Reducing Your Fleet Costs (1)

It is important for anyone responsible for running a fleet to be aware of all associated costs, of which there are many. Below we give you guidance on what points to consider.

Funding

• Are you funding your vehicles in the most effective way? You should compare funding over the contract period on a net present value (NPV) basis

• Are you running vehicles over an optimum period of months given vehicle type, usage and anticipated mileage?

• How important is predictability of costs to your business (used vehicle prices and running costs move with market forces, contract hire passes the risk to the leasing company)

Vehicle Choice

• What is the total cost of the chosen vehicle? Consider resale values, maintenance, insurance, fuel and NI costs when selecting vehicles

• Is it cheaper to run diesel or petrol models for your fleet? Purchase price will vary as will maintenance costs, mpg performance and pump prices for fuel

• What discounts are available? Large leasing companies reflect volume-related discounts from

manufacturers in pricing to their customers. Depending on fleet size you may be able to

negotiate discount with manufacturers or dealers, particularly if you restrict vehicle choice to a small number of makes and models rather than an open “user chooser” policy

• Consider carefully which optional extras your policy will allow drivers to add to their vehicle. Some help vehicles retain value at resale (e.g. metallic paint, alloy wheels, leather seats, sat nav) others may detract buyers (unusual colours, body kits, sun roofs, manual transmission on prestige makes). LCV’s benefit from ply lining, full bulkheads, manufacturer white colour and correct wheel base to weight ratio

• Many fleets choose benchmark vehicles to align vehicle choice with driver entitlements and ensure a competitive offer compared to other similar employers. Choose models that reflect your fleet policy objectives

End of Life

• Damage to vehicles costs you money at disposal either through reduced sale values or recharges if leased. Ensure all damage is reported – SMART or bodyshop repair may save further damage and prove a more cost-effective solution. Some companies oblige drivers to contribute towards the cost of repairs they have caused

• Keep track of vehicle mileages. Vehicles with higher than anticipated mileage will achieve less at sale and if contract hired attract excess mileage costs

• Re-contracting leased vehicles to adjust expected end mileage is a good way of spreading these costs over the course of the remaining contract. If mileage is likely to be lower than anticipated you could pay less each month till the end of the contract

• If a driver leaves and you need to return a leased vehicle earlier than expected, avoid early termination charges by relocating vehicles to new drivers for the remainder of the lease or offering up to existing drivers due a replacement

Maintenance

• Maintenance can be paid for on an actual cost basis or more predictably on a budgeted basis e.g. as part of a contract hire monthly payment

• Buying maintenance through leasing companies can save you money through:

– Taking advantage of combined buying power

– Controlled quality and cost of work through a managed network with pre-authorisation by trained

technicians

– Consolidating invoices for all work carried out

– Ensuring warranty work is not charged

– Identifying problem vehicles and making representation to the manufacturer

• Make clear to drivers their responsibilities, e.g. for tyre pressures and tread; oil, fuel, water, antifreeze levels; wiper blades; vehicle cleanliness; lighting checks

• Proactive maintenance can prevent additional costs, improve safety and reduce fuel consumption

• Identify “rogue” drivers with above average maintenance, tyre, damage, accident and fuel costs.

Discuss their driving performance with them, consider driver training or recharging of some items.

If this is a common problem consider linking level of vehicle entitlement to driving record

Vw Tdi Performance- Building a Beast

As with building up any vehicle for power, vw tdi performance starts with the basic modifications first. The vw tdi will get its biggest two gains out of a tdi chip or module and out of tdi injectors. Your average chip or module upgrade will give about a 20% power increase. A tdi injector upgrade usually yields about a 20% gain as well. If the right combination of tdi chip/module and injectors are used even more will be gained. i.e. (Van Aaken Smartbox & Van Aaken Smart Power Nozzles) Those are the most basic vw tdi performance upgrades.

Another basic vw tdi performance modification is the tdi exhaust. If you are going to increase fueling you will in turn increase EGT’s (exhaust gas temperatures). So to keep temperatures lower and to help increase performance of the vw tdi even more, one of two things can be done. One a mufflerectomy can be performed in which the muffler and resonator are removed and a straight pipe is put in their place. This opens things up a little and removes the baffling of the muffler so that the exhaust can flow more freely. The second tdi exhaust option is the aero turbine muffler. The inner design of the muffler works the same as a jet engine to increase the flow of exhaust even more than what a mufflerectomy does. The inner design splits the air via an air foil. The faster air moves through the center and the slower air moves around the outside of the air foil, the slower moving air then re-enters the main air stream through inlets that go down the sides of the mufflers inner cylinder. This recombining creates a vortex that lowers the tone of the exhaust and dramatically reduces back pressure by increasing the flow of all the exhaust that moves through it.

Increasing air flow into the engine will help more of the fuel to be combusted and to help extract more power out of each molecule of fuel. Most cold air intakes have a large cone air filter that is able to move up to 300% more air than the stock air intake system. This makes the cold air intake an important part of any vw tdi performance package, sadly though cold air intakes are not currently made for all the vw tdi models. Another modification that helps with air intake and exhaust is water methanol injection. Water methanol injection is also known as chemical intercooling. It has a three fold effect on the diesel engine. It cools the intake charge which provides for more available air intake and the benefits of a higher positive pressure ratio (more power giving fuel can be utilized safely without high combustion temperatures). Two, the combustion of water also adds power and three; methanol is also a high octane fuel that adds more power. Water methanol injection typically lowers EGT’s by about 200 to 250 degrees on bigger diesels and is slightly under that for the vw tdi.

