How much does it cost to run your van?

[THL4KEL]

That's something considered, it's the cost of maintaining, taxing, mot for a second vehicle though. Having somewhere to keep it is another issue.

Just borrow a motor of a family member or take the Mrs motor if you run into trouble....

 

[Chris34]

Just borrow a motor of a family member or take the Mrs motor if you run into trouble....

Not an option for me, no family members with cars that they would lend and I'm single. I could get a wife but from what I hear that could be more costly ?

 

[Chris34]

I'm waiting for my mate to give me a shout to bring my van in. I need a new oil cooler and a power steering pump fitted. He was saying his problem is parts after he strips down an engine he may find what's wrong and it can take many days for parts to arrive. He doesn't really want a vehicle on the ramp until the parts arrive so he has begun to use his trolly jack and has even worked outside his garage on sunny days. Soon all the other units complain about the amount of cars being parked up till the parts arrive.

You can see it from there point of view, it's the same with the garages around here, space is a premium. Just never seemed to be like this though. I now take it about 20 miles away to a much bigger garage, it's not ideal though as the van has to be moving so if it literally breaks down then I'm stuck.

Got it booked in for further work on Wednesday, having engine mounts done, it was an advisory so trying to maintain things before they become a problem.

 

[Crystalalan]

Not an option for me, no family members with cars that they would lend and I'm single. I could get a wife but from what I hear that could be more costly ?

You can have my girlfriend if you want Chris. Shes doing my head in at the moment

 

[Mx19]

I spent £8500 on van last year. That's including £315 a month on repayments, insurance for me and 3 other drivers, fuel and all other costs... Fuel has been the kicker this year doing 20,000 miles a year. Hopefully that reduces massively this year!

 

[Chris34]

I've just got another £615 bill for it's latest repair work, still in the garage hoping to pick it up today ? 3 days lost working, £615 bill, spent around £300 two weeks ago on the MOT and had new front tyres a month before for £80. So already this year the bill is +£1,000 and 5 days lost. I could happily live with that but with 8 months of the year to go... not overly optimistic.

 

[Pjj]

I've just got another £615 bill for it's latest repair work, still in the garage hoping to pick it up today ? 3 days lost working, £615 bill, spent around £300 two weeks ago on the MOT and had new front tyres a month before for £80. So already this year the bill is +£1,000 and 5 days lost. I could happily live with that but with 8 months of the year to go... not overly optimistic.

Sounds like it could be time to upgrade if you can afford to

 

[Chris34]

Sounds like it could be time to upgrade if you can afford to

Was actually a £766 bill in the end, one of the parts were hard to get hold of so they had to order an original one from the main dealer ?

It's a difficult one, I've spent so much on it that there gets to a point that you start to think what else can go wrong?

The other element is rising costs. I really have no idea what is a realistic price these days, £1,000 per year now might be like £700 per year 3 years ago. I suppose the key measure is whether it's possible to do it cheaper. If a new van works out cheaper then that's the way to go.

I must say though it's driving like a dream now, so solid on the front end, was really testing it on the long sweeping bends coming off the local fast roads.

In the last say 3 years it's had

Major welding work
New head gasket with head skimmed
Heater matrix
Brakes all round
Various ball joints, bearings and little bits
Cam belt
Radiator
Various other bits

Now it's had all that done it feels like it's about right and nothing else is listed as needing doing so it's got LPG that just needs servicing, I've been told it would be around £120, probably wouldn't end there though never that straight forward. But if I got the LPG working then I'd reduced my fuel bill by at least £10 per week which is a saving of £520 per year. I also plan on doing slightly more miles so that saving would be more than that. So potentially it could work out ok, all depends on how the next year goes.

Hard to know when to call it quits though, better the devil you know and all that...

 

[scottish cleaning service]

LEZ will be forcing me to get a new van but the one I have has only done 90k miles.

