[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

you may be a member of our fourm then eh ?? have you tryed dub shack im sure they will have one on the shelf tell them noddy told you to ring hell see you right

[derek west]

mark
from your posts and your charges and the amount of jobs you post your doing, you must be turning over a good amount of money per week.
do the maths, bite the bullet and part ex that piece of crap for a new van, trouble free motoring for 3 years so you can concentrate on serving your customers instead of giving them excuses and rebooking.

all though with your luck, even a new van might FU.

derek

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Gotta agree with Derek, Mark

I would never suggest that someone get into debt - but I couldn't put up with the grief that you have with both your van and machine.

Perhaps the new year should bring a new business outlook.

Hope you get things sorted soon.


Steve

[M.Acorn]

Susan i have tried loads of dismantlers,and even tried a recon placce £675+vat !!
I do turn over a decent amouint,but have high outgoings £531 on yello pages alone,plus about £650 on the machine,plus all the other expenses £295 for my accountant this month,and also need to start putting some by for mr tax man !
I have a geaarbox sorted now,meeting the lad at the garage in the morning,should only take a couple of hours to fit it,will chuck a new clutch on too,then job done,i had been meaning to get it serviced,but then the machine went wrong 

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

try car transplants of nantwich

[clinton]

Mark like joe said thought there would have been some sort of warranty with it as he was a dealer

As steve an derek said in there post i would also go along with the lines of getting a new vehicle and machie.

Thats going to give you (or should ) Years of troube free motoring etc.

Then it would leave you to get on with getting your business running..

[M.Acorn]

Yeah wish i could take it back,i would contact him if i thought there was a hope in hell of getting some sort of payoff from him !
It`s just one of those things,i could buy a new one and have probs knowing me !

I paid 1200 for the van,most of the ones i have seen up for sale,same yr etc have been between 1500 and 1800,might sell it on possibly,but then i could be in the same place all over again 

[jonnyald]

im pretty sure that 5th and reverse are in the end casing on that box . i used to be a spannerman ,but my memorys not so fresh . but i definitely remember  a lot of those boxes are easy to change fifth/reverse WITHOUT  pulling out the box .

i can remember doing a clutch on a caddy diesel, its about a 4 hour job,the only point to be careful with is be sure you have perfect spline tool to undo the drive shaft little bolts

[M.Acorn]

Not sure ,i know 5th is the highest up inside the box,there was no oil in the box whatsoever ! Hence why 5th was running dry,which in turn had done the bearings.
When we did the clutch on my roc,we used superglue ,just glued the plate up centred ,top mechanic tip that.
4th started to go on the way there ! so think it`s a case of new box ratehr than re=-building.
Contacted the de4aler i bought it off ,in the hope he would do something about it,not heard back from him,surprise.Can`t start threatening him,as he was a big grant mitchel look alike,and goes to the gym everyday ! He also has my address,so i don`t want to risk him coming over here.
Company called zel cars,so everyone knows to avoid him !
The people who will be doing the swap,are propper vw mentals , as in they drag race them at Santa pod,so they know their stuff better than most garages

[M.Acorn]

All good now,bloke on the forum i am a member of has sorted one for me,collect Tue ,fit Wed,skint by Thurs.
Going to chuck a new clutch on,so that will hopfully be 2 things i won`t have to worry about for a while.
The garage i am going to are sponsors for 2 of the mechanics who work there....This is Mike one of the people who will be doing the swap....http://www.mightymetamorphicracing.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=36&Itemid=66.

Will also be getting me some choice parts for the roc too 

[Robert Watson]

Nice one Mark 

[M.Acorn]

Think i am going to try Trading standards !Contacted the dealer on Sat morning,he got back to me asking which car who are you,told him,heard nothing back !
Will call him and ask if he wants to pay half the money for the box and install,if not i will call them and see what they say !
Have a friend who said he is more than up for coming with me to see him,to hold my hand,incase the bloke gets heated !
I said i would rather stay on the side of the law at the moment,if i don`t get any luck though,i will be posting my old gearbox through his showroom window !

[jasonl]

Before you bought this van you asked for advice , lots of people gave it including me.

