VanQuoteDirect – Van Insurance Blog

Ford Transit Custom Cargo Launch in the UK

April 20th, 2012

At the 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show, hosted at the NEC Birmingham Arena, Ford will launch their new Transit Custom van. This van is the cargo version of the Tourneo Custom van and will be on sale later in the year throughout Europe. This is the beginning of a new mission by Ford to refresh their entire commercial vehicle range. By 2014 they hope to launch numerous commercial vans, both in Europe and across the pond in the United States of America.

It’s Not the Tourneo

The features of the Custom Cargo which differ from the Tourneo Custom include a stiffer, high strength steel material for the body of the van. This change will help improve the handling of the vehicle and reduce interior noise. It will also have two different wheelbases which will make the vehicle either 16ft 3in or 17ft 6in. In order to assist the cargo van function, a pass-through in the bulkhead will allow long objects like ladders to be partially carried in the passenger compartment. Sliding doors will be larger, the interior space will be wider than standard cargo vans and the roof rack can be folded away when it is not being used.

When designing these improved features, Ford didn’t overlook the driver and their need for comfort. The seat can be moved further back for increased leg room and the steering wheel has been upgraded with telescoping and tilting. The more high-tech additions are Sync voice recognition software and Lane Keeping Alerts which can help prevent tired drivers from getting into accidents. Having good commercial vehicle insurance is an important requirement for all drivers, especially if they were unfortunate enough to get into an accident.

Ford’s Plans

All these improvements and more have made in order for Ford to attract a wider segment of the commercial van market. Their focus is on professionals, skilled tradesmen and small businesses.

The Director for Commercial Van marketing, sales and service in Ford Europe said, “The Transit Custom is a completely new kind of one-tonne vehicle from Ford. This is a stylish modern van which customers will be proud to have on their driveway, while losing none of the hardworking attitude that they expect from a Transit. With more new models set to be revealed in the coming months, 2012 is destined to be a very exciting year for our commercial vehicle business.”

Speaking with great pride the Chief Designer, Paul Campbell, explains “Customers want their vehicle to project a modern and professional image, and the new Transit Custom does not disappoint. We have given the vehicle a stylish, modern appearance which will be appreciated by businesses of all sizes. It’s still a Transit, but with its sportier stance and bold rising shoulder line, the Transit Custom makes a powerful new impact.”

Tags: commercial vehicle show, Ford, Ford Transit Custom Cargo, vans
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The Combo Gets Recognition from Anglian Water

April 16th, 2012

The Vauxhall Combo has been picked as one of the vans of choice for Anglian Water as they will be supplied by 52 new Combo vans. Anglian Water are to receive the first fleet order of the New Combo and it represents a great move for the Combo and Vauxhall as they signify one of the most versatile commercial vehicles out there.

Specialist Specifications Chosen

Anglian Water is the largest water and wastewater service in England and Wales and it has chosen to use the Vauxhall Combo for its water and sewage operators and technical staff. Specialist vehicle converter, Bott, has fitted out the 52 Combo vans to a specification selected by Anglian Water in order to be suitable to cope with the day to day tasks the vans will be required for.

Anglian Water specifically requested to use the 1.3 CDTi L2H1 Combo models with the long wheelbase and standard height roof which provides an impressive load area of 4.2 cubic metres and a one-tonne gross payload. This allows for plenty of equipment to be stored in the rear. Furthermore, the 1.3 litre diesel engine will return a very notable combined fuel economy of around 55.4mpg and the van will only emit 136g/km CO2.

Positive Move

All 52 of the vans will also need to be covered with commercial vehicle insurance and I believe it’s a great testament to Vauxhall’s Combo to be helping to serve Anglian Water up and down the country. Anglian Water’s Fleet Manager, Nigel Allen, has been explaining: “The New Combo will be a great addition to our fleet. We run around 1,200 vans and continue to be very happy with the combination of whole life cost, reliability, purchase cost and aftersales service offered by Vauxhall.”

In addition, the National Commercial Vehicle Sales Manager, Richard Collier, has been saying: “The New Combo order continues a long-established relationship between our two companies. We are delighted that Anglian Water will be receiving the first fleet order for New Combo and are confident they will serve their operators well.”

Are you a Combo owner? If so, how happy have you been with your van?

Tags: commercial vehicle insurance, Vauxhall, Vauxhall Combo, Vauxhall Commercial Vehicles, Vauxhall Vans
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Peugeot to Showcase Partner at CV Show

April 13th, 2012

This year’s commercial vehicle show will be taking place at the NEC Birmingham towards the end of April and will feature a whole host of fantastic new commercial vehicles for all those in the industry to marvel over. Included in the future releases to be unveiled is the Peugeot Partner…with a twist; it’s battery powered!

