Buying a van

Haych

A trailer can be quite restrictive.  Lower speed on the motorway and A roads and can't use the outside lane on a three lane motorway.  There's also manoeuvrability issues - get in a tight spot after a wrong turn and it can become awkward quickly, plus they are easy to steal along with contents within.  Stuff inside doesn't get a good ride either.

If I was choosing a van I'd probably be looking at Mercedes.  They go so well and come in a huge variety of sizes and configurations.  They do have a reputation for being susceptible to the old tin worm on certain model years but I think they've sorted this out a while ago.

That said my mechanic swapped his van from a Mitsubishi to a Hyundai a couple of years ago and he's a fussy bugger who won't drive just anything, so read into that what you will.

I would also personally stay away from the Renault/Nissan breed, but again having said that my window cleaner has a very old Renault and it's done over 300k now.  He is quite handy with the spanners and has told me horror stories about how awkward they are to work on for even mundane stuff but his is still going strong.

If you don't need a windowless body and solid bulkhead for security and insurance purposes then Viano are a great compromise.  Think luxury people carrier but with seats that come out for van like space.  Amazing to drive, very comfortable and they shift very well indeed.

BeardyAndy

This is what i'd be buying if I had 7k to spend, of course you could buy a VW T5 thats been twice round the globe!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201911224632164?advertising-location=at_vans

Danny1969

BeardyAndy said:

This is what i'd be buying if I had 7k to spend, of course you could buy a VW T5 thats been twice round the globe!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201911224632164?advertising-location=at_vans

You can't stand up in that (unless your very, very short)

Loading PA equipment into a van you can't stand up in is a right pain in the back. Side doors can help but I always disable mine so they can't be opened externally then park with the rear doors against the wall. 

All vans go wrong, it's the cost and ease of maintaining them that's important. Surface rust might look bad but it won't leave you stranded on the side of the motorway. The most important thing is the engine and drivetrain. 

Modellista

Haych said:

A trailer can be quite restrictive.  Lower speed on the motorway and A roads and can't use the outside lane on a three lane motorway.  There's also manoeuvrability issues - get in a tight spot after a wrong turn and it can become awkward quickly, plus they are easy to steal along with contents within.  Stuff inside doesn't get a good ride either.

If I was choosing a van I'd probably be looking at Mercedes.  They go so well and come in a huge variety of sizes and configurations.  They do have a reputation for being susceptible to the old tin worm on certain model years but I think they've sorted this out a while ago.

That said my mechanic swapped his van from a Mitsubishi to a Hyundai a couple of years ago and he's a fussy bugger who won't drive just anything, so read into that what you will.

I would also personally stay away from the Renault/Nissan breed, but again having said that my window cleaner has a very old Renault and it's done over 300k now.  He is quite handy with the spanners and has told me horror stories about how awkward they are to work on for even mundane stuff but his is still going strong.

If you don't need a windowless body and solid bulkhead for security and insurance purposes then Viano are a great compromise.  Think luxury people carrier but with seats that come out for van like space.  Amazing to drive, very comfortable and they shift very well indeed.

Re trailers.  Yes they are limited 10mph slower on motorways than vans (60 v 70) but the same (10mph less than cars) on dual carriageways and NSLs.

I agree you shouldn't drive a trailer if you don't know what you're doing but it's perfectly possible to reverse a trailer safely and accurately.  Why does stuff inside a van "get a good ride" but not a trailer?

I know the thread is about vans but a trailer is so much less cost and hassle for the desired benefit - ie hauling a load of music kit.

Haych

Modellista said:

Haych said:

A trailer can be quite restrictive.  Lower speed on the motorway and A roads and can't use the outside lane on a three lane motorway.  There's also manoeuvrability issues - get in a tight spot after a wrong turn and it can become awkward quickly, plus they are easy to steal along with contents within.  Stuff inside doesn't get a good ride either.

If I was choosing a van I'd probably be looking at Mercedes.  They go so well and come in a huge variety of sizes and configurations.  They do have a reputation for being susceptible to the old tin worm on certain model years but I think they've sorted this out a while ago.

That said my mechanic swapped his van from a Mitsubishi to a Hyundai a couple of years ago and he's a fussy bugger who won't drive just anything, so read into that what you will.

I would also personally stay away from the Renault/Nissan breed, but again having said that my window cleaner has a very old Renault and it's done over 300k now.  He is quite handy with the spanners and has told me horror stories about how awkward they are to work on for even mundane stuff but his is still going strong.

If you don't need a windowless body and solid bulkhead for security and insurance purposes then Viano are a great compromise.  Think luxury people carrier but with seats that come out for van like space.  Amazing to drive, very comfortable and they shift very well indeed.

Re trailers.  Yes they are limited 10mph slower on motorways than vans (60 v 70) but the same (10mph less than cars) on dual carriageways and NSLs.

I agree you shouldn't drive a trailer if you don't know what you're doing but it's perfectly possible to reverse a trailer safely and accurately.  Why does stuff inside a van "get a good ride" but not a trailer?

I know the thread is about vans but a trailer is so much less cost and hassle for the desired benefit - ie hauling a load of music kit.

The suspension in a trailer isn't very forgiving compared to a van or a car, they have much less shock absorption and are very bouncy, especially if the trailer is capable of taking heavy loads but it's only carrying relatively light stuff.  The same can apply to a van as well but the wheelbase will compensate for that to a degree where a trailer has the axle in the centre of the chassis and transmits more of the road to the entire vehicle at once.

As for reversing, yes, all good if you have the space to do so.  I've been in a couple of tight spots where I've taken a wrong turn, hit a dead end and there's not enough physical space to turn the car/trailer around.  The only thing left to do then is unhitch and manually turn the trailer around - it's a hassle, especially the one time I was on a hill!

I agree that a trailer is very feasible if on a budget but if the funds are there for a van then that's the route I'd go as well.  The other thing to think about is loading/parking space at the venue, if its purpose is shifting stuff to gigs, a van will still have a much smaller footprint than car and trailer, will be easier to park and probably more secure.

Another reason I'd choose a van is that you don't know what's happening inside the trailer.  If something comes loose in transit you're unlikely to know about it until you stop and open the trailer up and find damaged stuff where gear has come loose.  Even if a van doesn't have an access window in the bulkhead you'd probably hear if something had come loose and was up to no good.

John_P

That pretty much sums it up - I currently do use a trailer and the hilux but as I’ve gradually taken on bigger gigs I’m at the point where it’s rammed full and the right size van will let me carry a bit more and make it a lot quicker and easier to load.  Anything that lets me do the same job for less time and effort is a worthwhile investment.    

It’s just down to getting to best combination of size and reliability for the money when come March when I buy something.   

JAYJO

On my 2nd transit. Last one mk6 i got 4 yrs out of it till the rust took over. Now got a mk7 2012 high roof swb use it everyday for trip to work but its intended for camping etc. I with wife and kids.its a crew van so 6 seats and then storage in the back. love driving it. Mk6 cost £2500 (already converted camper) 84000 miles and mk7 cost £5000  92000 miles.. 

Nitefly

If you want to talk Transits, you need @Sambostar ;