Joining a car club means you can often make large savings of car running costs whilst keeping the convenience of having access to a car. You don’t have to pay for tax or insurance or even maintenance you can just sign up to a scheme where you either pay as you go or pay monthly for the privilege.

Using these sorts of club cars means that sometime you can have access to a much nicer car than you would usually be able to afford. For example some car clubs offer Bentley GTC hire and BMW 530 hire. By relying on a car less you can then drive in style when you do drive.

Another option could be to go for a green car. Many car clubs offer electric cars such as the Citroen C1 ev’ie. By opting for this sort of car in a car club scheme you are not only saving money but also being more environmentally friendly.

New Vauxhall cars are going to be taking over the stands at the motor shows this year. The one that everybody’s holding out for is the new Meriva, which will be unveiled at Geneva and on sale from June. This compact MPV will certainly be one of the most innovative family cars for sale, with a range of features that will put Vauxhall - yet again – ahead of their rivals.

Geneva, it seems, will be all about Flex-ability. The Meriva will be the first of the new Vauxhall cars to feature their unique FlexDoors. These are a rear-hinged concept that swings back at almost 90 degrees, dramatically improving ease of access for passengers. The high roof further improves space, while the streamlined body contours ensure wind resistance is kept to a minimum. With an automatic child-proof locking system and parent-friendly accessibility this looks set to be one of the fastest selling new cars in the compact family class, when it arrives.

The biggest UK event on the Vauxhall calendar is undoubtedly the Performance Vauxhall 2010 show. Running since 2002, this takes place each year at the Santa Pod Raceway in Wellingborough, Northants. This year’s show is set to run on the 12^th and 13^th of June, and will feature owners’ club displays, a new cars trade area and plenty of action on the Santa Pod strip.

The new Meriva will still be under wraps, but there will be plenty of other exciting new Vauxhall cars on the stands; among them the new Astra ecoFLEX. First unveiled at the shows last year, Vauxhall are releasing these cars for sale from April 2010 onwards.

The new Vauxhall Corsa ecoFLEX is one of the new cars for 2010 getting the industry excited, thanks to its improvement in fuel consumption and emissions. It’s supposed to be “the most economical Vauxhall model ever” – so what does it have that it didn’t have before? Well for a start…

- C02 emissions of just 98g/km
- Combined fuel consumption of 76.3mpg.
- Equipped with a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) as standard, which dramatically reduces the most harmful emissions.
- Packs 21 per cent more power from its 1.3 CDTi turbodiesel engine

The new VW Polo is being billed as “the fastest, most focused and cleanest performance Polo yet produced”.  Some of the talking points include:

- 1.4-litre TSI engine that uses a supercharger from idle through to 3,000 rpm
- Capable of delivering 47 mpg on the combined cycle while emitting just 139 g/km of CO2
- Fitted with the XDS differential, an electronic cross-axle traction control system
- Output of 180 PS at 6,200 rpm and 184 lbs ft of torque from 2,000 rpm

The new Renault Clio S is, in Renault’s own words, “Super, Sporty, Splendid”.  Focusing on aesthetic appeal, they’re also pushing the following:

- dCi 106 combines high torque and power levels with low fuel consumption.
- 1.2-litre 16V 75 for fuel economy and low C02 emissions combined with supple handling.

You could argue that driving an old car is better for the environment because you’re recycling, in essence. You’re taking advantage of a car that already exists, instead of choosing from one of the many new cars that are manufactured every year. However, newer car models have been specially made with the environment in mind.

There are many incentives on offer incentives for buying new cars such as the scrappage scheme and special finance deals. The best incentive of all however should be how economical many new cars are to run, and how low in emissions they actually are. Car dealers will be able to advise you on the best cars for the environment, and the best cars to run in terms of miles per gallon, but you can also research the subject online first.

When you do come to buy your first car however you also want to make sure that you don’t buy something unreliable that isn’t worth the money. As your insurance will be expensive enough, you should stay away from high maintenance cars that will cost you plenty in repairs. Used BMW cars are exceptionally reliable, and aren’t as expensive as you might think. They do cost more for repairs when they do wrong however.

One of the best makes for a new driver is a used Ford. Even if a Ford goes wrong, which is rare, they are very cheap to fix because their parts are made in such large numbers.

