Which Van is best for an electrical contractor?

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Discuss Which Van is best for an electrical contractor? in the Business Related area at ElectriciansForums.net

Well Big n Daft has a point. Mine's had a DMF flywheel go ( apparently a common problem) , an EGR valve ( apparently a common problem) and the handle on the side door ( apparently a .......).

The DMF ( or Dual Mass Flywheel ) is not restricted to the Transit either as it's fitted to most of there diesel engines from the Fiesta up.

Having said, I still like it and it goes well.

Cheers,
Lofty.
 
A Dual Mass Flywheel is a way of extracting more cash out of any van owner.
Crafty buggers these van makers, Ford happen to be a bit craftier than the rest:smiley2:
 
True and they won't fit a 'standard' flywheel unless you sign away any warranty.
One good thing in their favour is that our main dealer (a) has the stock all the time and (b) does keep our 'down time' to a minimum. Not sure about other dealerships but our local Ford one runs a workshop overnight, so drop it off at 5pm (ish) and collect either later that night or at 7:30am.
 
Groan!! I'm also just in the middle of trying to decide what to get as next vehicle and now my thoughts are all over the place having read this thread!! Preferred choice is to a contract hire, and with a maintenance option (so no headaches) but does anyone have any experience of this?
 
All vans seem to come with some horror problem or other, was looking at getting vivaro then heard of the tales of fuel pumps dealers not been able to remove injector pipes and recomending owner buy new van!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! transits with rotting wheel arches. I keep looking on autotrader but just havent found that one that sticks out. Need somthing some as i feel im just running my mondao estate into the ground. And any resale value is going fast.
 
Hi, im looking for my first small van as im starting out! particularly like the vauxhall astra sportive CDTI as it looks smart and isnt a slug. bit worried about the practibility of them with no side door etc and how easy too rack out?.. has anybody had one? used one?
advice needed
cheers
 
i too bought an ex british gas transit connect , fantastic. dead locks, excellent racking although as someone else said can be a pain when you need to put loads of rubbish in or whatever.
 
my view is that for value , ford are the most robust and reliable. VW are more desirable and as a result more expensive. citroen and peugot should be avoided .
 
oh and one more thing, the ex bg transit connect has a 12v outlet in the racking in the back, so you can put a microwave/ kettle/ beer fridge in there lol
 
Gylesr said:
Hi, im looking for my first small van as im starting out! particularly like the vauxhall astra sportive CDTI as it looks smart and isnt a slug. bit worried about the practibility of them with no side door etc and how easy too rack out?.. has anybody had one? used one?
advice needed
cheers
Click to expand...

The Astravans are good vans, however I prefer the Combo as they have side doors, they do an SE version of the combos are nice. We have both and they are both good vans but I recommend going to the 1.7 engines rather as the 1.3 engines as when they are loaded up they aren't very quick.
 
olliep said:
The Astravans are good vans, however I prefer the Combo as they have side doors, they do an SE version of the combos are nice. We have both and they are both good vans but I recommend going to the 1.7 engines rather as the 1.3 engines as when they are loaded up they aren't very quick.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info will have a look at the combo
cheers Gyles
 
we have sprinters and transits 315 cdi,s a 140 lwb transit and the 200 bhp transit jumbo, all bought new, and pretty well looked and to be honest i would say we have had more issues with the transits, the 200bhp transit is just 2 years old and we guest its been of the road for 3 months in that timed with gearbox issues. the sprinters are good not to many issuses but oner critisism is the metallic paint is so thin any marks on it shows, its that bad the paint has worn through on the door seals on the front and am not kidding. back up wise merc would seem to be better, i think the ford transits seem to have that many variants that the parts avalibilty are a issue
 
I had a 206 van......i wouldn't recommend a 206 van...

