Small Van Recommendation

[Evans Electric]

Patche doesn't seem to be getting too much good advice on this thread TBH . 

I was lucky last year by finding my present van in the next road , after spending the day following up ebay leads to four heaps of carp .

So @ £1200  I bought a Combo , just the right size for what I do know , drives like a car , side door , bulkhead grille , quiet , lively economic diesel engine .

I've had a  load of vans over the years ,  this is the best small one .



I think I'd go to one of the van sales specialists TBH ...theres quite a few in this area , I'm sure you have them too.

I used to go with ex BT fleet vans because of the service histories but they don't seem to be about anymore.

 

[Apache]

That's the kind of thing I was thinking, Deke. Thanks

 

[Evans Electric]

Edit:  A small drawback that you have to get used to is the huge side mirrors TBH.

Great for seeing behind ,  but , in perspective ,  cars , pedestrians & even buses can dissapear behind them at the right angle.

Sometimes , going round an island say , you have to peer over the top of them to make sure its clear . 

 

[Sharpend]

Ex British Gas vans are widely available. Not sure on your price bracket though?

 

[Blue Duck]

Combos can be had cheap if you look hArd enough.

try find a 1.7dti not the 1.3cdti as its gutless.

been driving mine (1.3cdti) for about 3 years and its had a new engine, (timing chain went as nobody bothered to check Wether it needed doing) clutch, syncromesh, turbo, injectors and a few springs. clutch is on its way out again (DMF & syncromesh) but we're a charity and don't need to make a profit! :|

Not sure about ex fleet vans? you ever been behind a bt van!? No...neither have I coz they jumped the lights and are doing 70 in a 30 fully laden with parking tickets.

Nice racking though.

 

[Lurch]

I used to go with ex BT fleet vans because of the service histories but they don't seem to be about anymore.

Because a lot of companies that used to own all their vehicles and had their own maintenance department now just lease vans so they all disappear in general auctions.

 

[Evans Electric]

Thanks Lurchio ...... there were two or three suppliers around here ...all gone now .

The mighty Dekemobile  was ex BT ....Ford diesel engine still throbbing away after 200,000 miles ....the rest looking worse than the Titanlc after 100 yrs on the seabed though. 

.

 

[Andy™]

is that the garage part to your mansion being built?

 

[Evans Electric]

....er  ...yes ..yes it is  but I then moved to Dekington Manor  as in the other picture .  

You will see the three garages where I keep my classic cars. 

 

[Andy™]

you could have at least cleaned the driveway!

 

[NozSpark]

The mighty Dekemobile was ex BT ....Ford diesel engine still throbbing away after 200,000 miles ....the rest looking worse than the Titanlc after 100 yrs on the seabed though.

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LOL...... I know that feeling.. hence the van not being sign written

Then again it cost me nowt. Except for £300 in welding (floor & sills) for the last 2 MOTs

 

[davetheglitz]

Fair point. Ok. If an electrician turns up in an estate I think it looks poor.

I have found that my domestic customers are more concerned with the service they get and the price. As I've said I can carry all I need in an MPV with easy access and have the benefit of not being discriminated against when going to the local tip!For predjudice on the other side - if I see a pristine sign written van - particularly when there is only a mobile number - I immediately think the tradesman will be overpriced - possibly not honest - and will avoid him - or if it's part of a fleet I will definitely avoid as the overheads will mean they are probably employing electricians who are poorly qualified.

 

[Essex1]

I have found that my domestic customers are more concerned with the service they get and the price. As I've said I can carry all I need in an MPV with easy access and have the benefit of not being discriminated against when going to the local tip!

For predjudice on the other side - if I see a pristine sign written van - particularly when there is only a mobile number - I immediately think the tradesman will be overpriced - possibly not honest - and will avoid him - or if it's part of a fleet I will definitely avoid as the overheads will mean they are probably employing electricians who are poorly qualified.

To be honest I think you have made quite a few sweeping statements there. It is as if only electricians in estate cars are any good?

