Buying a van

[MyLittleStudPony]

I'm thinking about getting a van. Maybe a Ford Tourneo Custom nine seater. Maybe a second hand one about five years old.

We have four kids and the seven seater Prius isn't really big enough when you add in luggage for six too. Plus a van could carry loads more, seat everyone with more space and be useful for moving bicycles furniture etc. I think you can take all the back seats out so maybe it could work for two people to sleep in on a futon in the back as an occasional one night camper..

A lot of the vans I've seen seem to be advertised for sale plus vat. I can't claim the vat back so would have to pay it. Is it commonly available to pay the vat on the dealer margin rather than the whole purchase price?

Are they quiet enough on the motorway that you can all talk and hear each other ok?

Is there anything else I need to know before I get one?

[Potter]

I think they're a lot more civilised than they used to be, especially the posh ones, but it's still a big hollow box, so it's going to be more noisy and less refined than a Prius.

I think you need a decent test drive to see if it suits you.

[cheb]

Check on insurance, some insurers won't cover 9 seater vans. You might not pay anymore for the insurance but it can reduce the choice.

[KungFooBob]

Sell the kids to people traffickers and buy a new Supra.

[cheb]

The rear seats might be a single unit for a row, they are way too heavy for one person to move easily. Transits always used to be the widest, just wide enough to sleep across the van if you are short or sleep curled up.

[Pirahna]

My T6 Kombi is a 6 seater, no sound proofing or insulation but it's ok on the motorway. As mentioned the removable passenger seats are ridiculously heavy. I can get mine out by myself, my deck at the house is the same height as the back of the van, I put the seats on a board and slide them in and out.

Mine gets used for all sorts, from long journeys to hauling stuff with the seats out, I wouldn't be without it. The only thing is change is the headlights, for such an expensive vehicle it has very poor lights.

[mangocrazy]

Once you get used to having a van, you find they're indispensable and you can't live without one. My van is over 20 years old and I intend to keep it going as long as I possibly can. Modern vans have a lot more creature comforts than mine, but they can still benefit from being insulated/soundproofed to a higher degree than the level they left the factory. Large flat steel panels ring and drum unless they are well soundproofed and vans can become very hot very quickly in warm weather (and very cold in cold weather) unless the insulation is substantially improved. It's not an obvious qiestion to ask of the seller, but try and ascertain whether insulation/sound proofing has been upgraded from OE. If not, budget for some DIY or specialist attention.

Having said that I've no idea what levels of insulation/soundproofing vans are equipped with as OE these days. But as it's largely (or completely) unseen I suspect it's the bare minimum.

[Skub]

A mate likes his van,as he's into his jetskis and rc helicopters. He's had a couple of big Peugeot vans that he speaks highly of. He looked at a Ford Transit recently,but it's £40k for a new one,so he just went Pug again.

He always boards the inside of his,so budget a few hundred for that too. Wood isn't cheap.

[cheb]

The lining in the rear of a minibus type van is likely to be just the thin fibrous stuff that the cab has. Not much scope for removing it and adding anything behind it.

[mangocrazy]

The lining in the rear of a minibus type van is likely to be just the thin fibrous stuff that the cab has. Not much scope for removing it and adding anything behind it.

I can't speak for more modern vans (mine is a 2002 VW Transporter T4) but in mine the insides (as you say) are finished with a thin fibre board type material but behind that there is an air gap of 40-60 mm to the exterior panels. I removed the fibrous board and fitted foil backed self-adhesive butyl mats to the inside of the exterior panels, and also to the inner wheel arches. Once the butyl mats are fitted there is still room to fit flexible insulation if you wish. I've yet to do this. The butyl mats made a major difference to sound levels inside the van, making it a much more pleasant space to be in on a long journey.

We take our cat with us when we travel to the south of France and he was noticeably calmer and less antsy after the sound deadening was fitted.

Like I say, I can only speak for my van and this may not be applicable to more modern vans.

[cheb]

I've not tried sound deadening mats, mostly just trying to fit insulation under (above?) the headlining.

'Tis is moot for me now, I've reverted to a van from minibuses. The main difference being that the bulkhead helps the cab warm up really quickly.

[mangocrazy]

I've not tried sound deadening mats, mostly just trying to fit insulation under (above?) the headlining.

'Tis is moot for me now, I've reverted to a van from minibuses. The main difference being that the bulkhead helps the cab warm up really quickly.

Having a bulkhead sealing you off from the cargo area will help a lot with reduced noise and getting the cab warm quickly (and staying warm). I bought my (ex-AA) van secondhand so didn't have that option. This has reminded me that I've still to fit sound deadening to the entire roof area, as well as the cab doors and bulkhead, in fact I probably should have done those first. But then I have a long and proud tradition of doing stuff arse about face.

Once I've done that I might consider insulation. I'll put it in the five year plan...

[Sadlonelygit]

It'll probably get twoc'd within a week
No idea why ford fit locks to Transits as they are just dead weight.

[cheb]

It'll probably get twoc'd within a week
No idea why ford fit locks to Transits as they are just dead weight.

You forgot to mention that they rust too.

[MyLittleStudPony]

Cheers gents, that's all really useful.

It looks like you can remove the seats individually according to this video, which would be handy.

[Bigjawa]

It'll probably get twoc'd within a week
No idea why ford fit locks to Transits as they are just dead weight.

You forgot to mention that they rust too.

I've fitted towbars to brand new transits that were already rusting before the went to their first owners.

[Mussels]

Check on insurance, some insurers won't cover 9 seater vans. You might not pay anymore for the insurance but it can reduce the choice.

This is a bit of a grey area for insurance as it seems they don't know the definitions.
A vehicle with 9 passenger seats is a minibus, a vehicle with 8 passenger seats plus driver is a car and in the M1 tax class.

A mate had a Custom 9 seater and to move six people and luggage it should be the slightly bigger lwb version, I had one and it could still get in a space in the supermarket car park. Also the lwb version sat a little lower at the back so 2m height limits were no problem.
The 9 seater also had movable seats so they could be folded out of the way, they are heavy beasts to take out.

VAT is another grey area, if it's a 9 seat then its likely to be M1 tax class and not a commercial vehicle, therefore VAT is not reclaimable even if bought by a VAT registered company. If so then it should be charged the same as a car but I've never tested this so make sure the seller is clear about the whole price.

[weeksy]

The vito with all the seats was a lovely drive, i had the Auto version and comfort seats front and back. It's smaller than the Transit and quiet and nice.

Apart from the fact the one i bought had dodgy electrics, i'd highly recommend it. I think that had 8 seats.

[weeksy]

Mate of mine owns this place.

https://www.anchorvans.co.uk/van/47664- ... o-6-vanlux

They have a 'no vat' section.

https://www.anchorvans.co.uk/van/48593- ... o-6-vanlux

[dern]

We have an 8 year old vw t5.1 that we've had for just over 5 years and a 4 year old vivaro that I've had for about 2 years I think. The vw is comparatively noisy but we've driven it to the south of france a couple of times and while it's noisier than a car, it's not been too noisy. The vivaro is much quieter though even though it hasn't had any of the sound deadening and camper conversion stuff that the vw has had.