Jump to content

Cheap Vans


ferguson_tom
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi everyone,

 

i have recently bought a new toy which is half size steam traction engine which i will take to steam rallies and shows etc. I have currently got an IFOR plant trailer for moving it however it means i have to do two runs to events if we also want to take the caravan so we are looking at changing the trailer for a LWB van which the engine can go in and tow the caravan.

 

Looking on ebay there seems to be plenty of vans around the 1500-2000 mark which means we only need to put a little bit of extra cash towards its if we sell the IFOR. At most it will be doing 2000-3000 miles a year but at that budget am i asking for more trouble than its worth? Any suggestions for which van to go for, naturally there are more transits on the market than anything else.

 

Also we will need to fit some extra seats in the back for the kids so i was thinking of fitting a set of coach seats anyone done similar? We will move the bulkhead to behind the seats BTW.

 

Thanks, Tom

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can't just fit seats now. I've been informed it needs to go to vosa to be inspected.

You'll never go wrong with a vw but I am a fan of vw .

I've owned 2 T4's

T5

T5.1

T6

Crafter

Caddy van

Caddy pick up

 

All been great .

My T6 is awesome :)

 

 

The down side is the price . Sprinters/crafters fetch mega money with 2-300k on the clock

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anything but a Renault

Did 200k over 10 years in a trafic, cost me 1 key £80 over and above consumables, but i wouldnt buy a used one, in fact i would avoid a used van at all costs personally, all built down to a price and too many driven by lads not paying the bills with a traffic light grand prix mentality.

 

dont know what to recommend for the best, i like the renos, my sparkie likes the transits, thay all have weaknesses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My go to guy for anything mechanical 😀...

Ex diesel fitter, maintenance friend has always said the vans he has repaired and had more trouble on and that have costs the most have been French.

toyota was always the vans that required the least work or had underlying faults.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never any problems with renault diesel engines here either, most of the Kangoos,s ive had have covered 200k no problems, still going strong. Vauxhalls however engines are not upto the job.

If funds allow something VW would be better still.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To the OP,

I might have just the thing to suit dependant on the size & weight of your engine ?

It's a 2005 Transit Semi hi top (standing height) Minibus 3 seats upfront, 6 in rear arranged Face to face and a fair boot space behind.

 

It's got approx 120k on it and I've had it from 18000 miles, was used for school runs twice a day and airport runs, driven by myself only.

Edited by TaxiDriver
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never any problems with renault diesel engines here either, most of the Kangoos,s ive had have covered 200k no problems, still going strong. Vauxhalls however engines are not upto the job.

If funds allow something VW would be better still.

Saw a Vauxhall vivaro a couple of weeks back who came in asking about his steering. Jumped in and turned the wheel for one side of the van to.lift up, got under it and found the entire subframe mounts in the chassis ripped to pieces. Apparently something that has happened a couple of times with these. As previously stated, if I was in this predicament if have gone with either a vw or the smaller Merc if you can get a half decent one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To the OP,

I might have just the thing to suit dependant on the size & weight of your engine ?

It's a 2005 Transit Semi hi top (standing height) Minibus 3 seats upfront, 6 in rear arranged Face to face and a fair boot space behind.

 

It's got approx 120k on it and I've had it from 18000 miles, was used for school runs twice a day and airport runs, driven by myself only.

Depends on his license. I passed in 99 so I can't drive. Minibus. 8 seat max

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Depends on his license. I passed in 99 so I can't drive. Minibus. 8 seat max

I'm not completely au fait with the exact wordings but there is some examples where you can do so privately but (for example) not for hire or reward.

 

I can own/drive an 11 - 15 seat minibus privately eg I have an extended family, But when I had the taxi/ph business I could only drive an 8 seater for hire or reward, I can't get paid employment driving a vehicle with over 8 passenger seats unless I take another driving test.

 

Anyways, the vehicle I have could possibly be interest/use to the OP either with 9 seats configured as is or could easily be reconfigured to give 6 forward facing in two rows and a large load area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have u ever looked on the auto salvage auction site??

