First van

[hotrod]

Looking about for a second hand van in good condition that I can use for my new career, have seen quite a few Citroen belingos and Renault kangoos at a good price with reasonable mileage, are these likely to be suitable or a little on the small side, obviously starting out want to keep running costs to a minimum as I know it's going to be hard going but equally don't want to buy something and need to replace in 12 months if I can avoid it. Would be interested in people's thoughts on their suitability
thanks
rod

 

[charlie1]

Small van will be fine if you won't be carrying 8x4's or loads of tiles, if its just your tools then you will be ok, hey, I could get away with using a car for most of my jobs!

 

[DGJ]

Will you just be tiling or are you Multi skilled and will look to do bathroom refurbs etc?If so then I would look for a van a little larger, you don't want to turn work away in future because the job is to big????


Edit- when I say "only tiling" that's not meant to offend any one as tiling is a damn hard trade and can make or break the finish, just meant if your going to be a multi treadesman a bigger van might be more adequate

 

[RDTiling]

I'm facing a similar situation myself hotrod, as the van is probably the most expensive 'tool' I need to buy, and want to make sure I get it right, so that it lasts me at least a couple of years until I get the business established.

I'm drawn towards a kangoo, berlingo or possibly an Astra van, but not many going at the moment at a reasonable price with a good mileage.

 

[Ian]

I had an Astravan for the first 3 years when I went self employed, it did the job but, I'd recommend something with a side sliding door, the area at the back of an Astravan is essentially dead space as you have to empty the back to get to it.

 

[hotrod]

Will you just be tiling or are you Multi skilled and will look to do bathroom refurbs etc?If so then I would look for a van a little larger, you don't want to turn work away in future because the job is to big????


Edit- when I say "only tiling" that's not meant to offend any one as tiling is a damn hard trade and can make or break the finish, just meant if your going to be a multi treadesman a bigger van might be more adequate

I'm planning on principley tiling but do have a couple of jobs lined up for the autumn fitting a couple of bathrooms and kitchens for friends so a bigger van would be easier then I can hire a transit for £30 a day though so my train of thought was if I needed to do that half a dozen times in a year that would cost less than the extra insurance tax and diesel on a larger van, i do really like the look of the swb vivaro but every time I see one it's done 150k plus, just waiting now to find out when I can hand back in my company lease car then will have to get something sharpish

 

[hotrod]

I'm facing a similar situation myself hotrod, as the van is probably the most expensive 'tool' I need to buy, and want to make sure I get it right, so that it lasts me at least a couple of years until I get the business established.

I'm drawn towards a kangoo, berlingo or possibly an Astra van, but not many going at the moment at a reasonable price with a good mileage.

Theres a belingo near me 7 yrs old 80k very clean and tidy fully ply lined only had 2 owners and is up for £1750 ? Does that sound reasonable ? I had budgeted 3k for a van to start up but obviously the more I can save the better

 

[DGJ]

Love the Vivaro it's great van

I see your train of thought and what ever decision you make if your anything like me you'll be damned if you do and damned if you don't :lol:

Personally I'd say a larger van ( not to big ) as hopefully it would pay for it self in the long run????????

Good luck anyway

 

[Ian]

If you can stretch to something Transit/Vivaro sized, get one. I can't begin to tell you the amount of times I had to go to a job, empty all my tools, then go back and collect tiles, then go back to the job (when I had my Astra). So much wasted time and diesel.

 

[hotrod]

Thanks guys makes sense I guess maybe I'll hang out for a swb transit or vivaro suppose they won't be that much more to insure , run etc and don't want to be in a position of having to do multiple runs if not necessary, I'm sure there must be some out there that haven't yet clocked up 230k !

 

[Andy Allen]

no mater what size van you get you will allways fill it .....I couldn't cope with a small van, I like to have all my tools with me as you never know when your going to need that one thing you left behind cause it wouldn't fit in the van...

