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Replies
what type of work you doin?
So every time I go somewhere after the working hour I'm taking all my tools
With me, would be good to have a decent truck to use privately, the trailer
Could be secured at night easily.
I do mainly commercial maintenance, I work out a LWB tipper and a 16ft tri axel ifor williams. security is an issue as i need to put strimers mowers etc away at night or if were working in a dodgy area
I looked at a 4*4 and trailer instead of van and car but wouold mean id need to haul the trailer everywhere I go which in some estates we work in would be a nightmare.
and I hate driving big daft jeeps, leave it to the footballer wives!!
I use a vivaro van, & tow a trailer but only when I need it, security of tools is far better with the van, but if you've only got one vehicle it could be the way to go for you.
Rob
I find hjaving both is a life saver - I generally now operate out of a Fiat Duccato 70% of the time, trailer added for jobs with alot of waste.
Trailer is also sueful if you need to tag a job onto a day which needs lesser used tools which you dont have space for in the van - EG Aerator / Rotavator etc which would come at the cost of a mower in van space... Saves a trip home.
We are actually looking at a larger panel van currently as legally our current setup isn't ideal. Need rwd bigger gtw vehicle for towing and also longer wheelbase so that in most instances we don't actually need to take trailer (ie waste in back of new gigantic van with machines too). Any suggestions?
A van would be more secure when parked on the road or on site, could be worth considering if you leave stuff in it sometimes as thieves are always looking for an opportunity!
I have an L200 for pleasure it would be a nightmare to work out of.
A local competitor of mine uses multiple trailers like this and uses a 4x4. His staff are sometimes dropped off at a job and the gear they need for the day is all in the trailer and obviously a bit more secure than an open trailer. It's a good idea as a method to have an extra team but not an extra van. However if your not on a job for a full day then it can be a problem. The down side is he spends a lot of the day running about and doesn't do a lot on the tools himself
I have always used a van and the last 3 weeks have had to use the car and trailer as the van has been in the garage.
I have to say i found it a real pain constantly locking the trailer every night, emptying all the tools out, stuff getting wet etc etc.
Trailers are a great addition to a van but personally i don't think they are great for day to day work.
Also worth considering is what will happen if your mixed private and business use vehicle breaks down? If i didn't have a seperate personal car with tow bar that i could fall back on should the van be off the road for some reason, i would have been screwed the last couple of weeks.
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