Donegal dealer takes prestigious Ldv agency

Having already forged a stellar reputation providing an exceptional car sales and back-up service for over 25 years, Teague Diver & Sons Ltd. has entered the commercial vehicle market by taking on the much-sought LDV vans agency. Irish Trucker visited the highly-regarded Letterkenny dealership and discovered that hopes are high for LDV’s multi-award-winning flagship Maxus van.

These are exciting times indeed for the team at Teague Diver & Sons Ltd. in Letterkenny. The main Hyundai dealership celebrated its 25th anniversary on Canal Road in August 2006 and business continues to grow with some interesting developments…
In keeping with the directors’ proactive approach to customer care, Divers have recently decided to branch into the commercial vehicle market; they could hardly have chosen a more suitable partner than LDV. The specialist van manufacturer’s range of Maxus panel vans – including an all-new model – is a market leader in the UK and the marque has vast scope for growth here in Ireland, particularly due to the manufacturers’ exclusivity as a van builder (allied to its ability to provide customised solutions).

In July 2006, LDV’s multi-award-winning Maxus was named Fleet Van of the Year at the UK’s 20th annual motor transport award ceremony in London. The prestigious event recognises outstanding achievements by manufacturers in innovation, service, efficiency and quality, with winners chosen by a panel of experts from the fleet sector. As well as collecting one of the most prestigious prizes on offer, LDV and Maxus were also praised for their outstanding commitment to and understanding of the fleet market.
Seeing off tough competition from Ford, Iveco and Mercedes, the Maxus is obviously a great product. It is built 100% around the driver, with market-leading product attributes, class-leading load height, rear door width and sideload door width - not to mention a truly car-like feel with optimum comfort, ride, handling and performance.

Adding enormously to the already substantial appeal is the focus on value with unparalleled cost of ownership courtesy of proven endurance, 20,000-mile service intervals, maximum fuel economy, faster repair times, lower parts costs, higher residual values and a massive five-year, 100,000 mile warranty.
As the only dedicated van specialist, LDV continues to go further than the competition to ensure that its vehicles answer the specific needs of individual fleet operators, with the capacity to deliver vehicles tailored to exact requirements. Strong demand for the Maxus is anticipated in the Donegal area.
Originally operating out of Gweedore, Teague Diver & Sons has been active in the motor industry for over 35 years. The business re-located to more central premises on Letterkenny’s Canal Road in August 1981 and has never looked back. A highly respected member of the local community, founder Teague Diver came from a farming background and also ran a family butchers – but it was in the motor trade that he would really make his mark.

Teague started out with a workshop/garage at his home and gradually developed the business from there. Soon he had acquired a widespread reputation for outstanding work in servicing and repairs and this enabled the business to move to a more central location in the village of Gweedore, taking up the Renault dealership, before Teague Diver & Sons opened up in the county town two years later.
Teague’s son Terence, who now manages the business, takes the story up: “We went with Hyundai in March 1997 as they were offering a three-year warranty, which obviously made them a more attractive proposition. Up until ’96, we were selling about 60 or 70 new Renaults a year but, with Hyundai, we are now doing over 200 units.”
Thus, the switch proved an inspired one. However, there was still room for further development. With no commercial vehicles in the Hyundai range, Teague Diver & Sons was missing out on a growing corner of the market. This is why they agreed last year to get involved with LDV as an agent for the magnificent Maxus van.

“They came to us to see if we were interested and we were very happy to join forces with them,” Terence confirms. “The five-year warranty is a huge selling point. We now have a much better model mix, incorporating cars, jeeps and vans.
“We’re also in a strong location at the centre of a town that’s developing rapidly with a lot of new units and shopping centres, so everything is looking very positive. We built a decent-sized premises on a two-acre site 25 years ago and we have a lot of passing traffic. We’re in an excellent location and the addition of the LDV dealership will enable us to maximise our potential.”
Covering the north west including counties Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim, Teague Diver & Sons became a main LDV dealer on December 5 and has already been inundated with enquiries about the Maxus. “I have no doubt they’ll sell well,” says Terence. “They offer great value for money; they are a generous-sized van; and there is also good variety within the range.

“Two-thousand-and-seven will be our first year selling vans and we’re confident that the niche is there. Every second or third vehicle on the road these days seems to be a van and we’re in a good position now to tap into that market.”
The new van – which was named 2005 Van of the Year by Professional Van and Light Truck magazine almost immediately after its launch - has received tremendous reviews and is used widely on a fleet basis by companies throughout the UK, including Royal Mail, Transco and the police services. It is also proving extremely popular in the hire market.
The Maxus is available in two wheelbases, three roof heights and in a choice of 2.8t, 3.2t and 3.5t GVW. As well as a conventional van, it can also be purchased to serve a multi-purpose role (mixing seats and space for transport of goods) in addition to a 12-seat or 15-seat minibus version.

No other van in its class offers a 100,000 mile/five-year warranty, while the combination of class-leading loadspace, user-friendliness, beautiful design and standard extras like remote central locking, electric windows, heated mirrors and CD players make the Maxus almost irresistible.
For further details, contact Teague Diver & Sons today.