Reclined driving position in vans

Spicy_McHaggis

londonTiger wrote: »

I expect vans to be knackered because they're usually company vehicles. Perhaps if I go through the vehicle history and look to buy vans that previously belonged to self employed trademan rather than fleet vehicles.

Or look for vans that are non conventional colouring (e.g. not white), that is more likely to be a van that belonged to an individual, thus looked after more.

Flawed logic there mate.

forgotmyname

Reclined driving position, no seatbelt. says it all.

photome

Spicy_McHaggis wrote: »

Flawed logic there mate.

forgotmyname wrote: »

Reclined driving position, no seatbelt. says it all.

he is entertaining

benham3160

londonTiger wrote: »

I expect vans to be knackered because they're usually company vehicles. Perhaps if I go through the vehicle history and look to buy vans that previously belonged to self employed trademan rather than fleet vehicles.

Or look for vans that are non conventional colouring (e.g. not white), that is more likely to be a van that belonged to an individual, thus looked after more.

This is the inverse of what I'd do

I'd much rather have an ex-fleet van that's been maintained under contract and not had an individual's "mate" do half the work.

I have a 2011 Transporter as a company vehicle - it's not my idea of fun, much preferred the Renault/Vauxhall vans I've had as courtesy vans to drive. I'm 5' 10" and I can't shove the seat much further back in my van.

londonTiger

benham3160 wrote: »

I have a 2011 Transporter as a company vehicle - it's not my idea of fun, much preferred the Renault/Vauxhall vans I've had as courtesy vans to drive. I'm 5' 10" and I can't shove the seat much further back in my van.

thats my experience with zipcar vans. the pedals are a bit too close. if you want to move the seat back you have to have the seats at 90 degrees. so its a sacrifice between back pain and knee strain.

regarding your earlier point. Hire cars are absolutely knackered because people take them and they burn the clutch out, over rev it etc.

I would imagine the same would be the case for fleet vans where the driver doesn't give a damn about the long term health of the vehicle.

Herzlos

londonTiger wrote: »

I would imagine the same would be the case for fleet vans where the driver doesn't give a damn about the long term health of the vehicle.

A lot of fleet drivers have their own van, so to speak, and some people are more likely to look after theirs than others.

Buying based on previous owner is pointless - it really doesn't tell you anything. It could be owner by a van rental company and used exclusively by a single ex policeman/vicar driver to deliver spare parts between offices, or it could be privately owned by a "non-business" user who does building work in his spare time and lent out to anyone who needs it whilst being repaired on the cheap.

By all means look for the previous owner and see what you can find out, but the only rule seems to be to buy on condition.

harveybobbles

We have a 2010 Peugeot Expert 1.6HDi. Quite pleasant and nippy around the houses, but steady on the motorway.

Very comfy too. Though the handbrake on the right hand side of the drivers seat is a bit annoying if you're 6ft tall as you can smack your head into the door glass.