By Ross Williams
Alpha Contracts Leasing Ltd
A RECENT survey from CAP Hpi, the clever people who tell us how much used vehicles are worth, suggested that the resale value of a coloured van could be seven per cent higher than that of a white van.
Now the cynical among you would say we’ve known that for years in respect of cars and metallic paint, so it isn’t exactly a revelation. However they have analysed over five years worth of sales data and have confidence in the findings. The colour that made the most difference? Orange!
On a more serious note here’s a question: which term will we all be heartily fed up of in the Spring of 2018? Hands up everyone that thought I was going to say Brexit? Whilst we can’t avoid Brexit I am talking about GDPR. This is the new General Data Protection Regulation which comes into effect on 25 May. The regulations are designed to protect consumers from unwanted phone calls and direct marketing media. GDPR wiLL affect your company, how you do your marketing and how you communicate with your clients.
At Alpha Contracts we are contacting our entire customer database in advance of the date to ensure they aren’t inconvenienced by the new regulations and to ensure our high service levels are maintained. What are you planning to do to manage the new legislation? Check it out at the Information Commissioner’s Office on www.ico.org.uk
We continue to see conflicting information and guidance in the diesel engine versus hybrid debate. On the one hand the Government’s Autumn Budget announced a £400m programme to improve the UK national electric vehicle charging infrastructure and Shell also announced that they are going to put rapid charging points on their forecourts, rolling a massive programme out across the country. Of course if you are sat in a Shell station for 20 minutes waiting for your car to recharge then you are going to spend a little time browsing in the shop… Then we see advice from the industry telling us not to ditch our diesel engines too quickly. There continues to be concern that the drivers are ordering hybrid vehicles purely because of the lower BIK tax effect and without regard to their real life requirements and that companies will see increased fuel bills as a result.
To close this month can I take the opportunity to wish all of you a prosperous 2018 without too many regulatory minefields, and as far as White Van Man is concerned, well his future is bright, because it’s orange!
For advice on all car and van funding options why not speak to one of the team at Alpha Contracts Leasing and we can provide advice about your choices, where each type of fuel fits in your fleet and how the Benefit in Kind tax rules affect your choice of vehicle. Call us on 01604 756620.
Happy New Year and safe motoring