UPS franchisee Meden Couriers has taken delivery of 28 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans – all 316CDI models with 163bhp 2.1-litre common rail turbodiesel engines.
The new vans, supplied by Liverpool dealer Road Range, were specified in a combination of Medium, Long and Extra-long body lengths.
"We've run Sprinters in the past, alongside vans from other manufacturers," comments Meden Couriers managing director Kevin McDonagh.
"The build quality of Mercedes-Benz vehicles is superb and they stand up to the harsh life of a multi-drop delivery vehicle – lots of stopping and starting, the doors constantly opening and closing – far better than anything else we've seen," he continues.
"Even the casing on the wiring looms is more robust on the Sprinter, than it is on other manufacturers' products," he adds.
McDonagh concedes that's a peripheral detail, but makes the point that it can make the difference between "a van being out on the road and earning money, or stuck in the workshop awaiting repair".
Meden Couriers also specified hands-free phone systems that can be operated safely via the vans' multi-function steering wheels.
