MS-RT Transit Custom

MS-RT gives Ford Transit Custom rally-inspired makeover

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MS-RT Transit Custom

The MS-RT conversion of the Ford Transit Custom adds motorsport styling to the UK’s most popular van.

The Ford Transit Sport vans offer a decent slug of motorsport styling for van operators. But if you’re looking for something to take your next Transit Custom to the next level, the new MS-RT Transit Custom conversion from Welsh firm MS-RT could be just the ticket.

MS-RT says it’s taken inspiration from the Ford-backed M-Sport rally team to achieve “a performance version of the country’s most popular commercial vehicle”. 

The modified van is based on the new 2018 Transit Custom, which is just starting to be delivered to early buyers. MS-RT Founding Director, Ed Davies, says their conversion creates a van owners will cherish:

“The new MS-RT Transit Custom takes an already excellent van and turns it into something really special, which owners are bound to cherish, and which businesses will use to make their brands really stand out.

Head-turning styling

On the outside, the van gets a comprehensive body kit, including a full front bumper and grill replacement with factory-fitted fog lights. There’s also an “extreme front diffuser” side sills, wheel arch extensions and matching rear spoiler and diffuser. The van also gets a British-made twin exhaust system and MS-RT branding.

In order to tighten up the van’s handling, these replacement wheels are paired with a set of Eibach lowering springs. These are paired with exclusive 18-inch Antracite OZ Racing alloys, but MS-RT has taken care to ensure the van retains its load-carrying ability.

These show-stopping wheels are shod with 103XL load-rated Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 tyres, which have been chosen to maintain the van’s 3.5t gross weight.

Impressive spec list

MS-RT’s modifications continue inside the van, which gets handcrafted nappa leather and suede seat facings, a MS-RT sports steering wheel and carbon fibre inlays. There’s even a MS-RT set of floor mats.

All vehicles come with an impressive stock specification. Vans are fitted with Ford’s SYNC3 entertainment system with sat nav, a reversing camera and parking sensors. There’s also heated seats and upgraded HID headlights, plus Ford’s ever-popular heated windscreen.

Under the bonnet MS-RT has specifies Ford’s range-topping 170PS EcoBlue 2.0-litre diesel engine This provides 405Nm of torque and can be paired with your choice of six-speed manual or automatic ‘box. A standard choice of cabin layouts is available, including five or six-seat crew cab, long or short wheel base and tailgate or twin rear doors.

Prices have not yet been announced — more information should be available in April 2018.

Thief stealing a van

How to protect your hire van from keyless ‘relay attack’ theft

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Thief stealing a car

Keyless entry means that van thieves don’t have to know how to pick locks. A cheap electronic ‘relay’ gadget is all that’s required. To avoid keyless theft, consider keeping your key in a faraday wallet when you’re not using it.

In 2017, 82% of the vans recovered by vehicle security experts TRACKER were stolen without the owner’s keys. That’s a big increase from 2016, when just 44% were stolen without keys.

What’s happening here appears to be that thieves are taking advantage of the growing popularity of keyless entry systems on new vans. You may also have one of these in your car. The vehicle senses when you are nearby and automatically unlocks the doors. Quite often you can then start the engine with a push button without needing to take the key out of your pocket.

Unfortunately there seems to be a price for this convenience. It makes vans easier to steal.

“Relay attack”

The problem is that thieves don’t necessarily need to steal your keys to unlock your vehicle.

Using a cheap radio device known as a relay the faint signal from the key inside your house can be amplified. This can be enough to fool your vehicle into thinking that the key is close enough to unlock. The thieves can then hop in and drive away.

How to prevent keyless theft

Thieves still like to steal your keys if possible, because it makes it quicker and easier to drive away. The keys can then be kept with the vehicle for onward use.

