Van - car

I'm currently using a van... using a di vessel on demand with a 250 ltr tank.

I'm looking to downgrade to a car ( to reduce costs )

I'm thinking about getting a roof rack for my ladders...

Moving my tank and di vessel to my shed. I will set up a double di to fill the tank with purified water...

Then buy a window cleaning trolley for the car.

Would anyone recommend this?

I have been looking at the xline 45 ltr trolley with the remote control. I would use this and I would fill a good few 25 ltr containers to get me by during the day.

A bit of a mess on but would save me in the long run

Just after a few opinions/suggestions

Feel free [emoji4]

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I would just earn more money and keep the van

adamangler said:

I would just earn more money and keep the van

Click to expand...

The van costs me £20 a month tax... £60 every 2 weeks fuel.. £120 a month insurance

The car I'm looking at.. £30 a year tax... £50 to fill the tank which would last roughly just over 3 weeks.. £87 a month insurance

To me that's a hell of a saving just reducing the size of what I am driving. Plus using a double di would save me a few coin on resin

Surely it's worth a go ?


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How many days a week do you do? How big a round a day? I'm just starting out & using a pure freedom trolley with a 100m hose using my RAV4. The trolley is good & ok but lugging loads of 25l barrels around & filling up etc is a pain. Also think about the water that will get in your car inevitably. I'm careful, have blankets & a boot liner etc but still get some water spilt. Not to mention the wet pole.

how much do you think you will save? My advice - stick to the van or get a pick up with tank system if you must.

Water leaking in car to much weight may well damage the suspension.

Your working day will be a lot harder without a van mount, I used a trolley for over 3 years and would never go back to using one.

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It can work.  I've worked wfp from a car for ten years and don't plan to change any time soon.  That's not to say I'm against using a van mounted system.  It's just that for me, a trolley works very well because it's in constant use all day and spends very little time in my car.  Eight barrels of water lasts me about 4-5hrs, so I'm lifting one full barrel of water out of the back of the car onto the trolley about eight times over five hours. No big deal.  However, if you are lifting the trolley and a barrels of water in and out all day doing indevidual houses, I can see how that could get tedious.  You have to know your work well. 

Personally if you are going to try it I wouldn't bother with a 45ltr trolley. I'd get the lightest trolley (that takes 25ltr barrels) you can afford (perhaps the Pure Freedom Nano) and lift your full barrels straight onto it. It's much quicker than messing about transferring water from 25ltr barrels into a bigger trolley. This is also why I don't use a backpack on a sack truck. Again I'm not knocking them. Many use them to good effect.

I use green plastic tarps in the trunk of my car to keep the water out. Bear in mind thought that if it's doubling as a family car you will probably get complaints about the smell of damp cloths etc. But you can keep this to a minimum by removing all used cloths and wet items at the end of the day.

You could go out and knock doors for a few evenings and make up the gap and more with extra customers or 1 extra gutter or Connie roof clean a month! 

I used to work out of a car but since getting this van i work a lot quicker as it is easier to set up etc

Cars and vans all did the same job for me when i was trad but i couldn't go back to wfp'ing from a car

Plus once you start offering other services you won't have space in a car

ralphy1989 said:

I'm currently using a van... using a di vessel on demand with a 250 ltr tank.

I'm looking to downgrade to a car ( to reduce costs )

I'm thinking about getting a roof rack for my ladders...

Moving my tank and di vessel to my shed. I will set up a double di to fill the tank with purified water...

Then buy a window cleaning trolley for the car.

Would anyone recommend this?

I have been looking at the xline 45 ltr trolley with the remote control. I would use this and I would fill a good few 25 ltr containers to get me by during the day.

A bit of a mess on but would save me in the long run

Just after a few opinions/suggestions

Feel free

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

Click to expand...

Forget the 45 liter trolley, its too big and heavy to move around easily. Rather consider a unit where you interchange 25 liter plastic containers.

PF trolley is a good example.

I concur with the other posters - using a car isn't ideal for the reason they have quoted. I think @Marko067only uses his car for wfp. If you are thinking about using it as family transport as well then this can be an issue with condensation, a smell of damp etc which won't make for a happy journey.

.

ralphy1989 said:

The van costs me £20 a month tax... £60 every 2 weeks fuel.. £120 a month insurance

The car I'm looking at.. £30 a year tax... £50 to fill the tank which would last roughly just over 3 weeks.. £87 a month insurance

To me that's a hell of a saving just reducing the size of what I am driving. Plus using a double di would save me a few coin on resin

Surely it's worth a go ?


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Click to expand...

You are talking about making your working life much more difficult for the sake of £50 a month, you would work much faster and easier out of a van mount, the efficency at which you will work will far outweigh the extra costs.

I have a car and a van, the car costs me about another 80 quid a month having it but i can keep it clean and in good condition, the van can stay a pig sty and get some abuse lol

spruce said:

Forget the 45 liter trolley, its too big and heavy to move around easily. Rather consider a unit where you interchange 25 liter plastic containers.

PF trolley is a good example.

I concur with the other posters - using a car isn't ideal for the reason they have quoted. I think @Marko067only uses his car for wfp. If you are thinking about using it as family transport as well then this can be an issue with condensation, a smell of damp etc which won't make for a happy journey.

.

Click to expand...

I confirm that the car in question is only used for work.  It was the family car as well, until about 6 years ago.  I used to empty it of all work gear except the ladders on the roof to keep it from developing that unpleasant odour.  That was a faff.

Sorry, but pulling up in a car, opening the boot and dragging a container of water out of the boot smacks of unprofessionalism to me. Imagine pulling up to a big posh gaff in a car using WFP  :1f644: . I'd set the dogs on him if I was the owner!

Cars and window cleaning are so non league. 

Get a van and be premier league.

Surprised your car insurance is so high, is that without any no claims bonus?
I used a mpv for a while and no matter how many layers of plastic sheeting it always got wet and smelt damp, it also knocked out the air suspension. Went to a van Peugeot Expert, door either side, perfect.
Also my accountant says that it's more tax efficient to have a van.
Yes it's more professional, if you try to cut too many costs, it can have a negative effect on your business assuming your not doing it as a second job for a bit of side cash!


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If you get out knocking some doors you could easily make up the difference of £50.00 and keep the van, It really depends on what your personal circumstances are and whether you really need a car over a van.

I use a mitsubishi l200 because I never wanted a van so I have the best of both in a way nice works and leisure vehicle. 

Tuffers said:

Sorry, but pulling up in a car, opening the boot and dragging a container of water out of the boot smacks of unprofessionalism to me. Imagine pulling up to a big posh gaff in a car using WFP  :1f644: . I'd set the dogs on him if I was the owner!

Cars and window cleaning are so non league. 

Get a van and be premier league.

Click to expand...

Says a blue nose!

Minty said:

Says a blue nose!

Click to expand...

:1f44d: :1f602:

That set-up can work great, especially if it's a part time number. I have a small Astra van, and do not use a van mount, you could do a similar type of thing with a car.

?

just remember you CANT take you no claims from van to car, only car to van