What van to buy.

[Elsa TLC]

You’re putting £2400 down and £199 a month plus vat for 24 months. That’s a total of @£8,150. It’s a £41k van. I’d imagine you'd have to pay around £30-£35k to keep it or give it back and walk away - that’s after they’ve charged you for every dink, chip and scratch on the bodywork.

So if I wanted the latest model after 24 months, Id have to pay another chunk and an inflated monthly crust?

 

[Elsa TLC]

Trouble with all these double cabs is that they are generally for lugging around both tools and workmen so the suspension and seating is nowhere near the comfort of a car.

Then what about this then?

2023 Silver Mercedes-Benz Vito 114 2.0 CDI 136 BHP L1 PROGRESSIVE 9G AUTO CREWCAB for sale for £31,989 in Knottingley, West Yorkshire https://share.google/AxKShUmzJXIv0C3gg

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Is that the Renault engine ? Expensive way of buying it.

Careful about what you think you are looking at. Lot's of badge engineering going on

 

[Elsa TLC]

Is that the Renault engine ? Expensive way of buying it.

Careful about what you think you are looking at. Lot's of badge engineering going on

I really dont know.
If I want a Renault ill bye a Renault. Same as the latest transporters, with transit engines.

Its not what I want.

 

[Mottie]

Then what about this then?

2023 Silver Mercedes-Benz Vito 114 2.0 CDI 136 BHP L1 PROGRESSIVE 9G AUTO CREWCAB for sale for £31,989 in Knottingley, West Yorkshire https://share.google/AxKShUmzJXIv0C3gg

Alright of you’re going to do airport drop offs for a living I suppose but not my cup of tea for either a car or a works van. Do you really want to carry around all your plumbing tools/spares around with you when you take the family out? If you could get all your gear in that, you should be running around in a small van at the moment. Are you?

 

[Elsa TLC]

Alright of you’re going to do airport drop offs for a living I suppose but not my cup of tea for either a car or a works van. Do you really want to carry around all your plumbing tools/spares around with you when you take the family out? If you could get all your gear in that, you should be running around in a small van at the moment. Are you?

You like my big brother.

He was generally right. I dint really like the merc, my point was comfort from a Van...

My Movano is a lovely van to drive.

 

[flameport]

So if I wanted the latest model after 24 months, Id have to pay another chunk and an inflated monthly crust?

If you want any van after the 24 months you pay a large wedge and continue paying monthly.

Once you are signed into the leasing model, you keep doing it until you are dead.
You pay, pay and pay again. You own nothing.

The only advantage is that you can be driving the latest piece all of the time.
Everything else is a massive negative - the vast costs, the inconvenience of having to get a new van every 2 or 3 years with all the high pressure sales malarkey, the tiny mileage limitations and the crippling extra costs should you go over that, the punitive charges should even the slightest scratch appear on the bodywork.

 

[Elsa TLC]

Alright of you’re going to do airport drop offs for a living I suppose but not my cup of tea for either a car or a works van. Do you really want to carry around all your plumbing tools/spares around with you when you take the family out? If you could get all your gear in that, you should be running around in a small van at the moment. Are you?

All what you say is true. ........But.......
This is my life work balance thing.
And im not a wealthy man.

I still have my big Movano that going well Im going to give that to my mate. It will still benifits me as I will be insured for it.

I could really do with Mrs Bod driving. She wont drive the CRV.

If I buy a decent small automatic like the new Renault 5 or a 2 door Mini Cooper Auto. Then she maybe I could get her to drive.

This would help minto end in life and in business.
My eldest is 15. She can start learning to drive. I cant afford to buy her a car. So she at 17 would be able to drive the small car.

However a small car is no good as a family with 2 dogs and cat.

My business has changed so much as Ive got older. Ive had to get myself a full time job.
However I can still do the emergency call outs and the small non complicated jobs

Ill hand the bigger jobs to my mate who will havevrhe bigger van. Ill get a kick back that I will still declare to the tax man.

The Double cab is not perfect for any of the above, but its the compromise.
The Tools.
The Family.
The Dogs
The Bike
Maybe a bit of Camping next year.
And possibly an Airport run or two.

 

[Mottie]

Ive had to get myself a full time job.

However I can still do the emergency call outs and the small non complicated jobs

Then all you need is an estate car with a bike rack, surely?

 

[Elsa TLC]

Then all you need is an estate car with a bike rack, surely?

I could never work from an estate car.
My tools need to be secure. They are worth alot of money.

Years back I had a brand new van and a brand new car.

Combined I could have afforded a decent Audi or BMW estate. And id look cool .

But that doesn't float my canoe or is in anyway practical.

However I do want something that is comfortable and I enjoy driving
Traffic or Transporter type van will tick that box. It doesn't need to be a German experience. Just comfortable. And I like the heigher driving position.

 

[Mottie]

A full time job and still doing emergency call outs doesn’t sound like a very good work life balance to me. Sounds to me like you’re trying to convince yourself that you need a crew cab type vehicle that you can later convert to a motor home.

 

[Elsa TLC]

A full time job and still doing emergency call outs doesn’t sound like a very good work life balance to me. Sounds to me like you’re trying to convince yourself that you need a crew cab type vehicle that you can later convert to a motor home.

Its a caretakers job at a primary school.
Its a brand new temporary structure. So very little looking after.

Its not going to be stressful and its pretty flexible. The school board know Ill be running my business along side taking care of the school.

By me giving my Movano to my mate means I will always have his back up.

The emergency work pays very well and is generally easy. Im in and out within the hour.

Mixing the two, would be far easier than mixing Emergency work with a bathroom installation or a boiler replacement.

It requires a good working relationship with my Headmaster but he wont get short changed. If I feel I need to pop in school on a Sunday morning then I can if it helps the control of the coming week.

 

[Mottie]

Its a caretakers job at a primary school.
Its a brand new temporary structure. So very little looking after.

Its not going to be stressful and its pretty flexible. The school board know Ill be running my business along side taking care of the school.

By me giving my Movano to my mate means I will always have his back up.

The emergency work pays very well and is generally easy. Im in and out within the hour.

Mixing the two, would be far easier than mixing Emergency work with a bathroom installation or a boiler replacement.

It requires a good working relationship with my Headmaster but he wont get short changed. If I feel I need to pop in school on a Sunday morning then I can if it helps the control of the coming week.

Sounds like a cushy number. Nice one.

 

[Elsa TLC]

Sounds like a cushy number. Nice one.

Hopefully if I organise myself and keep on top of everything in keeping everyone happy, then I should be fine.

Always appreciate your advice. x

 

[ReganAndCarter]

- anyways I'm more me in an old white van

I don't need a van any more, but can't get used to the idea of losing the versatility that a 3 seat smallish van offers. Will eventually get an older classic car, but keep the van for daily use.