Low Cost Vans

Mitsubishi Motors in the UK will be making sure we don't miss out on their Geneva Show press conference by streaming it Live to our desk or mobile device via its media-site, and popular UK Facebook page. All you need is an internet connection and a Smart Phone, tablet, laptop or desk top to tune in to the live stream on Tuesday 5th March at 07.15am GMT (08.15am CET/ 16.15pm JST). For those of us who may not yet be awake or unable to view it live, Mitsubishi Motors will post a fully edited version of the conference to YouTube and Facebook that will be available to view by 12 noon GMT. Here is the scoop on some new vehicles that Mitsubishi Motors has in store for show goers and those watching from home: Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV - An all-new Outlander Plug-In Hybrid has been built from the bottom up to accommodate an EV-based plug-in hybrid power-train, a fully integrated solution, based on Mitsubishi Motors EV technology and extensive 4-Wheel-Drive expertise. When fitted to the a...

This week’s new guide topic introduces the importance of van safety. It discusses the need to promote safe van use and will encompass a step-by-step process. It starts with collecting information to develop an understanding of your current situation and then takes you through the decision-making process to developing an action plan. Finally, it helps you to identify and implement improvement actions, and then how to monitor those improvements. The aim of this guide is to provide useful information to drivers of van based vehicles (weighing up to 7.5 tonnes). To view the Essential Guide to Van Safety: Introduction, please click here .

In a recent press release, the FTA is once again campaigning for fleets and motorists in regards to easing fuel duty. Thankfully, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) continues to hammer home the message to the Chancellor that he should reduce road fuel duty by 3 pence per litre to help ease the pressure on domestic freight operators in his 2013 Budget. Like all motorists, the price of fuel is a sore subject and is now, more than ever, crippling our finances. I recently posted on how high my local garage's prices have now crept up to and have had to look around to find the best deals. I can't even begin imagine how expensive fuel has become for a company running large fleets of cars, trucks, and/or vans. It's fantastic to see the FTA stand up and fight for this cause, where it's not only the big businesses that may benefit, but all motorists. The FTA is asking for George Osborne to include the reduction in his Budget plans. The FTA has said that "it is imperativ...

Vauxhall has announced that from March all Combo, Vivaro and Movano models registered will move to two year service intervals. Combo’s service interval will be two years or 21,000 miles (18,000 miles for petrol variants) or oil life quality monitor warning, whichever is sooner. The Movano and British-built Vivaro will be two years or 25,000 miles or oil life quality monitor warning, whichever is sooner. “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.   If you’re looking for even more fuel savings, Vauxhall are also promoting their green ecoFLEX range, in which they were the first manufacturer to introduce an eco-model across each van in its range when it launched ecoFLEX commercial vehicles back in 2011. Vauxhall claim the Movano ecoFLEX achieves a combined fuel economy of 37.2mpg and CO 2 emissions of 199g/km, a 5 per cent redu...

It’s nearing that time of year again, my car is due for its MOT and I am beginning to feel a bit of anxiety about whether or not she, (yes, my car is definitely a she) my best mate on 4 wheels, will pass with flying colours. I do believe I have prepped her with all she needs to pass the examination, but still worry that it may not have been enough. Have I failed her by not buying her the most expensive shoes (tyres) or maybe the last mechanic wasn’t just trying to make me spend more money than I needed to at her last servicing and I should have gone for their top of the line air filter and super deluxe spark plugs. Oh dear, is it too late? In 1960 the MOT was introduced by the then Ministry of Transport to check that vehicles were safe and roadworthy and although we know its benefits, why does it still cause motorists who own vehicles over 3 years old with such stress?  A Halfords Autocentres study* has uncovered the reasons why they think more than 1 million vehicles won’t pass their...

