Category: Motoring

  • The Truth About Buying a Grey Import Performance Car in the UK: Bargain or Bureaucratic Nightmare?

    The Truth About Buying a Grey Import Performance Car in the UK: Bargain or Bureaucratic Nightmare?

    There’s a particular kind of car madness that hits you when you’re scrolling through Japanese auction listings at midnight, convincing yourself that a 400bhp Nissan Skyline GT-R for £18,000 is a completely rational life decision. Grey import performance cars are genuinely compelling. Rare, often significantly cheaper than equivalent UK-spec machinery, and dripping with the sort of character you won’t find on any Swindon forecourt. But the path from auction sheet to your driveway is littered with bureaucratic potholes, insurance headaches, and parts that can take six weeks to arrive from Osaka. I’ve spoken to a fair few enthusiasts who’ve gone down this road and come back with stories ranging from triumphant to genuinely traumatic. Here’s the full picture.

    Silver Nissan Skyline GT-R grey import performance car UK road
    Photo by Denys Novikov on Pexels

    What actually counts as a grey import performance car?

    A grey import is any vehicle brought into the UK that wasn’t originally intended for the UK market. That covers a wide spectrum, JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) legends like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution in Spec IV form you couldn’t get here, USDM Dodge Challenger SRT variants, European-spec cars that were never officially sold on British soil, and everything in between. The “grey” in the name doesn’t mean dodgy, it just means non-standard-market. Plenty of legitimate UK dealers specialise in them, and the DVLA processes thousands every year.

    The most popular category for enthusiasts is JDM metal, and for good reason. Japan’s strict shaken inspection system means Japanese-used cars are often in remarkable condition. Models like the Subaru Impreza STI Type RA, Honda NSX-R, and Mazda RX-7 Type R were either never sold here officially or were sold in watered-down form. Importing the real thing has obvious appeal.

    The IVA test: the bit nobody warns you about properly

    If your grey import is being registered for the first time in the UK and it’s fewer than 40 years old, it’ll almost certainly need an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) test from the DVSA. This is the UK’s way of confirming the car meets minimum safety and environmental standards. In theory, straightforward. In practice, it can get expensive quickly.

    The IVA checks things like lighting (are the headlights pointing the right way for left-hand driving?), speedometer (does it read in mph?), emissions, and a long list of safety items. A standard IVA test costs £456 for a car, and a re-test is another £155. But the real cost is in the preparation. Getting headlights swapped or adjusted, fitting UK-compliant seatbelts, and sorting any emissions documentation can run into several hundred pounds before you even book the test. Some specialist importers include IVA preparation in their service; if you’re buying privately, make absolutely sure you know who’s responsible for getting the car through.

    Worth knowing: cars over 40 years old are exempt from IVA and can be registered as historic vehicles, which opens a different (much simpler) route. But if you’re shopping for a 1990s performance icon, you’re likely still in IVA territory for a few more years.

    Mechanic inspecting grey import performance car UK workshop
    Photo by Artem Podrez on Pexels

    DVLA registration quirks that catch buyers out

    Once the car passes IVA, DVLA registration via a V55/5 form is next. You’ll need proof of ownership, the foreign registration documents, the IVA pass certificate, and an MOT. This part is usually fine, but there are known quirks. DVLA can sometimes struggle with non-standard VIN formats, especially on older JDM cars where the chassis number is structured differently to European norms. If the VIN doesn’t match what DVLA’s system expects, expect delays and extra correspondence.

    Road tax is another one. Older JDM engines don’t always have CO2 figures on record with DVLA’s database because they were never type-approved here. You may end up taxed at a flat rate based on engine displacement rather than emissions, which can actually work in your favour on older cars, but isn’t always predictable.

    If you’re importing from Japan yourself rather than buying from a UK dealer, use a reputable import agent. The paperwork chain from Japanese auction to UK road is: auction purchase, Japanese export certificate (Jidosha Yushutsu Shomeisho), shipping, HMRC import duty and VAT on arrival, then IVA and DVLA. Miss a step or get the documentation wrong and the car can sit in a bonded warehouse costing you daily storage fees. I’ve heard of people spending £800 in storage fees while waiting on paperwork to be sorted. Not fun.

    Insurance: the grey import tax nobody talks about

    Insuring a grey import performance car in the UK is not impossible, but it is noticeably more expensive than insuring a UK-spec equivalent. Standard insurers often refuse to quote at all, because they can’t verify the car’s specification against known databases. You’re looking at specialist brokers, Adrian Flux, Footman James, and a handful of others who understand modified and non-standard vehicles.

    Agreed value policies are worth pursuing if you can get them, because standard market value calculations are essentially useless for a car that never had an official UK RRP. Agreed value means that if the car is written off, you get the figure you and the insurer agreed upfront, not whatever Parkers decides a grey import is worth (which is usually not much).

    Modifications compound this further. If you’re buying a JDM car that’s had an engine swap or suspension work, declare every single thing. The consequences of not declaring are vastly worse than the premium increase. There’s a full breakdown of how engine modifications affect UK insurance worth reading at how the UK’s pothole crisis affects enthusiast cars, the insurance implications there overlap significantly with grey import ownership.

    Parts sourcing: the real long game

    This is where grey import ownership tests your patience most. For popular models, R34 Skylines, FD RX-7s, DC2 Integra Type Rs, the UK aftermarket is actually decent, because enthusiasts have been importing parts for decades. The problem is less-common models or anything with a JDM-specific drivetrain configuration.

    Specialists like Mitzybitz.com exist precisely because JDM vehicles develop their own UK-based parts ecosystems over time, that kind of specialist knowledge is worth its weight when you’re chasing an obscure component. For rarer stuff, you’re often ordering direct from Japan via Y! Auctions or dealing with UK importers who carry stock. Budget three to six weeks for anything non-urgent, and keep a contingency for shipping costs that have risen significantly since 2020.

    If you want a grey import performance car that’s genuinely usable daily, stick to models with strong enthusiast communities in the UK. The Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Mitsubishi Evo, and Honda Integra all have active clubs, plentiful used parts, and mechanics who know them. Veer into genuinely obscure territory, say, a Nissan Stagea Autech or a Toyota Soarer with the 1UZ V8, and parts sourcing becomes a serious ongoing commitment.

    Buying through a UK grey import dealer vs private purchase

    UK dealers who specialise in grey imports handle the IVA, DVLA registration, and initial compliance work as part of their service. You pay a premium for that, typically £1,500 to £3,000 over what the same car costs pre-compliance, but you get a car with a V5C in hand and ideally some warranty or at least a PDI. For first-time grey import buyers, this is the saner route.

    Private purchase of an already-registered grey import (so it has a V5C and UK plates) is more like buying any used car, except you should check very carefully that the IVA was genuinely completed and not some grey area workaround. Ask for the original IVA certificate. If the seller can’t produce it, treat that as a red flag.

    The used Japanese performance car market in the UK has some genuinely brilliant options right now, there’s a solid rundown of the hottest used Japanese performance cars under £15,000 that’s worth bookmarking if you’re actively shopping. And if the idea of importing directly from Japan is pulling at you, the full guide to importing a kei sports car to the UK covers the shipping and documentation side in real depth.

    The DVSA publishes its current IVA fee schedule and guidance at gov.uk, which is the definitive reference point before you budget for any of this.

    Is it actually worth it?

    Honestly? For the right car and the right buyer, yes. A well-sourced grey import performance car can give you access to machinery that’s genuinely unavailable any other way, performance specifications, limited editions, and driving experiences that the UK market simply never offered. The costs are real but manageable if you go in with eyes open. Budget for IVA preparation (assume £600-£1,000 to be safe), factor in specialist insurance from day one, and only buy models with established UK parts networks unless you genuinely enjoy hunting for parts as part of the hobby.

    Go in expecting a smooth car-buying experience like picking up a Ford Focus and you will absolutely have a bad time. Go in knowing it’s a project with extra administrative steps, and you’ll probably end up with something far more interesting than anything on a mainstream forecourt.

  • Why the Porsche 996 Is Quietly Becoming the UK Enthusiast’s Best-Value Performance Car in 2026

    Why the Porsche 996 Is Quietly Becoming the UK Enthusiast’s Best-Value Performance Car in 2026

    The 996 has had a rough ride. For years it was the 911 that proper Porsche people quietly winced at, the one with the fried-egg headlights, the water-cooled engine that broke the lineage, the IMS bearing horror stories whispered at track days. Pick up any UK classified site in 2015 and you could find a tidy 996 Carrera for £12,000. Genuinely. My mate Tim bought one for £11,500, spent six months sorting it, and drove it to Monaco. Nobody cared. Fast-forward to 2026 and that same car in equivalent condition will set you back £28,000 to £35,000 minimum, and values are still climbing. This is your porsche 996 buying guide uk, and the message is simple: the window is closing faster than most people realise.

    Silver Porsche 996 on a UK country road, subject of this porsche 996 buying guide uk
    Photo by Studio Urbano on Pexels

    Why UK enthusiasts are waking up to the 996

    The 997 used to be the obvious choice, cleaner looks, updated interior, broader acceptance. But 997 money has gone stratospheric. A clean 997.1 Carrera S now sits at £45,000 to £55,000 in UK classifieds. The 997.2 is worse. Meanwhile the 996 has spent the last three years quietly repricing itself from “embarrassment” to “bargain-adjacent classic”, and the people paying attention are snapping them up.

