Posts Tagged ‘van leasing’
Van Leasing
One of the best ways to fully enjoy your holiday trip is to have a car that you can drive on your own. This way, you will not be dependent upon the public transportation to bring you to the locations that you wish to visit.
If you are going to take your family with you, it is much wiser to make an appointment with the van leasing companies and choose the van among the types of vans that they has to offer. Not only is van leasing the perfect solution to your family’s needs, but you also get to save some cash. So, what are the benefits of van leasing?
Convenience and Comfort
The very obvious benefit of van leasing is the convenience and comfort that it provides you. One, you no longer have the annoyance of waiting for taxis, cabs, or buses to take you to your destination. Two, you could visit all the areas you desire to see and explore any time that you desire. Three, you are not tied to the schedules of group tours since, as mentioned above, you can simply start your visit as early or as late as you need. Four, van leasing provides you the comfort you and your children need. And fifth, van leasing offers you ample space where you can store your shopping bags when you go buying souvenirs, so you need not carry them around with you.
Money You Save
It also happens that you also get to save some extra money when you opt to select van leasing instead of utilizing the public transportation. This is most advantageous especially if you have a large party. You can all contribute to the cost, and this will allow you to save some extra cash.
You may get to save money when you rent van leasing during off-peak seasons especially since they are a bit cheaper during these times. Moreover, there are also situations where you get these van leasing deals at a very discounted and very much affordable prices, so it would be advisable, too, to catch these promos.
Getting van leasing is very simple. You can simply call the provider up and tell them where you wish to pick the vehicle up. You can also tell them the palce where you wish to drop it off. Moreover, van leasing is readily available anywhere, so you can easily look for them via the yellow pages or the Internet.
Tips on van leasing or contract hire
So you have to have a new van? Possibly your business involves the transportation of goods, or maybe you are a sole trader using the van as an advertisement for the company and also your workshop. The process of deciding which van is right for you is more complicated than buying a car! Make sure that before you begin your search for a van, you are certain that you are really going to need one. If it’s just a case personal transport with some gear, then generally speaking estate cars will work out cheaper than vans in terms of fuel economy and operating costs.
Higher road tax for most cars and vans need to be considered as additional charges, not forgetting the congestion charge. But if you are looking for a van, then what would be the best type for you? Is the environment a concern, and would it affect your choice of vehicle? Which van do you require: a 4×4, a micro van a pick-up truck or one of the larger vans? Carefully research your options within the price range, and compare the various specifications on offer. Generally, the larger the van type the larger the engine that will power it (V8 or V10) and with it comes a higher running cost. Micro vans will offer better fuel economy by sacrificing load capacity but larger vans can often be easier to maintain if repairs are necessary.
Finally, figure out how you can afford your van: buying or leasing? If you don’t wish to buy, then a van lease is probably the best option. There are a range of different leasing options dependent on the size required, for example: medium van leasing or pick up truck leasing. What this means is that you make smaller repayments based on the residual value of the van, on a monthly basis. When the term is complete, you can simply return the van and walk off, or begin a new leasing agreement. The idea of van leasing is a good one, especially is you like to have a new van every year or so and need lower payments monthly, but you will need to produce predictable mileages for it to work well.
Are there too many vans on our roads?
The 2nd – 8th February is, apparently, National Van Week. Quite what this entails I’m not sure – it seems to be a wonderful excuse for van manufacturers to advertise their new models and attract lots of new customers. For some peoplee, driving a van is an essential part of everyday life. Many businesses rely on them every day to transport staff and goods, and there is no question of their usefulness. Consider large van leasing when making your choice of vehicle.
In these difficult times, many people with small businesses need a van for transport or even as their portable office. Buying is an option, but far more predictable, reliable and certainly less costly is looking at available van leasing deals. You’ll get a modern van but none of the worries of paying upfront, and the chance to trade it in for the latest new one every three years.
