I have bought a van, having driven a car previously (and motorbikes). The van is a Dispatch/Expert/Scudo thing (these seem virtualli identical). It is a "Window Van", i.e. has windows all around.
Is there anything particular I ought to know about driving one of these, before I do so? Is it likely to be much different from driving a car?
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If it is white tailgating is compulsory. :-)
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And you better invest in a rolled up copy of the Sun on the dash!
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Is it the Combi/Combinato version with seating for 6/7? I think these muddy the water further.
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>> Is it the Combi/Combinato version with seating for 6/7?
It is. It looks very much like this:
bit.ly/bqGp8K
except that it's a six-seater rather than a 9-seater. 3 in the front. 3 in the middle. Good-sized space at the back.
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Odd. That one's got no sliding doors. The one I've bought looks like e-bay sold item 280518057033, which has got sliding middle doors.
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Advise your optician on your next visit and he'll give you "van man lenses". They make life a lot easier -- e.g. they make double yellows disappear, they also supercede wing mirrors etc. :-P
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>> It isn't white.
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Spoilsport. :-)
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I too have previously driven a multitude of cars, motorcycles and agricultural vehicles. I've just taken delivery of a car made by a company called Skoda. It's called an Octavia. It too has doors and windows usefully positioned to the front, sides and rear. Is there anything particular I should know before driving this type of car?
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Yes, these Czech's don't bounce :)
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>> ... I've just
>> taken delivery of a car made by a company called Skoda. It's called an Octavia.
>> ... Is there anything particular I should know before driving this type of car?
>>
Yes there is. There are some people around with long memories who will still make jokes about a Skoda.
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>> There are some people around with long memories who will still make jokes about a Skoda.
Lots of them. But who gives a toss what half-wits think? No, the ones to worry about are people who think modern 'Skodas' are badge-engineered Volkswagens unworthy of the great name Skoda.
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The "other" half wits can be just as ignorant as well.
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>> The "other" half wits can be just as ignorant as well.
Perhaps 'badge engineered Volkswagens' is a bit severe PU if that's what you mean. VAG badge engineering has moved on a bit from the sort BL used to do.
But my half-wittedness is as nothing beside that of the smug, heehawing poor man's Jasper Carrotts with their rubbish Skoda jokes and inordinate, ignorant pride in their Vauxhalls and Fords...
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Thu 24 Jun 10 at 19:24
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I can honestly say I can't remember the last time I heard a Skoda joke. And I'm not counting the re-run of Only Fools and Horses from the early 80's that I saw the other day.
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As a proud ex-Skoda owner, consider a brown paper bag with two holes, four if you use a phone.
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>> taken delivery of an Octavia.
>> Is there anything particular I should know before driving this type of car?
It's prone to making knocking noises inside the doors.
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>> It isn't white
It's not an ex-taxi, is it?
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No, it isn't! I looked at a few, and they've "disadvantages". A bit like the one the jerks drive that have tinted windows and a portable cell in the back (of course, not *all* police are jerks).
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Oh arr. That's helpful - thank you.
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Just spoke to two companies:
1) Hastings - no upgrade to car policy, must cancel and buy new van policy. Some difficulty in getting "car-equivalent SDP" policy, but got there. Approved repairer, 3 1/2 ton van as "courtest vehicle", 90 days travel abroad, 2e6 cover, protected NCD, £560 approx.
2) Gladiator - similar, sympathy for "SDP-type" requirement, which was OK, chap checked about occasional trips to work-related places, OK, similar to 1st. quote, £370 approx.
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>> Is there anything particular I ought to know about driving one of these, before I
>> do so? Is it likely to be much different from driving a car?
>>
A good deal higher by the looks of it. Watch out for multistoreys and other height-restricted parking.
Enjoy your new wheels.
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>> A good deal higher by the looks of it. Watch out for multistoreys and other
>> height-restricted parking.
OK. I'll look up the height - 6' at a *guess*.
>> Enjoy your new wheels.
I'm looking forward to it. I can get bicycles in the back without having to take the wheels off, or use one of those "carriers". 40MPG-ish combined. Space to "camp" in it with the lad, who's excited about that sort of thing!
