56% of drivers 'underestimated car expense'

MORE THAN half of people who have bought a second-hand car in the last two years have found it more expensive to run than they expected, according to a Government-backed body. Some 56% of motorists said that total cost, including maintenance, repairs, insurance and fuel had turned out to be higher than anticipated and one in five drivers (20%) have resorted to going into debt just to keep their vehicle on the road, the Money Advice Service (MAS) found. One in four (26%) of the 3,000 people surveyed who have bought a second-hand car since 2012 now has regrets about their purchase, with many of them saying they had not worked out whether it was really affordable or that the purchase price was too much in the first place.

Recall under way on 2013 Ford Escape to fix faulty fuel line

Ford is recalling the redesigned 2013 Escape SUV with the 1.6-liter engine to fix a fuel line that could break and lead to a fire. The automaker is telling owners of the recalled SUVs to not drive their vehicles and has told dealers not to sell units they have in stock. Ford says about 11,500 copies of the 2013 Escape with the 1.6-liter engine and the faulty fuel line in the engine compartment were built.

Fiat Strada

The forth-generation Fiat Strada pickup is a product of company's booming Brazilian operations and is set to go on sale in Europe this month for the first time. It follows on from the Ford EcoSport, another South American product heading to the global market. The Strada is offered with three body styles: a standard two-seat cab configuration; a long cab with stowage behind the seats; and a full four-seat crew cab variant.