Find me a van then...
- Noggin
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Re: Find me a van then...
I miss my Mk7. I always fancied a transit custom LWB minibus for the company. If I ever get to the point of being able to get a van again, I would probably go for a Ford. Of all the vans/minibuses I've driven, the Fords were nicest - for me. I hated the VWs, the Traffics were a bit meh.
Life is for living. Buy the shoes. Eat the cake. Ride the bikes. Just, ride the bikes!! 
- Taipan
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Re: Find me a van then...
So the quest is over, you've bought it?weeksy wrote: Sat Dec 10, 2022 6:09 pm Van worked lovely on the day... Sadly my MTB never as i lost a bolt... sadly for me it was a game changer bolt which can't be sourced on the day as it's very very specific to the bike.
But anyway, the van.
It's a little lumpy when first starting at 6.30am in -3deg.... But soon gets to sounding OK in 20s. It's a fairly ticky/noise/diesel engine, but that's a Transit Custom for you.. well, it's actually a van as we know.
Everything works perfectly though.
It does have a slightly ticky/tappy noise on right handers, which Couchy tells me is CV joint potentially, but the van wasn't prepped for sale yet, so that'll get done before i collect. But other than that... no issues at all with it for me. Drives as it should 34-36mpg but a chunk of that was uppy downy back roads and through the gearbox... i think i'll see closer to 40s on a decent run.
I even provided an uplift service for the boy and his team-mate who got 3 full runs with a quick uplift in the van after they'd been sessioning the trails earlier.
Excellent![]()
- weeksy
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Re: Find me a van then...
Not quite lol
https://www.savannahcars.co.uk/used-for ... ce-section
I'm liking this one too.
The problem I have is that I like and trust my mate and don't want to offend him. His one is a nice enough van, but it's not immaculate by any stretch.
So it's a question of trust Vs potentially nicer.
I've got to shoot back tomorrow with the van and will sound out any options that have or are coming in.
https://www.anchorvans.co.uk/van/44841- ... ise-no-vat#
It looks like he may have this one coming in, which ticks the boxes too.
At the end of the day, if I end up with the one that's currently on the driveway, I won't be upset. But one of these 2 could be even nicer.
https://www.savannahcars.co.uk/used-for ... ce-section
I'm liking this one too.
The problem I have is that I like and trust my mate and don't want to offend him. His one is a nice enough van, but it's not immaculate by any stretch.
So it's a question of trust Vs potentially nicer.
I've got to shoot back tomorrow with the van and will sound out any options that have or are coming in.
https://www.anchorvans.co.uk/van/44841- ... ise-no-vat#
It looks like he may have this one coming in, which ticks the boxes too.
At the end of the day, if I end up with the one that's currently on the driveway, I won't be upset. But one of these 2 could be even nicer.
- weeksy
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Re: Find me a van then...
If i up the budget just a bit, it brings this into the discussion
I'm shooting over later at lunchtime to see the boys there and chat. The one above is in the nice blue, with all the Custom toys (apart from Nav).
As much as you could argue heated seats etc are not required in a van, they were honestly very nice the other day (and likely today too) as it's bloody freezing.

I'm shooting over later at lunchtime to see the boys there and chat. The one above is in the nice blue, with all the Custom toys (apart from Nav).
As much as you could argue heated seats etc are not required in a van, they were honestly very nice the other day (and likely today too) as it's bloody freezing.

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Mussels
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Re: Find me a van then...
Just in case you are considering snow chains for one of them, they need special chains that cost a lot. 
- weeksy
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Re: Find me a van then...
LOL nah... deffo not on my list of plansMussels wrote: Mon Dec 12, 2022 7:56 am Just in case you are considering snow chains for one of them, they need special chains that cost a lot.![]()
- Mr Moofo
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Re: Find me a van then...
I have three sets in my shed!Mussels wrote: Mon Dec 12, 2022 7:56 am Just in case you are considering snow chains for one of them, they need special chains that cost a lot.![]()
Not that I know what they will fit ( bought for a SAAB 9-3, Renault Modus and a Jeep Patriot).
Just in case ...
Fort William in May could still be snowed in
- dern
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Re: Find me a van then...
Keep some money aside for security. I'm installing hook and dead locks for mine. The security on these things is pitiful.
- weeksy
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Re: Find me a van then...
So i've now bought this... pending collection of my Kuga which was due to be collected today, but the snow put the dealer off apparently lol. So i think that'll be Wed now.weeksy wrote: Mon Dec 12, 2022 7:43 am If i up the budget just a bit, it brings this into the discussion
I'm shooting over later at lunchtime to see the boys there and chat. The one above is in the nice blue, with all the Custom toys (apart from Nav).
As much as you could argue heated seats etc are not required in a van, they were honestly very nice the other day (and likely today too) as it's bloody freezing.
![]()
- weeksy
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Re: Find me a van then...
https://www.avrmobiles.co.uk/dern wrote: Mon Dec 12, 2022 1:55 pm Keep some money aside for security. I'm installing hook and dead locks for mine. The security on these things is pitiful.
These seem the most reasonable on price I can find.
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Couchy
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Re: Find me a van then...
As I said this has been a proper man thread on how to buy, please find me a van for £7k.......fast forward 2 weeks and here's my £15k van

- weeksy
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Re: Find me a van then...
Well .... it wasn't £15kCouchy wrote: Mon Dec 12, 2022 4:44 pm As I said this has been a proper man thread on how to buy, please find me a van for £7k.......fast forward 2 weeks and here's my £15k van![]()
![]()
It was £16k
It really did escalate. But it's a 2016 Custom with 42,000 on it and SO much quieter an engine than the one i demo'd. I had to point it out to the boss actually "the demo one is proper noisy" lol.
- dern
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Re: Find me a van then...
I got mine from https://garrisonlocks.co.uk/weeksy wrote: Mon Dec 12, 2022 3:09 pmhttps://www.avrmobiles.co.uk/dern wrote: Mon Dec 12, 2022 1:55 pm Keep some money aside for security. I'm installing hook and dead locks for mine. The security on these things is pitiful.
These seem the most reasonable on price I can find.
I've ordered hook locks for the side and rear doors to both lock them and make peeling them less easy. I've also ordered deadlocks for the cab doors. It's not like there's anything valuable in there but I don't want someone peeling the side door off to find that out and the locks are a deterrent.
- Pirahna
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- weeksy
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Re: Find me a van then...
Any real point/deterrent ?Pirahna wrote: Mon Dec 12, 2022 5:32 pm Don't forget the sticker saying no tools left in this van overnight.
- Count Steer
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Re: Find me a van then...
Oim thinkin' the sticker post is one of they there joke thingummies...
The plural of 'anecdote' is not 'data'.
- Noggin
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Re: Find me a van then...
Yayweeksy wrote: Mon Dec 12, 2022 2:29 pm
So i've now bought this... pending collection of my Kuga which was due to be collected today, but the snow put the dealer off apparently lol. So i think that'll be Wed now.
Is it worth putting a towbar on it? I mean, I know you have it to avoid towing with a car, but is it worth it for a 'just in case/wish I had a towbar' moment??
Life is for living. Buy the shoes. Eat the cake. Ride the bikes. Just, ride the bikes!! 
- weeksy
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Re: Find me a van then...
I can't imagine a time i'd tow anything.Noggin wrote: Mon Dec 12, 2022 6:31 pm Is it worth putting a towbar on it? I mean, I know you have it to avoid towing with a car, but is it worth it for a 'just in case/wish I had a towbar' moment??
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