Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Scott Taylor on November 09, 2012, 10:48:19 am
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Hi Guys, Very new to the forum so please be gentle! I have decided to purchase a portable machine as I plan to add carpet cleaning to my existing cleaning business. Would anyone kindly give me some advice as to what size van I may need? I have been looking at Citreon Berlingo or VW Caddy and plan to lease one. What do I need to know? Any tips? Many thank
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Scott, those vans should be ideal for start up with minimal equipment ....... make sure can find something with a side loading door, your back will love you for it !!
I have never had larger than Expert van and that had doors on both sides (VERY convenient) ...... currently using Transit Connect LWB Hi roof and that copes with all the weight and height of rotaries, machine & wands etc. I carry a Jaguar 6.6, two/three wands, 2/3 50 ft hose bags, Mitey One Hybrid spotting machine, 15" Numatic LoLine rotary, Floormac, assorted pads and solutions .......still got floor space and van goes like a rocket ...... very easy to buy too small and run the risk of overloading :o
Van depends on the level of kit you will carry and the type of work you will be aiming for, no point in a small van if you need to upgrade for space & weight in a years time.
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Cheers Chris I will have a look into it. I plan to lease one for 2 years so even if I go for a smaller one at least in 2 years time I can upgrade. Just want to see how business goes before getting a larger and more expensive van. Appreciate the advice. Cheers.
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Actually considering VW Caddy myself, for next van ......... very classy looking in black !!
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Chris has some body just dragged you through a Poppy field or have you been ambushed by the guys selling them in sainsburys door way :D
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I started six years ago with a Peugeot Partner (=Citroen Berlingo), also on lease, £1500 + VAT down, bought the lease out after 20 months. Still using the same van now. Have had two porties in there sometimes and all the gear I need!
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Paul, it is a little extra effort for lost mate from RMP days.
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Pitty there arnt more like you mate
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i thought chris van had broken down outside costa coffee in cheam,its there for 2 hours every day !!!! ;D
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Some days it may be parked for an hour ....... quieter than having coffee & toast indoors with Mrs S having a go at 15 yr old Master Straker :-\
Mind you, if she is ranting at him, it means she is leaving me alone ::)
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Get a van you can grow into. Nothing worst than having to always be packing stuff tight with no room for to move.
A SWB transit would be ideal. Easy to drive and park just like a car.
Big bill board for advertising too.
Mark
PS. handy for going to Ikea with the wife.
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I ran my portable from the back of a berlingo no probs, had no choice to be organised because everything had to go back in the same way it went out. Now with the bigger van everything just gets thrown in after a job ;D
Like chris said a side door makes things so much easier
Mind you, if she is ranting at him, it means she is leaving me alone
;D ;D ;D ;D
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Hi Scott
I use a swb low roof Transit connect 90 bhp one with a side door a must saves the old back.
As Mark said ideal getting on custys drives or tight parking spaces.
Been a great van and very quick even with all the gear in the back.
Check out pics of van on website
http://www.medway-carpet-cleaners.co.uk/
Richard
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Scott I've used the same small van for the past 5 years ( which is also used by some Chemdry Operators ) and it's big enough to take all you'll need.
At the moment it has a big Prochem portable, a small Karcher portable, a snail drier, a 17" Rotary, little Hunter vacuum, upright vac plus all the hoses, pads and tools, plus the small amount of chemicals I use regularly and a couple of buckets.
A huge advantage with this small van is it's ease of parking and access to places others can not get within 100 metres of.
It's a Suzuki 1300 and " ironically " it's about to go on e'bay fully loaded fro some one to get into carpet cleaning.
Regrettably I have to concede that I can no longer produce the results I want to with HWE although I might continue with the odd leather cleaning job or carpet cleaning where I can encap.
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Hi Robert, Please email me the details of your van.
Cheers,
info@capitalcarpetcare.co.uk
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I had a Rascal, then a suzuki supercarry, now a VW LT35 Hi roof extra long wheelbase. The Rascal and Supercarry had 2 side doors, extra low floor, and I carried an Alltec porty, plenty of hose, 2 snail driers, a sebo duo, all the chems you could need.
I'm now TM, but if I went back to porty, I'd have a Supercarry - never spent a penny on repairs in 6 years - as much room as a berlingo, but much cheaper - you could buy a good one for 6 months lease on a newer berlingo.
