LINGsCARS Blog

The impact of CO2 is important. I always compare my figures with the Government data, so when it changes, like on this Renault Captur Petrol Manual, I note it here in my blog.

As a bonus to add to your lower motoring costs, you will get every subsequent year’s road tax sent to you free of charge, saving you up to £385 per year, or £1,155 on a 3-year contract!

Martin Callanan (Euro MP for the North East Region) said “Ling and her unique website LINGsCARS.com displays environmental information in a way that leads the UK motor industry. Following my discussions with her about greening the business, Ling has grasped the environmental nettle and is giving UK car buyers comprehensive environmental data on all new cars for sale in the UK to enable them to make an informed choice. LINGsCARS.com gives a fantastic amount of green information on her new cars, which the rest of the UK motor industry would do well to emulate. Using the internet is already the most energy efficient way of researching and buying a new car, so well done Ling for taking the personal responsibility to push this carbon data to the top of her agenda and to push environmental awareness a big step further”

The CO2 for this Renault Captur Petrol Manual is better than it was, at just 139g/km. It is a bit different if you look at a slightly different trim level.

My Renault Captur 0.9 TCE Iconic 12v (90bhp) Hatchback 5dr 898cc Petrol Manual (5 Speed) Petrol Manual gearbox is only £156.05 inc VAT per month with 6 months initial payment, followed by 35 payments on direct debit. Business customers, make sure you deduct the VAT, when making decisions. As I can’t tell what type of customer you are (business or private), I can’t display the price any other way but to show VAT seperately (sorry!).

This price on my Renault Captur includes full road tax for the length of the contract, on all of my cars and vans! Free delivery to your home or work and free collection from you at the end! £156.05 inc VAT per month is based on you driving 10,000 miles per annum, but higher mileages are usually available at a small extra cost. If you go over the allocated miles, you can pay a small excess mileage charge, usually between 3p and 15p per mile.

Remember I won the best non-franchise environmentalist 2008 in the Automotive Industry Awards. Don’t let these manufacturers fool you; LINGsCARS.com is the ONLY new car supplier to display and promote environmental info for ALL new cars, on the web! I have a Master’s Degree in Environmental Quality from Bournemouth Univeristy in 2000, plus a BSc in Applied Chemistry from Jinan University, Guanzhou in 1997.

Try to avoid using your car for short journeys – use public transport, ride a bicycle or walk.

Looking at my pile of website remarks, I just found this one:

Amazing and very funny site.
David McGuire, Blackpool, FY2 0DP
satellitedave_@yahoo.com

Biofuels also offer a way to reduce vehicles’ impacts on climate change. The fuels are not entirely CO2 neutral because of the energy used to grow and process crops, but they can offer substantial CO2 savings over fossil petrol and diesel. Today most biofuels are sold in a blends of up to 5% with fossil petrol and diesel . These are suitable for use in all vehicles. Fuel standards may be extended in the future to allow more than 5% if it is concluded that this is compatible with existing vehicles. Some manufacturers offer ‘flexi-fuel’ vehicles that can run on bioethanol blends up to E85 – a blend of 85% bioethanol and 15% petrol, as well as fossil petrol.

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I always ask my customers if they have comments about getting their new car. Really, I am looking for criticisms (so I can improve my service). However, customers like Christine Martin show that it is hard to generate real criticism. I can only improve if I know if anything is wrong. So, no thanks to Christine Martin 🙂

Christine says…
I found dealing with Ling and co fun! Service was first class. Any query I had was answered very quickly. The whole thing took 1 month from enquiry to receiving Qashqai. Car is fantastic. Would definitely recommend Ling!

Excellent delivery, delivery driver was very friendly and helpful.

Christine Martin
Tewkesbury
GL20 ***

Editor Note: Chrris, I am pleased you are happy with the super letter response. Hope the Qashqai makes you even happier! 🙂 Great customer, thanks! – Ling

Everyone moans that things go up and up and up. Well, the CO2 on the BMW 2 Series Tourer 1.5 218i M Sport 12v (140bhp) Hatchback 5dr 1499cc Petrol Step Auto (7 Speed) Petrol Automatic has just come down! What a result! This post is to let you know.

How to explain this without it seeming like the usual sales talk? … I don’t know, but I will try to make this clear… You know, you are not buying this car. Only renting it for (probably 1 or 2 or 3 years). So you are not stuck with it forever. So, you have no real risk. You are going to pay someone some money to run a car however you look at it.

My customers drive brand-new cars. These cars are far less polluting than cars built just a few years ago. As an extreme example, it would take 50 new cars to produce the same emissions per kilometre as a vehicle made in 1970. The new cars my customers are driving have been produced on the most modern production lines, using the latest technology with much lower environmental build costs than cars produced in the past. By their nature, these new cars will be emitting the lowest levels of pollutants than they will ever produce in their lifetimes, as they get older.

