Author Archives: Van Rental

Sixt Offer Discount Minibus Rates in November

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It may not quite be the festive season yet – but that’s no excuse for not organising some group trips out with workmates, family or friends.

UK car and van rental company Sixt is currently offering some great deals on minibus hire to help cut the cost of travelling in groups of up to 15 people.

You can now hire a 15-seat minibus for just £175.50 per weekend – and Sixt’s definition of a weekend is pretty generous. You can pick up your minibus from noon on Friday and you won’t have to return it until 9am on Monday. That’s perfect for long weekends away – such as stag and hen weekends, outdoor sports and camping and trips to big events with a night away thrown in.

This deal is only valid until the 30th November 2008 – so if you’d like to get a minibus hire quote from Sixt then click here to get started.

Alternatively, visit our minibus hire section to learn more about driving and hiring minibuses and to search for a Sixt minibus hire location close to you.

New Retro-Fit Hybrid Kit Reduces Van Emissions by up to 24%

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A new retro-fittable hybrid power kit has been shown to reduce emissions by up to 24.7% in tests on a Ford Transit van at the government-approved Millbrook emissions testing facility in Bedfordshire.

The HYBRID+ kit is made by Connaught Engineering and is based around a 48V DC electric motor which can be fitted to a van in just one day – meaning minimal interruption to vehicle usage. Test results using a Ford Transit driven over the EU-standard CADC (Artemis) test cycle produced the following reductions in CO2 emissions and fuel usage:

  • Urban: 18%
  • Road: 11.5%
  • Combined: 15%

Other test cycles were also completed, producing results consistent with the CADC tests:

  • New European Drive Cycle (NEDC): 10%
  • T2 City Drive Cycle: 24.7%

The HYBRID+ kit costs from £2,750+VAT fitted and can be fitted to most vehicles within a day – reducing any impact on vehicle availability. Installing the kit does not affect the original manufacturer’s warranty nor does it cause a reduction in payload, thanks to the use of lightweight, modern supercapacitors in place of heavy batteries.

The HYBRID+ solution sounds like it could rapidly pay for itself with van operators who do a lot of urban work. In addition, its envirnmental credentials seem strong – especially as highly-polluting and heavy batteries have been eliminated from the system. It will be interesting to see where this goes – perhaps it will provide the inspiration for a newer generation of factory fit conversions.

To learn more about the HYBRID+ solution, visit Connaught Engineering’s website.

Van Speed Limits – A Potent Reminder

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I know I’ve written about van speed limits before – here, here and here, in fact – but the truth remains that large numbers of van drivers simply aren’t aware of them – or choose to ignore them.

As this article in the Scarborough Evening News shows, the police are not in the mood to ignore them and are all too aware of the difference between a small, car-derived van (subject to car speed limits) and most other vans, which are subject to goods vehicle speed limits.

For anyone who needs a reminder, here are the speed limits for vans that are not car-derived and have a gross weight over 2 tonnes:

  • Single Carriageway: 50mph
  • Dual carriageway: 60mph
  • Motorways: 70mph

The speed limits apply to all goods vehicles with maximum permitted weights between 2 tonnes and 7.5 tonnes.

Even if your van has a maximum loaded weight of under 2 tonnes, it might be subject to these limits if it is not car derived – see here for a more detailed explanation of this.

One-Way Van Hire to Spain – Specialist Van Rental Services

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Hiring a van to move to Spain may not be an everyday requirement for most people – but it is a service that’s become increasingly in demand over the last 10 years or so.

Spain is not only one of the most popular holiday destinations for Brits – it’s also perhaps the most popular country to relocate to. Thousands of Britons of all ages move to Spain every year – and many of them want to do the move themselves, with a hired van.

The only problem is they don’t want to have to bring it back again, afterwards.

That’s where one-way van hire between the UK and Spain comes in. The two companies I know of who operate this service both maintain rental offices in the UK and in Spain – in the Alicante / Costa Blanca regions, which are most popular with British expatriates.

This allows you to pickup a UK-registered hire van in the UK, load it up with your possessions, drive to Spain and hand the van back somewhere close to your new home. The system works because there are also a similar number of people needing to hire a van from Spain to the UK. The result is reasonable daily rates, no catches and a really useful service.

There are two companies I know of who offer this service:

On our van hire to Spain page, you will find full details of the locations, vans and services offered by each of these companies. They both offer similar services and charge similar rates, so in truth your choice might be dictated by which has the more convenient branch locations for you.

If you need to hire a van to move to Spain then it is definitely worth getting a quote from each of these companies.

Regular rental companies – even those that let you take vans abroad – won’t let you drop off their vans abroad. You normally have to return hire vehicles to the country in which they were rented – not much good when you have just moved house 1,000 miles away.

J-Hire and Way2Go Hire are unique (as far as I know) in offering a one-way van hire service between Spain and the UK – so take a look here if you are planning to move to Spain.

