Tilers Van Options and Recommendations

[epoxy pete]

just cost another 130 pounds for a air flow meter for the bloody thing...new van next week too.....dam:sad_smile:

 

[kins73]

I thought that I would stick my two penny worth in on the van front. I am currently using my citroen c2!! And yes it is a squeeze but you have to start somewhere- any thing like sheets of ply i get jewsons to deliver to customer's address on my account. I was looking at p/x my c2 in for a berlingo-O.k not the biggest van in the world but Christ how much kit do you really need to take to each job?
Now the thing is if you are likely to use toll bridges and the like the toll will be more for a van than a car...but if you buy a berlingo multispace-a van with seats that fold up-you get to go through at a car rate. Also you could get away with a few trips to the local tip with waste-something that normally requires a permit if you are trade. Plus looking at prices its cheaper to buy the multispace-with the same room than buying the van version.

Perhaps if a large van isn't big enough with a trailer perhaps the next sensible move would be an artic with a showroom in the back as well?? Just kiddin'

Neil

 

[anne0411]

Hi

My tuppence worth - even tho' I've not done any large jobs Astra car is good - cheaper insurance than Astra van. And customers buy their tiles etc - keeps the VAT man away!

Happy driving!

 

[wivers]

My damn van wouldn't start this morning. I tried bumping it, jumping it and hitting it with a large tool ( easy Varley not that tool! ). I had to phone the customer to inform them of my delay, and phone my old man who is good with mechanics. After 2 hours of him banging around under the lid it was evedent that he knew nothing!! He did say that it looked like the starter motor and the battery was knackerd and i had an oil leak and the head gasket was on the brink of blowing........ apart from that though its fine! I have managed to borrow my sisters car to help me out tomorrow, but my question to u guy's s this.

I bought my van, a L reg Astra van for £500 around a year ago just to get me started.
Apart from this i have had no real problems with it. Now i seem to have a large prolem.
So do i ....... a: Pay to fix the van and carry on. b: Buy another £500 odd van to tide me over for a while or c: Get strapped up on finance and buy a new van??

Advice please

 

[DevonR]

Get another cheap van.
If you can't afford a new one and it means loads of finance get another cheapo. In another year things may be very different and a new van an option.
May I suggest a VW Caddy (if you can find a cheap one) I got one and they are pretty damn decent mate.

Good luck with whatever way you go though.

 

[trevortine]

Wivers, i was in this position years ago and went done the road of buying a brand new transit. More affordable than you think even though i bought the exec model. i think it gives a better impression to punters turning up in something decent rather than a clapped out van or car. After all its your buisness and you want to keep that professional apperance. Good thing too is you can carry plenty gear so youre never stuck! Im sure there will be many opinions on this subject but thats my view mate. Finance is always a pain in the arse but if you are making good money its well in the budget

 

[wivers]

Thanks lads. Think i'm gonna have to sit down and go through the outgoings. Van is still sitting in the car park gathering dust!

 

[GazTech]

Never had a van,twenty years trading always bought big second hand estate cars,clean and tidy though.Volvos and fords my preferance,not only good for work but good when bringing up a family.

 

[Paul Sh]

I agree with trev on the apperance side of things, having said that, i think you need to look at the reliabilty side of things, vans are basically bashed about from the day they are bought especially if your employees are driving them, the state of the vans at my current work place are testimant to that, i personally think you should go with a newer van 3yr old maxx they are normally only traded in because a lot of companies get rid after 3yrs,
Sorry but buying older clapped out vans you are just buying someone elses problems, Go to a dealer, as in my opinon the days of buying cars/vans out of your local paper are long gone, reason being, years ago you might have knocked a £100 off a car you were buying because it needed a new exhaust, you would then go and buy one fitted for £50, not now, an exhaust runs well into the hundereds of pounds for most cars, Nowadays you need some form of protection, you will get some from a dealer and none from a private seller, BTW I've just bought a Ford Transit Conect 1.8 Turbo TDI 33000 miles it had a few dents in the side pannels and needed a new belt tensioner, fixed for free from ford, It rocks.:wink_smile:

 

[DevonR]

Buying a second hand van doesn't necesarily mean buying a clapped out old knacka!
Theres plenty of decent vans second hand if you look hard enough.
If you can afford new then obviously go new, if not is it absolutely essential to your business that you must have the latest van? I'd of thought the quality of your work and recommends would take care of that.

 

[DevonR]

 

[tjsmiler]

I agree with all of ya.... DevonR makes good sense about not going over budget as you don't know where you will be in a year and it might be safer to edge on the side of caution. But me personally i would try to get as new as poss and i would also go for a transit type van (for all the reasons Trev makes) at mo i have a combo and i dont like it one bit!!!! it's to bloody small and everytime i want to get something out i bang my head when trying to climb about in the back lol.

But thats just my opinion mate, if your gonner be getting plenty of plasterboard and stuff then get the big one but if your just gonner stick to the tiling side of things then a smaller van will do fine.

Or just to make it even more complicated for you you could get one of them superb transit connects that Paul has got, there middle of the road mate.

 

[wivers]

Well, i managed to find the fault on my van. There's a bad conection on the live going to the starter motor, and it keeps earthing and draining the battery. Getting it sorted at the weekend, but still feel as though i should invest in a newer more relieable motor as i don't want to keep worrying if todays the day the van breaks down again. Those new Ford Connects look the nuts though, how much they to buy new ??

 

[Paul Sh]

Sorry dont know how much they are new, but to be honest i would never ever by a brand new van/car as the minute you put the key in the ignition you lose a boat load of cash. Theres some cracking deals on one to three year old vans if you look around.
Another option which to be honest i know nothing about is leasing one, i'm sure you can lease them for the same cost as one you would buy, pretty certain someone on this forum does that, its something like a lease to buy (i think).
If you do go for a transit connect be aware there are two types of engine there is the 1.8 TDi 75ps and the 1.8 TDCi 110ps i bought the TDi but i think the TDCi is the more desireable. One more point get the one with the side loading door.

 

[tony TLC]

what ever van you buy you will fill it with crap anyway buy somthing that starts every morning and gets you to work i want a newer van but can only go to 6 ft hight to get it in garage any tips? not connect not a fan of ford Fix Or Repair Daily have had 4 fords constant probs any suggestions? must be max 6 ft high