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Replies
Hi Dave, I have a Vauxhall vivaro (very similar to a transit). I like then van but some people have had bad gear box issues. I find a van is better than a flat bed for me because I can just shut the door and all my tools are locked away. Mine is a lwb so I can get sheets of ply in it to protect driveways and lawns etc. I Can get all my tools in it and have room for a dumpy bag in the back for all my grass clippings. Not sure what you are going to get for your budget, I always try and get the best I can afford but thats hard when starting up. Your local to me so your more than welcome to come have a look at the size of my van and how I get all my tools in it. Can always chat more about it at the Bristol meet next week.
Ben
2.5K seems very low... I feel the condition of your vehcile reflects you as a person and company. I'm sure you can pick a very high mileage or rusty condition something for that. Do you want to look like a (this is going to be convraversial!) traveller!
As for what, i'd get a long wheel base or high roof, I bought a Nissan primastar on a 6K budget for £5,100 only to have to buy a 9x4ft high sided trailer for a further 1.3K plus garage storage fees. !
Good luck, i'd say your buget should be more like 5-7K.
Let us know what you got and a pic would be nice.
Andrew
True, you can only be as reliable as your van, nothing worse than it nor working when you really need it.
Andrew Michael Palmer said:
If you wish to travel to dunstable there is a company that often sells its swb t280 transits for about 2.5k.
Around here they drive the nicest, cleanest, newest vans about!
Andrew Michael Palmer said:
Thanks for the advice so far guys. Would love to have more to spend but unfortunately I'm not going to be able to go much higher than this. I need help trying to choose a van for this budget. I think I can get something fairly smart looking for this amount, I just don't want to throw my money at the wrong type of van.
Dave live within your budget.
I currently run a fiat Ducato medium wheel base it cost me £3k on a 08 plate just put a 2nd MOT on it since bought around 14 months ago,it required a fog light bulb and front spring £215.00 including the MOT and parts with labour.
Tip Small van only small stuff fits in.
Large van small stuff, big stuff and all the junk you cannot be bothered tidying up fits in.
Medium wheel base will take most of what you require most of the time.
Why spend all your working day at suppliers loading talking etc, one phone call get it delivered to site whilst you get on with the job in hand
Bigger the van as a rule more expensive the insurance and diesel consumption.
A mate of mine has an Astra van, gets on really well with it and can fit 2 dump bags in the back of it.
Mine has been the best tool I have bought since starting out. Although I did have a 26 year old land rover before, that loved to breakdown regularly : )
Darren
We've got a VW T4 SWB van too, it's been really reliable- we did have to replace the fuel flap though! It was our family 'car' before we started the business, we took out the back row of seats and lay the middle row flat,and can then fit in 2 tonne bags.We paid about 3k for it.
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