Citroën Commercial has proudly posted news about a rather large order they have recently received from Tees Valley based Social Housing Association, Vela Group. The amazing order requested from the supplying dealer, Springfield Citroën Gateshead, was for 137 vans and cars to replace the bulk of Vela Group's 200-strong vehicle fleet. The sought after vehicles comprised of; 120 Citroën Dispatch L2 1200 vans made up of HDi 90 H1 and HDi 95 H2 versions, plus eight Citroën Relay 35 L3 H2 HDi 130 vans, a Nemo 1.3 HDi Stop & Start EGS 660 LX van, three C3 VTR+ HDi 70 manual cars and a pair of C-Zero electric cars. The Citroën C-Zero and C3 cars are used by Vela’s community monitoring teams who support elderly and vulnerable tenants. Phew, that's a mighty list of some of the best Citroën vehicles. The company maintenance teams will use the Citroën vans to provide a 24 hour service to customers across its 17,000 properties in Stockton-on-Tees and Hartlepool. All the vans are ply-lin...

There has already been a steady wave of confirmed debuts announced for the Geneva Show and if, like me, you  have been awaiting the latest announcement from Ford regarding the launch of new models for Europe, then wait no further my friends. They have posted news that they will release, in detail, an accelerated product rollout during a news conference at the Geneva Motor Show on March 5. Ford have said they will reveal their full family of Tourneo vans with the global debut of an all-new Tourneo Courier and show the all-new EcoSport crossover for Europe at the upcoming show.                   Ford executive vice president Stephen Odell and product development vice president Barb Samardzich will host the press conference on the Ford stand, in Hall 5, at 13:45 CET (12.45pm UK time). For all of those interested, you can view the press conference at http://www.live.fordmedia.eu/  and look for further news releases, photos, video and graphics ava...

Having to fill up at the pumps this past week was an even more painful experience of late when I read the price of petrol had shot up another few pence at my local garage. I am now paying £1.39 per litre. After reeling from the recent fuel price rise due to the weakening value of the pound to the dollar earlier in the month, I couldn't help but to feel exasperated and totally fed up. If public transportation were more reliable in my neck of the woods, I may be even more tempted to consider packing the car in all together. Apparently I am not alone in my despair. Confused.com have posted an appropriate article titled, " UK fuel prices on the rise again " written by Daniel Machin last week. In the piece, they point out that according to official figures, the AA reported January's petrol sales in the UK fell to an all-time low. This may continue to be the case if prices remain as high and especially true when the dreaded 3p fuel duty rise occurs this coming April. I try...

Yet more sneak peeks and news of exciting unveiling's taking place soon at the upcoming 2013 Geneva Motor Show have arisen this week. This time Citroën announced that the world premiere of their newly restyled C3 is to commence at the March motor show. The C3 model originally launched in 2002 and has since gone on to see sales reach nearly 3 million. Not bad for the French compact supermini. Citroën has given the C3's exterior a makeover of sorts by restyling the front end to create a new ‘face’ with updated chevrons and bumper-mounted LED daytime running lights, new tail light clusters, and offering a new Ink blue body paint which now expands the range’s palette to a total of nine colours available to choose from. As for the inside, the cabin will retain top-quality craftsmanship and materials, plus include chrome detailing and a thermo-coated soft-touch dashboard. In addition, the instrument cluster will be backlit in white for a contemporary look and easier-to-read driving i...

It's been a few weeks since I shared a post from my favourite site for driving tips, but this week they have posted a new article that I just had to pass on. This time Britain’s top advanced driver, Peter Rodger, from the road safety charity IAM is advising on how to avoid conflict on the road. We can all get a bit frustrated when behind the wheel from time to time, but luckily most of us are sensible enough not to give into a 'road rage' scenario, even when our inner (or in some cases outer) voice is screaming unpleasantries at another driver. The tips from the IAM contain common sense advice and we can all use a reminder every now and again to extend a bit of courtesy to our fellow drivers whilst on the road. Peter Rodger said: “Even the best drivers make mistakes, so try and cut people some slack when they do so. Road rage doesn’t improve the situation, and puts you, your passengers, and other road users around you at risk. The best thing is to stay calm and continue to...

