Using a car instead of a van

[FixitElectrical]

Hi,

This is my first post on here, so hello everyone! I've been reading thread on here for weeks now and thought I'd best join!

I'm starting out in the domestic electrician world shortly and wondered who else uses a normal saloon car to run their business. I have all the tools I need and can just fit them into boot, I have s Saab 9-3 which has a good sized boot. I'm just wondering who else doesn't use a van

Any thoughts?

 

[Richard]

Can you really fit everything in the back of your saab?? I struggle with a transit!!

 

[richy3333]

I'm struggling with my porsche 911 at the moment. I can manage a few hand tools, but i get the wholesaler to deliver materials straight to site and hire some steps in from Speedy Hire (delivered to site too). Might try the Range Rover if you reckon it's that good.

One of our local plumbers uses a Range Rover for work. I'm guessing any profit goes on fuel for the gass guzzler.

 

[shocking_eg]

my diesel is pretty economical
lol

 

[Stroppy]

My favourite van was my Toyota Hiace, three seats up front, fully racked out with loads of drawers and storage, and a roof rack with rollers. Lovely wagon!

 

[MDJ]

My favourite van was my Toyota Hiace, three seats up front, fully racked out with loads of drawers and storage, and a roof rack with rollers. Lovely wagon!

Yeah I had one 25 years ago actually when I first came out of my time, it was huge, I had the ladders in the back and the gears were on the steering column, a great van, they are smaller today though in length.

 

[markc123]

Can you really fit everything in the back of your saab?? I struggle with a transit!!

Haha, so true.

The amount of times you have to pop to the wholesaler because you're at a job and some customer has several lamps out, and their something fancy. You would literally need an arctic to be able to carry everything thats around these days.

 

[markc123]

One of our local plumbers uses a Range Rover for work. I'm guessing any profit goes on fuel for the gass guzzler.

He's afforded that off all the electrical jobs he's doing CORRECTLY on the side

 

[monkeyelectric]

I use a van for work, it looks more professional i think, its not sign written but i keep it clean and tidy looking and do ok for work, its a ducato maxi 2.8jtd absolutely huge but i still manage to fill the pigging thing! There was a guy used to drive round in a citroen estate absolutely rammed with tools, ladders the lot, i don't know what he done for a living, the back end of it was almost dragging along the floor and one day i seen him pulled in by the police! I haven't seen him about since then

 

[Adam W]

I used to use a car for commercial & industrial site work which was absolutely fine, but I felt really awkward turning up at a customer's property to do maintenance in a car - as others have mentioned customers seem to expect you to turn up in a company work van rather than what you take the wife and kids out in at the weekend; the customer is probably more interested in having their electrical work done properly by someone who cares, not someone who is trying to get as much money as possible out of calling them self an electrician. I suppose it makes you look like a one man and his dog operation rather than a big player in the local area, unless of course that's the look you're going for because you get all work through recommendations and/or know all your customers.

 

[gigawatt]

What about a Navara or a Mitsubishi L200? A couple of the local sparks around my way use them.