Perfect Van for Electricians

[Dan]

What's the perfect Van for Electricians? And what Van do you have? If you have them, please attach pictures to your reply. We loooooove the pics!

 

[Gravid]

NOT an escort, bloody sick of rauming over everything to get to the back !!

 

[montybaber]

My van is actually a dog van but I do use it for work also when im stuck

loads of pics and info on my mods here The van page » Lealemont Saint Bernards - Our site dedicated to Saints

Have to say its been good to me and would recommend transits to anyone although a few patches of rust are now visable (its an 05)

 

[Dave]

Thas a really COOL set up for the dogs....

 

[danzor]

I got the new style Astra Van, its a nice looking van but as Gravid said its a pain in the arse stretching over everything to get to something you need. I like the new Caddy van

 

[flukey]

bought a new transit middle of 07 and it spent more time with fords than me in its first 6 months.

my 04 connect has been ultra reliable though and i would recommend to anyone (as long as its the lwb model)

 

[Ridgey88]

I have got the new caddy van and wouldn't reccomens it to anyone ! Never driven such a thirsty van in my life ! You could run a much much larger van alot cheaper !

When I was looking it was between the new astra and the caddy and I wish I went with the astra and will be the next van for sure.... In silver

Plus points for the caddy..... Well the side door is handy, and they are well built and reliable ! Thing is I got the caddy thinking it was bigger than the astra but really it's not it's actually shorter but it is taller which I don't need and the only benefit is not reaching to the back as you have the side door.

Sorry for no pics !

 

[flukey]

update

fourth turbo is now needed on my new transit. bought in may 07 and covered just 55k miles

that equates to a new turbo every 6.5 months or 13750 miles

best sell it on before the warranty runs out

 

[chocolate]

Has anyone got the Mercedes VITO or the VW Transporter. Got to get a van soon . . . seen loads around - but are they all London rejects due to the new EMMISIONS law in place there ?????

 

[Spudnik]

If you are just starting out, you maybe better off getting a newer, smaller van, rather than an older, bigger van.

My list of vans so far, in order

Astravan Mk2 1.6

Astravan Mk3 1.7D

Citroen Berlingo 1.9TD

Vauxhall Vivaro 1.9

Vauxhall vivaro 1.9 Sportive

Now - Astravan Sportive SE

See the pattern?

 

[chocolate]

But Vauxhall VIVARO and Ranualt and Nissan . . . are all the same. Same body and everything. I hear bad things about them. Arghhhh.

 

[Mac]

Definitely can't go wrong with a Ford Connect

 

[jbec-john]

I once had a Berlingo, which was ok, but after an hour or so I got terrible knee pain because of the cramped leg space. It also had several electrical problems, and the inner plastic arches fell off every time I went through a puddle. I then had a renault traffic which was a much better driving position, but that too had electrical problems, and the engine had no power till 2000 rpm, then it ran out of steam at 3800 rpm. Roundabouts or junctions in the wet were terrible, because under 2000rpm it bogged down leaving you stranded in the middle of the road waiting for the turbo to wake up, and over 2000rpm the wheels spun.
When I started working for myself I bought a cheap sprinter to get me going until I had some spare cash. the plan was to get a new van when it started costing me money. 3 years later it's still going at 247,000 miles.
I'm really tempted by a new or nearly new Vito, although a mechanic has recently told me I'd be better off keeping the sprinter because it'll be more reliable so now I'm not so sure

 

[roukel01]

We have a Vivaro, got it new in 2004 and up until now we've never had any trouble with it, having said that, its just had a new fuel pump. Great van, nice drive much better than the transit I think. the 6 speed gearbox makes it a pleasure on motorways.

 

[hasel5]

vw transporter 130 bhp and chipped awesome bit of kit 50000 miles and just basic servce costs

 

[olliep]

Depends what and how much you carry, weather you want to tow, ect. We have Astras, Combos and Vivaros but the best all rounders and my favorite vans are the Combos.

 

[telectrix]

Can anyone help, I have just done a rewire on a house that has been completley refurbished and the homeowner has decided to put the old boiler (Glow worm) back into service and wants a s plan. I dont normally get involved with boilers and there is no wiring diagram for the boiler. There is 2 flex cables coming from the boiler, one has the usual Cpc, Live and neutral. the other is a 5 core flex and without the wiring diagram that came with the boiler, i need to know what each core serves

Tj

your post would be better in the central heating forum. if you pm dan or jason, they will move it for you.

 

[Guest123]

your post would be better in the central heating forum. if you pm dan or jason, they will move it for you.

New thread created in 'Central Heating Systems'.

 

[Jel]

VW caddy maxi, we have 2 and they are perfect!

