Author Archives: Van Rental

Moving House In January? Don’t Forget Van Hire

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Let us show you how to move house with a hire van

Boxes need to be strong to be stacked safely – especially if they’re heavy

Christmas is over and pretty much everyone is now back to work, but the first full week in January is also significant for another reason — people start moving house again, after the Christmas lull.

If you’re moving in the next few weeks, then I’d urge you to book your van hire now (or at least do it as soon as you have a fixed date for completion).

Although availability is now considerably better than it was during the pre-Christmas rush (when courier companies hog a large proportion of hire vans), van rental companies are still busy, and your chosen combination of van size and date could soon become unavailable.

The simplest way to get started is to use our van hire comparison system, which allows you to save money by comparing prices from most of the UK’s major van hire companies on one website.

Our system displays prices for all popular types of van (e.g. Transit-size panel vans, extra-long vans and luton box vans) — so click here to give it a try. You don’t have to provide any personal data to compare prices, and your booking will be made by you, directly with your chosen hire supplier.

Of course, there’s a lot more to moving house than simply hiring a van. Here at vanrental.co.uk, we’ve been there, done that, and got the t-shirt, so we’ve produced a simple one-page DIY removals guide to cover all of the main areas.

Finally, we know that driving a van for the first time can be daunting, so we offer a free, printable guide to driving a van for the first time, too.

Good luck if you’re moving in the next few weeks!

Sky’s The Limit As VW Receives Order For 930 Caddy Vans

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Volkswagen Caddy in Sky liveryVolkswagen Commercial Vehicles has strengthened its relationship with Sky in a deal that will see the van manufacturer supply an additional 1,120 vehicles to the broadcaster’s fleet.

The agreement is for 930 Caddy Maxi Startline BlueMotion Technology (BMT) and 190 Transporter Startline BMT vehicles.  The vehicles, which will start to be delivered later this month, will boost Sky’s Volkswagen fleet to 2,500.

With more than 10 million TV and broadband customers across the country and thousands of Sky engineer home visits a day, the well-known Sky liveried Volkswagen vans have become a regular sight on British roads.

Operational benefits for Sky include class-leading residual values, and a range of frugal, fuel-efficient engines that emit low levels of CO2, helping to save on fuel costs and reduce the fleet’s impact on the environment.

Other reasons why the Sky team selected the Volkswagen Caddy Maxi include its generous load area – 4.2 m³ and a load length of 2.25 m – and high level of standard equipment, while the Transporter was also selected for its practicality and impressive fuel consumption. Sky was previously a notable fleet customer for Vauxhall’s Vivaro van, but judging from this order, the firm may be moving away from the due-for-replacement Vivaro towards the VW Transporter, for its UK fleet.

All of the new vehicles, which will start to arrive from later this month, have had racking installed and will be wrapped in Sky’s livery.

Nissan Launches Facelifted NV200 London Taxi Conversion

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Nissan NV200 London TaxiNissan’s plans to launch a London tax model based on its NV200 van (or ‘multi-purpose platform’, to use the company’s preferred description) are no secret. The company first showcased a working model back in August 2012, but things have changed a bit since then.

According to Nissan, it received feedback from the London Mayor’s office and Transport for London which sent the firm’s designers scurrying back to their drawing boards to change the way the taxi looks.

Designers at Nissan’s European design centre in Paddington have drawn on styling cues from the current TX1 cab in an effort to persuade passengers and cabbies that their vehicle belongs on London’s streets. Although the NV200 taxi is also destined for use in Barcelona, New York and Tokyo, the firm will produce a London-specific version in an effort to provide the required look.

Among the specific changes that have been made to the front of the NV200 taxi are:

  • Round headlamps and a re-modelled grille mirroring the traditional black cab ‘face’
  • LED lighting to improve visibility of the traditional taxi sign
  • Completely new front bumper panels

Design Excellence Manager at NDE, Darryl Scriven, said:

“Having already overcome the unique technical challenges presented by the development of a new Hackney Carriage for London ahead of our launch of the vehicle in August 2012, we turned our attention to making the vehicle look the part.

“The Mayor’s office and taxi drivers were very keen that we maintain the character of the Hackney Carriage, making it something that people in the city can be proud of.

“The main challenges were concerned with making sure customers can easily recognise it as a taxi. Being in London, we were able to go out and talk to cabbies about what was important to them as well as look at the vehicle from a customer’s viewpoint. It’s unusual for us to be able to work on something as bespoke as this, specifically for one location in the world and we are very proud to have been asked to do so.”

Nissan intends to put the NV200 Taxi for London on sale in the Capital in December 2014, followed by an all-electric version, the e-NV200, in 2015. From launch, the new taxi will be available with a 1.6-litre petrol engine equipped with an automatic gearbox. Compared to current diesel London taxis, this engine will be far cleaner, with lower levels of NOx and particulates.

