Due to go on sale in the UK in October, BMW has released details and revealed its first official pictures of their new compact SUV, the X1.

The BMW X1 is a five-seater, five-door SUV with a clear similarity to its larger predecessors; the X3 and X5 models. No petrol models will be offered in the UK, but there will be a choice of three diesels. The engines, all 2.0-litre, feature BMW’s Efficient Dynamics fuel-saving technology, including stop-start and brake energy regeneration, and a gear change indicator. Stability, traction and cornering brake control, side and curtain airbags, run-flat tyres and daytime running lights are all standard features of the X1.

UK sales of most versions start in October, with the sDrive18d and xDrive18d variants following a couple of months later. Pricing for the BMW X1 starts at £22,660.

If you currently own a 4×4, whether it be a BMW or any other make, call Sureterm Direct for a 4×4 insurance quote on 0800 999 2030. They won’t charge you for the phone call, but they will save you money on your 4×4 insurance policy.

There’s less than a month to go until the annual LANDROVERmax show, held at Newark Showground on 17-19 July 2009.

Newark Showground is a perfect site for a Land Rover show with plenty of space for all the major Land Rover club stands, two arenas - one for action and one for displays of special Land Rovers - Land Rover trade stands both big and small, a fabulous new off-road course on-site, great catering facilities and a laid back, relaxed and safe atmosphere.

Entry prices have been kept low and kids go FREE - just £7.50 per adult in advance - so parents and kids can spend the day at the show for just £15. A weekend ticket for all three days of the show is only £20 per person.

Camping, too, is exceptional value - a family can camp on-site for a whole week for only £120 - or stay for just the Friday or Saturday night for £25 per pitch.

For more information on the show go to www.lrmshow.com.

For a fantastic Land Rover insurance quote, give the team at Sureterm Direct a call on 0800 999 2030. They won’t charge you for the phone call, but they will save you money on your 4×4 insurance policy.

The DSA (Driving Standards Agency) and The Caravan Club are working together to advise motorists returning to caravanning to revise their driving and towing skills before taking to the roads on their holidays this year.

Trevor Wedge, DSA’s Chief Driving Examiner, said “Anyone who has not towed a caravan for a number of years should make sure they are familiar with any changes that may have taken place before they get in the driver’s seat. Handling, manoeuvring and vision is different for a driver when towing,”

The Caravan Club offers both caravan and motorhome training courses for drivers who want to brush up on their skills before they set off on holiday. They are welcoming new members and people returning to the activity but recommend that you check the following:

• Make sure you are familiar with new driving technologies, such as stability control systems.
• Caravans have tended to become heavier over the years. Make sure your car and caravan are a suitable match or the combination could be unsafe, sometimes even illegal.
• Check your car-to-caravan electrical connector and find the correct adaptor if the connectors are not the same at each end.

For a fantastic caravan insurance quote, give the Sureterm Direct team a call on 0800 999 2030. They won’t charge for the phone call but they will save you money on your caravan insurance policy.

Drivers looking to buy a new 4×4 that will not be an easy target for car thieves should take a trip to their local Toyota dealership.

For the second year running The Toyota Land Cruiser V8 has picked up first prize in the 4×4 class at the 2009 British Insurance Vehicle Security Awards.

Representative Mike Briggs said “Car manufacturers can be proud of what has been achieved in recent years in terms of security,”

Contenders for the award were judged on how effectively they prevent criminals either stealing them or breaking in.

If you need a 4×4 insurance quote, give the team at Sureterm Direct a call on 0800 999 2030. They won’t charge you for the phone calls, but they will save you money on your 4×4 insurance policy.

There’s less than a week left to pre-book a camping pitch at this year’s Northern Motorcaravan Show, taking place in July.

Not only will the show boast a huge selection of new and pre-owned vehicles for those looking to buy a motorhome but there are a host of other attractions too.

A top line up of entertainment is planned for the motorhome show weekend of July 17 to 19, with the Saturday night line-up – for which a ticket is required – headed up by funnyman Freddie Starr, with support from P J Proby and Lee Lard, the number one tribute act to Peter Kay.

Campers can also enjoy a packed programme of free entertainment over the weekend and pre-booking for a pitch closes on Friday, June 26 at 9am.

Day visitor are also welcome on either the Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

For more information on how to book your site visit http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/exhibitions/exhibition.asp?exhib=1

For a fantastic motorhome insurance, give the Sureterm Direct team a call on 0800 999 2030. They won’t charge for the phone call but they will save you money on your motorhome insurance policy.

Pollution, traffic jams and outrage on school runs. Sound familiar? This is how 4×4’s are often described but maybe there are some good reasons to own one. We explain the plus side of owning a 4×4 and how they can be beneficial.

4×4 Values
4×4’s have never been cheaper than today. A quick search on any used car website will bring back a list of used but reliable 4×4’s at excellent prices. For example, we found a 1997 Suzuki Vitara with 40,000 miles on the clock, full service history and a recent cambelt change for just £1,000.

4×4’s are green
Yes you did read it correctly, 4×4’s are green. In fact, in 2006 the Jeep Wrangler was proven to be the world’s greenest car. The survey took into account the environmental impact of the vehicles from the date of manufacture to when it is scrapped.

