[drevitt]

Hi All

I currently run a WFP trolley system from the back of my hatchback car and am needing to convert to a van soon, I have seen a few escort vans, citroen berlingo vans etc and also a Fiesta Van, I have about £1800 to spend and do about 60 miles a day. Does anyone on here run a trolley system out of a Fiesta size van or would you run something a bit bigger. I only use about 4-5 25litre containers a day.

Any advice would be great !!!

thanks

[Alex Gardiner]

The only window cleaner I knew who bought one of these hated it as it was just too small to get everything in. It also had a pathetic payload and a wimpy engine, he sold it on fairly quickly.

Stick with a Berlingo or Escort van.

[supernova77]

I've got an S reg Vauxhall Combo 1.7D van.

I use a freedom trolley and carry x12 25L containers with me... It's never given me any problems.

Andy

[Paul Coleman]

Hi All

I currently run a WFP trolley system from the back of my hatchback car and am needing to convert to a van soon, I have seen a few escort vans, citroen berlingo vans etc and also a Fiesta Van, I have about £1800 to spend and do about 60 miles a day. Does anyone on here run a trolley system out of a Fiesta size van or would you run something a bit bigger. I only use about 4-5 25litre containers a day.

Any advice would be great !!!

thanks

Well when I saw the subject line I was going to offer you my trolley in exchange for your Fiesta van - but that wasn't what you meant was it?   

Seriously though, like Alex says, I don't think you would be doing yourself any favours with a Fiesta van due to the size.  I was offered one once and it just looked far too small.  I found an Escort an OK size for trad cleaning but unless you got an Escort 75, you may be pushing your luck with the payload if you load too many water containers.

[tonylee]

hi
go for the biggest van in your buget as you never no how long it will be before you are carrying 12 barrels
i have a berlingo that i feel is 10 times bettr than the escourt van i had before. or maybe it was just a dog!
tony

[Paul Coleman]

hi
go for the biggest van in your buget as you never no how long it will be before you are carrying 12 barrels
i have a berlingo that i feel is 10 times bettr than the escourt van i had before. or maybe it was just a dog!
tony

I did briefly consider starting WFP with my Escort van but when I did the sums (payload as well as money) it made more sense to sell the Escort and use the money as a deposit on a bigger van and a WFP system.

[NWH]

Go for the newest medium sized van you can afford ie trafic-vivaro,forget little vans.

[Jon-scwindows]

does anyone else use a estate car?

[matt]

does anyone else use a estate car?

i allways did

first off a VW passet estate and then a fiat marea weekender estate

cart in the boot with 6 drums

[s.hughes]

yup I use an estate

[Jon-scwindows]

6 25 ltr containers hey?  i have 8 containers hope my ford escort estate 1.6 will be able to take the weight.

offcourse it has to be one of those cars that cant take a roofrack!
ive managed to bolt it on through the roof though, as i will need to take my ladder.

my poles just fit on the car, but i have to have the rear seats down, still lots of room though, so dont need a van yet.

[NWH]

Forget it,i know someone who is in the exact same situation as you same car everything and has been WFP for about 3 weeks,the car is on it`s nutts with only 250ltr in the back with the seats down,he`s now getting a van.

[Jon-scwindows]

oh right, thats all i have availiable to me atm, so need to save up some bucks asap then, il have to carry less water maybe 4 tanks and i have a relative living near my round with one of my 1000ltr ibcs so il have to manage filling up there.

what vans would be good, maybe second hand but that can have atleast a 400 litre tank? with two side sliding doors.  I probably cant spend more than £4000 for the van and tank but i need to be able to drive it on my liscense at my age (almost 18) and not too big as insurance will be expensive!

what about those royal mail post office type vans,
             _______
            /              )
   ------/                )
  /--0--------------0


anything recommended? i only have about 65 customers so far, but around 400 litres will be fine, as i can top up less than 1 mile away from my round. or at home.

