Choosing a vehicle for newbies

[teddyng]

Hello all,

I hope someone can help me out, I only work part time domestic (as a sole trader not ltd) as I have a full time office job as an electrical engineer.

At the moment, I just use my personal car (VW Polo), roof bar and sometimes a trailer (no hard top, just a waterproof cover) as I only work for people I know already (who are property developers) so they don't mind what I drive in.

I am looking to get a van (or a bigger car or track), I am not too sure about insurance, can someone explain about private vans and commercial vans, as I was reading there's different between the speed limit (commercial plated is 60 on motorway and have a speed limiter) and different insurance.

I am 24 so commercial insurance is quite expensive (~£1.8-2k), can you change a van plating type as I think a normal 'private car' with social+business insurance (like what I have on my personal car) would be cheaper. Or alternatively I am thinking about buying something like a Tourneo Custom instead of a Transit Custom which have the same chassis but different plating I guess as Tourneo is non commercial. (Ignoring the vehicle price, this is just an example). Or even like a pickup (is Toyota Hilux).

 

[telectrix]

van speed limits are:
70 on a motorway.
60 on a dual carriageway where the normal limit (for cars) may be 70.
50 on a single carriageway where the normal limit (for cars) is 60'

you can get good deals on van insurance , try compare the meerkat.

as to type of van, for small van, a VX Combo. maybe ex-BT as you can buy then racked out. for a medium van, Toyota Hiace. bombproof. mine is '04, 215000 miles, in 6 years of ownership, it's cost me 4 tyres, 1 battery, and a set of front pads. you can pick up a decent (pre 2012) Hiace for s couple of grand.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Have you considered an estate car, the BMW 5 series and Mercedes are massive inside with the seats folded down, cheaper insurance and no commercial speed restrictions, a little less convenient as you can't walk around inside them, but will have side doors on both sides.

 

[telectrix]

BMW, Mercedes??? he's an electrician, not a hedge fund robber manager.

 

[Mike Johnson]

The reason for suggesting BMW or Mercedes is their load capacity it bigger than most other Estate cars, but Ford or Vauxhall make smaller versions which may work, may be less expensive to run as well, but not as long lasting or as comfortable.

 

[Dustydazzler]

The wet pants who came the other week to service and repair the next door neighbours heating turned up in a new one of these ...

Porsche Cayenne model overview - Porsche Great Britain

The Cayenne models. Drive a Sports Cars for the whole family. Including luggage. An overview of all model variants and equipment details.

www.porsche.com

I kid you not , it was black with a personalised number player

 

[James]

The wet pants who came the other week to service and repair the next door neighbours heating turned up in a new one of these ...

Porsche Cayenne model overview - Porsche Great Britain

The Cayenne models. Drive a Sports Cars for the whole family. Including luggage. An overview of all model variants and equipment details.

www.porsche.com

I kid you not , it was black with a personalised number player

If you are good at what you do and want to keep customers and recommendations flowing.

Turn up in a van,
no need to rub your customers nose in it when they may be spending next weeks mortgage payment on an unexpected emergency repair that they simply can’t afford.

I have no issues with people doing well for themselves, infact hard work and success should be applauded.

Some of the best engineers I have worked with and I respect, turn up onsite in there van put on the boiler suit and boots. They do a good job and go home.
Only after a number of years do you find out they live in a huge house with a Porsche for the weekend.

 

[telectrix]

looks like it's time to unwrap uncle's mercedes then?


just can't see ladders on top of it.

 

[DPG]

If you are good at what you do and want to keep customers and recommendations flowing.

Turn up in a van,
no need to rub your customers nose in it when they may be spending next weeks mortgage payment on an unexpected emergency repair that they simply can’t afford.

I have no issues with people doing well for themselves, infact hard work and success should be applauded.

Some of the best engineers I have worked with and I respect, turn up onsite in there van put on the boiler suit and boots. They do a good job and go home.
Only after a number of years do you find out they live in a huge house with a Porsche for the weekend.

Agree.

People with class often don't shout about their possessions.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Agree.

People with class often don't shout about their possessions.

My brother has his own painting and decorating business & does loads of work for a guy in Surrey who owns about 100 properties.
If you met this guy in the street you wouldn’t think he had two pennies to rub together.
He made his millions in the stock market in the 80s and 90s, then ploughed it all into buy to let around Surrey.

That’s the difference between old money & new money ?

New money like to show it off , old money just go about their business under the radar

 

[teddyng]

you can get good deals on van insurance , try compare the meerkat.

£1800 is from compared the market already, they hate everyone under 25. I was looking at ex-BT and ex-Sky vans, seem to be quite good with all the racking in already. Probably need to wait until I am 25 to drop the insurance price.

Have you considered an estate car, the BMW 5 series and Mercedes are massive inside with the seats folded down, cheaper insurance and no commercial speed restrictions, a little less convenient as you can't walk around inside them, but will have side doors on both sides.

I haven't considered an estate car, I think it will be too small for me, but I am thinking about a 'car' due to the benefits and how expensive the insurance is for a van.

I personally don't care too much about image or advertising as due to my full time job, I won't have time to pick up those jobs anyway. Property development jobs are good because they normally give me a few weeks or months so I can go in evening or weekend when I am free, I take leave from work for bigger jobs like rewire which are quite rare. However working from my tiny car is an absolute pain so I need to find something bigger.

 

[telectrix]

this is what you need then. bombproof and cheap to insure.