Neal Francis, managing director of Pendragon Contracts, muses on the Geneva Show
Moving rapidly around the Geneva Motor Show I paused briefly to reflect that two or three years ago I had much more time to take in the spectacle and that on this occasion I was actually going to run out of time. For me the show was like a game of two halves. On the one hand I was really heartened by the fresh, innovative and intriguing vehicles on show coming from the French and German manufacturers, including some small electric cars and a potential fleet car, reflecting the
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So the chancellor’s Budget has received mixed reviews with some praising its pro-business stance while others lament George Osborne’s raid on pensioners, mansions and banks. For the automotive sector he has yet again chosen a soft target in terms of tax rises.
His tax breaks for low carbon transport and the lowering of BIK tax thresholds will ensure that drivers and customers will expect the fleet industry to realign their advice accordingly for salary sacrifice schemes so that businesses can continue incentivising employees through a benefits programme.
The extension of capital allowance for low emission business cars and changes in company car
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The positive results recently released by our parent Pendragon PLC highlight the buoyancy of the used car market. With residual values on the up and the lack of clean, quality stock supporting their ascension, the sector is enjoying its own renaissance, sending positive vibes through the industry.
As Greece earns itself a further respite with the latest rescue deal and the Eurozone breathing a salutary sigh of relief, it’s boding well for the stability of exchange rates, reinforcing the CBI’s recent predictions that a double dip recession is reversing out the back door.
So it is no surprise the used car market
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It’s no surprise that RBS has divested itself of Lombard Vehicle Management. What is unexpected is that it appears to have closed the company down without an immediate solution in place to service its customers’ requirements, leaving industry competitors free to walk all over its valuable customer base and make hay while the sun shines.
Clearly the divestiture is the right decision for the bank as no potential buyer was likely to pay a lump sum upfront in the current economic climate for the Lombard business. RBS has chosen its partner but its suitor will not have a credible infrastructure in
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Tongues are a wagging with the latest speculation of GE’s impending acquisition raising, once again, the question about the best route to achieving sustainable growth. With the top players in the FN50 vying for volume, there comes a point when customers must ask themselves do they understand my business, do they really deserve my loyalty? Or is the move simply price-led and about having a stronger presence in the marketplace by being acquisitive?
To my mind loyalty is earned, and effective growth comes from building a strong reputation founded on consistently good customer service and partnership-based business relationships that foster mutual
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Business contract hire and personal car leasing is a popular option for drivers in the UK and around the world. The question is; is it more cost effective to lease or to buy?
When making any financial decision as an individual or as a business operator being fully prepared and up-to-date is of vital importance in terms of cost effective vehicle management. Whole life costing is something that can help potential fleet operators work out the real benefits behind car leasing from the short to the long term. It’s not just a case of looking at the make and model of
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Now that New Year is here, it is time to plan for the year ahead and if you are a fleet operator or manager, this could mean implementing accident and risk management provisions. Pendragon Contracts would like to take you through the important areas of Accident and Risk Management
Accident Management
According to a survey conducted by a road safety group, one-third of business car vehicles on the road are involved in an accident every year. At-work drivers are considered a “high-risk” group by insurers, in general, due to these figures, and high mileage.
Potential accidents and insurance claims can be
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As we close the door on the year 2011 and step into 2012, we look down the road ahead to find out just what kind of vehicles we will be seeing on the market in the coming months.
So what can fleet operators expect to be getting their hands on? The hype behind a new car’s release can often overpower expectations and in the long-run lead to underwhelming reveals which is why we here at Pendragon Contracts have picked the cars that we believe are the ones worth waiting for.
Vauxhall Astra VXR
The new Astra VXR is following on from
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In the previous blog we listed what we thought to be the most popular contract hire cars of 2011, which can be found HERE, now we tackle to top 10 contract hire commercial vans of 2011.
Ford Transit Connect 260
The Ford Transit revolutionised the small van market at the beginning of the 21st Century. The Transit Connect 260 is still, to this day, one of the most practical and reliable in its class, it is particularly popular with large fleet operators. It’s a comfortable drive, with a good seat position and a smooth-running engine.
Vauxhall Movano
The Vauxhall Movano
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As we reach the end of 2011 and prepare to ring in 2012, Pendragon Contracts felt that it would be a good time to take a look back at what we consider to be the best contract car hire vehicles of the year, whether they were used for business or personal hire purposes.
Here is our list of the best cars of 2011 (in no particular order):
Toyota Prius 1.5 TTVI T3 Hybrid 5dr
The innovation of the Toyota Prius is really why we are including it in this list. The Hybrid uses a parallel system where petrol engine meets
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