Unique Auto

Posts Tagged ‘vans’

Aavans.com Crash Testing and Wheelchair Vans

The mobility industry is an interesting one, for many reasons, but mainly because it’s somewhat elusive.What I mean is that information is sometimes difficult to gather.   For this post, I will concentrate on crash testing because it is interesting to look at differences between buying a regular vehicle and buying a converted van for wheelchair accessibility. 

When you shop for a regular vehicle, let’s say a Honda Odyssey minivan, do you question whether the vehicle has passed all the government safety requirements?  Probably not, I never have.  I have purchased 4 cars in my life and never once asked if the vehicle had been crash tested.  It is something I think the majority of us just assume, that the vehicle we are buying has been crash tested, and has passed.

Did you know that all modifiers of vehicles, like VMI, have to re-crash the vans we build after they are modified.  Since we change the structure of the original vehicle, by cutting off the floor, NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) requires the van be crash tested again.

When you are shopping for wheelchair accessible vans, ensure the van you are looking at passes all NHTSA crash test requirements.This especially becomes important when shopping the manufacturers who sell wheelchair vans direct and don’t use a network of Mobility Equipment Dealers.How do you verify that these companies have passed all federal regulations in terms of crash testing the van?I would first contact NMEDA (National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association) and determine what is required.  I would then contact the manufacturer of the van you are looking at purchasing and ask them

Aavans.com  – Crash Testing and Wheelchair Vans

Wheelchair Vans – Mobility Vans

Take a look at Aavans.com today!

The list is ever growing, here are the next lot on the list that have had something to do with a vans, some are obvious, some are weirds and some are just plain wrong.

All of these cartoons are very competitive on the viewings and the ratings, which one do you prefer watching. There haven’t been many van appearances in them but when there have, they have been pretty funny.

The Anchor Van- Simpsons

Kent Brockman is the guy with the job of having to sit in this van while it goes around to the spots in which the news needs to be reported. Although Brockman is never seen inside the van itself his team are always in there giving him all of the quirky comments he apprently comes up with.

Surveillance Van- Family Guy

The van has only ever featured in one episode of the series and was used to listen in on a conversation between Lois and an ex. Peter is of course thinking that Lois is having an afair with her ex when in reality she has just gone to the local coffee shop for a drink. Peter thinks his marriage is in ruins but doesnt listen to the conversation from the start and it is his jealously that causes the row.

Anyone For Ice Cream- South Park

There have been a lot of vans in this series simply because it has gone on for such a long time, the best one has to be this one. The van was really only seen once and was used for one of many ways that the show has killed off Kenny.

There it is, the best cartoons vans that have ever come into existance. Let us just hope that these toons looked into commercial van leasing for their vans to save a bit of money. Van contract hire could actually be a better way to use a van as it is a lot cheaper than buying one outright.

There are actually quite a few cartoons out there that feature cartoon characters that drive, own or have something to do with a van and many of them are tuned in by millions a day. Some of these are made for the smaller generations and some of these havent seen any real success in the cartoon world in a lomg while. Here are the ones that I could think of.

The Infamous Mystery Machine

This has to be the top van out of all of the cartoon vans. When you think of a van in a cartoon then this has to be the one that comes into the mind at first. Believe it or not Scooby Doo is actually forty years old this year as it was first screened in 1969! The show is obviously still going strong and has not lost the original design at all, there are still many monsters to be caught. The monster always seems to be someone in disguise, where are the real monsters!. I wonder if the gang have the van on Van lease

The Classic Postman Pat

This is actually a British creation which is partly why it is in the list, the other reason is because it was first aired in 1981 and was loved so much that they have brought back a newer series which started in 2006. This show was aimed mainly at the younger age group and both me and all of my friends were big fans when we were younger. One of the best things about Postman Pat is that he is actually able to deliver all of his post on time even when helping various people out!

Cheap vehicle contracts has really got to be something that many of these cartoons had thought of when they purchased the vans.

Which has the best van in the popular South Park, Family Guy and South Park series, read part two to find out. Small van leasing is key for the next part.

It would seem that the white van is the main van that the police track for criminal activity but why is this?

Well to start with, over the past few years the white van has been the accomplice to many criminals from burglaries and theft to abductions and even rape. What is the reasoning behind criminals choosing a white van?

Well over the years the vehicle of the criminal has changed and it would seem that the modern times have chosen the white van. Here are just two of the vehicles that have been at the top for criminals over the past eighty years or so.

