[combat1]

My estate is going to pack up soon, 120,000 miles.
Theres a 61 combo with 35k on the clock at 4495.
I could just do it cash but it would just about take all my savings.
Whats The cheapest way to borrow? I could afford about 150 per month
Thanks guys.

[Shane sharples]

On your mortgage?

[Cookie]

It will be cheaper in the long run to pay for the van with your savings rather than take out a loan.

Is the price of the van negotiable? Could you maybe purchase a cheaper van?

[NWH]

Mortgage lol

[KS Cleaning]

My estate is going to pack up soon, 120,000 miles.
Theres a 61 combo with 35k on the clock at 4495.
I could just do it cash but it would just about take all my savings.
Whats The cheapest way to borrow? I could afford about 150 per month
Thanks guys.

On these figures £4500  you will pay around £700 in interest over 3 years on a loan,  if you don't want to use all of your savings why not put in say £3000 of your savings, take a loan for the remainder over 12 months, repayments will be under £150 and you will only pay £100-£150 in interest

[combat1]

Thanks guys.
No mortgage! In rented - too many Money grabbing partners in the past!
I'm so tempted, lovely van, like new. One local owner.
Fed up of running out of water every day, would def earn more if I had more pure, especially in the summer.

[Marc Whitbread]

don't forget interest is tax deductable it can work out more tax efficient

[darryn]

just buy the van and make hours up start of spring i have just forked out for van set up 2 month ago and never looked back ,sometimes you have to take a gamble if you have enough work it will pay for it self just do it/ more water more money to pay off van/

[AuRavelling79]

My estate is going to pack up soon, 120,000 miles.
Theres a 61 combo with 35k on the clock at 4495.
I could just do it cash but it would just about take all my savings.
Whats The cheapest way to borrow? I could afford about 150 per month
Thanks guys.

In 2006 I was running a 1991 Honda Estate working out of the back with a small tank. A lorry pranged the back of it and wrote it off. I got £500 from the insurance.

I was always "never borrow except for a mortgage etc etc" but I decided to take my business to the next level and bought a Doblo Van brand new at something like £8995. I remember it was something like £650 down and a £195 pcm  for three years and an option to buy for £2, 500 at the end of year 3 or trade in.

It was the best thing I ever did. I put a 400L in it and never looked back. Instead of struggling to get through £150 a day I was able to do £200 easily - just by not having to lug barrels and trolley and backpack about and taking the hose to the farthest point quickly.

I sold the van to Dan the Man who still uses it for his round.

It really was the turning point in my round. I paid off the 2.5K (saved carefully for it) and kept the van.
My advice is go for the van every time. Get a bank loan. Put down £500 and borrow 4K over 36 months at about £100 per month. You won't regret it and it's tax deductible business expense too.

[AuRavelling79]

BTW - Using your savings is the cheapest way but I always like to have a "cushion" for sickness and unforeseen expenditure. So 5% is worth it for me to not use every last thousand of savings.

[Michael Peterson]

just sold my doblo recently as well, good vans for window cleaning one man bands if you ask me

[combat1]

Thanks Malc, what an inspirational post. I will keep it.
I know you are all correct, I have wfp'd the tops and tradded the bottoms for years.
You get a system going and it works but I know I work harder than I need to.

[Spruce]

My estate is going to pack up soon, 120,000 miles.
Theres a 61 combo with 35k on the clock at 4495.
I could just do it cash but it would just about take all my savings.
Whats The cheapest way to borrow? I could afford about 150 per month
Thanks guys.

In 2006 I was running a 1991 Honda Estate working out of the back with a small tank. A lorry pranged the back of it and wrote it off. I got £500 from the insurance.

I was always "never borrow except for a mortgage etc etc" but I decided to take my business to the next level and bought a Doblo Van brand new at something like £8995. I remember it was something like £650 down and a £195 pcm  for three years and an option to buy for £2, 500 at the end of year 3 or trade in.

