Going to buy a van...any advice welcomed

[cam_low]

Good evening chaps,

the time has come to buy a van, I think I'm going to get one of the ex british gas mwb transits that are floating around now.

Low mileage, all FSH, 08 plate, 1 owner etc



Has anyone had any experience of buying a van like this?


Any advice welcomed.


Thanks

 

[Ian]

The service history is very rarely in the book, it's normally just a print out for fleet vehicles, make sure you get it and have a proper look over it. Make sure all servicing has been done when it's supposed to have been, I'd imagine a big company like BG will have done it properly but, I do know that coca cola have had Vivaro tech shift vans in the past and the history on them was awful.

 

[cam_low]

the van I'm looking at has 40k on the clock and has been serviced with new discs n pads by the garage in kent. how many services should it have had ?

 

[White Room]

I've recently had my pads and discs done on 104,000 miles, there thorough by the sounds of it, sevices are usually once a year depending on mileage.

 

[Ian]

You'd have to check the service intervals, it'll tell you in the handbook. It's normally a running in service at 1000 miles, then a major service every 18000 miles or 24 months, whichever comes first. Just type the van model into google and I'm sure it'll be on a ford site somewhere.

 

[Gazzer]

If I recall rightly Wivers bought a van like this and ended up in trouble due to paperwork or something.

 

[Chalker]

I have had 2 ex utility vans. No problems with either and went on to do 150,000 in each. They are generally well looked after mechanically but abused by the workers. The one your after is low mileage. I would go for it.
the only thing to bear in mind is to have a drive in it and listen for the rear axle whine.

 

[cam_low]

Thanks lads, I have found it hard to abuse mine in London as its very rare I hit 70 ! So I think the key is to look for one that was worked in London?

 

[trevortine]

There's a load of ex RAC vans available just now cam. They are the cream of second hand trannys, 08 plates going for about 5k.

 

[cam_low]

I'm specifically after the ex BG one as it comes in MWB semi hi roof and A/C with rear parking sensors and something I have never had in a van...ELECTRIC WINDOWS !

There is a current release of them on 08 plates and by the amount I have rang that have sold, they are like the proverbial hot cake !