And its now been watched over 50 thousand times! Its often amazing how wrong parking can go, but this video highlights the worst of the worst!!

For example: Cars For Sale in Hertfordshire, Cars for sale in Ceredigion or even Cars for sale in FIFE!

For more information on cars you can click “more info” underneath them, so go on – go and grab a bargain new or used car locally with wheels-near-u!

You can buy fixed gear bikes at your local bike shop (probably) but they might call them single-speed’s or track bikes. You will likely have seen them on the olympics but if you watch the above video you will see they are used far from this original intended arena. Swamping the worlds cities – fixed gear biking is set to be the next big 2 wheeled phenominon. Watch out for them in a city near you, they tend to skid in an almost downhill slalom way instead of breaking (as if you stop pedalling that is effectively breaking with the rear wheel!

This years Orllwyn Teifi Vintage Show marked the 20th year of the events running and was an excellent weekend for all, despite the unhelpful weather conditions the show continued to run where possible and was visited by a huge number of spectators and show participants.

Wheels-Near-U was there for the whole weekend catching all of the action as it happened, we would like to thank the organisers including Derrick Davies for an excellently clean and well serviced site and for a fair few tows’ in and through the mud!

As per last year you can see all of the Orllwyn Teifi Vintage Rally Photographs in our Orllwyn Teifi Vintage Rally 2008 gallery and there is also a 2007 Orllwyn Rally gallery for those who want to look back on last years show!

This years show is set to be even bigger than last years with last years Wall of Death, New Tank Rides & a Tractor Pull. Its the 20th Orllwyn Teifi Vintage Show and takes place on August Bank Holiday 2008 – Sunday 24th & Monday 25th with a Vintage & Collectables Auction at 12 Noon on Saturday 23rd August 2008.

Wheels-Near-U will be there to document the show and will also have a ringside area – We hope to see you there!

This year Wheels-Near-U reporters took on the International British Motorshow, taking over 600 photographs of some of the finest supercars, most original concept cars and most anticipated motors to be released in the last and forthcoming years.

Some of the best bits included the Supercar Paddock, home to several Pagani Zonda’s, a Koenensigg, several astounding Ferrari’s including a classic F40 – a chance to sit in the new Nissan GTR, a heavily anticipated car heiled a supercar killer for £50,000 (Second generation datsun/skyline.) as well as several exceptional concept cars, the Genesis Coupe from Hyndai – the Peugeot Concepts and a fantastic Alfa Romeo Stand featuring 2 new 8C’s.

As well as ExCel london being a superb venue for the motorshow there was also a number of other attractions such as powerboats, a ride in a Caterham 7 driven with umpf and the Honda Theatre of Dreams show.

If you weren’t lucky enough to make it to the British Motor show this year we would certainly recommend it for next year, you might even see us there!

• More Photos from the British Motor Show
• The Cars from the British Motor Show
• The Honda Theatre of Dreams at the British Motor Show

The new GT-R is said to have a cruising speed of 186 mph and is capable of a lot more – although perhaps not pushed to this limit Jeremy Clarkson did manage to clock up Bill Oddie’s speeding tickets using a clever mask.

According to Jeremy Clarkson this was ” the best film we’ve ever made” and we just happen to agree – the fantastic scenery of the Japanese mountains, tunnels and Tokyo’s racing roads almost distracts you from the purebred GT-R, but only momentarily until you see it from another beautiful angle.

Apparently people are complaining that the race’s are fixed on top gear, but we couldn’t care less because its cracking television! If you havent yet watched this epic battle of modern public transport against the snarling GT-R then catch it while you can on the BBC iPlayer (Click here to watch Top Gear Series 11 Episode 4)

In the price war to keep petrol customers buying there are several loosers, but you won’t find any big companies on the list. Rural filling stations are hit hard when local supermarkets offer reduced prices to draw the masses, drivers of diesel cars who would have historically benifited from lower costs are seeing increases beyond everyones expectations and haulage and transport companies are suffering increased running costs.

What do you think will happen in the next 6 months? Petrol prices don’t show much sign of slowing, but ultimately any more substancial rises will take some drivers off the road due to costs beyond their means! let us know what you think!

