BID Group has run Mercedes-Benz vans in the past but switched entirely in 2015 to another brand, whose vehicles were cheaper ‘up front’. “We found, though, that not only were those vans less reliable, but the back-up also fell far short of what we’d come to expect,” explained fleet manager Scott Murdoch.
The company is now looking forward to the arrivals of six more, as well as five mid-sized Vito models.
Like those already on the road, the next consignment of Sprinters will be 314 CDI variants with medium-length L2 bodies and standard H1 roofs. Their 141bhp engines will drive the front wheels through nine-speed 9G-TRONIC automatic transmissions.
Zinc Roofracks, of Atherton, near Wigan, is fitting the Sprinters with internal racking and galvanised roof racks.
The Vito vans, meanwhile, will be 138bhp 114 CDI Progressive models with six-speed manual transmissions. Again, BID Group has opted for the higher payload potential of the front-wheel drive configuration in preference to the also available rear-wheel drive alternative.
BID Group runs a fleet of 75 vans, in which several brands are represented. The company employs more than 50 mobile repair teams that use their equipped mobile workshops to install and service not only its own doors and associated products, but also those by other manufacturers. The new Sprinters are typically being assigned to two-person installation teams, while the smaller Vito vans will be used by engineers who undertake maintenance jobs for which less equipment is required.
The vans will be covered by the Mercedes-Benz ServiceCare contract. The manufacturer’s MobiloVan cover includes 24-hour emergency roadside assistance by factory technicians.
“Some of the new vans will work from our headquarters and be maintained at Ciceley Commercials workshop in Bolton,” explained Murdoch. “Others will work from our depots across the UK and be maintained by the most conveniently-located members of the manufacturer’s dealer network.”