If you own or rent a van with a keyless entry system, here’s what you should do to help protect yourself from keyless theft:

  1. Keep the keys out of sight in your house, preferably as far away from the vehicle as possible.
  2. Another weapon in thieves’ arsenal is the “blocker”, which stops the keyless system locking as you walk away. So check the vehicle is locked when you leave it. The indicator lights will usually flash.
  3. If you own a vehicle with a keyless system, consider getting a faraday wallet to keep your key in. These only cost a few pounds and will completely block the signal from the key when it’s inside the wallet, preventing relay attacks.
  4. If you own a car or van with a keyless system, consider getting an old-school Crook Lok or steering wheel lock. These may seem old fashioned, but they can provide a useful extra layer of security. Obviously this isn’t practical when you’re only hiring a van.

Finally, remember to obey all the usual rules. Don’t leave anything of value visible inside your van. If possible, don’t leave expensive tools in the van overnight — replacing these, even if they’re insured, is costly and time consuming.

Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian SVP II

Mitsubishi Motors UK launches special vehicles Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian SVP II

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Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian SVP II

The Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian SVP II

Mitsubishi Motors is adding a new model to the popular L200 range with the release of the special edition Barbarian SVP II.

Produced by the firm’s Special Vehicle Projects division, this this version of the Barbarian is customised with a two-tone colour scheme and upgrades to the already generous standard specification.

Additional features include 17-inch bespoke alloy wheels with BG Goodrich all-terrain tyres, wheel arch extensions and a new SVP grill and roof rails. This Barbarian will also get SVP tailgate badging and extra trim, including ‘shark fin’ side steps and a colour coded bumper. More usefully, there’s also load bed illumination and a soft-opening tailgate.

Inside, this special edition model gets six-pack leather seats with faux-suede inserts and orange stitching and piping. Each SVP II model also has its limited edition number and the SVP logo stitched into the headrests.

Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian SVP II interior

Inside the Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian SVP II

This SVP spec comes in addition to standard Barbarian features such as the Mitsubishi Smartphone Link Display Audio system Bluetooth, Bi-Xenon headlights, cruise control and keyless entry.

As with all L200 models, power comes from a 2.4-litre alumnium turbodiesel linked to the Super Select 4WD system. This allows on-the-fly switching between 2WD and 4WD at speeds of up to 62mph.

Order books are now open with first deliveries expected in May. The L200 Barbarian SVP II starts from £29,830 +VAT and is available in black and grey versions.

Easter picture

Why hiring a van this Easter could save you money and time

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Easter picture

© creativecommonsstockphotos ID 89742774 | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Easter is early this year, and will be here in less than two weeks. What are your plans?

The ‘beast from the East’ appears to be in full retreat this week, opening up the prospect of some milder weather over the long weekend.

It may still be too early for a BBQ (or perhaps not!) but Easter is the ideal time to get stuck into big DIY jobs, garden renovations, or major trips to the tip. Perhaps you’ve got an old shed or garage that needs emptying. And what about the loft?

Dirty deeds

If you need to shift a load of dirty ‘stuff’ from a to b, then you’ll probably already know that your car isn’t the ideal choice of transport. Not only is carrying capacity limited, but you’ll have to do a big clean-up afterwards.

A far better choice might be to consider hiring a van for the long weekend. This could be much cheaper than you’d expect, and the practical advantages of having a rugged and large load space could easily outweigh the extra cost.

For example, you won’t run any risk of getting soil/mud/oil/grime/loft dirt on your car’s upholstery. Nor will there be any risk of damaging the seats or interior trim.

Fewer journeys

The extra space and weight-carrying ability of a van also means that you’ll probably be able to make fewer trips. One trip in a medium van could easily replace three in a car. That leaves more time for a BBQ and a hard-earned beer when you knock off for the day!

If you’re not familiar with van hire, we can help you get started.

To get compare van hire prices from leading UK hire companies, click here.

For more information on choosing the right size van, click here.

