Saw this van today, caught my eye as it was very clean and seemed good value but vans not my area of expertise and I know nothing of Transits!
Van in question is a 2004 SWB tdi 85 1998cc with 56k and full history being sold by a reputable family dealer I fully trust.
I spoke to the salesman who said it did need some prep before sale and looking round it, there were some rust spots here and there, but few vans this age dont have them due to the low paint standards for these work vehicles.
The price is just under £4.5k inc VAT which sounded quite cheap but is it really?
Im half tempted if only because insurance would rise only £5 a month over my Charade and road tax £15 a month. Any ideas what sort of economy they give and what the servicing costs/requirements are? And most importantly, how reliable are they?
Thanks in advance, Im hoping someone talks me out of it conclusively!
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Didn't you downsize from a smaller than Tranny size van to aid economies Stu?
It all depends on how much carrying volume you need, the small cars' capacity must be a heck of a squeeze for your work, but going up to Tranny size is a big step, are you going to carry water, genny and pressure washer in order to be fully site mobile?
Obviously a van of that size is going to drink fuel compared to your present transport, could you maybe manage with a smaller Berlingo size van instead which would probably cost only slightly more to run than your car.
I'd expect anything from 25 to 35mpg from a full size van for general running about, maybe 40 on a run driven very gently.
Noise is the biggest factor against a Transit, the engine noise is horrible, wake the dead.
Now bear with me, if you check on the DVLA website i seem to remember that early euro4 diesel commercials had a special VED rate of something like £110 compared to the present £185/190.
That didn't apply to our Sept 07 pick up, the cut off point finished some 8 or 12 months earlier, but may be worth investigating the present policy re those vehicles.
Just a thought, if you need a bigger vehicle anyway, could you get a MPV with removable seats that you could reseat for going away with the family.
Another thought, if you need occasional increased capacity for work use would a compact trailer be more useful and keep your costs reasonable.
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Of the hire van's I work on, the Transit is the best. Be aware though, that the surface rust you see is also eating away underneath, at load bearing bit's. I'm not saying that the things rust away in no time, but they don't have the level of protection as say, a VW.
Being FWD (the bigger one's are RWD) there isn't much to go wrong at the back end, and the rear drum brakes seem to last forever. Front disc brakes and wheel bearings are not so long lived though, and they can be a real pain to renew. (The wheel bearing has to be removed to replace a disc). Engine wise, few problems, although I would avoid one with a noisy timing chain at a cold start. Some are noisy - some aren't, and I'd rather have a quiet one. Clutches last well, but the DMF flywheel can fail prematurely. (not often though). Door locks, hinges and so on last well, but the sliding door bearings fail regularly.
Overall though, the Tranny beats the opposition in every area.
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Thanks for the info, Im tempted, but not so much that I will put any money down. Sometimes its best to look the other way!
Having mused round a few dealers today, they are holding very low stock levels compared to before christmas.
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>>Im half tempted if only because insurance would rise only £5 a month over my
>>Charade and road tax £15 a month.
Yeah right. And you bought your Charade, what, 3? 6? months ago (no idea, but you're always swapping cars). And you're looking at buying from a dealer whose profit margin will be, what, £500? £1,000?
Changing cars = pouring money down drains.
You're always banging on about changing your car in order to save £1.50 per month on washer fluid, or something, yet are quite happy to spend a fortune on changing the car.
Bonkers, Stu. A little like Rattle, I find it somewhat difficult to believe that you really exist. Surely people don't really change their cars that often - I thought you had a Legacy, anyway, as your grandmother had bought it for you (but you were buying a bicycle rather than petrol). I get confused...
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Oh grow up MM, it was a passing thought that has been put to rest.
Ive never owned a Legacy either, do you just make it up as you go along? You dont like me, I get that, but dont resort to being childish. Ive had my Charade TEN months, so put that on your calender next time you want to moan about how long ive had a car!