It seems you ignored the advice and bought an 8 year old van with 184k on the clock , the gearbox is just the start of your problems!

The dealer you bought from paid £600 max from an auction or as a part ex.

My advice now is to not put any money into it , ask for a grand back ,allowing for the use you have had,or try and ebay it with the gearbox fault for a grand.

Then take the advice given, spend £1500 plus at the auction , get the newest van you can for the money, you will get an 04 upwards for that money.

As you were going to spend 500 on a gearbox and sign writing anyhow , if you manage to get 1000 for the caddy you will manage it.


Alternatively keep the caddy, and run it with just a 4 speed box for a while  until you have the funds to upgrade.

Whatever you do  I advise not throwing money at the caddy.
Take advice from someone who has been there , and come out the other side with good vehicles.

I say the above with a caring helpful attitude , not as a criticism.

Good luck whatever you decide.

[CARPET KNIGHTS]

Mark we had a major engine failure with a saab that we bought from a dealer. they tried to fob us off with the fact that they do a 7 day returns policy (engine went on 8th day) also they said it was sold as seen this is illegal for a dealer to say this as it is implying the loss of your rights. The vehicle has to last a reasonable amount of time for the age and condition of it from the time you bought it!

Regards Goron

[richie]

Trading standards will back you all the way.  The term they will use is.....THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FIT FOR THE PURPOSE IT WAS BOUGHT FOR.   

Richie.

[M.Acorn]

The other car we bought off him also broke down this morning,starter motor went,i spoke to the rac man,he said motor had been connected with audio cable !
About to call him now,will be recording the conversation as evidence.
Then trad stand if noi joy ! Cheers for the info Guy`s.
I can`t just keep on using it with 4th,other gears are starting to go now too,just needs to get me 15 mile in the morning,to the garage,they are doing me a favour,very cheap ,but i won`t get an invoice ! Will also be having a good look at the van,just in case anything else is on it`s way out.
Could not afford a new one,don`t want to get in any debt 

[Neil Williams]

Mark I'm going to be quite blunt with you, it's nothing personal but:
How do you command such high rates for carept cleaning when you are using worn out equipment and turning up in vehicles that pikies would turn their noses up at.
You are constantly running a debt situation anyway because of what you are spending out trying to keep delaperated equipment functioning. Can you not see if you get some newish equipment and vehicles complete with warrentees that at the end of let's say 5 years, you wouldn't have spent anymore out, but you would feel better knowing you look the part.
I know you don't want to have a debt over your head but if you are running your books correctly then any business debt will keep your tax bill really low. There are probably some on here (like in other professions) who year in year out show a business loss but still manage to have all the trappings of a good life style.

[M.Acorn]

Cheeky bugger !!
My machine was bought brand new 5 years ago ! In cash,i have continued to build my business and my equipment up since then,withiout getting into debt !
2001 is not that bad it`s 5 years younger than the one it replaced !
I read on here that most who run portables,have had too replace motors and pumps on a yearly basis ,one of the vac`s i took out was nearly 18 months old,so had not had such a bad return from it really.
I can`t be running at a loss,i need to be getting a mortgage over the next couple of years,so i have to put as much as i can through the books !
And on the + side i have just booked a 6 bed house,for the American services £487. i came highly recomended 

[jasonl]

Mark , the van you have now is a debt! it is a liability , and going to cost you EVERY  month the same or more than a van on finance.

Trading standards will be no help , the van was fit for purpose , 184k and 9 years old ,, of course it will need major repairs imminently. these vans will go on for 300k IF they are maintained from new by the book ,  yours clearly was not.

Ditch it ASAP, GET SOME FINANCE or stretch yourself with a cash purchase and run a business, you wont regret it . 

[Helen]

All good now,bloke on the forum i am a member of has sorted one for me,collect Tue ,fit Wed,skint by Thurs.
Going to chuck a new clutch on,so that will hopfully be 2 things i won`t have to worry about for a while.
The garage i am going to are sponsors for 2 of the mechanics who work there....This is Mike one of the people who will be doing the swap....http://www.mightymetamorphicracing.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=36&Itemid=66.

Will also be getting me some choice parts for the roc too 

How much is this going to cost you?