Questor Insurance logo

EXCLUSIVE: Questor Insurance 10% discount code (EXPIRED)

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Questor Insurance logo

We have an exclusive new 10% discount code for Questor Insurance.

This offer is valid for one week only but you can book now for dates later in the year. So don’t miss out on this fantastic saving.

The code will provide you with a 10% discount on Questor’s van hire excess insurance. Our research suggests that Questor is already the cheapest, so this looks like a real bargain to me.

10% discount code:

*** THIS OFFER HAS NOW EXPIRED ***

Please check our van hire excess insurance page for the latest Questor Insurance discount codes.

Ford Transit hire van

Why van hire price comparison could save you money

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Ford Transit hire van

If you want to save money on van hire, then you need to know that van hire prices change a lot.

Many of the companies listed on vanrental.co.uk change their rates on a daily basis! There’s often a surprising difference between companies as well. Factors such as the time of year and the level of demand from big corporate customers can have a big effect on prices.

To find the cheapest prices, you’ll need to compare prices across a range of suppliers. And you’d probably prefer to do this on a single website. That’s what we aim to do.

vanrental.co.uk logo

How we compare prices

To help you find the cheapest rates, we get live prices from as many companies as possible every time you search.

Our price comparison system has been developed by our developers in house. We’re not owned by any van hire company and are 100% independent.

We don’t add anything on to the prices you see, which should be the same as you’d get on the hire companies’ own websites.

All of our results are listed strictly in price order. No one can ‘buy’ the top spot. 

Van hire price comparison results on vanrental.co.uk

How you make a booking

We are strictly a comparison website. We don’t rent vans ourselves and we’re not a broker.

After you choose a van to hire, you’re transferred to the website of your chosen hire company. You’ll see a page like this when you leave our site:

vanrental.co.uk exit page

Your booking will be made directly with the hire company you choose. We don’t collect your personal details and we don’t handle any bookings or payments.

What if there’s a problem?

One advantage of booking direct is that if you have any questions or problems, you can contact the rental company as a direct customer. You don’t have to deal with a middleman who might try to fob you off.

Although there are lots of other websites which compare car hire, there are hardly any in the UK which offer genuine van hire comparison except us!

Thank you

We have been in business for nearly 11 years, thanks to the support of people like you. We believe our service is still the best and the most transparent you will find.

If you have any comments, questions or concerns about vanrental.co.uk, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch and we’ll do our best to help:

Finally – if you run a van hire company and you’d like to appear in our results (even if live pricing isn’t possible) then check out our advertising options here or get in touch.

Moving house with a van

Students! Do you need a van to head home for Easter?

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Moving house with a van

Shifting your stuff is much easier in a van than in your parents’ car! Think about sharing with an older driver to avoid age restrictions.

It’s the end of another term. You’ve got revision to do. What you don’t need is to have to empty your room and shift all your stuff back to your parents’ house half way across the UK. And then bring it back again a few weeks later.

Unfortunately we can’t help you keep your uni room over the Easter holidays. But we can help you to cut costs and ease the pain of shifting your stuff around.

1. Consider self storage

Do you really need to take everything home for just a few weeks? If your university is in a major town or city, you’ll almost certainly have self-storage facilities available nearby.

Why not hire a storage unit and then get the train home? If it’s too big, you could share the cost with a friend.

How to get everything to the storage unit: If you have a friend with a car, even a small one, then you can probably manage by making several trips. If you don’t, then the cheapest option might be a ‘man and van’ service which charges by the hour.

The other option is to hire a van and drive yourself (or get an older friend to do the driving). Hourly van hire is available from companies in most cities, including Europcar, Hertz, Enterprise and Zipvan (note that Europcar’s service is a standard rental, the others require you to join a car-sharing club).

2. You need to take everything home

If you need to take everything home, then the usual routine is for your parents’ car to be pressed into service as an improvised van. But this isn’t always ideal. It might not be big enough and could end up getting scratched and dirty inside thanks to all of your boxes and bits.