Ford Joins the 4WD Van Club with AWD Transit

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All-wheel drive vans have always been fairly specialist and rare finds – offering a combination of load-carrying and off-road driving functionality that simply isn’t required by many people.

One of the longest-running all-wheel drive vans is the Volkswagen Transporter 4Motion (previous called the Transporter Synchro). Other contenders have included the AWD Mercedes Sprinter (a rare but impressive beast) and, I think, a 4-wheel drive version of the original Fiat Ducato. More recently, Citroen have created a 4WD Berlingo – the Berlingo XTR. There is also a 4×4 version of the Iveco Daily.

Ford has not joined the party until now (as far as I know) but it appears to be making up for lost time with the newly-released the All-Wheel Drive version of the current Mk7 Transit. In this review on the Fleet News website, Fleet Van Editor Trevor Gelken found that the new Transit AWD is surprisingly capable off-road but will automatically switch back to RWD when on-road to save fuel.

The new Ford Transit AWD is also available in minibus and chassis cab formats and the AWD technology only adds 50kg to the weight of the vehicle – meaning that payloads are not significantly affected.

For all the (muddy) details, click here.

Van Rental Increasingly Popular for Longer Periods

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Tightening credit availability and uncertain economic times are having an effect on the way businesses hire vans, according to GE-owned TLS Vehicle Rental. In an article in Fleet News, major UK B2B van rental companies TLS and Northgate have confided that companies are turning to them to hire vans where they might previously have bought or leased them.

By owning fewer commercial vehicles and renting for longer periods, customers are able to reduce their liabilities and gain increased flexibility – if a van isn’t required for a couple of weeks, it can go back to the hire company and will cost the business nothing.

According to Carl D’Ammassa, TLS’ Chief Operating Officer, having “no long term financial commitment” is one of the “key benefits” of renting. He says that the ability to “hand back the vehicle at any time” is “very attractive” to many businesses in “tough economic times”.

Ross Clarkson, Marketing Director of Northgate, the UK’s largest van rental company, echoed the sentiment of D’Ammassa’s comments, telling Fleet News that they are seeing companies “that would have outright purchased their vehicles” switching to rental. Customers are attracted by the flexibility of van rental and are also being discouraged from buying by difficulties securing credit.

Of course, van rental has always had a number of benefits – not least a lack of responsibility for maintenance, repair or replacement of hire vehicles. When a rented van needs replacing or repairing, the van rental company will arrange this automatically and provide a suitable alternative, resulting in near-seamless vehicle availability without any hassle.

See Fleet News for more details.

Bucks Car Hire: Slough & High Wycombe Van Hire

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Bucks Car Hire is the latest addition to our European Van Hire and Automatic Van Hire pages.

This Slough-based company offers car and van rental throughout the Berkshire and Buckinghamshire area with depots in both Slough and High Wycombe.

Buck Car Hire, or BCH, offers a wide range of vans for hire and specialises in European hire and automatic van hire:

  • Car-derived vans
  • SWB Panel vans (e.g. Ford Transit) – automatic available
  • MWB panel vans – automatic available
  • LWB panel vans – for greater load space and heigh – automatic available
  • XLWB panel vans – e.g. Mercedes Sprinter

This must be one of the widest selections of automatic vans for hire in the UK – I certainly haven’t come across anyone else offering so many.

BCH’s website includes a comprehensive price list and hires over three days include a free delivery service – saving you time and hassle. All vans are covered by a 24 hr. breakdown service and all vans are valeted and checked before each rental.

To learn more about Bucks Car Hire and for prices and online booking details, visit its website at www.BucksCarHire.com

If you’d like to see your van hire company listed on vanrental.co.uk, click here for details of our advertising options.

Friday Fun: The Ford Transit Supervan

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There is no doubt that the latest diesel-powered Ford Transits are respectably brisk for vans – but they aren’t really fast, are they?

Not even the desirable Ford Transit Sportvan can lay claim to true high performance credentials, despite its GT40-style go faster stripes.

Perhaps that’s why no fewer than three Ford Transit Supervans have been built over the years, starting with the Supervan 1 in 1971:

Ford Transit Supervan 1 (c) www.nsva.co.uk
Ford Transit Supervan 1 (Copyright  www.nsva.co.uk)

The Supervan 1 was powered by a rip-snorting 400bhp V8 engine as used in Ford’s victorious GT40 Le Mans cars. It did 68mph in first gear and was good for 196mph in fifth.

For a time the Supervan 1 reigned supreme – but the launch of the Mk2 Transit meant that the time was ripe for a successor – the Supervan 2, which was unveiled at the Donington Truck Grand Prix in 1984:

Supervan 2

The Supervan 2 was powered by a long-stroke version of Ford-Cosworth’s DFV Formula 1 engine and was later clocked at 174mph at Silverstone. What more can I say?

