Theres Still Time To Grab A New Registration And A Great Deal

Monday 1st September saw the '64' registration come into play with great success plus all the excitement that a new registration plate brings - and there's still plenty of time to join in the new registration fun and drive away a new September bargain!

We had a very busy 1st, starting at 8am with Sales Controller Peter handing over the keys to a new Mirage, followed by an ASX then an Outlander, whilst Senior Sales Executive Chris began with a Shogun, followed by an ASX then a Mirage - all before lunch. The afternoon was equally as hectic with Peter delivering a Shogun whilst Chris handed over an L200. After a well-deserved cup of tea and chocolate biscuit the day ended with arranging Tuesday's numerous deliveries and handovers.

We still have some great deals across the Mitsubishi range until 30th September, including £2000 off selected L200 pick-up models which now feature a new 3 Tonne towing capacity, terrific finance offes on the ASX crossover, interest-free finance on the diesel 4x4 Outlander and the fabulous chic supermini Mirage for just £99 a month.
 
In addition, Mitsubishi's classic off-roader the Shogun is currently priced very competitively from just £26,199, while the game-changing plug-in hybrid Outlander PHEV can be secured on various attractive plans, including an interest-free finance offer over 12 months with a 50 per cent deposit. Meanwhile, there are also various offers for Motability customers, including nil advance payment on the five-door Mirage 3 1.2 for eligible drivers.

To view the range of Mitsubishi vehicles, arrange a test drive and take advantage of the  special offers, visit us at Devonshire Motors, Braunton Road, Baranstaple, or phone 01271 342600.

We'd love to see you and show you why one in ten new car buyers in the area are choosing Devonshire Motors and Mitsubishi.

Another Five Star Service Award!

Yes it's true, we have been awarded the maximum five stars by Mitsubishi Motors UK based on feedback from our customers, a big thank you to you all!

At Devonshire Motors we pride ourselves on providing the very highest level of customer service whether we are selling you a car or selling you a light bulb.

Mitsubishi dealers in the UK performed excellently as a whole, with a number of five-star dealers increasing by two to 22, 90 per cent of dealers achieving four stars or above and 89 per cent of customers saying they would recommend their dealership- including ours.

The latest figures from the society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed that Mitsubishi passenger car sales were up by an amazing 197 per cent in July, with all of the models (Mirage, ASX, Outlander, Shogun and Barbarian) recording an increase.

The arrival of the much anticipated plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - wth its outstanding fuel consumption of 148mpg and CO2 emissions of just 44g/km - has been helping the company's sales success.

Last month it outsold all other vehicles that qualify for the government's Plug-in Car Grant, accounting for 43 per cent of successful applications. Little wonder considering the numerous awards it has accrued in the same period - Business Car magazine's Techies "Green Award" to name but one.

For more information about the great range of Mitsubishi cars available, please contact us at Devonshire Motors, Braunton Road, Barnstaple, 01271 342600

Caravans: The Top Summer Driving Annoyance?

There are caravanners among us so please believe us when we say that this will not be a post criticising all those who choose to tow their holiday accommodation behind them! Far from it.

The RAC recently published an article stating that caravans had topped a poll which sought to discover the most irritating ‘summer driving pet peeve’, beating everything from traffic congestion and loud music from boy racers vehicles to hot steering wheels and (unsurprisingly) children complaining on long journeys.

Many of the stated ‘annoyances’ we can well agree with but, summer aside, North Devon does seem to have more than its fair share of hold-ups on the road all year round.

For example- a fortnight ago the North Devon Journal wrote an article on an unusual traffic jam: 4 horses and 3 foals had decided on an early morning break-out from their stables in Muddiford and had chosen to roam free in Newport, Barnstaple in the early hours. Several hours, the emergency services and a couple of helpers from the local equine centre, later and the horses were returned home whilst drivers caught up in the action waited patiently.

With this story in mind we polled some of our team on who and what they had been held up on the roads of North Devon!

Answers that came back varied wildly from the expected- think pheasants, herds of cows, inebriated tourists and the obligatory scooter with the 25mph maximum speed to the outlandish- monster trucks, sections of wind turbines, horse and carts and the Olympic torch runners (it’s a good job we know they’re an honest bunch!).

Our point being? Yes, of course it can be frustrating to be stuck behind caravan’s mid-summer when you’re on your way to work but it really could be a lot worse. And caravanners? Perhaps you could consider investing in something that looks a little more exciting. Who’d really mind staring at this in traffic?: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/10762898/Millionaire-inventor-creates-high-tech-supertruck-for-four-year-old-daughter.html.

And naturally, if you’re looking for a vehicle to tow your beloved caravan with- give us a call- it really is one the things a large proportion of the Mitsubishi range does best. Even the latest addition to the range- the plug-in hybrid Outlander PHEV- is an eco-friendly 4x4 with a braked towing limit of 1500kgs. Call us on: 01271 342600 or email sales@devonshire-motors.co.uk.

Mother and Daughter buy Matching Mirages

It's not a mirage- a mother and daughter from Barnstaple really have just picked up identical new cars. 

Deanna Gray and Karen Ward have each collected their brand new Mitsubishi Mirages, in Eisen Grey, from us. Both vehicles are Mirage 3's with matching interiors and trim and both have a manual gearbox. In fact, the only difference you can see is just one letter in the number plates. 

A delighted Karen, said: "I think they're great, they look like twins. They'll be parked together whenever I go to see my Mum and it'll be hard to tell the difference!".

