Van Sales Dip In July As Truck Sales Rebound

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After rising by 9.3% so far this year, van sales fell in July, with 18,417 new vans registered, down from down from 18,913 in July 2012, and significantly lower than the 23,041 vans that were registered in June.

Total CV registrations were stable in July at 22,211 (-0.6%) with 177,708 registrations over the year-to-date, a 6.5% rise, while truck demand rose by 10.3%, helping to cancel out the falls that have been seen over the last few months.

UK van and truck registrations: 2013 and % change on 2012

July % change Year-to-date % change Rolling year % change
Vans 18,417 -2.6% 151,594 9.3% 252,536 1.6%
Trucks 3,794 10.3% 25,114 -7.8% 43,580 -8.8%
Total 22,211 -0.6% 176,708 6.5% 296,116 0.0%

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

Nigel Base, the SMMT Commercial Vehicle Manager, says that the rise in truck registrations was expected, but he’s confident that despite this month’s dip, van sales will finish the year strongly:

“We’ve been expecting a rise in truck volumes as the Euro 5/6 issue comes to a head. In July, trucks rose 10.3% continuing the trend begun a month earlier – a momentum that should continue to the end of the year.

Van registrations have fluctuated through the year with dips following sizable peaks in demand. We are confident that the van market will end the year strongly, up 9.2% on 2012, topping 261,000 units.”

As was the case last month, the biggest rise in van registrations was in the popular 2.0t – 2.5t small van category, which includes modesl such as the Citroen Berlingo and Ford Transit Connect. Sales in this category rose by 24.3% last month, compared to July 2012, while sales of larger vans in the 2.5t – 3.5t category fell by 8%.

Europe’s the problem

The SMMT press release was accompanied by an interesting graph I haven’t seen before, comparing sales across the 27 EC member countries, for the 12 months to June 2007 and June 2013.

It’s a telling story, and shows how CV sales in several major European CV markets remain deeply depressed compared to their pre-recessions levels:

EC27 CV registrations 2007-2013

EC(27) new CV registrations for the 12 months to June 2007 and June 2013 (courtesy of SMMT)

This graph shows just how far the UK CV market is lagging behind it pre-recession levels — but perhaps the most interesting thing about this graph, for me, is what it reveals about our European neighbours.

Greece and Spain, as you would expect, are deep in the doldrums, with CV registrations of less than half their pre-recession levels. Yet Italy — which is often talked about as a potential bailout target in the same breath as Spain — has CV registrations that are closer to 2007 levels than those of the UK. If CV registrations are any kind of barometer of economic health, then Italy and Spain are very different cases.

Germany and France remain in relatively good health, but both of these companies are notably biased towards home-grown products when it comes to vehicle purchases, so neither is likely to help boost UK CV manufacturing figures.

Graphics Firm Is ‘Citan’ly Happy With Mercedes Van Family!

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Dragon Signs & Prints fleet of Mercedes-Benz vans - Citan, Vito and Sprinter

Dragon Signs & Print’s fleet of Mercedes-Benz vans – Citan, Vito and Sprinter

It’s been a long time since Mercedes-Benz offered a small van, meaning that van operators needing this choice have been forced to choose another marque, or absorb the cost of running Mercedes’ larger model, the Vito.

The introduction of the new Citan, in February, changed this, and Mercedes now offers a full range of van sizes, from the Citan upwards. One firm that has taken advantage of the German company’s new offering is Cardiff-based Dragon Signs & Print, which supplies exterior and interior signage and vehicle livery services.

The company’s Citan 109 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Extra-long Dualiner is now working alongside examples from the two other model lines – the Vito and the Sprinter – which make up the core Mercedes-Benz van range.

The inherent economy of the 109 CDI model’s 90 hp diesel engine is enhanced for Dragon by a series of clever BlueEFFICIENCY measures including the ECO start/stop function – which turns off the engine whenever the vehicle is stopped in traffic, then restarts it as soon as the driver depresses the clutch – low rolling resistance tyres and optimised alternator and battery management systems. The result is a market-leading economy figure of up to 65.7 mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 112 g/km.

Managing Director Rhys Harrington and his brother-in-law Adrian Ward, the Technical Director, founded their company seven years ago.

“I’m a big fan of Mercedes-Benz vans,” says Mr Harrington. “They’re reliable, practical, comfortable and cost-effective to operate, while they also convey an image of quality which can only reflect well on our own business.

“I also have a great relationship with the dealer. Product quality is important, of course, but so, too, is service – I’m a great believer in the idea that ‘people buy from people’ and Euro Commercials look after us very well.”