Even a brand new, environmentally friendly van can still cause problems on the roads. Many would say it’s common to find one blocking the road in small streets and residential areas and making things awkward for other drivers. Those complainers forget that so many of the services they rely on every day depend on a man in a van.For those who rely on their van in their everyday business life it’s hard to imagine how they’d cope without it.
But for businesses that need to use vans, the upkeep and servicing can be a costly commitment.It’s hardly surprising that most businesses running a small fleet of vans will expect the drivers to keep them at home, as hiring somewhere to store them all overnight would be even more expensive. A far more viable option for these businesses would be to look at pick up truck leasing – if manageable monthly payments and always having the latest model wasn’t enough, many deals come with tax and servicing cost thrown in as well.
The old days with the band and the van
I used to be roadie for a number of different bands, and for those who are not familiar with the definition I will elaborate. A roadie is person who basically does all the hard graft behind the scenes at a public concert. As a fan, you turn up at the ‘gig’ and have a great time, not only marvelling at the performers but also the lighting or stage design. But how many people actually spare a thought for the person who has assembled or transported the equipment?
It is often seen as a glamour job, because of the close proximity to the ‘stars’, and I admit it is quite a thrill to meet them for the first time. But having after three or four months on the road at a time, they soon become just ‘normal’ people.
If you end up working for famous rock stars, you will more than likely use fantastic equipment and unbelievable types of transportation. The end of tiny transportation is nigh – what we mean here is mega articulated vehicles, and many of them. This, in a way, is a benchmark of the success of a particular band.
In the old days someone would own an old Transit van, more than likely the driver would be a mate of one of the musicians. Back in the Swinging Sixties it began this way for me. When I think back, I once was the proud owner of a Commer van, until the arrival of the Transit in the early seventies. Every since that day I have had a love affair with Fords, and have too many great memories to ever change! In those days van leasing did not exist to the extent that it does today. Any way we would not have been able to afford it had we wanted it.
If leasing products had been available, I would have been looking at medium or small van leasing or pick up truck leasing, which has bundles of style and fun.
White van man gone green
Could van drivers be inspired by the likes of the hybrid or the Smart car, and embrace green technology. A large quantity of van owners are sole-traders, or are fleet members.
If these larger companies operated a revolving policy and replaced a few vehicle at a time, they would be making a substantial cost saving. It would be a sensible policy to gradually move away from the old technology, whilst embracing new technology. The fuel bills generated by these companies must be alarmingly high. The running cost on business is likely to be substantially reduced by switching to green policies and technology.
The reduction of cost is important for young businesses, who would be doing themselves a favour by adopting this option. It would be difficult to expect an existing sole trader to trade in his or her reliable transport source for something experimental. If it is shown to save precious cost and help the environment at the same time, then it has to be explored.
By driving a van like this you are making your positive contribution, which is a good thing and is what every person needs to be doing. What is required is a total change in the way the whole world thinks, and uphill battle but by no means an impossibility. It will take a concencus to reject the old environmentally unfriendly way of doing things before real progress can be measured.
In my opinion, van leasing has been an option out there for many years now and can provide a much cheaper way to achieve what everyone wants. Whether or not Fiat van leasing and Iveco van leasing are going to be involved in the process remains to be seen, but if there is demand then they are sure to recognise this and follow the pattern!
History of Mercedes Benz
Gottlieb Daimler & Karl Benz set up Mercedes Benz in the 1880’s. It is believed that these two men never in fact met each other! They worked independently of each other and Daimler looked after the racing cars. A dealer from Austria by the name of Emil Jellinek introduced the cars into races and was very successful. He named the cars Mercedes after his daughter.
Eventually Jellinek placed a big order from Daimler and his friend Wilhelm Maybach. They were in agreement that Jellnek could modify some of the designs.
1886 Benz built his first motorized tricycle. The first production car was the Benz Velo in 1894 which took part in the first recorded car race, Rouen to Paris. In 1895 that Benz built his first truck.
It is quoted that Daimler never enjoyed driving! In March 1990 he died leaving complete control of the company to Wilhelm Mayback. By November of that year they had produced a special car, the Mercedes which was lighter and smaller than the average car of the day and was able to reach top speeds off 55 miles per hour.