    Part of what’s driving this is the same collector logic that’s pushed underrated performance cars from the 1990s into genuinely surprising valuations. Buyers are looking backwards for cars with real mechanical character, analogue driving feel and a badge that means something. The 996 ticks every single one of those boxes. It’s also worth noting that the UK market specifically has always had strong appetite for used Porsches, according to the SMMT, Porsche registrations in the UK have grown year on year through 2024 and 2025, and increased familiarity with the brand is filtering down to used values across all generations.

    The IMS bearing situation: let’s actually talk about it

    You cannot write a porsche 996 buying guide uk without addressing the IMS bearing, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. The intermediate shaft bearing on M96 engines fitted to 996s built between 1997 and 2005 can fail, and when it does, it takes the engine with it. That is a real risk. But the actual failure rate is far more nuanced than the internet makes out.

    LN Engineering, the specialist most commonly cited on this subject, estimates the failure rate across the entire M96/M97 engine family at around 1 in 50 cars, roughly 2%. That is not nothing, but it is also nowhere near the catastrophic lottery some forums suggest. More importantly, the fix is well established. A Luk or IMS Solution retrofit bearing costs between £800 and £1,500 fitted at a specialist, and eliminates the risk entirely. Any 996 worth buying in 2026 should either have this done or be priced to reflect that it hasn’t. If the seller can’t tell you, walk away.

    The other engine concern is rear main seal failure causing oil leaks, and the coolant pipes running beneath the intake plenum which can crack with age. Both are known quantities with known fixes. This is mature, well-documented territory for any halfway decent Porsche independent specialist, and the UK has plenty of them.

    What does a 996 actually cost to run in the UK?

    Running costs are where the 996 story gets genuinely interesting. Unlike the exotic machinery covered in our look at used Japanese performance cars under £15,000, the 996 sits in a sweet spot where parts are plentiful, specialists are experienced, and labour isn’t astronomical if you choose the right garage.

    Annual servicing at an independent Porsche specialist runs to roughly £400 to £600 for a standard oil service and inspection. Major services involving spark plugs, air filters, coolant flush and brake fluid will push that to £900 to £1,200. Tyres are 205/55 R17 fronts and 255/40 R17 rears in standard spec, not cheap, but not exotic. Budget around £700 to £900 for a full set of decent performance rubber. Insurance on a 996 Carrera for a driver in their thirties with a clean licence typically sits between £900 and £1,400 a year through a specialist broker like Adrian Flux or Footman James, depending on usage and postcode.

    Fuel economy? Don’t buy a 996 expecting to commute frugally. The 3.4-litre Carrera returns around 24 to 27 MPG on a real-world mixed run. The 3.6 in later models is thirstier still. Take it on the road and enjoy it properly, and you’ll be looking at 20 MPG on a good day. This is not the car for someone watching the pump price, though if you’re reading a porsche 996 buying guide uk in 2026, you’ve probably already made peace with that.

    Which 996 variant should you actually buy?

    The standard Carrera in either coupe or cabriolet is the obvious entry point, but the spec matters enormously. Manual gearbox only, the Tiptronic cars are slower to sell and slower to appreciate. Carrera 4 all-wheel-drive models attract a small premium and are arguably less pure to drive but more forgiving in UK winter conditions.

    The 996 Turbo is a separate conversation entirely. Values on clean examples have crossed £55,000 and are heading north. The GT3 Mk1 and Mk2 are now proper collectors’ items with price tags to match. For most enthusiasts looking at a porsche 996 buying guide uk right now, the sweet spot is a 2001 to 2004 Carrera coupe in manual, ideally with the IMS bearing replaced, a full service history from an independent specialist, and sensible mileage in the 60,000 to 90,000 mile range.

    Colours matter more than people admit. Seal Grey, Arctic Silver and Speed Yellow all hold well. Guards Red polarises opinion but has a loyal following. Avoid anything resprayed in a non-original colour without very good provenance documentation.

    Is the 996 actually air-cooled? Sort of. Kind of. Not really.

    This is the nuance that a lot of people miss. The 996 is not air-cooled, the engine uses water cooling, and that’s exactly why it upset purists when it launched in 1997. But the engine is still horizontally opposed, still rear-mounted, still a flat-six. The sound, the weight distribution, the engagement, all of that is firmly in the Porsche DNA. Drive a 996 back to back with a modern 992 and the differences are stark. The 996 feels rawer, more connected, less filtered. For enthusiasts who genuinely love driving rather than simply owning, that matters enormously.

    If you’re into the idea of cars that reward commitment and feel alive through your fingertips, the 996 sits in the same broad church as the best British performance cars that prioritise character over comfort. The analogy isn’t perfect, but the principle is the same: these are cars built to be driven, and they show it.

    Should you buy one now or wait?

    Honestly? I wouldn’t wait. I’ve watched the 996 market long enough to have seen the same trajectory play out with the 993, the early Boxster S, the 986, cars that looked too cheap to be serious and then quietly weren’t. The MOT history tool on gov.uk is an essential first stop for any 996 you’re considering; a clean, continuous history tells you more than any seller patter ever could.

    Values at the entry level have risen roughly 15 to 20% in the last eighteen months alone, and that rate shows no sign of flattening. The cars getting replaced at the lower end of the market are the tired, unserviced, history-free examples being cleared out by people who bought cheaply and couldn’t be bothered. What’s left is increasingly the good stuff, and the good stuff is being priced accordingly.

    If you’re serious about getting into a 996, budget at least £26,000 for something you’d actually trust, commission a PPI from a specialist like Porsche Centre Reading or any of the respected independents around the country, and go in with clear eyes. The IMS bearing is fixable. The costs are manageable. The driving experience is genuinely special. And the window for calling the 996 “undervalued” is almost certainly going to close before the decade is out.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the best year to buy a Porsche 996 in the UK?

    The 2001 to 2004 model years are generally considered the sweet spot. These later cars had various refinements over the early 1997-2000 models, and parts and specialist knowledge are widely available across the UK.

    How serious is the IMS bearing problem on a Porsche 996?

    The failure rate is estimated at around 2% across the engine family, real, but far from inevitable. The fix is well established: a retrofit bearing from a UK Porsche specialist costs roughly £800 to £1,500 fitted and eliminates the risk entirely.

    How much does a Porsche 996 cost to insure in the UK?

    A 996 Carrera for a driver in their thirties with a clean licence typically costs between £900 and £1,400 per year through a specialist broker. Agreed-value classic car policies from firms like Footman James or Adrian Flux are worth exploring for lower annual mileage use.

    Is a Porsche 996 reliable enough for daily use in the UK?

    Yes, with proper maintenance. The M96 engine is reliable when serviced correctly and key wear items like the IMS bearing and coolant pipes are addressed. Budgeting around £1,000 to £1,500 per year for maintenance is realistic for a daily-driven example.

  • Hydrogen Cars in the UK in 2026: Are They Actually Coming or Just Forever Two Years Away?

    Hydrogen Cars in the UK in 2026: Are They Actually Coming or Just Forever Two Years Away?

    Right, let’s be honest. Hydrogen cars have been “five years away” for about fifteen years now. Every time you think the technology is genuinely about to land, another report comes out saying infrastructure is the problem, then another saying it’s cost, then another saying it’s public awareness. I’ve been half-expecting, half-doubting this revolution since I first sat in a Toyota Mirai at a motor show and thought “yeah, this is properly cool”, and yet the forecourts of Britain remain stubbornly petrol-and-diesel-dominated. So where are we actually at with hydrogen cars in the UK in 2026? Let’s sort fact from fantasy.

    Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car representing hydrogen cars UK 2026
    Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels

    The refuelling problem is still real, and it’s brutal

    Here’s the number that stops most conversations cold: as of early 2026, the UK has fewer than 15 operational public hydrogen refuelling stations. Most of them are in and around London, with a small scattering near Birmingham and a couple up in Scotland. The UK Government’s own hydrogen strategy acknowledges this is a serious barrier to mass adoption, and OZEV (the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles) has earmarked funding to expand the network, but “earmarked” and “built” are very different words.

    Compare that to the EV charging network, which, for all its well-documented frustrations, now numbers in the tens of thousands of public points. Hydrogen simply cannot compete on convenience right now. If you live or work near a station, it might make sense. For everyone else, it’s a non-starter. Literally.

    Which hydrogen cars can you actually buy in the UK right now?

    The list is short. Very short. The Toyota Mirai remains the flagship option, the second-generation version is a genuinely elegant, rear-wheel-drive saloon that I think deserves far more attention than it gets. It has a real range of around 400 miles on a full tank, and refuelling takes about five minutes once you find a working station. Prices for a new Mirai sit north of £50,000, though lease deals are more accessible.

    The Hyundai Nexo is the other mainstream choice, a large SUV with similar range figures, priced around £65,000 new. Both are WLTP-tested, both produce nothing but water vapour from the tailpipe, and both feel like remarkably civilised machines to drive. Smooth, quiet, and with that satisfying instant-torque delivery that fuel cell vehicles share with battery EVs.

    Beyond those two? There’s essentially nothing for retail buyers. The commercial vehicle space is slightly livelier, hydrogen-powered vans and HGVs are attracting more attention, partly because fleet operators can manage their own refuelling infrastructure, but if you’re a private driver looking for hydrogen options, you’re choosing between a Japanese saloon and a Korean SUV.

