[MAX Carpets]

Hope youve allo had a nice break. Just out of interest how do you guys see 2011 going. My feelings are it will be tough, less commercial work, fightinh hard for cmercial and if I was a newbie considering carpet cleaning, I would think again! Between the recession and Enterprise this could be a bit of a leveller! But fingers crossed it could go ok.

[M.Acorn]

I will be starting my new year off looking for another van,as managed to seize my engine solid on Thursday night,tried freeing it off in 5th gear while i was being recovered,but all that did was make the clutch stink.
Had to go to a job on Friday in the wife`s golf,not much fun that..

[jasonl]

I will be starting my new year off looking for another van,as managed to seize my engine solid on Thursday night,tried freeing it off in 5th gear while i was being recovered,but all that did was make the clutch stink.
Had to go to a job on Friday in the wife`s golf,not much fun that..

Oh no , not again ! I thought this one had been going good for a long time.

[M.Acorn]

So did i Jason,just spent nigh on £700 getting the cam belt,water pump,pulleys ,hand brake cables and tyres,and a fresh mot,a couple of months back,had some really good news on Thursday,so on the way home i stopped and bought a bottle of bubbly,about a mile from home it just died on me,thought it was a belt gone,or starter jammed,but then stuck it in gear and couldn`t budge it..
I checked oil about 2 weeks ago,and it was well over the mark on the stick,so it`s used about 5ltrs in 2 weeks,didn`t get oil low light or buzzer,which is what happens if you get anywhere near low.
Friends are saying stick another lump in it,but i am sick of it,there is bad blood between us,and i will just have to write that money off against my next tax bill,and carry on paying the loan for the next 2 years.
Will be getting a newer one from a dealership,possibly on hp,not really done much looking yet,not sure what to go for,will possibly look into something Transit sized,as will need to fit more gear in for this new contract.
Not a good end to the year though,just about keeping afloat as it is,without the extra expense of getting another van

Might go for this @ £28 a week  http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/uvl/popup.jsp?currentaction=searchresults&e2w=93051&searched_channel=COMM&sort=5&did=93051&partner=TMG&postcode=cb214nn&dropdowntype=uvl&configfile=http://dealerservices.autotrader.co.uk/dealers/93051/93051_config.xml&max_records=200&e2w=93051&miles=1500&csslocation=http://dealerservices.autotrader.co.uk/dealers/93051/93051&id=201048374307418&distance=0

[jasonl]

Can I suggest  transitforum.org , go to transits for sale , there are some good ones on there all the time .  I got a transit earlier in the year in May  ,it had 145k  when I bought it , now has 177k, runs lovely , 40mpg , just went through mot with on track rod end needed .  It is bigger than I need , but very handy , comfy and quick.

Hope you get sorted  what a nightmare

[M.Acorn]

On it Jason,cheers !!

Don`t have ££ though,so will have to go through finance,should have done this last November,thought i would get that in before Clinton sees this  :

[jasonl]

My 52 plate ,with a clean body only cost £1300  , on HP you will pay a grand over the top initially then a grand in interest , I would scrape together 2 grand and buy from a good private seller , loads about  at the moment . 

[wynne jones]

Mark

I think most people go through this loop a couple of times before they realise they are spending more money (and more importantly time and ENERGY) fixing bangers. Added to that is the loss of earnings.

Your friends who are giving you advice, do they run businesses that are dependant on machinery? Are they doing well?

Life has a way of teaching us lessons, some people don't listen to them though and carry on experiencing the pain of familiarity.

Also if you make the same mistake yet again and tell us about it, you probably won't get any sympathy just comments about you being an idiot.   

[M.Acorn]

Yeah going to go through a decent dealership this time,can`t scrape enough money together to get a decent one privately,and even though the last one came from a dealer i had no warranty.
I know now i have this decent contract,i will have a regular income,so i can spend a bit more on something decent,with low miles and a service history,they are also only a few miles from me.