Keeping it in the family with Mercedes-Benz
Aberdeen plumber Dean Masson is also a family man – so for transport he and wife Diane rely on the Mercedes-Benz family of vans!
Mr Masson runs a Sprinter for his business, DM Plumbing & Heating Services, while the couple, their four children and dog enjoy weekends away in their seven-seat Vito Traveliner. Now they’ve completed the set by buying a third vehicle, this time from the Citan range launched last year, which Diane is using as her ‘daily driver’.
The family’s new ‘baby’ was supplied, like its two predecessors, by Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles Aberdeen. Despite its size – the Citan is the first small van to wear a three-pointed star – it combines comfortable seating for five with a useful luggage area, as well as a fuel-efficient 90 hp engine and low running costs.
Dean Masson says: “I’d previously tried work vans by other manufacturers but they were always going wrong. I bought my first Mercedes-Benz, a Sprinter, nearly 10 years ago and have not looked back since. They have always lived up superbly to the brand’s reputation for reliability and long life, while the service from the local dealer has been excellent too, not least because I can get my vans maintained outside working hours if necessary.”
Mr Masson’s latest Sprinter is a Medium-length 216 CDI, while the family’s Vito Traveliner is a 115 CDI model and loaded with optional extras such as alloy wheels, comfort seats, carpets and colour-coded bumpers.
“We think of the Vito as a very practical family car, rather than a van,” says Mr Masson. “We’re an active family, always going on camping trips, and it’s the ideal vehicle for us. There’s room for all four children – Nathan, aged 13, Lewis, who is nine, six-year-old Kathrina and Jack who’s just four – as well as Tia the Doberman Pinscher and all our gear.
“For everyday use though, the Citan makes more sense. Diane does the school run and then commutes to her office in her new vehicle, which uses very little fuel and attracts a low road tax charge, while the insurance is so cheap they’re almost giving us our money back!” He adds: “Diane loves it, and the fact that Mercedes-Benz vans are also the safest on the road gives us extra peace of mind.”
The Citan range combines market-leading fuel efficiency of up to 65.7 mpg with CO2 emissions as low as 112 g/km, and is packed with clever features such as a folding bulkhead, to provide maximum load length as well as protection for the driver.
Panel van versions are also available in three body lengths while the Citan Dualiner has the same seating configuration as the Massons’ vehicle but, because it is based on the Extra-long format, offers even more cargo space. The Citan has a volume carrying capacity of up to 3.8 m³ and a maximum payload potential of 735 kg.
