Taking delivery of a vehicle and then immediately sending it off to a converter not only wastes time when it could be earning its living, but it also means that there will be two warranties running in tandem. This is far from being an ideal situation.
As a consequence many manufacturers offer a selection of off-the-peg conversions and Citroën has been at the forefront of this approach for some years. It's 'Ready to Run' range for 2007 has been expanded and all products have benefited from an on-going round of improvements.
All Ready to Run bodies, conversions and add-on packages are covered by each converter to match the standard Citroën warranty; two-year unlimited mileage or three years/100,000 miles.
Relay Minibus
Citroën's range of minibuses based on the new Relay are produced by Advanced Vehicle Builders and includes 12-, 15- and two 17-seaters. Wheelchair-accessible models are available.
Advanced has adopted bonded flush-fit direct glazing for the side windows and the interior fit-and-finish has been improved with the introduction of all-new moulded interior panels.
All the minibuses have seats, three-point seat belts, mountings and under-frame structure tested to meet the M1 safety standard and thanks to the new Relay's wider body design Advanced has been able to improve passenger accessibility thanks to wider gangways.
Three individual slide-and-release rear seats are fitted across the minibus range as standard. Operators can easily adjust the passenger/luggage ratio.
Prices start at £14,495 (all prices quoted exclude VAT and delivery) for the standard 12-seater.
Relay Luton
The expanded line-up of Relay Luton Vans, produced by Buckstone Motor Bodies, are based on 3.5 tonne L3 long-and L4 extra long-wheelbase chassis cabs and provide load volumes up to 20m3, and load floor lengths up to 4.0m.
The Buckstone Luton bodies are constructed from anodised aluminium body sections with high quality 11mm GRP panelling. The trick with any Luton is keeping the body weight to a minimum.
Standard specification includes reverse parking sensors with audible/visual warning, full-height tie rails, a lightweight colour-coded rear shutter and a full-width under run rear bumper/step.
Prices start at £14,495 and there is a range of options available including tail lifts, heavy duty rub rails and an aerodynamic Luton head cover.
Relay Dropside
Ingimex has introduced an all-new Dropside body for the new Relay chassis cab which provides a number of improvements over the predecessor.
These include a larger ladder frame with a galvanised wire mesh infill to protect the cab from damage, easy-action heavy duty aluminium dropsides with recessed fasteners and a non-slip phenol resin bonded one-piece ply floor with recessed load tie-down points.
Priced from £12,495 the Relay 35 L3 120 chassis-cab based Dropside has a gross payload not unadjacent to 1,500kg.
Relay Tipper
Tipmaster is the UK's largest supplier of 3.5t GVW tipper packages as is responsible for the Ready to Run Relay conversion.
Based on a medium-wheelbase chassis cab — with prices starting at £12,995 — and with a gross payload of up to 1,280kg the tipper body has an all-steel underframe and headboard. The dropsides and tailboard are made of extruded alloy, have recessed fasteners and the supporting corner pillars are zinc-plated.
A chromed under-floor scissor action ram raises and lowers the tipper body, with power coming from Tipmaster's own-make electro-hydraulic power pack. Tipping is controlled via a remote wander lead and it comes complete with a new easy-to-use body prop for safety.
There's a comprehensive range of body options available, including all-alloy construction which increases the payload by up to 130kg.
Tail Lift
Tipmaster also supplies a 300kg capacity tail lift for the Ready to Run programme. It is suitable for installation in both the Dispatch and Relay.
The compact fold-away lift weighs 145kg and costs £1,995, which includes fitting anywhere in the UK.
Refrigerated Vans
Believe it or not there's a choice of over 40 temperature-controlled vans, all built to internationally recognised ATP standards by Somers Refrigeration.
The range starts with the Berlingo chiller van (£9,495) and includes just about any Dispatch or Relay panel van model.
GAH chiller and freezer units are used across the board as standard and there's a wide range of options including a unique insulated, sliding side load door for Relay freezer vans.
Glass Carrier
The glass carrier range of conversions — carried out by specialists Supertrucks — includes Berlingo, Dispatch and Relay, with the latter starting at £14,095.
The Relay conversion includes a full length, full width anodised aluminium roof rack, a side carrying rack (frail) complete with facia and two fixed internal frails, all complete with securing poles. Unique features include inclinometer, reflective safety markers, a pole rest and full test certification showing maximum safe working loads.
Supertrucks's very neat Glass-Glide sliding internal rack, which makes loading/unloading faster and safer, can be specified as an option.
Racking
Racking specialists Qi Van Systems has produced no less than nine different Flex-Rax packages for Berlingo, Dispatch and Relay with prices ranging from £39 to £1,195.
Bespoke packages are sent to the dealer for fitting and short lead times are assured for the UK-manufactured kits.
Car Transporter
Citroën provides KFS, one of the UK's leading specialists in the car transporter sector, with a Relay cab complete with all mechanical components to which an AL-KO drop frame chassis is attached.
KFS mates an all-alloy lightweight car transporter body to the frame and the result has the dual benefit of easy loading and low transit height, as well as a 1,600kg gross payload.
Prices start at £14,995 and it comes with light alloy load ramps as standard. Options include light bars, winches, and tool lockers.
Dual Fuel Berlingo
Based on a 75 bhp Berlingo 1.4i 600 LX, the conversion to run on liquid petroleum gas as well as petrol is undertaken by Nicholson McLaren Engines. It meets Powershift Band 4 emission standards, is exempt from the London Congestion Tax and has a £7,995 price tag. Click here for more information.
VERDICT
Citroën has to be congratulated for providing such a wide-ranging selection of off-the-shelf conversions and all at very competitive prices.