Van HELL!!! Any advice very welcome - going to buy a new one.

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Dannypipe

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Well my van won't start. The AA are on the way....but I've had it with the van anyway. It's too small by a long way. (Vauxhall Combo).

So anyone who's recently bought a new or nearly new van, who has any advice on lease hire, or hp or anything at all. Please let me know.

I bought my last two vans at auction. The one before that off a mate....so don't have much to go on with regards to leasing.

I want something pretty big, LWB transit size ideally.

I'm now going to start shopping.

Oh and have about £3000.00 deposit. So not much.
 
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Would recomend a transit. I bought mine from swains services in iver and got good terms with them, check out their website
 
I looked at a transit couple weeks ago 62 pre reg 3000 deposit 3000 trade in 285 over 3 year's I think it was , bit if you vat registered an went through ford finance u had to pay vat up front
 
Why you have to pay the VAT upfront!!!?

That doesn't sound too bad a deal.
 
Cant remember why something to do with the finance, wouldnt effect me not vat anyway
 
Oh well, I better ask the guy at Ford.

AA should be here any minute. They've just text me.

Anyone want to buy a van!! LOL

55 plate Vauxhall Combo. 58,000 miles. One careful owner (the rest didn't give a ****).

Ha.

Wonder what it's worth in all seriousness. Been a good van up until now.
 
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The new shape is already on the forcourt at that dealer i didnt haggle as only went in on a wime when mine was peeing me off but accountant recommends getting a new one, fancy a change anyway 74000 lwb vivaro second one ive had
 
Being VAT reg you can claim the VAT back I assume
 
Cos i was thinking of swapping anyway plus my current one is all claimed up for in my tax return everyyear so no benifit to be had there. Dont know how you"ve survived out that little van so long get the AA to get it going long enough to trade it in somewhere
 
Believe me, working out of that van has been a total nightmare. Never had such a small van before. But it was such a great deal. At the time it had done 15,000 miles was ex BT, so not had a hard life, and I paid £3700.00 for it.

Actually think I'm in the same boat as you regarding the van, it's all claimed for. Yes Blake, I can claim the VAT back. Which is a bonus....

Silver lining, I have a repair cover with the AA which I just cancelled on my new policy. Luckilly new policy doesn't kick in until the 10th. So AA will put £500 towards any repairs. Talk about lucky - if they don't have small print to wriggle out of it that is.
 
The prospect of getting a new van is VERY exciting. I know that makes me a big kid, but we spend so much time in them that having something that makes me happy to drive will great.

Going to pick the AA mans brains on what he thinks are reliable.
 
The Transit Custom isn't the new Transit, its a bridge between the Connect and standard Transit. Seems like a good bit of kit though.
 
No danger of that mate. I can't be without a van for that long. I have had to cancel two jobs now. So it's costing me money as we speak. :(
 
I'm sick & tired of my little Combo aswell, (I mean really). Finished a big job yesterday and just threw everything in, 2k of powertools crammed in tight against the roof and I need to go out RIGHT NOW and sort it out. Hope you get sorted Danny.
 
AA have been. Fuel pump. Just taken it to the local garage.

Now popping out to have a chat with a Renault dealer . He suggested the Traffic.
 
Get the sportive model with full electrics and air con etc :)
 
Don't touch the Renault, my oldest lad has one, been nothing but bother.
 
go online and find cheapest loan deal, either use that or go to your own bank and see if they match the interest rates offered, need a written quote, probably a lot cheaper than van finance. contract hire is cheapest form of getting a van in that the cost are tax deductable straight way, but not your van. leasing you pay vat up front due to vat rules but of course u get it back straight way. me i only by a yr old van as depreciation hit already taken and u can buy a can to make it smell like new!
 
Had my transit for 8 years. Cracking vans. Reliable, comfy, decent load space. I wouldn't be without it.
but now I'm on the cards I'm driving a company van. Vw transporter. It's like driving a car! Very comfy, great on fuel, goes like a bat out of hell too!
 
I have a 2008 transit 2.4 300 mwb mrf for work and think it is a great van. It has only been started 4 times in 6 months and doesnt miss a beat.
 
Tamz, 11.5K plus VAT?

Been out to two dealers, Renualt and Vauxhall. Lookung at the Vivaro and the Traffic.


Quite a lot of dosh to buy new. An ex demo Vivaro, 20,000 miles on a 61 plate for £9,950.00 +VAT.

That seems pretty reasonable. Tempted to get a small loan and go to the auctions again. I've always had pretty good vans from there in the past. Apparently the list price for my Vauxhall is over £3k from a dealer and I should get £2500 for it once the fuel pump has been changed.

Won't see much change out of a grand for that job, but I am covered for the breakdown warranty, so looking at £500 for repair, hopefully a bit less.
 
