More than 90% of businesses that try out an electric van using its medium term rental product – Arval Flex EV – are opting to keep them, Arval UK is reporting. Product Manager, Glynn Hopkins, said that many were using medium term rental as a way to operate an electric van on a trial basis and the vast majority were finding them a good fit for their fleet. “There’s obviously a lot of discussion … [Read more...]
Daily rentals shortage hits businesses
A shortage of daily rental vehicles is causing a wide range of problems for businesses affecting everything from maintenance to taking on new starters, the Association of Fleet Professionals is reporting. James Pestell, AFP Director, said that the issue had been affecting van short term hire for some time but had now started to spread to cars, becoming a common subject of discussion among AFP … [Read more...]
Staff are letting down dealers, say buyers
Expectations among car buyers are almost always satisfied by dealers, but customers remain less happy with the quality of dealer staff, research has revealed. The finding comes from a unique deep dive into the experiences of car buyers just revealed by Autovia, Britain's leading publisher of automotive advice and information. Every aspect of the buying experience is examined in Autovia's 'Driver … [Read more...]
More are driving less and saving money
GoCompare Car Insurance, says less than one in five, some 18%, of drivers have returned to pre-pandemic driving habits, with 21% saying they now walk more rather than using their car, and will continue to use their cars less in the future. A further 7% of people who took part in the survey said that they’ve already dropped the number of cars in their household since the pandemic … [Read more...]
Newslines 27 April
It’s the 20th anniversary of MINI being assembled in Plant Oxford by BMW Group. In early 2001, production began for MINI body parts in Swindon and on the 26 April the first new MINI rolled off the line in Oxford which has since built over 5 million cars and currently makes MINI 3-Door Hatch, MINI 5-Door Hatch, MINI Clubman and the MINI Electric, all on the same production line. A post mortem has … [Read more...]
Government statements slowing car sales recovery
Continuing confusion over Net Zero targets is slowing the recovery of motor sales. Seán Kemple, Managing Director of Close Brothers Motor Finance, said, “March marks a year since the first UK national lockdown, and the industry has evolved remarkably during this time. “New car sales are going ahead through click and collect, or click and deliver, services, and dealers continue to adopt new ways … [Read more...]
Premiums fall for older cars
The average cost of insurance for older cars fell by £87 in 2020 as more drivers kept their existing cars rather than upgrading to a new model according to research from comparethemarket.com. Cars normally become more expensive to insure as they get older, however, the pandemic has caused a decline in premiums which has offset the usual increase. In 2020, the average premium for a car that is … [Read more...]
Fleets changing with the tide of life
Future car fleet management could soon develop into three relatively equal pillars – conventional fleet, grey fleet and salary sacrifice schemes – FleetCheck is forecasting. The fleet software specialist says that its conversations with customers about the impact of EVs and the pandemic so far in 2021 are indicating a shift in emphasis of this kind. Peter Golding, managing director, said, … [Read more...]
Now learners return to school of mum & dad
The gradual easing of the coronavirus lockdown has seen more new drivers than ever opting to learn with another family member, suggests analysis of RAC Learner Driver Insurance data. With driving instructors unable to start giving tuition again until 4 July as a result of the pandemic, figures show just how eager new drivers were to get behind the wheel with RAC Insurance recording its … [Read more...]