As a Dualiner model Dragon’s Citan is fitted with a split-folding bench seat behind the driver’s and front passenger’s seats, allowing it to carry up to five members of the company team in comfort and safety. The Extra-long configuration still leaves a practical load compartment length of more than 1.3 metres.

Dragon Signs & Print also operates a pair of mid-sized Vito vans, a 109 CDI and a stylish 116 CDI Sport Dualiner. Completing the line-up is a Long-bodied 3.5-tonne Sprinter.

“We use the Sprinter for large external signage installations and the two Vito models for most routine projects,” continues Mr Harrington. “But even they’ve been too big on occasion, which is where the Citan comes in. It’s ideal as a little runaround for smaller jobs, and means that we’re able to restrict our fuel costs to an absolute minimum.”

Nissan Continues Fleet Market Growth With Two New Wins

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Barkers Group new Nissan vans

The new fleet of Barker Group Nissans

Nissan has continued to make progress with its drive into the fleet market with two further SME wins, include one where the customer chose to switch to Nissan from Mercedes-Benz.

Bournemouth-based Barker Group, the long established laundry and dry cleaning company, will now use six Primastars and one NV400 (click here for our guide to van sizes) to cover the firm’s operations in the southern counties, including some blue chip clients in London.

The vehicles were chosen by Barker Group after a search to find a better value alternative to the Mercedes LCVs that were previously on its fleet. A detailed presentation led by Nissan Westway Fleet Operations revealed the Nissan vehicles selected offer the best value for pence-per-mile operation.

Matthew Barker, Barker Group managing director said:

“We’re really excited by the new partnership with Nissan that will allow us to grow our business even further. As well as offering fantastic value for money we’ve received great early feedback from drivers about the performance and versatility of the vehicles.”

In the Midlands, Derby-based plumbing and heating firm Vinshire Plumbing and Heating has also made the choice to switch to Nissan, and has added 11 NV200s to its fleet for use by its servicing and maintenance engineers. The vans will cover up to 20,000 miles per year and have been well-received so far, as Vinshire’s Quality Control Manager Simon Burdell explains:

“The NV200s have proved to be a great addition to our fleet and are ideal for the needs of both our maintenance and installation engineers. The feedback has been universally positive so far with the ordering of more vehicles from Nissan a real possibility.”

Although Nissan’s overall share of the UK van market remains small, the firm’s ongoing stream of wins suggests that it is committed to the UK LCV market and can offer highly competitive running costs compared to the ‘incumbent’ manufacturers.

Sat Nav Hire With Van Rental: How Much Does It Cost?

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Sat nav screen while driving

A sat nav can be very useful if driving alone to an unfamiliar destination — especially if you’re driving a large van.

In today’s article, I’m going to continue my ‘How Much Does It Cost?’ series with a look at sat nav hire, a widely available optional extra on car and van hire.

Sat nav hire has become one of the most popular car and van hire options over the last few years.

Even if you don’t normally need a sat nav, you may find one useful when you are driving a large, unfamiliar hire van that’s harder to turn round than a car, and are unfamiliar with your route.

Most big van hire companies now offer sat nav hire as an optional extra on van rental, but I’ve found that you can spend a surprising amount on hiring a sat nav — so much so that if you do it often, you may want to consider buying a sat nav instead.

Here’s a run-down of the prices being charged by the main companies featured on vanrental.co.uk:

  • Europcar: £13.99 per day, £300 penalty if the sat nav unit is lost, damaged or stolen.
  • National: £13.99 per day, maximum charge of £139.99 per rental. Replacement fee of £300 if lost, damaged or stolen.
  • Thrifty: £10 per day for 1-6 days, £6 per day for hires of 7 or more days.
  • Hertz: A maximum cost of £19.80 per rental where available (Hertz offers sat nav hire as its ‘NeverLost’ service)
  • Sixt: Minimum £11.99 per day, cost per day decreases for longer hires — I was quoted £9.20 per day for a five-day hire.
  • Van Hire 3000: As Van Hire 3000 is a broker, the cost of sat nav hire varies depending on the supplying hire company.
  • Argus Car Hire: As Argus Car Hire is a broker, the cost of sat nav hire varies depending on the supplying hire company.

As you can see, the cost of sat nav hire can vary considerably when you rent a van. Hertz and Thrifty look like they are the cheapest two, and Hertz’s flat-rate maximum of £19.80 looks very good value for longer hires, assuming there are no extra costs that I missed.

On the other hand, National’s maximum of £139.99 per rental (10 days) would be likely to make you think about buying a sat nav for yourself — since you can buy quite a decent sat nav for around £150.

