Low Cost Vans

Ok, so now I have nearly heard everything in terms of what in-car technology has in store for us. I just read that Toyota and Panasonic have co-operated on a cloud-based in-car system to monitor and operate home appliances. Why would you ever need to programme your washing machine to run from the inside of your car? Can’t some things wait until we get home or are we a nation of overly busy/mobile people who need to have the ability to control every aspect of our lives via a handy dandy gadget? The big name manufacturers say that the new cloud-based telematics service will make life easier and less stressful by letting people keep tabs on and operate their home appliances from the wheel of their car. Again, I say, why? It will make use of the existing cloud-based Toyota Smart Center, which already links people, cars and homes around the world, and the Panasonic home appliance control application. Both companies agreed a year ago to co-develop services for next-generation telematics se...

With summer now in full swing, many of you may be gearing up to tow the caravan or motorboat to your holiday destinations. Whether you plan to tow anything from behind your car or van,  I wanted to share the pertinent advice I read from Road safety charity, the IAM , that offer helpful motoring tips. Britain’s top advanced driver, Peter Rodger has posted some handy tips on towing techniques. Rodger said: “ Whether you’re towing a speedboat, a horsebox, a caravan or another car, there are certain rules which must be applied. It is important to recognise the challenges which come with having to control not just one vehicle, but two .” Tips for successfully towing another vehicle:  Watch the weight of the towed vehicle – this should not exceed 85 per cent of the car’s kerb weight. Excess weight will cause instability.  Check the unit you are towing is secure before pulling away, and check again after a short distance. Look for anything loose, disconnected, missing or broken.  Check ...

For those not familiar with a day in the life of a “white van” driver, a recent article published in the Huffington Post takes you on a journey of what it’s like to be behind the wheel of one our nation’s hardest working vehicles, from a female perspective no less. From what van to drive, parking, and addressing the white van man stereotype, the article titled, “White Van Man (or Woman)” written by journalist Lara Platman, gives a quick glimpse into what it’s like to be a van driver.  Click here to read the full article which was posted on 02/06/2014.

Vauxhall has just announced that they have secured a deal to supply 60 of its award-winning Vivaro vans in a group-wide deal with Imtech UK Ltd, one of the world’s leading technical service providers to the traffic and infrastructure markets. It will form part of an ongoing deal to supply more than 100 of its commercial vehicles. When the company began looking into which van would deliver best on whole life costs, it was Vauxhall who impressed enough to win the tender. The Vivaro vans performance and fuel economy will be an asset, as the firm covers over 30,000 miles each year. Vauxhall say that the 60 British-built L1 H1 Vivaro Doublecabs have been specified in Sportive trim, will be equipped with the Euro 5-compliant 2.0 CDTi 115PS engine, and have a plylined loading area that has been decked out with the company’s livery and a telematics system. Sounds like a good choice in van to me. Whether you are looking for a panel van, doublecab (crew van) or combi, the Vauxhall Vivaro can of...

Mercedes-Benz Vans has just announced that the Vito Sport will be supporting two events in the IRONMAN® UK 2014-2015 Tour. The Vito will be present at both UK events, Bolton and Pembrokeshire. So what will the practical and modern van do at these events? Well, the organisers will have Vito Sport vehicles through the duration of the competitions, with Vito Sport used as lead vehicle in the races, as well as to support athlete recovery from the course, carrying water and blankets. As well as those above mentioned duties, the Vito vans will also be on display at Mercedes-Benz exhibition area. So if you want to check out all the action that the intense long-distance endurance race has to offer alongside the Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport van, then mark your calendar for Bolton (20 July 2014) and/or Pembrokeshire (14 September 2014).