At the beginning of the First World War both factories had to turn their hand to the production of war materials, although both of them reverted back to the production of cars after the war. With fuel being scarce plus a 15% luxury tax car production was affected badly.
The economy in Germany grew more desperate and a new Mercedes Benz would cost as much as 25 million marks. It is interesting to note that 15 million cars were registered throughout the world in 1923 and over 80% of them from the UK and over half were in fact Fords. The Mercedes was considered to be too costly.
In 1926 a new insignia was made in the shape of a three pointed star wreathed with laurel to signify the merger of Benz and DMG.
In the 1930’s their biggest & most prestigious car was introduced, it was called the 770 Grosser and was powered by an 8 cylinder, 7.six litre engine. The cars in this era produced many wins on the racing circuits.
In 1945 after the war, the plant at Unterturkheim which had been bombed out had to put their car production on hold and produced trailers for bicycles.
However in 1946 the production of cars was started again and by 1949 a diesel version of the 170 was being made which became a best seller.
Alongside all of these elegant car models a number of vans have been produced which are used a great deal for Mercedes van leasing. One such van is the Mercedes Sprinter which has the reputation for being highly reliable and fairly economical.
By the 1990’s Mercedes became the first manufacturer in the world to fit a 4 valve diesel engine into a car. This new engine offers enhanced performance and smoothness which is what the Mercedes name stands for.
A Brief History of the Fiat
Founded on 11th July 1899 it was Giovanni Agnelli who through his purpose and imagination for the company became the Managing Director.
Fiat is an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (Italian Car Factory of Turin).
Giovanni’s grandson Gianni then became chairman from 1966 until his death in 2003.
The first factory was opened in 1900 with 150 workers
During the 1930′s trucks and commercial vehicles underwent considerable development and also the railway system and aviation sectors grew.
In the war years there was a great reduction in the production of cars, whilst commercial vehicles grew considerably. Fiat made military vehicles for the Italian Army and Air Force.
In 1945 the presidency of Fiat was taken over by Vittorio Valletta.
In 1948 the plants that were destroyed in the war were completed and profits started to increase as did the amount of employees.
After the war Fiat introduced its very first tractor.
Betwixt 1957 and 1975 the popular Fiat 505 was produced. This was a inexpensive and very practical car and measured just 9 feet 9 inches long. It was powered by a small-scale 479cc 2 cylinder air cooled engine and was considered to be one of the first “city cars”.
The Fiat was also rear engined exactly like the Volkswagen beetle.
Despite its little size the 500 proved very popular throughout Europe.
Output of the 500 ceased in 1975 and the Fiat 126 was introduced two years earlier. The 126 was never quite as popular although it was well known for its mechanical durability and economy.
In 1978 the “Robogate” system was created which was so named because of the new robotized system that was used for assembling the bodywork.
In 1980 the Fiat Panda was born. Within the next two years the Fiat Uno was likewise introduced. In 1989 the Tipo was voted “Car of the Year” for its keen edge solutions.
There have been various Fiat vans introduced which are extremely popular for Fiat van leasing. These modest, economical vehicles are perfect as a van to lease and are used frequently for catering and delivery vehicles.
A History of Citroen
Andre Citroen the famous car manufacturer was born in 1934. He attended the Polytechnical school in Paris where he was an excellent student. From there he started working for the car company “Mors”. By age 27 he had founded his first company.
In 1913 he also founded another company to ensure the best use of his patent for carburettors. In the beginning Citroen was influenced by the business methods of Henry Ford who utilised the assembly line as early as 1908 in the USA.
In 1915 at the start of war, Andre received a commission to make 7500 grenades. Citroen then convinced the Ministry of Defence that he would in fact deliver larger quantities if produced industrially.
By 1919 the first “citroen car” was produced. It had a 4 cylinder engine and was capable of speeds of 65km/h. During the year they produced 2,500 cars. However the next year they were producing 20,200!
In 1921 the Citroen taxis made their entrance onto the streets of Paris.
