Ready to buy..

cormie

I've been looking into buying a van the past few weeks and I've decided on a Ford Transit in the region of 3K. I'll be using carcheck.ie to check it out before I buy so wont have too much to worry about on that side of things.

Anyway, just a few things some of you may be able to help me out with.

Is it really that much better to buy from the North? For my 3K would I be likely to get a van that'll last me 40 months as opposed to 38 or one that'll last me 6 years as opposed to 3? For such a low cost van, is it even worth the hassle of getting reg changed and everything?

I know a lot of the time when you ring up Insurance companies for quotes, they nearly always ask has it got a tow bar. A few of them online do. How will this effect the premium does anyone know?

Whatever I get, it will be diesel, is there much of a price difference in insurance between different diesels? To be honest, I know nothing about diesel, I see a few different D's, 2.5D, 190D and 80 Diesel. Are these actually different engine sizes or something else:o

Here are search results on Auto Trader, here for carzone.

I'm looking for a white medium roof and medium or short wheel base to keep it in B class license. I'd like the insurance to be as cheap as possible but to still have enough power to get off at roundabouts with a full load. It'll be used for both city driving and long journeys.

Any suggestions on ones I should look into more would be appreciated greatly as I want to get the best out of this 3K and all I can judge on is looks:o

cormie

I've narrowed it down to 5 myself based on what's there and what I'm looking for.

1 - White 98
pros
- has back window which is a big plus as I'm really dreading not having use of the rear view mirror:o
- they will take my 91 Fiesta off me as a trade in:D wonder what I'll get off:rolleyes:
cons
-none I can see

2 - Blue 99
pros
- Younger for cheaper than above
cons
- blue
- think I can see a dent on bonnet
- probably northern reg so I'd have to deal with all that

3 - White 99
pros
- Looks in good condition
- Cheaper, younger and less miles than the above white one
- Ply lined
- full respray
cons
- Northern so will have to go through all that hassle.
- Ply lined will most probably mean no rear view
- says "good mechanical order" but says "excellent condition", why not "excellent mechanical order" ?
- full respray could mean it's been through some rough handling

4 - White 97
pros
- roof rack
- cheap
- southern reg
- side door
- tax and nct
cons
- no mention of mileage
- oldest

5 - White 99
pros
- young
- cheap
- side door
cons
- price for age could be worry
- northern reg

I'm geared towards either the white 98 or the white 97. Which of the above would be cheapest to run and insure and why does anyone know?

Savman

cormie wrote:

1 - White 98

Mileage 123k. Doubt you'd get anywhere near 6yrs out of that allowing 20k commercial driving per annum.

2 - Blue 99

120k miles, see above...

3 - White 99

Respray would make me wonder. Mileage 107k...

Dunno which of the 5 I'd go with, with vans you really need a viewing to see exactly what kind of nick they're in. Most transits will have lead a long hard life. I don't know if getting 200,000 miles from an older Ford engine is feasible and I certainly wouldn't bank my whole business on it!

peasant

In case you go looking at the first one ...

This:
http://carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=454749

is at the same dealers

cormie

I'll be asking somebody from carcheck.ie to scope it out before I go down. Save me going to Galway with absolutely no knowledge of what I should be looking for in the van to see if it's ok.

I'm not actually expecting to get 6 years out of any of the above. If I do, great, but I'm not expecting it, a year would be fine because within a years time, from the van I get, I will have made enough money with it to get a better one. So I'd be happy with any of the above lasting me a year even.

cormie

Just got word back from the carcheck.ie chap. The van is in dire condition and wouldn't suit me at all. €150 well spent I think, saved me going to Galway and maybe being fooled into paying 3K for a banger. I just don't want to have to keep paying for the same results though.

Does anyone know where fleet/business companies sell their vans on? I was recommended to buy from these as they would have had regular servicing etc.

ballooba

cormie wrote:

Does anyone know where fleet/business companies sell their vans on? I was recommended to buy from these as they would have had regular servicing etc.

Yes, in Northern Ireland.

Buckets of Royal Mail and other fleet vans floating around.

Might consider an LDV if your budget is tight?

BarryM3

I'd recommend not buying a van with glass windows as its easier to see what you're carrying and thieving scumbags will be in through the glass in a shot!

Allow for 35-40k miles a year driving, if you're only doing 20k miles as someone else posted you're not gonna be very busy

cormie

Hmm. I'd like the glass for the use of the rear view mirror. I could just tint the glass?

BarryM3

You can still see in and break it.

Forget about the glass as a advantage, its the complete opposite.

Also, unless you're gonna be driving around with the smallest loads anything you have in the back of the van will block your rear view anyway.

cormie

Hmmm, may just have to get used to no rear view mirror so:(

peasant

The view out the back of a van only shows you things that you can see in your side mirrors anyway.
The back windows are too far away and too high up to enable you to see anything that's close up.

But using the rear view mirror out of habit will only give you a false sense of security ...what you can't see can't be there kinda thing ... best to rip the rearview mirror off ...whether you have rear windows or not. That way you will at least learn to drive by your side mirrors.