When starting to look for a van it’s important to set a budget that affordable and realistic and stick to it, if you know what your limit is before you go looking you can’t overspend. Finding a van that suits you needs is very important if you only need a small van for your day to day needs and the occasional use of something larger, it’s much more economical to purchase a small vehicle and hire a larger van as and when needed.

Just remember when purchasing a van that they are used on a daily basis for work so unlike a car you can expect a certain amount of wear and tear on both the interior and exterior of the van. This doesn’t mean that it will be well worn, just that if it’s a van that’s been well used for a trade then it’s likely to have a few scratches here and there. The price of a van will fluctuate greatly depending on the amount of mileage and wear and tear of the vehicle.

With Fuel prices being so high it’s a good idea to search online to work out the costs of running your intended van on a weekly basis. Along with the cost of running your van you can also look at additional features that each van may posses to try and work out what would be helpful. While safety features are very desirable these days making sure the van is able to carry a high enough Gross Vehicle Weight is essential.

Before going to visit any van make sure you have checked out rival prices for vans of a similar age and mileage online so that you are sure that the price being asked is a fair one. Always arrange to see a van in good weather as both the dark and rain can make it difficult to see imperfections on the bodywork. It’s important to make sure that you meet the owner of the van at their home address and make sure that you get a land line number; so that you know the person selling the van is the owner. Ask to see the V5C registration certificate which will confirm the owners address, it will also have details of the vans year of registration, registration number, make, model, colour, chassis and engine numbers, which should all be checked. You can perform a vehicle history check online for a small fee and if you have little knowledge about vehicles then the AA offer a service where bye they will come out and check a vehicle for you which comes with a guarantee.

If you are going to check the vehicle by yourself here are some things to look out for.

1. Check the vans panels for consistency of colour and texture.
2. Check the vans service history and mileage to make sure there are no discrepancies with the clock being turned back.
3. Check the bodywork for signs of rust and blistering around the arches, doors and sills and chips in the paintwork.
4. Look for evidence of any repairs or welding that may have occurred from a past accident.
5. Take the van out for a drive and test the brakes by performing an emergency stop, it’s also a good idea to take someone else along with you to listen out for any unusual noises that may occur as its difficult to take everything in yourself.
6. Check the engine oil and antifreeze to see if it has been well maintained, the oil should also be checked to make sure that it’s not discoloured and that there are no signs of foam.
7. Always try and test drive the van when it’s cold to see if there are any start-up problems. You will be able to feel the bonnet to identify whether it has already been run to warm the engine up.
8. Check the gearbox for signs of wear and tear.
9. Check the tires for signs of bulging and make sure that they have the minimum required level of tread.
10. Check all the seatbelts and door locks to make sure that they work correctly.
11. Check for signs of hose damage and check all the rubber seals around the windows and doors.
12. Check for any signs of warning light on the dashboard and that all the controls work correctly including the windscreen wipers.

If after viewing the van you are still not happy just remember there are plenty more second hand used vans out there and its better to walk away than make a mistake and regretting it.

Roadside checks are carried out all over the country and a van can be stopped by a police officer or a Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) enforcement support officer at any time and taken to the nearest weighbridge for checking the GVW. If the vehicle is found to exceed its GVW then both the driver and the drivers company run the risk of receiving a maximum overloading fine of £5,000.

Aside from the worry of a fine a vans tyres and braking system is only designed to perform correctly within its safe working load parameters. Outside of this the vehicle may not react as expected and may become unstable in an emergency situation should the need arise to stop suddenly.

In situations where a van is towing the Gross Train Weight (GTW) needs to be taken into account the GTW is the maximum permitted weight of the van + the trailer being towed (this includes any loads being carried in the van/vehicle or trailer). If the trailer has a braking system installed this will effect the load it is able to carry as the trailer is then not relying on the vans brakes.

Just to make things more confusing there are a further 2 weight restrictions that need to be observed. Each vehicle will have a maximum axle load for the front and rear axles of the van. A van can be below the GVW but still break the law for exceeding the maximum axle weight, which is why it’s important to make sure the load is evenly distributed. A vans load weight distribution can sometimes shift when the vehicle is in transit so it’s vitally important that the load is secured to prevent such an occurrence.

In the UK we are so used to driving in wet weather that we often become complacent about safety. This is one of the reasons that such a high percentage of accidents take place on our roads because we simply don’t adjust our driving habits and take any changes in weather conditions into consideration.

After a long dry spell the first few days of rain are the most hazardous because a roads surface may become extremely slippery. With a steady flow of traffic the roads surfaces will have build up a grimy layer comprising of oil, dust, leaves and tyre debris etc as well as passengers themselves throwing things out of their window. It can take a few days to wash all this muck away and until it does the combination of water and greasy surface can have a big impact on the way a vehicles tires react to a roads surface.

