[Chris34]

Hi, I'm due to start cc cleaning soon and I'm currently looking for a vehicle.  Can anyone recommend any that are the perfect size (not to big, not to small).  I've had a look at the citroen dispatch and that seems like it's a ideal size but is there a better vehicle that might look nicer or has better mpg that will fit the requirements?  Is a citroen berlingo to small? 

Any advice or suggestions is greatly appreciated.


Chris.

[Phillip Mold]

I'm new to this too, I work witha Peugeot Partner, same size as the berlingo, and find it fine for my kit.

[matt jones]

me too.

[Chris34]

Cheers thanks, just been to look at Peugeot Partner and machine fitted just nicely.  Will be picking it up early next week.

Chris.

[calmore]

The Partner/Berlingo is a good size. I have the estate version so I can use it for lugging the family round in between jobs.

However, I only take out the stuff that I need for a particular job. if I wanted to take everything out I'd need a bigger vehicle!

[Len Gribble]

Vito sport

len

[darren72]

Nissan Primastar,used to have a Vauxhall Combo but needed something bigger.

[Chris34]

Bigger vans make more practical sense but from a financial point of view they are out of my budget.  Len the VITO would be my choice as the best looking van and probably the ideal size. 

[martin19842]

hi there

over the past three years, weve had both larger, transit size and the smaller vans.

i think we have now settled on the larger ones,

we have a new Vivaro that went on the road six weeks ago.  and i must say fantastic bit of kit, looks good, and holds all the gear, with room for other kit

regards

martin

[Len Gribble]

Chris34

It’s only  £67.99 per week plus vat. So 5 jobs in one day say at £18 each = £90 profit £10.11. The new expert is only £39 per week plus  check to see if twin side doors (a god send)

Len

[Neil Grainger]

Fiat doblo Cargo 1.9JTD. Top Van Lease Purchase for $130 a month for 3 Years.

Drives well and looks good.

www.vansdirect.co.uk

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

ive forgot more about vans then anyone will ever know on here ive must of had 300 in the last ten years due to hubby being in the motor trade and everything being for sale

also he as a light haulage company and trust me they go round the world ! theres a 55 reg sprinter sat outside my front door with 260,000 on the clock ! 

theres one point to think of all vans are good when new , its when they get a few miles on them you ll fine out how bad they are heres some of what ive found

ford

escort

, good vans , they are cheap to keep on the road keep away from the turbo ones they like fuel and suffer from heads worping but the timeing belts must be done at 50,000 miles not 60,000 and do the pump belts and timeing tenshior as well

courior

same as escort but they rot like hell , also when loaded they look over loaded how ever they are cheap

transit

 the old smiley ones are the best buy far ! they may use more fuel then the new ones but you can keep them on the road for pennys , oil and filter every 8,ooo and timeing belts at every 55,000 ull get 400,000 out of them but finding good ones are hard and when you do ull pay top cash for them ok they like front wheel bearing (12pounds each) and front ball joints (16pounds each )but you can do them yourself there easy to do

transit

new ones rubbish stay away from the w- 51 regs they are dogged with pump problems , and the front ends was recalled about four times to change the bottom arms on these vans , the new transit is not cheap to keep on the road any more with clutches costing 500 pounds a time and the starter mortors are to small to start them and need replaceing every six months at a cost of 150 poounds up ,  front wheel bearing are 50 pounds for these and are now pressed in to the disk so if you havnt a press then you have to hammer things out ,

connect

nice looking van but the things eat fuel for fun ! , they have the mondeo gearbox in which is to low geared for a van and same as the new transit cluches are a arm and a leg i had a brand new one and sold it after only haveing it 9 months lost three 3000 ponds on the thing

ok there will be people on here that will say diffent but if your buying second hand and dont know what kind of life the vans had in the passed then you need to take these few points on borad

never belive the timeing belt as been done get the price off the top of the van and do it yourself (own gagage) this way its peace of mind ,  check the wheel arches for filler , check  inner wings for front ends crashed damage along with the gaps , never belive the seller on the end of the phone because mint to a a builder is not the same as every body elses

if you want to know about any type of van tell me the van and ill give you the info i have or ill be here all day heres some pics of just one of my vans and the life it had

this is when i got it two years ago think i give about 800 pounds for it



after hubby had work his little spell



this is what one one my staff did to it six months later



then after hubbys work again

[lands]

Hi 1st.

Great advice.

If I had a budget of up to £2000 max what would you suggest (do you no of any available at moment). Happy with a smaller van as will only be using for ccing.

cheers
Pete

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

well lands your right the the biggest  market with that kind of money

if i were  you i would nt be fightened of traveling for a van as with you being in london vans are not cheap there we sell most of ours on ebay and they go down there cause there cheaper here ! in the north east

heres what i would be looking at

 have you got the cash to fix it if it goes wrong ? are you going to do many miles ? is it  going to be use as a car for weekends  ?

if all are NO  then you need to being looking at a citroen c15 you should get a 03,53, reg for that kind of cash and with under 50k on the clock how ever there a van ! and not the nicest thing to drive but they go for ever cheap to run ull make a few quid with out shelling out on it this allowing you too buy a better van say in two years time ...

if thats not your thing go for a v.w. caddy i would be looking to get a 02 ,51 ish for that the sdi is bullit proof , the tdis are fast but like the fuel , try and get a one that been well looked after my 53reg now as 200k on the clock the enegine do get louder as the miles go on but that that way it is with these ( and the  inca is the same van same running gare but are cheaper ull get for for your cash if you get inca)

also as above p. partner there great but there not cheap and with that kind of cash you would be lucky to get a x /y reg  they will be high on the miles 150k up ! as long as they have had the oil dropped out of it them it will see you too 250k with no borther and the bits are cheap at euro cars parts !

combos there not bad but i dont like them we have had some night mares with these things ,  there was some going at leeds ex royal mail 03s these went for 22oo including the vat but they had seen some work and if you do get one of these they a mini ecu at the back on the engnie bay that goes wrong and stops them running if you take it to vavhaull they will make you spend 1500 pounds on a new pump but this mini ecu can be reworked at a place we know for 200 pounds ! we have had a few non runners fix the ecu and make a quid alot of cash on them

buying a van is not like buying a car you may have to look at ten befour you find a good one , try looking on ebay , loot, auto trader , any where  AND DONT BUY THE FRIST YOU SEE not unless ist mint !

if i had 2k in my pocket i would be trying to get someone down from 2300 pound to 1900 if i could 

[brights cleaning]

   

i've got a
Vauxhall Vivaro 1.9 d SWB 54.000 miles  EXELLENT CONDTION
£6500  full 12 months M.O.T, 6 Weeks Tax fully ply lined
metalic Silver  2003 plate
only selling because i've upgraded to a large truckmount
also got a porty for sale.

[brights cleaning]