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Thousands of workers at Honda’s Swindon factory have returned to work after production was halted for four months in response to the struggling car market. All 3,400 of the returning workers will be taking a pay cut until 2010 but are pleased that their jobs are finally guaranteed after the uncertainty of the last four months.

The factory was forced to close while the company decided on the best way of dealing with the problems caused by the global recession and the effect the economic downturn has had on the number of car sales and contract hire agreements. The motoring industry has been hit hardest of all and almost all car manufacturers are having difficulty staying afloat, but the situation at Honda and how they have recovered could stand as an example to other companies who are still struggling. Tamporarily suspending production at the Swindon plant has given them opportunity to discuss and make decisions about the company’s future as well as perform long-planned maintenance work. During the four months downtime the production lines were stripped down and rebuilt, and they took the opportunity to redecorate the whole plant, wherever possible using existing employees with the relevant specialist skills or training. 

But not everything is good news. A further 1,300 Swindon employees chose to take voluntary redundancy at the time of the closure, many of whom still have not managed to secure alternative employment. And though the workers now have peace of mind that their jobs are safe, their pay has been cut by 3%, or 5% in management roles, for the first 10 months. The plant is only running at 50% of its normal capacity, with a predicted total production of 113,000 vehicles in 2009, less than half the original intended number of 228,000.

In short, it’s a small victory but the company is not out of the woods yet, Honda car leasing and sales figures will have to increase significantly over the next few months if they want to avoid any further disasters. The new Honda Jazz model, due to start production at Swindon in September, should increase sales and give a clearer picture of the long-term future of the Swindon factory. Not to mention as the economy begins to recover buyers will be taking advantage of low car prices as across the board from Honda to Mercedes, car leasing and purchase prices are cheaper than ever.

General Motors, one of the world’s largest carmaking companies, has filed for bankruptcy with the American government. For generations General Motors (GM) has been one of the big three car manufacturers in America as well as one of the world’s biggest car companies. Now the car industry is on its knees, and two out of the three big American car giants have already been forced to ask the government for protection from their creditors. But what effect will this all have on us?

Well, for car buyers in the UK, the answer is probably not much. If you own a car made by GM, you don’t need to worry about the possibility that you might not be able to get parts for it in the future, as the company has not gone out of business entirely. With the financial protection of the US government, they hope to be through the worst of it in as little as three months. Further to this, the European branch of GM, which is responsible for Vauxhall and the German brand Opel, has been bought by a Canadian company who have said they will do all they can to protect the 5,500 UK jobs at stake.

For consumers looking to purchase a new car in times like these, it could well be that leasing or contract hire could be a better option than buying outright, as it gives you more freedom of choice and wouldn’t leave you in the lurch later if the manufacturer did go out of business. Certainly if you are worried about buying a car by one of the main manufacturers tied to one of the companies that is at risk such as Vauxhall or Ford, car leasing could put your mind at ease.

Whether you’re looking for a handy little car about town or a fancy new BMW, car leasing gives you a wider choice of vehicles including those that may otherwise have been out of your price range for buying outright. Your agreement takes into account your projected mileage and wear and tear, so the value of the car will not decrease over time and when your agreement ends you get to swap the car for the new model of your choice. With the car industry in such a state of disaster, it could be the best way to make sure that any future disasters don’t affect you too much!

In this day and age folk want a brand new vehicle every few months or so, this leads to folk getting themselves in debt with a vast amount of bills. A vast majority of the population have become obsessed with having the greatest stuff in their homes that they simply are splashing out on things that they cant afford.

But what I do not understand is why do these people simply just not go for the contract hire option? It can work out tremendously cheaper, lets have a glance of the benefits of car leasing.

1) When you lease a vehicle you do not have to worry about the additional costs such as breakdowns because this is all covered in the contract.
2) If you just take a seat and work it out, if you bought a vehicle on HP that cost £25,000 over a 6 year period you would probably end up paying back around £28k, then once you have finished paying for it the car would have depreciated so much that it would not even be worth £1k, so you would have ended up paying all that money for a vehicle that is now breaking and not worth a penny. If you then look at contract hire that you will see that you get a brand new vehicle for 2 years at the price of £400 per month, which is a vast amount cheaper and then you can hand it back and get another brand new one or just choose to simply buy the current one you have been driving all this time.

For great fiat car leasing deals and vauxhall car leasing deals

While I was driving to work the other morning I got stuck in a traffic jam on the motor way, it was quite a lengthy one and I did begin to get slightly bored. After a brief while my attention went over to the other side of the carriageway, I was amazed when literally all I could see was nice new cars. There I was in my vehicle that was just on its final wheels and every one else is driving brand new cars. I mean where to they find the resources?

After briefly thinking for a while I have come to the decision that there are only two ways of getting these brand new vehicles, please see below.

1) They purchase cars on finance which they really cant afford and then they struggle to make repayments. People go and get the best vehicles around and they literally cannot keep up with the monthly payments that they commited themselves too for so long.
2) In my opinion this is how a lot of people are getting their vehicles and it is the best possible way, something that could in fact overtake buying vehicles is car leasing. You just pay a monthly fixed rate for a new gleaming car and you do not have to worry about all of the repair costs. At the end of your yearly or two yearly contract you pass the car back and then get yourself another brand new one.

