Vanarama has carried out an in-depth study to uncover the most reliable vans and pick-up trucks. It compiled data from warranty claims, MoT tests, and specialist media's survey of van operators. Budget Small Van Winner – Fiat Doblo RRP starting from £13,995 Perhaps coming as a surprise to some, the Fiat Doblo scored very well in Vanarama’s analysis of reliability. In a survey of the … [Read more...]
Tradelines 11 August
Audi Centres across the UK are now taking orders for the all-new RS 3 Sportback and RS 3 Saloon, which start from £50,900 and £51,900 respectively. The latest iterations of the high-performance duo, powered by the award-winning 400PS 2.5-litre TFSI engine good for up to 180mph, are due to be delivered to the first customers from November. This month sees Mazda Motors UK Ltd celebrate its … [Read more...]
Brakes go on new car sales
New car sales crashed in Wales last month. Registrations were 42.16% below the same month last year at 4,470 compared to 7,728 as the country was emerging from lockdown and buyers went on a spending spree. It is the steepest fall of the UK nations and contrasted with a 29.5% drop for the country as a whole to the lowest July figure in 23 years and before the two-plate system started in a bid to … [Read more...]
Tradelines 28 July
North Wales Motor Company, Llandudno has added Kia to its Honda new car franchises. It also services and sells used Lotus Cars and will run the Korean car operation from a former Peugeot site on Argyll Road, Llandudno. Gravells, of West Wales, has expanded into England. The booming Kia business is the sixth outlet by the family and will operate out of Hereford. The number of drivers expecting … [Read more...]
Welsh company joins Ford project
Welsh specialist Ford Pro commercial vehicle converter MS-RT has joined the vehicle maker with a £4M centre at Dagenham from 2022. The Pontypool company’s styling business will continue and the expansion is purely to meet soaring demand for their models across the UK and Europe with up to 120 new jobs created in Essex when full production is reached after 2022. "We are delighted to be building … [Read more...]
First drive: Suzuki Jimny LCV
One of Britain’s most eagerly awaited new models hits showrooms on Monday and it’s almost certainly going to lead to a “brown market” price war. The Suzuki Jimny LCV will be limited to about 400 sales this year and they are expected to be snapped up even more quickly than the Jimny lightweight 4x4 SUV two years ago. Priced from about £16,700 before VAT as a commercial vehicle the Jimny LCV will … [Read more...]
Long-Covid is hitting fleets
Lengthening replacement cycles prompted by the pandemic and new vehicle shortages is causing major component failures to rise sharply for some van operators, FleetCheck is reporting. The company says that these trends mean more light commercial vehicles owned by fleets are entering the fifth and even sixth years of their operational life, and that expensive mechanical breakdowns are becoming more … [Read more...]
Fleets must look behind headlines to whole life costs
Fleet management provider CBVC Vehicle Management is urging financial advisors and accountants to encourage businesses to ignore headline lease rental rates and to instead focus on whole life costs for company car acquisition for fleet cost savings. According to CBVC, understanding whole life costs is critical, especially as fleets start to accommodate electric vehicles. Focusing simply on … [Read more...]
Fleets’ worries over EV costs and charging
Almost six in ten fleets which are not considering implementing electric vehicles named a lack of public charging infrastructure as the biggest barrier to their adoption. However, the majority of perceived barriers listed by non-EV adopting fleets reduced significantly over the last year, according to results from the latest Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer research. When the same non-EV … [Read more...]
Fleet price rises “almost inevitable” warns supplier
Price rises for a range of popular fleet cars and vans is “almost inevitable” over the next few months, FleetCheck is advising. Andy Kirby, customer success director at FleetCheck, said that a range of factors from rising raw material costs to much slowed production would all create upwards pressure. He said: “Through our sister company, Fleetfind, we help our client base source vehicles, and … [Read more...]