This week, Volvo has released details on the new updated features that will make the new 2014 Volvo S80, V70 and XC70 models shine with elegant, sophisticated design and a focused attention to detail. "The new features in the new Volvo S80, V70 and XC70 are based on our human-centric approach, which has been a Volvo hallmark for more than 85 years. They take the elegant sophistication of our largest models to a new level," says Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President, Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Car Group. He continues: "We pave the way for our future model line-up by bringing the three models visually closer to each other. The renewal is one of the most extensive in our history, with the main focus on improved quality and attention to detail."   The new enhancements made inside and out across the V70, XC70 and S80 range include; Lower fuel consumption - fuel consumption of the 115 hp, four-cylinder D2 diesel in the new Volvo S80 with ...

Only a couple of weeks to go before the start of one of the most anticipated annual motor shows. March 7th is the official public opening of the 83rd Geneva International Motor Show. There promises to be many exciting exhibitions, world debuts, and concept unveilings galore from a host of major manufacturers. Audi has just announced that the world debut for the new 310PS Audi RS Q3 – the first ever Audi RS SUV is to take place at the 2013 Geneva Show. Audi's press release says, " the new Audi RS Q3 is the first ever Audi SUV to be handed over to the specialists at Audi high performance subsidiary quattro GmbH for the full, no-holds-barred RS transformation. One of the Audi stand stars at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show, the new 310PS, 155mph Q3 flagship is due to open for UK ordering in the summer ahead of first deliveries in late 2013 . At the heart of this RS pioneer is the characterful 2.5-litre TFSI engine familiar from the TT RS and RS 3 Sportback, linked exclusively to...

According to a recent media release from AXA Business Insurance UK, the steady increase in commercial vehicles/vans becoming mobile offices has sparked concern over the potential risks of losing such high priced items like smart phones, tablets, sat navs, etc. through theft while being left in vehicles. The article titled, " The rise of the 'mobile office' leaves businesses vulnerable " posted on AXA's newsroom website, suggests that small businesses that have now come to rely on such high end technology in their vans, may need to take better precautions when it comes to making sure the equipment is secure and not left in plain sight for opportunistic thieves to get hold of. A majority of those businesses would be left devastated if their mobile office equipment were to be stolen from their vans. AXA Business Insurance conducted a survey which shows the growing number of van drivers that now coordinate their businesses from their vehicles. The number has increased...

Did you know that Volvo's ‘Transporters’ game is now available to play on Facebook? It's an entertaining yet clever marketing game that Volvo says "highlights the fact that whether we are talking about transporting food, carrying passengers and goods or building roads and houses, the Volvo Group helps meet these requirements on a daily basis all over the world." In the game you get the chance to be behind the wheel of one of the Volvo Group’s many vehicles and carry out a variety of transport assignments in the face of various obstacles where both speed and accuracy are essential if you want to top the leader board. Can you believe that since the launch of Transporters last October, the game has been downloaded over 1.5 million times? When I read this in Volvo's latest post, I just had to give the game another go and you know what? After playing it a bit longer than I had the first time I reviewed it (I wasn't initially impressed), it is actually a pretty fun ...

Citroën has announced that they are fitting the C1 Connexion special edition with a telematics ‘black box’ as standard. In an effort to help bring down the cost of insuring a new vehicle, the Smartnav system, provided by Trafficmaster, allows Citroën to offer free insurance for the first year of ownership to all eligible drivers from 19 - 75 years of age when the car is funded with Elect 3 or Elect 4 finance. The Citroën insurance included in this offer is free for qualifying young drivers subject to two years No Claims Discount (NCD). With the fitment of the telematics unit, Citroën is also able to offer heavily discounted cover to drivers with zero or just one year’s NCD. For example a 19 year old with no NCD can insure a new C1 Connexion with Citroën Insurance for just £950. Citroën also say that renewal premiums will be based on the recorded driving behaviour over the first 12 months of ownership. The good news is that, regardless of the age of the named individuals on the policy, ...

In the FTA’s newest press release, two big names have been announced as new members of the Freight Transport Association backed Van Excellence scheme. BT Fleet and TomTom Business Solutions have joined Hertz, ATS Euromaster and Route Monkey as the first Industry Partners in 2013. The FTA say that 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. What the Industry Partners say about supporting Van Excellence: Dave Bowen, Managing Director – BT Fleet: “BT Fleet is delighted to become a Van Excellence Industry Partner and help raise awareness of the programme’s benefits. Having managed complex van fleets for over fifty years, we are perfectly placed to help van fleet operators with their day-to-day challenges; driver safety, operator compliance and peace of mind.” Giles Margerison, Sales Director ...