    What OZEV and the government are actually saying

    The official position is… cautiously supportive. The UK’s hydrogen strategy talks about hydrogen playing a role in decarbonising transport, particularly heavy goods vehicles, buses, and rail. For passenger cars, the government’s language is notably less committal. The 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel sales looms large, but that ban does not exclude hydrogen, fuel cell vehicles qualify as zero-emission under current definitions.

    OZEV has supported some hydrogen refuelling infrastructure through the Hydrogen for Transport Programme, but the budget allocated is a fraction of what EV charging has received. The commercial reality is that battery electric has won the policy argument for passenger cars, at least for now. Hydrogen, in official thinking, is being positioned more as a solution for sectors where batteries struggle: long-haul lorries, aviation, shipping, and heavy industry.

    Whether that shifts depends partly on what happens in manufacturing. If Toyota, Hyundai, or any of the German manufacturers start producing hydrogen cars at volume, which would bring costs down sharply, the infrastructure investment case becomes more compelling. Right now, it’s a chicken-and-egg problem that nobody in Whitehall seems particularly rushed to solve for the retail market.

    Should petrolheads actually pay attention?

    Here’s my honest take: yes, but not for the reasons you might expect. Hydrogen cars are not going to replace your hot hatch or your weekend warrior sports car in the next three to five years. The infrastructure is too sparse, the choice is too limited, and the cost premium is too steep. If you’re weighing up your next daily driver, hydrogen is not a realistic option for most of Britain.

    But if you’re a car enthusiast who thinks about where this is all heading, hydrogen is worth watching closely. The physics of fuel cell vehicles are genuinely interesting. The sound design is different again from a battery EV, quieter, almost meditative. And the performance potential is there; Toyota has even been developing hydrogen combustion technology (not fuel cells, but burning the stuff) as a route to keeping motorsport alive in some form. Fancy a screaming hydrogen-combustion engine at Goodwood? That’s not science fiction, it’s been on track already.

    For those of us who’ve been tracking the broader shift away from internal combustion, hydrogen sits in a fascinating middle ground. It won’t scratch the same itch as a petrol engine, but it’s a million miles from the soul-less grocery-getter stereotype often attached to green cars. If you’re curious about where the future of motoring is heading but aren’t ready to fully commit to a battery EV, have a read of how petrol cars are fast becoming the new collectibles, because that’s the flip side of this whole story.

    The cost reality for UK buyers

    Hydrogen as a fuel costs roughly £10-£12 per kilogram at UK stations in 2026, and a Mirai holds about 5kg. That puts a full fill-up at around £50-£60, for a range of 400 miles, competitive with petrol in pence-per-mile terms, actually, though that calculation changes depending on whether you’re comparing to an efficient diesel or a thirsty performance car. The bigger cost is the vehicle itself; depreciation on the Mirai has been steep, which is something to factor in if you’re considering a used example.

    On the subject of used cars, if you’re shopping around in the classifieds for something interesting and left-field, hydrogen is genuinely left-field. There’s also a case for keeping an eye on the hottest used Japanese performance cars as an alternative route to something different and exciting without the infrastructure headaches.

    One more thing worth flagging: before you dismiss hydrogen on cost grounds alone, it’s worth remembering that PCP finance deals on performance cars carry their own hidden costs that people routinely underestimate. Every powertrain choice has a real total cost of ownership, and hydrogen is no exception.

    Where does hydrogen actually go from here?

    Realistically, 2026 is not the year hydrogen cars go mainstream in the UK. The infrastructure rollout is behind where optimists hoped, the retail model range is tiny, and policy attention has shifted firmly towards battery electric for passenger vehicles. But written off entirely? That feels premature.

    The technology works. The driving experience is genuinely impressive. And if the infrastructure gap closes, even partially, over the next decade, there’s a version of the future where hydrogen and battery electric coexist, each serving different use cases. Heavy transport. Long-distance touring. Possibly even motorsport. For now though, hydrogen cars in the UK are a fascinating niche for early adopters near London with deep pockets. Everyone else is still waiting for the network to catch up. Which, come to think of it, sounds exactly like EV charging did about seven years ago.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How many hydrogen refuelling stations are there in the UK in 2026?

    There are fewer than 15 public hydrogen refuelling stations operational in the UK in 2026. The majority are concentrated in Greater London, with a handful near Birmingham and a few in Scotland. Coverage is far too limited for hydrogen to be a practical daily-driver fuel for most UK motorists.

    What hydrogen cars can you buy in the UK?

    The two main options for retail buyers are the Toyota Mirai (a rear-wheel-drive saloon from around £50,000 new) and the Hyundai Nexo (a large SUV priced around £65,000). Both offer roughly 400 miles of range and refuel in around five minutes. Choices beyond these two are essentially non-existent for private buyers in 2026.

    Are hydrogen cars zero-emission under the UK's 2035 rules?

    Yes. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles qualify as zero-emission under current UK regulations and are exempt from the 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel sales. They emit only water vapour from the tailpipe, so they meet the criteria set out by OZEV and the wider government zero-emission vehicle framework.

  • Welsh and Scottish B-Roads: The UK’s Most Thrilling Driving Routes That Aren’t the North Coast 500

    Welsh and Scottish B-Roads: The UK’s Most Thrilling Driving Routes That Aren’t the North Coast 500

    Everyone knows about the North Coast 500. At this point, it’s less a driving road and more a bank holiday traffic jam with a marketing budget. I’ve done it. It’s beautiful. It’s also rammed with motorhomes doing 35mph on single-track roads while the driver films it on their phone. If you’re a proper driving enthusiast, you’ve probably already started looking elsewhere. Good. Because the Welsh and Scottish driving roads that actually deserve your attention are sitting there, largely ignored, with better surfaces, better corners, and precisely zero Instagram influencers setting up a drone shot at the viewpoint.

    Winding Scottish mountain road perfect for Welsh and Scottish driving roads exploration
    Photo by Michał Robak on Pexels

    Why Wales and mainland Scotland are the real enthusiast’s playground

    The NC500 gets the column inches, but the B-roads threading through mid-Wales and the Scottish mainland are genuinely where the driving is. We’re talking about roads that change character every five miles, where the tarmac tightens into a ribbon, the hedges drop away, and you suddenly realise you haven’t seen another car in twenty minutes. That’s not a complaint. That’s the point.

    Wales in particular is criminally underrated. The Cambrian Mountains in mid-Wales sit between Rhayader and Aberystwyth and offer some of the most sustained technical driving in the UK. The B4518 and the roads around the Elan Valley reservoir network are flowing, grippy in the dry, and quiet enough on a weekday that you can actually use the whole lane on the way into a bend. I tend to head out there in late September, when the summer tourists have gone and the light turns that amber-gold that makes the whole thing look like a film set.

    Welsh driving roads worth your time

    The A470 gets mentioned occasionally, but most people treat it as a through route rather than a destination. Don’t. The section between Builth Wells and Dolgellau is legitimately excellent, particularly around the Bwlch y Groes pass (one of the highest roads in Wales at roughly 545 metres). The surface varies, so tyres matter here. I’d strongly recommend checking road conditions via Traffic Wales before you go, particularly if you’re heading out between November and March when ice can catch you out on the exposed sections.

    Further south, the B4069 between Clyne and Rhosgadfa is shorter but punchy, and the roads around the Brecon Beacons National Park are consistently good. The A4067 through the Swansea Valley towards Dan-yr-Ogof is a favourite of mine for an early morning run. Speed camera coverage in Wales has grown, particularly on A-roads near towns, so the RAC’s live speed camera map is worth bookmarking before any Welsh road trip.

    Scotland’s underrated driving routes beyond the NC500

    The Cairngorms National Park is the obvious starting point on the Scottish mainland. The B970 running from Kincraig down to Nethy Bridge is the kind of road that makes you feel like a rally co-driver without the peril. It’s narrow, it flows, and the pine forests give it a closed-stage feel that you simply don’t get on the NC500’s open moorland. Combine it with the A939 from Grantown-on-Spey up to Tomintoul and you’ve got a half-day loop that’ll properly test your car.

    Sports car cornering on a Welsh mountain pass road, one of the best Welsh and Scottish driving roads
    Photo by Joel Gundi on Pexels

    The Lecht road (part of the A939) deserves its own mention. At 637 metres above sea level, it’s one of the highest public roads in Scotland. In summer it’s spectacular. In winter it’s frequently closed by the council due to snowfall, so plan around that if you’re visiting between December and February. The Met Office’s Scottish mountain forecasts are genuinely useful here and worth checking the night before.

    For something completely different, the roads around Galloway Forest Park in Dumfries and Galloway are often overlooked entirely. The A712, known locally as the Queen’s Way, cuts through the forest between Newton Stewart and New Galloway. It’s smooth, has decent visibility, and passes through some of the darkest skies in Europe if you want to make a weekend of it. Fuel planning is essential here: the gaps between petrol stations are real. I’d not drive anything with a range under 250 miles without filling up in Newton Stewart before setting off.

    Fuel stop planning and practical realities

    This is the bit most driving guides skip and it’s the bit that’ll leave you pushing your car. On Welsh and Scottish B-roads specifically, fuel stations thin out dramatically once you leave the market towns. In mid-Wales, Rhayader and Llandrindod Wells are reliable stops. In the Cairngorms, Grantown-on-Spey and Aviemore are your main options before sections of road that can run 40-plus miles without a petrol station in sight.

