Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Sarah Sarill on August 05, 2005, 06:39:22 pm

Title: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Sarah Sarill on August 05, 2005, 06:39:22 pm
Now that we are producing and using our wfp for every application its time to invest is a new/or nearly new van.  We are currently using  a large high top LDV Convoy witha pay load big enough to carry a 1000ltr tank and all the gubbins (including an omnitrolley).

The question is now that we can produce our own water and use 500 litres on an average day we can possibly downsize a little by having a 500ltr tank on board.

We will be shopping around this weekend but would welcome any first hand experiences you have or even better ANY GREAT DEALS YOU KNOW ABOUT not only the cost of the van but on finance too.  Have any of you had deals with free lining or any free add-ons ?

I need a van cos I carry guttering stuff a presure washer and a lawnmower for add-on services.

What type of vehicle do you lot use ?.  What creates the best image for professionalism ?

Thanks

Sarill

Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: www.mrgutters.co.uk on August 05, 2005, 07:51:33 pm
i have a transporter good strong vans and 800kg payload can get more i put 600ltr in my tanks she motors  along no prob!

shawn
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Paul Coleman on August 06, 2005, 08:45:51 am
i have a transporter good strong vans and 800kg payload can get more i put 600ltr in my tanks she motors  along no prob!

shawn

Are you pushing the payload to its limits (and maybe beyond)?
I'm thinking along the lines of
Water - 600kg
Tank/equipment - 120kg?
Your body weight - 80kg?
Fuel weight - whatever
Misc - ??? kg
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Jon T.C. on August 06, 2005, 09:14:25 am
I use a Toyota Hi Ace. But I'm sure I saw somewhere that Vauxhall are doing some great offers on the Vivaro. Payload sould suit you for the equipment you carry.
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: steve k on August 06, 2005, 09:40:31 am
VW Caddy with 450litre tank and 80 metres of hose.

Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: poleman on August 06, 2005, 11:23:15 pm
steve K I like the hose reel, where abouts did you get it?

As for van we have a movano.

Andy 
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: steve k on August 07, 2005, 08:27:01 am
Andy,
system supplied by Waterfed Pole System Ltd.

Contact: Denis (Denny)
Tel/fax: 01476 404688
mobile: 0773 687 7135

email@ waterfedpolesystem@ntlworld.com

Steve
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: leegooner on August 07, 2005, 01:47:17 pm
best trolly is on screwfix.com £50 made in germany

very strong,good hight for the back,yellow for saftey

gloria gartenstar item no 19033
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Tristan R Clean on January 13, 2007, 02:11:45 pm
The Gartenstar trolleys fall to bits the plastic handles snap
and the joints pop apart
 :(
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: pjulk on January 13, 2007, 02:22:08 pm
I use a swb transit with a 650 ltr tucker system, omnitrolly, pressure washer and all my other junk.
Payload is 1200kg

I think my next van with have to be something like a transit but a LWB model

Paul
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: newpy on January 13, 2007, 02:48:19 pm
Transit lwb, payload 1600kgs. plenty around, and room to spare for pressure washer etc. With a LPG conversion and the fuel costs are peanuts!
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: macc on January 13, 2007, 05:51:11 pm
i have a transporter good strong vans and 800kg payload can get more i put 600ltr in my tanks she motors  along no prob!

shawn

Are you pushing the payload to its limits (and maybe beyond)?
I'm thinking along the lines of
Water - 600kg
Tank/equipment - 120kg?
Your body weight - 80kg?
Fuel weight - whatever
Misc - ??? kg


Ive a transporter with 650ltre tank, she's legal when fully loaded.

No problems with pulling & braking, my next van, VW TRANSPORTER.

Macc
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: S_RICHARDSON on January 13, 2007, 06:03:48 pm
this thread started in August 2005 gosh you must have some time on your hands if you can read thrigh really old posts as such!  ;D 8) 8)

Shaun R.  :)
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Davew on January 13, 2007, 06:38:34 pm
Took a couple of Peugeot Expert vans out today, good size for my needs but the wind noise was incredible! All the second hand ones had broken controls or hanging glove compartments, seem incredibly flimsey interiors.
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Templar on January 13, 2007, 07:00:02 pm
Well Spotted Shaun R.

But what this meas is we get hear the end of the story. Come on Sarah what did you end up with?
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Majestic on January 18, 2007, 05:53:18 pm
I have an  Expert

(http://img265.i.us/img265/6382/dscf0003pl4.jpg)
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: P @ F on January 18, 2007, 06:20:42 pm
I have the 1200 kg transporter , fantastic van , mine is swb , there is the option for lwb , i have 425 litres all the gubbins , 5 poles and a trolley and i can still swing my cat in there .

 Rich P @ F 
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Davew on January 18, 2007, 06:26:08 pm
John, have you got a tank in there somewhere?
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: P @ F on January 18, 2007, 06:33:04 pm
Off the subject a little i know , but would like to say hi to steve k after his absence , you may only be a guest at the moment but hopefully this will change and you will be back in the ranks , i do miss your diary of a window cleaner slot !

