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VALUE IN VANS
Page 64
Page 66
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COMPARING SPECIFICATIONS AND PRICES AMONG THE FACTORY-PRODUCED LIGHT-WEIGHTS
by Ron Cater, AMInstBE
ALTHOUGH there are now only four British manufacturers of light vans in the 15ewt payload to 3.5-ton gross weight class there is nevertheless an enormous range of choice of models and specifications. Each maker quite naturally presents his products as being the very best available, but much of the decision for final choice must rest on the suitability for the task which the buyer has in mind for the vehicle.
• It has become increasingly difficult for users to decide on one rather than another. and calls for purchasers to compare vehicles very closely on a spec. for spec. basis rather than a price for price basis. It is important when selecting a vehicle to ensure exactly what one is getting for one's money. On studying the following tables, it will be seen that on some vehicles essential items such as spare wheels and carriers are included in the basic standard vehicle where on others the wheel assembly and the carrier are each quoted as optional extras.
These tables show in the first columns the makers' basic specifications for each vehicle together with the basic list price. In the columns under the main heading "Cost of options listed here" are contained the major units most listed as options. Where these are included in the basic specification the letter S appears in the relevant column. Under the "total price" eolumfi. are shown
two figures for each specific vehicle. The first is arrived at by adding the cost of the basic specification plus the minimum of every option listed, and the second by adding the basic cost to the highest possible cost of options listed. For instance, where a vehicle is offered with an optional diesel engine and an automatic gearbox the lowest option would include the gearbox but not the diesel engine while the highest would include both.
In the listed options, only items which I judge to be essential are included. Items such as luxury trim, radios and cigar lighters, although available on many models, are not listed here.
It is also worth while looking at how the various makes compare in price at various stages of specification and how they compare in actual carrying capacity either from a deadweight point of view, or from the cubic capacity angle.