A Customer Story: Tandem Tales

We won't lie- we all felt a mix between 'inspired' and 'lazy' a couple of weeks ago when a couple, customers of ours for many years, came into the showroom. Mike and Jenny Rea, who travel all the way from Bude to come to us for their annual services on their Honda, mentioned in passing that they had taken a 'trip' in the previous months. Hannah in Service later established that far from being just a 'trip', Mr and Mrs Rea had actually taken what can only be described as an epic adventure- donning their cycling gear, hopping on a tandem and cycling from Lands End to John o' Groats- and then (for reasons unbeknownst to us) all the way back again!

The journey- a near 2000 mile round trip- took Mike and Jenny seven weeks to complete. Staying in a 2 man hiking tent- which they towed in a trailer with the rest of their equipment behind their tandem bike- they braved the elements (it was only dry on 6 days!) to complete the trip.

This image was taken at the start of the trip, as they were departing from Lands End in Penzance, Cornwall, looking dry and happy. We cannot help but wonder whether the photos were quite the same at the end!

All of us here, at Devonshire Motors, would like to congratulate Mike and Jenny on their truly epic trip- you would not believe how much discussion your story provoked in the showroom and how many of us it inspired to hop on our bikes! Not quite the same, we appreciate, but you have to start somewhere! We'd also like to thank them profusely for kindly allowing us to write about it.

We love hearing what our customers are up to, particularly when their stories are as inspiring as this one, so do please let us know if you've done anything exciting recently, we always like to know (and we promise to ask first before we blog about it!)

Want to beat the recession? Buy a new car!

The economy may be flailing within some industries but, according to figures published this month by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the car industry is not one of them.

While new car sales in Europe dropped 10.8% to 1.1 million vehicles in September (meaning that sales have now fallen for 12 months in a row), the UK displayed an increase of 8.2% exceeding dealer expectations by 26,000 vehicles. Incredible news considering Germany- Europe's largest economy- saw car sales retreat by 10.9%, France by 17.9%, Italy by 25.7% and Spain by an enormous 36.8%.

As September is usually a very busy month for most dealerships (including us!)- being one of the two months of the year when registration plates change- these figures should come as even more of a relief for most vehicle manufacturers.

SMMT chief executive, Paul Everitt, suggested that- on top of the usual September increase in trade- the increase could be put down to a return in customer confidence, with motorists seeking products offering the latest in fuel-efficient technologies (such as that employed in the Mitsubishi Colt). An example of this- the energy efficient and eco-friendly Colt Clear Tec- features stop/start technology (which stops the engine automatically when the car is stationary, restarting automatically when the driver presses the clutch to engage a gear), which means that, in many cases, drivers can save themselves hundreds of pounds (saving on fuel costs but also road tax- because of reduced CO2 emissions, a clear bonus in the current economic climate and one of the main reasons it is such a popular vehicle!).

The Colt Clear Tec- Energy Efficient & Eco-Friendly

 We'll all be keeping our fingers crossed that this trend continues long into 2013 and look forward to pairing our new (and existing) customers- the faces behind these figures- with their perfect, recession-busting, vehicles in the coming months.

We're currently offering a VAT free deal on the Mitsubishi Colt range so if you're interested in the Colt Clear Tec, or any of our other vehicles, you can find information on our website. Alternatively, drop into the showroom in Pottington, Barnstaple, call us on 01271 342600 or email sales@devonshire-motors.co.uk.

The Only Truck With a 5 Year Warranty

We are proud to be able to pass on the exciting news that every new Mitsubishi L200 will now come with the longest warranty of any pick-up in the UK marketplace- a class-leading 5 years or 125,000 miles.

This is, of course, yet another added extra which comes with the L200 that should help to keep it in its (well deserved!) position as top choice amongst pick-up customers. The first pick-up truck to receive a 4* NCAP safety rating and the only pick-up which has a 4X4 system so advanced that it can be driven in 2WD or 4WD, even on dry roads, the L200 even has a conscience- with recent improvements ensuring that it is one of the lowest emitting and most fuel-efficient pick-ups on the market.



A Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian

 The Mitsubishi L200 is available with three different cab configurations- single, club, and double, with a choice of specifications varying from the no-nonsense 4Work models through to the comfort and luxury, top-of-the-range, Barbarian model.

