Van HELL!!! Any advice very welcome - going to buy a new one.

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Van HELL!!! Any advice very welcome - going to buy a new one.

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Dannypipe

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Well my van won't start. The AA are on the way....but I've had it with the van anyway. It's too small by a long way. (Vauxhall Combo).

So anyone who's recently bought a new or nearly new van, who has any advice on lease hire, or hp or anything at all. Please let me know.

I bought my last two vans at auction. The one before that off a mate....so don't have much to go on with regards to leasing.

I want something pretty big, LWB transit size ideally.

I'm now going to start shopping.

Oh and have about £3000.00 deposit. So not much.
 
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VW's are too pricey mate. Never heard a bad word about the Transporter.
 
Ha Ha Danny, my Combo sounds just like yours, box of waste fittings in passenger footwell and box of waste traps on seat with seatbelt round it. I cram powertools under the seats and in those little cubby holes behind the seats.

I put up with the hasstle as it great on fuel and I don't have to worry about parking a hulking great minibus and dragging it around all the narrow roads around here.
 
We're Combo brothers in arms mate. But I've had it. Yes those cubbyholes behind the seats are crammed, as is the shelf above my head. No inch of space is wasted.

I have more tools in my little van than most blokes I've worked with. I have just about everything you'll need in domestic plumbing/heating work....and it's all crammed into about half the space it should be. In fairness I do have to keep on top of the van internally. Can't just throw everything in. I would have a nervous breakdown after a week of working like that.
 
Clutch went on mine a few years ago, I thought I'd be looking at Vauxhall Astra money for a new clutch WRONG! £700.
 
Fuel pump on mine. AA guy said if I'm keeping it, I should also change the manifold.

The pump is around £480 apparently (not checked) and isn't a small job. Its bolted onto the side of the engine, and powered by the cam shaft.

For the record I do nothing mechanical to my vans. Best left to a mechanic in my opinion.

I did just get it serviced in December, and have new glow plugs. That was £400.00. So if this repair is about £800.00 then it's had £1200 in the last two months.

Not cheap motoring by my standard.
 
Cxr100 is in the hunt for a new can you could always sell it to him
 
Well, who ever buys it isn't getting a dog of a van.

I had it serviced every year at Vauxhall, until this one in December which was a local independant garage. Still set me back £400 sheets.

It's done under 60K and will probably do another 60K, but not under my ownership. It's getting flogged!
 
Dannypipe said:
Well, who ever buys it isn't getting a dog of a van.

I had it serviced every year at Vauxhall, until this one in December which was a local independant garage. Still set me back £400 sheets.

It's done under 60K and will probably do another 60K, but not under my ownership. It's getting flogged!
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Im in the same boat as you Danny. I've got a berlingo on a 56 plate. Had it three years and not a peep, but in the last 4 months its had its service/MOT, a new clutch, a new alternator and a power steering pump on Wednesday. Then to top it off I had a flat this afternoon when I popped the shop :-(

to be fair it's done 185k so coming to the end, but if someone wanted it for a little run around it'd be sound. I've just had enough and I rely on it to much to be having faults all the time.

The size of this van suits me fine as I don't really do much installation, I'm looking at a brand new nemo or bipper from the dealers. Can pick up a new one for under 10k, so that's the route I think I'm going.

Ive looked at the racking for the nemo and some of it looks great, I think if a van is racked out in a good way, size becomes less of an issue if your only doing service and repair and fitting rads like myself.
 
I've been to about every van dealer imaginable today, and to the bank to get a business loan. If the loan gets approved I'll be off to the auctions I think.

My head is a mess.... lease hire, contract hire, HP (not the sauce) balloon payments, down payments, VAT down, VAT back.

I really am really confused. Been to accountant too. Been a busy day. Hired a Fiat 500 for three days!!

So I'll be glad to get into anything once I finally make my mind up.

I think auction might be the way though. Familiar path for me.

If it doesn't I may now be interested in this myself.
 
Sorry the last line of that was meant for another thread. (Pauls van - if my loan doesn't go through!!!)

Told you my head is a mess. ARRRGH!
 
Dannypipe said:
Sorry the last line of that was meant for another thread. (Pauls van - if my loan doesn't go through!!!)

Told you my head is a mess. ARRRGH!
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Hi Dannypipe,

I recently purchased a vivaro after my transit died. I just played Renault off against vauxhall and eventually I got a pre registered vivaro with 11 miles on the clock. I got it ply lined seat covers and mats for £12,500. I read all the stories about the vauxhall being rubbish but If 3 manufactures make them they can't be that bad, I've only done 3500 miles in it so far but I'm well chuffed with it. Good luck in whatever you choose.
Darren
 
Dannypipe said:
I've been to about every van dealer imaginable today, and to the bank to get a business loan. If the loan gets approved I'll be off to the auctions I think.

