Vauxhall Doubles Service Interval For Vivaro & Movano Vans

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Vauxhall Vivaro ecoFLEX

Vauxhall Vivaro models such as the one pictured will move to a two year/25,000 mile service interval from March 2013.

Vauxhall has announced that from March, new Combo, Vivaro and Movano vans will move to two year service intervals, doubling the existing one year intervals.

Admittedly, the mileage intervals for servicing won’t increase, meaning that this is a change that will mainly benefit low mileage users such as local tradesmen and small businesses. Here are the new recommendations in full:

  • Vauxhall Combo (diesel*) service interval at 21,000 miles, two years, or oil life quality monitor warning, whichever is sooner
  • Vauxhall Vivaro service interval at 25,000 miles, two years, or oil life quality monitor warning, whichever is sooner
  • Vauxhall Movano service interval at 25,000 miles, two years, or oil life quality monitor warning, whichever is sooner

*Petrol-engined Vauxhall Combos will have to be serviced after 18,000 miles

“Depending on mileage, the savings in service maintenance and repair across a large mixed fleet could be significant,” said Richard Collier, Vauxhall’s National Commercial Vehicle and B2B Sales Manager.

The Luton-built Vivaro remains a very popular choice with ‘retail’ buyers — small business customers who buy from dealers, not through fleet orders — and is the main reason why Vauxhall is the UK’s most popular van make with retail buyers.

Movano ecoFLEX available from March

Vauxhall has also confirmed that a low-emission ecoFLEX version of the Movano large van will be available from March. The Movano ecoFLEX will include fuel-saving Start/Stop technology as standard, and will be available in 100PS and 125PS power outputs and two different wheelbases (L2H2 and L3H2).

The Movano ecoFLEX range promises to achieve a combined fuel economy of 37.2mpg and CO2 emissions of 199g/km, a 5 per cent reduction over the outgoing model. Over the course of 80,000 miles, Movano ecoFLEX operators could save more than £700 per vehicle in fuel costs.

“We are pleased to extend our ecoFLEX range to include a frugal, low CO2 Movano panel van variant,” Collier added.

Vauxhall was the first manufacturer to introduce an eco-model across each van in its range when it launched ecoFLEX commercial vehicles back in 2011.

The Luton-based manufacturer built over 58,000 vans in the UK last year, making it Britain’s number one commercial vehicle manufacturer for an incredible 11th straight year.

Ford To Display New Transit Range At Birmingham CV Show

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All-new Ford Transit

The new Ford Transit, due to go on sale in 2013

Ford will exhibit its widest and most high-tech line-up of commercial vehicles ever at the International CV Show 2013 at the NEC, Birmingham.

New models on show will include the all-new Transit, a full-size large van model that will compete directly with the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Renault Master and Fiat Ducato family and is due to be introduced late in 2013.

The 5,400sq ft Ford stand will have more than 15 vehicles on display, including the all-new Ford Transit Custom, the all-new Ford Transit Connect and the all-new Ford Transit – with more detail on the all-new Ford Transit Courier to come at the show.

Mark Ovenden, Ford Britain managing director, said:

“Following the award recognition of the new Transit Custom at the IAA CV Show in Hannover, Ford is continuing the product story by introducing its most exciting range of commercial vehicles ever at this year’s CV Show here in Britain.”

Production versions of the all-new Ford Transit Custom Sport Van and ECOnetic models will also be on display, alongside new Ford Fiesta Van and the award-winning Ford Ranger models completing the picture of Ford’s largest-ever commercial vehicle family.

Ford will also have representatives on hand to talk about its new Transit24 service offering, which I wrote about recently.

Tees Valley Property Company Vela Orders 129 Citroën Vans

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Citroën Relay operated by The Vela GroupTees Valley property company The Vela Group has ordered 129 Citroën vans to replace the majority of its 200-strong vehicle fleet.

Vela, which owns and manages former council housing in Stockton and Hartlepool, has ordered 120 Citroën Dispatch L2 1200 vans, eight Citroën Relay 35 L3 H2 HDi 130 vans and a Nemo 1.3 HDi Stop & Start van, as well as some cars.

The order will be fulfilled by Gateshead dealer Springfield Citroën and the vans will be used by Vela’s maintenance teams to provide a 24-hour service to customers across its 17,000 properties in Stockton-on-Tees and Hartlepool.

