Innovate Signs Mercedes-Benz vans

The signs are right as Innovate renews Mercedes fleet

Leave a reply

Reliability, fuel efficiency and safety were three of the factors behind Innovate Signs’ continued loyalty to Mercedes-Benz vans.

The Whiteley, Hampshire based manufacturer and installer of retail signage has just replaced its van fleet with its third consecutive set of Mercedes vans.

Innovate Signs Mercedes-Benz vans

The new line-up comprises four 20th Anniversary Special Edition Sprinter 316 CDIs, a Vito 114 BlueTEC crew van and a Citan 109 CDI. All are Long-bodied variants and the subject of flexible, low-cost Agility hire purchase agreements from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.

Founded by Managing Director Lee Devitt in 2001, Innovate Signs offers design, manufacturing and installation services, and works throughout the UK and most of Europe. Its impressive customer base includes the likes of JD Sports, One Stop, Schuh, Bensons for Beds and Harveys.

The firm acquired its first Mercedes-Benz Vans in 2009 and replaced them three years later with a second set, which have just been bought back by Pentagon. The new vans have lined up alongside a 63-registered Vito which is ‘out of sync’ with the rest.

It is the first time that Innovate Signs has operated a vehicle from the small Citan range introduced by Mercedes-Benz in 2013. Mr Devitt explained:

“Because of its size we’re using the Citan for local jobs, and those where access and parking are issues. It’s proving to be a valuable addition to the fleet.

The Special Edition Sprinter was introduced to mark the two decades that have passed since the all-conquering model’s launch. Just 1,200 vans benefited from ‘Sprinter 20’ badging on the front wing and a unique option bundle including air conditioning, sat nav, a driver’s Comfort seat with arm rest, wheel trims and a chrome grille – this package was worth over £2,000, but put just £750 on the retail cost of the vehicle.

Mr Devitt said:

“We were getting horrendous fuel economy from the vans we were running prior to 2009, but since making the switch to Mercedes-Benz we’ve never looked back.

“Its vehicles are built to an exceptionally high standard, reliable, fuel-efficient and comfortable, as well as leading the field in terms of safety. Features such as Brake Assist and Crosswind Assist are very reassuring to operators like me, who are conscious of their Duty of Care responsibilities both to employees and to other road users.

Innovate Signs’ Sprinters will each clock-up some 200,000 miles over the next three years.

Van hire discount offers 11 March 2016

Leave a reply

In this week’s van hire discount update, we have offers from Hertz, Europcar, Sixt and Questor van hire excess insurance.

If you’re moving house or planning a big DIY project over Easter, you’re spoilt for choice!

—

Hertz logo largeSave up to 15% On Hertz Van Rental in March

If you need to hire a van or a minibus in March, then you could SAVE up to 15% with Hertz Van Rental.

This great new discount code will only be valid until 31 March 2016.

Here are the details:

  • Booking period: 1 March 2016 – 31 March 2016
  • Pick-up period: 1 March 2016 – 31 March 2016
  • DISCOUNT CODE: 780855

Visit Hertz website and save up to 15%

 

 

 

Some terms and conditions do apply to this offer. For full terms and conditions, please see the Hertz website.

Save up to 10% on Europcar logoEuropcar van hire!

Save up to 10% on Europcar van hire in March:

  • Valid until 23 March 2016 for pick-up dates until 27 April 2016
  • Europcar has a Price Match Guarantee!

Some limitations do apply to this offer, see the Europcar website for full terms and conditions:

Up to 10% off Europcar van hire

 

 

 

Save 5% on Questor Van Hire Excess insurance

** THIS OFFER HAS NOW EXPIRED **

Save 5% on Questor Van Hire Excess insurance with this discount code:

Use Discount Code: 
Valid: Until further notice

Click here to visit the Questor Insurance website

(If you need to know more about van hire insurance, check out our guide here)

 

Sixt logoSave 10% on Sixt Van Rental (EXCLUSIVE)

Our exclusive 10% discount for Sixt UK van hire is still available.

All you have to do to benefit from this discount is click through to the Sixt website using the pink button below:

Save 10% on Sixt van rental

 

 

 

 

Remember: You can also see details of all of these offers in the “Our Companies” section on the home page.

Volkswagen van mechanic

Why do 49% of vans fail their first MOT?

1 Reply

According to figures recently released by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, 49% of vans fail their first MOT.

