[rob_s]

Hi Everyone,
               Just curious as to which Vans, small/ mid size are most popular with us Carpet cleaners and reasons why.


Many thanks  rob -s

[cleanability]

Hi there
      I've had an Escort van, a Renault Kangoo and 2 Vauxhall Combos. By far the best ( and my current van) is the Vauxhall Combo. Very reliable and slightly bigger than the others mall vans. Including 2 overhead shelves which are very handy. Fantastic van.

                                       Chris

[strakercleaning]

Seconded.............Combo is the best van i have used in 15 yrs. Had Renault Extra, Fiat Fiorino, Rascal, C15D and even a MetroVan.        

[ALEXDH]

I use a ford escort van it was only 600 but  i can see that my options are limited, if i ever got anything much bigger than my ninja.

Fuel economy is superb though

[Ken Wainwright]

And then there's the Citroen Dispatch/Peugeot Expert and Fiat Scudo which is like the Combo but with more. More load deck, more height (can still get in car parks), what is generally accepted within the motor trade as being one of the best deisel engines on the market PLUS 2 sliding side doors for easy access. Also got the overhead shelves and is a genuine 3 seater cab. With the standard 1.9 mill it will cruise easily at 80 and more if asked returning a genuine 33mpg at that speed and 37 to 40 for my type of work. Turbo's are quicker, more torque and in some conditions more economical. My Citroen must be the best sub Transit size van on the market. Others may be marginally better in one particular aspect, but overall it rules.

My previous van, a Daihatsu Deisel HiJet was great in concept, krap in reality. Before that it was a Suzuki Super Carry (Bedford Rascal), smashing van but with the aerodynamics of a brick (30mpgish if careful).  My considerable experience with vans paints a vivid picture. I've also had in nearly 40 years:
Bedford Viva HA: OK
Several Transits: Great except early deisels were krap
Escorts: Great in their day
Reliant Regal 3 wheeler
Reliant 3 wheeler side valve  
Bedford TK 7.5 tonne: Good for the boss, krap for the driver
Mini Pickup: All the best sports cars are 2 seaters
Daf 33: Unbelievably brilliant
Bedford CF: Can't remember
Does the CleanBiker's Bike Mount class as a commercial vehicle? If so, it's a pity the work interferes with the ride

There's probably others too, but the brain cells are fading away.

Safe and happy cleaning:)
Ken

[ALEXDH]

I tell you one van i have seen which i quite fancied but could not find one when i needed too was a a citroen C15D.

Those thing seem to be built like tanks and are a little higher in the rear compartment than my escort.

Do you fellas all board off the rear compartment form the drivers cabin  iwas thinking of doing mine today,


its raining just had a job cancelled full house , glad though actually as i have a hernated disk in my lower back.

[Glynn]

Had
Bedford Chevanne      krap
3 X Bedford CFs          good
Transit twin wheeler Box  Krap
Escort                        Krap
2 X LDVs                    good but too agricultral like
2 X Transit  diesels             Krap
Iveco 35S11 MWB Hi Top   Excellent

[SMP]

Only been in this game two years so can only comment on my one van - Iveco mwb hitop.  Like glynn I think it's brill.  However it is quite a large van.

Yesterday I was running round doing quotes all day.  Got a bit fed up of driving it round town and wished that I'd got something smaller for doing quotes that could double up as a back - a citroen dispatch would be nice.  But can I really justify two vans when there's only me - I guess not  .

Does anybody else run two vehicles?  I do have a car but my wife has got that at the moment cos I've let the MOT on hers expire  .  However taking the car does mean that you don't get any free advertising whilst driving - no sign writing!

Cheers

[Dynafoam]

The last few vans I have run have been Transit 120 SWB diesels. I would like to run something bigger but since my customers are almost entirely regulars, I know the restrictions I face with parking on small driveways etc.

Space within the van is at a constant premium and I frequently have to remove some equipment to make room for the days' requirements - eg. rotary for bonnet buffing requires transfer of blower to front seat, Clarke 26" vacuum for large areas requires blower to front and Sebo removed..............and so it gos.