Not sure its correct name, i get in throu my local auto salvahge yard. Not sure the local yard down ur way but a real big 1 at winsford Motor transports, motor hog or charles trent have depots down south

 

The bigger vans are a bit dearer but the combo sized ans go for peanuts.

Not all vans are insuranc write off's some are just trade ins esp the older 1's and will be marked with a cat X.

Just be aware of the differences between cat C and D aswell thou.

Some definate bargins on there thou esp if u are a bit handy or just stick to body work damage

 

Otherwise go along to a car auction? I'd say a network rail van would be ideal as most have crew seats and nowadays are all limited so not been abused the way they used to (travelling to/from nightshifts at silly o'clock vans do get more abuse than normal)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks everyone for the advice, i think a VW or sprinter is a bit over budget for anything that hasn't got intergalactic mileage or an infestation of tin worm so looks between a transit or Iveco daily.

 

CAT D is fine, the insurance i would use is specialist policy linked to transporting steam engines and has very broad terms for a very reasonable set cost but with limited mileage etc which is more than enough for what i want.

 

TaxiDriver have sent you a PM.

 

As for driving minibus you do not need a PCV as long as not for hire or reward plus a few other stipulations however one of those stipulations is you cant tow a trailer, but i assume you can remove the seats and just send off to DVLA as a modification. The same as you can add seats to van and just inform the DVLA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks everyone for the advice, i think a VW or sprinter is a bit over budget for anything that hasn't got intergalactic mileage or an infestation of tin worm so looks between a transit or Iveco daily.

 

CAT D is fine, the insurance i would use is specialist policy linked to transporting steam engines and has very broad terms for a very reasonable set cost but with limited mileage etc which is more than enough for what i want.

 

TaxiDriver have sent you a PM.

 

As for driving minibus you do not need a PCV as long as not for hire or reward plus a few other stipulations however one of those stipulations is you cant tow a trailer, but i assume you can remove the seats and just send off to DVLA as a modification. The same as you can add seats to van and just inform the DVLA.

What about hire?? i have a t5 but need a crafter size quite often, i rent from my local VW van center as its just half a mile from me, cost about 100 quid for the weekend,bit more if you take all the insurances. When you consider the other costs with running a van i find it very reasonable. No insurance,service,tyre costs and a new low miler reliabilty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We had a standard size transit 59 plate that had 3 factory seats in the back (with ISO fix) that sat inside the slide door, both sides had windows and still had a pallet sized bulkheaded load bay - a smaller version of the type you see railway workers with.

I really enjoyed driving it and would often take it in preference to the cars, people couldn't understand it until they dove it.

 

Aside from the usual servicing and consumables we used it for years and 150k and if i recall it didnt miss a beat - it is how replaced by a Relay long wheelbase hi top that cant go anywhere due to the height and length, and also the handbrake is on the outside of the door so you catch your leg every time you get out - most annoying

 

If i could have bought it i would have done.

Edited by ph5172
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been frequently surprised how low van payloads are vs a decent trailer, or when towing full weight limits van payload markedly...

 

No idea what van will suit but look out for trouble if moving a decent amount of stuff plus such a toy and then towing.

 

If old enough not to need another licence would selling the trailer and caravan give enough for an old 7.5ton race truck?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The engine with other bits and bobs is around 1200kg and the caravan is 1750kg. Mosr vans I see have a train weight of around 5500kg so should be okay weight wise.

 

A recovery truck with a crew cab would be ideal as don't need Mot but I am limited by my standard car license for the weight (done my extra trailer test)

 

Hiring is not really an option as I couldn't justify the expense everytime and very few hire companies allow you to tow with their vans.

 

Once purchased a van should cost around £500 a year for tax, insurance and mot. Plus any additional parts.

Edited by ferguson_tom
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tom,

Are you sure about the recovery truck not needing MoT ?

 

When I was working as a Towie every truck my boss owned had yearly MoT right from the 3.5tonne upto the 12tonner

And the service vans and RDT unit.

 

Just read a bit more into and the rules are very strict on not needing an MOT so will have to MOT it for my uses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...