K78 Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 My car is taking such a hammering with mud and crap inside and out, it is untrue. I was driving back from the timber merchants today with 6 lengths of 400mm plywood touching my back window and resting on my dashboard. I’m amazed I didn’t scratch my seats or mark the soft touch plastics on my dash. I really need to buy a cheapish van or pickup I can use for the duration of my build, then sell in the new year without losing too much money. Can anyone recommend any good options? I love cars, but know little about vans and pick ups. I don’t want to buy anything unreliable, but I want to avoid something so new it will depreciate heavily in 4-6 months. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 The trouble with a second vehicle is the extra road tax and insurance. The insurance might be more than you think as you need to earn the NCD independantly for a second car. How about roof bars and a trailer? I carry 8 by 4 sheets or any long planks on the roof. The trailer you will probably find is such a handy thing to have you will keep it forever. Or just get the builders merchant to deliver everything? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 Definitely a trailer, anything used and cheap will be a gamble, you will sell a good trailer for what you paid for it, they just seem to hold a good second hand value 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K78 Posted September 14, 2018 Author Share Posted September 14, 2018 (edited) 13 minutes ago, ProDave said: The trouble with a second vehicle is the extra road tax and insurance. The insurance might be more than you think as you need to earn the NCD independantly for a second car. How about roof bars and a trailer? I carry 8 by 4 sheets or any long planks on the roof. The trailer you will probably find is such a handy thing to have you will keep it forever. Or just get the builders merchant to deliver everything? My site is just thick with clay like mud. My carpet mats are caked in it as is my boot. Im doing pretty much everything myself with assistance from skilled friends. I’m thinking if it’s this bad in September, what will it be like in a few months? I’m constantly on and off site grabbing bits and keeping everyone fed and watered. I just feel like I’m abusing my car. I’m even eating my lunch in it when it rains. Thankfully insurance is not a worry. Edited September 14, 2018 by K78 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K78 Posted September 14, 2018 Author Share Posted September 14, 2018 7 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said: Definitely a trailer, anything used and cheap will be a gamble, you will sell a good trailer for what you paid for it, they just seem to hold a good second hand value I guess I could be more careful and consider a trailer. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 We bought an Ifor Williams twin axle trailer for £900 (the car we had could tow it fine but do check the kerbweight etc of the larger ones). Used it initially to move some things up from Kent (the rest went into storage). After that it was used throughout the build for collecting things, doing tip runs etc. Sold it 5 years later for £1100 having used it constantly during that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alphonsox Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 Before you decide on a van/pickup - How about an ageing MPV/estate with the rear seats removed and roof bars for the long stuff ? We ended up buying a Nissan Note as the site workhorse and have been very happy with it for everything apart from long timbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 Okay of you really want a second vehicle, my off the wall suggestion is a >40 year old Series Landrover, probably LWB truck cab. £0 historic road tax, MOT exempt and cheap classic car insurance. And if you don't break it, you should be able to sell it for what you paid, if not more. Take out the mats (if it has any) from the cab. Drive it in your muddy boots, and hose it down inside from time to time (yes seriously) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K78 Posted September 14, 2018 Author Share Posted September 14, 2018 14 minutes ago, newhome said: We bought an Ifor Williams twin axle trailer for £900 (the car we had could tow it fine but do check the kerbweight etc of the larger ones). Used it initially to move some things up from Kent (the rest went into storage). After that it was used throughout the build for collecting things, doing tip runs etc. Sold it 5 years later for £1100 having used it constantly during that time. Can’t complain about that. My car is a 2.5 5 cylinder AWD with 250bhp so I would think it would be fine. Definitley worth considering. 8 minutes ago, Alphonsox said: Before you decide on a van/pickup - How about an ageing MPV/estate with the rear seats removed and roof bars for the long stuff ? We ended up buying a Nissan Note as the site workhorse and have been very happy with it for everything apart from long timbers. I was just looking at a old X5, but I imagine the repair bills could potentially be huge and their is a lot that can go wrong. A cheap car is definitely worth considering, but I was thinking if I’m buying another it may as well be a van or pick up. If I find a cheap, reliable one. I’d consider keeping it long term for moving crap and dirty jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K78 Posted September 14, 2018 Author Share Posted September 14, 2018 5 minutes ago, ProDave said: Okay of you really want a second vehicle, my off the wall suggestion is a >40 year old Series Landrover, probably LWB truck cab. £0 historic road tax, MOT exempt and cheap classic car insurance. And if you don't break it, you should be able to sell it for what you paid, if not more. Take out the mats (if it has any) from the cab. Drive it in your muddy boots, and hose it down inside from time to time (yes seriously) My groundworkers are farmers and love them. They go driving on roman roads?!? Whatever rocks your boat is suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 16 minutes ago, ProDave said: Okay of you