 

[Pjj]

LEZ will be forcing me to get a new van but the one I have has only done 90k miles.

Didn’t realise you did work in London ?.

 

[Yogi1872]

Clutch went in mine last night. In today getting fixed. Can't really complain, it's done 96k and this is the first fix apart from tyres and break pads it's needed. Been browsing vans with a view of what il get next, anyone got a transit connect sport lwb ?. What are they like cost wise for running?.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

LEZ will be forcing me to get a new van but the one I have has only done 90k miles.

Didn’t realise you did work in London ?.

Its coming in on 1st June in Glasgow and by the way London went I guess it will expand and come in all over the place. Gave mechanic £300 to replace my PS pump and oil cooler. Didn't get dealer parts but the ones he got came with year guarantee. Got van back and went for a drive everything seems fine again. He was saying new vehicles can be expensive to repair due to the amount of software that operates them and told me to hold on as long as I can to my Crafter. ?

 

[tench0771]

Vivaro usly 1k or less but this year been 2k just under that’s serving and repairs mots ect next van will be vw transporter fancy a change on my second vivaro now keep them 5 years then chop in only do 6k to 8 k per year mileage

 

[Iron Giant]

Didn’t realise you did work in London ?.

You do know what LEZ stands for, don't you? Low Emission Zone not London Emission Zone

 

[Pjj]

You do know what LEZ stands for, don't you? Low Emission Zone not London Emission Zone

Lol of course I do but but I doubt there are many areas like that that Scottish works in although they are increasing

 

[Yogi1872]

Lol of course I do but but I doubt there are many areas like that that Scottish works in although they are increasing

Think edin glasgow aberdeen and Dundee are doing it. I'm probably wrong as people alot smarter than me will have answered this but surley your just moving the pollution to a different space where everyone will use the same diversion routes to avoid it. Give it 10 years and itl be in place in most Town centres. The tree huggers won't be happy until we run everywhere.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Lol of course I do but but I doubt there are many areas like that that Scottish works in although they are increasing

Me and my van are always on a mad mystery tour, take today for instant. Fitted the other two doors for a customer but she didn't leave out the handles. So the new doors are fitted without the handles, I think she will notice and I don't have her phone number. Means I need to go back but its not far away.

 

[THL4KEL]

The cameras will just get bags placed over them so they can't record...

 

[Iron Giant]

Think edin glasgow aberdeen and Dundee are doing it. I'm probably wrong as people alot smarter than me will have answered this but surley your just moving the pollution to a different space where everyone will use the same diversion routes to avoid it. Give it 10 years and itl be in place in most Town centres. The tree huggers won't be happy until we run everywhere.

I believe that is already happening in areas that had no issues with traffic the streets are getting congested, and they are trying to make 15 minute towns and cities as in everything like schools and surgeries etc are within a 15 minute walk the reality is very different as they ain't building new schools etc or putting in the infrastructure for this to happen plus with the ever-growing population houses are of course been built further outside of urban areas As usual those at the top full of good ideas in theory but the reality is very different

 

[Pjj]

I believe that is already happening in areas that had no issues with traffic the streets are getting congested, and they are trying to make 15 minute towns and cities as in everything like schools and surgeries etc are within a 15 minute walk the reality is very different as they ain't building new schools etc or putting in the infrastructure for this to happen plus with the ever-growing population houses are of course been built further outside of urban areas As usual those at the top full of good ideas in theory but the reality is very different

Down hear they are starting to introduce 20 mph speed limits in all the towns they say it’s a trial but doubt it will go back to 30mph they now have unmarked camera vans all over the place ,hundreds have been done for speeding in a matter of a few days

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Down hear they are starting to introduce 20 mph speed limits in all the towns they say it’s a trial but doubt it will go back to 30mph they now have unmarked camera vans all over the place ,hundreds have been done for speeding in a matter of a few days

If they make money from it then it will continue. We had a fixed camera that made no money so they removed it.