Joining the Ranks

The all electric Partner will go on sale in the UK in 2013 and the Commercial Vehicle Show is your first chance to get a glimpse of the new zero emission van. The Peugeot Partner marks a large step forward for the zero emission van market as it symbolises another big name joining the battle against global warming and high emissions.

Renault already markets its electric Kangoo Z.E whilst Nissan will be releasing the e-NV200 next year. The Peugeot Partner will therefore compliment the range of zero emissions vans whilst an electric Citroen Berlingo is also to be expected.

Zero Emissions Revolution

This could thus mean that 2013 will see the beginning of the real zero emissions revolution in the commercial vehicle market. We all know that electric vans have their uses – for a start they are environmentally friendly. They also dramatically cut fuel costs whilst also allowing for huge savings on new vans thanks to the government grants that have been enabled. They are also likely to allow cheap van insurance due to the nature of the vehicle.

Drawbacks regarding such vehicles, however, have included the notion that they may struggle to achieve stated distances between charges and the simple fact that having to be restricted to a certain range per day could be detrimental for businesses and commercial vehicle users.

However, with more and more technological advancements, and further progress undoubtedly in the pipeline, teething problems are sure to be overcome in the near future.

So, what about the Peugeot Partner? Will you be investing in battery power?

Tags: Cheap Van Insurance, commercial vehicle show, Peugeot, Peugeot Partner
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Volkswagen Offer Restoration Service for Classic Vans

April 11th, 2012

Volkswagen created a department, “Commercial Vehicles Oldtimer”, which is dedicated to the preservation of its heritage. With a team of experts, they use this department to purchase and restore around 100 Volkswagen vehicles for their own personal collection.

Vehicle restoration is becoming increasingly popular, particularly throughout Europe. Enthusiastic owners have the opportunity to really understand their vintage automobiles and perhaps realise a young dream to drive their ‘cool’ car/van. Whether it is on your own or through hired mechanics, restoration can be extremely costly. So those interested will need to set aside a budget for the cost of parts, labour and van insurance quotes, in order to protect it once the job is complete.

The Workshop

Since its inception in 2007 their expert team and restored vehicles have grown, resulting in the need for a larger building to contain their activities and make room for their public expansion. The new 75,000 square metre centre allows the Volkswagen team to complete a number of tasks in various workshops such as metal shaping, paint jobs and even lathing and milling.
The main vehicle to be restored is one of Volkswagen’s most recognisable vans, which is known by many names. They include The Volkswagen Type 2, the Transporter, the Camper Van, the Mini/Micro bus and the Hippie Van.

Public Service

With the recent expansion came the intention to offer their restoration services to the public, ranging from complete restoration to improving certain parts, thus making it roadworthy. The staff involved communicates with customers regularly throughout the entire process, in order to ensure the vehicle is restored to their desired specifications. The entire process is documented and photographed in order to provide the customer with full disclosure and for posterity.

The benefit for van enthusiasts wanting to restore their retro vehicle is that they have the services of the original creators. Volkswagen has access to van parts from their original stock as well as support from Volkswagen Classic Parts.

Tags: Camper Van, Minibus, The Volkswagen Type 2, Van Insurance, van insurance quote, Vehicle restoration, Volkswagen vans
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Nissan Commercial Van to Take Over as New York Taxi

April 4th, 2012

Nissan’s NV200 van was named the “taxi of tomorrow” in May 2011. Now, more details have been released on the features of this advanced taxi. The new innovations added to the NV200 were made in response to discussions with taxi drivers, owners and passengers.

Key Features

The revamped taxi will be circulating through Manhattan and its surrounding boroughs in 2013. The van will carry 4 passengers and include features such as USB ports, rear air conditioning, a “low annoyance horn”, advanced hearing systems for the hearing-impaired, intercoms, floor lights, a skylight, antimicrobial seat fabrics and Active Carbon-lined headliners to neutralize odours.

In addition to these, the NV200 will have enhanced safety measures such as sliding doors, multiple airbags, traction and vehicle dynamic control systems. There are also plans to produce an environmentally friendly, electric NV200 for 2017. At present they are letting taxi owners test 6 of their 100% electric Nissan LEAFs.

Hope for the Future

The taxi is being assembled at Nissan’s plant in Mexico and will cost $29,700 with standard equipment. The regular NV200 van is available to purchase in the UK from £13,285. There are currently around 13,000 taxis in New York City which will be replaced. Once the new fleet has been purchased, preparations will need to be made to get van insurance for each commercial vehicle.

This opportunity allows Nissan to gain worldwide exposure as millions of tourists annually visit “the big apple”. The Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, said of the Nissan NV200, “it’s going to be the safest, most comfortable and most convenient cab the city has ever had. We started this process to leverage our taxi industry’s purchasing power to get the highest quality taxi, one that can expand and redefine the legendary image of New York City taxicabs. The new taxis will be custom-designed to meet the specific demands of carrying 600,000 passengers a day in New York City traffic and the vehicle meets the top priorities identified by the public in our online survey.”