Its not often you associate a single wheel with one Million dollars, but news this week of the famous game quiz show “Wheel of Fortune” adding the 7 digit prize to its spinning wheel has do doubt pricked up the ears of the contestants!

Not quite the sort of wheel usually featured on Wheels-Near-U, this one gives competitors who land on it a chance to play for $1 million.

A British Million Pound Wheel of Fortune would be a fantastic idea, and no doubt we may see one in the near future!

Last week the local Norfolk press reported on a piece of art unlike no other seen before. Parked up in a meadow and used for living in this trailer had lived a far from conventional last few years.  Originally brought for £1000 by Nathan Wellard and Maeve Neal this artic box was until recently used as a family home, however it is now in the process of being auctioned off as a piece of world famous Banksy Graffiti artwork.

The illusive Banksy has managed to keep his identity largely unknown to the masses, leaving his contriversial artworks adorned in difficult to believe places, mostly walls, worldwide. Famed as an underground artist, Banksy originally asked Nathan and Maeve for permission to use their arctic trailer as a canvas back in the 1990’s where he painted the huge murial down the sides at the Glastonbury festival, since then whenever Nathan and Maeve have seen Banksy he has added, tweaked and furthered the graffiti, a sign of an ever concious artist.

Now encased in plastic, headed for an auction the artwork is set to be seen by thousands more eyes, all depending on who snaps it up on the 28th of June we may be seeing these fantastic works in a gallery soon. We can’t think of anything better than talented artists using transport as a canvas and wish Nathan and Maeve the best of luck with their sale!

More information on the Banksy Auction

Banksy Site

The BMW Gina, released this week is a car which more than fits these alternative shoes. The BMW Gina is a good example of a new idea, G i n a is supposed to stand for “Geometry and Functions in ‘N’ Adaptations”, however like the abbreviation avoids the inclusion of the F from “Functions” so does the concept sports car avoid the need for a shell. Using a textile fabric BMW have created the first concept car that seems to mimic the human form.

The first thing you will notice when you look at the Gina Concept is its styling. Look at a standard 1 shot photo and you may be forgiven for thinking its just another devilish car from BMW, but the lines and curves of this concepts bodywork are not created with steel or aluminium. Taught textile fabric acts as a skin like barrier, tightened around a space frame made from a mixture of carbon and metals.

Although it sounds basic BMW have taken this concept one step further than simply wrapping an aerial atom with lycra, as well as a car with skin they also gave it movable features. The lights open and shut like a wild cats, the “bonnet” can open at the middle seam showing just a hint of a large BMW engine and an artificial rib cage, the doors – not to be outdone – don’t open but twist and contort to allow entry into the bespoke all in one seats. The skin is the one big factor in this concepts creation, it allows new and interesting mixtures of both concave and convex body panels, made with a material that looks very much like traditional steel panels. In true BMW style it continues along the progressively angular design, with a stunning moveable flared spoiler to cap off a stunning rear end.

All in all the BMW Gina is a fantastic concept car, recently housed in the BMW museum it will go on show and perhaps influence BMW cars to come. We can’t wait to get our hands on a real production equivalent, but that might take BMW some time.

You can see more of the BMW Gina Concept car in our concept car gallery!

The cars come in two models, the Firewolf (above) which features truck / buggy crossbred looks (nicknamed a truggy) and larger wheels, the Pioneer is the buggy version of the car (below) and features a leaner design.

Costing £119.99 these cars are not the cheapest out there, but for an electric rechargeable car that goes over 40mph we think thats pretty good! Without going to a petrol car of at least a few hundred pounds or a nitro car that requires special fuel, you wont find a faster remote control car for that money!

To view these electric remote control cars and other motoring gifts and items, click here to visit the Wheels-Near-U Shop!

Please sponsor the brave duo by going to our Team Zebra page and clicking “Sponsor Team Zebra” – all the sponsorship money goes to a great cause – “Send a cow”, providing livestock where it is most needed!

