Renault Trafic & Ford Transit Manage 59mpg in MPG Marathon

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Renault Trafic

Honest boss, I can get 59mpg in one of these...

I don’t know about you, but I am pretty happy if I can get more than 37mpg in my Transit. My all-time (loaded) record is 42mpg, obtained after driving all day at a cruising speed of 50mph on quiet roads (it was in Norway).

However, when placed alongside the winners of the recent ALD Automotive/Shell FuelSave MPG Marathon, I look like a lead-footed boy racer. Contestants had to complete a time-limited 372-mile course over two days. Each driver had two goals – getting the best possible mpg and scoring the biggest improvement over their vehicle’s official combined mpg figure.

The team that achieved the best overall percentage improvement in the LCV category managed to squeeze 59.11mpg out of a standard Renault Trafic – a massive 54.73% better than the van’s official combined mpg figure of 38.2mpg, which is fairly realistic.

Ford also did well in the van categories, with a 2.2l 100PS Transit Econetic achieving 59mpg and Transits emerging as the overall winners in both the 2,800kg and 3,500kg categories.

The small vans entering the competition showed that 70mpg+ fuel consumption figures are not just for cars, scoring some impressive results – although not all managed to beat their manufacturers’ official figures:

  • Fiat Fiorino: 82.96mpg – best overall mpg for a van
  • Citroen Nemo: 81.79mpg
  • Vauxhall Corsavan Ecoflex: 71.3mpg (below the official figure of 78.3mpg!)

It is probably fair to say that the drivers went a bit slower than a van driver normally would – indeed, Corsavan driver Neil McIntee went at 40mph on single carriageways and 50mph on motorways and dual carriageways. I think most van drivers would get a few ‘hurry up hints’ from their bosses for that kind of tardiness, but it does prove the difference that speed can make.

The drivers started from Cirencester on both days and followed circular routes past major towns, including Basingstoke, Southampton, Portsmouth and Salisbury.

Winter Tyres For Vans – They Aren’t Just For Cars!

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Winter tyre on snow

Winter tyres aren't big knobbly things, you know! They are just like summer tyres except with a different rubber compound and modified tread that stays soft and grippy at low temperatures.

This year has seen unprecedented levels of winter tyre marketing, most of which has been aimed at car drivers. Despite this, winter tyres are just as relevant for vans and most of the main tyre companies offer winter versions of their van tyres.

Examples include Continental’s VancoWinter 2, the Goodyear Cargo UltraGrip 2 and the Michelin Agilis Alpin.

Mercedes-Benz is now offering a main dealer winter tyre / wheel service for Mercedes vans. It isn’t the cheapest way to get winter tyres on your van but it should be hassle free, especially if your vans are serviced at a Merc dealer.

Remember, winter tyres outperform summer tyres when the ground temperature falls below 7 degrees C – and ground temperature is usually lower in winter than air temperature, which is what the weather forecasts talk about.

I recently attended a winter tyre demonstration by Goodyear and got to drive with winter tyres on an ice simulation surface. The difference between summer and winter tyres was massive. Trying to stop on ice with the summer tyres was scary – the ABS didn’t work and I was just a passenger as the car slid endlessly along. With winter tyres, I stopped in about half the distance and had much more steering control during braking. Although the differences are less pronounced on dry and wet surfaces when the temperature is above freezing, the difference on snow and ice is awesome.

In case you are not convinced, here is some footage from a winter tyre demo Goodyear put on at the Tamworth Snowdome earlier this year. Two cars try to drive up the ski slope, one with summer tyres and one with winter tyres:

New: Self Storage Tips & Advice on VanRental.co.uk

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vanrental.co.uk has just published a new guide to self storage.

The market for self storage has grown steadily in recent years. Many people now find that they simply have too much stuff to keep it all in their homes.

Sky-high city housing prices, difficulties with housing chains and temporary stays in rented accommodation have all helped grow the market for self storage across the UK, particularly in London, the south east and in major cities.

Van rental customers are often also in need of storage facilities, so we have produced a Self Storage Guide to help you understand how self storage works.

The principles are simple – you get a storage room that is all yours for a fixed weekly or monthly fee.

Most companies provide a wide range of size choices – from cupboard-sized up to an area the size of a garage, or even bigger. It all depends what you need. Most self storage companies provide quotes by email, some have prices on their website.

To find out more about self storage, click here.

Van Hire News: Thrifty Adds 800 Vans To Rental Fleet

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Thrifty Adds 800 Vans To UK Fleet

Thrifty Car and Van Rental is to add 6,000 new vehicles to its UK rental fleet, including 800 vans.

After the last two severe winters, the company is also expecting strong demand for 4×4 vehicles and is increasing the number of 4×4 pickup trucks on its fleet by 25%.

Thrifty has 85 branches in the UK.

Used Van Market Will Face Shortages Over Next Few Years

The UK used van market is likely to experience a shortage of good quality, low mileage vans over the next four years, according to a new report from British Car Auctions.

Since 2009, fewer new vans have been registered and many operators have been keeping vans in service for longer, resulting in second hand stock that is older and higher mileage. The BCA report estimates that there will be a shortfall of up to 275,000 vans on the used market between 2011 and 2015.

Rather than buying poor quality used vans, businesses in need of additional or replacement vans may be tempted to try the flexible hire services provided by large van rental companies, whose purchasing power means that they do have a large, young fleet of modern vans.

Van Sales Up 9.4% In September

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New van registrations rose by 9.4% in September, according to new figures from the Society of Motor Manufacterers and Traders (SMMT).

The rise is a contrast to the private car market, where sales fell, but continues a trend seen in commercial vehicle sales throughout 2011 – van sales are up 19.5% over the year to date and 254,045 vans have been sold so far this year.