Tags: Commercial Van, New York City, Nissan NV200, Taxi, vehicle technology
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Diesel Engines to be Part of Ford Transit Vans in 2013

April 2nd, 2012

Ford has decided to include a diesel engine to their Transit cargo and passenger van, which is due to be released in 2013. This option will be an alternative to their standard 3.5 litre EcoBoost V6 gasoline engine. The motivation for their latest venture is feedback from their customers. Ford’s truck communications manager, Mike Levine, said “Some customers prefer diesel, though we think the EcoBoost will offer diesel-like performance in terms of fuel economy and power. Yet diesel is going to remain an important powertrain in the commercial truck market going forwards; it’s definitely a very desirable powertrain option for full size vans”.

Ford and the Environment

The introduction of diesel is one of many alternative fuel options that Ford will be providing for their trucks. They include biodiesel, compressed and liquefied natural gas, battery electric, hybrid and the plug in hybrid. These varieties aim to help commercial fleet owners combat increasing fuel prices which have been driving up firms’ costs at an accelerating rate.
It is expected this new diesel Transit will achieve a minimum of 25% fuel economy and balanced capability, thus meeting the expectations of Ford’s van customers.

Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Cost Calculator

While supporting van drivers in their quest for cheaper costs, which can include buying cheap commercial van insurance, Ford are also aiming to help the environment by developing a tool called the Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Cost Calculator. This can help commercial fleet managers to asses their carbon footprints and make decisions on what vehicles to purchase based on various van types. As result they hope to not only reduce a company’s carbon emissions, but also improve their social credibility.

The tool takes into account the vehicle type, fuel type, traffic conditions from their local area, as well as their general geographic region. All of these and more can then determine their environmental impact and fuel costs. Commenting on this development, senior researcher at Ford Research and Innovation, Sandy Winkler said, “This tool will help our customers make the most informed purchase decision possible – one that will meet their business needs, help promote energy security and help protect the environment”.

Tags: Carbon Emissions, commercial van insurance, Costs, Diesel, environment, Ford Transit
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Azure Dynamics in Financial Trouble

March 30th, 2012

The electric vehicle market was hit by some bad news this week. Azure Dynamics, the company behind the Ford Transit Connect Electric, has closed its European operation and filed for bankruptcy protection.

Tough Times

The company has simply been caught out by such turbulent financial times across Europe and has sadly had to close its European doors. It was revealed that around 500 Azure Dynamics Ford Transit Connect Electric vehicles were produced with over half of them being sold in the United States. Around 230-240 were then left to be sold here in Europe.

A Ford UK spokeswoman has been explaining that “a very small number” had thus far been sold in the UK. Furthermore, they added that the company was looking to establish a way in which they could service their small number of customers.

Is There a Future?

Vice President of Azure Dynamics, Mike Elwood, is adamant that there will be a long term future for the company. He’s been quoted saying: “There is a future for Azure, we’re not sure where but there is a future for Azure and hopefully that will be in Europe.” Mr Elwood is also very hopeful that Azure Dynamics can retain the relationship that they have established with Ford. The Transit Connect Electric recently became available for the new electric vehicle discount that has been offered by the government. Whilst the Transit will reduce emissions and save you money on a van insurance quote due to its electric nature, it will also save you money when buying it from new.

Re-Assurance

The demise of the company has now forced the Department for Transport to step in to state that the situation that Azure Dynamics finds themselves in will not, in any way, damage the Plug-in Van Grant scheme that was launched this year. A spokeswoman for the Department for Transport explained: “It doesn’t affect the scheme. There’s no set number of vans that have to be eligible. More will be added on as they come to market.”

The fantastic little Transit van is just one of the first seven vans to gain eligibility for the grant that offers buyers a 20% discount off the new price up to the value of £8000. There aren’t currently a large number of these Transit vans available to those that want one here in the UK, therefore, if you do indeed fancy one, then it will be a good idea to act quickly!

So, who wants one and who already owns one?

Tags: Azure Dynamics, Department for Transport, Ford Transit Connect Electric, van insurance quote
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Mercedes-Benz Is the HSS Hire Van of Choice

March 28th, 2012

HSS Hire is a company that provide a nationwide tool and equipment hiring service. In 2009 they selected Mercedes-Benz as their only commercial van supplier. As the agreement drew to a close, HSS Hire decided to renew their contract. Mercedes-Benz will continue to supply them with replacement units and a wide range of new vehicles. With these new acquisitions comes the requirement to protect their growing fleet with quality commercial van insurance.

Why Mercedes-Benz?