I have taken a typical model of this car from my website – the BMW 2 Series Tourer Petrol Automatic. For this car, the CO2 is now just 132g/km. Other trim levels might differ slightly.

My BMW 2 Series Tourer 1.5 218i M Sport 12v (140bhp) Hatchback 5dr 1499cc Petrol Step Auto (7 Speed) Petrol Automatic gearbox is only £227.76 inc VAT per month with 6 months initial payment, followed by 35 payments on direct debit. Business customers, make sure you deduct the VAT, when making decisions. As I can’t tell what type of customer you are (business or private), I can’t display the price any other way but to show VAT seperately (sorry!).

This price on my BMW 2 Series Tourer includes full road tax for the length of the contract, on all of my cars and vans! Free delivery to your home or work and free collection from you at the end! £227.76 inc VAT per month is based on you driving 10,000 miles per annum, but higher mileages are usually available at a small extra cost. If you go over the allocated miles, you can pay a small excess mileage charge, usually between 3p and 15p per mile.

Winning the environmental award (2008 Best Environmentalist in the car industry) was very pleasing for me as it meant I was being recognised for my hard work. I’m the the ONLY new car supplier to display and promote environmental info for ALL new cars, on the web! Please note I have pioneered availability of environmental information on the internet. Using the internet to research and buy new cars is the most environmentally friendly method, by miles.

Drive smoothly and efficiently – harsh acceleration and heavy braking have a very significant effect on fuel consumption, driving more smoothly saves fuel.

Here is a comment about my website (I have disguised the email address)

Ling, I found your site because you are a Googlewhack!!! If you enter the words “antidisestablishmentarianism multipla” you are the only site that is found!! I am, however, glad I found you because it is a mad site!!! I think you should get in touch with Dave Gorman to tell him you are a Googlewhack!
Chris Eyre, Dewsbury, WF13 4RA
leedsfan72_@hotmail.com

Dealers are also required to display a poster � in paper or as an electronic display, in a prominent position, showing the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for all new passenger car models displayed, or offered for sale through that particular showroom. In addition to the above, the directive also requires manufacturers to include fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data in all brochures and printed advertisements, provided that the literature relates to a specific model of car. These requirements were implemented into UK law by The Passenger Car (Fuel Consumption and CO2 emissions Information) Regulations 2001, which came into force on the 21st of November 2001.

Visit my full letters page click here

Getting letters in the post is really nice. It makes a lovely change from getting email. This one was sent by Scott Walker from Darlaston. Amazingly, the postman didn’t steal it!

Scott says…
LINGsCARS offered the lowest price for the car I wanted. The aftercare service has been superb and the Lingo system has changed my life. Good delivery, but the car took ages to come.

Scott Walker
Darlaston
WS10 ***

Editor Note: Nissan had to build the car, Scott!! You got a factory-fresh Qashqai 🙂 That’s why it took a while, I cannot magic cars from the thin air, hahaha. I am so glad you LOVE the Lingo system, you cannot think how much work I have put into that. Still improving it. Thanks for the letter! – Ling

My system has alerted me that the BMW X4 Estate 2.0 xDrive20d M Sport 16v (190bhp) Estate 5dr 1995cc Diesel 4X4 Step Auto (8 Speed) Diesel Automatic has changed today so I update my website and post here for the benefit of customers. No one else bothers with this stuff. I treat you like adult, not idiot.

At the end of the contract, the car is collected from you and you have no further obligations. You do not buy the car, nor do you have a “balloon” payment. Simply give it back! Of course, the car should be fair and reasonable condition commensurate with its age and mileage. If it’s not, you’ll be charged for any damage. But to me that’s common sense.

I have a Master’s Degree in Environmental Quality from Bournemouth Univeristy in 2000, plus a BSc in Applied Chemistry from Jinan University, Guanzhou in 1997. So I have some idea what I am talking about, here. How many other people in the UK motor industry can say that?

Having got all the info for the BMW X4 Estate Diesel Automatic, I can publish the new CO2 figure: 146g/km. This will change across the different models of this particular car, they are all a bit different.

My BMW X4 Estate 2.0 xDrive20d M Sport 16v (190bhp) Estate 5dr 1995cc Diesel 4X4 Step Auto (8 Speed) Diesel Automatic gearbox is only £426.49 inc VAT per month with 6 months initial payment, followed by 35 payments on direct debit. Business customers, make sure you deduct the VAT, when making decisions. As I can’t tell what type of customer you are (business or private), I can’t display the price any other way but to show VAT seperately (sorry!).

