How to make sure that your holiday car rental is a smooth ride

You must be smart to find the best prices, and vigilant for extra charges. But how your name appears on the booking can spell the end of the road

Dartford Crossing charge firm told me not to pay, but still fined me £2,230

Despite being told there was ‘no crossing to be paid’, a driver received 23 penalty notices

‘They have you over a barrel’: how scammers, touts and bots took over driving tests

It can take you six months to get a driving test in England – unless you’re willing to pay a middleman up to £350. What’s behind this black market? And is there any way to avoid it?

Our car was no longer driveable after valet parking at Gatwick

We arrived back late at night from our holiday to be told the BMW had literally gone bang

Car insurer charged £40 to cancel learner driver policy

My son’s policy only had few weeks left after he passed his test, but I was still told I owed a fee

Insurer Saga has taken four months to repair my parents’ car

It was hit by an uninsured driver after they bought it to accommodate a wheelchair for my disabled mother

UK drivers warned to watch out for ‘crash for cash’ fraud claims

Insurer Allianz says scam by criminals on motorbikes and scooters increased by 6,000% last year

UK inflation: which goods and services have changed most in price?

From olive oil to cocoa and carpets to holiday centres, how the cost of everyday things varies

Online car dealer Cazoo collapses into administration putting 200 jobs at risk

UK-based used-car website once valued at £6bn is now looking for a buyer for its remaining assets

A botched RAC rescue turned our French road trip into an ordeal

When our new motorhome broke down in France we felt unsafe and were stranded for five days

Ulez scrappage scheme snarl-ups leave motorists facing crunch

Processing delays and baffling rejections are causing real hardship for car owners trying to be Ulez-compliant

VW owners claim ‘poor design’ left cars open to parts theft costing £1,600

Cruise control sensors taken by thieves, forcing drivers to pay to replace them or face higher insurance premiums

Car insurance firms agree to crack down on ‘poverty premium’

UK insurers say they will aim to stop monthly payments falling hardest on those who can least afford it

Renault sent me an £11,000 bill to repair my Zoe heater

The car is just five years old, and now the company seems to be washing its hands of the matter

Insurers accused of using ‘excessive excesses’ to disguise car cover costs

As premiums rocket, and motorists look for a better quote, the headline price can be deceptive. And, the bill for a claim, can also be unaffordable