"Old plumber" - New van - What should I look for?

[dontknowitall]

Apologies if this is in the wrong section ... and sorry for long post!

I'm on the hunt for a new Ford Transit. I'm not interested in other makes. I have an ex builder's 53 plate Transit Connect with around 75,000 miles and hope to get £2,500 for it (maybe £3,000). I can pay around £7,000 towards newer van so total budget is about £9,500 + VAT (£11,200 in total).

Once I've bought it I'll be adding racking and signage approx £1,000 as I have a vehicle wrap photograph as my logo.

I'm "upgrading" to a Transit 260 SWB or 280 SWB 115ps or 140ps and as I'm getting old I want comfort - ie heated windscreen (for winter) and air conditioning (for summer) which means I should look for an older LX or GLX or newer Trend with aircon option or Limited (which is the bees knees). Heated seats would be nice but they're not available!! I'm also keen on metallic blue as opposed to white and feel this would help when I come to sell.

I want a very clean van with few/no scratches as I look after my possessions meticulously. [cough - my stillsons are kept in their plastic bags and I only chucked out the packaging for my blow torch last month - I'm a bit sad on that front!!!]

I want to keep the van for many years.

Here are the options:

Brand new ones cost £16-19k plus vat and upwards so this is out of the question. (They retail at well over £20k.)

I can buy an 09 plate demo (around 5,000 miles) for about £12,500 plus VAT but by the time I add racking and signage this is pushing my limit too much for comfort.

The next option seems to be a 07/57 plate which has about 60,000 miles on the clock and these cost about £10,000 plus VAT but mileage is huge (van probably driven fast and hard for much of that distance).

And the question, if you've not fallen asleep yet:

Is it worth buying an ex demo, paying around £7,000 deposit and taking out remaining sum as a loan/hire purchase/lease agreement?

Is it better to grit my teeth and pay in full now, and having a higher rate of depreciation on a newer vehicle but no loan to worry about?

In my position, which of the above options would you choose?

Or have you another suggestion?

 

[archiedale]

Your right zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
seriously, go for new

 

[Jimbob]

Well this goes against your post,

But

Why not a vivaro/primestar/trafic?

I tried a transit, they are nowhere near as nice, or stylish

Iv got a SWB normal roof vivaro 07 plate, bought it with 13k for 6900 9 months ago, cant go wrong with it. Only thing Id consider swapping it for is a LWB vivaro. Or a LWB transporter. Only thing is, some of the transits do come with some great extras which you cant get on the cheaper vivaros.

Also Id never consider buying brand new, you just lose too much.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

be warned if its second hand,my uncle works for british telecom as a mechanic,transits are starting to rot quite badly under neath as little as 3 year old when bt dispose of them a 4 years most are orange underneath also avoid vauxhall vivaros and the like bad clutcths and weird non start faults and yes thease are young vans as well

 

[Robtheplumb]

Well... I found myself needing a new van last October when I doubled the work-force, I went for a 280 Transit on a 59 plate. It cost me £1000 deposit then 48 months @ £201 (these figures are inc vat) All this is tax deductable (so I was told) and I get a nice clean van to drive, only had 186 miles on the clock when I got it

 

[dontknowitall]

Many thanks everyone for the posts - all valuable info.

Robtheplumb - this is my sticky point. I'm trying to establish if it's worth spending loads on a van or not.

If it is worth a large expense, is the leasing/loan type of scheme worth it or is it best to use the old fashioned route of saving up then spending.

Also, my hunch is March/beginning of April (end of tax year) is the busy time for van dealers trading with self employed and small businesses and while the recession hasn't finished the dealers will be quite negotiable trying to obtain reasonable figures.

 

[Winston]

I am not a expert on vans but very happy with my s/hand trafic off a mate I feel like I am in a car. got all the luxurys and well looked after, the only trouble so far is I think I am in my car and try to find the cruise control

 

[WHPES]

I ended up getting a LWB Defender van! A lot of the places I go to are up dirt tracks or on farms / estates etc and during the bad weather I was able to get just about everywhere and I was incredibly busy as my two main competitors with 2WD vans and standard tyres were grounded!

 

[john.bell55]

Why not try leasing? All the leasing costs are tax deductible plus you don't have to worry about servicing and maintenance. A Transit comes in about £219 + VAT, with a £1000 deposit over a 4 year lease. Simple arithmetic, £16000(new Transit) divided by 48 (4 years) = £333 and that's not including any interest. You would be liable for servicing and maintenance costs. If you paid cash your business would be down that amount which might be better invested in something that does not depreciate. Might be worth shopping around for the best deal?

Cheers
Jack

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

I ended up getting a LWB Defender van! A lot of the places I go to are up dirt tracks or on farms / estates etc and during the bad weather I was able to get just about everywhere and I was incredibly busy as my two main competitors with 2WD vans and standard tyres were grounded!

you lucky sod!my astra is useless in the snow,however the other van a ldv convoy rwd [being replaced next year] had no problems with its huge tyres

 

[Jimbob]

be warned if its second hand,my uncle works for british telecom as a mechanic,transits are starting to rot quite badly under neath as little as 3 year old when bt dispose of them a 4 years most are orange underneath also avoid vauxhall vivaros and the like bad clutcths and weird non start faults and yes thease are young vans as well

yes mine had to go for a recall for a couple bits. TBH I think lots of the problems your describing are on previous 1.9 models, But when it gets to 60k, I will change. Not sure what fords corrosion warrently covers? But most are 10 year

 

[dontknowitall]

I have a Land Cruiser for farms, snow and floods - as Top Gear says, "It's not for nothing that this vehicle is the choice of the Taleban".

(This is probably why I can't afford to buy a new Transit off the shelf.)

Thanks for the leasing thoughts - definitely worth a good look.

 

[Robtheplumb]

Why not try leasing? All the leasing costs are tax deductible plus you don't have to worry about servicing and maintenance. A Transit comes in about £219 + VAT, with a £1000 deposit over a 4 year lease. Simple arithmetic, £16000(new Transit) divided by 48 (4 years) = £333 and that's not including any interest. You would be liable for servicing and maintenance costs. If you paid cash your business would be down that amount which might be better invested in something that does not depreciate. Might be worth shopping around for the best deal?

Cheers
Jack

see my post...

 

[john.bell55]

see my post...

Saw your post, thought I would expand on it a bit if that was OK

 

[Robtheplumb]

Saw your post, thought I would expand on it a bit if that was OK

No Worrys

 

[dontknowitall]

Nearly decided - off to the dealers tomorrow to have a proper look. They've told they have one (with a couple of seats in the back) that seems to be ideal. Must admit it does and that if I choose it then we can sell the second car which seems to have gathered dust for the last couple of years.

Again, thanks everyone for all the help.

 

[unguided1]

I only read the title as I got bored of reading the start of the thread.
If your looking for an old plumber thats easy, they smell of boss white and hemp.
If your looking for a new van always try and by brand new and deduct it against yer tax.
regards mike