 

[WR Landscaping]

Get the biggest van you can afford as there never big enough. Whatever you want look into it online first as there are lots of hidden faults with vehicles which you either can find out the hard way or by looking on owners forums.

For example transits with 2.0ltr diesels with the turbo have fuel pump failure which can be £1000 and also have dual mass flywheels which are about the same to replace.

Vauxhall combos have the same clutch issue and also a fuel pump issue.

Would go with a kangoo out of the smaller vans but big van would be an iveco.

 

[Stef]

I started with an Astra van (wrote it off) bought another one had it just under 2 years & traded it in for my current van, primastar swb.
The only problem you will have with a swb is that an 8x4 sheet won't fit straight in, it will have to go in at an angle.

 

[Andy Tiler]

I've managed with this for 40 years!!
Lmao..... It does me!

 

[Andy Allen]

do you really use that as your every day van Andy..

 

[Andy Tiler]

do you really use that as your every day van Andy..

Yep it's like drivin a go kart! Very basic!!
But it does me! Lol

 

[RDTiling]

Theres a belingo near me 7 yrs old 80k very clean and tidy fully ply lined only had 2 owners and is up for £1750 ? Does that sound reasonable ? I had budgeted 3k for a van to start up but obviously the more I can save the better

That does sound reasonable (to me anyway) particularly for a reasonably low mileage.

i have budgeted for around £3K also, but anything under that for something decent is a bonus.

 

[happy dave]

Do you actually need a van?....concerned about image but wouldn't an old car do like so many painters and decorators do.....not sure what the customer would think though but would save a lot of expense when setting up initially

 

[DGJ]

IMO in this day and age a car is a no go, think of first impressions. I know if I was having work done and some one turned up in a banged up estate alarm bells would start ringing, or is that just me?

 

[White Room]

IMO in this day and age a car is a no go, think of first impressions. I know if I was having work done and some one turned up in a banged up estate alarm bells would start ringing, or is that just me?

Tend to agree.....

 

[hotrod]

IMO in this day and age a car is a no go, think of first impressions. I know if I was having work done and some one turned up in a banged up estate alarm bells would start ringing, or is that just me?

Couldnt agree more see loads of tradesmen in old estate cars or vans that are rust buckets with some tiny advert on the side e.g trevs plastering (apologies to any trevs on the forum) I'd never entrust my home to them frankly and not the image I want to portray, I appreciate I will be far from the best of tilers when I start but I can be as professional as any so want to start off in the right manner

Thanks for everyone's advice think I will hang out for a primastar, transit or vivaro

 

[High Peak Tiling]

Looking about for a second hand van in good condition that I can use for my new career, have seen quite a few Citroen belingos and Renault kangoos at a good price with reasonable mileage, are these likely to be suitable or a little on the small side, obviously starting out want to keep running costs to a minimum as I know it's going to be hard going but equally don't want to buy something and need to replace in 12 months if I can avoid it. Would be interested in people's thoughts on their suitability
thanks
rod

Kangoos berlins are good lil vans, My uncle has used several for years as a plasterer.. they are a bit pricey on parts...being french!

I have a 08 Astravan which is a good image van but no good for anything more than 2 gorilla buckets & a washboy! My level set has to go diagonally in ! !

Before I went self employed I had 2 Ford Ransits as company vans... Could not fault them! Spacious AND Cheaper on insurance... even though they are twice the size of my Vaux🙂

 

[DGJ]

My transit is my baby :lol: I loveeeeees her!

Had a Vivaro for a couple of years and dare I say it was better to drive but lacked in the space department for what I needed for

But like some one said earlier in the thread, no matter how big your van is you'll always fill it and wish it was a little bigger:lol:

 

[High Peak Tiling]

Lol filling the space sound familiar, I end filling the Front seat with paperwork

 

[High Peak Tiling]

If I want to get the runway cutter in I shall have to either put the front seat forward or on the roof 😀 ! & don't get me started on long trims!!