    If you’re in a properly thirsty car, a turbo-diesel SUV or something like a modified Land Cruiser, you’ll want to plan this carefully. Enthusiasts running older 4x4s heading into these regions often use NSUKSpares.com to keep their rigs reliable before long, remote trips. Nothing ruins a B-road run like a parts failure in a glen with no phone signal.

    When to go and what to expect on the road surface

    Late May through mid-June is quietly the best window in both regions. School holidays haven’t started, the roads are dry but not scorched, and daylight runs to 10pm in Scotland which means you can drive a proper evening loop without lights. Autumn from mid-September to early October runs it close, especially in Wales where the leaf colour adds something genuinely special to the experience.

    Road surface quality is genuinely inconsistent, and if you’re running low-profile rubber this matters. Welsh councils have had budget pressures that show on some B-roads; pothole damage is a real consideration on some of the less-travelled routes. We’ve covered how pothole damage affects enthusiast cars and what you can claim before, and some of those Welsh mountain roads are exactly the kind of place where you’ll want to have that information handy. Scottish roads in the national parks tend to be better maintained, likely because the tourist economy depends on them, but the Lecht and similar high-altitude routes can break up at the edges after a hard winter.

    Speed cameras and where they actually are

    Average speed cameras on the A9 in Scotland are well known and well documented. What’s less talked about is the growing use of mobile units on Welsh A-roads, particularly on the A470 and A483 near population centres. Police in Dyfed-Powys and North Wales run active mobile units on routes that enthusiasts commonly use. The legal position is simple: stick to the limits where they’re posted and use your judgement on the open sections. My approach has always been to drive the mountain and technical sections properly and cruise the straights. There’s more than enough entertainment in the bends anyway.

    If you’re looking for the pure driving thrill without the crowd pressure, these Welsh and Scottish driving roads are the answer. For more on what to look for in a serious enthusiast’s car before tackling these routes, our guide to the best used Japanese performance cars under £15,000 is worth a read. Similarly, if you’re considering the overlanding angle for some of these more remote Scottish routes, we’ve looked at the rise of overlanding in the UK in detail.

    The roads are there. They’re brilliant. They’re waiting. Go on a Tuesday in late May and you might not see another enthusiast all day. That’s not a problem to solve. That’s the whole point.

  • The Best UK Driving Roads South of the Border: England’s Hidden B-Road Gems Mapped Out

    Scotland gets all the love. The NC500 has been hashtagged to death, the Bealach na Bà has its own fan club, and every automotive YouTube channel has done the Glencoe run at least twice. Fair enough, those roads are genuinely spectacular. But here’s the thing: some of the best driving roads in England and Wales are sitting right there, largely ignored, with better surfaces, lighter traffic and scenery that’ll stop you mid-gear-change. I’ve spent the better part of two years hunting these down, and I’m done keeping them quiet.

    Why England and Wales deserve more credit from driving enthusiasts

    The bias towards Scotland is partly cultural, partly geography. But England and Wales have something Scotland’s famous routes often don’t: variety. You can go from a moorland blast through the Peak District to a tight, hedge-lined Devon lane to a sweeping Welsh mountain pass within a few hours of each other. The southern half of the island has its own rhythm, its own character. And crucially, the best bits aren’t all clogged with caravans and campervans doing 40mph.

    Surface quality is where England quietly wins, too. The A-class roads through Derbyshire and the B-roads threading across the Brecon Beacons have had recent resurfacing work done in patches that Scottish single-track roads simply haven’t. If pothole damage is already hammering your car, you’ll appreciate tarmac that doesn’t feel like it’s been through a war.

    The Snake Pass (A57): Peak District’s unsung superstar

    Let’s start obvious, then get weird. The Snake Pass connecting Sheffield to Glossop is technically well known, but most people drive it like they’re afraid of it. Done properly, on a dry Tuesday morning in late October when the mist sits in the valleys and you’ve got the road to yourself, it is genuinely one of the best driving roads in England. Full stop.

    The surface is patchy in a few spots near Ladybower Reservoir but the fast, flowing crests and the long sightlines on the eastern descent reward smooth driving over aggression. Traffic patterns matter here: avoid weekend afternoons and any bank holiday. Midweek mornings before 9am are a different planet. The Snake Pass Inn at the top is long gone as a functioning pub, but there’s a petrol station in Glossop about 8 miles west that’ll sort you out before or after a run.

    The B4391 across the Berwyn Mountains, Wales

    This is the one I genuinely keep to myself at parties, but I’ll share it here. The B4391 between Bala and Llangollen cuts across some of the most dramatic and underrated hill country in Wales. The road climbs sharply out of Llangynog, narrows through the upper moorland section and then opens up into a series of fast sweepers with visibility stretching for miles. The surface is good. The traffic is virtually non-existent outside of summer weekends.

    What makes it special is the texture of the drive. It demands full concentration but never feels dangerous if you respect the pace notes the road gives you. It’s the kind of route that makes you understand why certain car journalists keep coming back to Wales with test cars when they need an honest assessment. I’d pair this with a run back along the A494 Bala to Dolgellau stretch, which is a different kind of brilliant, smoother, faster, more open.

    The B3212 across Dartmoor: slow it down to speed it up

    Dartmoor splits opinions. The B3212 between Moretonhampstead and Princetown is genuinely wild and genuinely narrow in places, and if you meet a tractor you’re going to have a bad time. But get it right and you’re rewarded with some of the most atmospheric driving in England, granite tors on the horizon, wild ponies doing their best to step in front of you, and corners that require actual thought. I’ve driven it in a hot hatch and a sports car and both experiences were completely different. The car matters less than the approach.

    Fuel is the practical concern here. Yelverton has a petrol station on the western side, Moretonhampstead has one on the eastern approach. Fill up before you go because the moor itself has nothing. The road can also close in genuinely bad weather, so check the Met Office forecast before you commit to a January blast. Snowfall on Dartmoor hits harder than it looks from the M5.

    The A44 over Plynlimon: Wales’s quiet answer to everything

    The A44 from Rhayader to Aberystwyth via the Plynlimon plateau is what I’d call a thinking driver’s road. It’s not a sequence of hairpins. It’s long, flowing, exposed, and slightly savage in a way that builds on you. The road climbs above 400 metres and then sweeps back down towards the coast with a view that’ll genuinely make you say something out loud. On a clear day in summer, you can see into four directions simultaneously and feel like you’ve found something the rest of the car community hasn’t catalogued yet.

    Traffic is minimal outside of late July and August. The surface is predominantly good, with a few rougher sections on the upper plateau that ease off once you descend towards Ponterwyd. There’s a petrol station in Rhayader on the eastern end and another as you approach Aberystwyth from the west. Fill up in Rhayader, the plateau section is long enough to matter if you’re in something thirsty.

    Kirkby Stephen to Brough via the B6276: the north’s secret weapon

    The B6276 between Brough and Middleton-in-Teesdale through the North Pennines doesn’t get talked about enough. This is wild, exposed moorland driving with long straights interrupted by sudden compression corners that catch you out if you’re not paying attention. The landscape is bleaker than Dartmoor, more industrial in its history, but no less dramatic for it. In a rear-wheel-drive car on a cool autumn morning, it’s a joy. In anything with decent chassis balance, honestly one of the best driving roads in England that fewer than a hundred people are actively seeking out.

    Nearby, the A686 between Penrith and Haydon Bridge is in the same tier. These Pennine roads are often overlooked because they don’t carry the romantic branding of Snowdonia or the Lakes, but the driving quality is real. They’re also well-served by small towns: Alston is worth a stop, and there are several independent garages in the area if something goes wrong on your run. If your car is freshly modified, make sure your insurance is up to scratch before heading to roads this remote, the sort of Japanese performance cars that suit this kind of driving sometimes carry modifications that need specific disclosure.

    How to actually plan a driving road trip in England or Wales

    The practical stuff matters as much as the romance. The National Highways website carries live road condition updates for major routes, and most county councils publish their own resurfacing schedules if you dig around. Fuel stops in rural Wales and the northern Pennines are further apart than Google Maps suggests, the pin exists but the petrol station it marks sometimes closed three years ago.

    I plan every road trip run with a fuel reserve margin: never drop below a quarter tank before I know exactly where the next stop is. On moorland and mountain routes, that’s not over-caution, it’s just sense. And if you’re running anything modified, keep your documentation in the car. These roads draw attention, some of it warranted, and being able to demonstrate your car is road-legal matters.

    Scotland will always have its mythology. But the best driving roads in England and Wales are here, they’re real, and they’re available most Tuesday mornings without a queue of Instagram cars ruining the shot. Get out there before everyone else figures it out.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the best driving roads in England for car enthusiasts?

    The Snake Pass (A57) in Derbyshire, the B3212 across Dartmoor and the B6276 through the North Pennines are consistently rated among the best by enthusiasts. They offer a mix of surface quality, flowing corners and light traffic when driven at the right time of day and week.

    Are Welsh driving roads better than Scottish ones for enthusiasts?

    It depends what you’re after. Welsh roads like the B4391 and the A44 over Plynlimon offer dramatic scenery with better tarmac than many Scottish single-track routes. They also tend to have lighter tourist traffic outside of school holidays, which makes for a more rewarding drive.

    When is the best time to drive the Snake Pass to avoid traffic?

    Midweek mornings before 9am are ideal, particularly in spring and autumn. Avoid bank holidays and weekend afternoons when leisure traffic, cyclists and motorbikes all share the road. Winter can bring closures due to ice and snow, so always check the Met Office forecast first.

