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Ling's MINI BLOG Index
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| Short rants and opinion from me! |
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WHY HYDROGEN NO GOOD 4 CARS
- 15/12/2010
I ANALYSE HYDROGEN AND BLOW PR RUBBISH OUT OF THE WATER (VAPOUR)...
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CHEAPER THAN PENDRAGON
- 02/08/2010
MY NEW CARS ARE CHEAPER THAN PENDRAGON (LARGEST UK MOTOR DEALER) STAFF DEALS - OFFICI...
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THE 3 DEGREES - MY IT CROWD
- 18/07/2010
MY THREE IT STUDENTS ARE NOW IT GRADUATES, ALL WITH FIRSTS!
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MY SISTER'S (CHINESE) SKODA!
- 08/07/2010
I'VE BEEN SOURCING A CAR IN CHINA FOR MY BIG SIS...
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HIDING VAT
- 02/07/2010
WHY DO SO MANY CONTRACT HIRE SITES BREAK THE LAW?
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NO FM CAR RADIO IN 2015
- 04/03/2010
GOVERNMENT PLAN TO SWITCH OFF FM RADIO IN 2015 THREATENS 30 MILLION UK CAR USERS!
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I am GAY ICON! WoW!
- 04/02/2010
So many Civil Partnerships applying for cars! It's like the bloody YMCA here!
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WHY HYDROGEN NO GOOD 4 CARS
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| I ANALYSE HYDROGEN AND BLOW PR RUBBISH OUT OF THE WATER (VAPOUR)... |
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By Ling Valentine | 15/12/2010 | (1) comments
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I have a BSc in Applied Chemistry and an MSc in Environmental Management, so have some qualification to comment on this issue. Sorry if I ramble, I threw this together. I think it is interesting.
Hydrogen is a poor fuel for motor vehicles. Why?
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The energy density is low. Note the very poor range regarding any hydrogen vehicle..
The gas is made largely from hydrocarbons. Therefore the source is oil-based in the main (kind of defeating the purpose).
The creation process and storage is very energy intensive as the gas must be kept super-cooled and compressed at a high pressure.
Due to the small atomic size (the smallest atom) the leakage rate is high, as very little can effectively contain it. Therefore when one of these vehicles is filled with H2 and used or just left parked, the gas will effectively begin to evaporate through the container tank walls and piping.
...and thinking about it, a further danger is that a Hydrogen leak into the car will asphyxiate you if concentrated (but will probably explode first as it will almost always spontaneously combust in contact with air), so really need to make that gas very smelly which alone will put many people off, as there will always be a lingering smell, as those mercaptans are the smelliest substances known to man... and if an H2 leak gets on to your skin in liquid form, say bye bye to that part of your body, it will probably super freeze and snap and the Hydrogen will burn as it evaporates. MIND YOUR FINGERS, CAR TECHNICIANS. Mechanics may need full hazchem suits to work on these systems when charged. Imagine if a pipe is disconnected by accident... or in a few years by a home mechanic!
Hydrogen is also very likely to dissolve INTO many metals, making them very brittle over time, which leads to a nasty bang at some stage.
Loverly juberley stuff, who wants THAT H2 in your car? Even the safety stats I tried to look up are jumbled, as Hydrogen seems to change its form and effects over time - phenomena occur randomly - very jumbled data. H&SE will have a field day. How the fire brigade should react to a car fire or damage is unknown, but I think cars may have to carry warning HazChem signs with the prefix "E" which means "Evacuate".
Hydrogen fans, either you stupid (no offence) or you are dreaming. Dream on. :) - Ling, LINGsCARS.com - Ling |
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By Ling Valentine | 15/12/2010 | (1) comments
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CHEAPER THAN PENDRAGON
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| MY NEW CARS ARE CHEAPER THAN PENDRAGON (LARGEST UK MOTOR DEALER) STAFF DEALS - OFFICIAL |
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By Ling Valentine | 02/08/2010 | (0) comments
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I've just delivered a new car to a senior manager (for his personal use) in PENDRAGON PLC, the UK's largest dealer group. The group includes brands like Evans Halshaw and Stratstone. Pendragon PLC is the UK's Leading Automotive Retail Network. The automotive retail outlets trade as Stratstone, Evans Halshaw and Chatfields offering a large selection of new and used vehicles. These brands represent over 20 franchises for passenger vehicles, motorcycles, commercials and trucks operating from over 300 retail sites.