They always have preregistered ones on offer. It is to do with their discounts from the makers.
I've bought a few vans from the market over the years and always been lucky.
Btw i sold a 56 combo for £500 last year (taxed and mot'd for 6 months) to a mate but i only paid £1900 for it at an auction in 2009. It was a bit rough looking but a good runner.
 
Destroyer2813 said:
Is that a Saturday van Michael or are u really really quite
Click to expand...

Im employed mate but medically suspended since august last year. Have a 51 transit 280 swb for personal use but havent been doing any work yet just prepping for self employment mate. Should be forcibly self employed in a few weeks.
 
My van just died!!!!! Vauxhall vivaro. Was driving home from work and a light flashed saying stop and showing the battery sign. As I needed milk I stopped at a garage to get milk and it wouldn't start. Totally dead. When I jump started it it went for a little bit then lost all power just around the corner from my house. Hopefully it's just a new battery that needs replacing
 
£500 Tamz. Great. Now I'm really depressed!!

I've been chatting to my mate who works for me (he needs a new van too, as he wrote his off in the snow) and we're going to go to the auction this week, take a day off and see whats on offer. I will have to speak to the business manager at the bank tomorrow to see what I can borrow first.

I want something that's done under 20K miles. Once a van has done 80K it's best years are behind it.

I would love to iron out £15K on a nearly new van but I'm too tight fisted.

Stupid thing is we buy a new car every 3 years on HP. Part ex the old one and buy a new one. Have done for the past 4 cars anyway. So the wife drives a nice new car every day and I toodle round in a **** heap!!
 
mutley racers said:
My van just died!!!!! Vauxhall vivaro. Was driving home from work and a light flashed saying stop and showing the battery sign. As I needed milk I stopped at a garage to get milk and it wouldn't start. Totally dead. When I jump started it it went for a little bit then lost all power just around the corner from my house. Hopefully it's just a new battery that needs replacing
Click to expand...

Oh No!! Maybe it's catching? Maybe I've got a case of van flu!!?

Sorry to hear that Mutley. It's such a kick in the balls isn't it? I've got to go hire a little car tomorrow morning, can't be without wheels even for a day.
 
Not sure, still debating fancy a change had 2 vivaros and aint had any problems with em but read a few stories about em but then again transits a bit more money but has a lot more features on it. Hate having to decide on things
 
Me too mate. Trouble is my hand is being forced. I need to be sorted asap. If the van was working I'd take a couple of weeks to make a choice minimum.
 
mutley racers said:
My van just died!!!!! Vauxhall vivaro. Was driving home from work and a light flashed saying stop and showing the battery sign. As I needed milk I stopped at a garage to get milk and it wouldn't start. Totally dead. When I jump started it it went for a little bit then lost all power just around the corner from my house. Hopefully it's just a new battery that needs replacing
Click to expand...

That is what i got rid of my vivaro for and bought the citreon. Took it to the garage and it showed up needing an alternator (£300) so that was changed. Stopped on the way past the garage to see if it would be ready to pick up later that day and he said it is cutting out. Ticked over for 10 minutes or so then would cut out. Showing an injector fault. I'd had the injectors done before at £800 odd so that was the last straw and i decided to dump it. The last thing i need is an unreliable van.
Btw i would never have another vivaro.
 
tamz said:
That is what i got rid of my vivaro for and bought the citreon. Took it to the garage and it showed up needing an alternator (£300) so that was changed. Stopped on the way past the garage to see if it would be ready to pick up later that day and he said it is cutting out. Ticked over for 10 minutes or so then would cut out. Showing an injector fault. I'd had the injectors done before at £800 odd so that was the last straw and i decided to dump it. The last thing i need is an unreliable van.
Btw i would never have another vivaro.
Click to expand...

But from what the AA bloke said, a Vivaro is the same as a Traffic and a Primastar.

Surely three different manufacturers wouldn't use the same engine, chassis if it was junk?

Been looking at the auction catalogue. They have hundreds of vans coming up. Lots of Vivaro's!!!

Don't want to buy a load of trouble though.
 
I got a brand new transit in sept for 6k cheaper than the ford dealership on the Internet i used to have a Peugeot partner spilt head alternator went twice got sick of spending money on it like tamz and his vivaro and it was too small like the combo can nightmare to find stuff the day after finishing a big job, like someone else said we spend a lot of time in our vans so a bit of comfort is a must, only thing is you kinda have to clean it every week as I feel bad having a 16grand van covered in muck
 
I've bought my vivaro when it was 6 months old and that was 6 1/2 years ago. It now has 45k on the clock and in that time it has had two wishbones and a new powersteering pump. Overall I've really enjoyed it and it's been a great van, I just wish I had bought the sportive with the full electrics.

Looking to change soon to the new Expert as I don't need such a big van anymore.
 
Are there any websites you boys know of that sell new or nearly new vans? I'm looking at a new van at the moment as I've had a few problems with mine recently and it's time for a new one.

Ive searched for the van I'm after but I not 100% on the websites as I've never heard of them.
 
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