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Evening,
So I'm on the verge of buying a new vehicle for my new job...I have my eye on an Astra van as it's not a bad vehicle to fit a fork mount inside the back and use to get to the swoopy bits of the world 🙂
Thing is there are a few questions that I'm trying to get an opinion on that I thought you lot may be able to put to rest.
With insurance I know there are so many variables, but would £550-600 annually sound right to you? It has to be insured for business use (going to be a lot of site visits, possible with the odd bit of tools etc in the back). The van has the proper folding bench seat in the back which makes it attractive in that I can move the family round when necessary, but most of the time it's something to not be too precious over - a van for work.
I've had a licence for 23 years and it's clean.
I have no other insurance - only my wife's car to use (as a named driver) but no NCD of my own.
I am able to insure it as an Astra but car derived van (because of the 4 seats) or does that not make a difference/ any sense?
Is it even worth getting a van for that sort of cost? I guess only I can answer that one but opinions on owning vans that you don't fill to the ceiling everyday are useful...
Thanks
I have my eye on an Astra van as it's not a bad vehicle to fit a fork mount inside the back and use to get to the swoopy bits of the world
Do you want to borrow my tape measure?
I have no other insurance - only my wife's car to use (as a named driver) but no NCD of my own.
Shop around on lots of the compare type websites - some ask questions that others don't - like years as a named driver, some insurers take years as a named driver into account - Aviva (I think) did for my mum after my dad died.
I am able to insure it as an Astra but car derived van (because of the 4 seats)
Insure it as what it is - a modified van. Most sites you just put the reg in and it fills out the make an model - just check the additional seats are on the system
Do you want to borrow my tape measure?
Are they really too short / low then? I was looking at one the other day and thought it'd do the job.
TBH after the high quotes I wonder whether a van of any kind is really worth it...the more I think about it the more I think it's a bad idea as rather naively I thought for some reason it'd be comparable if not cheaper.
Certainly didn't think that I'd be that much of a 'risk' given my age and lack of problems.
But then vans are attractive to scrotes looking for the odd bit of kit in the backand of course I'm an unknown in the eyes of insurers cause I've not had my own policy for a few years now.
sorry double post
£500-600 seems cheap to be insured on any veihcle these days with zero no claims
My experience is that vans are hard to insure.
You just need to do some comparisons on say money supermarket for varios vehicles
I bet a Berlingo Kangoo type thing will work out cheaper
Can you claim vat back. Used vans all attract vat?
"My experience is that vans are hard to insure.
You just need to do some comparisons on say money supermarket for varios vehicles
I bet a Berlingo Kangoo type thing will work out cheaper
Can you claim vat back. Used vans all attract vat?"
First statements not true , thirds not as your looking at about 1500-2k more for a combi comparible milage and condition wise to a van and fourths not true either.
, astra needs bike layed in on its side
Are they really too short / low then?
about 160 - 170cm long but only 80cm tall so not much call for fork mounts
You can get a bike in on its side with the front wheel off
Can you claim vat back. Used vans all attract vat?
Used vans only have VAT added if the person selling them is VAT registered and they in turn bought it from someone vat registered. Once theres been one non vat registered owner that breaks the chain
The van has the proper folding bench seat in the back which makes it attractive in that I can move the family round when necessar
its easy to cut the floorpan and fit seats in an astra van (its just tacked over the car floorpan) but..... theres no doors for rear passengers and the front doors aren't as large as normal 3 door cars - you're back seat passengers need to be pretty lithe and (due to the lack of windows) not prone to travel sickness.
The presence of those additional seats defeats the tax incentive to use a van too, . Just get an estate.
astra needs bike layed in on its side
That's very disappointing...I thought with the front wheel out and a pick-up style fork mount inside I'd have a better shaped (than taller / boxy vans) vehicle, that would be good for the weekend pass.
Bugger it...I'm going to see what my particulars give me in for a small-ish car instead.
£500-600 seems cheap to be insured on any veihcle these days with zero no claims
Thought that was probably the case, but it's maybe still a bit more realistic to see how things go with a car first. Still have to insure it for business use though.
Thanks for replies.
I have been refused insurance on a van. Just told we won't touch it. That's with no claims or convictions etc....
Yep thats cause van insurers dont generally insure cars and vice versa.
So transferring an old car policy to a new van one usually isnt possible.
But plenty options for a new van policy.
try direct line.
Vans are as easy to insure as a car just go to somebody who insures vans probably via go compare etc. Also try looking at a proper van not a car without windows 🙂