Used Vauxhall cars also offer a wide choice in sturdy, reliable engines that suit the first time driver. Models such as the Corsa are also popular because they in one of the cheaper insurance brackets.

The benefits of electric cars include fewer emissions and lower running and servicing charges. However on the other hand they take much longer to recharge but this is a small price to pay for reducing your carbon footprint.

The Citroen C1 ev’ie is the UK’s only commercially available true electric car. It has a 60 mile range and a top speed of 60mph. The best thing about it is you can charge it from an ordinary domestic power point! With electric cars available like the Citroen C1 ev’ie it is little wonder that more people aren’t joining the electric revolution.

If you don’t want to buy an electric car then car clubs and premium car clubs could be a good option. Some offer the ability to lease electric cars on a long term basis. Do your research and see if Citroen C1 hire and Citroen C1 leasing are available.

Snow driving poses its own unique problems for drivers, problems that we’re not that used to in the UK. There are some precautions we can take however to ensure that we’re not caught out by the weather in future, whether we drive older used cars or brand new cars.

First of all you should always ensure that you carry de-icer and a scraper in your car to guard against the morning freeze. Whatever the specifications of your car, whether it’s a Vauxhall or a Porsche, your windscreen will freeze over in cold temperatures.

You should also carry replacement screen wash in your car, so that you can deal with the grit that is thrown up from the roads onto your windscreen.

Of course the best way to really ensure that your car is ideally suited to the Arctic conditions is to choose a 4×4 from a quality car manufacturer. Many rear wheel drive cars, regardless of their build quality, struggled to move amid the icy conditions of the 2009 winter. Car manufacturers such as Vauxhall have a range of new and used cars, including the Vauxhall Antara – which is a 4×4, perfect for winter conditions.

The all new Movano from Vauxhall will be a serious player in the heavy van segment when it’s launched in the UK market this year.
Customers for Vauxhall’s second generation Movano will be spoilt for choice when the new van goes on sale in May, with no less than 29 different body styles to choose from once all variants have come to market.
Movano’s drivers can also expect to be among the happiest and most comfortable when they get behind the wheel with special attention having been paid to cabin comfort and ergonomics, as well as to the cargo space areas. A new range of fuel-sipping common rail diesel engines ensure operators will be just as content.

The modular platform, developed jointly with Renault, comes with front or rear-wheel drive depending on payload category. Rear-wheel drive variants can be ordered with twin wheels at the rear.

The launch phase of the new Movano will be staggered according to the body variants and vehicles will be available in the UK from May.

This often leads people to shun their local car dealer in favour of buying private, either through the local newspaper or through the Internet. This can, in some cases, prove to be a wise move, but all too often when you buy private you end up buying something that is less than what you expected.

When you look for used cars privately, you have no guarantee that they are free of faults and that they will work without requiring maintenance. However, when you buy from a large car dealer you know that each car the dealer sells has been thoroughly checked by a trained mechanic. You also know that should the vehicle develop a fault you will be able to return it to the dealer for it to be looked at and fixed if necessary.

You have no such peace of mind when buying private.

Many used car dealers also sell new cars, and even though you may be budgeting for a used car, the price of some new cars could give a pleasant surprise – especially when you consider the government scrappage scheme that gives you money off for trading an old car. New cars also come with longer warranties, meaning you can be sure of avoiding expensive repairs for years to come.

When it comes to quality cars for the rest of us, we want cars that are reliable, cheap to run, luxurious and make us feel good.

For example, if you wanted a quality new BMW to do the daily commute and take the kids to school, you could try the BMW 3 Series. It’s the most popular car in the UK, and whether you buy one new or if you buy a used BMW, you know it will not let you down and it will look and feel great when you drive it.

Another popular car to buy would be a new Ford, such as the Ford Mondeo. The Mondeo used to be the most common car in the UK, until it was overtaken by the BMW 3 Series, which means that a new or used Ford such as a Mondeo offers you a great car, and a more exclusive one than the BMW!

Another option would be a new Vauxhall, such as the Vectra. The Vectra is in the same class as the Mondeo and the 3 Series, so whether you buy a new car or a used Vauxhall, you know that a Vectra will do the job that you ask of it.