To be honest the second option sounds so interesting that I might just go a lease a ford tomorrow.

Do you need to lease a BMW

Choosing a new car is not a small decision, especially at the moment when times are hard and money is tight for most people. There is a seemingly endless supply of vehicles to choose from, not to mention all the different deals and methods of payment. Of course you want to make sure you’re always getting the best deal, but sometimes it can be hard to find your way around the minefield that is the car market, and sort the good deals from the bad.

Because purchasing a car doesn’t have to be about paying all that money at once and settling for the best car you can afford. There are other options like leasing or contract hire, which usually mean you can get a better car for less money. So if you always fancied a Mercedes but didn’t think you’d ever be able to afford it, Mercedes car leasing could mean that you could walk away with your dream car right away, and pay it off in affordable instalments over an agreed period.

But finding the best deals is not always that simple. Leasing companies offer a huge range of different options and if you want to get the most out of your contract it’s important to know exactly what you’re looking for. A straightforward lease deal takes the total value of the car, taking your projected mileage and usage into consideration, and splits it up into equal monthly payments. At the end of the agreement, once the total value of the car has been paid, ownership of the car normally passes to the customer. Whether your dream car is that Mercedes, an Audi or a BMW, car leasing gives you a wider choice of vehicles that you wouldn’t necessarily be able to afford outright.

An alternative to leasing is to enter a contract hire arrangement. The main difference between contract hire and leasing is that the customer does not own the vehicle but instead pays a fixed monthly hire fee, again calculated from the total worth of the car, the estimated future cost, and projected mileage. This option is often preferred by those looking for business vehicles as most deals have servicing and maintenance costs included in the monthly fee, so there’s no danger of getting hit with large bills if anything goes wrong. At the end of the contract agreement ownership does not pass to the customer but if you renew the contract there is the option of upgrading to a newer model, again making this the perfect option for people looking for commercial cars or vans. A private owner might prefer a car they can call their own but there are personal contract hire deals available, as well as contract purchase deals. with contract purchase you get to wait until the end of the agreement to decide whether or not to keep the car, for a previously agreed cost based on the car’s value for resale.

In the current global recession, the vast populace are all feeling a little bit nervous as to what tomorrow will hold. Those amongst us who are lucky enough to have retained their jobs may have them whipped from underneath our feet without any notice at all. Those of us who have lost our jobs are wondering if we will ever be given the opportunity to work again. Unless you are some kind of Millionaire oligarch; the current economical climate has got everybody a little bit on edge.

A large proportion of people have decided to start their own business as a way of getting back into work without relying on financially-stricken companies employing them. This, in its basic essence, is a fantastic idea, especially if you have a trade profession or a particularly detailed and fool-proof business plan. The one major drawback is the initial outlay that can seriously damage the new business-person’s balance sheet. One of the most significant proportions of this outlay is often the purchasing of vehicles.

Now, I may have no certain way to make sure your business succeeds, but I can offer a valuable tip into ensuring that your initial earnings are not going to be completely swallowed up by vehicle outgoings. I have two words that may be of great interest to you: Contract Hire.

Contract Hire is a flexible system of financing that allows you to hire the vehicles you desire over a pre-arranged period of time. The businesses that offer these services often make concessions for new businesses and will set up payment rates that are more realistic to your financial scope. With options such as buying the vehicles when your accounts will allow it, mean that Contract Hire is a valuable system for giving you a leg up into the world of business and only asking for larger payments when you and your financiers are completely comfortable with it.

For anyone looking into starting their own business and require anything from one car to a fleet of light commercial vehicles; Contract Hire is a great way of getting started.

Starting a business can be a precarious endeavour, requiring initial sizeable investment, long days trying to get the business off the ground and a lot of calls from the bank manager. Depending on the nature of the business one of the most expensive initial outgoings is likely to be vehicles, especially if a fleet of light commercial vehicles is a neccessity for you. Finding space in the budget for hundreds of thousands of pounds is a very frightening prospect before your balance sheet even shows a profit. There is a solution available that can help alleviate some of this initial pressure and supply you, the business owner, with a viable and cost-effective solution; contract hire.

Contract Hire allows you to be more in control of your initial outgoings by providing you with all the vehicles you need on a pay monthly scheme. Similar in basis to finance from a car dealership, you will be able to work through which payment plan is likely to suit your accounts best. By correctly forecasting your monthly income, you should be able to set up a workable finance scheme that will allow you to start seeing immediate profitability from the scheme.

Days Contract Hire have been providing such business solutions for many years now and have built up an enviable reputation in the industry as a trustworthy, family-run business. They are backed by an independent but financially solvent company, which will ensure that your investment is safe in these economically shakey times. They offer a workable series of finance options including Contract Hire, Lease Purchase, Rental and Personal Contract Hire. Whatever your needs regarding fleet contract hire, Days Contract Hire are a a financially viable choice.

