Steve Corney operates a not-so-usual tyre service on the NSW Central Coast. To give the business an edge, he fitted a couple of Renault vans with the latest tyre fitting equipment to create a special ‘home delivery service’.
Each Master is equipped with the latest lever-less tyre fitting machine, a computer wheel balancer and a compressor complete with a 140-litre air storage tank. To remain at the leading edge of tyre technology, Steve fitted each van with a special nitrogen generator so that all tyres are inflated with nitrogen gas, just like in the Formula 1. Steve believes this is the first mobile application in Australia that produces its own nitrogen rather than tapping into the usual exchange bottle.
Power is provided by a 240-volt compressor and two 200-watt solar panels mounted on the roof, which charge a 600 amp/hour battery pack that’s been fitted low in the vehicle to assist with stability. The actual power supply is managed by a combi-unit that takes electrical charge from the solar panels as well as the Renault’s alternator to remain flexible. It keeps the supply topped up at all times and can be charged at 240 or 12 volts due to a built-in inverter unit.
“The experts told me I would not get a full day out of it,” says Steve. “Contrary to their belief, it took three months before I needed to plug it in to 240 volts to charge it up and that was with the van out working every day.”
Steve says that he looked at a lot of vans on the market before deciding upon the Renault Master 150 long wheelbase model. “Its size was important to fit all of the gear in that I needed. Most brands failed at that point. Obviously the vehicle needs to meet all technial criteria, but in my world looks are very important too. You would not be disappointed if this van turned up at your house to fit tyres to your Ferrari.”
Steve has added satellite tracking to the GPS units that come as standard, as well as laptop computers so that pricing and invoicing can be performed “live” on-site.
Even though the vans are carrying a lot of weight all of the time, Steve’s team achieves up to 900km from a tank of fuel on average.
On the inside, Steve and his team appreciate the comfort of the suspended driver’s seat, the number of front cab storage options and the swivelling laptop table fitted to the back of the folding middle front seat. Parking and safety are enhanced by a rear view camera. The steel bulkhead sealing the driver from the rear section also contributes to a cleaner cab and makes the air conditioner more efficient.
Each rear compartment is lined with polished alloy checker plate to waist height, with recessed storage space for wheel weights and tools covering the upper sections of the walls.
But as so often, it’s the little things that stand out. For Steve, it’s the Renault’s speed limiter. “In school zones this is especially handy. There are also some places we service like retirement villages that have speed limits as low as 10 km/h.”
In addition, Steve remains impressed with the handling of the big Masters. “I went to the dealer to purchase a van and it felt like I drove out in a car. And more importantly, that feeling didn’t change after it was fitted out and weighted down.”
Today, the Renaults are on the road seven days a week and Steve expects each will cover in excess of 40,000km a year, with the 30,000km service interval being an obvious cost benefit.
On the outside, all vans are vinyl wrapped and serve as mobile billboards for Steve’s business – with much success. As demand is constantly on the rise, Steve now plans to expand his services significantly in the future, with Renault being a key ingredient for success.
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