When it does rain the safest thing to do is reduce your speed and leave more room between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. A wet road will require a breaking distance of at least twice that of a dry road and if your tire tread is low then the distance required to stop can be a lot more.

Test research undertaken at MIRA (The Motor Industry Research Association) has shown that increasing a tires tread from the current UK minimum of 1.6mm to 3mm will increase a vehicles performance in wet weather by up to 25%. This can mean an extra reduction of 25m in stopping distance which is a substantial amount when you need to stop in a hurry.

To account for the extra time it may take to stop your vehicle in wet weather you should leave a safe distance between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. The other things you can do to make driving in poor conditions safer are:

1. Keep your lights clean and free from dirt and use them when it’s raining or visibility is poor not only so that you can see what’s ahead of you, but so that other vehicles are more aware of you.
2. Replace worn wipers so that when ever you use them your windscreen is kept as clean as possible.
3. Demist your vehicle’s windows so that you have a good visibility of what’s around and try to keep the inside of your windows clean as they will then be less susceptible to misting up.
4. Remember that other vehicles are also suffering from poor visibility and as such even though you can see them it doesn’t mean that they have noticed you.
5. As already stated keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you a gap of at least three cars lengths is the recommended distance for travelling behind a vehicle to allow for extra reaction and stopping time. It also helps to keep any spray from the vehicle in front of you to a minimum and improve your visibility.
6. The most obvious advise is to ‘Slow down’ which in turn will reduce the chances of your vehicle aquaplaning, which is caused by a layer of water creating a barrier between your tires and the roads surface and is extremely dangerous as you can imagine. (To help prevent aquaplaning aside from keeping your speed down you should keep your tires inflated to the correct pressure and make sure your vehicle tires have adequate tread. If your vehicle does start to lose traction and glide on the waters surface you should avoid accelerating or breaking and instead press down the clutch (on an automatic you should put the car into neutral) to let the vehicle slow down on its own. With a firm grip on the steering wheel try and steer as safely as you can until you are out of the water.
7. Never drive if you are tired of feeling sleepy.

Many of the UK’s roads also suffer from getting water logged when there are heavy downpours because they simply don’t have adequate drainage systems in place to keep the road water free. If you do come across a road that’s covered with water be sure that it’s not too deep or fierce before entering it and remember 2 feet of rapidly flowing water can wash a car away. When in doubt turn your vehicle around and find an alternative route.
If you do decide to drive through the water:

1. Don’t drive through any water that’s moving fast
2. First let any oncoming traffic pass bye
3. Reduce your speed and put the vehicle into first gear and keep the engines revs high to help keep any water out of the exhaust.
4. Drive slowly and steadily to avoid causing waves, soaking pedestrians and avoiding damage to your vehicle. It will only take a small amount of water to enter the air intake to damage the vehicles engine and land you with a nice repair bill.
5. Always test your breaks after exiting water to make sure they are still functioning correctly.

If your vehicle does break down while you are travelling through water and it starts to rise or become fierce, make sure you exit the vehicle and head to safety as quickly as you can. It may only take a few feet of rapidly flowing water for the vehicle to get swept away.

Should your vehicle break down in wet weather, never open the bonnet and leave it exposed to the rain while you are waiting for the emergency services to arrive. Soaking the vehicles electronics will only make the job of re starting the vehicle a lot more difficult.

Recent hope of a rescue deal collapsed when Malaysian firm Weststar was unable to raise sufficient funds and asked for a further £45million of assistance from the Government. Weststar withdrew from negotiations after it was revealed that production at the plant couldn’t commence for at least 4 months and for this reason they were wished to avoid investing any more money into LDV. The Malaysian firm are still believed to be interested in LDV but won’t go ahead and make any offer until the firm it is protected by administration.

There are around 850 workers at the Birmingham plant and thousands more in the supply chain that will lose their jobs if LDV disappears. It’s thought that Weststar may make an offer once LDV goes to administration and move any equipment purchased to the Far East ending any chance of saving UK jobs.

LDV Maxus

Hope for LDV’s Future

Weststar a Malaysian vehicle importer is in talks with Russian owners Gaz for a deal to save LDV the Birmingham based van manufacturer. The future of the van-maker was looking bleak after its directors made an application to put the company into administration only a few days ago.

A court hearing for administration which was supposed to be held at Birmingham County Court on Wednesday May 6th was put on hold by the Judge for a week to allow time for the deal to be completed. The UK Government has also stepped in to offer a one off £5m short term bridging loan to ensure that LDV keeps afloat whilst the deal goes ahead.

