Abacus Vehicle Hire

Abacus Vehicle Hire: vehicle rental from depots in Dorset and Hampshire

Abacus Vehicle Hire is a family-owned and run business that has been trading for more than 35 years. It operates from two depots described as "super" depots: one in Ferndown, near the Dorset/Hampshire border, and another in Andover, Hampshire, close to the main arterial road network for the south of England. The company presents itself as a full-service provider of vehicle hire and related garage services.

Hire fleet and vehicle categories

The rental catalogue covers a broad range of vehicles. The categories listed are cars and 4x4s, minibuses and MPVs, cargo vans, flatbed vans, refrigerated vans, trucks of 7.5 tonnes, trucks over 7.5 tonnes, and campervans. The company also offers low loader hire and Maxi Mover rental, with pick-up available from both the Ferndown and Andover depots. According to the company, the fleet approaches 1,000 vehicles, including cars, vans, trucks, minibuses and motorhomes, maintained at an average age of 2.5 years.

Services for business and specialist hire

Beyond standard rental, Abacus lists specific services for business users, including electric vehicle business hire, EU hire, motorhome hire and event hire. Business customers are directed to call or email to arrange hire. The company is a member of the BVRLA (British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association), which it cites as a commitment to service, quality and professionalism.

Booking, discounts and collection options

Bookings can be made online. The company states that online booking can save up to 17% on the base rental price, with discounts shown and applied automatically during the booking process where available. It also offers a "Free Night Before Collection" option, subject to availability and confirmation by the team on the day, intended to allow customers to get on the road early.

Garage services and vehicle sales

Abacus operates garage services depots next to its hire depots in both Andover and Ferndown. The company also sells pre-owned vehicles. Its wider group includes commercial vehicle body repair and build, motorhome sales, hire and repairs, caravan sales and services, and The Red Shoot Camping Park in the New Forest.

Company history

The business was founded in 1984 by David Wolfenden, who began as an apprentice mechanic at 16 and opened his first mechanical workshop by the age of 22. Key milestones listed by the company include the launch of Abacus Vehicle Hire in 1986 with two vans, the opening of a 12,000 sq ft industrial unit in Ferndown Industrial Estate in 1992, the introduction of motorhome hire in 2006 with four vehicles, the opening of the Andover vehicle hire centre in 2011, the relocation of the motorhome depot to a 2.5-acre facility in Andover in 2021-2022, the acquisition of Blackmore Vale Leisure in 2022, the launch of Abacus Garage Services branches in 2023, and the purchase of The Red Shoot Camping Park in 2025.

Customer ratings

The information available at the time of writing cites Google ratings of 4.7 stars for the Ferndown branch and 4.8 stars for the Andover branch.