 "A pleasure to have my order dealt with by you Ling, you really did a great job all the way through. Now I cant put a poster up at Loxley, there's CCTV on the noticeboard (not really!) but I will be telling people that you beat "Team member deals" and let them draw their own conclusions..."
This is official proof that my combination of balancing over 50 different car suppliers and over 15,000 different car leasing deals is much cheaper way of getting a new car, than the alternative route of getting a senior manager's job at the largest motor dealer in the UK and then using your staff discount.
This includes being cheaper than their contract hire and leasing routes: Pendragon has a large contract hire business in the UK, operating under the brands of Pendragon Contracts, Bramall Contracts and Vardy Contract Motoring.
Obviously dead happy with my service, the senior Pendragon customer says: "I would like it if you could let me know the dealer and the name of the guy who put himself out to make sure the car was delivered as I want to send him something for his trouble and a note of appreciation."
Great news for LINGsCARS customers, eh? - Ling |
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By Ling Valentine | 02/08/2010 | (0) comments
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THE 3 DEGREES - MY IT CROWD
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| MY THREE IT STUDENTS ARE NOW IT GRADUATES, ALL WITH FIRSTS! |
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By Ling Valentine | 18/07/2010 | (0) comments
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Just to say that Mark, Jamie and Jonny have graduated. Fantastic!
All have got FIRSTS in Computer something or other from Sunderland University! I am so proud of them. This means over half the LINGsCARS Staff have university degrees, so we are the most highly qualified car leasing company in the UK haha!
Here is some stuff the newspapers and Uni have printed...
Three students who helped build an Internet goldmine for eccentric businesswoman Ling Valentine have all graduated with Firsts in computing.
Friends Jamie Hurts, Mark Stoddart and Jonathan Scott, worked part-time for www.lingscars.com while studying for their degrees.
The company's annual turnover has now risen to £35million of new cars, mostly due to the wacky website.
Jamie and Mark will continue working for Ling, who appeared on Dragons' Den in 2008 and owns a Chinese Nuclear Missile Truck and a London bus.
Jamie, 21, from Washington, said: "This was a unique opportunity I couldn't miss. Ling has offered me a graduate position and I am looking forward to continuing to work for her for a long time."
The three began working at the Gateshead-based company after responding to Ling's advert, which offered website developers £10 an hour and endless supplies of full-sugar coke.
Ling said: "My business operates purely online, so everything must work well. We do so much stuff that competitors can only dream about doing. The lads can make any idea work."
Ling said: "Mark, Jamie and Jonathan have created a monster of complicated computer coding on LINGsCARS.com. My database contains over 320 tables and my site crashes regularly. However (a bit like Apollo 13) when it works, it's a magnificent achievement.
"They have done computer miracles over the past three years. They have created a website which does so much; no other car leasing or car dealer website can compete."
"My customers are delighted with all aspects of dealing with LINGsCARS.com, and this is largely down to the website coding. My business operates purely online, so everything must work well. We do so much stuff, that competitors can only dream about doing. The lads can make any idea work and translate wacky ideas into reality."
"Sunderland has done a fantastic job to turn out graduates of the quality of Mark, Jamie and Jonathan. That they got Firsts is amazing, and the university should be very proud. LINGsCARS.com has won many IT awards, directly attributable to these three graduates." - Ling |
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By Ling Valentine | 18/07/2010 | (0) comments
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MY SISTER'S (CHINESE) SKODA!
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| I'VE BEEN SOURCING A CAR IN CHINA FOR MY BIG SIS... |
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By Ling Valentine | 08/07/2010 | (4) comments
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Although I only lease cars in the UK, my sister Shan asked me to help her buy a brand-new car in China!
She looked at quite a few different cars like Honda Accords and VW Passats and decided on a Skoda Superb as they are perceived as high-quality in China (are good cars here, too, but some daft people still have problems with the badge) and it has loads of room for her many friends. In the end she chose a 2.0 petrol car, as unlike the UK petrol cars are still the number one choice in China. She got an auto with leather and all the toys.