This price on my BMW X4 Estate includes full road tax for the length of the contract, on all of my cars and vans! Free delivery to your home or work and free collection from you at the end! £426.49 inc VAT per month is based on you driving 10,000 miles per annum, but higher mileages are usually available at a small extra cost. If you go over the allocated miles, you can pay a small excess mileage charge, usually between 3p and 15p per mile.

The comparative or “fridge” label, is compulsory in car showrooms – except you’ve got to DRIVE there to see it! I won an industry award for displaying it electronically for all website visitors. I am the proud winner of the 2008 Best Environmentalist 2008 Automotive Management Award. Like me, Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair talks straight about cars versus planes. “The usual horseshit”, he says. One day, every car will be as Green as my Jolly Green Nuclear Missile Truck “Calm down dear!” – it’s only done 1,000 miles since 1970.

Do not compromise safety but be aware that the use of onboard electrical devices increases fuel consumption.

I get tired of typing out these comments, but… here’s one.

Your site made me laugh out loud – a rare treat! Not many do that. Cheers.
Dave Harries, North Weald, CM16 6DB
harriesmob_@ntlworld.com

The other pollutants from petrol, diesel and alternative fuel engines are mainly Carbon Monoxide, Oxides of Nitrogen, un-burnt Hydrocarbons and fine particles. The first three are gases and are invisible. Fine particles are usually invisible although in certain operating conditions diesels will produce visible particles, appearing as smoke. Petrol engines will also produce visible particles if they are burning engine oil or running rich, for example, following a cold start. Unlike CO2, emissions of these pollutants are not directly linked to fuel consumption. Pollutant levels are more dependant on vehicle technology and the state of maintenance of the vehicle.

Visit my full letters page click here

Inbetween all my bills and bank statements, I receive customer letters. Here one I pulled out to read from Leanne Clack, but I actually got it a while ago. It is about the delivery of their Nissan Qashqai.

Leanne says…
Ling provides a great professional service, with excellent communication and fantastic deals – we will be telling all our friends and family about your service – thank you. Excellent delivery of our new Nissan Qashqai, on time!

Leanne Clack
Newton Aycliffe
DL5 ***

Editor Note: Leanne, thanks. These Qashqais are local cars to you and me, being built in Washington. Glad you liked my service and comms, that will be LINGO 🙂 I wait for your friends to flood me with enquiries, hahaha. As you are MD of a local company, I appreciate the comments. Thanks. – Ling

All the people with orders in my system for the Hyundai i30 2.0 T GDI N Performance (275bhp) Hatchback 5dr 1998cc Petrol Manual (6 Speed) Petrol Manual will be quite pleased by this news. I am making a change, because the environment stuff seems to have moved slightly.

You need to insure the car fully comp, as normal with any new car. The car can be used for any purpose, or driven by anyone you choose. In effect, it is your own brand new car for the length of the hire period. You can even take it abroad. I tried to drive car to China once. That was damn big mistake. I suggest you do not use contract hire car for this.

I have researched this environmental subject widely. I have corresponded with the Department for Transport, have been in discussions with the VCA (the VCA is the designated UK approval authority which compiles the UK vehicle environmental data) and the SMMT (the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders). Sir Nicholas Stern would not return my calls 🙂

I am pleased to say that the CO2 for the Hyundai i30 Petrol Manual is now 163g/km. If you chose a different trim level, the CO2 would change, but not by much.

My Hyundai i30 2.0 T GDI N Performance (275bhp) Hatchback 5dr 1998cc Petrol Manual (6 Speed) Petrol Manual gearbox is only £334.82 inc VAT per month with 6 months initial payment, followed by 23 payments on direct debit. Business customers, make sure you deduct the VAT, when making decisions. As I can’t tell what type of customer you are (business or private), I can’t display the price any other way but to show VAT seperately (sorry!).

This price on my Hyundai i30 includes full road tax for the length of the contract, on all of my cars and vans! Free delivery to your home or work and free collection from you at the end! £334.82 inc VAT per month is based on you driving 10,000 miles per annum, but higher mileages are usually available at a small extra cost. If you go over the allocated miles, you can pay a small excess mileage charge, usually between 3p and 15p per mile.

Winning the environmental award (2008 Best Environmentalist in the car industry) was very pleasing for me as it meant I was being recognised for my hard work. I’m the the ONLY new car supplier to display and promote environmental info for ALL new cars, on the web! Please note I have pioneered availability of environmental information on the internet. Using the internet to research and buy new cars is the most environmentally friendly method, by miles.

Drive smoothly and efficiently – harsh acceleration and heavy braking have a very significant effect on fuel consumption, driving more smoothly saves fuel.

