Caddy/ Touran owners & factory recall.

[rpm]

Any Caddy owner might like to know that there is a recall notice on the rear door where they change the ball joints on the struts. Might be on the Touran as well.

 

[JWLPlumbing]

Thanks for that, one my friends has a Caddy.

What years?

 

[rpm]

Don`t know what years, mines a 61 plate and the first I knew of it was when it went in for a service at the VW main dealer and I had to sign for the recall work which I quired.

 

[townfanjon]

Rpm, you obviously have a rear tailgate rather than 2 door normal types ?

 

[rpm]

Rpm, you obviously have a rear tailgate rather than 2 door normal types ?

Yep,
Thanks jon, tailgate is a better way of explaining.

 

[townfanjon]

Lol , when I read it I realised , mines a caddy , just the best vans , only problem I have is , it HAS to be kept tidy all the time as you are limited to the available room

 

[gassafe]

Lol , when I read it I realised , mines a caddy , just the best vans , only problem I have is , it HAS to be kept tidy all the time as you are limited to the available room

Lovely looking van mate!! I love a smart van! Where is the tube holder tho??

 

[townfanjon]

Cheers, just looking for some alloys for it to finish it off .
I have a square drainpipe inside , it just fits and I mean just . It 2 meters long so I buy all my copper in 2 meter lengths.
Big jobs , it goes on the roof and is taken off very quickly at the job . lol .

 

[townfanjon]

What do you guys think off the logo, can you tell a plumber designed it lol.

 

[rpm]

What do you guys think off the logo, can you tell a plumber designed it lol.

Like it, all the van writing is quick n simple to read and uncluttered.

 

[townfanjon]

Cheers, I spent a absolutely ages on it , I think I have got it just right , I used a local firm to letter it and can't fault their work .

 

[Atouchofgas]

I agree with rpm, it's nice to see a van that stands out, but not in your face type of way

 

[basildog]

Not sure a written van makes any difference I had all mine done over 20 years ago I do not know of a single job we got through a sign written van ?
Funny thing is we had 2 different comments from clients about it one side was we love your smart vans the other was with vans like you have you are making too much money so you cannot win ?

 

[gassafe]

It's a nice colour too, it's all a good colour combo... Defs get some wheels on there...!

 

[rpm]

It's a nice colour too, it's all a good colour combo... Defs get some wheels on there...!

Don`t forget to tell the insurance company tho.

 

[PhoenixServices]

Basil, I think the sign writing does make a difference. Just because people see a sign written van driving around lots quite often makes them look up a website. I think the two go hand in hand.

 

[gassafe]

Even if it dosent make a difference, which I find hard to believe. It looks a lot more professional showing up in a sign written van... Looks more like a builder showing up in a plain white transit!

 

[JWLPlumbing]

Must admit that actually does look good!

 

[Ray Stafford]

Funny thing is we had 2 different comments from clients about it one side was we love your smart vans the other was with vans like you have you are making too much money so you cannot win ?

Yes you can.

From this you can tell which client you want to work for. The potential client who thinks that a sign-written van is a sign of profligacy is also likely to think that Gassafe registration is unnecessary bureaucracy, that cleaning a system before a boiler change is nit-picking, and that a bit of gripfill and some duct tape is as good as proper fixings. Oh - and that a promise of payment is as good as BACS in the bank.

 

[basildog]

I have to admit the guy who loved our vans was an ex advertising agency boss that sold out for about 60 million in the mid 80s he loved us and got us in to the big time .
But yes I also agree it takes you into a different world as like you say those who do not want to pay see a decent van and off they go .
But then on the other hand some of the best tradesmen I have ever worked with have had the worst looking vans you have ever seen ?
It seems these days that the average tradesman has moved up in the world when it comes to vans and clothing etc we were honestly one of the first small bi=uilders to have guys in company clothing and all sign written vans but I really do not think it ever won us a job ?
Then again I never spent a single penny on advertising in 20 years so something was working ?

 

[Ray Stafford]

But then on the other hand some of the best tradesmen I have ever worked with have had the worst looking vans you have ever seen ?

I agree. Many of the best plumbers I know work out of cr@ppy old vans. But whilst they may be the better tradesmen, they aren't the best rewarded. You have to decide whether you are a businessman first or a tradesman first.

You might be best with the blow-torch, but the guy with the smart van, the gift of the gab, and the good manner with customers will be the one with the villa in Spain.

Then again I never spent a single penny on advertising in 20 years so something was working ?

That depends on what you call "working". Are you filthy rich?

 

[basildog]

I will not blow my own trumpet but let`s say I have been there and done it but got fed up with it and really did throw it all away ! My choice but it was a monster that was eating me alive !
To be honest I would say yes the money is nice but it is more important to enjoy life than to be chasing the money ?
I was never a boss that did not work I was in the trench in the **** before any of my guys and it was me that cleaned the site toilets and the vans but I could not let go and delegate as I should have done so muggins here tried to be everything to everybody ,as my old mate always said you cannot be mates with the blokes it will never work ,I did not listen and it eventually bit me .
You are either the boss of a business or a tradesmen I really do believe you cannot be both ?

 

[basildog]

Another point not many will tell you is you soon hit a point where you are too big to compete with the small one man band guys but too small to compete with the big boys so you are in a no mans land all on your own ?
The whole game changes at that 5 or more employee`s with health and safety and CDM regs etc that many either choose to ignore or are ignorant to the fact that these regs even exist ?
Insurance premiums go through the roof when you get into contractors insurance etc .
Add the cost of courses for the guys for just about anything you can think of and all the paperwork that involves ?
My old QS always said you need 8 working guys to pay for the boss to be non working and I believe him .

 

[SimonG]

Not sure a written van makes any difference I had all mine done over 20 years ago I do not know of a single job we got through a sign written van ?
Funny thing is we had 2 different comments from clients about it one side was we love your smart vans the other was with vans like you have you are making too much money so you cannot win ?

Pick up quite a bit from the van. Starting a 2.5k bathroom tomorrow because the bloke saw my van.

 

[basildog]

Not saying it cannot work but just know it never won or even got me a single lead despite having 6 sign written vans on the road !
It did get me a fair few complaints about their driving though although that was normally me !!!!!!
The guys could get to London and back on a tankfull I always had to fill up ?

 

[rpm]

Pick up quite a bit from the van. Starting a 2.5k bathroom tomorrow because the bloke saw my van.

Nice. But also agree with an earlier point where some customers will think your nice shiney van being no more than 2 yrs old is a reflection of your price`s and will not give you the job out of some misguided priciples.

 

[basildog]

A lot of it is that the same customer who will not want to pay is a worker just ike you but where as he see`s you charging £50 or £60 for an hours work he is on a wage and probably lucky to be on £10 an hour so to him you are ripping him of as he has no idea of the cost of a van ,insurance ,overheads and training etc .
I can see his point as I can see the tradesmens point too it is a shame some do not see this ?