what van/vehicle?

[lish70]

I agree prob a perfect vehicle, but like I said ealier I would prefer to keep my girlfriend. Thanks all the same :O)

 

[Admin]

Moved to more suitable forum - business related

 

[accordfire]

Hi all, can anyone please recommend what type of vehicle I should go for. I'm leaving the RAF after 23yrs to start as a self employed electrician. I currently drive a (don't laugh) Vectra Hatchback and know this will not serve as a suitable platform for long. Not wanting to run a car (private) and a van (for work) i'm looking for something that would do the job of both. Any suggestions from practicing self employed electricians who know how much space I need would be brill.
Many thanks

Back seats should fold down nearly flat on a Vectra........roof rack for steps, ladders, etc. Front passenger seat for "office"/girlfriend transportation....... Not sure there's an issue here.

Seriously, though - it depends what you want, and what you can afford.

We spent a load of time looking at vehicles, so much so that ten months later, I'm still driving an Avis long term hire vehicle - though that's through time, rather than choice. We put our guys in VW Golf estates in the end, for a number of reasons - they're the 1.6D SE version with Bluemotion. Ton of room, dead economical, decent turn of speed, lots of toys, uber cheap road tax, uber cheap company car tax.

For me, I need a vehicle that can multi-task in a way nothing I've seen does yet. I need seven seats, sometimes, acreage mostly, every conceivable toy to while away the boredom on the M-whatever, bluetooth built in is beyond essential, since it's all I do in the car these days (radio is a waste of time), and it shoulld have an F1 engine in it, with the economy of a Sincalir C5.

I've looked, and looked, and looked. Every time I think I've got a choice, the playing field changes for some reason.

I've looked at all the people carriers, keep coming back to the S-Max or Galaxy, looked very long at (don't laugh) the Skoda Superb Estate Elegance 170TD (633 litres of boot space seats up!!!!!), Audi engine, ALL the toys, not to be knocked! But only five seats. Looked at a Dodge Journey, and figured I could build better with mecanno. Looked at the Chrysler Grand Voyager, and didn't like. Looked at SUVs like the Santa Fe (Hyundai) or Sorrento (Kia) - as being more affordable than an X5 or a Q7.

Come to the conclusion that they just don't build vehicles that actually work for today's working people with more than three kids. As with another poster, I looked at the Vito Duoliner, but I just couldn't warm to it - though I did like the look of the sport van they do. Even looked at Transits!

I do know this. You get more in the back of a Focus estate than you can in a Peugeot 407 estate! 100 litres difference is huge in terms of getting that last bit of kit in or not.

I think, depending on where you're going to work, and the security of your location at night, you could do worse than look for a decent people carrier type vehicle like a Zafira, or a Touran, which will give you the flexibility of both van and car. You gain a bucket load of space not using the two most rear seats, still have five, and can take those out if you need more, often one at a time too.

 

[lish70]

Starting to get how this thing works, overwhelmed with the amazing response to such a trivial question but glad to become part of the family.
GStueyXR can a bit of bent tin really make you feel so good?
Sparky1502. Berlingo by the sounds of things would be ideal, However i did mention earlier I have a girlfriend I wish to keep )
merlinradioltd: Sorry but capable as I am at motor mechanics I gotta go new as after such a hard day in the land of being an electrician the last thing i'd need to be doing is jacking up an old ford trying to repair it for a fiver (esp when I could be earning £** an hour being a leccy) and if Mark_burgess sells me his van I'll be visiting your neck of the woods with girl and dogs in tow. Not sure where it is but sounds like a great escape.
Many thanks to you all for all your kind and helpfull suggestions and glad to feel part of the family so soon. If i've missed anyone out i appologise and i'll try to make comment soon but i'm typing with one eye and i gotta play golf in 6 hrs (another fiver gone).
Cheers
accordfire(bill) thanks for the hangover !!! I though I was all sorted until you came along. At first I was unsure....so you're telling me I need nothing bigger than the Vectra I already have? Does this mean I'm back to square one? lol The one i'd love to do the job is the new KIA(dog eating)Sportage (no morals I know) but didn't think it would have enough space in the back as items/tools accumulated. it's now 02:13 and I need to lie down, back soon.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I agree prob a perfect vehicle, but like I said ealier I would prefer to keep my girlfriend. Thanks all the same :O)

If you want to keep girlfriend, then make sure whatever van you get has a soild fixed steel bulkhead, it keeps the crap out of the cab and the heat in, or she will not be impressed when you hit the brakes and she gets a 3m length of trunking in her neck or worse it damages the hairdo whilst she sits freezing her wotsits off

Cheers.........Howard

PS good luck in your venture, I am also ex RAF, ATechE, then civvy B2 Avionics eng.
PPS I have read some more of your posts, and you play golf, NICE, get up signed using the link at the bottom of my post

 

[J@mes]

what is your budget? what about a discovery commercial?