thanks for your help as i wasnt sure how much this car would carry, i was going to use a diddy little red ford fiesta mk1 950cc thing! before
no chance

[matt]

i disagree

My VW passet estate and then a fiat marea weekender estate were great

if i did a commercail in the morning, i would carry 10 X 25L barrels

6 in the boots
1 in each footwell ( so thats 3 extra )
1 seatbelted on the rear seat behind the front passenger seat

( i know many will say thats not safe, but it worked for me )

they lasted well enough, the passet was old when i broguht it and lasted 3 years a few things went on it, it needed 2 tyres and new exhaust and a bit of welding where i clipped the cill, all things that added up and i thought it was time for a new car )

i only got a van as i want to do something else in my spare time that needs a "showcase van" and this will be it

[matt]

oh and ive also used a fiesta van for work when i was a carpenter ( it was at a time i was a foreman and just doing the odd bit of troubleshooting so didnt need that much space )

they are nice enough vans with a little space in the rear, i would prefere a fiesta van over a estate car as you can fit a nice bulkhead behind you in a van

[windowwashers]

i disagree

My VW passet estate and then a fiat marea weekender estate were great

if i did a commercail in the morning, i would carry 10 X 25L barrels

6 in the boots
1 in each footwell ( so thats 3 extra )
1 seatbelted on the rear seat behind the front passenger seat

( i know many will say thats not safe, but it worked for me )

they lasted well enough, the passet was old when i broguht it and lasted 3 years a few things went on it, it needed 2 tyres and new exhaust and a bit of welding where i clipped the cill, all things that added up and i thought it was time for a new car )

i only got a van as i want to do something else in my spare time that needs a "showcase van" and this will be it

Matt, that is not a good advert for your diy site (it is dangerous big time, and you should know better than that, if you get pulled for overloading it is as far as I know £1000 fine get caught again it is unlimited, more than if you have an accident you will be crushed 1kg per litre of water plus force" 10x 25L barrels as you say is just plain stupid" sry for having a pop but dont tell others to do this please, you was lucky some may not be.

people that are thinking of doing this don't it is unsafe and against the law to overload any car/van etc that is on a public road but more than that if you have a crash you are likely to die or if you lucky prison for killing someone.
250k of water, plus the container weight, plus fuel, plus persons in car plus extra pole ect etc etc, well ove rpayload weight.

The sound advice would be DONT DO IT! get the correct van with a payload to suit your needs. Rant over nearly, cant stand people going cheap and putting lives in danger to do it.

Rant now over.

Matt, if you payload was over the said weights please accept that I am sry, but I am doubting this is true but will wait for a reply to this, If I am wrong please say and I will accept it straight away, this is my thought pattern on this as I nearly died last year from this sort of thing. Hope you understand 

[matt]

i disagree

My VW passet estate and then a fiat marea weekender estate were great

if i did a commercail in the morning, i would carry 10 X 25L barrels

6 in the boots
1 in each footwell ( so thats 3 extra )
1 seatbelted on the rear seat behind the front passenger seat

( i know many will say thats not safe, but it worked for me )

they lasted well enough, the passet was old when i broguht it and lasted 3 years a few things went on it, it needed 2 tyres and new exhaust and a bit of welding where i clipped the cill, all things that added up and i thought it was time for a new car )

i only got a van as i want to do something else in my spare time that needs a "showcase van" and this will be it

Matt, that is not a good advert for your diy site (it is dangerous big time, and you should know better than that, if you get pulled for overloading it is as far as I know £1000 fine get caught again it is unlimited, more than if you have an accident you will be crushed 1kg per litre of water plus force" 10x 25L barrels as you say is just plain stupid" sry for having a pop but dont tell others to do this please, you was lucky some may not be.

people that are thinking of doing this don't it is unsafe and against the law to overload any car/van etc that is on a public road but more than that if you have a crash you are likely to die or if you lucky prison for killing someone.
250k of water, plus the container weight, plus fuel, plus persons in car plus extra pole ect etc etc, well ove rpayload weight.