Alex, a bulkhead has two advantages - it protects you from flying equipment in event of a front-end colision and it protects your equipment from the prying eyes of would-be thieves, provided you do not have rear windows.

John.

[Ivar_Haglund]

Daimler Sprinter turbo diesel

good miliage

lots of room

easy to park

moving bill board


IVAR :

[MICHAEL_GAYTON]

the iveco daily gets my vote big lots of room and pulls the TM AND 70 GALLONS

[Fintan_Coll]

Ford Transit, my third in a row. Before that I had Two Renault Trafics, never had any thing worse in my life. I started off driving a Ford Thames van for a former employer many years ago. Then when I became self employed I drove Volkswagens and Transits for many years. For now I will stay with Transits

[John_Flynn]

Citroen C15  Crap

LDV 200 Good Workhorse never let me down bought for £400.00 run it 2 years sold it for £200.00

Vauxhall Arena/Renault Traffic, bought 12 months ago T reg 30,000 genuine miles £4000.00 fantastic until my recent accident then bodyshop could not get parts!!

Back on road after 5 weeks, but NO problems with it.

[Len Gribble]

Mercedes Vito TM & 80 Gals + three hoses and all bits and pieces. cruising 115 400miles sedately 500miles to tank. Looking at the new one more power.

Previous Escort great sadly too small

Len

[Kinver_Clean]

Like Ken I have a Citroen Dispatch.  I get two Pro Pluses, one rotary brush, vacs, two boxes of chems 22" * 15" * 15", 4  7.5 m hoses, four drop sheets 12' sq, towels, kettle mugs etc, space for Aqua 40 if req. Three crew. All for £9000 +vat. As Ken says 32-35 mpg overall.  Only grouse is that like all Citroen-Peugeot-Renaults they are heavy on front discs and pads. 25000 miles to renew.

Trevor

[squeaky]

I run a Mercedes Sprinter swb hi top(truckmounted) with 2x 60 gallon tanks , 150 foot of pipe , rx20 , 2 wands and all my chemicals etc , the mwb would suite me better other than the swb is easy to park anything longer might be a problem , it goes like a rocket even with a full water tank , and returns me 30mpg.
We also run a kangoo which is also good , we use this for early morning office cleaning and during the day for our porties , not a bad van but could do with a bit more space , I will change it shortly for a Peugeot Expert TD which I have had before a super van with useful twin SLDs

Mark

[Chris R]

Vauxhall vivaro 1.9dti.(about size of a swb transit) my first ever new van  , its BRILL! Metalic silver, alarm, CD player, Bulkhead, 6 speed box, 35mpg local,3 year warranty, shop around on the net, got it for £10000 + vat from a dealer in Manchester ;)Bargain!

[Ralph]

Hi Rob_s,

I must be the odd one out, as I bought a brand new Suzuki Carry van 1300, £6500 on the road, bigger than the super, and I carry my ninja, hard floor wand, power-vac 100ft hoses split 50 + 2 x 25ft and an additional solvent hose 25ft and 25ft vent hose, baffle, twinjet wand, numatic twin speed, powerbrush, 5 ltr sprayer, all the chemicals that I'm likely to need for both carpet and hard floor on 2 x 4 tier racks, all hand tools are kept in hose bags, and not to mention seaming iron, tape and buckets, I average 30 to 35 mpg, personally for such a small looking van, and careful planning of where to store equipment, it appears to be like Dr Whos' Tardis, Ive surprised even myself on ocassions, that all said I am considering the Toyota Powervan ( HI Ace ) for my next motor.

Regards

Ralph

[Derek]

Ralph

There's a big 'BUT' here...Let's get our priorities right is there room for a flask and sandwiches?  

Derek

[Dave Parry]

Toyota Hiace swb. T/m, 55 gal tank 150' hose, spotter, etc. Could do with lwb.  only 18" longer, but would make difference. Excellent van 30 MPG.