My head is a mess.... lease hire, contract hire, HP (not the sauce) balloon payments, down payments, VAT down, VAT back.

I really am really confused. Been to accountant too. Been a busy day. Hired a Fiat 500 for three days!!

So I'll be glad to get into anything once I finally make my mind up.

I think auction might be the way though. Familiar path for me.

If it doesn't I may now be interested in this myself.
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Its unreal the amount of options Danny. I never knew these existed till I started looking last week.

Im going to but my new van outright with out the finance options offered by the dealers.

Im looking around the 10k mark and I'm Going to put 5k down of my own and loan 5k from the bank. I could pay for the whole thing now, but don't want to affect my house deposit too much. I just might have to put the house back for about 6 months or so, but I can't work without a decent van, so its catch 22 really.

I can get a decent loan off the tsb who I bank with and they will let you pay it back early, so I should have the 5k paid back within 18 months without affecting me buying a home to drastically.
 
I've been to a couple of dealers today, but there does not seem to be many nearly new vans around. Even the sales guy said they could not get enough vans in?

The one i wanted had been sold the day before :( Dispatch on an 11 plate with 20k for 7.5k which I thought was good considering they are nearly twice that new.
 
Dannypipe said:
I've worked out on average I do 10.5K miles a year, so not much. I know this has a bearing on lease hire. Tend to work local, and though those are less miles than a motorway user, I do spend a fair amount of time in the van. Would love a bit of air con' for the summer. Sitting in traffic sweating my balls off isn't much fun. But the main bonus of a new van is space. Glorious space.

My van is ex BT and the racking is brilliant. It would cost a fortune. However every inch of space is used...and I still can't carry as much as I did in my last van.
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Saw an ex british gas transit 2008 on autotrader yesterday still with all the racking and roof rack only 25k miles for 7.5k inc vat with 2 year warranty yesterday mate wish i had the money.
 
michael c said:
Saw an ex british gas transit 2008 on autotrader yesterday still with all the racking and roof rack only 25k miles for 7.5k inc vat with 2 year warranty yesterday mate wish i had the money.
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Does it need a power flush?
 
Well, I've applied for a 10K loan, I have a couple of grand myself and the Combo is apparently worth a couple of grand. So all in I could spend about £15K but there is no way I'm doing that!

Ten grand tops on the new van.
 
can you make do until march mate? there will be a new load of pre reg bargains released.
 
Yeah, can wait until March. You really think it makes a difference? I've no idea how it works to be honest!
 
Going to the auction tomorrow. Must be contagious, as I'm taking up my Dad and two mates!

Dad and one of my mates are also looking for new vans....I think it will be pub o'clock after. I've cancelled tomorrows appointments anyway, so why not make a bit of a day of it!?

Early start though. Long drive in the morning. I'm like a kid at Christmas, I've wanted a bigger van for a long, long time!
 
Off to test drive that transit sat morning good luck at the auction, want my old 1 save ya the hassle :yes:
 
Destroyer2813 said:
Off to test drive that transit sat morning good luck at the auction, want my old 1 save ya the hassle :yes:
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I'll take my chances at the auction! I have a 10K loan burning a hole in my pocket, and got my eye on a few in particular!

Let us know how the test drive went. I will of course report back with photos!!
 
What year is it....I remember it's done about 70K hasn't it?

Just interested as I will be looking at Vivaros....and wanted a rough idea of what they fetch. I'm actually going for a Movano (bit bigger) but we'll see.
 
07 73000 silver lwb cdti, up for more on the likes of autotrader. See some with around 120000 for more but mines got a few dings
 
OK. Interesting. Sell it privatley. I know it's much easier to part exchange, but sounds like they're gonna nick it at that price.

Well I'm off to check off the vans I'm interested in on my auction catalogue.

The thought, that I'll never have to take half my vans contents out again to get a waste pipe fitting is making me very happy. I'm gonna get my mate Colin the chippy to rack it just how I want it. Can't wait!

Have a good one at Ford. Be interested to hear what the new transit is like. You know it's gonna drive really well though. It's brand new!! Once you've driven it, then temptation is even harder to fend off. Good luck!
 
My 52 plate viva to went pop a few months back after I had replaced the turbo the clutch the slave cylinder and windscreen. In all about£1700 worth of repairs was a lovely van and super comfy! They are galvanised body so rarely rust but the 1.9 is actually a volvo engine with a laguna gear box and couldn't cope. Stay away from the 2.8/2.9 ltr models as if the clutch goes the sub frame needs to be dropped and your looking at 1500 ish to get if fixed so the 2 or 2.2ltr are the way forward in the traffic/vivaro range had a hire van when I was waiting for a new can and they gave me a Nissan primaster and I loved it Bluetooth sat nav air con voice control cruise control the works! But looked into them and were too pricey. In the end I got myself an 09 plate transit for £6500 inc and am pleased with it racked it out etc only wish I'd got the 110 not 85
 
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