All the vans are ply-lined and have been specified with passenger airbags, full steel bulkheads, reversing warning systems and parking sensors. Eighty of the vehicles are fitted with roof bars or tilt and slide ladder racks, and one of the Relays is fitted with an external glazing rack – all installed by Lyndon Security.

All of the vehicles are fitted with Teletrac satellite tracking to minimise response times and to help Vela meet its commitment to health and safety and the environment. Around half of the Citroën vehicles in this Vela Group order have been funded through Citroën Contract Motoring 3 or 4 year, 30,000 or 40,000 mile with-maintenance contract hire agreements – with the remaining vehicles being purchased outright.

Mike Kay, Group Director of Property Services at Vela, said:

“We went through a rigorous selection and procurement process, which included user groups made up of trades operatives, managers and supervisors to evaluate the options offered by the leading vehicle manufacturers. The decision to go with Citroën was based on a comprehensive assessment of suitability, vehicle data, ergonomics and cost.”

Volkswagen Transporter Roadside Assistance Conversion: Close Up

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You can convert a panel van to do almost any job, including some surprisingly heavy tasks. A good example is for use as a roadside assistance vehicle, with built-in tool storage and a fold-out recovery trailer.

The AA and RAC have been using these for a while now, but I’ve not seen a close-up of a conversion before. However, Allianz Global Assistance has recently ordered a fleet of 79 roadside assistance vehicles based on Volkswagen Transporters — and VW has kindly provided these photos.

Allianz Global Assistance Volkswagen Transporter roadside assistance vehicle

One of the Allianz Global Assistance Volkswagen Transporter roadside assistance vans with the trailer folded out.

Inside a VW Transporter with roadside assistance conversion

The same van with the recovery trailer folded away into the storage position.

Fold-out recovery trailer on roadside assistance van

A closer view of the fold-out recovery trailer

Every Transporter has been converted to enable its technicians to carry all the essential equipment they need while on the road, including a compact recovery trailer, diagnostic equipment and dedicated storage for jack, axle stands, tools, common vehicle parts and car batteries.

Racking and tool storage inside the Transporter roadside assistance conversion

Racking and tool storage inside the Transporter roadside assistance conversion

The new Transporter fleet will be supplied from the Birmingham Volkswagen Van Centre, which has worked with Allianz Global Assistance to ensure the vehicles have been converted to the bespoke specification required, and delivered on time.

UK CV Manufacturing Fell 20.5% In January

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UK commercial vehicle manufacturing fell by 20.5% in January 2013, compared to January 2012.

Falling export demand caused UK commercial vehicle manufacturing output to slump 20.5% in January this year, compared to the same period last year. CV output fell from 9,844 units to 7,822 vehicles, despite a 3.2% rise in domestic demand.

You can see the full horror of the figures below — export demand for UK-built CVs dropped by 37.2% in January:

CV manufacturing Jan-12 Jan-13 % Change YTD-12 YTD-13 % Change
Total 9,844 7,822 -20.5% 9,844 7,822 -20.5%
Export 5,778 3,626 -37.2% 5,778 3,626 -37.2%
Home 4,066 4,196 3.2% 4,066 4,196 3.2%

Source: SMMT

Mike Baunton, the SMMT Interim Chief Executive, commented that this is a continuation of a trend that started in the final quarter of last year:

“Manufacturing of commercial vehicles in the UK covers a diverse spectrum of vehicles from light panel vans to heavy trucks, as well as minibuses, double-deckers and luxury coaches. UK registrations of trucks were strong through most of 2012, but dropped off in the final quarter impacting output. However, domestic demand for buses and coaches grew significantly through 2012 on the back of government incentives and a wider focus on public transport.”

The big problem for the industry, however, is that output shows no sign of recovering to anywhere close to its 2008/9 highs, as this graph shows:

SMMT CV output rolling year to Jan 2013

Commercial vehicle manufacturing output from Jan 2008 – Jan 2013 (graph courtesy of SMMT)

February’s data may provide a more uplifting picture, but somehow I doubt it. Part of the problem, at least, is that there aren’t many  volume van manufacturers left in the UK. Many of the manufacturers are niche or low volume (trucks and buses sell in far smaller numbers than vans) and with the upcoming closure of Ford’s Southampton plant, this situation will just get worse.

Just as well the car manufacturing industry is doing well, with forecasts now suggesting that output could approach 2 million cars per year by 2016 (up from 1.58 million in 2012).

