Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the most famous of them all?

Dr Who. No, the Tardis isn't a van, but the van is!

It’s Friday again!  This means time for a bit more fun in the Vansdirect newsroom.  We’ve already brought you famous vans from stage, screen and football - but this got the Top Trump players amongst us asking…. what is the most famous van out there?  Which has the housewife (or husband) seen more of than any other?  Is there an automatic choice when making a movie or tv show?  It doesn’t really matter, but at least you’ll be able to cite the answer when you’re next at the pub.

Vansdirect Advances Vanning

Flavanol, evangelic, vanilla and vanir - a few of the words we didn't use!

In a bid to prove that vans are truly versatile, Vansdirectnews set out to use as many words containing the element “van” as possible in a single sentance.  This then changed to a paragraph.  And then into semi-poem-like prose.  It’s all fairly meaningless, but a bit of fun.

Van Gough was art, this is just a Van…

Galavanting in caravans isn’t vanity or soley for the sylvan.

Connivance isn’t bonderservants vandalising a minivan.

Ford Unveil 4-Wheel Drive Transit

Transit All Wheel Drive

Ford unveiled their new 4-wheel drive Transit at the Hanover CV Show this month.  Power is distributed to all four wheels when necessary thanks to a torque sensor mounted in the front axle.  The new transit will therefore be able to cope with driving conditions usually only dared by the pickups.

There’s no extra ground-clearance, but the 140 bhp 2.4-litre TDCi diesel and six-speed gearbox should be enough to see you through the rough stuff.  Of course this does mean that drivers can load and unload the Transit AWD as easily as their current model.  Moreover, it doesn’t change the visual appearance and because the new technology only add another 50kg, the load-carrying capacity isn’t affected too substantially.

Van Prices Continue to Fall

Prices Begin to Steady?

Latest auction figures suggest that the value of vans continue to fall; albeit at a slower rate in September at only 0.75%.  Across the entire van spectrum, it’s reported that in September, the average value fell by £24 to £3,190 - approximately £750 down compared to early 2008.

On a positive note, the value of new and part-exchange vans actually rose slightly.  Duncan Ward, UK Business Development Manager of BCA, said that “there was an upturn in activity in the auction halls and a fragile confidence returned to the marketplace.”

VW Crafter with a Different Trim

Which Trim Would You Like Sir?

We tried to avoid the usual cliches when headlining this story, but failed to come up with anything better (as you have just read).  So, here are the cliches:  ”cut above the rest”, “close shave”, “Short Wheel Base and Sides”.  If you can come up with any others, please post them on the comments page.

Vansdirect At a Loose End

Usually on a Friday, the Vansdirect staff all turn into budding pundits in a bid to predict the Cardiff City result.  However, this week is international week - no Championship football - no Bluebirds - no touchline rant from Jones about the quality of the final pass.  What are we to do?

Regular visitors to the site will know that we love all things vans.  We also love Fridays.  So, once again, Vansdirect look to use the word van to its full advantage - but not in a game of scrabble - there may be no Bluebirds game, but we’ll find something other than scrabble.

Is Your Van Insurance Valid?

Is your van insurance valid? Fronting could void your van insurance!

One the UKs biggest insurance companies is this week warning company owners about the danger of “fronting” - the practice of allowing those not connected to the company to drive a company vehicle.  Whilst many assume that the person is included under the company insurance policy, this couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Norwich Union’s Mike Smith said “Fronting, in most instances, will invalidate the company insurance policy, leaving the business to pay for any damage to their vehicle.”

September - Registrations Down 22.1%

Registrations Fall In September

Vansdirect recently reported on the SMMT’s assessment of falling car registrations during September 2008. Today, the same organisation published its assessment of the commercial vehicle market.  

In short, registrations are down 19.2% for September but down a massive 22.1% in the case of vans only.  These figures are hardly surprising, but given the apparent unwilling nature of the government to commit to any substantive rescue plans or to speculate on potential solutions, the figures do not make pleasant reading for the manufacturer or van retailer.

New Registrations In September Fall

Market Declines For 5th Consecutive Month

The Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) published a gloomy report today calling for action from the Labour government.  Only 5 manufacturers can boast higher registrations this September when compared to the same period last year - Audi (+1.38%), Hummer (+25%), Jaguar (+3.56%), MG (+800%) & Smart (+9.26%).  The entire range of manufacturers in fact saw a fall in registrations of 21.2% - that’s a massive 88,995 units for September alone!

Vansdirect’s Favourite Concept - Nissan NV200

Nissan Concept Van - The Vansdirect Favourite

The concept vehicle is generally exactly that - merely a concept that will never acutally hit our roads.  They are to the van world what the cat-walk is to the fashion shops of the world - a way of presenting new ideas and breaking the mould.  However, when it comes to vans, how do you break the mould? You can always trust the Japanese to develop the odd but great.  In 2007, the good people at Nissan presented the NV200 concept at the Tokyo motorshow - and it remains a Vansdirect favourite!