Autoblog UK

Want to use a car occasionally but don't fancy owning one? Here are four clever alternatives:

Streetcar
Streetcar is a car club that lets you book a range of vehicles by the hour, day, week or month. You pick a slot online or by phone, then pick the car or van up. Members are given a smartcard that you swipe to get on your way. The scheme won't suit everyone though as it currently only operates in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton, Southampton, Guildford and Maidstone. However, the firm claims members typically save £2,000 a year by using Streetcar rather than owning their own vehicle. Members are expected to cover the cost of fuel.Cost: £59.50 (annual fee), daily rate £39.50 Typical car: VW Polo Bluemotion Streetcar website

Zipcar
Another car club, but this time it's only good for Londoners as it currently operates exclusively in the capital. Members get 60 miles free fuel with every booking – more than enough if you're staying in town – and the club even takes care of the congestion charge.
A fuel card is left in the cars, which are parked at locations across the capital, so you can fill up without any worry. Members are charged 23 pence per mile after the initial free allocation. When you sign up you're sent a 'Zipcard' that unlocks the doors when swiped on the windscreen, but you do need to book vehicles online or on the phone first.Cost: £50 (annual fee), daily rate £29 Typical car: Toyota Prius Zipcar website

You've seen a car, test-driven it and now it's time to talk money. Don't start mumbling and shuffling your feet, because the aces are all in your hands.
Don't pay the list price for a new car. With the exception of a few prestige models and fashionable sports cars, the list price is a starting point for negotiations.
The thought of haggling brings some car buyers out in a cold sweat, but don't be intimidated. Dealers expect you to ask for a discount, and most will be ready to give a reasonable saving long before you resort to the thumbscrews. Remember, the salesman wants your business at least as much as you want that shiny new car. It's your money, so you're in charge.

1. Do your homework
Even if you have decided that a franchised dealer will get your cash, make sure you check out the prices available from other sources. Take the best quotes you can find with you. If the dealer knows you can buy the same car for £2,000 less online, he or she will be more likely to cut you a deal. Import prices can be useful, but most salesmen will be ready with a long list of pitfalls, some real, some not so real, which they'll say outweigh the saving. Use the best UK-sourced price, however, and their script won't wash. Challenge the salesman to get as close to that price as possible.

2. Don't be intimidated
Sales staff cut deals for their living, and have a number of tactics to sell you a car at a price that best suits them. Know the games that are likely to be played before you even set foot in the showroom, and you'll be a step ahead. Ever heard the 'I can give you a special price but only if you buy today' line? Don't believe it. The deal that's on the table tomorrow will probably be just as good, or better. Remember, too, that you are legally committed to buy once you've signed the order form. Be wary of sales staff who tell you they need to ask their manager before giving you a discount. It might look as if they're working terribly hard on your behalf, but this can just be a ruse to stall your haggling. Ask politely to speak to a decision-maker. Dealers may be keen to shift their stock - don't accept a car that isn't the colour and specification you want. On the other hand, if the stock car suits your needs, use the situation to your advantage and press for a further saving.

Narrow down your options
Answering these basic questions should help you make the right choices

• Do you mainly transport adults, children, loads of stuff, or all three?
• Diesel, petrol or alternative fuel?
• Long or short journeys?
• Automatic or manual?
• Small engine for town or larger engine for motorways?
• How many doors – two, three, four, five?

Once you've sorted that out, make a list of makes and models and check our reviews and owners' insights – try owners' club websites for honest opinions.

Consider the Vehicle Excise
DutyPetrol and diesel cars emitting less than 100g/kg of carbon dioxide pay no duty at all but those with emissions of 226g/kg or more pay £400 a year, with that sum likely to rise year-on-year.If you're keen on two models and everything else is equal after a test drive, you might think that the one with the lower emissions will save you money – but that's not necessarily the case. High emission cars are becoming so unpopular that they might make a better second-hand buy, despite the tax.

Think about depreciation
Depreciation in the first year can range from more than 40 per cent on some popular models to around 12 per cent on others. Over three years, according to Which?, the value can drop between 50 and 77 per cent.Recently, high emission cars have been losing even more because of excise duty. If you're buying a big second-hand car, you could pick up a bargain – if you can afford the tax and higher fuel bills.If you're buying new, unless you intend to keep your car for many years, it could be worth paying a bit more up front for a model with low depreciation in order to get considerably more back in a couple of years' time. Car magazines, specialist websites and dealers' guides can help you to decide.