The L200 hasn't been named "WhatVan? 'Pick-up of The Year'" 15 times in 18 years for nothing: tough yet reliable, Mitsubishi have clearly demonstrated their faith in the truck by introducing the 5 year warranty- something completely unheard of amongst its competitors. Not quite enough to convince you? Mitsubishi are also offering discounts of up to £1,400+ VAT on several of the most popular models of the award-winning pick-up, as well as a vast range of finance options, such as: 0% APR on Hire Purchase or Contract Hire starting from as little as £199+ VAT a month.

Interested in what the L200 has to offer? We always have a wide selection of trucks on our forecourt- if you'd like any more information please just pop into the showroom at Pottington, Barnstaple, email us on sales@devonshire-motors.co.uk or call us on 0845 250 0991.



World Premiere of the New State-of-the-art Mitsubishi Outlander

There has been much excitement in the showroom this week as Mitsubishi have announced that they will present the global debut of the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV at the 2012 Paris Motor Show at the end of this month.



A preview of what the Outlander PHEV may look like
when it is launched in 2013

The Outlander PHEV will be the world's first plug-in hybrid SUV when it launches (firstly in Japan) in 2013 and will offer something for everyone- the environmental performance of a full electric vehicle, the cruising range of a conventional internal engine and the on- and off- road performance of an SUV. It will incorporate the plug-in hybrid EV system used in Mitsubishi's 100% electric vehicle- the I-MiEV which, using a MIVEC variable valve timing system, employs electrical power stored in the drive battery by charging either at home, a charging system or when the system recovers energy when decelerating. A high capacity 12kWh lithium-drive battery ensures the PHEV is capable of a cruising range of over 55km in all-electric operation.



A diagram of the PHEVs internal systems



The PHEV is rather clever in that it will, depending on the driving conditions and remaining battery charge, automatically select the optimum drive mode for the task at hand:

• EV Drive Mode is an all-electric mode in which the front and rear motors drive the vehicle using energy solely from the drive battery- providing the driver with a quiet and eco-friendly performance, thanks to the zero on-road fuel consumption and zero C02 emissions.
• In Series-Drive Mode the engine operates as a generator- supplying electricity to the electric motors. The system utilises this mode either when the remaining battery charge falls below a pre-determined level or; when more powerful performance is required (such as climbing a steep gradient)
• Switching to Parallel Hybrid Mode ensures that the engine provides most of the power. This system kicks in when the engine operates at peak efficiency, allowing for higher-speed driving.

The Outlander PHEV is expected to be rolled out throughout Europe following its introduction in Japan in early 2013 and, although they are keeping details about exactly what the new Outlander will look like tightly under wraps (although we have included images of what Mitsubishi predict it may look like!), we will be sure to keep you updated on this- and any other extra details we get- as soon as we receive them.

ADDITION: As most people (including us!) will be unable to attend the Paris Motor Show, Mitsubishi have set up a live stream so you can watch from home on Thursday 27th September at 3.30pm. Simply follow this link: http://mitsubishi-media.co.uk/videos/ 

A Multi-Talented Team at Devonshire Motors

Just to prove that we aren't all completely car obsessed (at least, we have other interests as well as being mad about our vehicles!) we thought we'd keep you updated on one of our multi-talented members of staff. Hannah Carthew- one of our service advisors is, as well as being rather brilliant on the service desk, a dab hand at playing the baritone and is a member of  the Appledore Brass Band.

Following their success at the South West Brass Band Associations Entertainment Competition last year, Hannah (crouched far left in the photo)- and the rest of the band- travelled down to Exmouth last Saturday to try and uphold their title. The band played four pieces; Barnard Castle, Concierto de Aranjuez (both of which featured in the film Brassed Off), 42nd Street and Musical Director Jim Wortley's own arrangement of a piece called Mazama. This last piece involved the band chanting in Red Indian style (which for any of you have met Hannah will know what a challenge this must have been as she is so very shy and retiring!).

The band fought off stiff competition from several local bands to secure the win and celebrated in style with fish and chips and champagne- drunk from their trophy, of course!

