Everyone keeps telling me to avoid the 700 pound van ...
Discussion
I have form with cheap cars -
£500 Cayenne
£500 XC90
I know these are cars and not vans but they've had an easier life than a working van will have had. I'm an engineer with a large workshop and no children (I have time to tinker).
The Cayenne now stands me at ~£2000
The XC90 now stands me at £3000
These cars were in good condition when I bought them but due to their age they need parts (my labour is free). A <£1k van will be worse.
I also run a 2004 Peugeot Partner Escapade - these are good vans/MPV buy too small to live in.....£700 buys you absolute scrap in one of these.
Years ago my we had a good condition MK7 Transit for our own business - it rusted to death. £700 would buy you a bucket full of Transit rust.
The only van I've known of that was cheap and {okay} was my employers works engineering van - 2011 Fiat Ducato. It was battered and destroyed internally. It was offered to me as I have form with cheap cars but I turned it down. It sold to a work colleague for £400. The following week the clutch failed and after that the ignition barrel melted all the wiring. I would never consider trying to live in it - it's absolutely disgusting.
Good luck but you need to consider other directions/choices in life.
£500 Cayenne
£500 XC90
I know these are cars and not vans but they've had an easier life than a working van will have had. I'm an engineer with a large workshop and no children (I have time to tinker).
The Cayenne now stands me at ~£2000
The XC90 now stands me at £3000
These cars were in good condition when I bought them but due to their age they need parts (my labour is free). A <£1k van will be worse.
I also run a 2004 Peugeot Partner Escapade - these are good vans/MPV buy too small to live in.....£700 buys you absolute scrap in one of these.
Years ago my we had a good condition MK7 Transit for our own business - it rusted to death. £700 would buy you a bucket full of Transit rust.
The only van I've known of that was cheap and {okay} was my employers works engineering van - 2011 Fiat Ducato. It was battered and destroyed internally. It was offered to me as I have form with cheap cars but I turned it down. It sold to a work colleague for £400. The following week the clutch failed and after that the ignition barrel melted all the wiring. I would never consider trying to live in it - it's absolutely disgusting.
Good luck but you need to consider other directions/choices in life.
I agree with the ‘probably AI’ comment but just can’t help myself as I have previous with both cheap cars AND (for a period) living ‘outside’. So, OP the very best of luck if indeed you are real.
Your circumstances will differ but I found myself with a graduate job that didn’t pay enough for the car I needed and accommodation.
I considered Vans, large MPVs and even a Volvo estate. I settled on the best car (with a tow bar) that I could afford and a very small (auction bargain) Caravan.
My employer was ok(ish) with the Caravan being in their car park while I was out in the car working and the large chain gym were ok(ish) with the car/van combo being as tucked up out of the way in their car park as I could manage while I was using my (work subsidized) off-peak membership. Luckily one of the Managers didn’t make a fuss about me staying there overnight but on the occasions she wasn’t working I had to find somewhere quiet, safe, flat - get there late and leave early.
I thought I was beating the system (for about 6 weeks) until I visited my Mum’s house and realised how stressed and uncomfortable I had been and how much I hated the pi55-taking from work and occasional strangers.
A box room in a shared house wasn’t exactly the Hilton but it beat the Caravan hands down.
Your circumstances will differ but I found myself with a graduate job that didn’t pay enough for the car I needed and accommodation.
I considered Vans, large MPVs and even a Volvo estate. I settled on the best car (with a tow bar) that I could afford and a very small (auction bargain) Caravan.
My employer was ok(ish) with the Caravan being in their car park while I was out in the car working and the large chain gym were ok(ish) with the car/van combo being as tucked up out of the way in their car park as I could manage while I was using my (work subsidized) off-peak membership. Luckily one of the Managers didn’t make a fuss about me staying there overnight but on the occasions she wasn’t working I had to find somewhere quiet, safe, flat - get there late and leave early.
I thought I was beating the system (for about 6 weeks) until I visited my Mum’s house and realised how stressed and uncomfortable I had been and how much I hated the pi55-taking from work and occasional strangers.
A box room in a shared house wasn’t exactly the Hilton but it beat the Caravan hands down.
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