85th Edition of the Geneva Motor Show

Once again vehicle history check expert Cartell.ie will report LIVE from the Geneva Motor Show this year! This is the 85th Edition of the show and the fourth for Cartell.ie. The Geneva show is considered the premiere event on the automotive show circuit and already the press have been reporting back on some of the […]

Buyer Beware! Stolen NCT Certs Circulating

PRESS RELEASE Vehicle history expert CARTELL.IE issues today (February 18) images of a stolen NCT Certificate found circulating in the market. Cartell.ie understands that an armed holdup at an NCT centre in Drogheda in October 2013 resulted in the theft of 850 official certificates. These certificates are stolen official documents, so they entirely resemble authentic […]

Complacency across Europe leading to Road Fatalities

It appears Ireland was not the only country last year to experience an unfortunate up-shift in numbers of recorded fatalities on our roads. The Irish Independent reports that early indications show there were also increases in numbers killed in Germany, France and the UK -the EU’s three most populous countries. The Road Safety Authority of […]

Average age of a car almost 11 years in the United States

Forbes reports the average age of a car in the United States now stands at almost 11 years – a record high. The article comments: “in a way, the auto industry is a victim of its own success: cars just don’t break down as often or wear out as fast as they used to. People […]

Age of Fleet Levels-Off as Car Industry in Recovery

PRESS RELEASE Vehicle history expert CARTELL.IE report today (January 28th) that the age of the private fleet in Ireland has levelled off significantly for the first time in over 10 years. The age of the private fleet now stands at 8.83 years. Cartell.ie tracked the average age of a private vehicle in Ireland in January […]

Skoda Ireland rolling out new showroom facilities

Skoda Ireland is in the process of rolling out a new look across its dealer network in the Republic of Ireland. The move coincides with reports by Motortrader in the UK that Skoda has started transitioning to the new corporate look across its network in the United Kingdom as the brand targets another record year […]

Aluminium favoured over Steel – by Ford in America

One of the big stories to watch in the automotive industry is the rise of aluminium in the manufacturing process. Traditionally, modern cars are made from steel with up to 60% of a vehicle made from that metal. Steel has been favoured for decades although the steel itself has become lighter: modern steel is a […]

22,181 vehicles in Ireland have 10 owners or more

PRESS RELEASE Average number of owners is 2.64 per vehicle Vehicle history expert Cartell.ie report today (1st January) there are 22,181 vehicles in Ireland that have 10 owners or more over the course of the lifetime of the vehicle. The highest number of owners recorded for a single vehicle is 34 owners. There are 177 […]

New Vehicle Sales nearly 120K for 2014

  PRESS RELEASE Vehicle history expert Cartell.ie report today (December 17) that so far in 2014 there have been 118,696 vehicles sold. The number includes all new vehicles registered in the State in 2014 and includes private, hackney, taxi as well as light and heavy commercial vehicles and all other classes of vehicle. The figure […]

Ban on Diesel Cars Proposed by Mayor of Paris

It’s interesting the debate over diesel engines. We all know the story: European regulators signposted emissions targets for vehicle manufacturers, and, combined with domestic motor taxation policies which benefited lower emission vehicles the public switched their allegiances – from petrol to diesel. Now, the tide is moving the other way. In the last few days […]

Don’t arrange to meet in secluded car parks or open spaces

Gardai have warned people who are buying or selling goods, or engaging in transactions with strangers, to meet them somewhere safe where others are nearby, and not to meet in secluded car parks or open spaces. The warning follows news that a man and his girlfriend were set upon and attacked by a gang of […]

Some Cutting Edge Tech Expected Soon

Jaguar Landrover Showcase Technologies UK car publication Evo were recently invited to a technical showcase at Jaguar Land Rover Group (JLR) and they report on the event in their most recent edition (Evo 203). The technologies outlined are cutting edge technologies which are expected to appear shortly in models produced by JLR and offer a fascinating […]

Real-world fuel economy figures now 31% off – report

Cartell looked at the issue of unrealistic fuel economy figures earlier in the year when RTÉ reported on findings by UK Car magazine What Car? That publication reported that after testing almost 400 cars in real-world conditions, using cutting-edge test equipment, it achieved economy figures that were on average 19% lower than the government figures in […]

Increase in Levels of Finance for Key Registration Years

PRESS RELEASE  New Players in Finance Market Continue to Make Big Impact Vehicle data expert Cartell.ie reports today (14 November 2014) that more vehicles for certain key registration years are being offered for sale with finance outstanding than last year. In the case of one-year-old vehicles – the levels of vehicles offered for sale with […]

Web Summit addresses issues around self-driving

Cars to make decisions like Humans? It would be impossible to ignore the buzz surrounding the Web Summit this week in the RDS, Dublin. One interesting piece of coverage for us was an article that appeared on US Tech channel CNET. The article concerns the development of the self-driving car and it considers the insights […]