More good news for consumer vehicle financing was recently reported. The amount of cars bought on finance has seen continued steady growth. Figures released last week by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show a growth of 4% in consumer new car finance volumes during April, compared with the same month last year. The used car finance market reported 9% growth in new business volumes over the same period. See the official FLA tables, with more details, below: Table 1: Cars bought on finance by consumers through dealerships Apr-14 % change on prev. year 3 months to Apr 2014 % change on prev. year 12 months to Apr 2014 % change on prev. year New cars Value of advances (£m) 1,073 +10 4,092 +22 12,942 +25 Number of cars 69,030 +4 266,000 +17 847,047 +18 Used cars Value of advances (£m) 893 +17 2,685 +26 9,558 +26 Number of cars 88,741 +9 268,213 +18 975,164 +20   Table 2: Cars bought on finance by businesses Apr-14 % change on prev. year 3 months to Apr 2014 % change on prev. y...

Did you know that Citroën is the only manufacturer in the UK to offer LCVs fitted with stolen vehicle tracking as standard. Just recently Citroën announced a big milestone when a Berlingo van had become the 100,000th Citroën LCV to be fitted with a unique Teletrac telematics package. The Citroën Teletrac package includes:  Smartnav satellite navigation and Trackstar stolen vehicle tracking. This specially developed package is standard in all Berlingo, Dispatch and New Relay panel vans. Citroën says its unique Teletrac Smartnav package saves the equivalent of circa 20,000 working days per year due to congestion avoidance. Drivers can also use the emergency call system function to call Teletrac’s control centre, allowing two-way voice communication.  Smartnav Personal Assistants handle some 40,000 routing and other queries, including emergency calls. As an added bonus, Citroën LCV owners also have the option of specifying Teletrac’s newly updated Fleet Director real-time fleet manageme...

For commercial vehicle enthusiasts like me, wth a love for all things motor and especially retro vans, did you know that the Historical Commercial Vehicle Society in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, holds an annual ‘Ridgeway Run’ rally? The event features a fleet of classic trucks, vans and lorries. How cool would it be to step back in time and see vehicles from throughout the last century make their way through town. The beloved HCVS, formed in 1958, now has over 50 members who share a love of classic, historical commercial vehicles. This year’s rally will take place on Sunday 15 June, 2014 in Marlow from 8.30am. If you can, make plans to see the fleet of about 55 retro vehicles ride through the town and even better, if you happen to own your own commercial vehicle from a bygone era, why not get in touch with the Historical Commercial Vehicle Society chairman to take part. Buckinghamshire is a bit far from Wales, so I may not get to see this year’s event, but I will add it to my calendar nex...

Road safety charity, the IAM , offers weekly motoring tips from Britain’s top advanced driver, Peter Rodger. As a keen cyclist and motor user, I wanted to share one of the latest articles found on the IAM website regarding drivers, motorcyclists and cyclists. With better weather in the summer months, we see more bicycles and motorbikes on the roads. Please remember to look out for them (and me). See IAM’s chief examiner, Peter Rodger’s advice on sharing the road with other road users below: Keep an eye out for cyclists and motorcyclists and give them lots of space  Especially leave cyclists enough room when you pass them to allow them to move out to negotiate drains and potholes. Overtake thoughtfully. Passing a cyclist quickly might feel safe from inside the metal shell of your car, but it will not for the cyclist - the closer you are, the worse it feels. Bear in mind that cyclists and certainly motorcyclists may be travelling quicker than you down the same road. Check all of yo...

If you need a van with a large cargo capacity, workhorse design, reliability, and driving comfort, then Volkswagen's biggest commercial vehicle, the Crafter van, is an ideal choice. Crafter vans come in array of sizes to fit every job. For example: Three wheelbases to let you move loads of up to 2.9 tonnes, four body lengths to carry items up to 4.7m long and three roof heights to carry up to 17m 3 of cargo, with space to stand. Volkswagen has announced a recent  fleet deal to supply 30 of their biggest vans to a growing collection and delivery company in Inverness. Scottish Highlands parcel company, AJG Parcels Ltd., recently chose Volkswagen for a new fleet deal with 30 new Volkswagen Crafter vehicles being delivered. The husband and wife operation was founded 22 years ago, delivering just 20 parcels a day. The investment in updating their van fleet with the Crafters will be a big help to the firm, which now operates in excess of 90 vehicles and handles over 9000 parcel delive...