05 Ford F150 Center Cap on 2040-parts.com

Ford recalls minivans, SUV

Ford is recalling nearly half a million vehicles to fix defects that can cause fires or loss of power. About 205,800 copies of the Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivan from the 2004 and 2005 model years are being recalled, because torque-converter output shafts in the transaxle might fail and cause power loss. Ford is also recalling 244,530 Escape SUVs from the 2001 and 2002 model years, which might have brake-fluid leaks that can cause corrosion and fire.

New Audi A3 Cabriolet starts at £25,790 – first deliveries April 2014

New Audi A3 Cabriolet starts at £25,790 – first deliveries April 2014 The new Audi A3 Cabriolet – the fourth member of Audi’s A3 range – was revealed in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show and now, with first deliveries expected by spring 2014 in the UK, Audi has revealed the new drop-top A3 will cost from £25,790. That will buy you in to the entry-level SE trim which comes with a fully automatic roof in black, 16″ alloys, AirCon, MMI radio, iPod connection, DAB, Bluetooth and prep for an SD card Nav. The Sport and S Line sped A3s sit 15mm lower than the SE and get an acoustic folding roof in a choice of black, grey and brown and you can, if you wish, opt for the softer SE suspension or, if your season ticket for the chiropractor is up to date, spec the S Line with sports suspension.

Drivers waste £1.9 billion on insurance

A TOTAL of £1.9 billion is being wasted by drivers in the UK who automatically renew their car insurance without shopping around for the best deal. A study has found 2.4 million drivers in the UK don’t bother to compare quotes to get the best deal when their car insurance comes up for renewal. The research by Moneysupermarket.com found 8.6 million drivers in Britain could be better off by up to £220 per year each if they moved to a new insurer.