Mercedes’ commercial vans have proven to be extremely reliable for HSS. They found that their Mercedes vans can last twice as long as others, with very few maintenance issues. They will also include ECO-Start which has lead to a large drop in fuel consumption. This is beneficial not only for HSS as they save money on fuel costs, but it reduces their negative impact on the environment.
The vans also feature quality safety systems such as the Adaptive ESP stability programme, adaptive brake lights and seat belt tensioners which are all standard inclusions in Mercedes-Benz vans.

The Latest Additions

Among the newer vehicles Mercedes-Benz will be providing HSS Hire with, are the Sprinter 313CDi Long Chassis cabs and the Vito 113CDi Long Panel vans. HSS will be using the Sprinters for collection and deliveries and each vehicle will feature a 13ft 6inch alloy dropside Arnold Clark body, a 500kg column tail lift and towing upgrades to 6300kg. For the vans which will be used for onsite maintenance and repair, the Vitos will be the vehicle of choice. These vans will be complete with tailgate, internal racking and storage solutions.

Commenting on their new deal, Fleet Manager at HSS, Lee Jackson said “Safety is paramount so making sure that the vans we chose offered sophisticated safety features played a large part in our decision making process. In addition, the reliability of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and the service and support they offer help keep us on the road and make sure we are better equipped to serve our customers. We’ve introduced the Vitos to our range as they offer an increased payload and better mpg, which will mean our fitters can carry more parts and attend to more customers in any one trip”.

Tags: commercial van insurance, HSS Hire, Mercedes Sprinter, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Mercedes-Benz Vito
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Keeping Your Van Secure

March 26th, 2012

Securing your van is absolutely essential for your trade. Without effective van security your van and goods will be at risk from opportunist thieves. Van thefts have also been rife in recent months, or more specifically, catalytic converters have been vulnerable due to their high scrap value, and so it has become increasingly important to lock up your van and ensure it is secured and insured with a decent commercial vehicle insurance quote.

Security Strategies

In order to keep your van secure at night it may be an idea to park it either underneath a street lamp, or in a secure garage as many vans that have been left in darker streets and on driveways have been targeted in recent months.

Furthermore there are a number of very secure items you can buy in order to protect your van at all times of the day. For example, a simple yet well fitted alarm system will be effective, naturally, while an immobiliser will make the van nigh-on impossible to steal. However, neither of these may actually protect the contents of your van.

Protecting the Contents

Now in terms of protecting the contents of your van many cynics may say that you should simply remove the contents when leaving your van parked somewhere, however, that is a rather impractical suggestion if you’re driving from job to job carrying several heavy duty items. So, during times when you are unable to simply remove all the items from the back of your van, what is the best way to protect them?

Well, for a start, it’s a good idea to fit deadbolts. There are a couple of different types available, such as a mechanical key operated deadbolt or alternatively a remote controlled deadbolt. Both these can be fitted to the rear or side doors of your van and they are also tamper proof. They therefore offer great security.

In addition, you can also add a slam lock. Slam locks automatically lock and secure the door when closed and thus offer much improved security for van drivers that are constantly on the move from job to job.

There are so many different ways to protect your van, make sure you choose the one that suits you best!

Tags: commercial vehicle insurance, security, Van Safety
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Restoration Challenge for Canadian Van Fanatic

March 23rd, 2012

Charlie Grahn is a Canadian van fanatic who has taken on the challenge of restoring his classic 1950 Morris J-type van. The van had been stationary in the previous owner’s backyard for over 30 years. By the time Charlie purchased it in 2008, pieces of the vehicle were literally falling off it. Once he begins to restore the van to its former glory, it will be important for him to protect his investment with a good van insurance quote.

The Morris J-Type

Surely no one would be willing to take on such a difficult challenge. But for Charlie, the appeal of the van’s curved and unique features were too good to pass up. The Morris J-type van was launched in 1949 and 48,000 were produced until 1961. Many businesses adopted this vehicle into their fleet such as the British Royal Mail, Ice Cream sellers, milk deliverers and perhaps most famously Reactine allergy medication.

Morris and Austin, the companies responsible for the van’s creation, had hoped it would be a successful export but it wasn’t the case. They created left and right hand drives and both types had forward controls and sliding doors.

The Restoration Challenge

Commenting on his latest project, Charlie explained “I had ‘restore vehicle’ on my bucket list for 30 years before I started this project. I liked this vehicle because it was so idiosyncratic. They built a vehicle for export designed for hauling parcels around London. It lacked customer focus. It foreshadowed the end of the empire”.

He should be very pleased with his investment as his van is one of four left-hand drive J-types that were exported to Canada and remain somewhat in tact.
When Mr Grahn was asked about the costs of restoration, he preferred to keep quiet, simply saying “I have way overextended myself, but I haven’t had to lie to my wife…yet”.

Tags: Morris J-Type Van, van insurance quote, Vehicle restoration
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