My Subaru forester makes a good van....sort of, if they made a modern day Brat with the flat diesel I wouldn't be able to restrain my wallet :auto:
 
I have A transit 200ps 3.2l 5cylinder and it's far away from a tractor as you could get. Ford or Mercedes all the way .plus all those small vans everyones going on about surely you's can be carrying all the stuf you's need and that's why so many jobs are botched
 
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Had a X reg Toyota hi-ace great van couldn't break it, it went on and on and on, I just didn't like to look of it, then when I left that company (not for that reason ) and worked for another one I had two fiat doblos over the time they were great with twin sliding doors good fuel economy loved them but a bigger one would have been better too small I'm one of those sparks that carries every thing about so I don't have to keep running off to the whole saler. Now with my new company have 60 plate transit and its the best van I've had nice to drive looks good goes like a rocket highly recommend one of those!
 
Opinions, opinions... I recently spent ages looking for a second hand van, too many clocked, accident damaged turds out there. Everyone will tell you to buy German because they're well built, solid, blah blah blah, the best piece of propergander since the war. Why oh why would anyone pay through the nose for a second hand van just because its German??? They're ridiculously overpriced! The people starting the myth are the German manufacturers and everyone trying to keep up with the Jones wanting something German on the drive.
I would rather suck on an exhaust pipe until I choke on my own vomit that own any German vehicle of any sorts!!! And as for Ewan McGreggor and that bloody long winded way round, now we have loads of fat old men riding BMW bikes "because they're well built, solid, blah blah blah...
Think for yourself, and buy Japanese. The Germans will take over the world one day you know, one vehicle at a time, and you're all helping them...
Rant over.
P.S. I don't like German vehicles...
P.P.S Seriously I don't, you should see what happens when I meet one on the road.
 
If Skoda made vans I would be one of the first in the queue.

Would never have thought I'd be saying that 20 years ago...

Do you not like 'zee germans' then Drew? Or should that be 'Ze germans'??? :lol:
 
Who put Rover under and kept the iconic Mini?
Germans!
And people buy them???
Who sold Land Rover, leaving them in deep do do after using all their knowledge to create the X5?
Germans!
Who owns Rolls Royce now?
Germans!
Who owns Bentley?
Germans!
What do you become when you buy one?
GERMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
drew35 said:
Opinions, opinions... I recently spent ages looking for a second hand van, too many clocked, accident damaged turds out there. Everyone will tell you to buy German because they're well built, solid, blah blah blah, the best piece of propergander since the war. Why oh why would anyone pay through the nose for a second hand van just because its German??? They're ridiculously overpriced! The people starting the myth are the German manufacturers and everyone trying to keep up with the Jones wanting something German on the drive.
I would rather suck on an exhaust pipe until I choke on my own vomit that own any German vehicle of any sorts!!! And as for Ewan McGreggor and that bloody long winded way round, now we have loads of fat old men riding BMW bikes "because they're well built, solid, blah blah blah...
Think for yourself, and buy Japanese. The Germans will take over the world one day you know, one vehicle at a time, and you're all helping them...
Rant over.
P.S. I don't like German vehicles...
P.P.S Seriously I don't, you should see what happens when I meet one on the road.
Click to expand...

BMW were Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boarman second choice, KTM their first choice couldn't or wouldn't provide them with the bikes and back-up they required. Probably the worse marketing decision a motorcycle manufacturer has ever made, an own goal, gifting BMW huge sales for their trail/touring range.
 
If BMW made vans I'd have one in a shot :) unfortunately I dont think they want to devalue there brand by making commercial stuff :(
 
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Got an Escort van and very pleased with it.Good if you are at that end of the market and a DIY mechanic.Very easy to work on and change the timing belt or anything.Looking for another secondhand so I have one as a spare but I keep coming back to Escort or maybe Transit Connect.
 
you tried a transit? surely you'll be okay in one of them?

Im 6ft3, and i know thats abit off you - but ive found transits okay, with plenty of room, so i can imagine for the bigger fella they'll be okay? (dont quote me on this though)

....maybe wait for someone a little more helpful to reply :)
 
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im almost 6ft 3 and i have a vw caddy, find that fine.
apart from looking for a new van after going down A1 on my roof at 60mph just before xmas, it stood up to that well also .
D
 
Hi guys, had a bit if bad luck over christmas had my van broken into and had away with all my tools and test gear. I have a 60 plate ford transit and was wondering if anyone knows the best extra security (save sleeping in it with a shot gun!) so this doesn't happen again

Thanks

David
 
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