Read this, I have this comment up, displayed on LINGsCARS.com:

Really cool website, very different from others I have been on. Lots of interesting stuff.
Dot Gannon, Warrington, WA2 7EY
comps.gannon_@ntlworld.com

Climate Change is recognised as one of the greatest environmental threats facing the World today and it has long been appreciated by Governments, that reducing the impact of the motor vehicle has an important part to play in addressing this threat.

Visit my full letters page click here

I have 1524 customer letters! This one was sent by Graham Moorhouse after they had been driving around a few weeks in their new Skoda Fabia

Graham says…
Apart from a slight mix-up re delivery time, your service was impeccable. Also, the supplying dealer was spot on and perfect and very professional. I will definitely use you again. Your prices are very keen and I like your personal service. Please don’t change a thing.

LING IS KING!

ps. Just saw you on Dragons’ Den tonight, wicked! Great decision. Fabia is great, what a bargain!

Graham Moorhouse
Corby
NN18 ***

Editor Note: Graham, well, thanks. never been called a King before. I had great fun on the BBC. Really sorry about the delivery confusion, all my fault. Sorted out quickly, though. Glad you are pleased with the Skoda Fabia, these are great cars, so much cheaper then their VW brothers. – Ling

Green output is important to me, so I tell you the Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi N-Connecta [Glass Roof Pack] 8v (115bhp) Hatchback 5dr 1461cc Diesel Manual (6 Speed) Diesel Manual has changed, here are the new figures. I work hard to keep everything up to date.

Sometimes new car will be delivered on a car transporter, other times it will be driven to you. Either way, I always ask you check mileage on delivery. Write mileage on delivery sheet (before signing!!!) and keep a copy. At the end of contract, you can then subtract these miles from any “excess mileage” you may have incurred (extra miles over contract amount). This is easy if you have kept a copy of the delivery note. This is hard if you have lost it.

When a customer clicks through into an individual car’s detail, they can see even more information. This includes the CO2 (again) and all three EC fuel consumption measurements. I even include the EU noise rating and the road tax “class” which may influence a customer’s car choice decision. (Please bear in mind that the road tax is completely free, from me – I include that cost information so a customer has more clue about the environmental impact of their new car).

Working it out from the tables, the CO2 is just 110g/km for the Nissan Qashqai Diesel Manual. There are a few cars in this range, so different specs will give slightly different CO2 values.

My Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi N-Connecta [Glass Roof Pack] 8v (115bhp) Hatchback 5dr 1461cc Diesel Manual (6 Speed) Diesel Manual gearbox is only £261.06 inc VAT per month with 6 months initial payment, followed by 35 payments on direct debit. Business customers, make sure you deduct the VAT, when making decisions. As I can’t tell what type of customer you are (business or private), I can’t display the price any other way but to show VAT seperately (sorry!).

This price on my Nissan Qashqai includes full road tax for the length of the contract, on all of my cars and vans! Free delivery to your home or work and free collection from you at the end! £261.06 inc VAT per month is based on you driving 10,000 miles per annum, but higher mileages are usually available at a small extra cost. If you go over the allocated miles, you can pay a small excess mileage charge, usually between 3p and 15p per mile.

One of my best awards was the 2008 best non-franchise environmentalist, awarded by Automotive Management. The web is fickle, I have noticed LINGsCARS.com is the ONLY new car supplier to display and promote environmental info for ALL new cars, on the web! My website won “BEST non-franchised WEBSITE 2007” in the Automotive Management Awards.

Lose weight – don’t carry unnecessary weight, remove roof racks when not in use.

Read this website comment. I really try my best! (email address altered)

Very nice set up for the web page. I like the detail you’ve gone into.
Paul Dexter, Rhyl, LL18 2DE
dexteranddeedee_@hotmail.com

Hybrid vehicles combine an internal combustion engine with an electric motor and battery. There are various ways in which hybrid vehicles can operate. For example the electric motor can be used to provide additional power during acceleration and high load conditions. The battery can then be recharged by the internal combustion engine or from energy absorbed during braking, or, in some cases, from an external electrical supply. Hybrid vehicles offer reduced fuel consumption and CO2 with potentially some reduction in emissions of local pollutants.

Visit my full letters page click here

Does your cat eat letters when they come through your letter box? Mine does. Here’s a letter it missed, from Keith Morrice in Aberdeen. Bloody cat!

Keith says…
We’re delighted with our new wee car, the Smart coupe ForTwo. Ling- thanks for everything you’ve done – We’ll certainly come back to you!! Good delivery as expected.

Keith Morrice
Aberdeen
AB21 ***

Editor Note: Keith, you are a finance manager for an underwater oil rig company. I appreciate that you must have figured out this is the cheapest way to get a new Smartie car. Lovely to deal with you, wee you in a couple of years, eh? Enjoy the Smart! – Ling