Europcar Opens ExCeL London Mobility Centre

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Europcar ExCeL London Mobility Centure

The new Europcar Mobility Centre at ExCeL London offers car and van hire, as well as chauffeur, valet and bus transfer services.

Europcar has wasted no time in opening its first Mobility Centre at ExCeL London.

The centre, which is part of an exclusive five-year deal between the two companies announced in November, offers a full range of car and van hire services, including a chauffeur-drive service from Prestige at Europcar, a valet service and bus and coach services to and from London City Airport, where car and van hire is also available.

Ken McCall, Managing Director, Europcar UK Group, says that the company believes that its partner ship with ExCeL has considerable potential:

“Innovation is central to everything Europcar does, and this is the perfect example of what two leaders in their field can achieve by working in partnership. But this is just the beginning. With over 5 million visitors in 2012, across its 100,000 sqm site, ExCeL is London’s biggest venue and as Europe’s largest rental provider, we believe Europcar is the perfect partner.”

In addition to hiring vans at ExCeL London, exhibitors and suppliers can also hire vans from Europcar’s nationwide network for their trip to ExCeL, benefiting from hourly and one-way rentals, as well as delivery and collection services.

Located on ExCeL’s main boulevard, the Europcar Mobility Centre will serve the needs of exhibition visitors, exhibitors, the campus residents and employees, hotel guests and the immediate wider business and consumer communities.

Offering an all-encompassing transport solution, it will provide access to a wide range of car hire services, including a chauffeur-drive service from Prestige at Europcar, a valet service and bus and coach services to and from London City Airport.

Merc Citan Is First-Class Choice For Rail Maintenance Firm

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RDL Mercedes-Benz CitanVans bearing the three-pointed star have a long and deserved history for delivering superior quality and economy, and despite its true identity as a re-engineered Renault Kangoo, the Mercedes-Benz Citan is building on that reputation.

One recent convert is rail engineering business Railway Drainage Ltd (RDL), which performs a variety of maintenance and engineering tasks on the UK’s rail network on behalf of Network Rail.

RDL has purchased five Citans for its supervisors, who cover up to 50,000 miles a year travelling around the UK to oversee on-site work.

Staff previously used a ‘mixed bag’ of car-derived vans, 4x4s and pick-ups to visit sites. But after reviewing its transport arrangements the company decided to switch to a single vehicle model.

Safety Director Paul Saddington explains:

“We wanted something that would be cost-effective to run and practical, because our supervisors have to carry tools and equipment, as well as small quantities of materials from time to time.

“The Citan ticked both boxes admirably, while being a Mercedes-Benz it also has the upmarket brand image we were looking for to complement our own reputation as a quality business.”

“The Citan is the perfect size for this role and we’re already achieving some very worthwhile savings on our fuel bill, thanks to its light weight and economical engine.”

RDL’s long-bodied Citan 109 CDIs are powered by 66 kW (90 hp) common-rail diesel engines and were ordered with optional Driver’s Packs, which include air conditioning, Parktronic proximity sensors and electric folding mirrors. The cargo areas, meanwhile, have been fitted with water tanks and heaters to provide washing facilities.

Save Up To 33% On UK Van Rental In Hertz Global Sale

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The Hertz Global Sale kicks off today, giving you the chance to save up to 33% on UK van hire from Hertz.

All you need to do to start saving is click through to Hertz and make your booking using the discount code below.

THIS OFFER HAS NOW EXPIRED.

Click here to visit the Hertz website

Here are the details:

  • Valid from: 24th December 2013
  • Expires:  12th January 2014
  • Code: 783530
  • Terms and conditions apply, see Hertz website for details.

Commercial Vehicle Manufacturing Falls 35.7% In November

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Another month, another dismal set of commercial vehicle manufacturing figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

UK CV manufacturing fell by 35.7% in November, compared to the same period the previous year, resulting in just 7,051 vehicles being produced. Last month’s fall takes the cumulative drop this year to 21.5% — just 82,535 commercial vehicles have been built in the UK this year:

CV manufacturing Nov-12 Nov-13 %
Change		 YTD-12 YTD-13 %
Change
Total 10,974 7,051 -35.7% 105,188 82,535 -21.5%
Home 5,343 3,673 -31.3% 45,005 38,747 -13.9%
Export 5,631 3,378 -40.0% 60,183 43,788 -27.2%
% export 51.3% 47.9% 57.2% 53.1%

Data courtesy of SMMT (www.smmt.co.uk)

The recent surge in new van and truck registrations hasn’t been reflected in the CV manufacturing figures, and isn’t likely to — most of the vans and trucks on our roads are built abroad, with the honourable exception, among volume manufacturers, of Vauxhall, whose Vivaro medium van is built at Luton, and will continue to be so when it is replaced with a new model in the near future.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, tried to put a positive spin on the figures:

“Ongoing weak European demand and changes to UK manufacturing operations impacted commercial vehicle production in November. While we expect the downward trend to continue for a few months yet, CV manufacturing in the UK has a solid base from which to build with more than 200 vans, trucks and buses rolling off domestic production lines every day.”