 

[Andy™]

I have found that my domestic customers are more concerned with the service they get and the price. As I've said I can carry all I need in an MPV with easy access and have the benefit of not being discriminated against when going to the local tip!

For predjudice on the other side - if I see a pristine sign written van - particularly when there is only a mobile number - I immediately think the tradesman will be overpriced - possibly not honest - and will avoid him - or if it's part of a fleet I will definitely avoid as the overheads will mean they are probably employing electricians who are poorly qualified.

whats wrong with people who look after their vans? so you'd rather have Steps turn up with his horse & cart?

 

[Lurch]

I've had new vans, old vans, tidy vans, knackered vans, clean vans, dirty vans, estate cars and I even walked to a job once. I don't think any of them made any difference to how I wired things up. As I've said before most of my work is recommendation/word of mouth so what I turn up in doesn't really make a difference. Different clients have different views and also different sectors are suited to different vehicle types, 'there is no correct vehicle for electricians'.

I did have a van once that had the name of a decorating company on the side, I turned up at a job to do the CCTV and IAS and the painters all came over looking concerned to see what I was there to decorate!

To be honest I think you have made quite a few sweeping statements there. It is as if only electricians in estate cars are any good?

lol! (Considering your earlier statement).

i know we are talking vets here but if a tradesman turns up in an estate vehicle I think it looks poor.

 

[Essex1]

I've had new vans, old vans, tidy vans, knackered vans, clean vans, dirty vans, estate cars and I even walked to a job once. I don't think any of them made any difference to how I wired things up. As I've said before most of my work is recommendation/word of mouth so what I turn up in doesn't really make a difference. Different clients have different views and also different sectors are suited to different vehicle types, 'there is no correct vehicle for electricians'.I did have a van once that had the name of a decorating company on the side, I turned up at a job to do the CCTV and IAS and the painters all came over looking concerned to see what I was there to decorate!lol! (Considering your earlier statement).

All I said was turning up in an estate LOOKS poor. Nothing about there workmanship or the costs. Just what it looks like. I also happen to think that if a tradesmen (of any grade) turns up in a battered van then if they look after their own property like that then how would they look after someone else's.

The van is usually the first thing someone notices about you so in my opinion needs to look the part.

 

[davetheglitz]

Sorry, I was particularly in wind up mode here! I was putting an alternative view point here which customers in poor areas might make a call on. When I said pristine I meant new! The point is that overheads have to be paid for - so the nice van and wonderful sign writing may make you look expensive even if you're not! Lurch put it so much better than I did. In truth the comment didn't need to be made in the first place! Hope you get yourself a good van Apache - particularly take your point about VAT and bulkhead!

 

[revjames]

Vauxhall combis are pretty good. Astra or corsa based variants I think. 1.7TD probably best and you would get side doors and versatility of a rear seat or fold up when not in use. 

My 10p worth. I have a Astra van with no side doors and its a PITA and it only has a 1.3TD engine. 

 

[Blue Duck]

1.7 DTI is the one to have, its an izuzu engine as opposed to the 1.3 common rail diesel turbo injection which is made by fiat and is weak especially if your van is like mine...full o carp!

 

[Evans Electric]

Combo is based on the Corsa ...the Dekemobile is a 1.7  Diesel  no turbo , ( Doesn't seem to need it)  Vauxhall engine , as I said , drives like a car , plenty of power for city and motorway .

Its a van , so I'm not doing a Jeremy Clarkeson & comparing it to a Ferrari ... it does what a van does .

Its Vauxhall / Opel / General Motors  so parts are readily available .

The biggest plus to me is the side door, never had one before , even with a small van its good to have that  access.

The storage shelf in the roof of the cab is good.

The only negative I can think of is , as with all the Escorts , the driver's seat has no up - down adjustment for those of us who not that tall .

However the steering wheel is adjustable and the instrument lights are dimable.

Although the Escort diesel engine was reliable & tough it was not quick ... 0 to 60 in 20 minutes .......  Combo accelerates like a car