This week's guide page will conclude the Essential Guide to Van Specification section. Once you have specified and acquired the right vehicle, you need to ensure you maximise its efficiency by continually monitoring its performance. Some of the details will sound familiar as they have been covered in greater depth in previous guide pages; however it is always a good idea to review your monitoring of key performance indicators. This will help you to identify areas for improvements and reduce costs for operating your vehicle. This week's guide page provides a brief overview of what is required. You can read it by clicking here .

Car information experts, CAP , have recently announced that retail demand for used cars is stronger now than at any time since September last year. Information and research for CAP Black Book Live, the only independent real-time guide to used car trade values, reveals a number of increasingly positive market indicators which range from the mood and buying activity at auctions to consumer retail demand on the forecourt since the start of 2013. CAP has posted that dealers are still reporting difficulty in sourcing for retail following the reduction in new car registrations of recent years. And that problem may worsen as increasing numbers of poor condition cars with high mileage continue returning to the market. CAP also says that dealers are getting increasingly cautious of becoming over-stocked; this shortage of ‘prime’ retail stock is keeping forecourts only around 80% full. Coincidently, along with this information, buyers are being urged to be aware, to do their homework, and delve ...

Have we become a nation guilty of needing to "always be connected"? It seems our mobile phones are on all of the time and we check them regularly for texts or missed calls. But can we tear ourselves away from them when we should be focusing on more important things like driving? Fleet Directory online has posted a recent article that says a survey has found that many motorists are now glued to their phones and worryingly doing so while behind the wheel. The results of the survey commissioned by Halfords polled 2,083 drivers and about half of the respondents say they would take their eyes of the road, even briefly, just to see who's calling if their mobile rang whilst driving. Shockingly, another 45% admit they would also look to see who a text is from. Could we one day, in the not so distant future, see all mobiles being banned permanently from our vehicles? This can be a difficult subject to discuss, especially for small businesses and van drivers that rely on their con...

Nissan has excitedly announced the unveiling of a second member of Europe's new Nissan Nismo range - the 370Z Nismo. NISMO, in case you weren't sure, stands for "Nissan Motorsports" which is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company formed back in 1984. The 370Z closely follows the Nismo high performance race car like treatment of the Juke Nismo which was merely a concept car introduced way back in 2011. For more information on Nismo and the Nismo-tuned Juke, please click here to view an official press kit from Nissan. The "ultimate Z” coupe packs increased power and improved aerodynamics. It sports an enhanced driver-focused interior as well. Available only as a coupe with a six-speed manual gearbox, the 370Z Nismo features extensive engineering and styling enhancements. A version of the 370Z Nismo is already on sale in North America and Japan, but for Europe a unique specification has been developed to suit both road conditions and the t...

I was truly inspired by the FTA's latest posting celebrating women working within the transport and logistics sector. In proving their continued support of diversity in the work place, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) proudly announced they are joining forces with everywoman and are now title partner for the everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards 2013. Founded in 1999, everywoman is a dedicated community/network that promotes advancement of women in business and provides personal development resources, connections, advice, plus inspiration to address the issues women face. “ FTA  delighted to encourage forward thinking companies that are in turn committed to encouraging diversity to the freight industry, and working further with ‘everywoman’ will offer FTA opportunities to expand that work,” says Theo de Pencier, FTA Chief Executive, adding: “ the key for our industry is to be able to access a wider talent pool to be able to meet its need for good quality staff in w...

Things are heating up in the world of motors as more Geneva Motor Show concept debuts and official unveilings are announced. This week Subaru is promoting the unveiling of the VIZIV concept vehicle taking place at the 83 rd Geneva International Motor Show (5 – 6 March), representing Subaru’s future design direction and vision for technological innovation. VIZIV is described by Subaru as, "a future-generation crossover concept designed to embody the Subaru brand’s values of ‘Enjoyment and Peace of Mind". So what's with the unusual name? VIZIV is certainly a unique one and Subaru says the name VIZIV is inspired by the phrase ‘Vision for Innovation’ and expresses Subaru’s commitment to innovation across its range of All-Wheel Drive models. What do you think? It doesn't quite roll off the tongue easily, more like bounces off your upper two front teeth. I wonder if the name will resonate with buyers and streamline its way from concept to production. Subaru are also promot...