Her mother, Deanna, added: "We were looking at buying a car for Karen and when I saw the Mirage it was such a good deal that I thought I'd have one for myself too. We both liked the grey colour and I think they look really good together. We're really pleased with them". 

Chris Chapple, Senior Sales Executive, said: "We quite often get families who have more than one Mitsubishi but I can't remember ever selling two cars that were exactly the same to a family before. I'm sure Karen and Deanna will enjoy driving them and we've already joked about getting different coloured fluffy dice so they can tell them apart". 

The Mirage has been in our showroom for almost 18 months now but interest in them shows no signs of slowing- we have, in fact, sold 15 this month alone! 

Anyone keen to test drive one please call us on 01271 342600, visit our website www.devonshire-motors.co.uk or drop in to our showroom on Pottington Estate, Barnstaple. 

Thunder and Lightning, Accidents and Trophies: Motocross Update

The latest update from our sponsored Motocross rider- Mark Osborne's- last two races: Rounds 3 and 4.

Round 3 was at Crediton and presented a few challenges for the riders. The circuit was well prepared and initial practise saw Mark achieving the 4th quickest lap time in the group- giving him a nice boost prior to the race start. Unfortunately the start of race 1 was not quite so succesful- with a stall during passing dropping him down to 12th place. He quickly regained composure and began making up ground on the riders in front but was unable to progress much as the red flags came out and the race was stopped due to an incident on the track.



Race 2 was much more promising (despite a large thunder storm and rain which soaked the track, turning it to mud) and Mark spent a large part of the race in 3rd, before dropping one place to finish 4th overall. This race alone dragged him up from 6th place in the Championship to 4th- just a few points from 3rd!

Round 4 (at Plymouth) was where the magic happened. Despite the hot conditions being in stark contrast to the previous week, Mark managed to gain both a 7th and a 5th placing- earning him 5th place overall and his first trophy- a massive achievement! 

A large crash at the end of the second block meant that only 2 races were run on the day. We wish all involved a speedy recovery; although we understand that no-one was very seriously injured in the incident. 

Mark really has done phenomenally well in the last couple of weeks- thunder and lightning, stark heat, mud and accidents have done nothing to put him off and his recent successes have placed him squarely in 3rd place overall in the championship at the time of writing. Long may it last!




 

Not All Hybrids Are Created Equal

We're just over a week shy of the official launch event weekend and the Outlander PHEV is shaping up to be everything we hoped, and a whole lot more. Our demonstrator arrived at the end of last week on the back of a transporter and, following the obligatory checks in the workshop and complete clean in our valeting bay, has been booked up solidly for demonstration ever since. 

Considering the figures it claims and the numerous awards it boasts, it comes as no surprise: a tiny 44g/km of Co2 emissions, official miles-per-gallon figures of 148, £0 vehicle excise duty and company car tax of just 5% in year one anyone? It's not just the drivers of company cars that benefit either-  a business purchasing one can write down 100% of the cost of the car against its corporation tax in year 1 (compare this to the traditional 18%).

The PHEV is also capable of more than 30 miles and over 60mph on EV power alone and, at the time of writing, charge points can be fitted completely free-of-charge at customers own homes making them both simple and cost-effective to power.

Since it's recent introduction stamps of approval have been awarded left, right and centre: The "Environment Award" from Fleet World, "Best Alternative Fuel Vehicle) from Diesel Car and the Five Star Award for Safety from the Japan New Car Assessment Programme all came within one month. 

Despite all of the above it still came as a surprise to us when orders for the innovative new vehicle began rolling in thick and fast before purchasers had even driven one! Our launch event will be happening on Friday 6th and Saturday 7th June and details will be released soon. If you'd like to test drive one please just give us a call on 01271 342600, email sales@devonshire-motors.co.uk or visit us on Pottington, Barnstaple. Bookings essential. 

Spark Plugs, Crash and a 2/10ths of a Second Miss Out on a Trophy: Motocross Update.

Following our update at the end of April, we have more news from the Motocross track courtesy of sponsored rider- Mark Osborne. 

Round one got off to a 'testing' start at the track at Littlehempton track for Mark (his words!) with mechanical problems. Just prior to practice his bike was not keen to start and- when it did splutter to life- sounded far from its best. 

A quick lap round the track clearly demonstrated that the problems were far from simple and- when Mark returned to the pits- changing the spark plugs repeatedly in the process, it became apparent that it wasn't going to be an easy fix either. Eventually, the problem was spotted by Mark's Dad (a former Motocross rider himself and a big supporter of Mark), two contacts on the plug cap were cleaned, the bike was put back together and it finally fired up! (Much to their relief I'm sure).
 
Race 1 was eventful with Mark being dragged down from 6th to 32nd place following a crash on a hill top two short laps from the finish which left his handlebars twisted. Race 2 was a little better as he crawled back up to 9th place and the final race saw him pull back one more spot and finish in a very respectable 8th. 


Round 2 found Mark at a new track to him- Moreleigh nr Totnes. The first race was spent largely getting used to the track but he claimed 7th place. The start for the second race was equally as good but, due to the track being watered, a first corner crash held many of the riders up (including Mark). Race 3 was a mixed bag- an excellent start paired with a last minute pass at the finish line left Mark in 9th: missing out on an overall 5th place trophy by just 2/10ths of a second!

Regardless of all of this Mark has clearly set himself up well for the championship. Round 2 saw him shift from 10th to 6th place overall, a manageable 4 points off the top 4 riders and- with the mechanical issues now sorted- he's very much looking forward to the next round at Crediton on 8th June.