Low Cost Vans

Just as we’re getting our heads around the fact that driverless cars aren’t an invention from Back to the Future, it seems that Ford has found a way to turn windscreens into 50-inch movie screens as part of its ‘autonomous vehicle entertainment system’. Yes, that means that at some point in the future we could be watching Game of Thrones while not driving down the M4. And this could be just the tip of the iceberg… The fact that it’s even being considered shows just how much our lives could change - remember how phones were once trapped in homes and now we’re trapped to them? The days of getting into our cars, turning the radio on and going from A to B may be dwindling. So if you also relish the time-out feeling of being in a car in your own bubble, then brace for a potential pop. Because apart from cars becoming the new living room, augmented reality could also see huge billboards outside your car displaying a targeted advert just for you. It could be easier to find out more about you ...

As the sale of new cars falls and the government announces that no more new petrol or diesel cars will be manufactured after 2040, car giants are finding ways to keep the wheels turning - Ford has just come up with the latest. The company will take £2,000 off the price of new cars if customers trade in their old vehicle – including old petrol cars. Alongside this, the old cars traded in will go straight for scrap; not be resold. This is what Andy Barratt the Managing Director of Ford had to say about it: “Ford shares society’s concerns over air quality. Removing generations of the most polluting vehicles will have the most immediate positive effect on air quality, and this Ford scrappage scheme aims to do just that.” That’s all great but er… why is the new Ford scrappage scheme only available up until December this year? Anything to do with sales figures? Maybe it’s churlish to focus on this too much. The Ford deal is stepping things up a gear alongside other manufacturers - BMW and Me...

If you’re feeling a bit short changed this month, you’re likely not the only one. According to insurance market experts Consumer Intelligence, van insurance premiums have risen by 29.5% on average, with the average annual renewal price now being more than £1,600 for van owners! It’s pretty much all down to something called the Odgen rate – it’s complex to explain – but all related to how much insurers will need to pay when someone suffers a life changing injury. This March the rate went from 2.5% to -0.75% which means that insurers will have to pay out more if someone has life changing injuries. However, insurance for all van drivers have not increased by the same rate. Depending on your age you could have seen a different price rise - drivers aged over the age of 50 have seen premium rises of 38%, whilst drivers aged 25-49 have seen a slightly better (if you can call it that) rate of 27.5%. And what you use your van for has also had an effect on the rise in price you may have seen for...

I love festivals. I love the music, the vibe and … the food. This didn’t used to be the case, back when festival food meant soggy chips and dubious burgers, but these days it’s all world food and wood fired pizzas. And most of it comes out the side of a van. In fact if you’ve ever been thinking about setting up business out of the van than the time is ripe - jump onto the bandwagon. You never know where it may take you. Heard of Baz & Fred? They set up a pizza business with a single mobile catering van and now, just five years later, they have a network of vans cruising across the country. This year the pizza gurus will cook pizza at more than 200 weddings. I guess the marketplace has changed – people want something different and original. Street food is a return to big flavours and charmingly hap hazard presentation. And there are an ever increasing number of opportunities to try it –festivals, country shows, street food collections… You’ll need to do a fair bit of research first ...

Brace yourselves… This last week or so may have been a poor attempt at summer but this weekend promises to make up for it (well it’s not scheduled to rain at least). And there’s nothing I love more on sunny days than driving with my windows wide open and feeling the cool, refreshing breeze on me. But there’s one thing that makes driving with the sun on your skin and the wind in your hair even more amazing, and that’s music. Perfect driving music to be specific. But you can’t just put on any music in the car, it’s got to be the right music. Some studies have found that listening to music when driving can cause you to get distracted and lose concentration. However, certain types of music have been said to improve your concentration and actually cause you to drive better. Voila! Music which is too loud or too fast paced can negatively affect your driving but slow rock has been found to increase driver awareness. With that said, power ballads are sure to be the best option and coincidental...