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

[Destroyer2813]

I went to the one at Black Bushe, a big auction too. They sold over 400 vans today in just over 2 hours.

Lots of Vivaros. Most of them on an 08 plate and about 75K on the clock. This is warranted mileage so you know its genuine. They went for about 4500 plus VAT and fees. So I guess that's about 6K all in.

Some went cheaper, but they tended to either be a bit tatty or high mileage or non warranted mileage.

You get the occasional bargain.

Right at the end, a 08 Vivaro with a bit of damage to the rear bumper and no warranted milage went for £3200 plus vat and fees. Which is a bloody cheap van.

I saw a Movano I wanted which was an 08 plate, and 55K miles go for 6K plus VAT & fees. Which is proper cheap (but I had bought by then and was killing time while my money cleared - or didn't!!).

Like I say, you see some stuff go so cheap, you want to bid on it really badly. Then something you think will go cheap goes for a lot more than you think.

If you've never been to one of these big auctions, then I suggest you go just for the experience. It's amazing. A buzz when you're bidding too.

I loved it.

Cheers pal gives me some negotiating ammo

 

[Dannypipe]

No worries mate. What did it drive like then?

 

[Destroyer2813]

Going saturday morning, gonna see what I can knock em down too if I take it I know they've had it at least a month and moved it to a different dealer so see how keen the bloke is 4 a sale

 

[iain85]

Funny enough I've just read this thread and can relate to the combos lack of space. Only thing is it owes me nothing and is so good on fuel I'm reluctant to part with it.

 

[Dannypipe]

Funny enough I've just read this thread and can relate to the combos lack of space. Only thing is it owes me nothing and is so good on fuel I'm reluctant to part with it.

I was the same, now I owe 10K on the van and I still have to rack it, and sign write it. But it's tax deductable, and I won't have to put up with this anymore: These were taken a couple of years back, and in fairness I have become more careful about what I carry, and it is now better than this....but still it's hard not having enough room. It stresses you out and slows you down.

I ideally wanted a big VW Crafter, but the Tranporter was just too nice to let slip. 8K plus VAT and fees. So ten in total. It's worth that in the hassle it will save me every single working day!!

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

Cant wait to see the pics of the new van

I may need a new van soon but ive never been to an auction before. Is their any tips or dos and donts that you could share with us

Cheers

 

[Destroyer2813]

Come on Danny pics , drove the transit this morning nice and smooth drive bit weird when first got in.seating position higher than.my vivaro

 

[mfgs]

The transporter is a good choice. You will love driving it, I have the 130 and the extra power just makes them much nicer to drive. No more struggling up hills.

 

[PlumbersMate]

So jealous Danny, Transporter is my dream van

 

[Dannypipe]

Thanks for the info lads.

Its a treat to drive. So bloody quick!! I'll take a couple of snaps tomorrow. Can't wait to get her sign written and racked out.

I've been looking up kits on the internet that look really good. A couple of hundred quid but all the shelving is purpose cut on a CSC machine. SO it fits perfectly.

I'm putting it in for a service with a VW specialist on Monday. That's gonna set me back over 300 notes.

Very annoying, I spent 400 on the Combo in December having that serviced!

 

[tamz]

I'm putting it in for a service with a VW specialist on Monday. That's gonna set me back over 300 notes.

A bit like phoning Worcester to service your boiler Danny.
A good independent will do every bit as good a job at a fraction of the cost but everyone to their own.

 

[PlumbersMate]

How you find the Relay Tamz? My pal has got one huge amounts of space in it!

 

[Dannypipe]

A bit like phoning Worcester to service your boiler Danny.
A good independent will do every bit as good a job at a fraction of the cost but everyone to their own.

Its an independant VW/Audi specialist Tamz. So they charge £58 +VAT an hour as opposed to VW who probably charge twice that.

John Bowles they're called. All they do is Audi and VW's. Reccomended from my father who takes his Audi there.

Wouldn't go straight to VW, I don't have deep enough pockets.

 

[Phil]

Anyone else getting van adds when on You Tube? Ha Ha Those Transit connects are very expensive, you seem to get more van for your money with a regular Transit.

 

[Helpfulplumber]

Just bought a 08 expert, cheap as chips and as good as my old 05 caddy. Transporters are vanity over priced due to there following on the surfing community. Used to have a lease one, no better than the French stuff, better resale though. Fuel consumption is king in my business and my expert is loads better than my transporter ever was.

 

[dave1]

I used to have a 04 fiat Scudo. That was a good van for me, preferred that to combo and connect.