“Safety Star” system could work for Ireland

NRA says re-engineering needed on some routes In a move that could be copied successfully in Ireland, news filtered through this week that Britain may embark on a plan to apply “safety star” ratings to its roads. The idea behind the proposal, reported by Nick Collins, is that it will help drivers to avoid the […]

Smart Irish Buyer Opting for Larger Engines

PRESS RELEASE SMART IRISH BUYER OPTING FOR LARGER ENGINES Research says larger engine more fuel-efficient Vehicle Car History Check expert Cartell.ie report today (22nd October) that the 1.6 litre engine is the most popular engine size in the Irish private fleet.* The 2.0 litre engine is the second most popular overall. The 1.6 litre engine […]

Budget no change may provide platform for recovery

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has not adjusted Motor Taxation for 2015. This will undoubtedly add to the current “feel good factor” which is beginning to take hold in the industry. There is a sense that Ireland’s car industry is over the worst of the crisis and the news today – that nothing has changed […]

Driver Fatigue a Big Issue says Liberty Insurance

Alarming new insights into driver fatigue have been released. Research by Liberty insurance, in conjunction with Millward Brown, looked at the driving habits of GAA fans as part of their ongoing #DriveSafer campaign. The results found that 39% of GAA fans admitted to driving after less than 5 hours sleep and 53% experienced “an incident” such as nodding off […]

Premium Car sales are up 21 per cent

PRESS RELEASE Vehicle History Check Expert Cartell.ie reports today (September 22) that sales of premium cars in Ireland have increased significantly in the last 12 months. Premium Car sales are up 21 per cent year-on-year Sales of premium vehicles have increased by 21% on last year with total sales recorded of 11,977 against 9,897 for […]

Used Car Advice: Something Reliable Please

Continuing our popular series – Used Car Advice – we’re going to address an issue we get from time-to-time: Hey Cartell, I am (hopefully!) going to pass my driving test next month!! Wondering what car you think would be good for a novice driver? My budget is €7,000 – maybe could stretch this to €7,500 – […]

Further Advances in Petrol-Engine Technology

Car Magazine points to Petrol Advance from Korea The September edition of Car Magazine points to the introduction by Hyundai of a new 37% more efficient petrol engine which will match a diesel’s torque commenting that the new engine may “offer the best of both world’s”. The Korean company are about to start road testing […]

Tips for Buying Used Car – From Zurich Insurance and Cartell.ie

Cartell.ie and Zurich Insurance give some useful advice to used vehicle purchasers: Used Car Popularity Car value depreciates so quickly that it can easily make economic sense for people to purchase cars that are second hand or used. According to statistics from AA Ireland, for every new car bought in Ireland almost 2.5 second-hand vehicles are also […]

Automechanika exhibitors listed “Green” for 2014

Automechanika, known as the meeting place for the automotive industry, offers  a unique spectrum of products from the fields of automotive parts, car washing, workshop and filling-station equipment, IT products and services, accessories and tuning. Robert Bosch has won the overall award for future-oriented technology in the field of electronics remanufacturing. The award was won […]

Taking Selfies – another hazardous activity behind the wheel

ONE in every four drivers under the age of 25 has taken a ‘selfie’ while driving, according to a new survey. Recently Cartell has blogged about other hazardous behind-the-wheel activities including  driving with a cold and other distractions like changing radio station. This latest survey, reported in the Irish Independent, carried out on young drivers […]

Cartell welcomes news that NCT Certs will display mileages

PRESS RELEASE Cartell today welcomes news that the National Car Test (N.C.T.) certificate will display the three most current mileage readings as part of a range of new measures. Jeff Aherne, Director, Cartell.ie, says: We are delighted with the announcement by Applus+ that the most current NCT mileage readings are set to be included on […]

Electric Vehicles – Some Lessons from Norway

In Ireland at the moment there are 9,880 electric vehicles in the Irish fleet including electric hybrids. The most common model is the Toyota Prius which employs an electric element to the drive process which works harmoniously with a petrol engine. Still, the Prius, at least in its original form, is not considered a full electric […]

Fake Car Buyers Kidnap, Assault, Burgle

The Irish Independent today report on a worrying development for those in the market to sell their vehicle. Gardaí are investigating an incident in which two masked and armed men kidnapped a man (18), assaulted his family, and burgled his home.The 18 year-old had arranged to meet an individual at Newtownstalaban, Drogheda with a view […]

Used Vehicle Market Report 2014

PRESS RELEASE Cartell reports today (July 9) on the results of an extensive used vehicle market analysis. Cartell considered the Irish Car Parc as a whole as well as used vehicle sales for the first 4 months of the year i.e 1st January to 30th April 2014 (“T1 2014”) and used vehicle sales for 1st […]

Beware fake Bank Drafts – deals on Friday

Cartell featured in the media during the week warning consumers about the latest tactics used by unscrupulous individuals to con unsuspecting buyers and sellers of vehicles. The news comes on the back of a Garda warning, issued to the Irish Independent, which states that a sophisticated scheme involving fake bank drafts had already conned 79 individuals […]

Official MPG figures unrealistic – says What Car?