The sound advice would be DONT DO IT!

my car wasnt overloaded though , the weight issue was below the weight the car can carry

people know its not that safe to carry 25 L drums in cars or vans , we dont need to tell them that, people do it though
just like builders carry tools and bricks and cement mixers in the back of vans, all unsecured

WW you will notice i dont tell any1 to do anything, its not my style, i give options OR tell people what i have done, people can then make a choice

[matt]

Oh and how many people have trolley system ( i know a LOT on here swear by a certain make )

they might have a car or van, how many secure the 25 L barrels ?? ?? ? a fairly low % is my guess

and that half height bulkhead will not save you either

[windowwashers]

i disagree

My VW passet estate and then a fiat marea weekender estate were great

if i did a commercail in the morning, i would carry 10 X 25L barrels

6 in the boots
1 in each footwell ( so thats 3 extra )
1 seatbelted on the rear seat behind the front passenger seat

( i know many will say thats not safe, but it worked for me )

they lasted well enough, the passet was old when i broguht it and lasted 3 years a few things went on it, it needed 2 tyres and new exhaust and a bit of welding where i clipped the cill, all things that added up and i thought it was time for a new car )

i only got a van as i want to do something else in my spare time that needs a "showcase van" and this will be it

Matt, that is not a good advert for your diy site (it is dangerous big time, and you should know better than that, if you get pulled for overloading it is as far as I know £1000 fine get caught again it is unlimited, more than if you have an accident you will be crushed 1kg per litre of water plus force" 10x 25L barrels as you say is just plain stupid" sry for having a pop but dont tell others to do this please, you was lucky some may not be.

people that are thinking of doing this don't it is unsafe and against the law to overload any car/van etc that is on a public road but more than that if you have a crash you are likely to die or if you lucky prison for killing someone.
250k of water, plus the container weight, plus fuel, plus persons in car plus extra pole ect etc etc, well ove rpayload weight.

The sound advice would be DONT DO IT!

my car wasnt overloaded though , the weight issue was below the weight the car can carry

people know its not that safe to carry 25 L drums in cars or vans , we dont need to tell them that, people do it though
just like builders carry tools and bricks and cement mixers in the back of vans, all unsecured

WW you will notice i dont tell any1 to do anything, its not my style, i give options OR tell people what i have done, people can then make a choice

Matt, please do not think I am having a pop at you i am not in anyway I think your website is fantastic for people that want to saves a few quid on there systems ect and a host of other bits and bobs.

I just had to point that out as I think it is dangerous, this is IMO some will take it some will not as you say it is there choice but alot of people look up to you, and maybe you should say it is not recommened to do this.

Oh and how many people have trolley system ( i know a LOT on here swear by a certain make )

they might have a car or van, how many secure the 25 L barrels ?? ?? ? a fairly low % is my guess

and that half height bulkhead will not save you either

Matt, my point is safety only people that have trolley's also should think of this. I am not looking for tit for tat, I think I am right in what I say, if I am wrong please say.

[Jon-scwindows]

i would say in a estate car two 25ltr tanks can fit in the rear seat foot wells 1 each side, and fit tightly in place and are secure enough down there, any more in the back need to be secured, i have welded a steel frame that holds several 25ltr containers in the boot section of the estate car, with the seats down, so they cannot move up down or in any other way. They are easy to lift out, and the hose reel is bolted to the floor, the trolley goes up the ramps and onto its back and sits over a big bolt welded to the floor, and then i simply screw a wing nut over this securing the trolley- with two brackets at the front which sit infront of the wheels. this is a must because if you brake suddenly or crash just 4 25 litre containers is 100 kg + your trolley/equipment so about 150kgs atleast of unsecured load will fly through the windows and squish you.