It's amazing, but we got her an immediate delivery and the car cost £25,000 (quite a discount actually). In the UK you would wait 3-months to take delivery, at the time of writing this. Shan loves the car and if you see her in Chengdu, give her a hoot on your horn. Although everyone hoots all the time so she won't notice you. How amazing that Chinese are now buying exactly the same cars as the UK, I would never have thought this would happen 12 years ago when I came to the UK.
Back then in 1998, my sis got her first car, a miserable 3-cylinder used Suzuki Alto and it cost nearly as much as the Superb! I'm looking forward to wafting around in luxury when I go back home at Christmas!
The reg plate is "Sichuan" and she insisted on the colour choice, although as ever I suggested silver or black for best resale values. I'm looking forward to being able to lease cars in China, in the future! - Ling |
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By Ling Valentine | 08/07/2010 | (4) comments
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| Your Comments |
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Steve said... |
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I've owned two Skoda's and leased two. Excellent cars. I actually traded a two year old BMW 7 series for a Superb. They are amazingly good value, at the time a Passat with the same options would have been at least 8K more and the Superb has much more room in the back. I hope your sister has many years of happy motoring! |
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| By Steve P | 14/07/2010 |
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Gene said... |
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I stumbled onto your awesome website...You need to set up in the U.S. perhaps ?The cars here are getting too tiny, compared to my '77 Mercury Marquis !Thank you !Gene out |
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| By Gene | 18/07/2010 |
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Matt said... |
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Put a paper bag over her head. |
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| By Matt | 19/07/2010 |
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Myles said... |
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She is cute, hook me up!! |
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| By Myles | 21/07/2010 |
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Martin said... |
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Happy for your sister...she looks happy....how about coming over to Canada/Vancouver to do some biz...we have many people needing cheap cars....if so let me know, i will give you an intro into the city...take care and may all your sales be final:-)....Martin |
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| By Martin | 16/08/2010 |
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HIDING VAT
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| WHY DO SO MANY CONTRACT HIRE SITES BREAK THE LAW? |
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By Ling Valentine | 02/07/2010 | (0) comments
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Can you believe prices you see on the web? I've gotta say, how annoyed it makes me that so many websites break the law, also known as the "Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008".
Soon, VAT will be 20% and it must drive consumers mad (like me) that they often see a great contract hire car offer, only to find that it has been advertised ex-VAT, and the price jumps up by 20% when they try to take advantage of the deal.
It's worth repeating what the law says really (even though it's boring) because people get the idea what these companies are trying to do... 'All price indications you give to consumers, by whatever means, should include VAT. This total price must be displayed prominently so that consumers can see it. Prices may ONLY be indicated exclusive of VAT at an outlet or through advertisements from which ALL of your business is with business customers.'
It's a criminal offence now, to mislead in this way, yet so many businesses in my sector do it. The only reason not to show the VAT on consumer prices, is to mislead people into thinking car deals are cheaper than they really are. Everyone knows consumers can't recover the VAT. So, include it!
Imagine if a petrol station advertised fuel cost ex-VAT on the basis that some business customers also used it for fuel, or if all PC World's prices were ex-VAT in the store, "because some businesses buy stuff there". It is simply wrong. It is just a way of advertising what looks at first glance to be a cheaper price.
Come on, "competitors", play by the UK rulez (aka "the law") and show the proper pricing. I may be a yellow girl, but surely everyone else can at least play the white man.
Grrr. - Ling |
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By Ling Valentine | 02/07/2010 | (0) comments
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NO FM CAR RADIO IN 2015
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| GOVERNMENT PLAN TO SWITCH OFF FM RADIO IN 2015 THREATENS 30 MILLION UK CAR USERS! |
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By Ling Valentine | 04/03/2010 | (3) comments
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Listening to the radio in our cars is something we all take for granted. Every car these days comes with a good quality radio, and Steve Wright, 5 Live and traffic reports are staples of travel in the UK.
But from 2015 when the Government quietly plans to move all FM radio to digital and switch off FM broadcasts, 30 million cars plus all vans and trucks in the UK will need to be re-equipped with digital radios, or be relegated to CD-only listening and no traffic news.
Ling Valentine, who runs the UK’s favourite car leasing website, LINGsCARS.com, says that less than 1% of the new cars she delivers today are fitted with digital radios.
