Pickup Trucks

If there is one thing that is true about our country, it is that we are a nation of motor vehicle fanatics. The great American dream (other than the part about having one’s own home) is in large part embodied by the notion of the eternal road trip-a journey out into the unknown of unforeseeable duration. Of course, if you’re heading out on a major road trip then you’ll need to figure out a way to fit in a good amount of luggage and equipment, which is where installing a roofrack on your car comes into play.

The most common car on the nation’s highways is nothing more than an average passenger car, relatively compact and tiny, which in all its many varieties has one thing that is shared in common: truly restricted storage space. It is as a result of that predicament that some ingenious person had the fantastic idea to design the first roofrack, effectively converting the roof of their car into an additional (and spacious) place for stowing all sorts of things. Thanks to the roofrack, drivers can afford to haul more equipment and luggage along on the trip while simultaneously saving valuable space within the vehicle, enhancing not only comfort but more importantly safety on the road, and giving owners of ordinary cars a way to bring along the sort of bulky sporting items they’ll be using on their trip (skis, surf boards, fishing rods, mountain bikes, etc.).

Exactly what kind of roofrack a person will end up putting on top of their car is going to be greatly influenced by exactly what it is that they planning on putting in it, or on top of it, as happens to be the case. There are very basic and typical roofracks that are suited for simply bringing along light items like some extra clothing and other trifling materials, while in order to mount very heavy and bulky objects such as extreme sports gear, etc., it is important to count on the support of a more sturdy and heavy duty roofrack.

Additionally, the precise kind of car that you are driving will be a determining factor when deciding the kind of roofrack to be employed; the way in which your car’s roof was designed at the factory will have a lot of effect on the final decision. In general, it seems like old cars were generally built with the sort of roof gutters suitable for installing roofracks, though today’s models generally are not manufactured in this way. No need to fret, however, as practically any kind of roof can be fitted with a stable roofrack with a little effort.

Cars that come with roof ribs or gutters save drivers half the effort of course, as the base is already there for mounting a roofrack. For cars without such features, the door frame is used to house clamps or hooks that will be the roofrack’s base.

The basic necessary set up for any roofrack consists of two roof rails that run parallel to the sides of the car and a minimum of one (the most common amount) cross bar-the cross bar is absolutely crucial, literally serving as the foundation for a sturdy and safe roofrack.

For cars that lack these sorts of rails there is the possibility of installing them on your own, and kits are sold for exactly that purpose. When done properly, these self-install roof rails neither compromise your vehicle’s safety nor change its outward appearance in the least bit.

Of course, there are roofracks and roofracks: you won’t want to use the same thing to ride with your entire family’s mountain bikes that you use to store your spouse’s extra suitcase, so be sure to make a wise decision and get some advice before choosing what kind of roofrack to buy.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Technorati Tags: 4WD, auto accessories, auto and trucks, auto parts, Automotive, autos, Car Parts, cars, road trips, roof racks, roofracks, Trucks, Vans, vehicles

It is common knowledge that the domain of the light commercial vehicle belongs firmly in the vice-like grip of the Ford Transit and has been for decades. There are, however, certain factions that have sprouted that are doing all they can to topple the Transit’s stranglehold on the market. Amongst these competitive spirits are such respected manufacturers as Peugeot and Renault, there is one particular rival that seems to be making a very good case for themselves indeed. The manufacturer I refer to is Vauxhall.

Vauxhall have seen great success already with their range of vans, each designed to better suit a particular light commercial endeavour. The Vauxhall Movano is the biggest of the vans and is well suited to those who need to transport a large amount of tools or other haulage to complete their mandate. The Vauxhall Vivaro is more stylish and the smaller and more mobile brother to the Movano. The Astravan and Corsavan are pretty self-explanatory and provide the small van suitable for the more fledgling business or the smaller end of a fleet.