  • The Best UK Driving Roads South of the Border: England’s Hidden B-Road Gems Mapped Out

    Everyone bangs on about the NC500. Fair enough, it’s spectacular. But if you’ve ever driven south of Hadrian’s Wall with an open mind and a full tank, you’ll know the best driving roads in England can absolutely hold their own against anything Scotland throws at the map. I’ve spent the better part of three years hunting them down, and what I’ve found is genuinely brilliant.

    The problem isn’t that these roads don’t exist. It’s that the enthusiast community has collectively decided they don’t count. Too many roundabouts. Too many caravans. Too much England. Rubbish. There are stretches of tarmac in the Pennines, the Marches, and the Welsh borders that would make your palms sweat and your grin embarrassingly wide.

    Why English B-roads get unfairly written off

    Scotland gets the credit because it photographs well. Wide open glens, dramatic skies, zero traffic on a Tuesday in February. But “dramatic photography” and “genuinely involving drive” are two different things. The best driving roads in England tend to be narrower, more technically demanding, and riddled with the kind of unpredictable corners that actually teach you something about your car’s chassis. Blind crests over limestone ridges, cambered bends through ancient hedgerows, long third-gear sweepers that drop away into valleys. It’s proper driving.

    Surface quality is where England genuinely struggles, though. Pothole damage is a real and expensive problem on many rural routes, so checking road condition reports before you set off is not optional, it’s survival instinct. That said, several of the routes below have been resurfaced recently and are currently in excellent nick.

    The B6255 through Ribblesdale, North Yorkshire

    Start here if you want to understand what I mean. The B6255 between Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Hawes is one of those roads that rewards commitment. It climbs hard, flattens across moorland, then drops through tight S-bends with dry-stone walls close enough to remind you that concentration matters. Traffic is genuinely light mid-week, surface quality is decent after Highways England work done in late 2025, and there’s a proper café in Hawes for a debrief when you arrive. I’ve done this road in a hot hatch and in a rear-wheel-drive classic, and it rewards both completely differently.

    The A4069 Black Mountain Pass, Carmarthenshire

    Cross into Wales and the arguments get even stronger. The A4069 over the Black Mountain between Llangadog and Brynaman is one of the most criminally underrated pieces of road in Britain. Tight hairpins climbing through the Brecon Beacons national park, a summit with views that go forever, and a descent that tests your braking discipline hard. Surface is variable near the top, so tyre choice matters. A set of decent performance road tyres makes a genuine difference up here, more so than on smooth motorway tarmac.

    Fuel up in Llangadog before you go. There’s nothing at altitude, and you do not want to be coasting down the back side on fumes.

    The B4520 through the Epynt Military Ranges, Powys

    This one sounds alarming but is completely accessible on weekdays. The B4520 north of Brecon cuts through military range land, and the result is a road with almost zero development alongside it, a surface that’s kept in better condition than most civilian roads, and bends that flow beautifully. On a dry morning this road is as good as anything. The MOD takes maintenance seriously because heavy vehicles use the area regularly. Mad, but true. Check access on the Ministry of Defence website to confirm the route is open before you go.

    The A537 Cat and Fiddle Road, Cheshire/Derbyshire border

    Yes, it’s well-known in biking circles. But car drivers often skip it because of the biker association. Their loss. The A537 between Macclesfield and Buxton has long fast sweepers, a genuine altitude change, and enough technical sections to keep things interesting from end to end. The Cat and Fiddle pub itself is closed, which means one less distraction and more road to enjoy. Surface condition is good on the Cheshire side; the Derbyshire descent gets more patchy closer to Buxton.

    Traffic is heavier on summer weekends and bank holidays. The move is to be there before 8am or after 6pm. I’ve done it at 7am on a Sunday in autumn and barely seen another vehicle for twenty minutes.

    The B4368 through Corvedale, Shropshire

    Shropshire is genuinely overlooked. The B4368 between Craven Arms and Much Wenlock runs through Corvedale, a quiet valley that feels like it’s been forgotten by modernity in the best possible way. The road is narrow in places, technical throughout, and surrounded by that rolling border-country landscape that nobody seems to put on a driving bucket list. Surface is mostly solid. Traffic is agricultural during the week and almost nothing at weekends. If you want a road that doesn’t feel like a performance because you saw it on Instagram, this is it.

    Craven Arms has fuel, a decent butcher, and that’s about it. Which is exactly what you want.

    The B3212 across Dartmoor, Devon

    England’s wildest peninsula delivers on the southern end. The B3212 across the middle of Dartmoor between Moretonhampstead and Yelverton is raw, exposed, and genuinely challenging in a way that surprises people who write off the South West. Ponies on the road are a genuine hazard. Mist rolls in fast. But on a clear day, the visibility from the high moor is extraordinary, and the road surface on this particular route has been maintained better than most of Dartmoor’s network. Drop into Moretonhampstead for fuel before you head west.

    Planning your run: what actually matters

    Getting the most from these roads comes down to timing and preparation, and neither of those is complicated. Mid-week mornings are universally better than weekend afternoons. Check the Met Office forecast the night before because a damp road on the Black Mountain Pass or Dartmoor is a very different proposition to a dry one. Check your tyres. I’d argue that understanding the difference between track-day and road tyre performance is actually relevant here, because these are roads that expose tyre behaviour in a way that motorway miles never will.

    And if you’re planning a longer enthusiast road trip that strings several of these routes together, the practicalities matter more than you’d think. Fuel planning specifically. These routes are rural and petrol stations are sparse. Run your tank low at your peril.

    One more thing: if you’re putting together a list of cars to take on roads like these, a used Japanese performance car under £15,000 would be an absolutely cracking choice. Reliable, capable, and the kind of machine that makes every B-road feel like a gift rather than a commute.

    Scotland’s roads are brilliant. Nobody’s arguing otherwise. But if you live south of Edinburgh and you’ve been ignoring what’s on your doorstep, you’ve been leaving serious driving pleasure on the table. Get out there.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the best driving roads in England for car enthusiasts?

    Some of the finest include the B6255 through Ribblesdale, the A537 Cat and Fiddle Road on the Cheshire/Derbyshire border, and the B4368 through Corvedale in Shropshire. Each offers a mix of technical corners, light traffic, and genuinely rewarding surfaces that most enthusiasts overlook in favour of Scottish routes.

    Are Welsh driving roads included in English B-road guides?

    Wales is a separate nation but geographically accessible from England, and routes like the A4069 Black Mountain Pass and the B4520 through Epynt are within easy reach for English-based drivers. Many enthusiast guides bundle the Welsh borders and Welsh roads together for good reason: they’re exceptional.

    When is the best time to drive B-roads in England without traffic?

    Early weekday mornings are the gold standard, particularly before 8am on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Summer bank holidays and Sunday afternoons bring recreational traffic, especially on routes near national parks. Autumn weekdays offer some of the cleanest, quietest driving of the year.

  • How the UK’s Pothole Crisis Is Quietly Destroying Enthusiast Cars, and What You Can Claim

    How the UK’s Pothole Crisis Is Quietly Destroying Enthusiast Cars, and What You Can Claim

    Britain’s roads are falling apart. I don’t mean that as hyperbole, the Asphalt Industry Alliance estimated in its 2025 Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance survey that local councils in England and Wales face a repair backlog of over £16 billion. Sixteen billion. And if you happen to drive anything lowered, stiffened, widened or otherwise modified, you’re not just a road user caught in that crisis. You’re the canary in the coal mine. Every kerb strike, every hidden crater lurking in the shadow of a roundabout, every patched-and-collapsed repair that gives way after three wet weekends, your car feels it first and worst. So let’s talk about pothole damage claims in the UK, what they actually cover, and how to fight back before your geometry, tyres and sanity are all gone.

    Cracked alloy wheel from pothole damage on a lowered UK performance car — pothole damage claim UK
    Photo by Mike Bird on Pexels

    Why modified and performance cars suffer more pothole damage

    A standard family hatch rides on suspension tuned for comfort margins that account for British road conditions. Lower the ride height 40mm, fit coilovers on their stiffest setting, run a stretched 225 on a wide wheel, and those margins disappear entirely. A pothole that a stock Focus barely registers can snap a tie rod, crack an alloy, knock your tracking out by half a degree or shred a tyre sidewall in a single hit. I’ve personally watched a mate’s Subaru Impreza come off the A64 near York with a completely bent lower arm after a pothole the council had supposedly inspected three weeks prior.

    Lowered cars also have less suspension travel to absorb impact energy, so that energy goes somewhere, usually straight into the wheel bearing, the rim, or the steering rack. Performance cars with wide, low-profile tyres give the tyre wall almost no cushioning between the rim and the road surface. A 35-profile tyre on a 19-inch wheel is essentially a rigid drum, and drums don’t bounce. They crack.

    Making a pothole damage claim UK councils actually take seriously

    The good news: you have a legal right to claim compensation from your local highway authority under the Highways Act 1980 if a pothole causes demonstrable damage to your vehicle. The bad news: councils will fight you at every step, and there are specific hoops to jump through if you want any chance of success.

    First, document everything immediately. Photograph the pothole with something for scale, your hand, a coin, a wheel nearby. Measure its depth if you safely can; anything deeper than 40mm is considered a reportable defect by most authorities, though different councils have different thresholds. Get the exact location (use what3words or Google Maps coordinates), the date and time, and the direction of travel. If there are witnesses, grab their details.

