New Horizon - Issue 3 - Agriculture

Isuzu are the trucks
of Champions
Group Accountant Kevin Croombs “I think
the ISUZU gives us options and benefits
that we never had before and, it makes us
more cost-efficient.”
When team leaders and contract managers are driving up
to 40,000 miles a year, then the need for a reliable, multipurpose
vehicle is paramount to offering a cost-effective
solution. Kevin Croombs is Group Accountant to the
Champion Group, which is a multi-faceted, ‘one-stop-shop’
provider of support services to the construction industry
and are commercial/domestic property developers in their
own right, throughout southern England.
Commented Kevin Croombs, “We employ around four hundred
full-time staff and provide services that include scaffolding,
brickwork, building services and tool hire to many major
construction firms and property developers through the south.
In the past, we used to use vehicles such as the Land Rover
Freelander as a multi-purpose, all-terrain vehicle, specifically
for our contract managers. But since the Freelander ceased
production in 2014, the options for a suitable replacement have
been somewhat limited within the commercial vehicle sector.”
The Champion Group (TCG) required vehicles with towing and
equipment movement purposes so that Contract Managers
could service contract sites as part of their daily duties. The
Freelander (commercial) was something of a cross-over vehicle
which suited the immediate needs of TCG and so the search was
soon on for a serious replacement.
“We initially looked at the commercial version of the Mitsubishi
Outlander to fill the gap,” added Kevin, “and at the same time,
I took on an Isuzu Blade to test out its usability, performance and
reliability. It’s coming up to five years old now and I have to admit
that I have been very impressed with how the Isuzu has performed.
The Mitsubishi has been okay but not as reliable and the highmileages,
and relatively short warranty, has meant expensive repairs
as it closes-in on the end of useful life. For us, the Outlander has not
been as cost-effective as we would have liked.”
Local Isuzu dealer, Hunt Forest Group stepped-in to share with
The Champion Group, the various benefits of the entire Isuzu
package. Added Kevin, “With an Isuzu dealer right on our
doorstep and, having had five years of very reliable, practical
use, we opted for replacing our fleet. The Isuzu Blade has had
no warranty issues over almost ninety thousand miles and with
an auto transmission, it’s also a very comfortable vehicle to
drive - compared with the Freelander and on par with the car
derived Outlander. The commercial version of the Isuzu is much
more like a car than a truck, yet can tow up to three and a half
tonnes without any issues, has plenty of pick-up space and goes
anywhere that the Freelander went.
“The biggest attraction to us as a company is in the overall cost
of the Isuzu. We now have eight Isuzu’s and are awaiting delivery
on two more – the different available specifications allow us
to match to the role required. They come with a warranty that
covers one hundred and twenty five thousand miles (125k ) which
is as long as we need to keep them, so all or any breakdowns are
covered fully throughout the life of the vehicle; The deal available
from Hunt Forest is really competitive and cost-effective; Dealer
back-up support has been excellent so far - they really care about
us as a customer and they are open longer hours than normal car
or truck dealerships; If we need a truck to go into Hunt Forest for
a service, they give us a replacement while they are working on it
without having to wait weeks for a courtesy vehicle; The residual
values also seem to be better than most others at trade-in. So,
speaking as the company accountant, I think the Isuzu gives us
options and benefits that we never had before and, it makes us
more cost-efficient. So all round - the Isuzu is without question,
a very good deal.”
26 HUNTFOREST.COM