Low Cost Vans

It’s finally here, the 63 reg plates are about to take to the roads. But will the September plate change have much of an impact on our used car market? Well, according to a recent press release from vehicle remarketing company, British Car Auctions ( BCA ), they feel it could lead to a rosier market and bring good news for those currently struggling to find good quality used cars or vans. “ We are expecting to see a wide range of used cars coming to auction in September across many makes and models and including everything from low mileage and nearly new cars to prestige and company cars at 2 to 3 years old. We also anticipate seeing more good value high mileage older cars which means there should be something for everyone in every price range ”, explained Tim Naylor, editor of the BCA Used Car Market Report. So, how did the previous March 13 reg plates go down? Surprisingly well. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders ( SMMT ) has just reported that the registration number tha

Imagine turning your Mercedes Sprinter van into a full-fledged street café on wheels. Selling coffee drinks to a mass of customers/followers who use their mobiles to scan the QR code painted right on the van to find out exactly where this innovative drinks van will turn up next. I stumbled upon this real life coffee-to-go van in an article on MYVAN.com – a website for craftsmen and van enthusiasts powered by Mercedes-Benz Vans. This genius van conversion belongs to Matt Saurage, the General Manager of The Community Coffee Company from Louisiana. Yes, sadly it’s only in America. That is, unless anyone out there takes inspiration from Mr Saurage and converts their own Sprinter into a rolling coffee shop here in the UK? In which case, I’ll have a skinny mocha extra hot with foam and whipped cream on top please. I’ve seen loads of food and drink trucks over the years, but I have to say, the Sprinter looks the business and is a smart choice for such a franchise. You can read the full artic

As I look down to my odometer and see the numbers climbing ever so close to the 60,000 mile mark, I am reminded of an article I read on Yahoo! Cars recently. It said that over half of the new cars on UK roads break down as soon as they’ve been driven 60-70k miles. And we can gauge that that’s probably the exact range of miles our new vans and cars can do before the dealer or manufacturer warranty cover begins to fall into grey areas, limitations incur, or expire all together. The article provides details sourced from leading provider of direct consumer warranties, Warranty Direct , who analysed thousands of live policies and found that the average cost to repair faults on cars within the 60 to 70k mile range to be about £420. They found that even though new car technology has undoubtedly improved and some manufacturer warranties now go beyond the typical 3 year/60, 000 mile coverage, they can still be limited and varied. The article also includes information on which vehicle manufactu

Keeping up to date with UK vehicle manufacturing data, I have read the SMMT's recently released figures for July 2013. In the previous report, the outlook was expected to be quite positive with CV registrations predicted to stay on the up during the first six months of this year. So what has changed since the last report, if anything? According to the SMMT’s latest figures, commercial vehicle (CV) output fell 11.8% to 7,942 units in July and year-to-date levels show a fall of 13.3% during the first seven months of 2013. However, the recent figures have shown export demand remaining strong with a 20.3% increase in the month. Weak demand closer to home is just one factor contributing to the decline in CV numbers. Nigel Base, SMMT Commercial Vehicle Manager said, “The outlook for commercial vehicle manufacturing for the rest of the year continues to be tough, especially following the closure of the Ford facility in Southampton at the end of July”. Although output of new commercial veh

It’s been a relaxing nearly two week local holiday, but now it’s time for me to delve back into the exciting world of motoring advice, news and reviews. I have been reading/researching poolside (I managed to miss the best of this year's weather and my much anticipated beachside reading was scuppered, lol) and did my best to keep up to date with all things van, car, and truck related; new blog posts to follow. I hope all of you are still enjoying your summer and have had a chance to attend at least one motor show so far this year. I can’t wait to share some of my motoring stories with you soon.  

I have some exciting news to share with you all.  Not only do we offer a wide range of new vans for lease or contract hire at great prices, but Low Cost Vans are sponsoring European Football - Swansea City vs Malmo tonight. We are proud to announce that our generous football loving Director, Rod Lloyd has sponsored the dugout seating for the Swans in their game against Malmo in the Europa Cup on ITV 4  7.45 pm tonight.  If there is one thing I love as much as talking about vans, its football.  What a treat to be supporting our local team.  If you get a chance to watch the game, let us know what you thought and share your views with us on the blog site or via Twitter.

Hi All. I will be taking a short break from the blog, but I will be back with more van news and motoring inspired posts very soon. Also, be on the lookout for brand new Essential Guides too. Hope you are all enjoying the Summer. Fingers crossed the weather holds while I am out and about enjoying all that this beautiful country has to offer. First stop is the VW T4-T5 van East meets West fest in Pembrey County Park on the 11th of August. Thank you readers. Be back soon, Vanessa