M8 Recovery to the rescue with Mercedes-Benz Vito

Car recovery specialist Alex McManus knows a rising star when he sees one – which explains why he’s commissioned a Mercedes-Benz Vito van with integrated folding ‘spectacle lift’.

Mr McManus’s Glasgow-based breakdown business M8 Recovery took delivery of the Extra-long Vito 116 CDIfrom the Govan branch of Dealer Western Commercial. As a crew van variant, it came with glazed side windows and a second row of seats, allowing it to carry four passengers as well as the driver.

The cargo area, meanwhile, is fitted with a Compact Recovery Trailer designed and installed by Oldham-based specialist Intertrade Engineering UK, and capable of lifting a large family car.

Decked out in M8’s trademark red livery and striking graphics, with colour-coded bumpers, beacons, and grille-mounted flashing LED lights, the Vito certainly cuts a dash.

“Our vehicles are the visible face of the business when they’re out on the road, or attending a breakdown,” said Mr McManus, who founded his business in 2000 and is known throughout the recovery industry as ‘Junior’. “We take great care to make sure they are always clean and smartly turned out.

“The Vito is a high-quality model and our customers certainly appreciate being picked up in such a comfortable vehicle. The fact that it’s by Mercedes-Benz, manufacturer of the safest vans on the road, also provides an added sense of security.

“The Vito makes for a great towing vehicle, too,” he continued. “Its uprated axle ratings and gross trainweight of 5.5 tonnes mean we can lift and recover even large cars with no problem, while the rear-wheel drive set-up means traction is never lacking.”

Performance is no problem either. The Vito 116 CDI is powered by an advanced 2.1-litre engine which generates a muscular 163 hp, yet is still capable of returning up to 47.1 mpg (combined cycle).

“The Vito is perfect for this type of work and is an ideal base chassis for our recovery equipment,” said Mr McManus. “It’s our first van by Mercedes-Benz, but I run some of its trucks and they are extremely well-built and reliable. That’s vital in our trade, as we can’t have a breakdown vehicle breaking down.”

He added: “We have an excellent working relationship with the team at Western Commercial. Not only are they a trusted supplier, but we also provide them with local recovery services, so it’s a two-way street. All in all, I’m confident the Vito will prove to be a solid investment.”

M8 Recovery runs a fleet of 40 vehicles, ranging from vans to heavy trucks, and works across the Central Belt of Scotland and beyond, recovering broken-down cars, commercial vehicles, buses and coaches. The company is an active supporter of many local charities, raising funds for worthy causes including the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.

www.m8recovery.com

M8 Recovery to the rescue with Mercedes-Benz Vito