Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Modern Cars Confusing Consumers Says Study

Modern Cars Confusing Consumers Says Study
New research suggests that fancy additions to today's
vehicles are leaving many Britons bewildered.

According to insurance services provider LV=, more than a
third (37 per cent) of those interviewed in a recent study
admitted that they did not understand the function of
elaborate icons displayed on their dashboards. Furthermore,
nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) of people said that
they would be unable to fix their car in the event of a
breakdown. An additional 47 per cent said that they had no
understanding of how engines function, with just five per
cent of respondents to the study believing their
understanding of how a vehicle operates is excellent.

It seems that Britain is a nation reliant on breakdown and
repair services, with only four per cent of car-owners
asserting that they would feel confident undertaking
repairs to their vehicle if it broke down, while 18 per
cent said that they would be happy to carry out basic
repairs without assistance.

For those looking to fund expensive repairs to their
vehicle, a cheap personal loan may allow car-owners to get
their vehicle back on the road quickly providing the extra
cash flow needed to cover maintenance costs.

Confusion about the varied functions of today's vehicles
were said to be compounded by a multitude of acronyms used
to describe already obscure features. More than a quarter
(28 per cent), said that they were unaware that the acronym
MPV stood for multi person vehicle, while 63 per cent of
respondents were found to hold the false belief that FWD
stands for four wheel drive. In fact, the term is used to
denote front wheel drive vehicles.

The LV= report also examined male and female perceptions to
their own understanding of how vehicles work, with men said
to be reluctant to admit their bafflement at the
complexities of modern cars, the company states. Despite
not knowing how to undertake basic repairs or fix their
cars in the event of a breakdown, 71 per cent of men said
that their understanding of automobiles was average or
above. Only one in ten men admitted to knowing nothing
about modern cars, compared to 30 per cent of women.

Emma Holyer, spokesperson for breakdown service Britannia
Rescue, said: "There is little doubt that innovation has
made driving a far more pleasurable experience, but it has
made part-time weekend mechanics a thing of the past. With
many cars relying on complex electronics or technology,
many problems now require specialist equipment, as well as
specialist knowledge, to get the problem fixed. This means
it is even more vital that motorists take out breakdown
cover, so if something does go wrong with their car they
are able to get back on the road as easily and quickly as
possible."

The research follows reports last month by motor services
group the AA suggesting that car insurance costs are
becoming an increasingly prohibitive item of expenditure
for many UK vehicle owners. Citing statistics from
MoneyExpert, the group states that the average annual
insurance policy costs 629 pounds and four pence. For those
looking to fund the additional costs of keeping a car on
the road, obtaining a personal loan quote may be advisable.


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Abbi Rouse writes for AllAboutLoans.co.uk, an online loans
comparison site, visit us today for information on all loan
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