Legislation is to come into effect in April that will see EU general classification of vehicle category N1 to require separate Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA) for any modifications and will also come into effect for N2 vehicles from October 2014. This would require even basic van manufacturer modifications such as ply-lining, basic racking, etc. to be approved. Good news has been announced from the SMMT this week. They have successfully negotiated a valuable Van Enhancement Scheme that removes the requirement for UK-based van manufacturers and bodybuilders to seek Type Approval on basic vehicle modifications. The Enhancement Scheme was secured by the SMMT with VCA and VOSA, allowing more than three quarters of vans registered each year to avoid the Type Approval headache after SMMT highlighted issues to DfT. "SMMT has worked hard to achieve this crucial Type Approval change that will avoid unnecessary paperwork and save UK businesses thousands of pounds every year," said S...

Keeping up with the latest vehicle registration and sales data information has been a bit dizzying with one month seeing a reported increase and the next an almighty fall. There was however some good news this week in regards to increased commercial vehicle and van registrations as reported by the SMMT. Alas, truck registrations did not fare as well in the first month of the New Year. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) recent post shows that from the month of January 2013, commercial vehicle registrations rose 5.6% to 18,931 units. Truck registrations fell 19.6%, to 2,882 units in January, but were still 2.1% up for the rolling 12 months. Van registrations grew 11.9% to 16,049 units at the start of the year, but remained down for the rolling year. The biggest contributor to that increase sees Vans > 2.5 - 3.5t at 8,084 new registrations for 2013, up 3.7% from last January. The second highest registration was seen in Vans <= 2.0t.   UK van and truck registra...

This week's guide looks at the final two types of equipment and accessories you may need when considering your van specifications; Beacons, Blaze Bars, and Aerodynamics. Once you have completed detailed specifications outlined in steps 1 to 8, you will have completed your draft vehicle specification. Checklist : 1. Internal linings and bulkheads 2. Load restraints 3. Aids to loading and unloading 4. Lifting aids 5. Roof racks and access ladders 6. Roof vents 7. Beacons and blaze bars 8. Aerodynamics To view the Essential Guide to Van Specification: Equipment and Accessories – Beacons and Aerodynamics , please click here .

Audi has recently announced their foray into online service bookings and have gone a step further by offering customers servicing and MOT requests in real-time and confirming appointments almost immediately. Audi outline the benefits of this new service by saying that customers can "forget about opening hours, busy service departments and congested phone lines when they want a service or MOT appointment, or even just a replacement tyre. The online system facilitates booking of a range of appointments, including major and minor services, complimentary health checks, MOTs, tyre replacements, general investigations and diagnostics. It also offers various mobility preferences for convenience, including courtesy car booking, collection and delivery, courtesy lift arrangements, while-you-wait services and the option to select the Audi Cam video-based diagnosis service". This service follows hot on the heels of Audi's other tool aimed at delivering unparalleled customer service,...

Renault is once again announcing some rather inspiring new crossovers. Fast on the heels of the Captur's unveiling, they have redesigned the Scénic as a crossover and reveal the New Scénic XMOD. Exciting stuff. Renault's newly released details on the New Grand Scénic say, "it has been restyled to take on Renault’s new design identity. The Renault logo at the front is now bigger and set against a gloss black background that emphasises the new grille. Elegant lines and high-quality materials also help to enhance the MPV’s dynamic, family-oriented feel." Now for the New Scénic XMOD, Renault defines it as a combination of the outdoor cues of a crossover with the refined world of an MPV. It will retain the key features found in the original Scénic but, with raised ground clearance and special alloy wheels, the car features an expressive crossover-inspired design: special front and rear bumpers, sill guards and chrome-finish roof bars across the range. The new front end is ...

