MJ Abbott tees-up again with Mercedes-Benz vans

As a specialist constructor of golf courses, MJ Abbott Limited knows all about what makes a great drive - no surprise, then, that the Salisbury-based company relies on the three-pointed star of Mercedes-Benz.

MJ Abbott has just purchased eight more vans painted in its corporate Gentian Blue colours, from local dealer Rygor Commercials. All feature low-emission Euro 5 engine technology.

Four are Sprinter 313CDIs, two of which were fitted with additional rows of seats by local converter CoTrim. MJ Abbott is a long-standing admirer of the 3.5-tonne Sprinter and now runs 21 in all.

The remaining four new vans, though, are its first 2.77-tonne Mercedes-Benz Vito models: three are Vito 110CDIs while the last is a more powerful, 163hp 116CDI which, as a Dualiner variant, came with a factory-fitted second row of seats.

The Sprinters are being used primarily to transport installation teams and equipment to locations throughout the UK.

The three 'standard' Vitos are allocated to engineers who maintain equipment and build installations such as sprinkler irrigation systems for golf courses and football pitches.

MJ Abbott also runs a pair of 7.5-tonne Mercedes-Benz trucks, an Atego 816 and an 814 from the previous model range that dates back to 1996 and has now covered 815,000km!

Technical Director Adrian Abbott said: "We've operated Mercedes-Benz Sprinters and trucks for many years now, but it's only recently that we've needed a smaller van after deciding to stand down some vehicles by another manufacturer."

He continued: "I recently attended a customer experience day at Rygor's invitation and took the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Vito. Not only was it just the right size for our service engineers but it also appeared to be every bit as well built as our Sprinters, and to promise the same outstanding reliability and low operating costs.

"I was struck too by the fact that the Vito shares the Sprinter's comprehensive array of standard safety features. We always accord the highest priority to the welfare of our staff when they're out on the road and representing the company so, of course, we had no hesitation in investing in our first Mercedes-Benz Vito vans."

And he added: "The service engineers are certainly delighted that they, too, are now travelling in vehicles which wear the three-pointed star. The feedback in terms of the comfort and specification of their new vans has been entirely positive."

For further information please visit www.mjabbott.co.uk