When you arrange a contract lease with Days Contract Hire, you are assigned a personal Account Executive, who will deal directly with you every time you need to contact them. This dispenses with lengthy phone discussions, as your account manager will have dealt with you previously and will have already built a rapport with you and your staff.

Contact Days Contract Hire for more information.

Car gadgets are being released on a more frequent basis. The most popular can be fitted and unfitted easily which is especially important when you’ve got a car contract hire. All of these gadgets are just some of my personal favourites.

The light up car signal.
This is perfect for all of you who want to throw a message out to the drivers behind you and even better if it’s not appropriate. Change it to whatever you want making everyday a bit more exciting if you have to drive around for a living.

Econav
This handy product actually tells you which is the best fuel-efficent route to take which is brilliant in the recession for saving that extra bit of money.

Time to keep safe, in the car.
A perfect way to hold most of the other gadgets in. Many of them attach to the car without any bolts although what happens if your entire car gets stolen I wonder?

A alcohol brath tester for the car.
Whether it’s seeing if you have gone over the limit or just having a laugh with it, this gadget is great. Not really going to be one of the best gadgets you can have in the car, what kind of message does it send out.

More money gone to Dad
My dad is always moaning about giving me lifts anywhere as I really don’t earn enough money to pay for the lessons! This will leave me even more short in cash as each journey is recorded just like a proper taxi. Brilliant for dad’s not so brilliant for everyone else.

Fan that works in the car.
A brilliant gadget for all the older cars that don’t have any air conditioning. Simple as that really, keeps you cool and for small prices of £4.99 you can’t really go wrong.

A speed camera alert gadget.
A great gadget for all those motorists who speed and get caught out by the speed cameras. Brilliant for knowing when to brake and slow down. There is still a danger of not knowing where abouts the local police will be parked up!

Everybody loves the Tom-Tom
The best gadget by far. Simply brilliant for when you are having those arguments about who made the wrong turn, they no longer exist.

These gadgets are removable which is great for when switching cars. Car contract hire is a brilliant idea and you can carry the gadgets from perhaps a Punto all the way to as top of the range Audi with a Audi contract hire.

The French government have recently announced a €6.5bn loan to support the country’s sinking car industry. It is the latest in an increasingly long line of similar actions taken around the world to protect jobs and the economy through the recession. A huge worldwide slump in car sales has left even the most established car manufacturers struggling, and millions of workers are in danger of losing their jobs.

In the UK there have already been a number of job losses despite the government lending large amounts of money to help keep business afloat. A number of factories have had to close temporarily and the Japanese carmaker Nissan has just become the latest to announce that it will be cutting almost 10% of its global workforce, including 1200 positions in the UK.

In these difficult times of recession, it’s hard to see how the car industry can recover. With things as they are, most people are feeling the strain and having to keep a close eye on their finances. It’s safe to say that buying a car is the last thing on most people’s minds, and until the economy starts to improve the motoring industry can’t do much more than bide its time.

But direct sales don’t always have to be the only option for car dealers. If the problem is that people don’t have enough money to buy cars upfront, the answer could be to offer more car contract hire deals where customers lease their car on a monthly basis until the cost has been paid off. The availability of these deals means that buyers have more choice when it comes to cars – they have the option to choose a more expensive car that would normally be out of their price range, which means more money for the car manufacturers in the long run.

Contract hire is a great deal for the consumer too, not only does it mean you get a wider choice of more desirable cars but the payment is in manageable instalments and there are often loads of other benefits thrown in. The contract will often include extras like servicing costs and road tax in the monthly price, so there’s less to worry about. Really, everyone wins!

So you want to get a new car but can’t seem to make your finances stretch far enough? Or maybe you’ve already seen the car of your dreams, but know there’s no way you could even consider buying it. You’re not alone – the motoring industry has been hit hardest of all by the recession and car sales have reached an all time low. It seems no one can afford to think about getting a new car right now.

But don’t let that put you off – there is another option. There is another way you couldget the car you want, and you wouldn’t even have to pay upfront for it. Car contract hire or leasing agreements are a great way to choose the exact car you want and you only have to pay one manageable monthly fee.  

I know what you’re probably thinking, there’s got to be a catch, right? Well, actually, no there really isn’t. Sure you have to sign a contract but you get a choice of any car on the market, even those that would normally be out of your price range. In fact, the more popular and desirable the car is, the better deals you can get. It’s not like buying a new car where the value decreases with time, most contract hire agreements are based on your projected usage so they take wear and tear into account and when the contract ends you can trade it in for a newer model.

Choosing contract hire will usually also help with the running cost of having a car – often the road tax and servicing costs are thrown in to the monthly instalments so you won’t find yourself suddenly landed with huge repair bills. And you’re less likely to have trouble with it breaking down as you can trade it in every couple of years, so you’ll always have the latest new model.

Basically, it’s a really beneficial and financially viable way of getting a new car without the worries of buying outright – and it really does make sense, especially now when times are hard. And who knows, you might even get your dream car after all!