Leading South East building maintenance company Booker & Best, has added an extra three Vivaros to the ninety vehicles that already comprise half of their van fleet.
The St Leonards-on-Sea business finds the Vivaro well-matched to the wants of the electricians, mechanical engineers and other specialist tradesmen who make up their multi-skilled teams carrying out building maintenance and refurbishment across Kent, Sussex and South London.
Good loadspace, a comfortable ride, reliability and long service intervals are quoted as the major reasons for choosing Vivaro, according to Transport Manager, Laurie Beetham.
“Our staff like them because they’re comfortable to ride in and easy to drive. And I like them because they’re rarely in the workshop and when they are they’re simple to fix with good parts supply from our local Vauxhall dealer, St Leonards Motors. The Vivaro really suits our needs for a van of this size. It’s stylish and presents a good image of our business. We take the 2900 long-wheelbase model, which has a low loading height and ample space to carry tools, equipment and most of the materials needed for jobs. When they arrive from the factory they’re ply-lined and with a bulkhead fitted so that we simply have to put our lettering on, fit ladder racks and a tracking device and they’re ready for work. We still run a few on 54 plates, which continue to perform well and which should achieve a good residual value because of the inherent reliability of the Vivaro and the good care we take of them. All routine servicing, along with any mechanical or body repairs, is carried out in our own large and well-equipped workshop at St Leonards.”
Booker & Best has to guarantee that its staff appear at jobs relaxed and able to get on with the task. So the driver and passenger comfort and safety features of the Vivaro are very important.
The driver’s seat is multi-adjustable and there’s a comfortable dual passenger seat. All controls and instruments are simple to access and read, including the neat fascia mounted gear lever. The forceful heating and ventilation system provides an enjoyable environment and a high quality stereo radio and CD player keeps the teams entertained whilst on the move as well as informing them about possible traffic jams.
Safety features including side-impact protection and ABS give an added margin of safety whatever the road or weather conditions. The powerful and fuel-efficient 2-litre CDTi engine delivers a generous 90 PS for good journey times.