After last month’s OFT fuel pricing debate and the upcoming April fuel duty rise, many motorists are looking for ways to ease the financial strain when it comes to fuelling their vehicles, especially for those van driver's whose personal vans are essential to their livelihood. Simply buying a smaller more economical vehicle just isn't always a viable option. In a recent BCA Used Car Market Report, which surveyed 4,000 motorists, has revealed that 53% of motorists say the higher price of fuel will eventually push them into ‘buying a more fuel efficient vehicle’ or change their ‘driving habits’ or both. 1 in 10 said they would change to a more fuel-efficient motor if the price of fuel hit £1.50 per litre. But before you trade in your hard working yet fuel hungry van or think about changing your career altogether, you may want to read Faye Sunderland’s article titled, " £50 million: the fuel sapping cost of van loads " posted on The Green Car Website . She explains how b...

It was a fantastic past year, for Renault who’s second generation Kangoo Van was the best-selling model in its class in 2012. In hopes of continuing their success within the compact van business market, which since 2008 has been popular with more than 400,000 customers, Renault just announced a renewal of its compact van line-up. Building on the strengths of Phase 1, the Kangoo Van will now feature Renault’s new styling identity, following the introduction of a new front bumper and in the cabin; the dashboard has been revised in order to give a more pronounced impression of quality. Renault’s bestselling compact van will make its grand re appearance this year with the release of a brand new Phase 2 version which covers the entire range, from Kangoo Van, and Kangoo Maxi, to Kangoo Van Z.E. and Kangoo Maxi Z.E. The van range offers two wheelbase lengths, three versions of the popular 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine (75, 90 and 110hp) and a choice of two- or five-seat versions of the Kangoo M...

A jury of sixty-six distinguished international automotive journalists representing Asia, Europe and the U.K., North America, Russia, and other parts of the world have had a difficult yet exciting job to perform recently, selecting the top ten finalists in preparations for the 2013 World Car Awards. The programme now in its 9th year, recently posted details of an upcoming press conference where they will reveal the short list of finalists in these categories; 2013 World Car of the Year, World Performance Car, World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year. The top 3 winners in each class are to be announced at the Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday, March 5 th , 2013. The 2013 World Car of the Year will be selected from the following top ten cars listed (in alphabetical order): Audi A3 Land Rover Range Rover Mazda6 Mazda CX-5 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Peugeot 208 Porsche Boxster / Cayman Scion FR-S / Subaru BRZ / Toyota GT 86 / Toyota 86 Volkswagen Golf Volvo...

For those looking for something a little more swanky and exclusive when purchasing a new van, Volkswagen has just the right model for you. To celebrate 30 years and three generations of its compact Caddy van, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has launched a stylish and desirable special edition – the Caddy Edition 30. But if you fancy one, better act fast, as only 117 of this limited edition model will be made available in the UK. The Caddy Edition 30 is now available in Volkswagen Van Centre showrooms, with retail prices of £17,660 (excluding VAT) for manual models, or £19,060 (excluding VAT) with the DSG transmission. Volkswagen posted details of this ultra rare van yesterday, saying the Caddy Edition 30 will feature Bluetooth connectivity, Climatic air conditioning, leather steering wheel, an upgraded RCD 310 radio/CD unit, electric windows, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, tailgate with heated rear window and wash/wipe, height adjustable driver’s and passenger’s seats,...

GEM Motoring Assist is encouraging a more indulgent approach to treating your car this coming month with its ‘fluid February’ advice. GEM, established in 1932, is an independent driver-based road safety association and breakdown cover company recommended by Which?. They have recently posted some key tips to help make sure your car gets the care it needs to stay in top condition after what they say was a ‘dry January’ detox period. To maintain a more reliable vehicle, GEM are reminding us that proper attention to our engine oil, fuel pumps, anti-freeze and screen wash levels all contribute to a clean engine. Here are the vehicle care tips from GEM's latest press release: GEM’s tips for a fluid February Prior to making a cold start in sub-zero temperatures, allow fuel pumps time to pressurise by leaving the ignition on for approximately five seconds before activating the starter motor Engine oil has to be at an optimum temperature to offer the fullest protection. Therefore, inc...