So in conclusion, to be able to build a real beast the modifications must be made from the ground up. After these mods are made then a bigger turbo and intercooler could be added as well as upgrading the clutch and other components to help hold the added power.

Drive Smart, Save Money

THERE is nothing like a petrol price hike to increase the urban myths on how to save fuel. Check out these claims and asks the experts.

Myth 1 : Petrol expands in hot weather, so fill up in the cooler early morning

Finding : False

A spokesman for chevron, which operate a gas station, says there is no difference in the amount of petrol you get whether you refuel in the day or night. This is because there is not much temperature variation in the air or in the fuel being dispensed.

Any vaporization that might occur would be a very small amount and the effect on the amount of petrol pumped would be negligible.

Myth 2 : When filling up. do not squeeze the trigger fully and pump in “fast” mode.

Finding : True

If you are pumping at a faster rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tanks becomes vapour, which is sucked back into the underground storage tank, giving you less fuel.

This is a concern if the service stations are installed with vapour recovery stations which prevent petrol vapours from escaping to the air.

No matter the speed of the pumps, there is always vapour loss to the surroundings.

However, the carbon canister in the fuel tank is able to capture some of the vapour during dispensing or normal operation, and it will be burnt off in the engine.

Myth 3 : Fill up when your tank is half-full. The larger space in a near-empty tank could lead to higher petrol fume loss.

Finding : False

Again, the carbon canister located in the fuel tank is able to capture some of this vapour.

Myth 4 : Overfilling your tank will result in the petrol flowing back into the pump.

Finding : False

The mechanism that allows petrol to flow back is call a return valve and they prevent harmful gas vapours from being released into the air.

The are installed in some countries such as the United States.

Regardless of what car you drive, good driving habits will help keep fuel consumption (and petrol bills) down. Here are some suggestions :

It’s not a competition:

Don’t weave in and out of traffic. Driving aggressively often means sudden acceleration and braking, which waste petrol and will make you unpopular with other road users.

Too fast, bill furious:

Keep to the speed limit. While different cars have different speeds at which they are the most fuel-efficient, it is a good idea not to drive too fast. It will be safer too.

Get in tune:

Check the engine and air filters regularly. A properly tuned engine and clean air filters will leave you and your car purring with delight.

Pump them up:

Make sure the tyres are properly inflated. This also includes checking for both under-inflation and over-inflation

Don’t idle:

Waiting for someone? Consider turning off the engine if it is going to be more than a five-minute wait.

Lose weight:

Are you carting junk around in your boot? Lose it. Carrying extra weight just means you burn more petrol lugging it around.

Honda Element Warranty – Search Honda Element Extended Warranty

The Honda Element is an excellent automobile, but like any vehicle it can run into mechanical and electrical problems. You might soon need to pay thousands of dollars to repair your Honda Element. The best way to protect yourself from high repair costs is to get an extended warranty for your Honda. Honda Element Warranty – Search Honda Element Extended Warranty:

** Click Here to Get A FREE Quote for Honda Element Extended Warranty – Protect Yourself From High Repair Costs **

Although the Honda Element is a quality vehicle, it has had some problems in the past. Every car and truck on the road will need expensive repairs at some point in the future. If your Honda Element suffers just one problem with its engine or transmission, repairs can cost thousands of dollars if the vehicle isn’t under warranty. An extended warranty for your Element will protect you from the cost of fixing these problems once Honda’s warranty no longer covers you. Don’t worry about high repair costs – an extended warranty gives you piece of mind. If you live in the United States, use the link below to request a free online Honda extended warranty quote:

Click Here to Receive a FREE Honda Element Extended Warranty Quote Online

You made a smart decision to drive a Honda Element – now make another intelligent decision and see if a Honda Element Extended Warranty is right for you. It only takes a few seconds to request a free quote and it you could save thousands of dollars in the future. I hope this article has helped you understand Honda Element Warranty and why you should seriously consider getting an extended warranty for your Honda.

How to Sell Your Car – Best Options to Choose from

In spite of how old or new your car is, you can expect a fine selling price if you sell your car right. Although, pricing your car correctly is the most important factor for a good sale, following these easy tips and steps can make the whole process of car sales faster and more productive for you because of appropriate preparation and research.
Advertise in automotive websites: This is the first and the most important way of reaching the prospective clients to sell used cars in Australia. These online advertisement services can be free of cost, where the potential car buyers, car dealers/car yards and private sellers can conveniently connect with each other. These online advertising websites provide various options and help you to connect with the private sellers and dealers to sell car online at the best possible price. Advertising your used or second hand cars in the sell my car column online for FREE helps you reach the masses and get a suitable buyer.
Sell it to a car yard or other car dealer: Sell your car to a trusted car dealer. This is the most common method to sell cars. A dealer will buy almost any car at reasonable prices even if it is scratched, smashed or dented, car dealers have their own ways to recondition a car and sell it. This is the most suitable technique to sell old cars.
Auction: Joining an online car auction can get you great deals for your used car. Thousands of prospective buyers participate in online car auctions. Just verify a car auction site. You may find various car auction sites on the web with some specializing in certain kinds of vehicles. Choose the most suitable one as per the model and condition of your vehicle and sell your car within no time.
These few easy steps can help you through the entire process and make it a win-win situation for both you and the buyer. From market research to displaying the car to posting an ad online and smartly interacting with the prospective buyers to making a fair sale, selling a car can be a gratifying experience!