After 25 years as a customer for vehicles bearing the famous three-pointed star, Component Distributors knows the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van adds up to much more than the sum of its parts - especially the latest, fuel-efficient Euro 5 model.
Component Distributors, Ireland's leading aftermarket motor parts supplier, has headquarters in Mallusk, Newtownabbey. It has just taken delivery of seven Euro 5 Sprinters from neighbouring dealership Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI), and another four from Dublin agent MUTEC.
As well as being cleaner, the new Sprinter is smoother, quieter, more powerful and significantly cheaper to run than its predecessor.
Four of the new vans have been added to the fleet now working from Component Distributors' Dublin depot, while the other seven are based at its newly opened facility in Cork. One is a 316CDI with 163hp engine but the other 10 are all 129hp Sprinter 313CDIs - this model is 15 per cent more fuel-efficient than the 311CDI it replaced, this equating to an extra 4.5 miles per gallon, while CO2 emissions are down by 13 per cent.
Component Distributors imports motor parts direct from manufacturers, which it then distributes to independent motor factors throughout Ireland. Deliveries are made by its fleet of 35 Sprinters, as well as a single, 10.5-tonne Mercedes-Benz Atego truck.
The company's new vans are the subject of a highly flexible Agility contract from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. This offers all the benefits of conventional hire purchase with a balloon payment - including low monthly repayments - but gives operators extra options at the end of the term.
Key to the Agility concept is the agreement of a Guaranteed Future Value (GFV) for the vehicle. At the end of the agreement the customer can choose whether to pay off the final lump sum and keep the vehicle, extend the agreement by spreading the balloon payment over a further term, or return it free of any further obligations, apart from an excess mileage charge if the initially agreed limit has been exceeded, and damage charges over and above fair wear and tear.
Component Distributors' vans cover as much as 300 miles each day on demanding, multi-drop delivery routes, so reliability and fuel-efficiency are crucial.
"Our hard-earned reputation depends on our being able to keep promises on delivery times," explained Managing Director Ken Knox. "Given the distances we cover and our busy workload, we need to have complete faith in our vehicles.
"Having used Mercedes Benz trucks and vans for many years we know we're in safe hands. No other vehicle comes close in terms of reliability and durability, while they are also highly cost-effective to operate and the service from Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI) is always first class."
Component Distributors is part of the privately-owned CD Group of Companies, which was established in 1963.