    Second, check whether the council had prior knowledge of the defect. Most councils publish their road inspection records, and a Freedom of Information request can reveal whether a pothole was reported but not repaired within their own stated response times. This is the single strongest weapon in a pothole damage claim UK claimants have, if the authority knew and didn’t act, the Section 58 defence (which lets councils off the hook if they can prove adequate maintenance) starts to crumble.

    Third, get repair quotes quickly and from reputable sources. An independent inspection report from a mechanic or tyre specialist strengthens your case enormously. Keep every receipt. Councils routinely lowball settlements or reject claims outright on the basis that damage was pre-existing, so having a dated inspection report that predates the incident, ideally from a service history, can counter that argument.

    Mechanic inspecting suspension components on a modified car as part of a pothole damage claim UK assessment
    Photo by Artem Podrez on Pexels

    What counts as claimable damage

    Tyres, wheels, suspension components, steering components and wheel alignment costs are all commonly included in successful pothole damage claims. What’s harder to claim for is cumulative wear, a council won’t pay for a wheel bearing that was already tired and got finished off by a pothole. This is why maintaining a proper service record matters beyond just MOT compliance. If you’ve got a paper trail showing your suspension was inspected and signed off six weeks before an incident, you’re in a much stronger position.

    Alloy wheel damage deserves a specific mention here. Cracked or buckled alloys on a modified car can be expensive. Some aftermarket wheels aren’t directly replaceable through the council’s preferred assessors, so you may need to argue for like-for-like replacement value rather than accepting a generic repair cost. Stand your ground on that one.

    Protecting your car before the road does its worst

    The practical reality is that even successful pothole damage claims take weeks or months to resolve, and plenty get rejected on technicalities. Prevention is cheaper than the admin. For enthusiasts with lowered or modified builds, a few changes are worth considering.

    Adjustable coilovers are genuinely useful here, being able to raise ride height for a winter commute or a badly-maintained B-road, then lower it back for a track day or a cruise, gives you real flexibility. Wheel spacers and wider fitments look great, but they do increase the lever arm load on bearings and hubs, so check those components more frequently if you’re running a stretched setup.

    Tyres deserve particular attention. Running a slightly taller profile than the absolute minimum your setup allows gives the sidewall more room to absorb impact. It’s a small aesthetic compromise for a meaningful reduction in pothole vulnerability. And check tyre pressures regularly, an overinflated tyre on a stiff suspension setup is practically begging for rim damage on Britain’s current road surfaces.

    When it comes to sourcing replacement parts after pothole damage, having a reliable supply matters. NSUKSpares.com, a UK-based Toyota 4×4 spares supplier specialising in suspension and drivetrain components, is one option that comes up frequently in conversations about fixing cars after impact damage. Enthusiasts doing their own car repairs or working on modified cars often find that OEM-spec parts for robust 4×4 platforms hold up better than budget alternatives once the roads get properly rough, and the team at www.nsukspares.com stock a range that suits owners who take road conditions seriously.

    For those running Land Cruisers, Hiluxes or other Toyota 4×4 platforms that are popular in the overlanding and modified car scene, and if you’ve read our piece on the rise of overlanding in the UK, you’ll know how fast that community is growing, having a trusted spares source for car repairs becomes part of the running cost calculation, not an afterthought.

    The compensation landscape in 2026

    Average pothole damage claims settled by local authorities in England sit somewhere between £100 and £400 according to data compiled from Freedom of Information requests by various motoring publications. That rarely covers the full cost of repairing a set of cracked alloys or replacing a bent wishbone on a performance car. Which is exactly why the documentation process I described above is so critical, councils will aim for the bottom of the range if they settle at all.

    If your claim is rejected, you can escalate. The Local Government Ombudsman handles complaints about council decisions, and small claims court (for amounts under £10,000) is an option if you’re confident in your evidence. It sounds disproportionate for a £350 tyre, but for a £1,200 set of alloys or a £600 suspension repair, it becomes entirely rational. Several enthusiasts have won at small claims with nothing more than photographs, a repair invoice and the council’s own inspection log showing a known defect.

    Councils in some areas are also getting better at using online reporting portals, FixMyStreet is the most widely known, and a pothole you report yourself creates a timestamped log that’s useful if the same hole damages your car six weeks later and the authority failed to act. That’s free evidence. Use it.

    For modified car owners dealing with non-standard components, getting quotes specifically for like-for-like replacement is important. Sourcing quality parts from specialists in car repairs and car modifying, whether that’s a coilover brand, a big-name suspension manufacturer, or a reliable 4×4 components supplier like NSUKSpares.com, and keeping those invoices on file builds the kind of paper trail that makes a claim defensible. Modified cars aren’t less deserving of compensation just because their owners have put care and money into them.

    Britain’s road network isn’t getting better any time soon. The funding gap is too large and the political will too inconsistent. In the meantime, enthusiast car owners are stuck between a surface that eats their builds and a compensation system that demands meticulous paperwork to deliver partial refunds. My advice: document obsessively, claim confidently, and if you’re running a lowered or modified setup, treat suspension maintenance as a routine expense rather than an emergency response. The roads will keep testing you. Make sure your car, and your admin, is ready.

    If you’re also thinking about how modifications interact with other costs, take a look at how UK enthusiasts are building out proper workshop spaces to handle more of this work themselves, it makes a real difference to the cost of keeping a modified car on the road. And if you’ve ever wondered what the legal position is on modifications more broadly, our breakdown of vinyl wrap versus respray costs touches on some of the compliance questions that matter when your car isn’t standard.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I make a pothole damage claim UK councils will actually pay?

    Photograph the pothole immediately with scale reference, record the exact location and date, and check whether the council had prior knowledge of the defect using their inspection records. Submit your claim with repair quotes and any independent inspection reports, prior knowledge of the defect significantly weakens the council’s Section 58 defence.

    What is the time limit for making a pothole damage claim in the UK?

    Most local authorities recommend reporting within 30 days of the incident, and general limitation periods under the Limitation Act 1980 give you three years for a personal injury or property damage claim. Acting quickly is strongly advisable, as evidence (including the pothole itself) can disappear fast after a council repair.

    Will my insurance cover pothole damage, and should I claim on it?

    Comprehensive car insurance will typically cover pothole damage, but claiming will likely affect your no-claims bonus and increase future premiums. For expensive suspension or alloy repairs, a direct council claim is preferable if you have strong evidence, you keep your no-claims record and recoup the full cost rather than paying an excess.

    Do lowered or modified cars have less chance of winning a pothole damage claim?

    Not legally, the standard of the road applies regardless of your car’s configuration, and your vehicle must be roadworthy and legally modified, not specifically standard. However, councils may try to argue that a modified ride height contributed to the severity of damage, so having documentation showing your car passed a recent MOT or inspection helps counter that argument.

    What is the minimum size pothole I can claim for in the UK?

    There is no universal statutory minimum, but most highway authorities treat potholes deeper than 40mm and wider than 300mm as reportable defects requiring repair. However, even smaller defects can form the basis of a successful claim if they caused demonstrable damage and the council was aware of them, depth alone isn’t the only legal test.

  • Speed Awareness Courses vs Fixed Penalty Points: What UK Drivers Should Actually Choose in 2026

    Speed Awareness Courses vs Fixed Penalty Points: What UK Drivers Should Actually Choose in 2026

    Nobody enjoys seeing those blue lights in the rear-view mirror. But if you’ve been caught doing 35mph in a 30 zone and the officer hands you an offer, you’re suddenly facing a genuinely consequential choice: take the National Speed Awareness Course and wipe your slate, or accept the Fixed Penalty Notice, bank three points on your licence, and pay the £100 fine. Simple, right? Not even close. Especially if you’re running something modified, turbocharged or otherwise enthusiast-spec. The speed awareness course vs points UK debate is murkier than most people realise, and the stakes are higher if your car already costs a fortune to insure.

    Police car on roadside speed check relevant to the speed awareness course vs points UK decision
    Photo by Kindel Media on Pexels

    What actually qualifies you for a speed awareness course?

    The course isn’t a guaranteed option. Each police force sets its own eligibility window, but the general rule across England and Wales is that you’re eligible if you were caught between 10% + 2mph and 10% + 9mph over the limit. So on a 30mph road, that’s between 35mph and 42mph. Go above that threshold and you’re looking at a Fixed Penalty Notice at minimum, or a court summons if it’s serious. You also can’t have attended a speed awareness course in the previous three years. Miss either criterion and the choice is made for you.

    The course itself typically runs for about four hours, either in a classroom or online, and costs roughly £80 to £100 depending on the area. You pay instead of the fine, you get no points, and technically no conviction is recorded. On paper, it sounds like a complete win.

    The insurance angle that most people completely miss

    Here’s where it gets interesting, and slightly frustrating. A speed awareness course doesn’t go on your DVLA record, which means you don’t have to declare it to your insurer the same way you’d declare points. But, and this is a significant but, most UK insurers still ask specifically: “Have you attended a speed awareness course in the past X years?” Some ask for three years, some for five. If you lie on that form, your policy could be voided. That’s not a technicality; it’s the kind of thing that means your insurer walks away from a claim entirely.

    I’ve spoken to a few enthusiasts who assumed the course was a clean slate in every sense. It isn’t. The question on renewal forms catches people out regularly. The upside is that in many cases, declaring a course still results in a smaller premium increase than declaring three points would. According to research from the BBC, penalty points can push premiums up by 5% to 25% depending on insurer and driver profile. For a young driver or someone already paying elevated rates, that’s a meaningful annual figure.

