[DaveG]

Has anyone gone from a large van to smaller?

Im currently using a Trafic and am getting another van on the road next year for my son (Berlingo size) and quite fancy having 2 matching vans 

[Diamond standard ltd]

Don't think I could do that just with the amount of kit we got.

[Ste b]

Only you know if you can fit all your gear in a smaller van, i wouldnt downsize just so i could have "matching vans"

[DaveG]

Cheers guys,  obviously the reason is not just to have matching vans... thinking about economy, wear and tear etc

[Simon Mess]

When I started out, a window cleaner I knew said I would need a 1000l system(!) to last all day. So I duly went out and bought a 3.5t swb Iveco, had it for a year and loved it. But of course I soon found out that with a pump controller I didn't need a van of that size. I now have a transit connect 230lwb and have owned it for 3.5 years. At the time, it had the biggest payload for a small van (900kg), which is one of the main considerations for downsizing, and allows me to use a 500l system (just!, see weigh bridge thread). The thing is, I still hanker after a bigger van, preferably another Iveco, though the swb versions are very hard to find. I loved the high up driving position and the London taxi rivalling turning circle (much better steering lock than my transit connect!). I drive pretty gently and managed 29mpg in the Iveco, which is pretty good for a van of that size, but my transit connect gives me 40mpg, and with the price of diesel as it is, I couldn't really justify going back to a bigger van. Bottom line is I don't actually need a bigger van than the connect, much as I might want one!.

[dave f]

i had a 2.2 transit took it off the road got a 1.9 dispatch far bettre to park etc.

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

why not buy him a swb traffic if yours is a lwb

 as for the running and repair bills there all dear to keep on the road unless your going old school and back to real vans that don't have ecus ,

 I found traffic running bits cheaper then transits , ball joins, trackrod ends ,ect ect so going smaller may not save you money , get your old books out and see what you have spent on your old van to whats its made you in money 

[Smudger]

We have a 3.5 tonne long wheelbase maxus with 1000 ltr tank. But all the other vans are smaller, because we have found 1 man 1 van gives us a better return value wise (although they are all 2 man set-ups)

Would I downsize from the beast NO,  because we now do lots of pressure washing, gutter clearing so the beast takes all this with ease, same applies for larger window cleaning jobs such as schools where the one van will have more than enough water capacity.

Livery wise our vans match, but are different models and this actually helps us as people notice the vans are different so are very aware that they have seen different vans go by, not the same one just doing a circular route.

Darran

[DaveG]

Thanks for your opinions/answers guys