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NORTHGATE (Imperial Self Drive)
Page 42
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Croydon's Beddington Lane has to be a contender for the ugliest street in Britain — but tucked away behind a carpet shop, Northgate is in a little island of tidiness. The local operation is branded Imperial Self Drive with the Norflex logo on the paperwork. The building was spacious and modern with toilets and drinking water in the open-plan reception, and the staff were courteous and efficient without being especially friendly.
Our booking was easily accessed, but we weren't aware that our paper driving licence counterpart was needed, as was a company letterhead. A phone call to Swansea, which we weren't charged for, and a call to our office to have a letterhead faxed over soon had the paperwork sorted. A written notice was backed by no fewer than three verbal warnings that fuel would be charged at £1.41 per litre if the van wasn't returned with a full tank.
The van, a 2003 Transit 280 with nearly 40,000 miles, was soon brought round to the handover point and given a thorough walk-round. Unfortunately, the check sheet looked like an expensive spot-the-ball entry, with virtually lo panel undamaged. A cracked windscreen and fagDurned seat added to the shabby impression. At least the :ront tyres were brand new— they were still displaying the mulding marks.
The van drove well, but with pretty gutless performance and a tendency to dart about in crosswinds. The steering wheel was misaligned, and the left-hand wiper ineffective n an M25 monsoon — although the rubber mounting strip vas there, it had no blade.
Despite having to wait for a returnee just ahead of us to )e processed, the returns procedure was equally efficient.