What this means is that by the time they are four years old, almost half of all vans have been sufficiently neglected to leave them in an unsafe and illegal condition. Yet most are still in daily use.

Perhaps the most depressing thing about these statistics is that the vast majority of the faults which lead to failure are minor, easily fixable and would be picked up by any driver who took five minutes to inspect his or her van.

According to Volkswagen, which has analysed the data, the most common defects are:

  • Lights (faulty bulbs): 32.2%
  • Brake faults/wear: 24.8%
  • Suspension faults/wear: 16.1%
  • Faulty mirrors, windscreen wipers, lack of washer fluid, illegal number plates: 8.0%
  • Excessive wear or damage to tyres: 4.8%

In total, these account for 86% of all failures. While suspension and (sometimes) brake problems are not always obvious to the driver, they should be picked up in routine servicing.

Volkswagen van mechanic

All of the other problems should really be picked up by drivers when they undertake daily or weekly checks of their vehicle.

For van owners, this isn’t just a safety and compliance issue: it could be costing money. Poorly-maintained vans can be worth up to £400 less when sold and are more likely to breakdown or require additional work doing when they are eventually serviced.

There’s also the risk that a poorly-maintained vehicle will be involved in a collision. If, for example, illegally-worn tyres are found to have contributed to a collision, then the operator of the van could face legal issues.

Renault Trafic

Renault lines up major display for CV Show 2016

Leave a reply
Renault Trafic

The all-new Renault Trafic will be manufactured at Renault’s Sandouville plant, in Normandy, northern France.

The CV Show 2016 is set to be one of the best-attended commercial vehicle events in the UK for a number of years.

Volkswagen and Toyota are making long-awaited returns and regulars Renault are planning a major display that will include 11 vans, alongside other promotional displays.

Renault will occupy a prominent position in Hall 5 at the show and will use the themes of Design, Technology and Conversions to demonstrate the many attributes of its LCV range.

The stand will showcase 11 vehicles that illustrate the diversity and versatility of the extensive Renault LCV range. Models on display will include the Master LHL35 RWD with a massive 17m³ of load space and the innovative Twizy Cargo and Kangoo Z.E. electric vehicles.

Representing the brand’s many official conversions will be the increasingly popular Master-based Wellbus and the public debut of the brand new 3.5 tonne Master Passenger that can be driven on a normal driving licence. As with all Renault LCV models,the vehicles on display will come with Renault’s four-year, 100,000-mile warranty with roadside assistance.

Renault’s plans for Euro 6 compliance will be demonstrated with engine exhibits and a Euro 6-compliant Kangoo Panel Van.

James Boyer, Marketing Director, Groupe Renault UK and Ireland, said:

“We’re delighted to once again have a strong presence at the Commercial Vehicle Show and it comes at an incredibly exciting time for everyone with an interest in Renault LCV models as our range is more popular and versatile than it’s ever been.

Renault’s UK LCV sales reached their highest ever level in 2015 with 25,458 LCVs registered – up 40 per cent year-on-year and significantly outpaced the UK LCV market which grew by 16 per cent.

The Commercial Vehicle Show 2016 takes place from 26th-28thApril 2016 at the Birmingham NEC.

VanRental.co.uk van

Hiring a van for the first time? 5 essential tips

Leave a reply

vanrental.co.uk van

Hiring a van for the first time can be quite daunting. However, you’ll find that in most cases the rules are the same as for hiring a car.

In this post I’ve provided answers for five of our most commonly-asked questions.

However, remember that these are a general guide: each hire company has its own rules, which may be slightly different.

Q: Driving licence & ID requirements

A: You’ll need a valid UK photo card driving licence or an old-style paper licence.

Remember that the paper counterpart to the photo card was abolished on 1 June 2015 and is no longer valid.

To enable the van rental company to check your driving record online you will need to provide an access code from the DVLA. These are available free of charge at www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence. Codes are only valid for 21 days. If you are able to, you should also print out the driver summary page from the website.

Drivers with non-UK licences may need translations or an International Driving Permit. Some restrictions apply for drivers with non-EU driving licences. GOV.UK has more information here.

IDENTIFICATION: Most hire companies will require a proof of address, e.g. a utility bill. If you are visiting the UK you may be asked for details of where you are staying and your planned departure date. Some companies require

Q: Will I need a deposit?

A: You will normally be asked to provide a deposit when you collect your hire van. Most hire companies will ask for a credit or debit card on which they will reserve the deposit amount. This will then be released when you return the vehicle undamaged.

