[jaykie]

i finally got my 7.5k so am now looking for a van. but do i get a vivaro/trafic with a 650 liter tank and 2 ports (3.5k) so if i ever need someone to come help me i can have 2 poles, or do i go for a pug expert with 400 liter tank (3 k). i havent got a round and as soon as got van and tank ill be canvarsing every day as ive still got a job which i work 3.30 till 9.00. I'm more drawn to the vivaro/trafic as it saves me upgrading in say 18 months time as purefreedom is quite a way, What ever i get it needs to have 3 seats as going to be my only vehicle and need to get kids from school. Im pretty sure what i want but just want to here everyone elses thoughts. I know some will say use car till you got round but i need to get vehicle any way.

Chris

[NWH]

100% trafic or vivaro,you`ll reget it if you don`t.Everyone i know WFP went for the smaller van and had wished they hadn`t.

[jaykie]

Cheers NWH feel its gotta be one of them, probs vivaro but everyone i contacted is sold but theres loads Yorkshire way.

[frames to panes]

I did it like you, built up my round part time first. I bought a Despatch which is the perfect size for me and i can do the school run too. If it is your only vehicle then go bigger or else you will have no spare space for holiday luggage, trips to the skip or much else really.

[Paul Coleman]

i finally got my 7.5k so am now looking for a van. but do i get a vivaro/trafic with a 650 liter tank and 2 ports (3.5k) so if i ever need someone to come help me i can have 2 poles, or do i go for a pug expert with 400 liter tank (3 k). i havent got a round and as soon as got van and tank ill be canvarsing every day as ive still got a job which i work 3.30 till 9.00. I'm more drawn to the vivaro/trafic as it saves me upgrading in say 18 months time as purefreedom is quite a way, What ever i get it needs to have 3 seats as going to be my only vehicle and need to get kids from school. Im pretty sure what i want but just want to here everyone elses thoughts. I know some will say use car till you got round but i need to get vehicle any way.

Chris

I would go further than that.  Go for Vivaro/Trafic/Primastar (newer than 53 plate if Vivaro or Trafic as there were gearbox issues before that) but ensure that you get a 2.9 tonne version rather than the more normal 2.7 tonne.  That way, you could get an 800 litre tank in there which may be needed sometimes if you have two guys working from it.  Whatever you get, my suggestion is to have a 1200kg payload at least.  You could get away with less but but that's exactly what it would be - getting away with it.  Even better, try to get the LWB rather than the shorter wheel base.  Only 0.4 metres difference but the SWB can be a bit tight with some poles.

[jaykie]

I dont think ill beable to get newer then 53 plate as only got 4k for van the other 3.5k is for system at purefreedom.

Chris

[darren73]

jaykie,if i was you i would phone round all the wc,s in your area and ask them have they any work for sale-buy a run,get a cheaper van and system,even if its only a few hundred worth of work it will give you something to build on,you could upgrade your van or equipment once your run is big enough,having enough work is your no 1 priority

[jaykie]

But i got the money now and want to put it to good use instead of needing a big van in 12 months and not having the funds then why not get it now why i have the cash, I understand what your saying but i know ill take bits from the money if i just leave it in bank and before i know it it will be gone. I still have a job paying £21,000 which is guarenteed money as im salaried so bills paid evey month.

Chris

[Paul Coleman]

I dont think ill beable to get newer then 53 plate as only got 4k for van the other 3.5k is for system at purefreedom.

Chris

Then check out the Primastar.  Apparently Nissan sourced there gearboxes from a more reliable place.

[jaykie]

Ive looked at them too as similar too the trafic and vivaro but there are hardly any for sale and the ones that are for sale are no lower then £6.5k

Chris

[JSMC]

4.5k i have for van and want a connect 220. been at auctions watching and 54 lates going through around 4k mark plus vat and auction charges.

w swell shocked at hopw high prices were

[Paul Coleman]

Ive looked at them too as similar too the trafic and vivaro but there are hardly any for sale and the ones that are for sale are no lower then £6.5k

Chris

Been having a look myself and I take your point.  There are a lot more of the Vauxhall and Renault versions about.  I'm wondering if you would be better off with a newer van and borrowing the money.  I realise that you currently have no work but maybe use some of your capital to buy some work and anything remaining to put towards the van and system.  If you go down this route, DO NOT TELL THEM IT'S FOR A VAN (unless a vehicle dealer is sorting it out in which case they will know.  Business loans are harder to get than personal loans and it may be better to get a loan that is not directly tied to the van anyway (just in case !!).

If you could borrow say, £15,000 over 4 years, the repayments are about £350 a month.  You could buy a pretty decent one man round with the money you have saved if one is available in your area.  The money you could earn would make that £350 look like chicken feed once you found your way around.  You could turn that over in two days.  I realise that there are reasons why my suggestion may feel inappropriate for your circumstances.  I have found that when doing business, I find it easier to think of outgoings as a monthly sum rather than "owing all that money".