“It’s deliberate built-in obsolescence, plus the kit is costly - £150 on a new basic-model Vauxhall”, she says.
Yet, hardly any new cars are having digital equipment fitted, and the “deadline” of the end of 2013 that will see all new cars digitally enabled is slipping. Problems experienced by the few users of current digital car receivers of poor reception and sound quality are being reported.
“My customers who have upgraded at extra cost to a digital set, have complained to me how badly they work”, says Valentine. “Plus, when the analogue FM signal is terminated in 2015, cars without digital radio, currently 30 million of them, will face a massive drop in value if not re-equipped. Choices to upgrade will be an £80 sucker-attached windscreen box linked to the existing radio, or a complete refit of equipment which could run into many hundreds of pounds, or a massive loss in the value of the car – as who wants a car without radio.”
“I can’t see many BMW owners sticking a hundred-button neon flashing Goodmans DAB set in their car, from Argos”
One reason car makers have been slow to adopt DAB sets is because different digital standards apply across Europe. France and Germany refuse to adopt the UK standard DAB. But now, a £9 chipset is available that works cross-borders would make fitment easy.
However, Ling Valentine sees another darker reason behind the slow roll out of digital radio into cars: “Car makers want to leave it as late as possible, not only to save money, but to give car owners a massive problem of spending £1000 on expensive original equipment to upgrade their in-built multi-function devices, aerials and integrated gizmos or to simply buy a new car. They think it will massively boost sales of profitable retro-fit parts and labour, or mean customers have to buy whole new cars, just so they can listen to Steve Wright in the afternoon and get Sally Traffic reports” she claims. “Manufacturers are seeing how long the issue can be ignored, to build demand. They are banking on very few people wanting to do without radio completely in 2015.”
“Customers leasing cars from me are protected because they will swap their cars for new ones in 2 or 3 years, but anyone owning a car will be penalised heavily”
Whatever the outcome, it seems 30 million existing UK car users will face a big bill to upgrade their cars to get digital radio or a suffer loss in resale value of their car in 2015 when FM is switched off. - Ling |
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By Ling Valentine | 04/03/2010 | (3) comments
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| Your Comments |
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Ian said... |
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No FM radio! That's ridiculous. Does that also mean that all those cars with Traffic Master traffic avoidance systems either built in or via 3rd part SatNavs will be useless too? |
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| By Ian | 19/04/2010 |
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Philip said... |
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This is just another example of our wonderful countries "do as we say" attitude, they are slowly eroding peoples choice but in this case they are being even sneakier than usual. The sooner i can afford to leave this dump the better. |
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| By Philip Povey | 01/05/2010 |
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Graham said... |
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It's not all bad - the government won't start the digital switchover until 90% of the uk have DAB. They're supposed to be putting pressure on car manufacturers to include DAB as standard in their motors anyway - if it means more choice and I'm not going to have to listen to Radio 1's horrid morning show every day then maybe it's no bad thing at all... |
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| By Graham McCarthy | 05/05/2010 |
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I AM GAY ICON! WOW!
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| SO MANY CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS APPLYING FOR CARS! IT'S LIKE THE BLOODY YMCA HERE! |
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By Ling Valentine | 04/02/2010 | (1) comments
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How amazing! I have my first Civil Partnership couple, both applying a car EACH! That was two weeks ago; the sensible one has already had a Nissan Qashqai and the extrovert is having a sexy VW Eos. Neither in pink, before anyone makes the joke!
Then, today I had a proposal from YET ANOTHER guy in a Civil Partnership, for a Jeep! He tells me I am becoming a GAY ICON in the blogosphere. How cool is that?
 NEW FANGLED CIVIL PARTNERSHIP! I am ahead of the curve, because I have never seen any other car leasing site offering marriage options like this!
(In an attempt to chase eligible young men, Emma M, my busty Geordie admin, asked me to differentiate between SINGLE (AVAILABLE) and SINGLE (TAKEN). The "available" ones get extra attention, apparently :)
In a further move to be inclusive, I also allow a third "sex" option: MALE, FEMALE and TRANSSEXUAL.
Several customers have chosen "TRANSSEXUAL" and while every customer uploads an avatar picture on my online LINGO car chat system, none have looked like Lily Savage or Pete Burns. What a shame!
