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An Ashington company is so delighted with its striking new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans that it has already ordered another.
Hot on the heels of its latest two metallic silver Sprinter 311CDI Longs, which arrived via Longbenton dealer Bell Truck and Van, Cavendish Kitchens and Bedrooms is now expecting delivery in January of a Luton-bodied Sprinter 211CDI.
“When we saw our new Sprinters in their updated and very eye-catching liveries we decided to replace our old Luton, even though it wasn’t due to be changed for another year,” explains Factory Manager Craig Watson. Specialist firm Hoopers of Gosforth applied the new liveries.
Cavendish uses its Sprinters to deliver quality kitchens and bedrooms from its manufacturing plant at Ashington to customers across the north-east. The company also uses two smaller Mercedes Vito 111CDI vans.
“We’ve been running Mercedes vans for over 19 years now,” continues Mr Watson. “They were the first vehicles we bought and we’ve remained loyal to Mercedes-Benz ever since..
“They have always been unbeatable in terms of reliability and our drivers love them. They are very comfortable and car-like to drive, particularly the new-generation model, which has a better cab, a more driver-friendly six-speed gearbox and a smoother, more powerful engine range. The brakes are also very reassuring, with excellent stopping power, which is important when you’re carrying a lot of weight.”
Cavendish was established in the mid 1980s after identifying a gap in the market for high-quality fitted kitchens at affordable prices. Increasing customer demand led to rapid expansion, with the company introducing a range of bedrooms designed and built to the same exacting standards as its growing kitchens portfolio.
It now employs more than 40 people at its headquarters and manufacturing facility, and showroom in Ashington, and at its other branches in Benton and Kingston Park.
“We are pretty demanding as a company,” continues Mr Watson. “Our customers expect the best from us and we expect the same sort of service from our van supplier. We don’t like the big business mentality, where you’re treated like a number. We like individual attention, and that’s what we get from Bell Truck and Van.”
Cavendish normally replaces its vehicles every four years and is delighted with the high residual values commanded by its Mercedes vans. “We were very pleased when we came to part-exchange our old Sprinters,” continues Mr Watson. “It made the whole package that little bit sweeter. If it had been any other manufacturer, I’m sure the resale values would have been a lot lower.”
Like all new Sprinters, the company’s latest van came with a Mercedes-Benz Service Package. Under this, all labour costs, materials and lubricants required in routine servicing will be covered for five years or 60,000 miles, whichever is reached first.
Launched last year, the new-generation Mercedes-Benz Sprinter combines dynamic good looks, ‘bullet-proof’ build quality, comprehensive specification and ingenious technology. The range cost £1.25 billion (1.8 billion euro) and took a team of 400 design engineers five years to develop. The result is a triumph, a vehicle that sets new standards in terms of productivity, refinement and safety.
Highlights includes best-in-class side-loading door widths, outstanding ergonomics and comfort, a powerful and clean CDI diesel engine line-up topped by a storming 184hp 3.0-litre V6, and an advanced new version of the remarkable ESP® anti-skid system called Adaptive ESP®. |
| | | Sprinter The benchmark of its class with superb load space |
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