropped, in some instances to about 4% for borrowing of £7.500 – £15,000.

You can even play the credit card marketplace and bag your self a % obtain card that charges zero interest for as lengthy as 19 months. In other words, you can borrow income for totally free to spend for your new vehicle.

Well-known models

The Ford Fiesta is far and away the most well-liked vehicle on the road, with 70,153 sales in the year to date. In second place is the Ford Focus at 44,754.

The Vauxhall Corsa isn’t far behind at 42,285. Then it is the Volkswagen Golf (38,142) and the Vauxhall Astra (32,311).

Green for go

But green vehicles are also fuelling the boom in sales.

Is it time to purchase a hybrid vehicle

New registrations of vehicles that run on option fuel had been up a whopping 51.3% in the 1st 6 months of 2014. But that is not all. The quantity of new registrations of purely electric cars, such as the Nissan Leaf, much more than doubled.

Far more of us may well be choosing green automobiles but makers are also investing in technology to increase the environmental impact of ordinary cars.

The C02 output for the typical new auto dropped by 6.5% in between the initial quarter of 2012 (134.6g/km) and the second quarter of 2014 (125.8g/km).

Fuel efficiency

The fall in emissions is partly due to greater fuel efficiency.

The average new automobile registered so far in 2014 returns 57.4mpg on the combined cycle compared with 54.5mpg in 2012. In other words, you can save funds and the planet when you purchase a new set of wheels.

No wonder sales are up.

Feelgood issue fuels car sales boom