    Modified and performance car owners: this decision hits differently

    If you’re already running a modified car, you already know how brutal the insurance market can be. Engine swaps, remaps, suspension upgrades, even cosmetic changes can significantly inflate your premium. The last thing you need layered on top is a set of points that tells your insurer you’re a speed risk on top of being a modification risk. That’s a compounding problem.

    My take: for anyone with a modified or performance car, the speed awareness course is almost always the smarter move if you’re eligible. Three points plus a modification disclosure is a very expensive combination. I’d argue it’s worth every penny of that course fee to keep your record cleaner. For context on what modifications already do to your insurance premiums, our piece on what happens to your car insurance when you modify your engine is genuinely eye-opening reading if you haven’t been through it already.

    Performance car drivers on PCP finance deals should also pay close attention. Some lenders have clauses around licence endorsements, particularly if you’re financing something with serious power. Three points could technically complicate matters at renewal. Another reason the course option deserves serious consideration rather than a casual shrug.

    When taking the points might actually make sense

    There are situations where the course isn’t the obvious answer. If your insurer’s renewal form only asks about convictions and endorsements, and not courses specifically, the points declaration might be less damaging than you’d assume, especially if it’s your first offence and the insurer’s pricing algorithm treats it mildly. Some older drivers with clean records and standard cars see minimal premium movement from a single SP30.

    There’s also the time commitment factor. Four hours isn’t nothing. If you’re self-employed and that half-day costs you more than the premium difference, some people genuinely do the maths and take the points. I’d still lean toward the course in most circumstances, but I understand the logic.

    And if you’re already sitting on six or more points from a previous offence, adding three more edges you toward the territory where insurers start refusing cover altogether or quoting figures that are essentially punitive. In that case, the course isn’t just preferable; it’s arguably essential.

    The three-year course lockout: plan around it

    One thing that catches people off guard is the three-year eligibility rule. If you’ve done a course within the last three years, the next time you’re caught speeding you’re going straight to points with no alternative offered. So ironically, the course has its own kind of record, even if it doesn’t live on your DVLA licence. Keep that in mind if you’re a regular motorway driver who pushes limits, or if you regularly take on challenging mountain roads at speed. The course buys you breathing room, but it isn’t unlimited amnesty.

    Fans of getting out into the countryside who also enjoy performance driving might want to read our breakdown of the rise of overlanding in the UK, where speed is rarely the priority but road awareness absolutely is.

    What about younger drivers and black box policies?

    Young drivers on telematics policies face a slightly different calculation. If your black box is already tracking your speed and flagging it back to your insurer, a speed awareness course won’t erase the data your insurer already holds from the device. Points versus course matters less in that context; the telemetry is the real record. We covered the full picture on black box insurance for young UK car enthusiasts if you want to understand where the real risk sits on those policies.

    For young drivers not on telematics, the course is an even clearer win. Insurers treat younger drivers as higher risk regardless; piling points on top accelerates premium increases faster than for older drivers with established no-claims histories.

    The practical verdict

    If you’re eligible for a National Speed Awareness Course, take it. Pay the course fee, sit through the four hours, and keep your licence cleaner. The premium difference over three years, particularly on a modified or performance car, will almost certainly outweigh the course cost by a significant margin. Just be honest on your renewal form; declare the course if the insurer asks. That honesty protects your policy when you actually need it. Getting caught out by a voided policy over a course declaration would be a genuinely painful lesson to learn the hard way.

  • The Best Brit-Built Cars of the Last Decade That Deserve Far More Respect

    The Best Brit-Built Cars of the Last Decade That Deserve Far More Respect

    There’s a peculiar British habit of ignoring the genuinely brilliant things produced on home soil. We’ll queue up for a German sports saloon, spend a fortune importing something from Japan, yet completely overlook the extraordinary machines being built in Somerset, Worcestershire and Norfolk. I’ve been guilty of it myself. It took a mate rocking up to a Sunday morning coffee meet in an Ariel Atom to properly jolt me back to what’s actually happening in this country’s smaller, weirder, more passionate corners of the industry.

    These aren’t the big-name supercars. They’re not the Aston Martin Vantages or McLaren P1s that reviewers trip over themselves to write about. These are the underrated British cars from the last ten years or so that deserve a serious second look, especially if you actually care about driving rather than Instagram likes.

    Ariel Atom 4 on a British country road, one of the best underrated British cars of the decade
    Photo by Joshua on Pexels

    Ariel Atom 4, the car that renders most supercars pointless

    Ariel built the Atom 4 around a Honda Civic Type R engine producing 320bhp in a car that weighs roughly 550kg. Do the maths. The power-to-weight ratio is genuinely ridiculous, and the whole thing is assembled by hand in Crewkerne by a team of people who clearly love what they do. I sat in one at a track day in 2023 and spent most of the subsequent lap genuinely questioning my life choices, in the best possible way.

    What Ariel has consistently pulled off is the trick of making you feel like a racing driver without actually needing to be one. The steering is forensic, the throttle response is immediate, and there is absolutely nothing between you and the road. No carpet. No aircon. No touchscreen. Just the howl of that Honda unit and the wind trying to rip your face off. Starting from around £45,000, it’s not cheap, but compare it to what a similarly engaging experience costs in a conventional performance car and it’s almost a bargain.

    Morgan Plus Four, old bones, genuinely modern soul

    People hear Morgan and immediately picture your uncle’s weekend toy, something fragile and nostalgic. The CX-generation Plus Four, launched in 2020 and refined since, is a completely different proposition. Built on an aluminium bonded chassis and powered by a BMW 2.0-litre four-cylinder producing 255bhp, it handles with a precision that would surprise anyone who last thought about Morgan in passing.

    I spent a weekend with one last autumn, and what struck me wasn’t the woodwork or the handcrafted leather. It was how alive the front end felt over a damp B-road. Morgan has cracked the balance between old-world charm and proper driving dynamics, which is harder than it sounds. The factory in Malvern Link still builds around 900 cars per year, every single one to order. That kind of production philosophy means each car is genuinely individual, which you simply cannot say about anything rolling off a conventional production line.

    If you want to understand why British performance cars have always punched above their weight, the modern Morgan is a living lesson in why small and focused beats large and generic almost every time.

    Morgan Plus Four front detail, showcasing handcrafted British car manufacturing
    Photo by Arlind D on Pexels

    Caterham Seven 420R, the benchmark nobody beats

    Yes, the Seven is ancient. The bones trace back to Colin Chapman’s original Lotus Seven from 1957. But the 420R, which runs a Ford-Duratec-based Caterham Supersport engine making around 210bhp in a sub-600kg car, is not a nostalgia act. It’s the purest driver’s tool on sale at any price point, full stop. Autocar and Evo have both said as much repeatedly, and I’m not going to pretend they’re wrong.

    Ownership is a different matter. It demands commitment. The hood is basically decorative in anything beyond a light drizzle, parts availability requires patience, and you’ll want to budget properly for consumables because you will use this car hard if you’re remotely switched on. But for the money, somewhere in the region of £40,000 to £50,000 depending on spec, you’re buying something that no Porsche, BMW or Audi at twice the price can replicate in terms of raw engagement.

    Caterham’s factory in Dartford builds something like 600 cars a year, including a significant number as self-build kits. The company is also DVLA-registered as a manufacturer in its own right, which matters if you’re looking at running costs and type approval for modified setups.

    BAC Mono R, when Liverpool builds a race car for the road

    The Briggs Automotive Company is based in Liverpool. That fact alone still surprises people. The Mono R, updated through 2022 and 2023, uses a 2.3-litre turbocharged Ford engine producing 340bhp in a car weighing 570kg. It has a single seat, a full carbon monocoque, and generates downforce through underbody aerodynamics. It is, technically, road legal in the UK.

    BAC is tiny. They produce around 50 cars a year. But the engineering is serious, and the driver experience has been described by Road and Track, Evo, and various other outlets as closer to a Formula 3 car than anything you’d expect to drive to a petrol station. At roughly £165,000, it’s not accessible to most, but it represents something genuinely important: proof that a small British company can build something that competes with the world’s best on engineering merit, not just heritage.

    Reliability and long-term ownership are legitimate questions with any low-volume manufacturer, and it’s worth understanding the drivetrain before committing. The Mono R uses a bespoke gearbox but the engine architecture shares roots with Ford’s broader performance lineup, which means sourcing components is more straightforward than you might expect. For comparison, owners of older low-volume British cars often end up researching everything from Perkins engine parts to bespoke gearbox rebuilds, so having an accessible parts ecosystem matters enormously in the real world of ownership.

    Why these cars matter more than ever

    The mainstream car industry is consolidating fast. Platforms are shared across brands, character is increasingly optional, and driving feel is being traded away for autonomy. Against that backdrop, the fact that Ariel, Morgan, Caterham and BAC are still building focused, analogue driver’s machines in British workshops feels almost radical.

    There’s also a practical upside for enthusiast buyers. These cars hold value differently to mainstream performance cars. A Caterham or a Morgan isn’t subject to the same depreciation curves as a mainstream performance saloon, and the community around them is tight-knit and genuinely supportive. If you’ve been curious about how that community overlaps with the wider movement of UK enthusiasts building proper workshop setups for home maintenance, these low-volume cars are exactly the kind of project that benefits most from having your own space and tools.

