[Scott Taylor]

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

[Chris Straker]

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 

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.

[Scott Taylor]

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.

[Chris Straker]

Actually considering VW Caddy myself, for next van ......... very classy looking in black !!

[Paul Moss]

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

[Phillip Mold]

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!

[Chris Straker]

Paul, it is a little extra effort for lost mate from RMP days.

[Paul Moss]

Pitty there arnt more like you mate

[garybristow]

i thought chris van had broken down outside costa coffee in cheam,its there for 2 hours every day !!!!

[Chris Straker]

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  :

[mark_roberts]

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.

[Andy Hogarth]

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 

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 

[Carpet2Clean]

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

[robert meldrum]

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.

[Robert Watson]

Hi Robert, Please email me the details of your van.
Cheers,
info@capitalcarpetcare.co.uk

[Max Campbell]

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.

[Scott Taylor]

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.

[Carpet2Clean]

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

 

[Scott Taylor]

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.

[Carpet2Clean]

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