New Mercedes-Benz dealer’s service wins Parsons’ vote

Mercedes-Benz dealer City West Commercials has won a glowing testimonial from Exeter-based Parsons Nationwide Distribution, which is now running its first premium specification Actros tractor unit.

It is a little over a year since City West Country, which already ran successful Mercedes-Benz Passenger Car retail outlets in the south-west, was awarded its first truck franchise and formed City West Commercials.

Now, the positive verdict of a high-profile local operator such as Parsons has underscored the wisdom of the manufacturer’s decision to appoint City West as its representative. 

Parsons’ Operations Manager Philip Clemens praised City West’s “excellent” sales executive Tim Chawner and pronounced himself “very satisfied” with the dealer’s service.

“We began talking to City West after visiting last summer’s TruckFest at Shepton Mallet,” he recalled. “They persuaded us that although this represented a new venture for them, they were more than capable of maintaining large commercial vehicles.

“We registered our first Actros last September and have certainly had no cause to regret the decision. The truck is being serviced under a Mercedes-Benz r&m contract and the dealer carries out the work overnight in its Exeter workshop, so we don’t incur any downtime. We know several members of the City West team and they do a terrific job.”

If City West’s service has impressed, so, too, has the vehicle itself.  A 6x2 Actros 2546 with range-topping flat-floored cab, it is on general haulage duties, works primarily with a flat-bed trailer, and typically makes a couple of trips to Scotland each week.

“Average fuel returns from the Actros are a very acceptable 8.8mpg, although the figure has been as high as 9.3mpg,” said Mr Clemens. “Our driver Paul Pemberton-Finch is also delighted with his truck – it’s six months old now but he’s still wearing a permanent smile.”

Parsons Nationwide Distribution last year celebrated its 80th anniversary. The company is a member of the Pallet Track Network and operates a fleet of more than 30 articulated tractor units of various marques.

“We purchased two Mercedes-Benz Axors in 2000 and only stood them down last year, by which time they had each covered approximately 1.3 million km,” added Mr Clemens. “We were very impressed with the residual values we achieved.”