To see the new photo’s of Team Zebra’s “zebra car” click here

]]> http://www.wheels-near-u.co.uk/blog/2008/05/23/team-zebra-car-comes-on-leaps-and-bounds/feed/ 1 http://www.wheels-near-u.co.uk/blog/2008/05/20/the-plight-of-rural-filling-stations/ http://www.wheels-near-u.co.uk/blog/2008/05/20/the-plight-of-rural-filling-stations/#comments Tue, 20 May 2008 12:14:38 +0000 Wheels Near U Team http://www.wheels-near-u.co.uk/blog/?p=116 “Tax-Man, Banks and Supermarkets are putting the squeeze on us” Says Jeff

Wheels Near U asks, what’s going on here?
I have been running the village garage and shop for the last 23 years now says Jeff, 23 years ago petrol was 30p per litre and the profit on that was 3p a litre so that was 10% profit on turnover, not bad I hear you say?
The thing is that now with fuel at today’s £1.10 plus per litre price the garage owners share is still only 3p per litre, so we are now down to less than 3% profit. If that was not tough enough, these day’s people often pay with credit cards so the banks then take between 1 % and 2%commission, this brings our profit down to between1 and 2%! And that’s before we pay rates and electricity bills etc. never mind staff! I don’t know how long we can keep going on these margins, says Jeff.

The Taxman and the banks are laughing!!
Every time the tax-man puts the tax up on fuel the credit card company’s make more without doing any more work because they charge between 1 and 2 % of the overall transaction! And already the government plans another 2p per litre rise in fuel tax in October !!

Do you know where your fuel pounds go?
The Tax man takes a whopping 75% (Duty and then VAT on top of the overall sale = 75%.)
The oil company’s share of around 22% (fair enough they have to produce and distribute.)
The independent retailer currently gets between 1 and 3 % depending on type of credit card used, if cash is paid then they may make 3% before overheads. Stick together or lose community services!

Whilst many motorists enjoy the convenience of filling up at the local station and support their owners, the average motorist is feeling the pinch and will often go out of their way to fill up at Supermarkets or Motor way services to save a few a few pence. Not realising that the price they may ultimately pay is the loss of their local garage and shop which is often the hub of community life. What’s needed in the absence of government support or action is for local motorists to be aware of the problem and give their support, in order to help keep up the volume of sales needed to prevent their local filling stations from closing.

Supermarket / Discounted fuel won’t help local motorists in the long run.
We don’t do mechanics so my garage can only survive as long as we sell plenty of fuel says Jeff, but this is threatened by competition from the Supermarkets who have a policy of selling at just bellow the independent filling stations price’s. We believe this is done in order to help entice customers to their stores and also corner the fuel market for themselves. No doubt if these supermarkets are successful in knocking out the small stations, then they would raise their prices! At which point motorists especially those living out of town would have to burn more fuel to reach fewer stations. Worse for the environment, bad for the community and no good for the local economy.

They wouldn’t stand for it in France says Jeff, there would be riots!!

More than 33 filling stations have stopped selling fuel within 30 miles of Llandysul alone. Since Jeff started trading here 23 years ago he has kept a list of garages that have stopped selling fuel or closed down within 30 miles of his filling station at Croeslan. And these are just the ones that Jeff has noticed!

Do you remember these filling stations?

Pontwelli and Highway in Llandysul, 2 in Pencader, Coedybryn, Penrewllan, Plwmp, there was 2 at Synod Inn now only one, 2 in Newcastle Emlyn (Adpar and the site which now has new houses on), 2 in Cardigan both within a stones throw of Tesco’s, 1 at Cwrtnewedd, Cwnalelfyd, Kings at Buela, Brongest, the Wern nr Newquay, Adams Garage Newquay, Cwmduad, 2 in Lampeter, (used to be two side by side), Cwman nr Lampeter, Llanllwni, Ffostrasol, Sarnau, Verwig, forge garage, 2 in Aberaron, 3 at Carmarthen, 1 on the way out towards Kidwelly flats and one where the new duel carriageway go’s through. Red Roses, Cwmcou, and Tafarn Bach Pontsian, Pentregat, And counting!

Wheels Near U speaks to other garage owners.
Wheels Near U Have spoken with 5 garages owners in the area and all say the same thing, it’s getting tougher! Each time there is a tax or raw oil price of 1 penny it costs them an extra £1000 to fill their storage tanks! ok they get this back by passing on the cost to the customers but the owner has to fund this extra £1000 up front without making any more them selves in fact they lose because they have to borrow more from the bank and pay the interest just to keep going!

