So I started on my own 12 months ago and I’m about ready to add another unit. My business model for the first unit was to purchase an older unit (64 plate) with circa 500,000km and not have the overheads of a contract hire or massive finance payment hanging round my neck.
With the second unit I’m wondering if contract hire might be a better option. A newer unit for my driver to work in and peace of mind with R&M, breakdown cover etc.
I’m not massively informed on the contract hire route so I’ve reached out to a few firms for quotes. Does anybody recommend anyone specific? I’m avoiding the Facebook ex Amazon one-man bands who have no work for their units so are leasing them out with no real clue what they’re doing.
Yes mate I’ve looked at some of your comments with interest over the last few months and know exactly who you mean. Think they’re at it again all over Facebook under a different name. Appreciate the warning
Thanks mate. I made contact with them a few days ago, just waiting for a quote (they don’t seem too keen) but then I suppose I’m high risk in the current climate
Watch the small print, and check out how they propose to do the R&M work, hopefully they have changed from what they were doing a few years ago, but customer service was a fair way down the pole with a lot of their suppliers
They did a lot with Rivus who are/were the Ex BT Fleet mob, and their attention to detail was shocking in my experience regarding inspection turnarounds [overnight/over a weekend/driver waiting] & fault finding/sorting was alien to them, they seemed to think park it up & we will give you a shout was acceptable on expensive C/H kit, especially when they thought they had a week or two to sort it out
It may have changed, but caveat emptor as the Romans would say