As always, however, the underlying cost of the rental can also affect which van hire company is cheapest, so you do need to compare prices and rental quotes quite carefully — the best starting point is with our van hire price comparison search engine.

To learn more about the true cost of van hire, check out the following articles:

Luton Van Hire: Thrifty Opens New Luton Rental Branch

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Thrifty Car & Van Rental logoThrifty Car & Van Rental has opened a new branch in Luton. The branch offers a full range of rental cars and vans, including manual and automatic models.

Thrifty Luton branch manager Mark Grant, said:

“With an anticipated increase of tourism this summer, it is very exciting to have the opportunity to develop such a prime location. We have a very experienced team here at Luton, so customers can expect a knowledgeable and friendly service with every rental.”

Full contact details for Thrifty’s new branch are below – or visit our Thrifty Luton branch information page for a map and GPS coordinates:

Address:

24 Crescent Road
Luton
LU2 0AH

Tel: 01582 343380
Email: thrifty.luton@thrifty.co.uk

You can find a full list of Thrifty UK van rental branches on our Thrifty branch page.

Autoglass Celebrates 44 Years of Transits

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Autoglass Ford Transit Custom LWB

One of the new Autoglass Ford Transit Custom LWB vans

Not many companies remain loyal to one brand of vehicle for nearly half a century, but Ford Transits have been the mainstay of the Autoglass fleet for 44 years.

The glass-fitting firm recently ordered 90 new long wheelbase Ford Transit Custom vans to update its 1,250-strong Transit van fleet.

The long wheelbase version of the Transit Custom was chosen because like cars, windscreens are getting bigger and more curvacious than they used to be, and require more storage space inside the van.

“The glass we have to carry is getting bigger and therefore so must our vehicles,” said Autoglass fleet manager Ged Raymond. “The 290 long wheel-base Transit Custom meets our needs perfectly and is being well received by our mobile technicians. They have always loved the Ford Transit and they like this one even more thanks to its comfort and drivability.”

Each Autoglass van is specially equipped with racking to carry the firm’s stock-in-trade as well as an electrical conversion unit to provide 240-volt power for tools and equipment. The Transit models used by Autoglass are all supplied through Heartlands Ford in Birmingham, and typically enjoy a four-year/100,000-mile working life.

Heading Abroad In A Hire Van? Here’s What You Need To Know

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EU flagHere at vanrental.co.uk, we receive a surprising number of questions about hiring a van to take abroad — typically across the Channel to continental Europe, although it’s worth remembering that the Republic of Ireland (Southern Ireland) also counts as overseas use and some restrictions also apply on taking rental vans from mainland UK to Northern Ireland.

We’ve got a page that’s dedicated to European van hire (or ‘cross border use’, as it’s sometimes referred to), but I thought I would use this post to answer common questions and gather together all the most essential information needed if you’re thinking about taking a rented van out of the UK.

Q: Can hire vans be taken abroad?

A: Yes. Many companies (but not all) offer this service, but you must arrange it in advance to ensure the extra paperwork and insurance requirements can be dealt with by the hire company before you collect the van.

You should also note that some companies only allow certain types of vehicles to be taken abroad, and not others. If in doubt, check before you book.

Q: Does it cost extra to take a rental van abroad?

A: Yes. As far as I am aware, all companies charge extra to allow you to take a van abroad, but these extra costs can vary widely.

Q: What paperwork is required to take a rented van (or car) out of the UK?

A: Vehicles travelling in Europe must carry a copy of their registration documents. As you are not the owner of a hired vehicle, you won’t be given the V5C vehicle registration document. Instead, the hire company should provide you with a VE103b form, known as a Vehicle On Hire Certificate. This is absolutely essential. Photocopies of the V5 are not acceptable and neither is a letter of authority, even if it is on headed paper!

Without a VE103, European police and border officials are likely to prevent you travelling any further until you receive a valid VE103 document from the vehicle’s owner. This could mean being stuck at a border crossing for several days, for example.

You will also need to make sure that the hire company is providing insurance and breakdown cover for European use, and if not, arrange this yourself.

Q: What if my hire van breaks down while I’m abroad?

A: If you have a breakdown in a hire vehicle, the same basic rules apply as in your own vehicle. Call the breakdown assistance number provided by your hire company, or follow the instructions you were given if these are different. You may also need to contact the hire company or branch directly to let them know what’s happened.

Q: What if I have an accident while I’m abroad?