I’m not completely convinced. If people are buying more trucks and vans, but they’re not buying the ones built in the UK, what’s likely to happen next? I hope I’m wrong, obviously, but it’s not something I’d bet money on, and this graph shows why, I hope:

CV manufacturing output in UK November 2013

CV manufacturing output is now lower than it was in 2009, with no sign of any recovery.

CV manufacturing in the UK is now much lower than it was in 2009, and although it’s fair to put some of the blame on exports, it’s clear from the top line on the graph that domestic demand for home-built CVs isn’t that strong either.

All-New Ford Transit Goes On Sales As Transit Custom Wins Van of the Year

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All-new Ford Transit 2-tonne model

The all-new Ford Transit 2-tonne model is now available to order.

The all-new Ford Transit two-tonne van is due to go on sale in the UK early in 2014, and is now available to order. Will it be as successful as the Transit Custom, which has just won the What Van? Van of the Year award for the second year running?

Don’t bet against it. Ford’s new vehicles — cars and vans — are really hitting a sweet spot at the moment, and the firm’s One Ford initiative, aimed at selling the same models in Europe and the US, is a policy that other manufacturers are starting to follow.

The big Transit is a completely new model, and will be pitched directly against other large vans, like the Sprinter and Ducato, leaving Ford’s smaller Transit Custom model to compete with smaller models like the Volkswagen Transporter and Mercedes-Benz Vito.

Ford’s two-pronged approach should enable it to compete more effectively in both the medium and large van markets than previously, when the Transit was a jack of all trades that participated in both markets.

According to Ford, the Transit ECOnetic will be able to deliver CO2 emissions from just 169g/km and fuel consumption of as little as 44mpg — impressive stuff.

Ford reckons that the new model will have best-in-class running costs and load capacity, and says that it will offer extended 2-year/30,000 mile service intervals, with just 4.2 hours of scheduled maintenance required during the first 90,000 miles — down from 5.4 hours for the outgoing model. Non-scheduled maintenance times have also been cut, according to Ford — for example, a rear brake disc replacement will take 1.3 hours, rather than the outgoing model’s deeply extravagant 2.6 hours.

The new Transit will be powered by a 2.2-litre Duratorq diesel with a choice of three power ratings (100PS, 125PS and 155PS) and a 6-speed manual transmission. The ECOnetic specification will be available up to 3.5t for the first time, and will feature Auto Start-Stop and Ford’s Acceleration Control feature, which limits the acceleration of unladen vans to avoid drivers hoofing it when empty…

Overall, the new model looks set to be a corker of a van that should be popular with van rental fleets and businesses alike — can’t wait to see how it compares to the new Sprinter.

Moving House In The New Year? Check Out These Tips

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Europcar van hire moving houseAre you moving house in the New Year? With Christmas looming, it’s tempting to forget about 2014 until it happens, but as I write, it’s less than three weeks until the 1st January!

Even if you’re using a removals firm, you may be doing your packing yourself, and if you’re planning a DIY move with a hired van, then you need to be doubly thorough and efficient with your packing.

Car and van hire firm Europcar has put together some tips to help you pack and prepare — have a quick read. I recently move house myself, and I can confirm that this advice does make a big difference and is well worth the early effort.

  • Once you know you are going to be moving, have an initial clear out of possessions.
  • Take stock of everything that needs moving and use Europcar’s van calculator online to book the right size van
  • Book your van in advance to be sure you get the right vehicle for your needs
  • Wrap up fragile items carefully
  • Make use of pillows, blankets and duvets to pack around breakables
  • Don’t fill up large boxes, as they’ll be too heavy to move
  • Pack heavy items, like books, in smaller boxes to keep them manageable
  • Colour code the boxes to identify where they need to go in the new house. This reduces stress at the other end
  • Consider having the van delivered to you — you don’t want to have to go and collect it on the day, when you are trying to finish the last bits of packing

For more tips on DIY removals, click here for our free illustrated moving guide. Once you’re ready to book a hire van, then head on over to our van hire comparison engine to find the cheapest, closest van hire branch to your location. We can even do prices for one-way van hire, if you’re moving to a new area.

Finally, don’t forget to have a great Christmas and New Year before the move — I’m sure it will go brilliantly!