Fuel Economy - Thinking Of Running A Car And A Van

[Andy™]

Who?

 

[Evans Electric]

I don't know ...he just said I am  the Doctor  ...and "I'll see you in the future "    Strange bloke , he shot off and a load of angry upturned dustbins went hurtling after him  all shouting " Expatriate  Expatriate  or " Exfoliate   or something" !!!     

It was a strange day .

Beam me up Stepps !!

 

[m4tty]

Medicine time Sandra ?

 

[Sharpend]

I hate to say it, but it could only happen to you!

You would know my doctor if you saw him. You can't see his stethoscope for the length of his scarf?

Just saying!

 

[pewter]

A bricky i know bought a transit tipper LPG and he reakons its worse then his old Diesel tipper.

From what i have read about LPG the conversion is not good for converted engines (factory ones are ok), and the economy is not that good. I would not want to buy a nearly new van and convert it to run on LPG. The cooking oil conversions are ment to be economic but also not very good for the engine .

Today i only used my CK bag, makita drill box, Bosch hole cutter box and step ladders, all of which i could fit in an estate.

The reason i have looked at the 320d efficient dynamics is because of the amazing fuel economy (48-68mpg) and cheap tax (£30 a year). (style comfort and german build quality also appeals).  Will also double as a family car.  They have roof bars so steps could be taken (will affect the mpg) although a few sites i attend have steps on site. 

older car diesels have similar fuel economy as my T4

My Transporter is filled with all sorts of things i might need, though its so full up i get fed up of routing through all the rubbish so it just becomes a portable shed. 

I dont think i could live without a van but i might be able to get by without it every day.

 

[steptoe]

if, and its a big if, you are only doing site work then its possibly feasible,

cos you know what you need every day,

as for doing other stuff, well, wasted journey just cos you didnt have that single gang surface box, or a 2G vertical cooker switch[only a H one], or a battenholder [just pendants], or that 6G switch you never thought you'd need,

yes, yes, I know, there is only so much carp you can carry in a van too, but its just more viable IMHO,

unless, as I said, you are doing site work where all you really need are tools, all materials are there.

 

[londonfire]

I have been using a 2012 bmw 520d efficient dynamic and find i am getting about 37mpg around town and around 55 on the motorway. as the 3 is a bit smaller i would say 50 around town would be do able specially with the 8 speed auto box. have to be clever with how you store your tools and spares but is possible if only doing repairs, board changes ECT.

 

[batty]

I agree with steps on this it all depends on what work you do. Personally I like to turn up to a job and have the stuff on the van. It may be core a 4'' hole. Take up a chipboard floor, Undo a stubborn connection which you need a vice. Most stuff I have on my van.  I may have to install 100 mtrs of 10mm swa. I wouldn't want to put that in the back of a car. I personally think you have to decide the saving on fuel you are making will it be enough for the cost of buying another vehicle and the time spent fetching stuff you don't have because its not in the vehicle.

 

[Andy™]

I agree with steps on this it all depends on what work you do. Personally I like to turn up to a job and have the stuff on the van. It may be core a 4'' hole. Take up a chipboard floor, Undo a stubborn connection which you need a vice. Most stuff I have on my van.  I may have to install 100 mtrs of 10mm swa. I wouldn't want to put that in the back of a car. I personally think you have to decide the saving on fuel you are making will it be enough for the cost of buying another vehicle and the time spent fetching stuff you don't have because its not in the vehicle.

exactly, use a small vehicle, fit everything in nicely that you use often and you wont have space for less used tools. and when you do need to carry more tools / materials for a specific job, there isnt room for them

even though i have lots of spare space in my van, it often gets filled with stuff for a specific job

 

[steptoe]

well, I thought when I got my 'bigger' van [scudo] , it would be an almost perfect size for the work I normally do,

but I still dont have everything all the time, I carry 95% of what I need, but still on occassion I get caught out,

I think I just need better organisation and sort out my gear better, its chaos in the back.

 

[wozz]

if its for working in london you should be fine as long as you dont need too much materials, my wholesalers pays about £4 to get most things anywhere, so when i work in the city it gets sent up a few days before the job and I take my tools on the train and tube.  

The other advantage of a car in london is using the car parks you cant get a van in.  If I had loads of work up there I would consider a estate car.  

 

[batty]

Very true Wozz. I worked in Tower Hill a few years back . The only time I would take my van was on a Saturday it was totally different hardly anybody about and you could even find parking.

 

[pewter]

It's a hard balance to find.

My van currently has 3 different steel toe boots, steel toe wellies, pair of trainers, 3 jackets, couple fleeces, 2 hammers, 2 club hammers, many masonary chisels i dont use, 2 boxes of drill bits and set of hole cutters, leads, various cables, singles, t&e, flex, tails, 4 metal cases of screws , various lamps that have been there for up to 6 years, plates, accessories , boxes , sockets, spaners, 3 tote bags, jig saw, rip saw, hand saws, 110v stuff, catalogs, nuts, bolts, wagos, crimps, plus tons more rubbish.

Most of the time I don't use any of it.

I take my best hand tools, tester and screw gun in at night also.

I drive around a ton of rubbish everyday. I also have 2 sheds at home plus a cupboard full up of more.

Quite often I only need hand tools and screw gun.

Although today I did use a couple bits.

If fuel was cheaper it wouldn't bother me.

If I had a smaller more economic vehicle to use I would get the same pay and have a smaller fuel bill. Customers would lose out as I forever get stuff out the van and say you can have that. If I didn't have it I could charge more to get one.

It's hard been a hoarder

 

[pewter]

Good point about car parks wozz.

Sometimes the roof rack on my van has just made it too tall.

Although I did manage to fit in a vehicle lift once with a few cm to spare.

It's these reasons that tempts me to get an estate I can use for work and family. I could then lose the kombi seats out the van, banish the children and save the van for storing junk and use when I have to.

 

[Blue Duck]

I like the idea of a bmw but wince at the cost of servicing!

Another idea for Estate car.... Skoda Octavia estate 1.9 tdi, older ones picked for peanuts, good for 500k miles and 64mpg?

I hate my van, such a peice of poop. Would much rather be in the comfort of a car but we have to occasionally carry big stuff about so am stuck in an 03 combo

 

[streetlighter]

I love my Combo van much better to drive than Mrs Streelighters Astra