Time took its toll on the Supervan 2 and ten years later the Supervan 3 was born. Although technically a complete rebuild of the Supervan 2, it was virtually a new van and used the then-new Ford Transit Mk3 body shape:

Super Van 3

The Supervan 3 remains in service today and has proved a highly-effective publicity tool over the years. It has an estimated top speed of 150mph and now forms part of the Ford Heritage Vehicle Collection.

Zero Emission Electric Vans Gaining Traction

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Modec Zero Emission Electric Van

The benefits of all-electric vehicles for urban distribution work are widely acknowledged – zero emissions, low tax, no congestion charge and no requirement (if over 3.5 tonnes) for a tachograph.

There is also a growing body of evidence that whole-life costs for electric vehicles can be lower than those for diesel-engined vehicles used on low mileage work, and that is certainly what office supply company Lyreco seem to be expecting from the Modec electic van they have been trialling.

Although electric vehicles continue to be restricted by their limited ranges – up to 100 miles in the case of the Modec – a surprising number of delivery vehicles don’t do more than 50-100 miles a day. These are typically used in the urban and stop-start environments where the benefits of electric power are greatest. Lyreco, for example, say that 30% of their vehicles do fewer than 60 miles a day and 65% do fewer than 100 miles a day.

The Modec’s maximum speed of 50mph is more than adequate for London deliveries, and its 2 tonne payload makes it a suitable replacement for the Mercedes Sprinter 511 vans Lyreco normally uses. Added bonuses are zero road tax, zero congestion charge and an 8-hour charge cycle – which can easily be fitted in overnight. I wonder if they can benefit from cheap electricity rates during off-peak hours?

Hybrids vs. All-Electric Vehicles

Hybrid’s seem to be the flavour of the month at present and I do think they have a role to play in the future. Pure electric vehicles, however, can potentially solve a greater number of problems and also offer the twin benefits of much greater simplicity and zero emissions at point of use. Although power stations undoubtedly have their own pollution problems, they aren’t in city centres and are relatively few in number – hopefully making it easier for their emissions to be managed and contained as emission reduction technology develops.

Improvements in battery technology and cost seem to be the key to the success of electric vehicles. If range issues can be addressed and battery costs reduced, a major obstacle should be removed. Perhaps a more likely near-future scenario is that of the Chevrolet Volt – an all-electric car with a small on-board petrol engine to charge the batteries (not power the vehicle) whenever needed.

Hourly Van Hire Increasingly Popular for Home Purchases

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The growth of eBay and the increasing popularity of DIY removals has created a growing market for hourly van hire – hiring a van by the hour, rather than by the (24 hour) day.

London-based hirers are already served by the Streetvan service but van hire customers elsewhere in the country don’t have many choices.

In fact, there is only one national contender – Europcar that I know of.

Europcar‘s DriveTime service offers hourly van hire from more than 250 UK locations. According to the company, hourly van hire starts from just £6.99 for a Transit-sized van and the maximum hire period is 8 hours – after which it is always cheaper to hire for a day.

To make an hourly van hire booking, simply specify the start and end times you would like when completing your quote – Europcar’s booking system will automatically find the cheapest solution for you. Europcar has recently increased the number of Luton vans with tail lifts in its fleet by 50% – making transporting large or heavy objects much easier than before.

However, loading and unloading goods from a van can be a short cut to back injuries and muscle strains, so to help customers make the most of their hire vans and stay safe, take a look at our tips for safely loading a van and remember to take car when lifting and seek assistance if you can’t manage on your own.

Here is some advice from Europcar on safely lifting and carrying heavy objects:

Assess the situation

· Test the weight of a large object by lifting a corner, can you lift the load safely by yourself or do you need help?

· If the load is too heavy or an awkward shape is it possible to break-down into smaller parts?

· Check how far you have to carry the load and if the path is clear of anything which may cause you to trip. Check that all doors have been opened in advance.

·  Once the load is lifted, will it block your view?

Correct lifting techniques for heavy items

· Before you lift a heavy object make sure you have a firm footing.

· Stand close to the object and centre yourself over it with your feet shoulder width apart, squat down to the ground.

· Before starting to lift make sure you have a good handhold.

· To lift, straighten your knees and rise from the ground in a smooth, steady motion. Concentrate on keeping your back straight and let your legs do the lifting. Tightening your stomach muscles will help to support your back.

· Never bend your back to pick something up.

· Once upright do not twist or turn your body, keep your head up and look straight ahead. Focusing upwards will help to keep your back straight.

Carrying the load

· Hold the object close to your body and keep it steady with your arms bent, the further the object is from your body the heavier it will feel.

· Keep your feet about shoulder width apart, take short steps and move slowly.

· Change direction by turning your feet and once facing in the right direction continue to move forward.

· If you are straining or feel tired set the load down and rest for a few minutes.

· To lower the object, once again position your feet shoulder width apart, tighten stomach muscles and lower to the ground by bending your knees in a smooth and steady action. Only release your grip when the load is securely set down upon a firm surface.