A far better solution is to hire a van. This can be surprisingly cheap, as even a small van is bigger inside than most cars. The biggest problems are age restrictions and the need for a one-way hire.

Under 25? We’ve got a list of van hire companies which rent vans to under 25s:

I’m afraid you probably won’t find a company who’ll hire to drivers under 21. So if you’re lucky enough to be this young, team up with a friend or get one of your parents to rent the van…

One-way van hire: Nominating a parent to drive can also solve the one-way problem, as your parents can hire a van at home, pick you up, and then drive it back!

Joking aside, this is sometimes be the best and cheapest option. Your stuff will probably fit easily into a small van (unless you have a lot of furniture) and one-way fees can be quite high. A single-day return hire will be much cheaper than a one-way van rental.

Finally… our top tip to save money on insurance

Van hire companies will often offer you extra insurance to reduce the excess on your rental vehicle to £0. This can be quite expensive. It’s normally much cheaper to buy your own van hire excess insurance from a third party.

Here’s our quick guide to help you compare van hire excess insurance. Prices start from just £6.33 per day*. It’s very affordable and often normally provides extra cover compared to hire company insurance.

*Price believed to be correct at time of writing (12/03/2018). Check before you buy.

Filling up a van - petrol or diesel?

Are hire vans petrol or diesel?

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Filling up a van - petrol or diesel?

Should you be putting petrol or diesel in your hire van?

Diesel has got a lot of bad press over the last year. If you’ve been following the latest new car sales data, you’ll know that 220,000 fewer diesel cars were sold in 2017 than in 2016.

In fact, falling sales of diesel cars accounted for the entire reduction in new car sales last year.

So if you’re driving a new car — or even hiring one — it’s increasingly likely to be a petrol model.

Are hire vans petrol or diesel?

Although van manufacturers are now starting to offer more petrol models, the vast majority* of van hire fleets are still 100% diesel.

We may see van rental companies starting to offer more petrol models over the next few years, especially in the smaller models such as small and medium vans. However, petrol vans are still rare. For now, almost all rental vans use diesel.

Most rental vehicles have the fuel filler cap labelled with the correct type of fuel, so there should be no reason to get it wrong. But if you are unsure, make sure you ask when you pick up the van, and double-check each time you fill it up.

What if I fill up my van with the wrong fuel?

If you put the wrong fuel into any car or van, the golden rule is to stop instantly. Stop filling and stop driving if it’s safe to do so.

Don’t even put the key in the ignition if you can avoid it. Many modern vehicles prime their fuel pumps with fuel when you put the key in, before you start the engine. Driving a diesel van with petrol in the tank can cause a lot of damage, especially to the (expensive) fuel pump.

In a hire vehicle, you should phone the number provided for breakdown assistance. The breakdown provider will probably send someone out to pump the tank for you. Both the AA and RAC have special misfuelling patrol vans fitted with tanks and pumps to do this safely.

Unfortunately you should expect to pay for this service, as it’s your fault — it’s not a mechanical failure that might be covered by breakdown protection.

*There are a few exceptions, especially in London. Tighter emissions rules and problems with diesel particulate filters on vans used for short journeys are making diesel increasingly unattractive. Car-sharing firm Zipcar recently added 10 Volkswagen Transporter vans with petrol engines to its London fleet, but this is a drop in the ocean and is very much an exception to the rule.

New van registrations February 2018

New van market bounces back in February with 6.4% gain

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Ford Transit Custom

The Ford Transit Custom is the UK’s most popular new van.

After ending last year on a down note, new van sales came roaring back in February with a surprise 6.4% increase, compared to the same month last year.

According to figures released this week by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), new van registrations rose by 6.4% to 14,135 units in February. Demand grew most strongly in the 2.0-2.5t van category, which clocked up a 20% increase. This might indicate a major fleet order was completed during the month.