It was the best thing I ever did. I put a 400L in it and never looked back. Instead of struggling to get through £150 a day I was able to do £200 easily - just by not having to lug barrels and trolley and backpack about and taking the hose to the farthest point quickly.

I sold the van to Dan the Man who still uses it for his round.

It really was the turning point in my round. I paid off the 2.5K (saved carefully for it) and kept the van.
My advice is go for the van every time. Get a bank loan. Put down £500 and borrow 4K over 36 months at about £100 per month. You won't regret it and it's tax deductible business expense too.

This is excellent advise.

It also applies to other parts of our business as well.

The problem is that most window cleaners start off on a very tight budget. The downside is that it will very quickly hold you back from earning more.

The other thing you need to consider it that you will use more water as you will find it quicker to wfp the bottoms as well.  So have you got a fast enough r/o and have you got a place to store water?
Have you also considered the added expense of fitting a tank etc to your van if you are going the van mount way?

If you are just replacing the car with a van and doing the same thing, then you haven't really changed anything business wise, although its cost you financially.

Another thing is to make 150% sure that the van isn't £4495 + VAT.

[combat1]

Hi Spruce. A star, as usual.
The van is plus vat as most seem to be. I had costed that in.
Good point on the RO, I have a  ibc and fill over the weekend.

[Spruce]

Hi Spruce. A star, as usual.
The van is plus vat as most seem to be. I had costed that in.
Good point on the RO, I have a  ibc and fill over the weekend.

I thought it was a bit cheap.

That's £5200 and they are asking top dollar for that; its 5 years old.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-combo-1-7-CDTI-van-NO-VAT-/181974906030?hash=item2a5e8cb4ae:g:~IgAAOSwk5FUsuYc

If you go into
https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/
enter reg number and make you can get a good feel for the overall condition of the vehicle by seeing what it has failed MOT on over the years.

BTW the owner describes it as having a small dent on the drivers side rear arch. To repair that dent is expensive as I wouldn't describe it as small. I would live with it if I bought it, just painting over any missing paint to stop rust. However, that for you to make your mind up on.

Pity it hasn't a side loading door though. I think having an SLD is an advantage.

[Spruce]

Here's one that seems good value for money - it is a 52 plate. Lots of good things to say about it - Council maintained etc.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NO-VAT-VAUXHALL-COMBO-1-7-DIESEL-1-YEARS-WARRANTY-NEW-MOT/141871341448?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140122125356%26meid%3Deb29a463b1974d788e75e183584fb7be%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D181974906030

However, the MOT advisories and failures show a different story.

[ChumBucket]

don't forget interest is tax deductable it can work out more tax efficient

How?

[andyM]

That Government MOT website is interesting.
I just looked up a van I relieved myself of in 2011 and it's failed every MOT since.
Must be a real money pit for the owner. 

[Spruce]

That Government MOT website is interesting.
I just looked up a van I relieved myself of in 2011 and it's failed every MOT since.
Must be a real money pit for the owner. 

Its also worth now making sure your van is roadworthy before having its MOT. There is no reason for a vehicle to fail on a bulb out or windscreen wipers.

Its annoying as I had an advisory that my 2 rear tyres on my van were reaching legal limit 2 years ago. They were at 3mm. The following year they were at 2.5mm and got an advisory again. I moaned. This year I have replaced those tyres before the van goes for MOT. They were 2mm and still legal but this saved a 3rd advisory.

But I made sure the MOT garage didn't get the replacement tyres.

Now I going to replace discs and pads on my car before it goes in for MOT next week. I don't want those as advisories again. Again the MOT garage won't get the brake replacement business. That's what they are looking for.

[Spruce]

Combat1

What about this?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-Relay-2-2hdi-/291668775689?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276

I know its bigger. 3 seats upfront. Little one can fit in a car seat/bumper seat in the middle and there is plenty of room each side for 2 adults.