Ford V8 B-400

This is of course the most famous of the criminal cars because it was the model that the famous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde used to rob banks, small stores and gas stations. If you take a look at this car you automatically think mafia or of the guys from wacky races.

1966 Chevrolet Impala

This was the choice of a deadly serial killer back in the 1960’s. The murderer is not known as he has only ever been indentified by the car. He only preyed on people that were inside cars, a bit strange. It was reported by several victims and also drawn out several times. He murdered five people and attempted to do it to another seven.

It would certainly seem that the times change over the years and that criminals are always looking for a certain vehicle in which they can use to help them commit crimes. The van seems to be chosen because it is suitable for any criminal activity which is the only downside to the vehicle.

Of course the plus side is that the van has helped out thousands perhaps even millions of people in their everyday lives. commercial van leasing has helped even further by providing affordable means of getting hold of a van. Citroen van leasing and Mercedes Van Leasing are just some of the options out there to choose from.

It is without doubt that more people are interested in purchasing a van than they used to be. In fact over the past decade the sale of vans here in the UK has risen by 40% but why is this?

Could it be to do with the fact that there is much more van contract hire going on than there used to be or is it something else?

Well a major reason that we have seen a massive growth in the sales of vans is because there are more and more companies that are in need of them. Major companies like Sky and BT purchase huge quantities of these vans every year because of the growing need for their services. The same goes for any company that delivers items to someone.

The internet has really kicked off in the last ten years and this is especially true when it comes to e-commerce sites. You can also blame the Royal Mail for all of this because they are incapable of delivering a letter on time let alone packages,. So the need for vans goes up even more.

Vans are also on the increase because major companies are putting more money into developing them. More companies are being set up that will let people get into fiat van leasing and Iveco van leasing which is actually cheaper than buying a van.

Vans are actually also very practical with many now having more than just the two seats and can be used for transporting any goods. The problem is that vans are also associated with many crimes such a kidnapping and burglary and both of these have been on the increase too.

The majority of vans are of course used for the right reasons and with “greener” vans on the horizon they can only really continue to grow.

It is a sad fact that thousands of workman from all over the country have their tools stolen from their work vans and trucks every year. These tools are often specialized and are very expensive, causing the tradesman to have to spend money on new tools and also lose trade in the mean time as they cannot do their work.  So what are the best ways to protect yourself against this problem?

Don’t leave the tools. Taking your tools out of your truck or van and into your house is the only way you can make certain they will not get taken. This of course may not stop your van being broken into but will stop you losing valuable items. However, people often stalk out a van for a while before they decide whether or not to break into it, so if you are seen to be taking your tools out every evening, there is less chance you will be a victim. However, for some people and trades this is just not a viable options and they need to use other tactics.

Sticker. placing a sticker on your van saying “All tools are removed overnight from this van” is an effective and easy way to put thieves off. Most commercial van leasing vehicles come with these on them already and they have much fewer cases of burglary. If you introduce all element of doubt into a thieves mind they are much less likely to risk a break in, opting for better odds elsewhere instead. Thieves are not completely stupid however, so cover your tools from view if you’re using this trick

Good security. If you can get hold of a van that has a higher than average security level this will do you well. Citroen van leasing vans are well known for their security so these are a good choice. Thieves tend to know as well which vans can be opened without much effort and which take time. More often than not they will go for the easy picks

For Citroen or Volkswagen Van Leasing please visit Crusader Vans

Lots of people dream of making it happen, though much fewer actually follow through with it. Getting hold of a campervan, packing it up with everything you need to survive, and taking off with only a simple plan of where it is you’re going and how long you’re going for. There are things you can see and places you can go in a campervan that you simple wouldn’t have experienced if you’d stuck with bog standard holidays, so what are the essential things to get right.

Van. There have been some nightmare stories of people failing to taking out reliable cheap van lease deals and the van dying within the first few miles. You don’t want this happening to you so you should either buy a van that has been checked out by a professional or hire a van from a reputable company. Mercedes van leasing is a pretty good option as these vans are pretty sturdy and rarely break down, but always give them a good drive before you set off on your trip just to make sure everything works properly.

Money.You can never really know exactly what you will need money for on your trip and how much you will need. Take some cash for the basic requirements such as gas, food and drink, but also have some reserves safe. Its always worth having some money spare for the things you cannot preempt, such as breakdowns or injuries etc. It is also worth taking a credit card for times when you need to get your hands on larger sums of money.

Time. So you’ve got your Toyota van leasing sorted, you’ve packed it all up, now all you need is a relaxed state of mind. You really cannot expect to keep to a strict plan when you go on campervan vacations as you will almost certainly have your plans changed by weather, traffic, attractions, and many other things. When time stops being the most important factor, you can spend yours enjoying the more important things.

