It was a case of ‘like father, like sons’ when Dungannon-based McCaffrey Transport took delivery of its first four Mercedes-Benz vans.
Supplied by Dealer Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI), the three Citans and a Sprinter are now being used as multi-purpose workhorses and general runarounds by Martin McCaffrey and three of his five sons, Owen, Stephen and Michael, who run the company between them.
The Citans are all 109 CDI Long models, which incorporate a number of fuel-saving BlueEFFICIENCY measures as standard. These include the ECO start/stop function – which turns off the engine whenever the vehicle is stopped in traffic, then restarts it as soon as the driver depresses the clutch – low rolling resistance tyres, and optimised alternator and battery management systems. The result is an impressive economy figure of up to 65.7 mpg (combined cycle).
The Sprinter, meanwhile, is a Short-bodied 314 CDI. As a special ‘Premium Edition’ version, it came with additional features including a satellite navigation system, Comfort seats, chrome-effect grille and air-conditioning as part of its standard equipment. As an optional extra McCaffrey Transport also specified the slick-shifting 7G-TRONIC PLUS seven-speed automatic transmission.
“We work our vans hard,” said Stephen McCaffrey. “We only had three vehicles between us previously, and it was often the case that they would all be out at the same time, so you had to wait until one returned before you could set off on your own journey.”
The Mercedes-Benz vehicles have replaced French and Japanese models. “What’s really noticeable is the big step up in quality,” he continued. “Switching to the three-pointed star is one of the best things we’ve ever done, as our new vans are better in every way than those they’ve replaced. The fuel economy, comfort, driveability and general build quality are all in a different league.”
This is also the first time that McCaffrey Transport has done business with Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI). “We’ve been highly impressed with Dealer’s customer service,” said Mr McCaffrey. “The whole set-up seems very professional. They’re real commercial vehicle people so they fully understand the needs of a fast-moving business like ours.”
As with all Mercedes-Benz vans, McCaffrey’s vehicles are covered by three-year, unlimited mileage warranties, and by the manufacturer’s MobiloVan scheme, which includes free emergency roadside assistance for up to 30 years, provided maintenance is undertaken within its official Dealer Network.
“That level of back-up is superb and demonstrates how much faith Mercedes-Benz has in its products,” Mr McCaffrey added. “It certainly gives us great peace of mind.”
McCaffrey Transport runs a fleet of 12 heavy trucks and 20 trailers, which carry full and part loads, abnormal consignments, containers and refrigerated goods throughout the UK and Europe. The family also runs a groundworks and plant hire operation. Its vans are employed on a variety of tasks including urgent collections and deliveries for local customers, pick-ups of parts for trucks which the company maintains in its own workshop, and visits to clients’ premises and job sites.
Father and sons use their Mercedes-Benz vans for personal and leisure trips too. “These vehicles are so nice to drive that we often use them to run around at the weekend, especially Martin, who is a keen angler and uses the Sprinter for fishing trips all over Ireland,” concluded Mr McCaffrey. “We just love them.”