Is it time for action??
Several garage owners quite rightly have suggested that if they all shut for just 1 day (to start with), this would get wide spread media attention and maybe then the government and or the oil industry would listen up and instigate some solutions. Perhaps one solution would be for the tax man to give a 1% discount/refund in fuel tax for rural locations, or a once a year rebate perhaps or maybe a WDA subsidy???. This could be done on green grounds as if local stations close then some motorists will have to drive significantly further to fill up causing more green house gas’s and costing the motorist more again in fuel!! Surely the government would not want to be seen causing more pollution whilst they gain more tax and the public spend more again??
Wheels near U Is committed to helping all motorists and trades associated with the motor industry and will be pleased to help the rural filling station owners however we can even if its just putting
like minded filling station owners in touch with each other. Please let us know by post email or phone if you would like to be involved or if you have any views on the subject. (Click here to contact us)

Rules? In this rally there is only a few- first up each car entered in the rally must be of a capacity of 1000cc or less – no big sand buggies or off-roaders here! Secondly each team entering this rally must raise at least £1000 for charity – Team Zebra are choosing to raise this money for “Send a Cow” – a charity specialising in providing real, sustainable help to the people of Africa. They are still fund raising and you can show
your support by sponsoring them (and perhaps helping them send several cows!) at
www.wheels-near-u.co.uk/teamzebra.

See more in the Team Zebra 08 Gallery

Apart from these simple basics there is really very little guidance for Team Zebra on this adventure – part of the ideals behind ‘The Adventurists‘ is to provide as little support, guidance and absolutely no backup in order to make the experience as real and adventurous as possible.

Once they agreed they wanted to do this rally Jacob and Jay set about coming up with a name, opting for a suitably African themed one they became Team Zebra and began the hunt for the ideal Zebra-Mobile – something slick, fast and capable of dealing with all manner of terrain, protecting them from wild animals and dealing with the worlds harshest conditions, then they remembered the 1 litre restriction and threw that out of the window, opting for a reassuringly low mileage A Reg 997cc Ford Fiesta. While this old Ford Fiesta may not sound like the best Sub-Saharan rally car it has only travelled 25,000 miles so far and was a snap at £250.

See more in the Team Zebra 08 Gallery

“a kind of boot meets bed that allows the lads to sleep in the car without too much worrying about wild animals”

Since they picked up their blue Ford Fiesta they have spent a lot of time kitting it out, preparing it for the adventure to come this summer. They started by designing a back compartment that is fit for sleep and supplies – a kind of boot meets bed that allows the lads to sleep in the car without too much worrying about wild animals.

Next up they set about acquiring a few extras they needed to improve the old Fiesta. First up a roof-rack – a necessity if they are to fit everything for their journey they need onto/into the car. Their first purchase of a £1 roof-rack from eBay was never going to cut it and they soon tracked down a much more substantial roof-rack. A little angle-grinding and modification and the Team Zebra car has a ideal, custom fitted roof-rack!

See more in the Team Zebra 08 Gallery

With that sorted they set about getting some sounds for their journey – Jacob used his wiring and electrical know-how to set them up a fine sound system which should more than fit the bill! Some kind local donations of a CB Radio, Aerial and a battery along with some excellent spot lamps further kitted out the Zebra-mobile.

Safe in the knowledge that most of their intended modifications are now complete Jacob and Jay decided the paintwork of the A Reg Fiesta could do with a bit of livening up before the cars big trip. They decided that their best bet was to paint the car – something fitting.

See more in the Team Zebra 08 Gallery

As you can see they decided to stick with the heard and painted the car with black and white zebra stripes – now team zebra will definitely fit in on the plains of Africa.

Off on the 19th of July Team Zebra are nearly all set leaving from London’s Hyde Park their first stop will be the Adventurists African Rally European party in Prague, Czech Republic on the following day.

Wheels-Near-U has sponsored Team Zebra and wish them the best of luck and a safe journey through europe and Aftica!

Want to show your support for Team Zebra as they conquer the Sahara? – Please Sponsor them now at
www.wheels-near-u.co.uk/teamzebra