Ideas on Van purchase please

scbk

Personally I would go for a late mk6 over a mk7 transit, and probably a 90 or 115ps, for reliability.
Don't forget though even if/when something break you can swap engines, gearboxes, axles etc etc. The only thing you can't swap is the shell, so whatever you go for get it waxoiled.

I'm sure you'd be able to move most of the conversion into another van though

pitkin2020

Kilty wrote: »

I'd think this would be a struggle if they're converting it for specialist needs.

There may be companies out there that would lease a pre-converted van but it'll be expensive and I doubt they'd do it for a single vehicle based operation, more likely to insist on a small fleet.

i dont think i meant lease hire i think i mean hire purchase lol, where he will just put a lump sum down and pay it off as he goes, but thinking about it you usually have the option to buy at the end, and im guessing with such a conversion it would be a compulsery purchase at the end.

martin1018

scbk - How can you tell the difference between Mk6 and Mk7? Is it as easy as one reg year being Mk6, later would be the Mk7 - probably not I bet.
Waxoil - I hadn't thought about that but, yes, good idea, Thanks.

paulwf

OP have you worked in this industry before? I appreciate sometimes cutting corners isn't the way to go but £25K (£29K if not VAT registered) up front for a mobile dog grooming business seems like an insane amount, especially as the van will be worthless if it all goes pete tong.

What about the trailer conversion, that would give you more flexibility long term and could work out cheaper?

BTW I'm sure if you are prepared to wait you could get one of these cheap second hand given the average business startup failure rate. For example there is a dog grooming trailer on Ebay now 15 months old with all the equipment you need to start up for £9,500...offer £5K and see what happens

paulwf

A van recently sold for £8K ono:

http://www.rightbiz.co.uk/buy_business/for_sale/33856_suffolk.html

Saving you up to £21K

paulwf

Just seen the trailer that is on Ebay for £9,500 is being advertised elsewhere for £8,000, I knew they would take offers on it...

http://www.preloved.co.uk/fuseaction-adverts.showadvert/index-1032262198/6a4146cf.html

couriercompare

I suggest looking at a Mercedes Sprinter, very good van and will do 200k miles easy. The Sprinters also hold their value. Alot of couriers driving thousands of miles a week would not swap their Sprinter for any other van.

ukbill69

I managed to get a pre reg Citroen berlingo (new shape) 09 plate for 6k with delivery mileage. Look on citroens website and go to used vans and there are loads on there, at least when I check last.

kimothykim

I am a mobile groomer and weighed up the pros and cons of van v trailer - recommend a trailer. Where are you getting this converted? I have had some major issues with the people that converted mine with regards to poor quality leading to various problems such as condensation etc. At the moment i currently can't work as the trailer itself not any of the pipes were insulated causing everything to freeze!

martin1018

kimothykim - Thanks for joining MSE forums - I hope you get a lot out of it, I know I have. And thanks for your comment.

We've considered trailers but for us the van was a better package. Storage, security, ease of driving, warmth in winter were all things we considered. Cost is always a factor and we felt that after getting a towing vehicle there just wasn't a compelling reason to go for it.

We had looked at franchises which used both vans and trailers and the vans always seemed a better result. The franchise business model did not stack up on that one, and starting up our own outfit seems a better bet.

As for the conversion people, I've looked at several, the best so far and the one I think we may go with are 'k9 dogbaths' near Eastbourne who seem very good.

Any tips you can give would be very gratefully received. Thanks.