Worth getting a Ford Escort 55 van for £400?

[slippy]

Customer is a retired mechanic text me about a good van with roofrack. It's got a 12 month mot, new cam belt etc and in good condition. 55 plates so I guess 11 years old. Wants £400 but can bargain him down.

I already have a car and won't sell it yet and ideally i wanted a van with 3 seats if on the rare occasions missus needs to ride with me and little one, but this just has 2.

But be good to get first van. At moment using barrels in car and a trolley which is fine but with a van could put a tank in and a mower (both which won't fit in car). Is it worth checking the extra cost to insure it with car and road tax then decide whether to get it?

Looks a bit like this one-

Ford Escort van 55 1.8 diesel | United Kingdom | Gumtree

 

[J H WindowCleaning]

55 is just the model. The pic shows it a W reg so quite old

Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 

[Taxlossloz]

I would say that's the wrong shape for what you need

You want sliding doors and three seats - dispatch , expert etc

So answer is NO don't go for it just cos it's £400 may as well stick with car

 

[Duncs]

hi tax how much water could he carry in that van

 

[Taxlossloz]

Ayup duncs you mean escort or expert etc

 

[Eviestevie]

The old escort van

First,second,third van I had years ago bomb proof engine

But very very slow and literally down to 2nd to get up a hill

I actually think in few years these will become desirable and collect able so buy it

Trust me

 

[Taxlossloz]

@Eviestevie is pissed don't listen to him

 

[Eviestevie]

Haha I am and don't usually drink

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Put 300L in that and you're gonna struggle uphill. I know as I have done it.

 

[Markyboy 50]

Escort. Still the best all rounder for tradding. Nice and low to get ladders on and off. Barn doors so u don't crack your head on a tailgate. Nothing fits the bill now. All to high. I would still buy an escort if they were still made.

 

[spruce]

hi tax how much water could he carry in that van

600kg payload.

I also endorse @Green Pro Clean Ltd as they are gutless. I would also be concerned at what the state of the body is underneath.

It failed MOT in 2012 for corrosion.

Offside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded.

It failed MOT in 2013 for the following reasons.

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded

So its had welding work before.

In 2014 it failed for minor things.

Offside Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm

I'm not exactly sure what the lamp situation was, but there is a strong possibility that it was an earth issue. Easily remedied but could also be a corrosion issue.

Either way that van shouldn't have failed that MOT. Was the owner worried that the van would fail on other major things like corrosion and decided he would only spend money on repairing it after he saw the MOT result?

It failed in 2010 for an incorrect tyre size on the same axle. ??? How did that happen?

But the van has passed this years MOT with no advisories. If you did buy it, you buy it for this current MOT. This means that the lest you can expect is 1 years motoring from it. If it fails the next MOT and not worth repairing scrap value is around £50 currently. A scrappy told me that it would be nothing shortly.

To me the van's photo may look well cared for, but I don't believe has been.

I have often seen van advertised as no expense spared when it comes to maintenance. But the MOT report indicates differently. I've seen advisories come up for a couple of years before it's failed on one of those advisories.

The Govt MOT history check is a marvelous tool.

Vehicle MOT History - GOV.UK

 

[Williams Jet Wash]

View attachment 6827 I had an escort 55 years ago I did like the van but what a money pit as mentioned above the amount of money I have to spend on welding work to scrape it through MOT also flat as a pancake when empty wouldn't want it full of water also if my memory is correct tax was £230 per year!! The best blue I had tow hitch elec Windows p/w steeringView attachment 6828

 

[tench0771]

the escort vans r very good but slow and they rust

 

[tlwcs]

It's not worth it. The insurance with no no claims (assuming it's used on the car) will be more than the van. It's a big expense for an old van that will fall apart around you!

Tony

 

[Markyboy 50]

It's not worth it. The insurance with no no claims (assuming it's used on the car) will be more than the van. It's a big expense for an old van that will fall apart around you!Tony

Not so sure about the insurance. On my new van I've just bought I took out a new policy. I've kept my old van running. This has my max ncd. My new policy was given to me with a big discount coz I have ncd elsewhere. Only cost £239 for new van fully comp with business use

 

[Jimroot]

Buy it-

It's not the one in his link, it's one that looks like the one in his link

 

[slippy]

View attachment 6830 View attachment 6830

This is the actual van. Think the numbers -52 so 2005, right?

View attachment 6829

 

[Jimroot]

The roof bars alone are prob worth over £100 (used), buy it and love it @slippy

 

[slippy]

It's not worth it. The insurance with no no claims (assuming it's used on the car) will be more than the van. It's a big expense for an old van that will fall apart around you!Tony

It's worth calling Aviva (already got car insured with them) and asking them for a quote surely?

I am fine with car at moment as my window cleaning is p/t, and can get 6 -8 barrels in which is enough, but am going to get a van at some point in the future and thought if this was cheap enough it would be worth it. It was recommended from a mechanic/friend.

 

[boarcity]

600kg payload.
I also endorse @Green Pro Clean Ltd

value is around £50 currently. A scrappy told me that it would be nothing shortly.

Vehicle MOT History - GOV.UK

i was pleasantly suprised when recently i scrapped my Partner van. the scrappy came and collected it and paid me £150 ,this is in Suffolk. i had presumed scrap prices were very low,not so it seems

 

[Luke Barnard]

I'd buy another one, mine did me almost a year and then part ex'd it owing me about £150, I'll admit the dealer didn't look underneath and there was no way I'd have put it through an mot (rust) but it was great as a first van and far better than the Fiesta car I started out with.