Eleven years on at the beginning of 1932 the C4 and C6 were built using the “floating power” engine. The engine was made secure by rubber mounts in preference to being bolted to the chassis. Obviously this eliminated a lot of the vibrations making it a much more comfortable ride.
About this time they started to produce toy cars for children, a somewhat unusual idea!
However things took a turn for the worse after the Wall Street crash in 1929. In 1933 their factories were rebuilt which cost a great deal of money. By April of that year there was a strike at the factory. Cars stopped selling profitably abroad due to the exchange rates and restrictions against foreign products. By the end of the year they had accrued several debts.
By December 1934 the company was declared bankrupt. Andre Citroen died the next year.
It was from here that the Michelin Company stepped in with financial help and therefore the name continues today.
There are still countless “citroens” on our roads today and many of these are used for van leasing. It is often more viable to lease vans and indeed in years to come Citroen van leasing companies would be spread worldwide.
How Renault Evolved
Renault was born in February 1877. Youngest of five he had a very priviledged childhood and developed an interest in mechanics very early on in life. It was in a garden shed the young Louis set up his first workshop.
By 20 years old he converted his tricycle into a four wheeled car and added his new invention, the first gear box.
His two brothers Fernand and Marcel set up the Renault Brothers company in 1899.
It was through racing that the renault brothers became famous with Louis and Marcel doing the racing. They won races one of the most important of which was the Paris to Vienna race won by Marcel in 1902.
Their sales in cars accelerated rapidly and they were sold at 3,000 francs each which is equal to ten years average salary at that time. By 1902 the first saloon car and later that year the first Renault engine with four cylinders and 24 horse power. Not very long after this the first turbo engine was patented.
However in 1903 Marcel was tragically killed in a race from Paris to Madrid. He was only 31 years old. This was heartbreaking for Louis and it made him give up racing for good.
By 1919 the motor car in France was regarded as a big luxury and was heavily taxed. Louis reorganised his business and started to manufacture everything that had an engine from cars, vans, light commercial vehicles, buses, trucks etc. He managed to aquire his own foundries and ironworks which enabled him to reduce his independence on other companies although he did buy components when they were cheaper than he could manufacture himself.
In 1998 Renault celebrated its centenary by opening two major sites.
The Renault Technocentre near Paris was to be the driving force accommodating Renaults 6500 engineering and design personnel.
The Scenic bodywork assembly plant based in Brazil is a large complex including a powertrain plant and also a light vehicle assembly plant.
I wonder if Louis Renault could ever have imagined right at the start when he converted his bicycle that his empire would grow into such a large industry. Nowadays it is often more viable to lease vans and indeed in years to come Renault van leasing companies would be spread worldwide.
The best tools of the trade
One of the most challenging decisions for a business is how to select good quality and reliable vans for your business.
Have you ever thought about van leasing for your business? Van leasing is an excellent alternative to purchasing vehicles straight up for your business. It gives your business the option of paying back the full amount over time thus saving you a lot of money. You can pick up some fantastic bargains with these vehicles and I would highly recommend it for any start up business that wants to make a good impression quickly. Small van leasing can cost from anything as low as £150 a month which is a fantastic opportunity for a business which does have the collateral straight away to buy brand new vehicles. Many companies specialise in medium van leasing and pickup truck leasing so any business can really get the most out of this. Some brilliant vans to look out for include the VW Transporter and the Renault Trafic which are two of the most popular vans around. On average a brand new Ranult Trafic van would go for £17,000 which could be a staggering dent into any company which are just starting up. Instead of this huge payment for a vehicle you could start by paying as little as £150 a month to get the same thing. This would provide your business with an excellent chance to grow at a fast pace with minimum payment heading out of your bank account each month.
To me it makes brilliant sense to get a contract van rather than making a straight purchase. What’s more is that you get warranty for the entire time that you lease the van and get free MOTs as well! What more do you want? There are so many vans all over the place to choose from so make your choice wisely. Go and have a good look around to try and find the best deal.