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Quite a few things.
1) It's longer, higher and wider, than a car. You will therefore be more affected by crosswinds, and you would be wise to leave a bigger gap behind the car in front as sharp braking when empty could cause your back wheels to lock up. Regarding Hawkeye's comments, a height indicator (available from commercial motor factors) is a good investment.
2) This might seem blindingly obvious, but the widest part of your van is the outside edge of your mirrors. If they'll go through the gap, your van will too.
3) If you're carrying anything heavy, make sure that it is secure, and also that it doesn't compromise your axle weights. You are far more likely to get pulled by VOSA in a van than in a car.
4) Speed limits as per post above. They apply to ALL vans above a certain weight, whether used for commercial purposes or not.
5) Depending on how much you're going to use the full floor space, you might consider investing in a plywood partition and lining. You'll feel the benefit in winter.
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>> 3) If you're carrying anything heavy, make sure that it is secure
There are lashing-down points in the back - it seems quite a useful multi-purpose vehicle, and...
>> 5) you might consider investing in a plywood partition and lining.
It's a "window van" - a bit like an expanded Berlingo.
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>> It's a "window van" - a bit like an expanded Berlingo.
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A compromise might be a sturdy dog grille or similar; I appreciate that you don't want to block out the rear view for obvious reasons but if you're carrying a load of stuff and you hit something, you tend to end up with the stuff in the back joining you in the front. Been there, done that, not nice.
Good that it's got lashing points though, I advise using them.
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>> Good that it's got lashing points though, I advise using them.
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Or at least do up the rear seatbelts to slow anything down. I do when carrying anything heavy in my estate car.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 24 Jun 10 at 20:20
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>>you might consider investing in a plywood partition and lining
And some curtains if you're planning to sleep in it.
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This type of vehicle will give you an authority on the road which you just don't get with a car.
A full-size Transit would be better, but with a van you can make good progress in heavy traffic.
It's not about bullying car drivers, but making them realise you are going to continue to move forward if space allows.
There's a hierarchy to be observed - bigger vans will nerf you out of the way if you show signs of forgetting your place.
The quickest vehicle for London driving I ever had was a six-wheel Transit pick-up.
Even London cabbies gave way.
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London cabbies always give way, they are complete driving wussies. Plenty of bluster but when crunch comes to crunch they will *always* give way.
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>>London cabbies.....
True, a bent cab doesn't earn cash!
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exactly. You need to look like you mean it though, they can spot the fake cab killers.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 25 Jun 10 at 15:19
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The best traffic shifter short of blue lights and a siren is a Land Rover with galvanised steel bumpers, preferably with a few dents.
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In london the only traffic shifter use to be the evening standard or evening news van drivers.
Cower with fear at the sight of an orange and yellow chevroned van shifting along at 40 mph with an oik throwing a hundredweight bundle of news print at pedestrians.
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>> The best traffic shifter short of blue lights and a siren is a Land Rover with galvanised steel bumpers, preferably with a few dents.
Totally agree with that one ON. I used to have a Land Rover 90 3.5 V8 with gimungous General Grabber tyres, Cibies, bull bar, a roll cage, a ski rack and I then hand painted it bright orange before applying, tastefully of course, several dozen skiing related stickers......
It had a Moses effect on other traffic. And some women......
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>> It's not about bullying car drivers
I should be ashamed to use a vehicle in that manner.
>> but making them realise you are going to continue to move forward if space allows.
What is the difference. I don't see it.
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...What is the difference. I don't see it...
Be decisive, but in a non-confrontational manner.
Another way to look at it is not to worry too much about other drivers, let them worry about you.
You could drive a Fiat Panda in the same way, but it's easier if you have something with some road presence.
Vans and the vehicles mentioned earlier in the thread have presence.
Last edited by: ifithelps on Fri 25 Jun 10 at 18:57
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>> I have bought a van
Well, I've got it now. I quite like it, it's slightly more "agricultural" than the cars I've had, but pretty good. A few "different" things, but I'll get used to these!
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Van Driver. - Zero