RTÉ motoring report on research carried out by UK consumer magazine What Car? which concluded that official manufacturers’ MPG figures are unrealistic. Based on the research new car buyers in the UK who trust official, government-sanctioned fuel economy figures will pay an average of £1,000 (€1,216) more than they expect on fuel over a three-year […]

No Evidence of Spike in “Clocking”

Cartell today (May 15, 2014) say there is no evidence of a spike in the rate of clocking since introduction of legislation which criminalised vehicle clocking earlier this year. Cartell Director Jeff Aherne says: We see no evidence of a spike in clocking since the introduction of the new legislation. Currently our own figures indicate […]

Colour White Most Popular on the Continent

New Irish motor site motorhub.ie reports on the recent release of the new study by Ford Motor Company entitled Ford Car Buying Trends 2014 where they have highlighted “national differences” when it comes to buying a vehicle from Ford. The study, which is based on analysis of more than 500,000 Ford vehicle purchases in Europe in 2013, […]

Avoid Distraction at the Wheel…say Liberty Insurance

Speeding, eating in the car, texting at the wheel… we can all spot other people’s bad driving behaviour a mile away. But what about turning the mirror on ourselves? Research by Liberty Insurance, in conjunction with Millward Brown, found that while people were quick to point out bad behaviour by others, most failed to recognise their […]

Irish Tarmac Leaders to go head-to-head in Killarney

The current leaders of the Irish Tarmac Championship will go head-to-head in Killarney at the Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes 2014. The list of entries for the event shows some fantastic strength in depth across the Historic, Main Field, and Junior Categories.  Declan Boyle and Gary Jennings, currently sitting in the top two positions in […]

Seat Leon ST FR – Practical, Fast and Great Value

Cartell.ie recently took possession of a Seat Leon ST FR 2.0 TDI 150bhp DSG courtesy of Seat Ireland. It is the estate version of the Seat Leon and the FR is the sport version. We don’t do a lot of car testing internally but the advent of another mouth to feed on the home front […]

Tarmac Battle resumes in Killarney

With entries still open for the Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes over the May Bank Holiday weekend, over 90 crews have entered and the stage is already set for battle royal in all classes and categories of the  35th Rally of the Lakes. Heading the international Entry list is last year’s winner, Gary Jennings […]

“Clocking” provision now commenced in Ireland

Edit: The clocking provision has now been enacted into Irish law and a commencement order has been signed: Road Traffic Act 2014 (Certain Provisions) Commencement Order 2014 While all the various political twists and turns develop in the Oireachtas, Cartell was delighted to learn that the Road Traffic Act 2014 has been enacted and it contains […]

Carzone Motoring Report provides useful insight on consumer sentiment

Cartell was delighted to provide some assistance to Carzone.ie for the recent publication of their Motoring Report. This is the third such report and we have collaborated on each occasion alongside Completecar.ie. Aside from the headline figure across a lot of coverage of the report – 474,418  vehicles changed hands in the last six months of 2013 – […]

Cartell renews its Sponsorship of Rally of the Lakes

Cartell.ie, Ireland’s leading car history check company, has announced the renewal of its sponsorship of the International Rally of the Lakes in a deal that will run for the next three years. Cartell.ie is Ireland’s leading car history-check company and has been sponsoring the Rally of the Lakes since 2010. The new deal will ensure the […]

Driving with a cold adversely impacts on concentration

An article published in the Irish Independent points to useful research conducted by Cardiff University’s ‘Common Cold Centre’. According to a team at that university, driving with a bad cold or flu places you at higher risk. Our concentration levels actually fall by 50pc when we have a cold. This is the equivalent of downing more […]

New car sales up 28 per cent is driving employment growth

Autotrade report on figures produced by SIMI (Society of the Irish Motor Industry) which show that so far this year, new car sales are up by 28 per cent. The confidence evident in January has continued into February with a 21 per cent increase in car sales. The light commercial vehicle market, which is a good sign of activity in the […]

Cartell at the Geneva Motor Show 2014

This is the third year Cartell has been giving customers our unique perspective live from the Geneva Motor Show – the premiere event on the annual calendar for developments in the automotive world – and described as “the most eclectic auto show on the planet“. This year is the 84th edition of the show and you […]

Cartell at Geneva Motor Show!

For the third year in a row Cartell will report live from the Geneva Motor Show. The event, which opens to the public on the 6th March, is considered the premier show-piece for the automotive sector where manufacturers go all out to attract column inches with extravagant displays and announcements of new cutting-edge developments. Already, […]