    One thing worth flagging before you pull the trigger on any of these: insurance is a conversation, not a quote. Modified or low-volume cars sit in their own world when it comes to underwriters, and you’ll want a specialist broker rather than a comparison site. The implications for your insurance when the car itself is the modification are significant, and it’s better to know that before you’re standing in front of a Caterham with a cheque in your hand.

    The UK still builds some of the most exciting, focused, genuinely characterful driver’s cars on the planet. Most people just aren’t paying attention. My suggestion: start paying attention.

  • How UK Mechanics Are Using AI Diagnostics in 2026 and What It Means for Your Garage Bill

    How UK Mechanics Are Using AI Diagnostics in 2026 and What It Means for Your Garage Bill

    Something shifted in independent garages across the UK over the last couple of years, and I don’t think enough people are talking about it. The old ritual of plugging in a basic OBD reader, squinting at a fault code, and either Googling it or billing you for an hour of head-scratching is quietly being replaced. AI-powered diagnostic platforms, paired with increasingly sophisticated OBD hardware, are landing on workshop benches from Inverness to Ipswich. Whether that’s brilliant news or a clever new way to inflate your invoice depends entirely on how you look at it.

    Mechanic using AI car diagnostics in a UK garage with OBD tool and laptop
    Photo by Artem Podrez on Pexels

    What AI car diagnostics actually do in a UK garage

    Let’s be straight about what this tech is. At the consumer end, you’ve always had your basic Bluetooth OBD2 dongles that pair with a phone app and spit out a P-code when your engine management light flares up. That still exists and still works fine for reading and clearing simple faults. What’s changed is the layer of intelligence sitting on top.

    Platforms like Opus IVS, Snap-on’s CloudDX system, and Bosch ESI[tronic] now feed live OBD data into machine learning models trained on millions of real-world fault patterns. Instead of telling a technician “P0300: random misfire detected”, the system cross-references the specific vehicle trim, mileage band, current sensor readings, and historical repair data to suggest the three most statistically likely causes in order of probability. It’s the difference between a symptom and a differential diagnosis. For garages, that matters because misdiagnosis wastes time, upsets customers, and sometimes means replacing an expensive part that wasn’t even faulty.

    The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) noted in its 2025 aftersales report that diagnostic complexity has grown in direct proportion to the rise of ADAS systems, hybrid drivetrains, and over-the-air software on modern vehicles. A modern family hatchback can have upwards of 70 electronic control units. No technician can hold the full fault tree for all of them in their head. AI fills that gap.

    Is this actually making your garage bill bigger?

    Here’s where it gets interesting. The honest answer is: sometimes yes, sometimes no, and the reason it’s complicated is worth understanding.

    On one hand, better diagnostics mean fewer comebacks. If a garage correctly identifies that your rough idle is down to a faulty camshaft position sensor rather than misattributing it to injectors, you avoid paying for parts and labour twice. That’s a genuine saving for you. Independent garages I’ve spoken to reckon AI-assisted systems cut their average diagnostic time by 30 to 40 per cent on complex faults, and that time saving can be passed on.

    On the other hand, the platforms themselves carry subscription costs that weren’t there before. Bosch’s dealer-level diagnostic kit runs into thousands of pounds annually. Garages are businesses, not charities, and those costs get baked into your hourly labour rate or your diagnostic fee. Some independents now charge a flat £60-£80 diagnostic fee where they used to include a quick check for free. If you’re just popping in because your tyre pressure warning won’t clear, that stings.

    There’s also the question of what happens when the AI recommendation is wrong. These systems are probabilistic, not infallible. A technician who blindly follows a software prompt without applying their own experience can still make expensive mistakes. The best garages use AI as a starting point, not a conclusion.

    The independent garage vs dealership divide

    For years, one of the main arguments for going to a main dealer was diagnostic capability. Only they had the manufacturer-level software to communicate with every module on your car. That gap has narrowed sharply. Third-party platforms now support deep OEM-level access on most mainstream brands, and a sharp independent running Autel’s MaxiSYS Ultra or the Delphi DS platform is genuinely competing with franchised dealers on diagnostic depth.

    Where the gap still exists is on proprietary resets and programming. BMW coding, Mercedes-Benz SCN coding, and certain ADAS calibration procedures after a windscreen replacement still often require OEM tools or a specialist. If you’ve been reading about the world of engine modifications and how they interact with your car’s ECU, you’ll already know how quickly software-level complications can escalate when you’re dealing with a modern car’s systems.

    How enthusiasts can use the same tech at home

    This is the bit I actually love. The democratisation of diagnostic tech means you don’t have to be a trained technician to get genuinely useful data from your car. Here’s the honest breakdown of what’s available to home enthusiasts right now.

    At the entry level, a Bluetooth OBD2 adapter (Veepeak, OBDLink MX+, or the iCarSoft branded units) paired with a free app like Car Scanner or Torque Pro will read and clear fault codes, show live sensor data, and let you monitor fuel trims, coolant temps, and throttle position in real time. For under £30, that’s seriously useful. If you’ve just bought a used Japanese performance car and want to check its health before you’ve even left the seller’s driveway, there’s nothing stopping you. I’d always run a scan on anything I was thinking about buying.

    Step up to something like the Autel MaxiCheck MX808 (around £200-£250) and you’re into bidirectional control territory. You can actuate individual solenoids, do service resets, read ABS and airbag modules, and run active tests. That’s not far off what an independent garage has on its bench.

    For the full AI-assisted experience at home, CarMD and similar US-derived platforms haven’t fully landed in the UK with the same depth, but BlueDriver’s premium app subscription offers repair report functionality that cross-references your specific fault codes with known fixes for your exact vehicle. It’s not perfect but it’s a solid second opinion before you authorise work at a garage.

    One thing I’d flag: reading codes is easy. Interpreting them correctly takes experience. A P0420 catalyst efficiency code on a high-mileage Golf could mean a dead cat, a knackered lambda sensor, or an exhaust leak messing with the readings. The code tells you where to look, not what to do. Keep that in mind if you’re planning to use home diagnostics to dispute a garage’s recommended work.

    What to watch out for in 2026

    A few things are worth flagging as this tech matures. First, data privacy. Modern AI diagnostic platforms send your vehicle’s data to cloud servers for processing. The Information Commissioner’s Office has been increasingly active on vehicle data rights, and it’s worth asking any garage what data they collect and how long it’s retained. Your car’s fault history, mileage, and location data have real commercial value.

    Second, as EVs become a bigger proportion of the used market (even if the used EV market is having a rough time right now), the diagnostic landscape for battery management systems is still catching up. BMS diagnostics on Nissan Leafs, early Renault Zoes, and even some Teslas requires genuinely specialist knowledge that even good AI systems aren’t fully handling yet.

    Third, if you’re spending serious money on a performance car purchase and want peace of mind, a pre-purchase inspection from an RAC or AA approved inspector still makes sense alongside any OBD scan. Digital diagnostics tell you about electrical and software faults; they can’t tell you whether the clutch is slipping or the chassis has been bent and badly repaired. Those things still need human eyes and a ramp.

    For enthusiasts building a proper home setup, it’s also worth thinking about where you’re working from. The UK garage culture scene has grown massively, and having a dedicated space with a decent OBD setup and a laptop makes the whole diagnostic process far more manageable than crouching in a driveway.

    The bottom line on AI car diagnostics in the UK garage world is this: the tech is genuinely good, genuinely useful, and not going away. The best independent garages are using it to be faster and more accurate. A few are using it to justify charging more. And enthusiasts who learn to use even basic OBD tools at home will always be in a stronger position when that engine light comes on at 6pm on a Friday.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is AI car diagnostics and how does it work in a UK garage?

    AI car diagnostics combines traditional OBD fault code reading with machine learning models trained on millions of real-world repair cases. When your car is plugged in, the system cross-references live sensor data with known fault patterns for your exact vehicle to suggest the most likely causes rather than just listing a fault code. Garages use platforms like Bosch ESI[tronic] or Snap-on CloudDX to make faster, more accurate diagnoses.

    Will AI diagnostics make my garage bill more expensive?

    Not necessarily, though it can go either way. Accurate diagnostics reduce the risk of replacing the wrong parts, which saves money in the long run. However, garages now often charge a dedicated diagnostic fee of £60-£80 to cover the cost of their subscriptions to AI platforms. Whether you save or spend more overall depends on the complexity of the fault and the garage you use.

    Can I use AI car diagnostic tools at home in the UK?

    Yes. An OBDLink MX+ or iCarSoft Bluetooth adapter paired with an app like Car Scanner costs under £30 and reads fault codes, monitors live sensors, and clears warning lights. Stepping up to an Autel MX808 (around £200-£250) gives you bidirectional control and multi-system access. You won’t get full AI-assisted repair probability reports at home, but you’ll have much more information than most people realise is available.

    Are independent garages using the same diagnostic tools as main dealers now?

    For most mainstream brands, the gap has closed significantly. Third-party platforms now offer deep OEM-level module access on vehicles from Ford, Volkswagen, BMW, and others. The remaining gap is mainly around proprietary programming functions, such as SCN coding or ADAS calibration after a windscreen replacement, which sometimes still require official manufacturer tools or specialist equipment.

    Should I be worried about my car's data being shared during AI diagnostics?

    It’s a fair concern. AI diagnostic platforms upload your vehicle’s fault history, sensor data, and sometimes location information to cloud servers for processing. Ask your garage what data is collected, how long it’s stored, and whether it’s shared with third parties. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is increasingly active on vehicle data rights, and you’re entitled to ask these questions.

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