According to the SMMT figures, van sales in the 2.0t+ market have been particularly strong. One reason for this might be the impending LEZ rule change, which will mean that any vans registered before 2002 will have to pay £100 to enter the London Low Emissions Zone from the start of 2012.

Commenting on the figures, Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive, said:

“Confidence returned to the commercial vehicle market in 2011 and the September market continues the upward trend, growing 8.8% on last year. The future state of the economy is certainly a concern, but it’s clear that owners and operators are currently investing in new, fuel-efficient vehicles to help weather the storm of high fuel prices.”

 

Chester Van Hire: Europcar Branch Relocates

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Europcar’s Chester van hire branch has moved to a new location on Bumpers Lane, Chester. The new Chester branch will offer an expanded range of cars and vans, including Europcar’s Prestige [car] service.

The move was necessary because the company had outgrown the old Chester branch facility on Sealand Road, said Ken McCall, Managing Director, Europcar Group UK:

“The larger location in Bumpers Lane means we can provide access to a huge choice of cars and vans for a wide variety of business and personal trips, giving Chester residents and visitors choice and flexibility to get on the road as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.”

The full address of the new Europcar Chester branch is:

15 Bumpers Lane, Chester CH1 4LT

Click here to book a hire van in Chester

Sixt Discount Code – Van Hire from £29 Per Day

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Final Reminder: vanrental.co.uk Exclusive Sixt Discount Code

Don’t forget that our exclusive Sixt discount code (van hire for £29 per day at selected location) expires on 15th October 2011 – in just 11 days.

This offer has now expired.

Sixt.co.uk

  • Only available at the locations listed
  • Max. rental period 3 days (Need longer? Click here)
  • Valid Monday – Thursday only
  • Excludes Minibuses, Luton, Dropside & Tipper vans (To hire one of these click here)
  • Valid until 15th October 2011

This discount code is valid at the following locations:

WIN A Garmin Sat Nav – VanRental.co.uk Competition Giveaway

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Garmin Nuvi Sat Nav Competition prizeWe have a brand new Garmin Nuvi 1240 GPS sat nav to give away to one lucky winner this month.

This slimline model includes full, street level Western Europe mapping plus major road maps for Central and Eastern European countries. In total, 23 countries are covered.

Other great features on this model include:

  • Pedestrian mode – use it on foot as well as when driving (ideal on city breaks)
  • ecoRoute software – calculates the most fuel efficient route
  • Text-to-speech – the Garmin’s spoken directions include street names, correctly pronounced
  • Speed camera database – keep your licence clear of points by getting advanced warning of speed cameras. Garmin’s speed camera database is updated daily. (Remember that using this functionality is illegal in some European countries)
  • Plus the best part – it’s completely free for our winner, just click here to enter the competition!
Entries close at 2pm on 25th October 2011. To find out more or enter the competition, click here.

Van News: VW Used Van 0% Finance Offer & London LEZ 2012 Rule Change

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Zero percent finance offers are often restricted to new vehicle purchases, but until the end of October Volkswagen is offering 12 months’ interest-free finance (0% APR) on Assured Used Caddy and Transporter vans.

Volkswagen’s Assured Used vans are available from VW Van Centres across the UK and include a comprehensive warranty:

  • 12 months Volkswagen Roadside Assistance in UK and mainland Europe
  • MOT test cover (covering cost of repairs or parts needed to pass next MOT)
  • Multi-point check
  • 12 months comprehensive warranty (with option to extend for extra 12 months)
  • Reconditioning
  • Van data check
  • Seven days free insurance (subject to terms and conditions)

The warranty also includes the cost of replacement parts and labour up to the value paid for the vehicle and a guaranteed replacement hire van if your van is in the garage for more than 24 hours.

London LEZ Rule Change – 03/01/2012

Remember, if you drive a van that was registered before 2002, then starting from 3rd January 2012, you will have to pay £100 per day to drive inside the London Low Emission Zone (LEZ).

Obviously this is not a sensible option in most cases, which leaves van drivers in London with two alternatives:

  • If you only go into London occasionally, why not hire a van in London?
  • If you need to go into London regularly, you do not have much choice but to buy a newer van – so the VW offer above could be attractive.

You can find full details about the London LEZ on www.tfl.gov.uk/lezlondon and full details of Volkswagen Used vans on www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk.

Van Hire In Cornwall: Permit Required For Household Waste Recycling Centres

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Anyone who lives in Cornwall and is planning to hire a van to take household waste to the tip needs to plan ahead. Cornwall Council is now operating a permit scheme to restrict access to household waste recycling centres by vans or vehicles with trailers of more than 1.8m internal length.

This means you cannot simply hire a van for the weekend and then take it to the tip – you will need to plan ahead and contact Cornwall Council to be issued with a permit, which allows 12 visits per year.

Cornwall Council has introduced the permit scheme to crack down on abuse of household tips by trade users, who pretend that their waste is domestic in order to avoid paying commercial rates for its disposal.

The scheme has already produced impressive results – Cornwall Council says that there has been a 15% fall in waste going through household waste sites since the permit requirement was introduced. This equates to a £600,000 saving – costs that were presumably previously being met by council tax payers.

Cornwall Council has issued 14,500 permits so far, including 9,200 for vans.

Cornwall Council has Household Waste Recycling Centres in the following loctions (click on the links for nearby van rental branches or click here to search for van hire in your area):

  • Bodmin
  • Bude
  • Liskeard (Connon Bridge)
  • Falmouth
  • Helston
  • Launceston
  • Newquay
  • Redruth
  • Saltash
  • St Austell
  • St Day (Redruth)
  • St Erth (Hayle)
  • Tintagel (Bowithick)
For more information on the permit scheme or to contact Cornwall Council, visit www.cornwall.gov.uk.