Excel Conversions continues to go about its business of supplying a wide variety of minicoaches and minibuses. Its range is getting ever-larger and it will grow again soon as part of its customer focus
Excel Conversions celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The Doncaster-based specialist in minicoaches and accessible minibuses has established a strong reputation in that time, and despite MD Peter Vernon’s recent announcement that he hopes to sell Excel, it remains business as usual.
Two things are for sure. Should Excel be sold, all warranties will be honoured, and the undertaking will continue in its current form. That means an ongoing commitment to offering bespoke conversions, besides its more standardised products.
“Customers have nothing to worry about,” says Peter. Excel is in a good position; it is profitable and it has a strong order book.
There is no urgency to sell, and the announcement is as much to explore potential interest as it is anything else. Additionally, Peter is open to remaining part of the business after any deal is completed.
Talk of new products, a strong order book, and a reputation in the market for supplying quality, bespoke vehicles is a far cry from where Excel was at its founding in 1998.
But Peter and many of his staff have a history in coachbuilding that began with the now-defunct Crystal Conversions, and some of Excel’s current employees started with it on Day One. However, the business is not about looking back. It’s about planning for the future and offering more products in both the accessible and luxury sectors that tick boxes for Excel’s customers.
Minicoach variety
Minicoaches form a moderate part of Excel’s work. It’s range-topper is the Empress conversion, which is built on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. It comes with a 620mm extension and a full coach rear.
The extension can be handled in two ways. One is to extend the chassis rails with bolt-on beams, which gives the option of a tow bar. The other sees a drop boot added, which is constructed around a steel frame to maintain strength. Up to 22 seats are possible in the Empress, but of the approximately 12 that Excel completes per year, most are to super-luxury configuration with a lower capacity.
The Empress will continue in its current form when the new Sprinter is launched, and Excel already has a handful of base vehicles on order. However, Peter is vehemently against the use of plug doors in any of Excel’s conversions, including the range-topper.
“We always retain the OEM passenger door, although we can add a powered ram to it. We don’t offer plug fittings; I believe they can cause too many problems if they are not treated correctly.”
Cost-effective conversion
A particular specialty of Excel is its conversion of used vehicles into minicoaches. While M2 and M3 Sprinters in a suitable condition remain very difficult to find, it was work on a batch of M1 vans that launched the venture.
“In 2008 when the recession hit, demand for new vehicles dropped massively. We had to do something, so I bought a batch of 21 used 313CDi vans and converted them to 16-seaters. They sold rapidly,” says Peter.
Several heavier used vans have since been converted to minicoaches, and as explained by Aqeel Ahmed of Luton-based 7 Plus Travel, the end result is a good one.
“We have eight experienced coachbuilders who are capable of all manner of duties, so it is not difficult to carry out that work,” says Peter. The success of converting used vans into minicoaches and minibuses has led to a similar venture with motorhomes.
Work on existing minibuses also extends to Ford Transits. On behalf of leasing companies, Excel has carried out a number of conversions on factory-finished Transit minibuses; one viewed by miniplus recently had been modified to a fully-accessible format.
That work involves addition of a new Unwin floor along with 15 Phoenix tracked seats that are mounted on NMI lockables. The minibus is completed by a PLS Access Lite cassette lift. Excel charges £12,000 plus VAT for such a conversion.
“Along with the Peugeot Boxer, the Transit is the most popular base vehicles for conversion to an accessible minibus. Demand in that sector is built around price,” says Peter. He adds that Sprinter-based minibuses can be produced if required, as can those on Iveco Daily chassis.
Sprinter revamped
Operators looking for a cost-effective Sprinter-based minicoach may be attracted by Excel’s work with the mid-range 516CDI Tourer model, which is available from Mercedes-Benz commercial dealers.
“We have seen some customers buying the Tourer from Mercedes-Benz for a very keen price, and then bringing it to us to convert it to a luxury minicoach. It represents a significant saving over buying a van and having it converted from scratch because of the excellent value that the Tourer offers,” says Peter.
Excel had taken nine orders for Tourer conversions in the month leading to the visit of miniplus. For a high-specification fit-out, the total cost including the base vehicle is around £56,000 plus VAT.
“Mercedes-Benz will run out of Tourers at some point, but it has no issue with us doing what we are doing. The warranty is unaffected because we are one of its recognised converters.”
As an example of what Excel can do to a stock Tourer, one has recently passed through for local operator Buckley Coach Tours.
It has received saloon air-conditioning, double glazing, and high-quality seats. One of the other attractions of Excel’s conversion work is that it can be undertaken at a time to suit the buyer.
“The operator can run the Tourer in ex-factory condition until it is ready to send it to us. When it does, we convert it as required. All the items that we remove are returned to the owner. We can also extend it if required,” he explains.
Cost-effective LDV
The most recent addition to Excel’s line-up is the LDV V80. The converter works in partnership with Pelican Bus and Coach, which is an LDV dealer and provided the base vehicles; Excel then creates either a minicoach or an accessible minibus from them.
Chief among the LDV’s attractions is its price. The V80 is unashamedly marketed on what it costs, and that allows Excel and Pelican to offer some very keen retail figures.
“For minicoaches, Mercedes-Benz has always been at the top of the market because of the prestige that its logo brings. But we are Pelican’s preferred LDV converter; its Managing Director Richard Crump visited several others before settling on us,” says Peter.
At the moment Excel is focusing on the diesel V80, but in the future, the zero-emission EV80 is likely to form a niche part of its line-up. Excel is already committed to converting the EV80 and it has received an enquiry from a potential buyer in London.
In minicoach form, Excel has a V80 demonstrator. It comes with 13 leather-covered Politecnica seats in the saloon. Those in the cab are trimmed to match, although the passenger seat there can be replaced with a luggage pen or fridge if required. Other fittings include a DVD player and monitor, USB charging points, and mood lighting. To that configuration, the drive-away price is £26,995 plus VAT.
“LDV is tackling any misconceptions with the five-year warranty and five-year roadside assistance that come as standard. The product is well supported; we have done a number of V80 minicoaches, including one for Procters Coaches of Leeming Bar,” says Peter.
He adds that the level of aftersales support provided, and the keen price, particularly appeals to community transport operators (CTOs). “The V80 is ideal for a CTO. It can take 13 passengers or up to three wheelchair users, and the price is very keen. It’s an attractive offering.”
A strong future
With an eye on the new Sprinter, a deal in the pipeline with Pelican that will deliver later this year for the MAN TGE, and a strong commitment to building exactly what the customer wants, the future looks good for Excel, regardless of its eventual ownership.
Peter has a strong team. Although Excel’s eight coachbuilders are all highly-experienced, their work is still stringently checked before delivery to the customer
That, says Peter, guarantees quality, and the handful of warranty claims it has been subject to in its history bears that out. Peter is a time-served coachbuilder himself, and that means that he retains a strong investment in the quality of the product.
Yearly throughput is in the region of 150 units, a mix of minicoach, accessible minibus and other projects. Many customers represent return business, and that is the best possible advert for the product.
“I have trained, experienced coachbuilders here. In their sector, they can do anything that is required. The ownership of Excel may change in the future – or it may not – but we are all committed to delivering the best to our customers regardless”
