Atkinson Vos Ltd Mercedes Unimogs Global Freight

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Buying from Atkinson Vos >

Our suggestions for ‘The successful Unimog Purchase’

1	Ensure that you have the right spec of Unimog for the job you are doing now and in the foreseeable future. Consider the pros and cons of LWB against SWB, also small chassis against heavy chassis. Check that the Unimog has the right hydraulic system, PTO’s and linkages etc for your work. Most of these can be retro fitted BUT CHECK ON THE COSTS FIRST!

2	Get a machine in good condition from someone who has looked after it as subsequent repair bills can be very alarming if a vehicle has been abused or neglected. Unimogs are usually cheap to maintain but very expensive to neglect. A good track record is more important than the age of a machine or mileage/hours worked.

3	Do not fall into the trap of getting a machine for its attractive low price only to find that it is the wrong tool for the job. Consider that if 2 or 3 guys are working with the Unimog that you may be paying them wages of anything up to £300,000 over a period of three years. If having a different machine improves their output by a few percent you can do the maths yourself! It is a false economy which is sometimes not easy to spot as you are paying wages weekly but you pay for the Unimog in one hit.

4	Equally do not overspend by insisting on new or nearly new – think about repayments if the work goes quiet. You do not have to spend a fortune to get a good reliable Unimog. Remember even very young machines can still break down, have accidents and be unavailable for other reasons. We also urge you to keep the Unimog as versatile as possible and be very cautious of special ‘All singing’ outfits which can easily become white elephants if the nature of the work changes.

5	To summarise we would recommend selecting a good quality Unimog in a reasonable price bracket, pay to have it fully checked over, fitted with the equipment you need, warranted and then if necessary take out finance for part of it.

There are many different ways of using finance – some of them are very tax efficient indeed and can often make buying your machine actually cheaper than buying outright. Below are some links to finance companies who we have found to be helpful to our customers.
http://www.beechwoodfinance.co.uk/ http://www.bondinvestments.co.uk/ http://www.eagleasset.co.uk/
Please note we are not financial advisors, get no commission and therefore can take no responsibility for any problems you may have with these finance companies. The links above will open a separate window that is not part of this site.

Buying From Atkinson Vos
We offer a number of ways to buy a Unimog depending on your budget. Option 1 – Trade Sale – Auction terms. This is the same as buying a used machine at an auction or privately. The Unimog can be inspected and test driven before purchase. The buyer will be informed of any known problems but these are the responsibility of the buyer to sort. There is no warranty. Repairs can be carried out at additional cost by Atkinson Vos if requested. Machines which we are selling on customers’ behalf are in the above category. Option 2 – Checked over The Unimog will have undergone a check-over in our workshop where major functions and oil and water levels are checked. Major defects will be rectified. One months warranty (see below). Repairs can be carried out at additional cost by Atkinson Vos if requested. Option 3 – Fully serviced and repaired. The Unimog is sold ready for work but not in perfect condition. All oils and filters replaced. Checked over, any faults repaired (with the exception of age-related wear and cosmetic defects). Three months warranty (see below). Option 4 – Refurbished. As above but with the addition of a full repaint, significant cosmetic defects rectified and soundproofing kit fitted in cab. Three months warranty against failure of major parts. The warranty period on options 3 and 4 can be extended at extra cost. The warranty covers major drivetrain components ie, engine, gearbox, transfer box, PTO box, PTO shafts, prop shafts and axles (ie hubs, ½ shafts, diffs) Damage or failure caused by operator error or by ignoring instructions in owners manual are excluded. Wearing parts such as brakes, clutches, road springs and tyres are specifically excluded as is electrical wiring and lighting, air and brake pipe work, hoses etc because of the second hand nature of the vehicles. In all cases of warranty claims Atkinson Vos Ltd. undertake to supply the necessary parts (either new of good quality 2nd hand) and the customer provides the labour to fit. The exact terms of warranty and work to be carried out is to be agreed at point of sale. Many of the Unimogs which sell are 10-25 years old and it is not cost-effective to restore them to showroom condition. Like any equipment Unimogs need competent operators, understanding and maintenance. We will do our best to explain the major functions of the machine and will usually supply an owners handbook too. Please contact us if you have any areas of doubt.