Anyone wanting to catch Hannah in action can watch the band play for the Bandstand Marathon on Appledore Quay from 2-4pm on Sunday 9th September or, if you were lucky enough to get tickets, for the sell-out opening concert of the Appledore Book Festival on 28th September at St Marys Church where they will be playing with the- now infamous- Military Wives Choir.

We, at Devonshire Motors, would like to congratulate all of the members of the Appledore Band on their win and wish them the best of luck for their forthcoming performances.

Romance is alive and well at Devonshire Motors

One very lucky lady from Barnstaple got much more than chocolates and flowers for her birthday last week after her husband decided a new car would be a better fit for the occasion. Following a visit to Devonshire Motors in Barnstaple, Mr Goodman (accompanied by the couple’s twin daughters who were in on the surprise) selected a spicy red Mitsubishi Colt for his wife's birthday...

The car was lovingly decorated with ribbons and bows for the grand reveal and accompanied by a matching bouquet courtesy of Devonshire Motors. Mark Hopkins- one of the senior sales executives at the showroom, responsible for the sale of the Colt (and partially responsible for the decoration!) said:

Mark Hopkins hands Mrs Goodman her new Mitsubishi Colt

“At one point it looked as if the surprise was going to be found out before the big day.  Mrs Goodman drove past the showroom as her husband was  finalising the paperwork and paying the deposit.  The family’s other vehicle was swiftly manoeuvred from its position at the front of the showroom on Pottington Industrial Estate and was, miraculously, not spotted in the process."

The family visited the showroom on the day of collection with Mrs Goodman still none the wiser, under the impression they were coming to look at one of the used cars at Devonshire Motors. She was, understandably, more than a little surprised when it was announced that the very shiny, brand new car with the bow on top was for her and was presented with the keys.

Devonshire Motors Dealer Principal, Nathan Tomlinson added

“The Goodman family were an absolute pleasure to deal with and we were really happy to be able to help make the day special for them.  We’d like to take the opportunity to say thank you to them for choosing Devonshire Motors and to wish them many years of happy motoring in their new Mitsubishi”

For husbands (or wives) wishing to purchase as popular a gift as Mr Goodman selected- Devonshire Motors can, happily, gift wrap any of the vehicles on their forecourt! To find your next present, for a friend, relative or just for yourself visit them on the Pottington Business Park, Braunton Road, Barnstaple or at www.devonshire-motors.co.uk

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (of the Vehicle Accessories World)

In vehicle accessory terms, things have moved on a bit since the days of nodding dogs on car dashboards (although you can still spot a few if you look hard enough). Here is a selection of some of the best, worst and the ugliest, but not necessarily in that order!

Car Eyelashes
Have a spare few pounds and always fancied making your car look like Jordan's younger sister? These could be just the trick. Made from PVC, these stick to the front headlights and 'style' the vehicle to look more 'feminine'. We can't say we've seen any on an L200 just yet but I'm sure it won't be too long.

Crystal Car Eyeliner

For a similar look to that achieved by the 'Car Eyelashes', this does exactly as it says on the tin- adds a slick of diamante crystals to the headlights of your chosen vehicle. They don't appear to have gained quite the cult status of the eyelashes just yet.

Reversing Camera Kit

This is a particularly nifty piece of kit- it features an innovative RCD mirror with a high-resolution LCD that appears automatically through the mirrors reflective surface when reverse gear is selected. It shows the driver exactly what is behind them, significantly reducing the risk of reversing accidents.

Car Bra's
This is, in basic terms, a cover for the front end of the car to protect against stone chips on the bonnet and bumper. They come in all variety of colours from muted black to chequered and spotty... from what we can gather, you either love them or hate them.

Daytime Running Lights Bar

An accessory that can be fitted to either a Mitsubishi L200 or an ASX. This is a front styling bar manufactured in stainless steel with in-built LED lights. The smartest bit is the 'dim' function incorporated into the bars which lowers the lights when either the side or headlights are switched on.

We only tend to stock vehicle accessories which serve some useful purpose so unfortunately, if you are after the car eyelashes we may not be of any help but, if the reversing camera kit or the daytime running lights bar are more to your taste we can certainly be of assistance. Just call our Parts Department on 01271 342600, pop in and visit us in our Barnstaple Showroom (at Pottington, Barnstaple) or email us on parts@devonshire-motors.co.uk.