vans

[tonto33]

what vans to do guys drive as looking to upgrade mine thinking of either vauxhall vivaro or vw transporter any advice on these please

 

[Discreet-Heat]

up here in the highlands of scotland its all VW transporters i have always wondered why are they cheapest for fleet insurance?Im a transit man myself (the back bone of britian) its reliable never had any bother with and can get lengths of copper in the back. what vans are more common down south?

 

[dontknowitall]

Round my parts it's a real mix of Ford Transit, Renault, Vauxhall, VW, Peugeot. Some use a people carrier or car or estate.

I bought a newish SWB Transit (to replace my Connect) as it was the biggest I could afford but still park, had seats in the back so I could use it as a car occasionally, heated windscreen for the winter frosts, air con, big engine, etc. I like it for reliability and I can fit full size sheets of wood in and (via a hole in the bulk head) 3m lengths of pipe without requiring a roof rack (which means better fuel economy - I get around 38mpg).

I'm not sure there's such thing as the ideal van. What suits me might well not suit you. Many people wouldn't buy my van because of the seats but it wouldn't suit someone who fits bathrooms all the time as there's not a huge amount of spare space in the back. It wouldn't necessarily suit someone who just services boilers as it's too big.

I wouldn't consider anything but Ford (as they invented these mobile offices). Many others would never consider a Ford because they've had a poor experience with an Escort or Mondeo in the past.

Not very helpful but like cars, consider how long you intend to keep it (depreciation), the colour is important for selling (holding value and attractiveness to a buyer), economy and reliability, bodywork condition, etc.

Best advice I could give is find 2-3 vans you like and look around for examples. There are loads of vans around and there's no need to buy the first you see as there'll be some good prices. Don't be frightened of going to main dealers either as they have warranties and usually the vans are in quite good condition and the extra £1-2,000 could easily be money well spent.

Buying outright is the cheapest way to purchase but you can loan or lease or hire purchase. Which ever method you use you can claim against profits. (With total ownership you claim through depreciation (25%?) on it's current value.

 

[obseen16]

anyone bought a van from auction? im looking for something like a transporter but need something thats good on fuel and good for insurance i.e smaller than 2000cc

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

avoid vauxhall my astra has had a few issues so have vivaros

 

[REDSAW]

HOT TIP,

for now or the next 6months.

get a 4x4.......

 

[Puddle]

what vans are more common down south?

In London you will find plumbers drive around in Hummers,stretch limo,s. So you can get your tube inside,so it don't get nicked out the piperack and the odd day in a peugeot expert,to help keep it touch with other trades


expert is the best van I have every had,after me hummer and stretch of course

imho

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

been told lots of good things about the expert,it slow being a 1.9 and its the same lump as the last ldv pilots but reliable i think the astra is on borrowed time looks great but reliability is poor

 

[dontknowitall]

HOT TIP,

for now or the next 6months.

get a 4x4.......

I've got me Land Cruiser - not for nothing is this vehicle the choice of the Taleban. New front tyres recently (£160 each - ouch) and ready for action for the local 4x4 response group so when the emergency services can't cope there's a group of us who do our little bit (e.g. get nurses into hospitals, taxi the elderly etc).

And I think it's long enough for my 3m lengths of pipe without cutting them!

 

[REDSAW]

I've got me Land Cruiser - not for nothing is this vehicle the choice of the Taleban. New front tyres recently (£160 each - ouch) and ready for action for the local 4x4 response group so when the emergency services can't cope there's a group of us who do our little bit (e.g. get nurses into hospitals, taxi the elderly etc).

And I think it's long enough for my 3m lengths of pipe without cutting them!

ahhh!me and the missus was going to do that in the landy a couple of years ago but never got any further than the enquiry's.
do you get paid for it or at least fuel comp?.

 

[dontknowitall]

I'm not 100% sure but I think it's 40p a mile but only the working mile and not the 20 miles to get to "the job" in the first place.

It took me ages to go along to a meeting - I've only been to one but it was enough to introduce myself and find out what I wanted.

I've had one person who had a go at me about having a large 4x4. Told him about the family, school friends, horses, plumbing etc and he still wasn't convinced. Then I mentioned the 4x4 response and asked how he'd be treated in hospital if it wasn't for people like me taking the nurses in to get him treated!!

 

[Marco]

Merc vito (long version) for me. 2.7m load area, extends to 2.9m partly under drivers seat, then cut small hole under seat to access the jack storage area (moved jack!) this gives >3m storage area for pipes timber etc. Have fitted 2 1/2 suites in it, cement mixer etc but still ok to park.

Bought at Belle Vue auction Manchester, felt a bit risky, but know auto mechanics pretty well. Went a couple of times before bidding to get used to it. Bit scary 2 auction rooms running at same time so can get confusing. Bid price then has VAT and fees added, so final price obviously more. Work out your budget then work out what you can bid, make sure you go with someone who knows what they are doing, but plenty of ex fleet vehicles there. Atraction for me was the commercial auctions are monthly with a LOT of vans, so plenty to choose from.

 

[Garryaca@yahoo.]

I'm not 100% sure but I think it's 40p a mile but only the working mile and not the 20 miles to get to "the job" in the first place.

It took me ages to go along to a meeting - I've only been to one but it was enough to introduce myself and find out what I wanted.

I've had one person who had a go at me about having a large 4x4. Told him about the family, school friends, horses, plumbing etc and he still wasn't convinced. Then I mentioned the 4x4 response and asked how he'd be treated in hospital if it wasn't for people like me taking the nurses in to get him treated!!

Arh so you have horses as well my wife is trying to get me to buy a Renault master horse box instead of a van!

 

[ratrace]

Has anybody with a vivaro had any troubles with there key fob? mine is finished. Both buttons have worn away and the bottom switch no longer works. Been looking at the fob shells on ebay but im not sure if it will definitely match mine? Anyone had the same problem?

 

[stonedagain]

Mercedes or VW

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Has anybody with a vivaro had any troubles with there key fob? mine is finished. Both buttons have worn away and the bottom switch no longer works. Been looking at the fob shells on ebay but im not sure if it will definitely match mine? Anyone had the same problem?

having this on the astra but on the vivaro the really bad news is the slave cylinders weak(clutch) and costs big£££££££££££££££££ to sort out

 

[willing2learn]

I've got a VW caddy (newer shape) Love it, but when I go for a bigger van, wouldn't mind a transporter. They come in 4x4 too!

 

[quality]

I have just gone from a transporter (VW) to BERLINGO The new berlingo is much bigger than the old and much cheaper, when compared to buying a new Caddy

I do not need to carry all the stuff I used to so it seems to suite me

 

[northcarr]

The old type fiat scudo 2lt jtd is the best 3 seats in the front side doors and it goes like a bat out of hell lol

 

[ratrace]

having this on the astra but on the vivaro the really bad news is the slave cylinders weak(clutch) and costs big£££££££££££££££££ to sort out

Great, haha. The central locking is knackered on the vivaro now as well, beeps and locks itself soon as the key is out of the ignition which is a pain in the rse when your in and out to the van all the time having to put key in ignition in order to open back doors. Somebody mentioned it was probably the battery in the fob that was dying. Swapped that round yesterday and it's still doing the same. Cut our losses and get rid in the new year i think. Been looking at the peugeot boxer over the wk end, anyone got one?