Loads of room in the back, normal car up front, great for dogs and camping!



poor on fuel (30mpg) but good on parts prices and don't ruse like the older ones do!

 

[topdjmatttolley]

ghet a good old transit van

 

[lish70]

Thanks again for tips and advice, think i'm still leaning towards the VW transporter but still need to eye up the Vito on Monday. Will definately get the steel bulkhead and prob glue some noise reduction foam or carpet to it. Disco commercials are great but way way out of my budget (maybe when start getting £200 a day i'll look into it lol) I know transits are like faithful old labradors but purely on resale value surfer dudes prefer the Transporter.

 

[lish70]

I wouldn't mind the Nissan Pathfinder with the rear being paneled for security but like the Disco a little too hot for my budget.

 

[telectrix]

what is your budget? what about a discovery commercial?

Loads of room in the back, normal car up front, great for dogs and camping!

View attachment 2727

poor on fuel (30mpg) but good on parts prices and don't ruse like the older ones do!

ok if you want to be working out of a cortesy car most weeks while it's in for repairs. if you want 4x4 go for a Jeep Cherokee

 

[J@mes]

older disco commercials can be had from £1500

I looked at the Pathfinder when looking for a new car, but the disco 3 beat it in just about every category other than price and reliability! doh!

 

[J@mes]

ok if you want to be working out of a cortesy car most weeks while it's in for repairs. if you want 4x4 go for a Jeep Cherokee

drivel, I owned a 300TDi for 2 years and all it needed was a £35 ignition barrel.

 

[lish70]

Ref golf, I narrowly avoided defeat by a dog licence this morning. Not surprising after 4.5hrs kip and a killer hangover. The charity golf sounds a great idea, I usually play in a couple each year. My only fear is Leeds may be a little too far for me but never say never.

 

[lish70]

mmmmm food for thought. Would I be guessing right that i'd struggle for space in either a Kia Sportage or Hyundai Tuscon?

 

[J@mes]

I don't think they really have any more space/ use than an estate car to be honest. Only reason I mention the Discovery commercials is because they have blanked our rear windows for security, come with bulkheads fitted for your safety and obviously look like and drive like a normal discovery.

Yes they rust if you get a bad one but they hold their value well and are very useable for what you want - car, van, camping wagon, dog carrier.

I used mine as all 4 when I had it!

 

[lish70]

The disco would be perfect like the Pathfider commercial but stepping up to either of these would I fear stretch the budget in respect to tax, fuel and initial layout a little too far.

 

[accordfire]

mmmmm food for thought. Would I be guessing right that i'd struggle for space in either a Kia Sportage or Hyundai Tuscon?

Hyundai Santa Fe
Luggage capacity SAE (litres) - seats up (3rd row seats down) 969
Luggage capacity SAE (litres) - seats down 2,247

Kia Sportage
Luggage Capacity Litres (Seats in Position) 564
Luggage Capacity Litres (Seats Folded) 1,353

Kia Sorento
Luggage Capacity - Seats in Position (litres) 531 (5 Seat) 111 (7 Seat)
Luggage Capacity - Seats Folded (litres) 1546 (5 Seat) 1525 (7 seat)


The Hyundai Tuscon isn't made any longer. Nearest seems to be the Hyundai iX35

Luggage capacity SAE (litres) - seats up 591
Luggage capacity SAE (litres) - seats down 1,436

To give you an idea of broad comparison, a latest generation Ford Mondeo Estate has 530 litres of space with the rear seats in place. Skoda Superb Estate has 633 litres.

 

[accordfire]

The disco would be perfect like the Pathfider commercial but stepping up to either of these would I fear stretch the budget in respect to tax, fuel and initial layout a little too far.

Consider contract hire perhaps?

Somewhere like:

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts

You can float around, choose cars or vans, and customise a quote for mileage, service, options on most of their motors - think they can do nearly new too. They're pretty helpful, and they'll do personal as well as business.

 

[Guest123]

What about a double cab pick up???

 

[J@mes]

^^ good shout, Mitsubishi L200's can be had for £2000 now, but again the fuel consumption is not great but it does do everything you need - car, van, dog lugger and camping!