The LDV Washwood Heath plant laid off most of its 850 workers last weeks as the last of the money ran out. Production at the plant was put on hold in December of 2008, since then only limited number of vans has been produced at the plant. Although Weststar has not yet stated that it will keep its production in the UK, this latest deal seems to be the last hope for both the plant and its workers.
“Weststar’s proposed purchase of LDV offers the only credible chance of keeping this manufacturing plant in the UK,” said business minister Ian Pearson. “Whilst completion of the deal is not certain, it would have been irresponsible of the Government not to support it going forward.” “But this is a one-off bridging loan and it cannot be extended,” he said.
Weststar is no stranger to LDV having already been in partnership since 2007 for the marketing and assembly of LDV’s Maxus throughout Asia and the Middle East. If the deal does go ahead it will provide the Malaysian owned Weststar with an established International brand and direct access to the European Commercial Vehicle market.

1. Improve the business cash flow
   When you lease a van you have an agreed fixed monthly charge which can include servicing and maintenance of any work required to keep the vehicle road worthy. With a fixed monthly payment for the duration of the lease contract, your business will be able to accurately budget the costs of running a single van or even fleet of vans with no surprises from rising interest rates or large garage bills.
2. Remove the vehicles depreciation risk
   When you buy a new van it’s a fact that as soon as it leaves the showroom it will depreciate in value. It will depend upon the make and model of the van as to how fast it will depreciate, but the simple fact remains that each year the van will be worth less. When you lease a vehicle you take away the worry of having to sell the van, at the end of the lease contract you simply hand it back over to the company. With an unsteady auto industry and falling prices for second hand vehicles why worry how much your van is going to be worth tomorrow.
3. Lease payments can be offset against tax
   When you lease a van solely for business purposes within the UK your company can claim up to 100% of any vat spent on your monthly lease payments. If the van has a dual purpose on the other hand and is used for both business and personal use, up to 50% of the vat costs of leasing the van can still be claimed back. If the van has a maintenance package as part of the van leasing agreement 100% of the vat can also be claimed back.
4. Drive a better quality vehicle
   It’s a fact leasing enables companies to run a higher standard of vehicle than they may otherwise have been able to afford had the vehicle been purchased. There is no large down payment for driving the van away from the showroom just a fixed monthly instalment. Lease payments are always less than monthly payments for purchasing a van because you are not actually paying to buy the vehicle, just the amount it will depreciate in value over the term you have the contract for. Leasing enables companies to keep up to date with technology and change their van every 2-3 years, enabling you to drive a vehicle that is more environmentally friendly with a lower fuel consumption.
5. No more repair bills
   When you lease a van you can take on a maintenance contract for the duration of the lease term which will cover any repairs that the vehicle requires. With garages charging labour costs of £50 per hour and upwards it can work out quite costly should your van require any repairs not covered by the warranty.

More information about van leasing deals

The Ducato extends the range of natural gas powered vehicle currently on offer by Fiat which include the: Panda Van 1.2, Punto Van 1.2, Multipla Van 1.6, Doblò Cargo 1.6 and Doblò Cargo Maxi 1.6.

The Ducatos 3 litre dual fuel engine was developed and produced by FPT – FIAT Powertrain Technologies and provides a maximum 136 HP (100 kW), with 2,750-3,500 rpm, and maximum torque of 350 Nm at 1,500 rpm.

To store the vans supply of natural gas there are 5 storage tanks installed under the vans flooring which means that the entire storage area is kept free. Each tank can hold 44 litres of compressed natural gas which adds up to an overall storage capacity of 220 litres. The gas is stored at 200 bar, 15°C and is fed to the engine through 4 low pressure injectors. Should the supply of gas run out the electronic control system will automatically switch to powering the engine with petrol.

Fiats new gas powered Ducato van should be cheaper to run than conventional petrol or diesel models because not only is the fuel cheaper to buy in the first place but natural gas is also more efficient for producing power and produces less harmful emissions.

Getting out of a lease isn’t as simple as just returning the vehicle when you changed your mind. It’s a legal contract that extends over a fixed period that is outlined in the document you signed when taking out the lease.

You can return the vehicle to the leasing company and pay the outstanding balance of the remaining lease term, which means you are paying for the hire of the vehicle, but not actually using it.

The second option is to transfer your lease agreement which means that a third person agrees to continue paying for the lease until the end of the original lease agreement term. This ensures that you do not get any kind of penalty which may affect your future credit rating; you just have to pay a transfer fee.

There are specific companies who deal with lease transfers and will be able to guide you through the process. These companies are sometimes able to advertise your vehicle and find a suitable buyer who would be interested in taking over the lease agreement.

Cem Tokac a Turkish port worker has to be one of the luckiest men alive after being struck by an articulated lorry. 32 year Cem was standing beside a railway line when an articulated lorry drives past and crosses over the rail way track. As the lorry passes over the track it is rammed by a speeding train which sends the lorry ploughing into Cem. The lorry’s hits Cem to the ground and drags him underneath the trailer. Miraculously he only receives minor injuries and is unable to remember anything about the accident. The amazing footage is captures on two separate CCTV cameras showing the accident from 2 separate angles.