Supplied by Mercedes-Benz dealer Sparshatts of Kent, the new vehicles comprise medium-length Sprinter 316 CDI models powered by 163hp engines mated to six-speed ECO Gear manual transmissions designed to improve flexibility and maximise fuel economy by reducing engine speeds.
To further increase fuel efficiency Clearway also specifies its Mercedes-Benz vans with the optional ECO start/stop function, which turns off the engine whenever the vehicle is stopped in traffic, then restarts it as soon as the driver depresses the clutch.
Clearway’s Sprinters, which are funded by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, are used by two-man security teams who attend vacant properties to undertake a host of tasks, including fitting steel doors and screens, alarm and temporary CCTV systems.
The firm switched to Sprinters in 2009, with head of sales Leigh Hooper saying: ‘We’ve tried other brands of van but have found that for a variety of reasons the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is far superior.
‘We made the change four years ago because we had issues with the reliability and running costs of our previous vehicles. By contrast, not only have our Sprinters given us no trouble at all, they’ve also proved very economical to operate.
‘What’s more, they’re popular with our drivers and fitted as standard with a comprehensive range of active and passive safety systems, which is very reassuring given our Duty of Care obligations to staff and other road users.’
Mr Hooper continues: ‘The fact that Sparshatts is a commercial vehicle specialist and understands the needs of businesses that rely on their vans is another key element of the Mercedes-Benz package.
‘Unlike dealers we’ve used in the past, Sparshatts’ Dartford workshop is open through the night so its team are able to service our vehicles at times which suit us. As a company that offers its own customers a 24/7 service, we value that kind of flexibility very highly indeed.’