 Regards Rich P @ F
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: telboy on January 18, 2007, 06:36:41 pm
P&F

I think you will find Steve K 's post goes back to August

When this thread was started ,
Mind I am not surprised your in a daze after the contract you have just landed

Good on ya ::)
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Majestic on January 18, 2007, 06:58:37 pm
Davew
Yes its a flat one , behing the green bucket
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: seanmcshane on January 18, 2007, 07:01:21 pm
The post from Steve K was actaully August 2005!

Great job P+F. Will you be keeping up with your domestic work or will some have to bite the bullet?
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Davew on January 18, 2007, 08:29:34 pm
John, what size tank is that? Looks very similar to what I have in mind. How have you mounted it?
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: P @ F on January 18, 2007, 09:00:49 pm
Gonna try to keep it all , but saying that i do have a lot of fools on my round , if they gotta go they gotta go !

 Rich P @ F 
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: JM123 on January 18, 2007, 09:06:20 pm
Rich P & F what model of Transporter have you got?  I'm after a new van (new to me) in a couple of months and am thinking about a transporter.
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Majestic on January 18, 2007, 09:08:54 pm
Davew
Its a 400ltr tank secured to the floor
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: P @ F on January 18, 2007, 10:23:30 pm
JM123 , i have the 2.5tdi swb 1200 kg payload , if i had to buy again i would go for the more powerful engine , mine is 88 bhp , they do the same van with 103 bhp , the AA took a lot of them so if you dont mind a yellow van then ex AA is the way to go , plenty of service history  ;D

If your not doing big jaunts up n down the motorways then the 88 bhp will be ok .

 Rich P @ F 
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Majestic on January 18, 2007, 10:41:23 pm
Rich
What the size  of your tank
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Ladders on January 18, 2007, 11:20:01 pm
VW Caddy with 450litre tank and 80 metres of hose.



OH how i miss steve Ks posts, down to earth and Liverpudlian. always had a sense of humor, :'(  :'(

Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: P @ F on January 18, 2007, 11:39:35 pm
John i have 2 upright tanks , one is stood up on a stand , one is a 250 L and the other is  175L , SO i have 425 L in total

 Rich P @ F
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Easyclean Windows on January 21, 2007, 06:57:03 pm
When i first started i had a transit 100 with a 700 ltr tank.But when i switched over to microbore and varistream i used less and less water so was finishing the day with at least half a tank.I had my vehicle wrote of in November so had a vw transporter  with a 4ooltr tank.And with the biggest commercial job that i do i still only used half a tank so i will now be downsizing as a bigger van can no longer be justified.Cheaper to run and better insurance...oh and i can park it easier.With the 400 ltr tank i an also still get 20 £10 houses in a day so a smaller van is the way forward and im going to go for a vw caddy or a transit connect
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: NBwcs on January 21, 2007, 09:09:25 pm
Does anyone know of a fairy low van which has two passenger seats? I need to pick the kids up from school hence must have the seats but dont want to be taking a heavy ladder off a high sided vehicle such as a Transit.I know the Toyota Hiace fits the bill but wondered if anyone knew of alternatives (lower the better). Cheers Nick
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Paul Coleman on January 21, 2007, 10:24:12 pm
Does anyone know of a fairy low van which has two passenger seats? I need to pick the kids up from school hence must have the seats but dont want to be taking a heavy ladder off a high sided vehicle such as a Transit.I know the Toyota Hiace fits the bill but wondered if anyone knew of alternatives (lower the better). Cheers Nick

You would do well to have a search around the link below where you can specify various things such as weight, height, length etc.

http://www.whatvan.co.uk/search.asp

I haven't done a detailed search myself but a van I came across with three seats, lowish roof, long length and a really big payload for its size was a Mazda E2200.  I would have bought it but I came across another van which already had a WFP system in it so got that instead.
Another alternative could be to get a higher roofed LWB van with a high shelf which can take a ladder inside.
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: NBwcs on January 21, 2007, 10:50:20 pm
Thanks Shiner,didnt even realise Mazda did a van. Cheers Nick
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: rugby on January 21, 2007, 10:54:54 pm
 i use a vauxhall movano mwb, i love the extra space and being able to stand up and move around in the back of the van with ease, also less hassel fitting poles in etc.they are such a nice van to drive that i dont realy notice it being much bigger than the swb transit i had before it.
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: AuRavelling79 on January 21, 2007, 11:09:16 pm
I got a Fiat Doblo in November 1.3 multijet diesel - 44mpg average round town and 740kg payload (I've got a 400L tank plus backpack in it now) but even with me, a full fuel tank, hose reel and accessories you could go to 500L.

Because it's MVW is exactly 2000kg I can drive at car speeds where the national speed limits apply on both dual carriageways and other roads.
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: Paul Coleman on January 22, 2007, 03:26:04 pm
Thanks Shiner,didnt even realise Mazda did a van. Cheers Nick

I guess they make the bulbs and subcontract out the rest of the van building work.  :)
Title: Re: The Perfect Van for Window Cleaning ?
Post by: wimbledonhandyman on January 31, 2007, 04:32:56 pm
Think of getting one of these window cleaner vans!

http://www.ldvmaxus.com/video/ldvmaxus_stream.wmv

Steve  8)