really want a second vehicle, my off the wall suggestion is a >40 year old Series Landrover, probably LWB truck cab. £0 historic road tax, MOT exempt and cheap classic car insurance. And if you don't break it, you should be able to sell it for what you paid, if not more. [...] I've done that, but bought a meat-head wreck Landy, and a trailer. What do I need the roll - cage for? Nothing really. But I have found it helps me pull my old bones into the cab, and to strap timber to the roof when I go to the BM. I also put a front tow hook so I can manoeuver the trailer into tricky nooks and crannies. Best thing I ever did. I have had five cash offers for it in four years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K78 Posted September 14, 2018 Author Share Posted September 14, 2018 Looks like a bit of a minefield buying a old Land Rover. They all look a bit beat up and they’re not cheap. Could be a expensive mistake I can’t afford. Love the way they look though. Cool cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 Bought my MK1 Focus estate off a mate as pure workhorse. Ghia spec so a bit of comfort on long runs and a not too shabby 138bhp. Roof rack on top, sorted the suspension and it did masses of work. Had to retire it due to tin worm. Got the new sills etc and it's on the to do list some time after the bathroom! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyke2 Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 I looked at a pickup, but for insurance these and vans are classed as Light Goods Vehicles and cost a lot more. I second the view, buy a trailer, or an older estate car. Focus, Passat or Skoda are all good and cheap. I had a 10 year old escort diesel, it was a real workhorse. Having an old banger is good for when you go to haggle for materials or services, they think you are poor and take pity! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 Go old Ford! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 This is mine. I have been know to fetch firewood in it. That had the rear springs down on the stops. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpmiller Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 Spend some of the money on rubble to stop the site from being so muddy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 27 minutes ago, Tyke2 said: Having an old banger is good for when you go to haggle for materials or services, they think you are poor and take pity! Yeah but it's f**king embarrassing when you go to pick stuff up from fellow Buildhubbers and you park it in front of their posh house! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 Just now, Onoff said: Yeah but it's f**king embarrassing when you go to pick stuff up from fellow Buildhubbers and you park it in front of their posh house! Anyone who judges you by what car you drive isn't worth worrying about . And I'm sure that they didn't care anyway. BuildHubbers aren't like that in general IMO. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 1 minute ago, newhome said: Anyone who judges you by what car you drive isn't worth worrying about . And I'm sure that they didn't care anyway. BuildHubbers aren't like that in general IMO. I was only joking.....though there are certain car parks in Sevenoaks where the attendants escort me to somewhere out of view! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 Just now, Onoff said: I was only joking.....though there are certain car parks in Sevenoaks where the attendants escort me to somewhere out of view! Good (re the joking part) and "NIMBY alert" to the Sevenoaks bit. I always remember wandering up and down Sevenoaks High Street when I was in my early 20s and looking to buy my first home. I went into all of the estate agents there. All were quite helpful apart from one woman whose snottiness was off the scale. She looked down her nose at me like I was something on the bottom of her shoe and said that they didn't cater for that sort of price bracket there. Made me certain that I would never ever use her company when I was in a position to do so. Hope the snotty cow got laid off when the housing market crashed (not long after that as it happens). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crofter Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 Trailers are great. Mine was originally a caravan, I bought it for under £100 and used some scrap wood to turn it into a decent little flatbed. Axle is rated at 800kg but for long loads like timber and sheet materials it was perfect. The remnants of the caravan also provided lots of useful materials (or 'that bloody junk' as my wife calls it). Now that I'm finished, it's sitting taking up space but I can't quite bring myself to get rid of it! To say I got my money's worth out of it would be a massive understatement. On the car vs van/pickup question, I think a lot of us have looked at this and decided that the tax, vat, and insurance make it far less attractive than it might seem. An old people carrier is probably the way to go- things like Picassos are really quite cheap, maybe not a paragon of reliability but consider it a disposable site car that you don't expect to last beyond it's MOT date. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 I really miss my van (I was a Builder before I retired) kept it for a while to shift stuff to Devon. I keep saying I am going to get a trailer but frankly our builders merchant deliver anything I want and have not needed one. I would however get a trailer in your position, old caravan like crofter is a very good idea. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexphd1 Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 You actually need a big van to fit a 8x4 sheet in but does provide a bit of security and shelter for any material stored in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeSharp01 Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 2 hours ago, newhome said: though there are certain car parks in Sevenoaks where the attendants escort me to somewhere out of view! I think of it as valet parking.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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