Category : Comment
Motoring seems to be increasingly erratic, The Insider reckons.
Use of a handheld mobile phone whilst driving will also attract an increased fine, now set at £90 rather than the previous £60. Illegal since 2007, … Read More »
Nissan’s electric shock
Every now and again carmakers launch a car they know will have legs in the fleet sector. Often it's the latest generation of a tried-and-tested favourite, … Read More »
Green’ish
Am I the only person increasingly confused by the conflicting views bandied about on reducing the environmental impact of our company cars? Let’s start with fuel. … Read More »
What I’ve learnt
Comment – What I’ve learnt On running a trade association I had worked for a BVRLA member for many years and thought I had a good … Read More »
On the road: Reaching the limit
My part of the world, Mudfordshire, has long been considered particularly pastoral. Hastily constructed from tweed, self-importance and indeterminate pieces of steam-powered Victorian engineering, the county … Read More »
Cenex puts a cost on carrying
It’s well known that carrying unnecessary weight in a vehicle increases its fuel consumption, but by how much has been debated for some time. At Cenex, … Read More »
Relationship management
The working relationship between dealers and manufacturers can run the gamut from good and bad through to downright ugly. While both sides know the way to … Read More »
Youth policy
Aged 17, I thought I knew everything. When I was 18, I knew I knew everything. The trouble with experience is that you don’t know you … Read More »
In a hole
I’ve just been reading a live traffic report that says: ‘One lane closed due to emergency repairs on the motorway, with traffic queuing over a distance … Read More »
A little less complication
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. Even in these straitened times car manufacturers can find themselves needlessly investing sizeable budgets into winning the hearts and … Read More »
The many ways of reporting mileage
Mileage reporting is in my thoughts this month. Mindful of the fact that HMRC declared an intention to step up their checks on company business records … Read More »
Is there a blurred vision on eyesight?
How are your rods and cones faring? The human retina contains two types of photoreceptor cells, known as rods and cones. Cones allow us to see … Read More »
Lip service is not enough
There is a common theme running through chats I’ve had in recent months with bosses of car companies and dealer groups. At some point in the … Read More »
When fleet management isn’t fleet management
I think it was Charles Darwin who believed that species adapt to suit their surroundings and thus survive. I think presently we are seeing a fine … Read More »
Self-registrations and you
A casual look at the new car market appears to show a sector in rude health, having been through the ravages of the recession and now … Read More »
Going spare
It’s those round black things which are vexing me again, or rather the lack of them. In recent years, it has become the trend for many … Read More »
Covering all bases
The new car market has been a tough place to operate for most car brands since the onset of the economic downturn. Old ways of doing … Read More »
The downtime dilemma
Recently, Vauxhall loaned us an Ampera for evaluation. And a very good car it is too. It’s also a long time since I drove a car … Read More »
Cream of the crop
One the mostly fiercely contested parts of the fleet market is the premium sector. Here sales have remained strong throughout the recession, with models such as … Read More »
Spoilt for choice?
Businesses are tightening up choice lists in a way that has not been seen for a while. The move is often cyclical with companies tending to … Read More »
The Insider: What goes on tour…
As summer draws to a close, I reflect on another season of company drivers taking touring holidays abroad, and bringing their cars safely home again. In … Read More »
At your service?
Service, maintenance and repair are expensive elements in the company car equation, but that does not mean they cannot be regularly reviewed by fleets seeking to … Read More »
Getting to know you
The new car registration figures for the first six months of the year highlighted some interesting trends impacting fleets and their choice of vehicles. While Ford's … Read More »
Moved by motor show and safety demos
The Moving Motor Show, precursor to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, enabled me to fulfil an ambition to drive up the famous hill climb course. I … Read More »
Rental is driving me mental
Recently we discovered our drivers squeezing into smaller rental cars than due, within our specified grade. Used to a 1.6-litre hatchback, we are now seeing 1.2-litre … Read More »
Joined up thinking
Volkswagen has launched a new leasing programme aimed at local fleets. What surprised me was not how groundbreaking the initiative is, it isn’t, but the fact … Read More »
Camels, cars and CO2
In the old days, one’s wealth was dictated by the number of cows or camels one owned. Today’s drivers still focus on the perceived number of … Read More »
Independents’ day?
One of the few positives to emerge from the economic downturn is a greater appreciation of value for money. Rewind four years and, with the possible … Read More »
Sometimes, sexism is a good thing
Car insurance costs are set to be studied by the Competition Commission after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) said the market was ”dysfunctional”, blaming credit … Read More »
Popular road tests
Volvo thinks locally
Volvo has decided it needs to get closer to small business and is using its dealer network and the Daily Telegraph to do so. As a … Read More »