Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. We are constantly reminded of the eco mantra – it’s on posters, information leaflets, even advertised on the TV, and most of us are now waking up to the fact that we all need to start taking action to help care for the planet. But when it comes to driving, this eco message is often considered redundant, because cars are not exactly eco-friendly. So the obvious answer would seem to be to buy a brand new fuel-efficient model like a Toyota Prius. But not always so.

Toyota Prius

Of course, ditching your gas guzzler for a more fuel efficient model is a great idea and will certainly reduce your carbon footprint, but most people seem to overlook that it takes a lot of energy to build a new car. For example, creating a new Prius consumes 113 million BTUs of energy. There are around 113,000 BTUs of energy in a gallon of petrol, so each Prius model has consumed the equivalent of 1000 gallons of petrol before it has even reached the showroom. Similarly, energy is needed to dispose of a used car at the end of its life. So what’s the answer?

Buying a used car means that no energy has been wasted in making a new model, but as a car wears, its emissions typically get worse. Buying a used car that has been well maintained with its emissions control equipment in proper working order, however, could mean that your net energy use is lower overall. Buying a used Toyota Prius, rather than a new one, is another good idea. Each car stocked at The Car Shop has undergone a HPI and 114 Safety Point check, so you can be sure of the best quality. Plus, we have over 3,000 cars in stock, with cars to suit every budget.

The Ford Focus is officially Britain’s most popular car. Over 100,000 were sold in 2008 beating the second place Vauxhall Corsa by over 2,000 cars.  And it’s easy to see why – the Focus is well-designed, drives superbly and, most importantly, won’t break the bank. The Ford Focus continues to be a reliable option for car owners who want a straightforward hatchback. We stock hundreds of used Fords at our showrooms in Cardiff, Swindon and Northampton, so if it’s a used Ford Focus you’re after, we can help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

Ford Focus

We can also help with competitive and flexible finance deals, no matter what your credit history, and at the Car Shop you can Buy and Go a used Ford Focus in just one hour – try that at most other used Ford dealers!

On 25th July, four brave Car Shop employees, together with members from Super Schools, embarked upon the notorious Three Peaks Challenge in aid of the Anthony Nolan Trust. The challenge involved scaling to the peaks of the UK’s three highest mountains, Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, in just 24 hours.

Car Shop defeats the Three Peaks

The team underwent a rigorous training regime prior to the event in order to be fit enough. All of their efforts paid off, as on the day the group successfully tackled the difficult terrain and endured the challenging weather to complete the extreme mission within the allocated time.

What’s more, they managed to raise well over their target of £5000 to help the charity continue their lifesaving work of recruiting bone marrow donors who can save the lives of those that have been affected with fatal diseases such as leukaemia and aplastic anaemia.  Sadly, 70% of patients do not have a match within their family, and therefore rely on an unrelated donor who shares the same ’tissue type’ to offer them another chance of life.

The Anthony Nolan Trust has given over 5,800 children and adults the gift of life since the charity was established over 30 years ago.

We would like to send our congratulations to the entire team for their hard work and determination in achieving their difficult goal – well done!

It seems that the Mazda MX-5 is unstoppable. The multi award winning motor has just added another accolade to its collection – the Best Roadster award at the recent Auto Express New Car Awards . Now in its third generation, the Mazda impressed the judges with it’s simple folding hood and entertaining rear-wheel-drive handling, combined with its incredibly attractive prices.

The world’s most popular roadster is celebrating it’s 20th anniversary this year and to celebrate, Mazda is launching a ‘20th Anniversary’ special-edition model based on the 2.0-litre version. It has unique red and black Recaro seats, special badges, clear front fog-lights and is available in one special colour only – crystal white pearl. The special model is only available in Japan at the moment, but Mazda is expected to launch a UK-specific edition later this year.

Mazda MX-5

The Mazda MX-5 has also been honoured by Auto Express as a used car, winning the ‘Best Convertible’ award every year since 2005.

For more information on used Mazda cars then please visit one of our showrooms or our website.

We’re proud to announce that on Wednesday 8th July we won the Marketing Award at the Motor Trader Awards. The prize was sponsored by Auto Trader and recognises innovations made in the promotion of car-related products and services.

The Motor Trader Awards are highly regarded in the automotive industry and these awards are the biggest in the automotive calendar. In fact, they are seen as the industry’s version of the Oscars!

View the Car Shop’s latest TV ad

The World Car of the Year 2009 has been announced after a jury of 59 motoring writers fom 25 countries and, following a makeover in an attempt to win the title, the new BMW 7 Series was among the top ten contenders for the title.