I will say that all three of my gay-and-happy-to-be-gay have been brilliant to deal with, and why not? I have yet to come across my first miserable gay customer! - Ling |
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By Ling Valentine | 04/02/2010 | (1) comments
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| Your Comments |
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Karen said... |
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Fantastic having a mini-blog!! Great idea and loving the marital status box, it's missing 'mistress' though ;-) x |
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| By Karen | 05/02/2010 |
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Katie said... |
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Ling, you're too cool! I love that you embrace all lifestyles. Please keep mini-bloging. |
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| By Katie | 24/02/2010 |
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Online Service
Response Times
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Quote > Proposal > Order > Delivery
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101 CLIENTS IN 'PROPOSAL'
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...LING REPLIES IN:
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HRS : MINUTES sec
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165 CLIENTS IN 'ORDER'
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...LING REPLIES IN:
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HRS : MINUTES sec
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Customers use my secure LINGO management system.
Response times
above based on last 4 hour period between
9am - 6pm, Mon to Fri
-Ling
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No Waiting
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MINI BLOG
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Posted: 02/08/10
Comments ( 0 )
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I've just delivered a new car to a senior manager (for his personal use) in PENDRAGON PLC, the UK's largest dealer group. The grou...
READ MORE
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Posted: 02/07/10
Comments ( 0 )
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Can you believe prices you see on the web? I've gotta say, how annoyed it makes me that so many websites break the law, also known...
READ MORE
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Posted: 04/03/10
Comments ( 3 )
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Listening to the radio in our cars is something we all take for granted. Every car these days comes with a good quality radio, and...
READ MORE
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Posted: 15/12/10
Comments ( 1 )
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I have a BSc in Applied Chemistry and an MSc in Environmental Management, so have some qualification to comment on this issue. Sor...
READ MORE
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Posted: 18/07/10
Comments ( 0 )
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Just to say that Mark, Jamie and Jonny have graduated. Fantastic! All have got FIRSTS in Computer something or other from Sun...
READ MORE
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Posted: 08/07/10
Comments ( 4 )
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Although I only lease cars in the UK, my sister Shan asked me to help her buy a brand-new car in China! She looked at quite a...
READ MORE
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I am the Viz UK business ambassador!
Post me Ferrero-Rochers! Yum Yum!
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Unlike most other internet car leasing sites, I publish all my contact information openly!
...so, you know who I am - Ling
THE UK's FAVOURITE
CAR LEASING WEBSITE!
Boss: Ling Valentine MSc IoD
LING World Headquarters
Vance Business Park
Gateshead, NE11 9NE
Tel 0191 460 9444
Fax 0870 486 1130
sales@LINGsCARS.com
I prefer email to phone - Ling
VAT No: 866 0241 30
Co Reg No: 6178634
Consumer Credit Licence: 624022
Data Protection No: Z1098490
Best Before: 17/08/2007
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/big.jpg)
1.6 TDI Blu... 105bhp
5dr
diesel,
man,
non-met
Golf (Mk7)
£262.80
per month, inc VAT
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1.6 THP 155bhp
2dr
petrol,
man,
met
DS3 Cabrio
£269.81
per month, inc VAT
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1.2 i VTEC 88bhp
5dr
petrol,
man,
met
Jazz
£155.45
per month, inc VAT
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1.7 CRDi 114bhp
5dr
diesel,
man,
met
Sportage
£254.40
per month, inc VAT
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2.0 142bhp
3dr
petrol,
man,
met
C30
£275.99
per month, inc VAT
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PLAY BOTTOM TRUMPS!
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...get a FREE BADGE!
Collectors item - FREE!
APPLY NOW!
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...get a FREE BADGE!
Collectors item - FREE!
APPLY NOW!
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Get my latest EMAIL car updates!
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My Nuclear
Missile Truck
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Click to see my LIVE lease car customers! - Ling
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Play my brilliant motoring quiz!
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EXTRA CHEAP
CARS HERE
See 30 cheapest cars!
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...don't do lease cars, but if they did, they would be done like this - Ling
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EXTRA CHEAP
CARS HERE
See 30 cheapest cars!
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Cookies allow my website to serve visitors the content they need. Get used to it.
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from Dragons' Den. I lease cheap new cars!