All-Season Tyre Review: Hankook RA10 (Part 2 – Winter, Snow)

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Hankook RA10 All-Season Tyre

Hankook RA10 All-Season Tyre

Disclosure: I paid for these tyres myself and have no relationship with the tyre manufacturer or the tyre supplier.

Back in September, I reported on how I’d decided to put my money where my mouth was and replace the worn-out tyres on my van with a set of all-season tyres, rather than summer tyres.

My reasoning was that for most of the year, the weather in northern England where I live is decidedly wintry, and certainly not warm or dry. In addition, I wanted to see if all-season tyres provide an advantage in snow and ice — whether they lived up to their billing as a good compromise between summer and winter tyres.

I decided to go for a set of Hankook RA10 all-season tyres, a mid-range option. You can click here to see the first part of my review, which covers summer and general impressions.

Winter wonderland

Given the weather we’ve had this winter, I’ve now had a chance to try these tyres out in a wide range of conditions, including snow, ice and very wet conditions.

Overall, the RA10s have lived up to my expectations, delivering better grip in cold and wet conditions, especially in snow and ice.

They certainly aren’t as good as a set of winter tyres, but I don’t need them to be and I’m happy to compromise in order to use them all year round. To round off my review, I’ve compared them against the same criteria I used last summer, to see how they performed against my previous Goodyear Cargo summer tyres:

How do they compare? I’ve compared the Hankook RA10 tyres to my previous Goodyear Cargo G26 tyres below, after using them in a wide range of conditions this winter.

Dry grip: In colder conditions, the advantage of the all-season compound becomes more obvious.

Wet grip: The Hankooks definitely provide a better grip on cold, wet or frosty surfaces than the Goodyears.

Snow & Ice: A clear improvement — there’s definitely more grip and a more confident feel. I haven’t got stuck and the impression I get is that they sit nicely between summer and winter tyres in terms of grip, as you’d expect.

Noise: The Hankook’s remain noiser than my Goodyear tyres were, although perhaps less so in cold weather.

Fuel consumption: No noticeable difference.

Wear: Too early to say. As always, keeping them correctly inflated and cornering sensibly will help prolong tyre life.

Conclusions

Overall, I’m happy with my switch to all-season tyres and intend to continue using them in the future. Wet weather and snow/ice performance is definitely better, and everything else is roughly the same or good enough — which seems like a fair swap to me.

I don’t expect them to last quite as long as good quality summer tyres, but this isn’t necessarily a problem unless you do high mileages.

What do you think? Am I talking rubbish or are you a fan too? Leave a comment to let me know.

Snow Delivers Jolly Good Van Hire Business To Shrewsbury!

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Jolly Good Van hire logoShropshire-based Jolly Good Van Hire has been celebrating the arrival of snow, according to Shrewsbury branch manager Jason King, who told Shropshirelive.com that the company’s workload “more than doubled” during the recent snow.

King said that reasons for the surge in business varied, with some customers needing replacement cars for accident-damaged or broken-down cars, while others needed 4x4s or additional delivery vans to cope with road conditions and courier and postal delays.

Jolly Good offers a range of cars and vans, including small vans, short and long-wheelbase vans, luton vans and 9-seater minibuses. The company also offers a range of cars and recently added a six-seater crew cab van to its fleet.

Of course, you can find Jolly Good Van Hire’s branches on the vanrental.co.uk:

For more information, to get a quote or make a booking, visit Jolly Good’s website at:
www.jollygoodvanhire.co.uk.

 

If you run a van or minibus hire business that you’d like to list on vanrental.co.uk, visit our advertising page to get started.

Ford Launches Transit24: A 24-hour Service Promise

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Mechanic inspecting Ford Transit Custom as part of Ford's Transit24 serviceFord has launched Transit24, a service level agreement designed to provide fast and consistent aftersales services to its commercial vehicle customers.

Part of Ford’s on-going investment into the UK’s largest dealer network, Transit24 will help to minimise vehicle downtime and reduce whole life costs for Ford customers. The new initiative comes in the wake of the launch of the Transit Custom, which forms the first part of the complete renewal of its commercial vehicle line-up by 2014.

More than 90 of Brentwood-based Ford’s 200-plus commercial vehicle authorised repair network will be identified as “Transit24 Dealers” to provide first class service, maintenance and repair for all commercial vehicles. They will provide priority treatment for all urgent work and aim to complete vehicle-off-road repairs on the same working day, or within 24 hours.