Cash and cheques are not normally acceptable for deposits.

Q: Will the van come with a tank of fuel?

A: Different companies operates different fuel policies. One possibility is that you pay for a tank of fuel up front and can return the van without refilling it.

Other options are that you must return the van with a full tank or with the same amount of fuel it had when you collected it.

Q: Will I get unlimited mileage?

A: Some companies provide unlimited mileage, but some operate daily mileage limits.

It’s important that you ask the company you are hiring the van from as excess mileage payments can be quite high.

Q: What about insurance?

A: Most hire companies provide comprehensive insurance. However, you will still be liable for a substantial insurance excess charge if the vehicle is damaged. This is often more than £500.

To reduce the excess and include additional protection, such as windscreen cover, you must purchase additional insurance. This is often known as Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). Another alternative which may be cheaper is to buy van hire excess insurance from a third-party insurance firm (see here for details).

More questions? Try our Van Hire FAQs page or our Van Hire Jargon Buster.

We’ve also got guide for MOVING HOUSE and DRIVING A VAN FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Well Pharmacy Volkswagen Caddy

Well Pharmacy prescribes 450 new Volkswagen vans

Leave a reply

Well Pharmacy is the new name for the Co-operative Pharmacy, which was sold to Well’s owners Bestway Group in October 2014.

The firm appears to have decided to make a clean break with the past and update Well Pharmacy’s fleet of delivery vans. Well Pharmacy has ordered 450 new Volkswagen vans for prescription delivery duties.

Well Pharmacy Volkswagen Caddy

The majority of the new vans are the new model Caddy, which went on sale in September. Unlike previous Caddy models, the new van will be available with a petrol engine as well as a choice of Euro 6 diesels, although I suspect Well Pharmacy’s vans will all be diesel models.

The group dispenses more than 74 million prescriptions each year from its network of 780 pharmacies across the UK. Many of these are delivered so the new vans will be kept busy on multi-drop work.

Downtime needs to be kept to a minimum, and Well Pharmacy says that Volkswagen’s comprehensive aftersales support services and nationwide dedicated van centre network were key elements for awarding the contract.

Working in partnership with Volkswagen, Well has been able to benefit from many of the brand’s uptime management tools such as like-for-like courtesy vehicles, free roadside assistance, CITNow video service tool, online booking and dedicated SMR website.

UK van registrations rolling year Feb '10 to Feb '16

UK van registrations unchanged in February

Leave a reply

New van registrations in February were unchanged on last year’s record performance, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

In total, 13,891 new LCVs were registered in February, almost unchanged from the 13,832 total record last year (bearing in mind that it was a leap year this year, so February saw an extra day’s trading).

This welcome stabilisation after January’s slippage suggests to me that there is a decent level of underlying strength in the market, now that the backlog of older vans has largely been cleared out of the vehicle parc.

This graph probably tells the story of the recovery in new van registrations better than I can:

UK van registrations rolling year Feb '10 to Feb '16

UK van registrations rolling year Feb ’10 to Feb ’16 (courtesy of SMMT)

Commenting on the figures, Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:

“After a record-breaking year for new van registrations in 2015, it was inevitable that such rapid growth would level off. The market’s performance so far this year is in line with expectations, and although further stabilisation is expected over the coming months, this is a sector in good health – with February’s figures still at high levels.”

Sales were particulary strong in the 2.5-3.5t sector, where new registrations rose by 6.2% to 8,864 units. In contrast, demand for smaller vans fell. Registrations in the 2.0-2.5t category were down by 23.9%, while sub-2.0t vans were off by 10.5%.

Ford topped the best-seller tables once more, selling 4,467 new vans — almost three times as many as second-placed Vauxhall, which shifted 1,512 vans. Volkswagen slipped into third, with Peugeot in fourth place.

Mercedes Sprinter being serviced

Mercedes-Benz introduces fixed-price service for vans

Leave a reply

Mercedes Sprinter being servicedMain dealer servicing costs can often seem like a moving feast — and an expensive one at that.

‘Amateur’ car owners may begrudge these costs, but when you’re running a busy business fleet of vans then skimping on servicing makes no sense at all.

To try and encourage more van operators to sign up for servicing plans or to book scheduled services at their own dealers, Mercedes-Benz has introduced fixed national service pricing for all current van models:

Sprinter New Vito Citan
Service A £130 £99 £99
Service B £250 £229 £185
Dust Filter £23 £28 £50
Brake Fluid £40 £30 £50
Coolant – – £48
Total £443 £386 £432

These prices are valid at all participating Mercedes-Benz van dealers and are subject to a £20 surcharge for our-of-hours servicing.

Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans UK, said:

“We have listened to our customers and evolved our National Servicing pricing and Service Plans to be transparent, easy-to-understand, and above all, cost-effective. Our customers are focused on their businesses and daily lives, so we hope that the launch of our National Servicing pricing and tailored Service Plans removes one less worry for them!”

However, customers who are prepared to pay up front by opting into a service plan can make significant extra savings. According to Mercedes, a business operating a Sprinter and opting for out-of-hours servicing can save £261 over four years  on six services.

Service Plans allow you to choose out-of-hours servicing with no extra cost. Here’s how it could work out, assuming two services over two years (exc. VAT):

Sprinter New Vito Citan
National Service Pricing £443 £386 £432
Approved Used Service Plan £396

(£16.50 per month)

 £348

(14.50 per month)

 £420

(£17.50 per month)
New Service Plan £240

(£10 per month)

 £192

(£8 per month)

 £192

(£8 per month)

Mercedes isn’t doing this for love. Aftersales work is often more profitable for dealers than vehicle sales. It also helps dealers to stay in touch with previous customers and encourages customers to stay loyal.

Despite this, I have to say that these prices sound pretty reasonable to me. They seem on a level with the prices I pay to get my (older) Transit serviced at a local independent garage.

Of course, these rates exclude any repairs or non-services parts which may need replacing. This could cost more than at an independent garage. Yet on a well-maintained new or nearly-new van, extra costs ought mostly to be limited to service items such as brake discs, as a general rule.

The numbers certainly seem to add up in favour of pre-paying for a service plan when buying new or Approved Used.

Hertz logo

Get up to 15% off UK van & minibus hire with Hertz [EXPIRED]

Leave a reply

Hertz logo large** THIS OFFER HAS NOW EXPIRED **

Update 29/03/2016: Good news – this offer has now been extended to 10 April 2016!

—

Are you moving house, planning some DIY or organising a big trip out over Easter?

Book now and save up to 15% on Hertz van and minibus rental in March using this new discount code.

  • Booking period: 01/03/2016 – 10/04/2016
  • Pick up period: 01/03/2016 – 10/04/2016
  • Discount Code: 780855 

 

** THIS OFFER HAS NOW EXPIRED **

Terms and Conditions:

  • Maximum rental of 14 days
  • 15% off daily, midweek, weekend and weekly rentals
  • Valid on van groups B4, C4, D4, G4
  • Valid on minibus groups X4 and Z4
  • Valid for customers booking in the UK Valid for van rental pickups and returns in the UK
  • Offer subject to availability at participating locations
Northern Ireland Housing Executive Renault Master vans

Renault delivers 85-van order to NI housing authority

Leave a reply

Northern Ireland’s strategic housing authority has replaced its entire fleet of leased maintenance vehicles with 85 Renault LCV models.

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) ordered 33 Trafic Panel Vans, 44 Master Panel Vans and eight officially-converted Master Tippers after running a tender through the Crown Commercial Service (CCS).

According to NIHE, the Renault LCVs secured the order due to their excellent value and low emissions.

Northern Ireland Housing Executive Renault Master vans

The company, which offers a range of services to people living in socially rented, privately rented and owner occupied accommodation as well as supporting and working with a number of other public bodies, will use the mix of Renaults in the maintenance of the 89,000 dwellings that it is responsible for across Northern Ireland.

NIHE opted for the Trafic panel van in short wheelbase, low-roof format with the efficient dCi 115 1.6-litre turbo diesel engine, while its Master panel vans were ordered in medium wheelbase, medium-roof specification and powered by the dCi 110 2.3-litre turbo diesel engine.

The Master Tippers – available to order ‘off-the-shelf’ through Renault’s dealer network and with 45-degree rear-tipping ‘Scattolini’ bodies fitted by accredited Renault supplier VFS – were ordered in front-wheel drive, medium wheelbase specification with the dCi 125 2.3-litre turbo diesel engine.

All ordered models feature the generous Business specification, which includes DAB radio with Bluetooth, ESC (Electronic Stability Control) with HSA (Hill Start Assist) and Grip Xtend, electric front windows and remote central locking. The new Renaults also come with a four-year, 100,000 mile warranty.