It wasnt that long ago that business in the UK and US found themselves under a large amount of pressure when their margins were slashed due to a increase in petrol prices. Transport-based companies were hit hardest for obvious reasons and lots had no choice but to cut pay and cut vehicle numbers.

Fleets may need to be reduced even further now and companies pushed even closer towards breaking point as the government announces predicted further cost increases in the coming months. What is frustrating many business owners about this situation is the lack of information it gives them to predict profit margins. “Each time we plan out our business for that quarter, petrol prices are put up and our costings go out of the window” says Barry Hemstone, MD of RDA Foods. Many business experts have predicted that 2009 will see similar levels of transport-based companies shut down as witnessed last year, which was around 15%.

For companies that rely so heavy on petrol prices to turn over a profit, the news of another rise has not been well received. “We are being crippled” argues Fiona Potter, who runs a small furniture chain in the UK. Our customers expect their furniture to be delivered to them, which is something that is becoming financially unviable for us now. A number of similar companies are turning to van leasing as a way of bringing down their overall costs. This is because van leasing enables businesses to not buy their vans outright and so this is a useful option if cash-flow is poor. Interestingly, Citroen van leasing has been the most popular choice as on average these vans offer the best MPG. Ford van leasing is also up their with the most popular choices as their reliability is well respected in many industries.

It wasnt that long ago that business in the UK and US found themselves under a large amount of pressure when their margins were slashed due to a increase in petrol prices. Transport-based companies were hit hardest for obvious reasons and lots had no choice but to cut pay and cut vehicle numbers.

Now, after it was announced that petrol prices are set to rise again in the coming months, some businesses are on the edge and a large percentage of them are having to cut their fleet even further. What is frustrating many business owners about this situation is the lack of information it gives them to predict profit margins. “We get a set of forcasts drawn up and then they mean nothing when petrol goes up so much” argues Jerry Henley, Managing Director of JHG Foods. Around 25% of all companies in the US that were heavily reliant on transport, went into administration last year, which is a figure many predict will be replicated this year as well.

Many people and businesses are on their last legs right now and the last thing they need is an increase in their overheads. “We cannot survive much longer” claims Judith Grey, MD of UK-based company Grey Kitchens. Our customers expect their furniture to be delivered to them, which is something that is becoming financially unviable for us now. A number of similar companies are turning to van leasing as a way of bringing down their overall costs. This is because van leasing enables businesses to not buy their vans outright and so this is a useful option if cash-flow is poor. Interestingly, Citroen van leasing has come out on top this year in terms of popularity, largely due to the high miles per gallon figures they offer. Ford van leasing has also been a strong choice as their reliability is thought to save companies large amounts of money in reduced maintenance costs.

Earlier this year in May, the UK government launched a scheme for scrapping old cars that rewarded new car buyers. Oddly enough it was called the ‘Car Scrappage Scheme’ and it gave car buyers 2000 towards a new car when they scrapped a car that’s more than 10 years old.

600 million pounds was the total price to run the scheme. Out of the total pot required to fund the scheme, half was payed by the tax payer, the other half was payed for by the car manufacturers. Despite this being a large sum to invest in a scheme, it’s certainly proving successful for the market.

The total number of registered cars for July 2009 were released last week and it seems to have risen by 2.4% compared to the same month last year. Overall 157,149 new cars were registered last month, overall a 2.4% rise in sales from last July. Out of the overall cars registered, over 33,000 of them were bought alongside the scrappage scheme. The last sales rise seen was back in April 2008, so although 2.4% is not a huge number, it’s still a number to be happy about.

Because the scheme has resulted in good news for the motoring industry, many MPs are calling for the scheme to be renewed for 2010. Currently the scheme is due to end either when the tax payers money input runs out, or in February 2010. With around 144,000 new cars registered with the scheme since it started, I wouldn’t be surprised if they continued it into 2010.

Car retailers will be hoping that if the scheme is kept going, the amount of cars being registered will continue to rise.

Although this is good news for the new car industry, there are some downsides for other sectors. The first would be the second hand market. Due to the large number of cars being scrapped, the amount of second hand cars on the market are being reduced. The other problem occurs in the cheap car leasing market.

Due to the majority of people buying new cars, leasing companies are missing out as people are not going for a Nissan lease when they can just scrap their older car for savings off a new one. Luckily, this problem doesn’t so much effect the van contract hire sector which doesn’t yet benefit from the scrappage scheme.