[groundhog]

It's good to see a newbie on here who is serious about their business, and wanting to do it properly! rather than the usual 'oh I'll get a backpack and a dozen barrells and put them in the back of my fiesta'!!! Also there is some good advice here, I would like to add that if I were you I would go for the biggest and best that you can afford, and if possible I would advise an 800ltr tank in your van or bigger if you expect to have someone helping you! This way you will not have to waste time refilling your tank half way through the day! Personally I would rather not buy work from another window cleaner unless I absolutely had to, I would canvass hard first and see how it goes before considering this option!

Good luck! 

[jaykie]

The 7.5k ive got is mine to do as i please, if i get a loan id fill more under pressure to pay it back as i dont want my other job to pay for it as that pays mortgage, where if i just spend the 7.5k on van and system anything i do then is profit, i dont want to buy a round i want to start from scratch so in 18-24 months i can feel like "look what ive built". im a very ambitious person and agree with what groundhog says about the fiesta part (this isnt a knock at people doing it this way) but im lucky that i dont have to give up my job to build a business, i can drop hours at work as i grow. I just want to build it and not have to turn away work so maybe ill take that loan in 18 months when i need to get a second van and system for me and employees.

Chris

[frames to panes]

Problem is you will build up work fast to start with, then you end up with too much for both jobs so you hand your notice in and away you go!........... only you don't because you won't have anything like enough work for full time. Be careful, hold some money back if you have no savings because you may well need to fall back on it. In my experience it takes a long time to build a full round or a good paying one. Your overheads will be pretty scarey in the first year and you'll be changing poles etc as you go along. Don't believe the earnings quoted on here - you will hit big incomes but not every day! When you start you will take on everything going and will end up darting all over the place for each job revisiting the same areas as the phone rings the next day for a new job.
 If i was to do it again i would consider buying a small compact round and building on it.
Anyway, good luck and keep posting.

[jaykie]

Cheers guys, just so you know i know self employed isnt going to be like my current job, but once im up and running im going to still be on the books of my current job as bank staff and i forgot to mention that my boss at the moment just so happens to be my Mum so if i am having bad weeks due to rain etc she will get me shifts hehe. Ill keep posting as want to one day help people like you guys have helped me and saved me loads of money, so drinks on me if your ever down my way ( i bet i get loads of replys now) ill post pic of my van when got it as got a wicked design to go on it.

Chris

[Paul Coleman]

The 7.5k ive got is mine to do as i please, if i get a loan id fill more under pressure to pay it back as i dont want my other job to pay for it as that pays mortgage, where if i just spend the 7.5k on van and system anything i do then is profit, i dont want to buy a round i want to start from scratch so in 18-24 months i can feel like "look what ive built". im a very ambitious person and agree with what groundhog says about the fiesta part (this isnt a knock at people doing it this way) but im lucky that i dont have to give up my job to build a business, i can drop hours at work as i grow. I just want to build it and not have to turn away work so maybe ill take that loan in 18 months when i need to get a second van and system for me and employees.

Chris

Sure thing Chris.  Only you can know the details of your particular financial situation.  At least if you don't borrow, you aren't under pressure to build it any faster than you want to.  The problem being of course that larger vans are more expensive to buy and to run.  Buying a larger van means probably buying an older van with more miles on it.  Buying a smaller van probably means an upgrade will be needed within a couple of years.  However, an upgrade may be needed anyway if you buy something older.  Buying older can be a gamble but there are plenty of vans that are older but do well.
Tough call I think.  If you could manage with two seats it would be easier.

[stuart@skypole]

Jaykie,

the best solution is to go for the vivaro,

the main reason is for servicing check out them all nissan, renault, vauxhall.

for some reason the vauxhall vivaro is better value than the others, although they seem to depreciate quicker.

kind regards, Stuart
www.skypolewfp.com

[jaykie]

I wish i could get a 2 seat van as my options would be a lot better, but i have 2 kids so will need to collect them from school etc, looking at a Renault trafic tomorrow for £3,895.

Chris

[Paul Coleman]

Cheers guys, just so you know i know self employed isnt going to be like my current job, but once im up and running im going to still be on the books of my current job as bank staff and i forgot to mention that my boss at the moment just so happens to be my Mum so if i am having bad weeks due to rain etc she will get me shifts hehe. Ill keep posting as want to one day help people like you guys have helped me and saved me loads of money, so drinks on me if your ever down my way ( i bet i get loads of replys now) ill post pic of my van when got it as got a wicked design to go on it.

Chris

I see you're not far from me.  Lucky for you I'm a teetotaller  
You're welcome to meet up sometime if you wish.  I could show you how not to do it.