New van registrations February 2018

New van registrations February 2018 (Source: SMMT)

According to Mike Hawes, the SMMT’s chief executive, uncertain market conditions mean that further volatility is likely:

 “February is typically a quiet month as buyers await the March plate change so the rise in demand is welcome news. However, with so much uncertainty in the UK at the moment and weak business confidence, we can expect further fluctuations in demand for the rest of the year.”

The UK’s top-selling vans

Market conditions may be more uncertain, but van buyers’ favourite models have remained fairly predictable. The Blue Oval has retained its commanding lead at the top of the best seller list, with the Ford Transit Custom and Ford Transit accounting for almost 25% (8,521) of the new vans registered so far in 2018.

Here’s the top 10 best seller list for February and 2018 to date:

Top-selling vans Feb 18 and YTD

The top-selling vans so far this year (source: SMMT)

I suspect that a good number of these vans, especially the Ford, Mercedes and VW models are now in the hands of van rental firms. Good news for drivers who’ll get to work behind the wheel of some of the best and most sophisticated vans ever made.

Mercedes-Benz X-Class X 350 d 4MATIC

V6 Mercedes-Benz X-Class breaks cover at Geneva Motor Show

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Mercedes-Benz X-Class X 350 d 4MATIC

The Mercedes-Benz X 350 d 4MATIC boasts V6 power and a range-topping specification.

The ‘ordinary’ four-cylinder Mercedes-Benz X-Class pickup has been on sale in the UK since October. But a car like this is screaming out for a big-engined model with all the trimmings.

Mercedes has now obliged, unveiling a V6-powered 258hp X-Class at this week’s Geneva Motor Show. The X 350 d 4MATIC boasts a 0 – 62mph times of 7.9 seconds and permanent four-wheel drive. Maximum torque is a stump-pulling 550Nm.

There’s no doubt this is will be a capable beast as well as a prestige buy. So what will lucky buyers be getting if they splash out on this range-topping model?

Tech spec

The X 350d 4MATIC is powered by a 3-litre turbocharged V6 diesel engine that promises to deliver 258 horses and 550 Newton metres of torquing between 1,400rpm and 3,200rpm. This pulling power is transferred to the road via the 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive system with a rear-biased 40:60 torque distribution.

As standard, this version of the X-Class will be fitted with the 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic gearbox. Drivers will be able to choose from five driving modes — including Comfort, Sport and Offroad — as well as three different four-wheel drive modes.

Broadly speaking, the 4MATIC system can be tailored for on-road use with “increased vehicle dynamics” (4MAT), improved off-road traction (4H) and low-range mode for serious off-road work (4L). A 100% differential lock is also available for the rear wheels if required.

Impressive credentials for off-road use include a fording depth of up to 600mm, the ability to deal with 1:1 gradients and an approach angle of 29 degrees. Raised suspension packages are also available to improve the pickup’s off-road abilities.

What’s inside?

Inside you get the full Mercedes-Benz treatment. This may technically be sold as a light commercial vehicle, but there’s no doubting the manufacturer’s luxury car credentials:

Mercedes-Benz X 350d 4MATIC interior

Inside the X 350d 4MATIC it’s 100% Mercedes luxury but with rugged overtones.

Drivers choosing the upmarket POWER trim level will get LED High Performance headlamps, a part-leather dashboard and matching seats in ARTICO man-made leather and DINAMICA microfibre. Naturally these will be electrically adjustable. Music, navigation and communications will be taken care of with the Audio 20 CD infotainment system, which also contains a permanently installed SIM card providing access to services including Live Traffic, Emergency Call and Maintenance Management.

Keyless-Go and THERMOTRONIC two-zone air conditioning are both standard on the POWER model.

Anything missing from the standard spec is probably on the option list. There’s no word on how much this model will cost yet, but as usual with these things, if you have to ask, you might not be able to afford it.