Which Size Van?

[SW1970]

Hi, getting van organised. Plan is to do domestic and light office work, focussing on test, inspect, fault find etc, and less installation but I will be doing it.

Putting aside which particular make of van, I'm trying to decide on size.

Options are:

1) Car based van, e.g. Ford Transit Connect, VW Caddy, Vauxhall Combo etc
2) Larger sized van, e.g. Ford Transit, VW Transporter, Vauxhall Vivaro etc

Thinking is I'd prefer not to have a larger van on the driveway, but don't want to shoot myself in the foot by having too small a van. Does the forum think a car based van is going to be large enough for my sort of work?

Many thanks
SW1970

 

[topquark]

What's the largest item you'll need to carry regularly? In domestic it's probably long lengths of trunking/plastic conduit, so as long as you can accomodate that (often on top of the van), that should do as a benchmark for what size you'd need.

Depending on what "making good" you'll do, you may need to accomodate plasterboard sheets on occasion.

 

[Guest123]

My advice is get the biggest van you can afford to buy & run as no matter how much room you think you'll have.....it's never enough.

 

[Newsome3]

Think about fuel cost too pal

 

[mogga]

depends on what you NEED to carry on a day by day basis Personaly I carry a fair bit as I can be a distance from wholesalers and dont have an office/store so what I need anytime is in my van If your doing domestic maintenance ect a nicely racked connect with carefully sorted stock should be ok If doing commercial the probability of havign parts isnt good as there are so many differing fittings ect out there you would probably need to order stuff up n get it delivered to jobsite

 

[Big n Daft]

My advice is get the biggest van you can afford to buy & run as no matter how much room you think you'll have.....it's never enough.

There speaks the voice of " bugger it wont fit in".
Take heed one and all.

 

[focusphil]

My advice is get the biggest van you can afford to buy & run as no matter how much room you think you'll have.....it's never enough.

you are so right !

 

[nickblake]

be honest if you had an artic it would still end up full of crap

Transit size pretty good

 

[1shortcircuit]

My advice is get the biggest van you can afford to buy & run as no matter how much room you think you'll have.....it's never enough.

There speaks the voice of " bugger it wont fit in".
Take heed one and all.

you are so right !

be honest if you had an artic it would still end up full of crap

Transit size pretty good

I drive a Transit SWB

 

[Newsome3]

I drive a Transit SWB

What's it like on fuel?

 

[londonlec]

What's it like on fuel?

40mpg in mine.

 

[Newsome3]

40mpg in mine.

Yours a tranny too?
What model? Reg?

This has put a new spanner in my next choice of van
Was also looking at connect, berlingo and combo for next van and get rid of my vito that drinks like mad!!

 

[londonlec]

Yours a tranny too?
What model? Reg?

This has put a new spanner in my next choice of van
Was also looking at connect, berlingo and combo for next van and get rid of my vito that drinks like mad!!

Yeh 2008 85ps, probably 30/40% loaded, mixed motorway and cities.

 

[se7aq]

!..I'm going for a Ford Ka Van with a roof rack..!

Small 'n' nippy, good on fuel, ins, road tax (I think), you can fit in a garage with all the expensive tools in it, e.g PAT tester. With the tube thingymebob and ladders on the roof rack. Perfic..!

 

[mogga]

PMSL You could fit it in your front room never mind a garage Hope your work is all local as personaly I wouldnt fancy driving a KA for 2500 miles a month apart from I wouldnt want to be far from the house so I could nip[ back n pick up stuff I couldnt fit in first time