 

[Dannypipe]

Just bought a 08 expert, cheap as chips and as good as my old 05 caddy. Transporters are vanity over priced due to there following on the surfing community. Used to have a lease one, no better than the French stuff, better resale though. Fuel consumption is king in my business and my expert is loads better than my transporter ever was.

Probably true.....but I like having something with a bit off go, and the new van has that in spades. I'm not vain at all by what van I drive. It just needs to look presentable as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Helpfulplumber]

I hear that, I like transporters but the motocarvan conversion people have made them to expensive, that said my pals is a nice thing to go on holiday in. 180hp is cool just not really that useful when tap fitting.

 

[theanalyst]

My last van was a VW transporter. A T4 (older) model which is a fair bit older than yours. It was a superb van and the only thing I had to do was rebuild the cylinder head after the cambelt slipped. Which was a known weak point on the old ones. It was super reliable in general and cost me very little to maintain.
By comparison I currently have a transit and hate it! Its an 04 plate and rust is coming through all the way round the bottom edges. Utterly crap build quality but a good work horse.
Im also thinking about a new van after seeing this thread lol.

 

[Dannypipe]

Well the van went in for the service, and I wanted the noise looked at on the steering. Both sides could do with new bearings and bushes.

End result - £500 fitted. So with the service - just over £800.

That's the risk you take buying at auction. The van is only 3 and a bit years old.

I'm driving it to Milton Keynes on Saturday morning to have a load of racking fitted. Another £300 plus fuel.

Oh well that's life. I'll take some photos once the racking is installed at the weekend.

I'm back in the Combo tomorrow. I'll probably use it all this week and swap all my gear over at the weekend.

 

[Destroyer2813]

Thats the risk ya take but could of been worse though couldnt it

 

[Dannypipe]

Thats the risk ya take but could of been worse though couldnt it

Yeah. It takes the shine off it a bit, but it still works out a fair price. Going to seriously dip into the savings though. Thing is the lost productivity of not having a van has been steep. I've also peed off new and old customers as I haven't been able to visit on their booked times (some of them having been waiting weeks for me to come). So it's been one big pain in the backside.

Back in the old Combo tomorrow, and loads of work to do too. Starting trying to earn a few quid!

 

[Leo21]

Love the transporter, I'm having one next. No ones mentioned the Toyota. Mines six years old, new tyres and brake pads. That's it. Zero rust as well.

 

[Dannypipe]

It's funny, when I was van hunting I went into Toyota to enquire about a new Hiace.

Mate of mine has one that's done 200K and still going strong. Well I got told by the very polite girl on reception that the Hiace is no longer sold in the UK but she thinks its still sold in Europe. Wasn't sure.

I said it's a shame as they have a good reputation which she agreed with, but said they just didn't sell enough to warrant selling them here anymore.

They're great vans from what I can gather.

 

[dancinplumba]

ugly tho

 

[Dannypipe]

Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder mate. :54::54:

 

[Phil]

I'm really lucky as most of my work is local and mostly bathrooms with the odd kitchen. If I have to drive more than 20 mins I'm annoyed and over 45 mins forget it, £10/15 a week on diesel max.

I take my hat off to you guys who drive all over the place and clock up hundreds of miles a week, I just couldn't do it.

 

[mfgs]

It's funny, when I was van hunting I went into Toyota to enquire about a new Hiace.

Mate of mine has one that's done 200K and still going strong. Well I got told by the very polite girl on reception that the Hiace is no longer sold in the UK but she thinks its still sold in Europe. Wasn't sure.

I said it's a shame as they have a good reputation which she agreed with, but said they just didn't sell enough to warrant selling them here anymore.

They're great vans from what I can gather.

I used to have a Hiace. They are uncomfortable, cold, noisy, not very nice to drive etc etc. They are however indestructible and rear wheel drive which makes for lots and lots of fun. Anyone after a cheap second hand van couldn't do any better than to look at getting one. They are not refined at all, but if you want a van to be purely a van then you cannot go wrong.

 

[Leo21]

I used to have a Hiace. They are uncomfortable, cold, noisy, not very nice to drive etc etc. They are however indestructible and rear wheel drive which makes for lots and lots of fun. Anyone after a cheap second hand van couldn't do any better than to look at getting one. They are not refined at all, but if you want a van to be purely a van then you cannot go wrong.

Couldnt agree with you more. I bought mine new because I got so fed up with vans costing me money in repairs.

 

[SimonG]

My first van was a Hiace, cracking van.