While the jury announced the latest incarnation of the Volkswagen Golf as the winner of WCOTY, the 7 Series was among the shortlisted contenders after the latest addiction received a slight nip-and-tuck type restyle following its 2002 launch caused a bit of a stir.

In line with the then dramatic styling changes that was issued to all BMWs, the  new look for the 7 Series was considered divisive. In order to attract a wider audience to experience the exquisite handling and engineering that lies beneath its lines, BMW have toned down the lines of the latest 7 Series to deliver a restrained and luxurious cruiser that’s sure to find plenty of fans. Proven by the inclusion of the car in this year’s shortlist.

We’re well aware of the success of the BMW 7 Series, it continues to be a popular car with our customers. If you’re looking for a luxurious car with plenty of power and style, a trip to a Car Shop megastore could get you behind the wheel of one quicker than you think.

Stop by one of our showrooms today and let us know your thoughts on the7 Series.

The results of the 2009 Driver Power customer satisfaction surveey carried out by Auto Express ahve been revealed.  Some 20,000 people completed questionaires looking at all elements of driver satisfaction and there were some interesting results with Vauxhall gaining a final nod to a departing stalwart. 

While the survey was topped by the British-built Jaguar XF, the last incarnation of Vauxhall’s Vectra made an entry within the top 100, sitting at 96th. Popular with both company car users and family drivers since inception, the Vectra hit the roads back in 1995, replacing Vauxhall’s previos long-timer, the Cavalier. 

Offering a more dynamic look to it’s competitors, the Vectra remained the fourth-best selling car in the UK for a large part of its production and, in 2007 was even named Estate Car of the Year 2007 by What Car? 

With the Vectra no longer in production and replaced by the Vauxhall Insignia, a placement in the Driver Power survey shows it remained popular with drivers toward the end. 

We’re well away of the popularity of the Vectra, it’s continually a popular choice for our customers looking for a reliable yet stylish and efficient car for the family to get around in or for the longer commutes. 

For more information on the Vectra or to let us know what you think of this particular Griffin, check our or website or stop by one of our three used car showrooms in Cardiff, Swindon and Northampton.

The new Honda Accord has recently been voted ‘Car of the Year’ by a group of reviewers in South Africa.

The prizes don’t stop there either, it also won the prestigious ‘Wheels Car of the Year’ in Australia too which suggests that Honda have certainly got something right with the new Accord.

The latest Accord went on sale during 2008 and has undergone dramatic styling changes which have obviously contributed to its popularity.

Hondas are known for their excellent build quality and reliability which makes the Accord an excellent buy.

Its low-key appearance actually underestimates the quality the Honda Accord offers you and if you step inside one you will be pleasantly surprised!

If you fancy taking a test or getting behind the driving seat of the Car of the Year, take a visit to one of our UK used car supermarkets where we’ve got 

BMW have continued their winning streak by claiming yet more awards as the BMW 5 Series picks up another title.

At the recent Industry Fleet Awards, held in March, the BMW 5 Series scooped the award for the Best Executive Premium Car – a sector BMW always excel in.

The BMW 5 Series has always been a favourite amongst those looking for a premium car because it simply performs in all sectors. It offers excellent performance, luxurious comfort, good styling – making it a suitable choice for long-distance driving.

BMW also claimed the top spot in the luxury motor class with the 7 Series, the X5 was crowned ‘Ultimate SUV’ and the nifty little 1 Series was judged to be the best vehicle in the ‘small premium vehicle sector’ – which meant that the night was an all-round success for BMW.

For further details on the BMW 5 Series check out our review pages and swing by our three used car supermarkets across the UK and take one for a test drive today. 

Technology in the BMW 3 Series and the exciting range from the German manufacturer has helped make 2009  the fourth straight year in a row that BMW have scooped the top award for having the most ‘technical’ cars from iSuppli.

The popular BMW 3 series was amongst the cars that scored highly in the report coming 8^th – in all BMW occupied six of the top ten spots which shows how advanced and innovative they are when it comes to designing and making cars. The roomy 7 Series came out on top with the practical 5 Series coming closely behind.

Features which marked out the 3 Series as having ‘Advanced Technology’ included Bluetooth, its unique iDrive system and its handy ‘media server.’ 

All of these factors help to make your daily drive more comfortable, relaxing and convenient which is why the 3 Series is such a popular car. This survey doesn’t even talk about the cars interior comfort or exterior styling either – so you know you are onto a winner with the BMW 3 Series. 

Check out the BMW 3 Series and other models available at the CarShop with our used car supermarkets in three locations across the UK.