Best van for a plumber

CJ1

My husband is looking to buy a van, works as a plumber, hopes to spend €8000 max, trying to decide between small van like caddy or a larger one like the transit/transporter. Anyone have any advice on differences in running costs/tax/insurance.
We know nothing about cars/vans so are steering clear of buying privately in case he gets roasted and ends up with a pile of rust (our thinking being that at least in a garage we have some comeback) but from a quick look online today in the main garages around Dublin, the price of vans is very high.

Anyway sorry for long post but any advice on the best van to buy and where would be a good place to buy around Dublin would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

colm_mcm

Will he be carrying lengths of piping? A short van like a caddy mightn't be the best if he does

CJ1

He has thought about that but still thinks he would be able to cope with a caddy style van size-wise for the vast majority of his work.

colm_mcm

An astravan might be an idea too. They're dirt cheap in the north
Access not as easy as the caddy as its lower and longer but more car like

YouTookMyName

Hiace.

Littlehorny

what are you gonna do if you have bring a couple of lengths of 4 inch pipes to a job? caddy is too small imo for a tradesman, have an opel vivaro myself and my oul fella has a caddy and guess which one of us is always going for gear! slightly bigger van costs no more and way more handy in the long run.

The Express

VW Transporter

Hiace.

Dis one's simple bud

HOSANNA IN THE HIACE



/Close Thread

colm_mcm

You signed up to boards for that? ^

Tin Foil Hat

A medium sized can like a Vivaro would be good.
Do NOT buy a Transit. They're too big and they are utter sh!te.

The Guvnor

+1 for medium sized van - few tradesmen in the area use renaults. Name escapes me atm but it's common and appears reliable.

colm_mcm

The primastar/trafic/vivaro has an awful reputation though.

bijapos

Your biggest consideration when buying a van is knowing the amount of space you'll need. The biggest thing your husband will carry is a bath or a bathroom suite and for that you'll need a van the size of a Hiace, Transit or VW Transporter, a car van will be of no use here unless you want to get a box trailer too.

Of these the Hiace is by far the best, €5000 will get you a very good one, you could get a good one for a lot less too. Plenty of space for all he needs to carry, plus space for some shelving. Get a long wheel base (LWB) while your at it.

Keep some money over for some after market locks, if the van has a rear window consider putting a sheet of ply over it, and invest in a bulkhead for between the cab and load area.

You will more than likely end out buying private, dealers don't like vans of 4+ years of age but there are plenty of vans out there for sale so take your time.

Consider spending some money on taking a mechanic friend with you when going to buy one if you know nothing about vans, could be money well spent in the long run.

waxon-waxoff

Vivaro/ Trafic are a bit fragile but are cheap to buy and economical. Transporters and Vitos drive good but known for expensive electrical issues. Hiace is the most reliable but not as good to drive as more modern vans and can be hard to find a used one at reasonable price. Buying the newest and lowest miles in any van is probably the least risky way to go.

Savman

Don't spend over €5k on a Trafic or Vivaro, you'll need the other €3k handy for a new gearbox. POS.

With a budget of €8k, you could drop 3k on a trusty Hiace that will do stupid mileage and want for nothing. Not stylish but does the job, believe me. Save the other €5k for a trip to Vegas rainy day.

YouTookMyName

If you do buy a Hiace set aside a couple of quid and find yourself a good upholster to get the drivers seat fixed!

CJ1

Thank you all for the advice, decided to go with a bigger van, must get looking this week.

elaverty

Reserecting a old post,i know,,,What do commercial drivers suggest for the most economical large van on the road at the minute,,,size wise something like a medium wheelbase sprinter,,,Definetly not a extra long wheelbase sprinter thats doing about 23mpg,,,,would a short/medium WB be much more efficent,,,thanks

Pottler

iveco daily. I Have em all, transits, ducatos, relays, sprinters and the Iveco is BY FAR the most economical.