I have a newfound respect for van drivers

[Steve]

Only those that play nicely though.

I had the pleasure of driving this lovely transit van yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to drive (forwards). I stalled once all day (in reverse mounting a kerb though so doesnt count lol). It felt good too, to be higher than everyone else.

But reversing was a nightmare, I was glad to have my assistant with me, who jumped out to watch me back up. You have no sense of distance behind when your sat in the cab of one of these things.

Oh, and I now realise theres a reason Transit drivers over-rev. You have to!!! To get it to move!!!

Anyone every driven a Rolls Can'adrly?
Rolls down one hill, can'ardly get up the next one.

 

[garagerob]

You have to have a full frontal lobotomy to drive one of those in London village! all the ones i have encountered seem to have anyway!!! one step off of taxi drivers and pilots of those B*****D bendy buses!

 

[Soggy_weetabix]

Try driving an HGV all the way to Greece (a previous job)!

Dave

 

[2scoops0406]

Isn't that called a luton van ? although I admit it has a transit front end (sorry, don't know too much about vans)

 

[Thermo]

my old transit tipper is definetly a rolls canardly when its fully laden. Theres something very calming about crawling up a hill in the middle of brighton somewhere between 1st and 2nd gear with a big queue of traffic behind you

 

[Steve]

Yes, its a Transit based Luton van. Certainly the engines in these vans aren't designed for going up hills. This one doesn't have a rev counter either Surely standard kit!

 

[RF Lighting]

Nah, they don't bother.

None of my many ecsort vans had rev counters, or infact a high revs limiter.

I found this out whilst shattering my cam shaft.

 

[Troll5]

My first van was a P100 cortina shaped pick up, i loved it, but it hated me and siezed amongst a blue cloud of smoke on a dual carriageway, i then had a spate of rattly escort vans mk3 were better than mk4 in my opinion, had some transits too. But after i borrowed a mates sprinter i havent drove anything else.

 

[Blasphemous]

You don't get out much do you Steve?

 

[garagerob]

I've had many vans and i dont like any with an "O" in the name!!
(got a car now and have parts delivered to site-benefits of working for someone else in the commercial sector!!!)

 

[NS215]

Yes, its a Transit based Luton van. Certainly the engines in these vans aren't designed for going up hills. This one doesn't have a rev counter either Surely standard kit!

you don't need a rev counter as you've now found out as they don't rev much (they should come with a banksman as standard) prob only a 75 ps model like mine, even loses speed going up hills when nothing in it (other than the driver)

 

[Donkmeister]

I hired a Renault luton van when I moved house... great fun, because a) you're so high up and b) everyone sees the rental company's signwriting, realises you don't drive one often and gives you a WIDE BERTH!!!

I had a Transit SWB with a mid-high roof at the weekend. Keeping it at a staedy 55-60mph on the motorway I averaged 40mpg over 300 miles, whilst carrying a load. Not bad at all.

 

[hairyben]

Oh, and I now realise theres a reason Transit drivers over-rev. You have to!!! To get it to move!!!

no s*!t.

try an original vaux combo, 1.7 non turbo 40 hp deisel, 1.7ton GVW. yeah, about 23hp per ton. dangerously underpowered, and very noisy when you spend 3 hours on the motorway with the engine screaming it's nuts off in 4th cos all it will do in 5th is slow down...

As for maneuvering- baptism of fire - 18 years old, just passed my test and can just about drive a mini metro, leccy board have me in a XXLWB hi top 6 ton iveco hoist wagen (13' high and top heavy). And still it was quicker than the combo!

Ah the good ole days- All behind me now I have my vito 120- 204BHP V6, shows up hot hatches at the lights

 

[2scoops0406]

I drove one up and down the M1 once in a day, never again. You'd slip stream Artic's then foolishly think you could overtake, pull out, then wham like hitting a brick wall. Artic behind you would close the gap and there you were, stuck in some slo mo version of F1 wheel to wheel racing, after about 10 minutes of futility, had to brake and pull in behind the artic you were previously in front of. Very long stressful day.

 

[NS215]

Oh, and I now realise theres a reason Transit drivers over-rev. You have to!!! To get it to move!!!

Ah the good ole days- All behind me now I have my vito 120- 204BHP V6, shows up hot hatches at the lights

My mate has got a vito brabbus and that is one very quick van