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Excellent advice guys appreciated. I see there's a Nissan nv200 van which seem to be good value and bigger than a caddy and Berlinger and a similar price. Does anyone know much about his van? Cheers.
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Hi Simon
Drove one when they came out
SE spec bulkhead /electric pack..Very nippy van for a 1500cc engine...lots of room in the back with all my gear had 2 side doors.
Easy to park good on fuel but was not sure on the 15" wheel size
This will be my next van (second hand one) in the new year when my used van sales gets one in silver.
Just found this for you
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nissan-NV200-/250800538031?pt=UK_Commercial_Trucks&hash=item3a64e081af
Richard
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Cheers Richard, I like the look of it. Will do some research into leasing one. Will google some reviews of it also. A fair nit bigger than the berlingos and caddys just incase i need more space.
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Hi Scott
Go to Nissan and see if you can try one like i did.
They let me use it for a day to see how i got on with it.
Great van just had to put items in loose and tie machine on the side.
When i get one it would be ply lined and boxed out like my Transit Connect is.
Did you have a look at the link ?
Richard
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Hi Richard, Going to test drive the berlingo and the nv200 tommorow. At the moment the berlingo is in front as its a cracking leasing deal and seems big enough for my portable. Hasnt got an alarm as standard however. Would you recommend one? It will be parked overnight on a well lit main road. Let you know how I get on.
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Hi Scott
I`ve drove both and found th Nv200 was better to drive..Yes the lease companys get lots of Berlingos / Partners in stock so may be cheaper on lease plan.
Regarding parking yes go with one with a steel bulkhead & alarm if your parking on the roadside just incase.
Richard
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Cheers bud. Will check it out.
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Hi Scott
How did you get on today on your test drives ?
Richard
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Good. Both nice vans. NV200 bigger but not as much kit on it but the nv200 comes with steel bulkhead. Neither comes with alarms as standard. I cant decide! Price wise quite similar around £139-£159 per month plus vat. What do you think? Both same sort of mpg.
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Hi Scott
I would go for the NV200 if their is not much different in costs because its bigger.
What spec did you look at ?
Just been on Nissans website and the alarm is on the accessories list 384 pound but try Halfords or some thing like that to fit one.
Did the Berlingo / Partner have the dual seat ?.
Richard
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Cheers Chris I will have a look into it. I plan to lease one for 2 years so even if I go for a smaller one at least in 2 years time I can upgrade. Just want to see how business goes before getting a larger and more expensive van. Appreciate the advice. Cheers.
Much better to buy a slightly older van. Then if need be you can sell it rather than be tied in with a lease.
Older Dispatch (Expert and Scudo) perfect for what you want and some real bargains.
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Still mulling the vans over. Some good deals on the vauxhall vivaro also! Decisions decisions! Looked into buying used but don't have much of a deposit and would prefer to lease. It's between the berlingo, dispatch, nv200 and maybe the vivaro. What does everything think about van colours? Its got to be white or silver. Silvers great as wont show dirt and you can still have advertising on it. Whats the general advice for van colours. Speak soon.
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Hi Scott
I went silver because it hides the dirt...My van gets cleaned every other day...
Car valeting was my background years ago and i hated cleaning white cars / vans..
All my mobile valeting vans were silver so i just stuck with silver (carpet cleaning)
Richard
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Cheers Richard. Silver it is. Just need to decide what model! ???
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Hi Scott
My old valeting vans...VW Caddy old shape....Fiat Ducato swb low roof....Citroen Dispatch....Then went back to smaller vans....Citroen Berlingo then a Renault Kangoo..
The reason going back to a smaller van was getting on to peoples drives ways.
I would have had a Vivaro but back in the early days they had gearbox problems up to about 05 reg.
The next van will be a NV200 because they are just that bit bigger but not to much to get on peoples drives.
You might just have to flip a coin mate ;D
Richard
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You are the voice of reason! :) Cheers for all the advice.
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Thats ok
What machine do you have mate?
The gear in my Connect is Prochem Steempro...Vacuum cleaner...sebo-duo..2 pile brushes..2x25 ft hoses..stair tool..upholstery tool...lots of chems..carry case (chems)..sheets for floor when cleaning upholstery...and i also carry water butts when cleaning block work about 100 to 125 ltrs.
Doing a lot of block work now so that`s also the reason on getting the Nissan to carry more water (having that extra space).
Richard