A: For emergency services in Europe, dial 112. If no one is hurt, then you may need to call police anyway, depending on the law in the country you are driving in. You will also need to follow standard procedure for accidents: don’t admit liability, call the police if there is any dispute, take the names, addresses and vehicle reg. numbers of everyone involved and inform the hire company as soon as possible. They may provide an accident report form for you to fill in. For country-specific information on legal requirements abroad, check out the AA guide to driving abroad.

Q: Will the hire company provide accessories that are required abroad, like warning triangles?

A: That depends on the hire company. You should ask them at the time of booking, and if they do not provide the compulsory accessories for the countries you are visiting, you should provide them yourself. Check the AA’s guide to compulsory equipment abroad to find out what might be required.

How much does it cost, and which companies allow European use?

Most of the main UK van hire companies allow European use, as long as this is booked in advance and the vehicle is returned to a UK branch at the end of the hire. Additional costs apply in each case, but they’re not always the same. Here’s a quick run-down of what each of the main companies listed on vanrental.co.uk offers*:

  • Europcar: Europcar allows most vehicles to be taken abroad, but costs and restrictions can vary depending on which countries you want to visit. Contact the company for further information and to arrange for this service. An Overseas Charge applies for the provision of a VE103B and European insurance and breakdown cover. This is paid separately at the branch. At the time of writing, the Overseas Charge ranges from £45 (1-2 days) up to £160 (42+ days).
  • Thrifty: Some cars and vans up to 3.5t LWB can be taken out of the UK (that seems to exclude XLWB and luton vans). Travel into most EU countries is permitted and an additional charge for the VE103 form and European breakdown cover will apply in addition to the quoted rate. Make sure you check the ‘Taking a vehicle outside the UK’ box when getting a quote. Additional mileage limits also apply to overseas hires – see the Thrifty website for more details.
  • Hertz: Hertz does not allow vans to be taken out of the UK.
  • Sixt: A foreign use charge of 60% on the basic rental rate applies. A fee of £24 per rental applies for Northern Ireland. Additional fees also apply for foreign breakdown cover. As always, prior arrangement is required – see the Sixt website for more information.
  • Argus Car Hire (broker): As a broker, Van Hire 3000 supplies vans from a number of different hire companies, so restrictions on cross-border use vary. Argus includes information on cross border travel restrictions in the ‘rental conditions’ linked to at the bottom of the booking details page, but costs aren’t included, so contact them on 0800 088 5548 if you are unsure or need more information.

What About European One-Way Hire?

Q: Is one-way hire from the UK to Europe possible?

A: No, with one major exception — Spain. Regular rental companies will not offer international one-way hire, but a number of UK companies do offer a one-way van hire service to and from Spain, mainly to serve the expatriate community on the east cost (Alicante, etc). If you are heading to this area and need a one-way van hire, check out our Van Hire to Spain page for full details.

*All information provided was correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing (31/07/2013), but the author and vanrental.co.uk can accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. Renters should check directly with their hire company to ensure that all necessary arrangements and permissions are provided for travel abroad.

I hope this guide is useful — if you’ve got any questions about European van hire or any experiences (good or bad!) that you’d like to share, leave a comment below, get in touch through Facebook or @vanrentaluk on Twitter, or send us an email.

Motorhome Demand Raises Price of High-Spec Used Vans

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Volkswagen Transporter Sportline

Well-specified Volkswagen Transporter vans are seeing strong demand from motorhome converters.

Well-specified used vans are rising in value thanks to strong demand from the motorhome conversion market, according to online remarketing specialists Autorola.

An increasing number of trade buyers are buying used vans to supply to motorhome converters, according to Autorola,  and are willing to pay top dollar for the right vans. Air conditioning, electric windows, metallic pain are all desirable, as are tailgates, where possible.

Commenting on the trend, Neil Frost, Autorola’s head of operations, said:

“The campervan is making a welcome return and many of our trade buyers are purchasing vans specifically to sell to consumers as a base vehicle for conversion into a camper van,” explained Neil Frost, Autorola’s head of operations.

“Demand for high spec Transporter vans continues to rise, as do prices, despite the eventual owner not being able to recover the VAT on the van’s purchase.

“As a fleet operator it makes the investment in options such as electric windows, metallic paint and air conditioning worth it as they are pushing up values when it reaches the used market,”

The most popular van for campervan and motorhome conversions is of course the Volkswagen Transporter. It may not be the most practical choice (speaking as someone who has converted two vans into motorhomes), but it is undoubtedly the most fashionable and sought-after model, thanks to its iconic image and everyday usability.

Autorola says that a 12-plate VW Transporter with a high specification can sell for between £14,000 and £15,000. If it’s converted to a professional standard, then it may be worth more than £30,000 as a campervan.

