Best van to get on the market??

[al.dente112]

good evening chaps and chapetts,

Thinking about going self employed and in the market for a new van was looking at the ford courier but seem to small! any recommendations ?

Thanks

 

[Harvest Fields]

I would buy second hand to begin with mate. Unless you already have a client base.

 

[king of pipes]

I like the look of the Toyota proace been thinking of a bigger van but deposit and £300 a month is a lump to find . kop

 

[Harvest Fields]

I like the look of the Toyota proace been thinking of a bigger van but deposit and £300 a month is a lump to find . kop

I looked at one of them. Went for the transit custom in the end.

 

[Chester]

I bought a second hand Renault trafic, so far so good, I'm really happy with it for now as I'm still learning and don't want to commit financial suicide just yet

 

[Murdoch]

Are you looking at buying or leasing?

If you buy, the capital outlay is offset against your profit, so effectively reducing your tax liability buy 29% of the purchase price.

Funding a new van is tricky, I'm not a fan of leasing, and bank loans are limited to 5 years, or add to your mortgage to extend the term ....

 

[AWheating]

The vw transporter is a great van to live with. Caddy is also nice for a small van.

You will need to spend £1000 plus on security if you plan on keeping the van for a while. Maybe a little more if you get a newish ford / custom.

You will want dead locks, maybe 2plus for side and back doors to try and stop peel back. Lock covers are a good idea, a alarm with load space cover/ peel back switches.

Also if you need roof rack and pipe tubes you will need 300plus for that.

You will be supprised what you end up spending.

 

[oz-plumber]

Go new.
Pay half the van costs on purchase and loan the rest over 5 years.

Payments aren't to bad over that time.

I know one thing, I would't buy a second hand van off a plumber / tradesman.

Gee...I feel sorry for the persons that have bought my second hand vans over the years.

 

[SimonG]

I've had used vans up until the berlingo I have now.

First was a Toyota Hiace off of eBay. Great van, flat as a fart but got you from a to b.

Then a dispatch, again not hot on power but did a job.

Then a connect. Wasn't impressed.

Then a Fiat Doblo, probably the best van I have had.

Then a relay, too big for me. Ex bg and a bag of poop.

Now I have a berlingo. It's 4 years old at the end of the month and plenty starting to go wrong. Gear linkage, clutch and a lot of little electrical issues. It goes back shortly and now I'm pondering wether to go new again or used. Probably used.

 

[Harvest Fields]

I've had used vans up until the berlingo I have now.

First was a Toyota Hiace off of eBay. Great van, flat as a fart but got you from a to b.

Then a dispatch, again not hot on power but did a job.

Then a connect. Wasn't impressed.

Then a Fiat Doblo, probably the best van I have had.

Then a relay, too big for me. Ex bg and a bag of poop.

Now I have a berlingo. It's 4 years old at the end of the month and plenty starting to go wrong. Gear linkage, clutch and a lot of little electrical issues. It goes back shortly and now I'm pondering wether to go new again or used. Probably used.

I have had various myself mate.

Numerous berlingos that I never had a problem with.

A new Kangoo. PILE OF SH*T

and my new baby (transit custom) which is awesome.

 

[Gasmk1]

first van was a fiat doblo and would have had another one but needed a bigger van. got a vivaro which was superb. just gone now to a new home after 7 years and 65000 miles someone got a good van. if i didnt need a big van i would go for the fiat doblo, should be some good secondhand ones out there as British gas have been using them for a few years now

 

[Phil]

I thought I'd killed my old Combo suspension this week, I overloaded it buying materials (stone tray, 6 plasterboards , 1 18mm ply on roof, 3 bags tile adhesive, 1 drywall, plus all my usual squander.
I limped back to the house really slow and could feel the suspension groaning as I went up and down the unadopted pothole ridden track and parked on a really uneven bumpy slope which had turned into a stream because of the rain.

I got out and had a heart attack when I saw the back wheel was right up in the arch, I mean RIGHT up with the exhaust nearly touching the ground. I thought Oh God that's a spring gone or something, I couldn't do anything other than unload it and hope it would go back up but it didn't, my customer noticed and said that does not look good.

A recovery truck may have been able to get my out but neighbours cars were all over the place (does no one work?) so I reversed it really slowly onto a firm bit of flat ground and it seemed to level up and looked normal, I stuck my head underneath (probably not wise) and saw the spring was intact, it must have just been the way it was parked sort of tipping over not evenly.

Phew! panic over..

 

[skoronesa]

I drive an e-250, I love it. Our guys who drive the big transits hate them, the cab is too small. The seat forces you up and forward too much. The cargo area is too narrow. On dirt roads they suck. They have good power but it's mostly useless because of the poor cornering/traction.

I loved my transit connect I used for 2 years, but it was just too small. That thing was awesome on dirt roads. I popped tires frequently though because my standard setup was like 750lbs over the weight limit. Add a water heater or some cast iron pipe or some salt bags and youre screwed.

I am glad I rarely work in the city but the e-250s do have a better turning radius than the transits. A backup camera would be nice though.

Worst van I ever drove was an early 2000's dodge. Huge turning radius, terrible suspension. But the worst was the door height was only 46" so you'd have to lean over any panels you put in risking cracking them. I was doing sign work and a 800$ piece of sign foam is not something you want to risk cracking.

 

[Sam Sage]

VW Transporter

 

[S.P.S.]

I’ve got a new connect on order right now! Drive very nice! Look smart and have a load of gadgets!

 

[AWheating]

if you have a custom make sure you get the software patch to stop the van rear being opened by twisting the drivers lock with grips. or better still change the lock in the drivers door.