Based on the fact 4×4’s share lots of common parts, simple technology, are built to last and are easier to recycle they are more likely to come out on top in such tests.

4×4 parts can be really cheap
Compared to parts on conventional cars which can cost a small fortune, 4×4 parts are generally quite cheap. For example, a complete exhaust system for an older Land Rover Defender will only cost around £50. Being part of an enthusiast club can also result in parts costing even less.

4×4s make great family cars
You can fit loads of people inside them, the kids absolutely adore the view due to the high-rise seats, the interiors are tough and they are easy to bolt bike racks and load boxes too. For a family a 4×4 is an excellent selection.

4×4s can be economical
Depending on your 4×4 there are all sorts of additives and magic potions you could use to get more miles to the gallon. The quick solution is an LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) conversion which can cost around £2,000 to get installed and will half your fuel consumption.

For drivers of diesel 4×4’s there are chips in the region of £300 which once inserted into the right ECU will make the engine operate more efficiently. Depending on whose product you use, you can look forward to savings of 15% plus.

If you need a 4×4 insurance quote, give the team at Sureterm Direct a call on             0800 999 2030. They won’t charge you for the phone calls, but they will save you money on your 4×4 insurance policy.

Thousands of visitors, including caravanners and motorhomers, are expected to descend on Shrewsbury Town FC’s stadium this weekend when the second annual Car and Leisure Show is hosted on the 21st and 22nd June.

Last year’s event featured displays by a selection of local car, caravan and leisure retailers and attracted around 3,500 visitors. Organisers have predicted this year’s show will be twice as big as it was 12 months ago, helped by the event coinciding with Fathers Day.

Entry to the event is free, and there’s no charge for parking either. The gates will be open both days from 10am to 4pm.

If you need a motorhome or caravan insurance quote, give the team at Sureterm Direct a call on 0800 999 2030. They won’t charge you for the phone calls, but they will save you money on your motorhome or caravan insurance policy.

One month since the government’s “cash for bangers” car scrappage scheme was introduced, more than 50,000 new cars have now been sold.The scrappage scheme, under which new buyers should be able to win a £2,000 discount, half of which is underwritten by the government, came into force on 18 May. 

However, despite the apparent success, an investigation has suggested that buyers can find better deals by scouting on internet sites rather than visiting their local forecourt, and that some scrappage discounts are not being passed on.

For example -  Britain’s best-selling car, the Ford Focus, was offered at one outlet in Hertfordshire for £14,500 for a three-door 1.6 litre Zetec model. The sales manager said he would take off the full £2,000, bringing the total down to £12,500. However a quick search on a respected online broker site showed the same vehicle could be snapped up for nearly £1,200 less.

A government spokesperson has said the scrappage scheme is doing just what it was designed to do: “So far, the scrappage scheme has been a great success, with orders under the scheme reaching close to 50,000 since the announcement of the scheme in April.”

The scrappage scheme has been welcomed by dealers and manufacturers alike with increased demand for vehicles benefiting the industry as a whole at a time when it is needed most. The scheme is time-limited and has a finite budget; any consumers interested in taking part in the scheme need to make their orders sooner rather than later.

The scrappage scheme initiative will run until 28 February or when the government’s £300m funding runs out.

Driving a motorhome on mountain roads for the first time can be a scary experience. We have therefore put together some of our best tips to keep you safe and make your driving enjoyable:

• When you do need to brake, do so in short, firm bursts of perhaps 5-10 seconds. Then release the brakes and allow them to cool again
• Don’t leave your foot lightly on the brake the whole way down the hill - this is a recipe for overheating brakes as they won’t get a chance to cool down between uses
• Go down a mountain road in the same gear, or one lower, than you went up it
• Let the revs rise when descending - higher revs will slow the vehicle without the use of the brakes. It won’t harm the engine as long as you keep the revs in the green zone on the rev counter
• If the road you are on contains hairpins, aim to come almost completely to a stop just before each bend. You may need to stop if something large is coming the other way. This approach will set you up safely for the bend and the next stretch. Remember though; try not to brake too much between the bends
• Ignore any traffic queuing up behind you. They aren’t the ones responsible for your passengers’ safety

If you need a motorhome insurance quote, give the team at Sureterm Direct a call on 0800 999 2030. They won’t charge you for the phone calls, but they will save you money on your motorhome insurance policy.

Treating customers fairly (TCF) is central to the running of Sureterm.

As part of our ongoing Treating Customers Fairly strategy, including regular gap analysis, we have recently performed fresh analysis and have found that we need a way for customers to communicate easily to all people in positions of responsibility here. So if you feel that something has gone adrift please let us know.

We want to know what’s good and bad - please lets us know so to help us to help you. Believe me when I say that every single one will be read as the form is forwarded to Andy Wood (the MD of Sureterm) himself, the management team and the Compliance team.

We want to know at management level as well as giving feedback to customer facing staff to make the customer experience a happy one.

Even the site name is easy to remember www.sureterm.com/feedback - it really is as simple as that. Upon every cover you will be reminded of the feedback site, indeed on the paperwork sent to you and common links on the Sureterm web site to the feedback page.

Every policy is checked by our quality control department before leaving the building. Please use it to help us help you and give you the service you deserve.