What is impressive about the Vauxhall Van range is how they have taken everything that is desirable about the Ford Tranist and have added extra elements. For example; the Vivaro has all the practicality of the famous Transit, but has the updated looks and image that will appeal to business owners if they are keen to make a great impression on their clients. In turn, the Movano is available with various wheelbases, to help you make a more informed decision of what vehicle to buy based on the kind of strains that will be placed on your fleet.

 The Transit will continue to be a bestseller based upon its deserved legacy, but it is definitely worth at least investigating the Vauxhall range of Vans, as they will provide an excellent service to you and your business.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Technorati Tags: Automotive, cars, Vans, Vauxhall, Vauxhall Astravan, Vauxhall Corsavan, Vauxhall Movano, Vauxhall Vans, Vauxhall Vivaro

The government has kept the van producers LDV waiting whilst it deliberates on whether to give a £5million bridging loan that would then mean external investors could buy into the company and hundreds of jobs could potentially be saved.

Although LDV and Citroen van leasing have been on the up recently, production at LDV has been put on hold since December last year as a result of reduced demand in the new van market. Workers at the plant recently dropped down to a three-day week and agreed to a 10% pay cut in efforts minimise outgoings. Originally they approached the government for help, seeking a £30million injection to keep going. This was not given buy the government initially but since LDV has reduced the amount they are asking for, the request is being reconsidered.

If the loan is given then it would help secure around 850 workers at LDV and also 6,000 more people who are affected in the supply chain. It has been announced that if the government do step in, a number of overseas investors will be looking to do the same. These include one of the bidders who previously failed to secure Jaguar Land Rover, but also Mahindra and Mahindra, an Indian group who were in the running to purchase JLR and also a van leasing company a year ago but was eventually beaten by rival Asian conglomerate Tata.

Copies of the company accounts and business plans have been sent to the government and include a new concept for an ecological ‘green’ van. The government will be going over all the details with a fine tooth comb but those in charge remain hopeful. The chairman of LDV’s Russian owner Gaz, Erik Eberhardson has announced that he is certain the firm can regain its strength and an LDV spokesman echoed this when he stated “This isn’t dead in the water. BERR has agreed to investigate all options, and the MBO team believe they have the best plan.”

Popularity: 16% [?]

Technorati Tags: Buy out, cars, company, Government loan, LDV, Van, Vans

We all realise the credit crunch has hit the planet very hard, almost every industry has felt the ripple of fate that the financial down fall has brought to us. This being said there are a lot more specific niches which are being hurt a lot more and one of them is the ailing car industry. The market is at its lowest point for decades with the sale of new cars dropping a dramatic amount.

But now Lord Mandelson, the business secretary has sprung in with a big bail out package of around 2.2 billion dollar. Although this will have a large positive effect on the global situation via people still being in employment and the continuation of manufacturing new cars, I feel it could have a not so good turn in the long run.

Do not get me wrong I am all for bailing out successful companies that have misjudged the credit crunch and not financed around it, but I do not feel this is the same for most of the car industry. Folks are not interested in purchasing vehicles. I say that if the product that a company is selling is not doing nice than that surely is completely down to the business not meeting the demands of the industry.

A huge majority of people these days do not want petrol eating machines such as the Jaguars for two reasons, firstly because people travel a lot and it will cost them an awful lot more and secondly is that they emit to much pollution to the globe hurting the OZone layer. Therefore this is the reason that these companies are struggling, not because there finances are out of shape it's simply because there product is not selling and probably will not sell even after the bailout.

Althoughit is nice for people to bail out all these companies, in some ways I see the credit crunch as a positive ore. It' ll ultimately eliminate all of the negative bits of crowded markets and when this is all over we may see a new great breed of car manufacturers coming through, that could in fact reinvent the way we control and perceive vehicles, the new technology could end up taking us to new levels and making vehicles a lot safer and comfortable to drive around in.

Buy a Mazda and Buy a Renault

Popularity: 2% [?]