 

[kay-jay]

anyone know about transits? 53 plate they reliable model or not...been offered one cheap ish, good nick,low mileage full electric pack, stereo, silver for a grand, they aregoing on auto trader for around 1500-2k. anyone know if these are prone to expensive faults??

cheers

 

[Leo21]

Mine was a 51 plate and the gearboxes fail in the fwd models around that year.

 

[kay-jay]

Is the 53 plate prone to gearbox failure also then Leo? How much is it it to put right?

 

[Leo21]

Not 100% sure weather if it was resolved. Cost me about £1600. It was six or seven years ago. I took it to an independant garage who butchered it, I could select gears but it was a pig. So I drive it straight to the Toyota garage.

 

[Leo21]

Though to be fair if it's nearly ten heads old, it's either bad a new one or its ok. Just don't change gears over a speed bump. That's what I did and it never left second gear again.

 

[Dannypipe]

I haven't got the photos off the phone yet. But I've spent the weekend racking and loading the new van.

It's almost 100% now. I need to buy one more small box for the racking (for my 22mm pushfit fittings). I've fitted a Rhino roof rack and a Rhino pipe carrier.

I'm actually excited about going to work in it tomorrow. Haven't been excited about going to work in a looooooooong time!!

Going to be a treat compared to the last van. I will get some photos up tomorrow I promise. Thanks for all the help advise and general kind words I've had on this thread!

 

[michael c]

I haven't got the photos off the phone yet. But I've spent the weekend racking and loading the new van.

It's almost 100% now. I need to buy one more small box for the racking (for my 22mm pushfit fittings). I've fitted a Rhino roof rack and a Rhino pipe carrier.

I'm actually excited about going to work in it tomorrow. Haven't been excited about going to work in a looooooooong time!!

Going to be a treat compared to the last van. I will get some photos up tomorrow I promise. Thanks for all the help advise and general kind words I've had on this thread!

Can you not upload from your phone mate?

 

[SimonG]

I was wondering when we would see the pics Danny?

 

[Gerard17]

I had van hell with a transit connect not so long ago and needed 2 grand to fix all the problems. Knew a feller who runs an auction house so he told me to put it in his auction even tho it had a lot of problems an got nearly 2500 grand for it. It was an ex virgin media van with full service history on it so when I bought it thought I was buying good

 

[Dannypipe]

 

[michael c]

bloody hell it does exist

 

[Destroyer2813]

The myth is broken

 

[Dannypipe]

I've taken some new photos today, as the original ones I took just looked too perfect!!

I've now been working out the van for a week or two. I don't intend to drive the pipe freezer and transformer around with me but I have been as it's handy.

I haven't had a chance to label the boxes yet....I will eventually.

I think this van is the perfect size. I can get in the back and grab what I need no problems but I'm not driving around in some huge, LWB monster!

It's so fast too!

The roof rack, pipe rack and ply racking cost me £640 fitted. Which I think is a bargain.

 

[vern]

Nice one Danny too busy to wash it then like me!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

danny good choice ,
just like my but I have the van Vault bolted down to the floor ,
also get secondary locks fitted

 

[mfgs]

That racking does look very good. Makes my attempt at doing mine look awful lol.

 

[vern]

Rhino delta bars and pipe rack with ply lining etc a steal at £640!

 

[Leo21]

Looks half empty to me, mines full to the roof. Nice van, I fancy one of these next.

 

[Dannypipe]

HA!!

Anyway to explain briefly my 'system'.

The big box at the back has loose power tools. (it's screwed to the ply floor).

The F&E tank next to it is also screwed to the floor. That's got tubes of silicon and gas, etc in it.
Against that I normally have my tote bag full of tools I take in on the job. (It was on the job when I took this photo!).

Then is my 'engineers' box. Which has all sorts of crap that I don't use often, like smoke pellets, pressure gauges, glass fuses, water finding paste, the list goes on.

Then I have my 'hop up'.

Then I have my tool box full of hand tools I don't often use.

Then I have my pipe freezer.

On the left hand side racking is useful things like hose adapters, jubilee clips, tape, etc. On the right hand side I have my large plastic tubs. Filled with waste fittings, comp fittings, pumps, valves ect.

Then I have my Makita cordless drills in one box.

Then I have drill bits, jigsaw, crimpers, and all manner of tools. Then on the back I have my benders, formers, hose pipe, cable, kitchen roll, U gauge and the like.

I love working out this van. compared to the old one, my stress level has less than halved!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

go for merc Leo21