Taking over as one of the leaders in its sector, the van featured this week is called an LDV V80 which stands for Leyland Daf Vehicles.
Even the horrendous traffic jams didn’t dampen my driving experience in Letterkenny this week even though it took an hour to get from one side of the town to the other.
When I eventually got to the other side of the town, while I was waiting at DLV premises I stepped around the garage and the forecourt of Top Spares which is one of the newest agents for the LDV range in Ireland.
“Daisy”
Sitting on the street ready to go was a lovely new long-wheelbase high roof version of the LVD van which had company branding of its new owner beautifully placed on the side of it.
The New LDV V80 in Donegal Creameries signage ready for the road delivering milk daily in Donegal . Photo Brian McDaid
“Daisy” was smiling out from the back quarter panel of this new Sligo registered van. The van obviously was for the Donegal Creameries.
Photo Brian McDaid
Reading between the lines I felt very proud of a newly locally appointed van agency in Letterkenny which has secured the sale of a new van to a company as big as the Donegal Creamery.
A far cry from a Fordson Major tractor
Where the new LDV agents are now located once was a green field site. Charlie O’Donnell who was one of the main bakers in Letterkenny decided to move his bakery from Lr. Main St. to the new industrial hub of Letterkenny at the times out beside the newly built creamery.
It’s hard to believe now but there was no one making concrete blocks in Letterkenny in those days on a big scale, so there was a demand for blocks to be made by hand. My late father who was out of work at the time, decided to make blocks in the front garden of his home in Corkey, Manorcunnigham which were used for building of the bakery.
His brother Hughie was driving Stevenson’s Fordson Major tractor and trailer which was on hire drawing milk in from the farms to the creamery in Letterkenny. Hughie would get a loan of the tractor in the evenings and would draw out sand and gravel and cement to Corkey where my father Fred would mix the concrete by hand and fill them into wooden moulds.
When he had a trailer load of blocks made, my uncle and my father would take a tractor load of concrete blocks into Letterkenny to compliment the supply of blocks to build the bakery.
Fred and Hughie McDaid with their friend Hughie Mc Guigan (Centre) who made concrete blocks by hand for the building of the O Donnell’s Bakery and also for Mc Clean and Mc Laughlin’s Garage in Letterkenny.
Now Charlie O Donnell’s grandson also Charlie is in the same premises that once housed his grandfather’s bakery, and instead of selling bread they are selling bread-vans and buses and milk vans and builders vans, all of which are part of the VDL range.
Outside, the new LDV V80 looks good, classic styling that’s freshened up with a new front end incorporating daytime running lamps within the bumper whilst the headlamp clusters have LED side lighting and the heated electric wing mirrors are treated to side indicators.
Air conditioning, remote central locking and electric windows are all part of the standard package and with three seats up front the V80 is comfortable enough, the driver’s seat comes with an armrest making the driving position spot on.
Photo Brian McDaid
More affordable and with a longer warranty than its rivals the LDV is sure to be a class leader with its 5 year warranty and roadside assistance which will cover up to 200,000 kms/125,000 miles.
A view of the central dash in the New LDV with Air con Cruise Control and Bluetooth as standard. Photo Brian McDaid
This is staggering for such a new and unknown quantity and demonstrates the confidence LDV Motor’s have in the brand.
The van that we drove is fitted out with a fridge which was purchased by Donegal Creameries but it will give you some Idea how much room in in the new LDV V80 High roof long wheel base. Photo Brian Mc Daid
In summing up this van which I drove this week I think it has hit the road running in Ireland. There is a small upturn in the economy and anyone buying a new van is not only looking for a good deal; they also want something that is easy run.
It’s not just the small business man that is considering this. An Post done a survey on their transport fleet and looked at everything, especially the running cost of the their fleet. They ended up buying 270 of these new LDV to add to the fleet of bigger sector vans throughout Ireland.
The van starts at €16995 plus VAT in Ireland, which is cheaper that most of it rivals in this sector. Add to this that all the V80s come standard with the powerful 136 BHP Diesel engine and this van seems to offer you all the ingredients for a good purchase.
Happy motoring folks
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