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Indeed - and move on MM
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My apologies if it came over thus, which was not intended; I don't not like you, I am just completely bemused. (It was a Forester that you had, not a Legacy, sorry, but not really very different.) Changing cars is an expensive business, don't do it. You perpetually are skint, your business is struggling (though it may have picked up again), you are planning on having a family, your "misses" (who is the breadwinner) will not work whilst pregnant owing to a heart condition... yet you even consider giving a dealer a load of extra profit by trading in your most recent purchase for that child-friendly car the Transit!
Stunorthants: 23 May 2008 22:35>>Well I think my odd car buying has been done to
>>death in the BR, I dont think even I want to discuss it...
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=63463&...f
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Im not going to, it was a flight of fancy. The misses has promised me that I can buy a brand new van in 3 years time but I have to wait till then! :-)
Maybe you didnt read my thread about car valeting in the current economic climate if you think my business is struggling :-)
Touch wood, but this March is looking to be the strongest in 5 years, the phone is ringing off the hook. Im booked two weeks in advance at the moment which is almost unheard of. So far, recession is working for me but of course time will tell. Make hay while sun shines and all that.
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GBs suggestion of a trailer, maybe an enclosed one, sounds like a bit of a plan ?
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Delighted to hear business is going well, Stu. It's possible to prosper in a recession but you have to work hard and have something to offer that customers want. Clearly you have. When I visit my firm's Northampton office I must book you to minister to my valiant but well-travelled Golf V estate (30k miles in just over 18 months).
I think you're right not to go for the Transit - you might be lucky or it could be a heap of trouble. And if your equipment fits in the Charade presumably there would be much more space than you need in a Transit. Trailer option well worth a look I'd say.
If I were you I'd stick with the Charade for now and save up for a diesel Octavia estate for when your business is really taking off.
PS - can I suggest you put your E-mail address in your profile - it might get you some more business, including mine!
Edited by Avant on 16/03/2009 at 23:50
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I think the key to prospering is very much related to minimal overheads as it allows you to survive when others with big loans and such fall.
Over the last 7 years ive slowly whittled down these in every area, seeing where cuts can be made and also turning away business that doesnt actually make profit, such as motor trade work ( traders are demanding, bargin hunting and always waste alot of your time ).
I slashed my turnover by 1/3 but I still make the same profit, so it frees up more time to make more money.
Im also very lucky that I have fairly flexible customers who know when Im likely to be available and so dont try booking me when they know very well I couldnt do so.
I consider several of them friends now as I know them so very well, many have been with me since my first year of business. Ive become a big advocate of giving the most flexible customer based service as it has afforded me a great customer base that is loyal and regular - far easier than begging for new business with big advertising campaigns.
I know I might come across as a bit of an abrasive so and so on here, but I 100% believe in doing whats right for my customers as a business, so I treat them as I would like to be treated - I do my best to be the one-man-band Lexus of the valeting world. I can try anyway!
To be honest, the Charade has been such a work tool and has gone way beyond what it was ever designed for, I dont think I could really part with it. Economy has jumped from winter figures of 54 mpg back up to 62 for the last tank so Im well pleased.
I think the drop links have suffered at the hands of the terrible rutted roads recently though after the snow so MOT wont be plain sailing, but ive got 14k out of it with minimal expenditure.
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The keyword you didn't use though is cash-flow. Businesses can have big turnover but have no money to service bills etc.
Glad you're still doing well. When I saw you were thinking of a Transit (even one of those smaller Connect types which isn't a Transit) I thought why? He's been managing with the Charade until now.
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Cash-flow isnt really a problem. I absolutely dont do credit - no money no valet. Let me do a valet then turn round and say cant find any, will be last time I pick up a sponge for them - that was one of several reasons I ditched motor traders.
I was speaking to my valeting chemicals supplier today and they said they had 2-3 customers going under a week, usually big outfits. That works for me just fine.
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Cashflow isn't really an issue for a one-man-band window cleaner though, rtj. No equipment or stock worth speaking of to fund. The only value in the business is the time spent by stu.
Doesn't washing up liquid/meths do as good a job as most of those expensive chemicals? They're surely just an anionic surfactant, or alcohol.
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Better ask a window cleaner.
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