Britons are renowned for their love of the car - our overclogged streets and motorways bear testament to that. But now it seems we're actually a nation of caraholics who will get up to just about anything in the comforts - or confines - of our four-wheeled friends.

Yes, it seems the great British drivers just can't wait to get their clothes - and their rocks - off while behind the wheel. A new survey by online insurers who shall remain nameless and who clearly have too much time on their hands, has shown that more than two-thirds (67%) of us have had sex in our cars with almost half (49%) of us having automotive sex more than twice. They don't say if the respondants were actually on the move or not whilst joining the 67-percenters club although the way some people suddenly change lanes on the motorway these days who knows what's going on in their nether regions.

And how does the company concerned link this to car cover? Here's their marketing director: "With Brits spending so much of their time behind the wheel, it's no surprise that many relationships begin, blossom or even end on four wheels. However, as a responsible insurer, [we] would like to point out that drivers should always concentrate on the road ahead otherwise it would invalidate your car insurance cover." So, now you know.

Is this Carry On-style jape scraping the bottom of a very deep barrel and have we just played swiftly into their hands? Of course. Now, where's my commission?

Last week in Hamburg, the well-known New York street artist Craig 'KR' Costello gave a Mini a paint job in his so-called 'Krink' style. This involves applying the paint in such a way that it runs down the surface, looking as if it has been laid on too thickly. In the case of the Mini seen below, the silver streaks appears to trickle down the bodywork plus the rear and side windows. KR Costello made a name for himself in the 90s with his distinctive signature style. Ultimately, this led to the Krink brand name and line of products. You can find examples of his work in all the major metropolises of the world, in vestibules, on walls or in underground railway stations.

Diamonds might be a girl's best friend but a £140,000 supercar might just come close as one footballing WAG has just found out.

Melanie Slade, the long-term girlfriend of Theo Walcott, has just been presented with a brand spanking new Ferrari California by the Arsenal striker to celebrate her 21st birthday.

According to The Sun, the physiotherapist student is 'over the moon' and has already got personalised plates for the car.

It's a bit of a step up from the Volkswagen Beetle he bought her three years ago and the insurance premiums for the Ferrari are probably more than the Beetle was worth, but with a 193mph top speed we imagine Mel will find the upgrade more than makes up for the cost.

Earlier this year, Brawn GP were the surprise team of the new Formula One season. They now need only half a point to take the constructors' championship title and Jenson Button has to score just another six points from two races to clinch the drivers' world championship for the first time. Titles and cups are not yet in the bag, but Brawn GP have now brought out their very own series of watches. At the Silverstone Grand Prix, Ross Brawn's team announced that they would be working with luxury watch maker, Graham-London, who claims to have developed the very first chronograph movement. Graham-London has now launched the first timepieces to be made exclusively for Team Brawn GP. Of course, all Chronofighter and Silverstone watches are individually numbered. The team's official logo and racing colours too figure in the design.

The Goodwood Revival is a nostalgic trip back to the 1950s and 1960s. Between 18th and 20th September, 134,000 people turned up at the West Sussex estate of the Earl of March to enjoy this annual festival. The event is to racing drivers what Wimbledon is to tennis players and Ascot to jockeys. Although competitive races are no longer staged at Goodwood, no other motorsport venue can compare for razzamatazz or eccentricity.

The Revival ranks alongside the Le Mans Classic and the Mille Miglia in the racing panoply. It's not just the more than 400 racing cars from the 1948 to 1966 era that make this is a star occasion but the visitors themselves. Many of them turn up in period costume consisting of Tweed jackets, knickerbockers, cocktail dresses, petticoats and – in particular – hats from the Fifties and Sixties.

The impressive Alfa Romeo MiTo will certainly turn your head. It's the same with an attractive woman. In both cases, we often say, "What a beautiful body...!" When a powerful engine wrapped in a fascinating form drives past, it's a feast for the eyes and a delight to the senses. Jeans are often the perfect wrapping for a woman's long legs. With that in mind, the two fashion designers, Bjork and McElligott, who are based in London and have already created a number of outfits for a variety of personalities, have now brought out a limited edition MiTo collection. The result is perfection...

So that you will want for nothing on your travels in your new Panamera, Porsche have brought out a unique collection of accessories that are bound to set owners' pulses racing. The first of these Porsche-designed luxury articles are depicted in the gallery below. Top-quality clothing, matching suitcases and exclusive wristwatches - all of which are now available in unmistakable Porsche Panamera styling.