 

[Knobhead]

My van is actually a dog van but I do use it for work also when im stuck

loads of pics and info on my mods here The van page » Lealemont Saint Bernards - Our site dedicated to Saints

Have to say its been good to me and would recommend transits to anyone although a few patches of rust are now visable (its an 05)

That’s impressive!

 

[Bubblecraft]

I drive a 2007 Mk 7 Ford Transit T350 115ps Jumbo LX. Heavily kitted with all the LX mod cons including heated windscreen, fog lights, auto lights & wipers, 6 speed gear box etc. Clifford alarm fitted & additional locks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ6vxe9iNmI
I have the OS fully racked including 2 custom crates built for my huskies & an internal glaziers frail on the near side & a large echo chamber at the front behind the cab.

It's a great van. Maybe a bit big for just a sparky but being a spark, joiner, plumber, tiler, decorator, roofer, bricky etc, it's ideal for me!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Couple a' Tools

 

[Knobhead]

OK this is the industrial side of it. I used a Transit flat back for 12 years and before that Land Rover 110’s. You’d be amazed at the amount of junk we could accumulate in the back.

Just wish I’d got pictures of the 5 X 2.5M steel shed balanced on the back of the transit, it over hung a bit. (A lot). A FLT had to follow me to lift the arse end up every time it over balanced. Steering was a bit precarious.

 

[Dave 85]

I use a Vivaro and find it the perfect size with shelves in the back. I'd never buy anything smaller.
Worst van: citreon Dispatch (my last van) rubbish

 

[brooky25]

Vw Transporter t5 104bhp but been remapped. Had transits,vivaros,connects,astras's nothing like a vw. Next step some 20" range rover stormer wheels

 

[Fin170]

^Suppose they might see some dirt if they're on a van

 

[liddley]

Vauxhall vivaro van every time, make sure it has the 6-speed cog swapper not the 5 ,and its availaible with twin side loading doors so you can route out your gear from both sides.!

 

[brooky25]

Must look respectable when turning up to customers properties. Used to have a fiesta courier that didn't look too good on folks drives and they were not impressed with the oil leaks lol

 

[GLENNSPARK]

i`m sure that many people will laugh at this but i`v been looking at second hand LDV 200 pilots....not fast but the 1.9 peugeot diesel just keeps going....lots of em cheap and the insurance for em isn`t too bad......dont rust like a transit either.......

 

[brooky25]

I would seriously consider another van. There's a reason why ldv's are so cheap and dont hold their price. They do drop to bits, transit would be a lot better

 

[telectrix]

there is no such animal as a perfect van.

 

[DurhamSparky]

Pug Expert 2009 model..

seems ok to me at present and i thrash it every where!! my berlingo 2006 model died after i recreated a scene from titanic when i went down a farm road and ended up knee deep in water with ice bergs floating past me...!! (january 2011) just after the really bad snow and ice lol...!

luckily i drove outteh other side but within 2 weeks it cost me just shy of 1k in repairs!! gulp..!

 

[telectrix]

once a submariner, always a submariner. LOL.

 

[1shortcircuit]

I've just replaced my 1999 Smiley transit for a 2003 Fiat Ducato 2.0litre JTD and I'm loving it, the drive is awesome and talk about storage space. Also, being on the shorter side I can very nearly stand up fully in the back lol

The only downfall is parking it in places. Due to it being wider than a car when reverse parking it you lose sight of the vehicle behind. Until I purchase some reverse sensors I'm just going to have to wait for the "Nudge" to let me know that I'm too close lol

I'll post up some pictures once I've taken some:thumbsup

 

[DurhamSparky]

yeah i used the nudge trick in my new van as well...!! nudged a nissan micra at 5mph!! no damage to me but massive dent in door of micra...!! unfortunately it was dark and the street was too packed with cars to park up and tell some body!! oh well... unsign written van as well at time..!! lol

 

[euron]

Vauxhaull Combo is ideal for inspection and smaller jobs. A side door is a must. It's not to high either if your of the vertically challenged type.

 

[brooky25]

Its just cost me £120 for one of those little nudges at xmas. Police went into wholesalers with my reg number looking for van. Apparently someone drove past and saw me reverse into a punto. No damage to van and didn't know id done it.

 

[1shortcircuit]

But that's why they're called BUMPERS and RUB strips isn't it lol

Actually, I DON'T use this method at all... Unless I'm parking outside my own house and it's my Wife's car that I'm reversing up to

:thumbsup

 

[Bubblecraft]

That's exactly why I have 2 different reversing cameras. Makes a difference when your trying to park a Jumbo in a tight space

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ6vxe9iNmI