[Bobs Window Cleaning]

Hi all
My Kangoo van with 125 litre tank ain't big enough, I'm thinking of going down the road of getting a Fiat Scudo or something similar.  Should I go to the auctions or not? 
Have any of you had experience of auctions and give me a few pointers?  Also, is there anyone who could recommend a good van which will hold a 400 or 500 litre tank and still leave enough space for the Freedom Trolley which I use sometimes as well?
Looking to spend around £4k. 

Cheers Bob

ps now gonna watch Lost

[d s windowcleaning]

i personally wouldnt use a auction , a mate bought a real nice motor last year from one paid in the region of 5 grand for this . problems then started within a week or two kept cutting out , real sluggish , he took it to the local garage and was told he would need a new engine . if you do decide to go to auction be careful . you dont get warrenty at auction but you can from some dealers not all and for £4000 you should get a decent van for that price .

[NWH]

Don`t use an auction,put the £4000 down on a new trafic.At the moment renault are doing 0% so you can`t lose.

[Bobs Window Cleaning]

Thanks guys.

What about if I got a van from the big companies like BT or Royal Mail? Dont they use the auctions to sell?


Bob

[NWH]

Thanks guys.

What about if I got a van from the big companies like BT or Royal Mail? Dont they use the auctions to sell?


Bob

Have you seen the way those blokes drive them vans,do the sensible thing and go as new as you can afford forget vans that have been thrashed by big companies,if it wasn`t your van and if it went wrong and you didn`t have to pay for it how would you treat it.With a new van you know where it`s been from day 1.

[L.J.Thorpe]

auctions are fine IF you know what your doing (after all where do you think the dealers get em from) try one of the big places BCA are good dont know if there is one in norwich but try website. you can register and get advance info on upcoming stuff used to cost for this but not much and it saves you going to auctions when there is nothing to look at.any thing that has come from any of the big leasing companies should have good history and you really can save a LOT of money.IMO you are taking a risk wherever you buy your van its just varying degrees of risk

[Londoner]

We used to buy loads of cars from auctions but it is a trade event and you have to know what you are doing.
The advice to buy new is sound advice. I bought a Peugot Partner new a couple of weeks ago. The main agents are offering fantastic deals on all makes.

I got a £3,800 discount, side door, metallic paint air-con, CD player and its costing me £35 a week.
Thats better than leasing and better than buying secondhand.

[steve m]

If you buy at an auction you must remeber three main things. 1/ you only geet 24hr warrentee 2/ VAT must be added onto the end price, and 3/ the auction fee must also be added. As said before shop around there's some cracking deals on at the moment, 0% finance on renaults, £3000 off toyotas, citroen vans at givaway prices

[Mike_G]

You dont get 24 hr warranty from an auction you only have until the end of the sale, so if you bid and win but do not pay until the auction has finished you have no warranty at all.

[Bobs Window Cleaning]

Thabnks for the replys guys?

Still not sure what to do. Cant really afford the buy a new one and hate being in debt so leasing is out  for me.

Bob

[Mike_G]

Bod. I dont think you wil get much at the auction for £1500 unless it is a small local company. The bigger ones charge about £200 plus vat for there idemnity charges etc on anything for about that so you are not likely to make huge savings and they dont normally have many vans there for that kind of money. You could spend all day at the auction waiting for the only decent van for that money to go through and be outbid on it. Keep an eye on here I have seen a few good (accoording to the ad) vans for sale in the buy and sell section.

[JSMC]

plan on buying from fleet sales at auction. will spend 4.5k max including VAT and fees

[L.J.Thorpe]

look at the BCA websites first mate .car auctions are not the minefield every one thinks lots of these auctions are one company sales ir lloyds finance lex leeasing etc 4k will go further than you think and a lot of these vehicles will have full history and verified mileage.worth a trip to see how it all works just take a mate who knows a bit about the trade

[JSMC]

already been at them viewing vans and have been in contact regarding the fleet sales.

[Bobs Window Cleaning]

Mike.

Not £1500, Im looking to spend £4000 plus whatever I can get for my kangoo.

Bob

[Mike_G]

Must be dreaming, 1500 must be another post Where are you based? Auctions will work there commission on a sliding scale the more you spend the more commission you have to pay so keep that in mind. I have got most of my vehicles from auctions and only ever had one wrong un. If you do go to an auction make sure you know the value of the vehicle you intend to bid on, it is very east to get carried away and pay more from an auction for a van than you might from the autotrader. And try to aviod vehicles that are in the 'general sale', these are the ones that are entered privately and could be hiding a multitude of sins. Go for the ones that are 'direct' from a dealer or leasing company and get one with service history.

[Purecleanplus]

Friend of mine has a 400 litre tank in his kangoo!!
Flat one with sureflo pumps and 7 litre DI tank.

[NWH]

We used to buy loads of cars from auctions but it is a trade event and you have to know what you are doing.
The advice to buy new is sound advice. I bought a Peugot Partner new a couple of weeks ago. The main agents are offering fantastic deals on all makes.

I got a £3,800 discount, side door, metallic paint air-con, CD player and its costing me £35 a week.
Thats better than leasing and better than buying secondhand.

Take the advise given,buy a NEW van if you don`t you`ll wished you had.This time of the year before the new reg is out there giving them away compared to a few months ago,in about 6 weeks time you won`t be able to get 0% at most dealers and all the extras thrown in.

[Bobs Window Cleaning]

Decisions decisions

Thanks all but still not sure what to do.

If i buy a new van (Dispatch,scudo or similar) which i presume will cost around the 10k mark and say I get a grand for my van.  That leaves 5k after I also pay another 4k.


That leaves me with A 5k debt......aaargh. 5 blooming k.

I wouldnt sleep at night.

Keep the advice coming.  Im in the Norwich area.


Bob

[L.J.Thorpe]

Must be dreaming, 1500 must be another post Where are you based? Auctions will work there commission on a sliding scale the more you spend the more commission you have to pay so keep that in mind. I have got most of my vehicles from auctions and only ever had one wrong un. If you do go to an auction make sure you know the value of the vehicle you intend to bid on, it is very east to get carried away and pay more from an auction for a van than you might from the autotrader. And try to aviod vehicles that are in the 'general sale', these are the ones that are entered privately and could be hiding a multitude of sins. Go for the ones that are 'direct' from a dealer or leasing company and get one with service history.

look at the BCA websites first mate .car auctions are not the minefield every one thinks lots of these auctions are one company sales ir lloyds finance lex leeasing etc 4k will go further than you think and a lot of these vehicles will have full history and verified mileage.worth a trip to see how it all works just take a mate who knows a bit about the trade

BCA if i could post alink i would but i cant even get an amidar picture up the nearest to you is probly peterborough if you know any mechanics or anyone with a bit of common sense regarding cars go along and see what you think ,you may be suprised