00 01 02 Lincoln Continental Dash Bezel Radio Trim Panel Surround on 2040-parts.com

Approved mechanics essential for quality service

DRIVERS need to make sure their car is being properly serviced by a qualified mechanic, says the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI). To help drives do this, it has launched a government-backed scheme called the Professional Register. While there are around 175,000 people in the UK who call themselves automotive technicians, the IMI says it can only recommend around 27,000 as having the required skills and competence to carry out work to the required standard in their specialism.

Nissan NV200 (2012): London's next taxi cab?

The London black cab is being thoroughly rebooted, and it's Nissan who's challenging the dominance of the traditional black taxi. It's brought a new NV200 London Taxi to the capital during the 2012 Olympics in its bid to replace one of the world's most iconic vehicles. Nissan claims the NV200 cab will be cheaper, greener, and more user-friendly than the current fleet of LTI TX4s, and we may yet see a fully electric version join the ranks if trials are successful.

Dacia Sandero (2012) priced from £5995

Buying advice doesn't come more pragmatic than this: if you want a brand new car for the least possible amount of money, then this is your next drive. It's the new Dacia Sandero, which has been officially priced at £5995. That's £2000 less than the cheapest Citroen C1, and £3800 less than a similarly-sized Ford Fiesta.  Exactly how much car do I get for a fiver under six grand?