Mercedes-Benz Sprinters Are Top Choice For Underground Storage

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Mercedes-Benz Sprinter operated by Deepstore

One of Deepstore’s new Sprinter vans.

You may not realise it, but some of the most important and long-lived business and government paper archives are stored deep underground, in disused mines.

The operator of one such mine is records management specialist Deepstore, which is named after its main, archival storage facility — an old salt mine, 150 metres below the ground, in Winsford, Cheshire.

This old mine offers 1.8 million square metres of storage space and provides “unrivalled protection from natural disasters and security risks”, making it ideal for business critical data and is a far cry from the kind of DIY self-storage facilities that you or I might use.

Deepstore recently purchased a brace of six new Mercedes-Benz Sprinters, to replace eight-year old Sprinters that had provided sterling service. The Sprinters don’t actually go underground of course — in fact, these vans will be used to collect and deliver important documents and other assets for clients in and around London.

That’s because Deepstore also operates two not-so-deep active storage facilities, both of which are above ground, in Bromley-by-Bow, East London, and Wallington, near Croydon. It is from these locations that the company’s six new Mercedes-Benz Sprinters operate.

Supplied by dealer SG Smith, of Sydenham, South London, all six are Long-bodied 313 CDI models with 129 hp engines married to six-speed ECO Gear manual transmissions, which have been designed specifically for vans and should help the firm’s drivers maximise fuel economy.

Explaining the choice, Chris Gamble, UK Logistics Manager for Deepstore, says:

“Our new vans replace a previous batch of Sprinters that were nearly eight years old but had proved exceptionally reliable. They were a great testament to the Mercedes-Benz brand.

“It’s crucial that our uniformed drivers should feel safe and confident in their vans so we listened carefully to the feedback we’d had from Bow and Wallington before deciding to go with the Sprinter again.

“They’re certainly big fans of Mercedes-Benz and take great pride in their vehicles. That’s important because given that they spend most of their time working in the centre of London, if they weren’t treated with the utmost care  these vans could easily suffer a lot of damage.”

Deepstore offers same-day and two-hour retrieval services for documents and other material kept at Bow and Wallington. The company uses trucks to trunk nightly between these two facilities and its Cheshire headquarters, from which it delivers items on a next-day basis.

You can find out more about serious storage on Deepstore’s website.

Van Hire Delivery & Collection Services

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vanrental.co.uk vanWhen you hire a van, collecting it directly from the hire branch isn’t always very convenient.

For one thing, getting there may not be easy. You will probably need to get a lift, or leave your car parked unattended near the hire company’s office for the duration of your rental. Leaving your car may be convenient, but it isn’t very desirable, especially in urban industrial areas that may be a bit dodgy after dark.

Time’s often tight, too, and having someone deliver a hire van to you can be a real bonus, especially if you are at work.

Unsurprisingly, many hire companies do now offer delivery and collection (D&C) services — they will bring the vehicle to you are the start of the hire, and collect it from you at the end of the hire period.

Naturally, this service usually costs extra, and not all companies offer D&C from all of their branches.

To help you work out what’s what in the world of van hire delivery and collection, I’ve checked with all the major companies listed on vanrental.co.uk to see what their delivery and collection policies are*. This post brings all of that information together in one place for you.

Delivery & Collection:

  • Europcar: Van hire delivery and collection costs £10 each way for locations within 15 miles of the nearest branch, £20 for delivery addresses from 16-30 miles and £30 for delivery addresses more than 30 miles from the nearest branch. No minimum booking length applies, but 48 hours’ notice is required for delivery. The delivery address must be a home address that matches the address on the driver’s credit card and driving licence. Collection is available from a home, work or hotel address.
  • Hertz: Delivery can be arranged when you make your booking by contacting the Hertz Reservations Centre by phone. Collections must be arranged directly with the return location. An additional fee will apply in both cases.
  • Thrifty: Delivery and collection services are available at some locations – contact the branch directly for details.
  • Sixt: Delivery and collection is not available for private customers.
  • Argus Car Hire (broker): Availability and cost varies depending on the supplying hire company.
  • Enterprise**: Enterprise doesn’t offer a delivery and collection service. Instead, if offers a pick-up and drop-off service. This means that Enterprise will pick you up from your home or office and take you back to the branch to sign out your hire vehicle. At the end of your hire, they will drop you off at your home/office after you have returned the hire vehicle to your nearest Enterprise branch.

*At time of writing 26/07/2013. I’ve done my best to make sure this information is accurate, but the author and vanrental.co.uk accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. If in doubt, check before you book.

**At the time of writing, Enterprise branches were not included on vanrental.co.uk.