its not ego its good business sense, I've just had to scrap my 10 year old van as there was something going wrong on it every other week, maybe they were lucky and didn't have that trouble??
Just what I'm about to do.
Absolute nightmare when you've got a guy sat doing nothing.
I understand what you guys mean, good business sence in the fact they will last be less hassle save you money long term.
Clarkey if your van was totally fine and still worked, and simon you didnt have the hassles would you say the same thing ? would you then have still gone and bought a new van ? be honest
If I didn't have the hassles, I would still be getting a new van, as the contracts we have now require a different level of approach, of course appearance wise it's partly ego, but, pulling up at a contract where you are on site for 3 weeks, in a battered and rusty old van, where you are seen by some fairly high profile people, just doesn't portray the right image for MY business.
My business has expanded to a level now where a simple DIY set up does not work so a professional system that can be left to work reliably, and most importantly safely, for my team, is important. Sme of our work is 2 hours away from base and I can't have a 4 year old set up constantly needing attention, and a van causing issues.
Put simply, I cannot afford to not service these contracts in the manner they expect, as the next firm that comes along will.
so appearance wise it is partly ego,
I wasnt talking about safety, or the other things mate, just about ego, I do understand the other bits you added in though 
having the right appearence for your customers isnt ego, its all part of marketing.
some people will look at a shiney, well maintained van and think 'quality', some will look at it and think 'expensive'
of course you dont neccesarily need a new van for it to be good looking, but if you're on the road working all day, every day, vans do take a battering over the years and end up looking scruffy.