Technorati Tags: cars, Vans, vehicles

The 2nd – 8th February is, apparently, National Van Week. Quite what this entails I’m not sure – as far as I can tell it’s a wonderful excuse for van manufacturers to unveil their new models and get themselves lots of new customers. For some people, their van is an essential part of their day to day life. Many businesses rely on using them to transport their staff and goods around the place, and there is no question of their usefulness.

In these difficult times many people with small businesses rely on their 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 lease deals. You’ll get a modern van without any of the worries of paying upfront, and the chance to upgrade to the latest model every three years.

Even if it’s a top of the range, eco friendly van, they can still cause problems on the roads. Many would say it’s not unusual to find one blocking the road and that they cause problems when left parked on small streets or in residential areas. Those people forget that so many of the services they rely on depends on a man in a van.For people who need to use a van in their everyday business life it’s hard to imagine how they’d cope without it.

But for businesses that rely on vans every day maintenance and servicing costs can be a problem.It’s hardly surprising that most businesses that use vans don’t store them on site but ask drivers to take them home to save on costs. A far more viable option for these businesses would be to look at van lease contracts – 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.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Technorati Tags: van lease, van leasing, Vans

Were you aware the term “the White Van Man” was originally coined by Sarah Kennedy a BBC radio two DJ back in the nineties? A fact she has no doubt been dining out on ever since.

In the eleven years that has elapsed since white van man was singled out for posing the greatest threat to society, world and home events have meant that maybe there are worse things in life than someone being discourteous towards us whilst driving.

I seem to remember though that white vans do seem to attract a certain amount of attention not all of it welcomed. I hired a white van a while back to move flat and within minutes a small group of dirty faced youths started hanging around and I had to move them on by threatening to play my Richard Clayderman albums loudly.

As a consequence “white van man” has reinvented himself somewhat and undergone a bit of an image change to reflect these changing times. For instance mainly due to a loophole with VAT ratings many builders who in the past may have driven dilapidated white vans  a few years ago can now be found driving around in swanky new 4×4 pick-ups. Especially the double cab versions which are now being used on the school run amongst other things.

Also due to the rising costs of motoring a lot of vans have now become the main vehicle in the household and with the image of the white van in crisis other colours were being tried in an attempt to shake off the stereotypical image of the occupant. Some time ago silver was deemed to be the new white for the more image-conscious driver.

The term “New Van Man” was coined to reflect the trend of tradesmen who would rather be seen drinking a tall latte rather than a mug of tea with maybe a copy of The Guardian on the dashboard instead of The Sun.

People’s expectations are a lot higher these days and the equipment level of today’s vans has improved to reflect this. I remember a friend of mine used to be a delivery driver and I used to occasionally accompany him when I’d lost the will to live. The problem being his van was so basic there was not even a passenger seat! This failed to put me off and I helped myself and took one of my mums dining room chairs. This kind of worked in so far as I could put a seatbelt round me but of course without being fixed to the floor it did have a tendency to catapult me into the dashboard if we stopped quickly or alternatively sent me flying backwards into a pile of discarded sandwich wrappers when we pulled away.

These days vans have airbags and air conditioning (so the sun-tanned right arm has become a thing of the past) CD’s and MP3 players and such like even electric windows, in the past you would be lucky to have a window winder as it would have fallen off long ago and be rattling around annoyingly somewhere under the driver’s seat.  

Take the Vauxhall Vivaro I have just been reading about for instance, the specification list reads better than a lot of cars currently available, there’s even a sport version. It comes with a choice of the latest common rail diesel engines and some 16 different body variations and it’s even made in Luton England. Safety features include ABS with EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) and seat belt pretensioners. The Vivaro is available in long and short wheelbase versions including minibuses as well as a high roof option, always handy to avoid bashing your head when loading.

All the vans I have looked at are shown in red but rest assured white is still an option for the traditionalist!

Popularity: 2% [?]

Technorati Tags: Van, Vans, Vauxhall