Each Transit24 site employs Ford-trained technicians and offers specialised workshop equipment, tools and training, and can look after all service, maintenance and warranty work. They will offer while-you-wait servicing to suit the customer, including late night appointments at least once a week, and will respond to online service booking requests within 20 minutes.

Collection and delivery of vehicles can be arranged and every vehicle leaves the dealership washed and ready for work. Fleet National Pricing for 25-plus fleets ensures the best prices for routine servicing and fixed-content jobs.

Jon Wellsman, Ford of Britain Customer Service Director, said:

“This initiative from Ford provides added value and convenience for our customers. Ford offers a class-leading range of commercial vehicles and technologies and with the most accessible dealer network in the country, the aim is to offer the best and most widespread care and assistance for Ford customers.”

Other benefits include using only genuine Ford parts, whether in stock or delivered to the dealership by 9am the next day, and a sophisticated internet-linked vehicle diagnostics system. Other dedicated back-up from Ford includes an electronic recalls programme and the support of a dedicated team at the Ford Fleet Service Centre.

Every Ford Transit and Transit Connect comes with a comprehensive three year/100,000-mile manufacturer’s warranty and with Ford Assistance, a premium roadside assistance package which includes ‘load continuation’, so that in the event of a breakdown, the load can be delivered before the vehicle is taken to a repairer. Ford also offers a free Fleet Accident Management service to all business customers.

This could be a deal that appeals to busy van hire companies and trade operators, for whom every hour of lost availability directly equates to lost earnings.

BT Fleet & TomTom Business Solutions Join FTA’s Van Excellence Scheme

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BT Fleet and TomTom Business Solutions have joined Hertz, ATS Euromaster and Route Monkey as Industry Partners of the Freight Transport Association (FTA) backed scheme Van Excellence.

The Van Excellence scheme was launched by the Freight Transport Association (FTA) in 2010 to promote high standards of van operation and driving by accrediting operators against an industry code of good practice. The scheme has grown strongly since it was launched and its membership list now includes many industry and household names, such as Tesco, British Gas and BT.

The two latest companies to join, BT Fleet and TomTom Business Solution, has joined as ‘industry partners’, as Mark Cartwright, the FTA’s Head of Vans and Light Commercial Vehicles, explains:

“Industry Partnership of Van Excellence is the perfect opportunity for two such highly respected organisations as BT Fleet and TomTom Business Solutions to become involved the scheme”

Other companies that have already joined Van Excellence as industry partners include car and van rental firm Hertz and tyre network ATS Euromaster.

Industry Partners are an important addition to Van Excellence helping to promote and endorse the Van Excellence Code amongst their customers and encourage its standards to be adopted and followed throughout the light commercial vehicle sector.

In addition to supporting Van Excellence, the Industry Partners will be working with FTA on a number of different initiatives throughout 2013, including a Van Excellence supplement, developing best practice guides, and three new conferences throughout the UK.

For more details about Van Excellence and a full membership list, visit www.vanexcellence.co.uk.

Drive Away In A New VW Van From £199 A Month

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Volkswagen Transporter BlueMotion

The Volkswagen Transporter BlueMotion

Volksagen is aiming to boost new van sales to sole traders and small businesses with a new set of contract hire and finance lease offers which make it possible to drive a new Volkswagen van from  £199 a month (plus VAT and initial deposit) with deposit contributions from Volkswagen of up to £1,000.

The finance offers are available on the entire Volkswagen van range.  This means the Caddy is currently available from £199 a month (excluding VAT), a Transporter from £239 (excluding VAT), or the big Crafter from £309 (excluding VAT).

These offers also include a generous initial rental contribution from Volkswagen of £1,000 for customers financing a Caddy or Crafter, or £500 for the Transporter. These offers are available until the end of March 2013*.

Alternative finance options, such as traditional hire purchase or lease purchase methods, are also available with a competitive flat rate of 3.79 per cent interest, plus a £1,000 deposit contribution for Caddy and Transporter models, or a £2,000 deposit contribution for any Crafter models.

“Low rate finance, stronger residual values, plus a choice of efficient engines using BlueMotion Technology, significantly reduce the whole life costs of our vans, and make them exceptionally good value,” said Alex Smith, director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

*For more details and full details of the finance offers, visit www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk.