# Would you buy a ex network rail van?



## chrisc (Jun 15, 2008)

http://vans.autotrader.co.uk/used-v...kefield-vfpa-8aa11c374821772d01483d2051181901

Thinking of getting this but not sure do you reckon it will have be thrashed all its life?


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

chrisc said:


> http://vans.autotrader.co.uk/used-v...kefield-vfpa-8aa11c374821772d01483d2051181901
> 
> Thinking of getting this but not sure do you reckon it will have be thrashed all its life?


More than likely......avoid.


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

If they are anything like British Gas vans I'd bite their hand off at that price.

They will have been serviced meticulously.


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## chrisc (Jun 15, 2008)

thats what im thinking even with low milage just seems van prices have gone silly latley


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## chrisc (Jun 15, 2008)

Dixondmn said:


> If they are anything like British Gas vans I'd bite their hand off at that price.


tell me more:thumb:


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## Jem (Aug 10, 2007)

S63 said:


> More than likely......avoid.


It's a van, they all get thrashed!


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

chrisc said:


> tell me more:thumb:


They're serviced regularly, and who ever does the servicing can't afford any come back on their work.

A van with a mechanical problem will incur penalties in the servicing contract and any good garage will not want to take the hit on that.


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## chrisc (Jun 15, 2008)

Jem said:


> It's a van, they all get thrashed!


mine dont and have done 200000miles of my own in it so far and 32000 it had on when i bought it.
its the 4 palleter i need now haveing to turn down work with only haveing a 3 palleter


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

Personally I wouldn't. If it's an ex Network Rail van, access to the tracks isn't always done via nicely paved roads!!


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## CJA Valeting (Dec 7, 2006)

Probably not, but I guess it depends on history and condition of the vehicle.

At first I thought it had a flux capacitor installed in the cab. (The last picture)


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Vans are usually workhorses. Not often you see them in top condition. 

I guess you'll need to judge each one on its own condition.


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## chrisc (Jun 15, 2008)

CJA Valeting said:


> Probably not, but I guess it depends on history and condition of the vehicle.
> 
> At first I thought it had a flux capacitor installed in the cab. (The last picture)


yeah thats what i like most that and its got a microwave
they would be stripped though for my current van makeing a camper out of it:driver:


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## rottenapple (Jun 12, 2014)

Network rail keep their vans in good condition; revived a few and all been good decent vans, couldn't say the same for companies like sky.


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## andspenka (Apr 19, 2014)

A lot of vans have trackers fitted nowadays so I don't think they are as thrashed as they used to be.

I know the last time I spoke to a Sky engineer, he told me they get a bonus for driving efficiently because they are a carbon neutral company.


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## Christian6984 (Dec 20, 2007)

I agree with Kerr that you need to judge every vehicle as pictures can be deceiving, but does look like its had lighter loads used. I bought as my first car a two year old fiesta diesel from inital security, 2 years old with double the miles of this van and was never any bother.


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## Guitarjon (Jul 13, 2012)

Not the same company but similar. My neighbour works for 1st in rail and he's one of the top people. He has road cameras fitted in all his vans and once gave a real bollocking to some lads who turned theirs off asking what they had to hide. 

I've also seen companies reprimand their workers for breaking speed limits on various roads (caught out on tracker). I was in a service station once when this happened and the boss gave two of the lads a right stripping down.


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

S63 said:


> More than likely......avoid.


....and show me a company van that hasnt had the balls kicked out of it bit of a daft comment really.

In this case and from my experiences in the motor trade vans like this will have been ex-lease vehicles (probably LEX Autolease or the like) so will probably be in fairly good nick and well maintained as the penalties they get are horrendous if they are abused to hell.

Its like buying any used vehicle have a look and make a judgement in person....even if its been valeted you will be able to tell from the general condition pretty fast if has been beaten to death.


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## adamb87 (Jan 13, 2012)

its had a nice bash under the drivers door. i would take a chance on it though. as said it should have been serviced well enough


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## Sh1ner (May 19, 2012)

Will it turn up on time to get you to work though?


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## ED1435 (Sep 22, 2006)

I bought an ex Motor Factors Van up here in Aberdeen.

It had 140k miles, with FSH.

Ran it for 2 years and had no problems with it.
Sold it with 170k

I would buy one again, no problems.


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## Scrim-1- (Oct 8, 2008)

They will have regular services, don't know why everyone is saying avoid.

Probably looked after a lot better than most sheds on the road.


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## mike13098 (Jan 21, 2012)

network rail etc maintain their fleet pretty much to the button. i know of 2 people in NR and their driving is monitored via trackers etc

i'd have one of theirs over joe bloggs the builder


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## polac5397 (Apr 16, 2014)

as most people have said that's a good buy, its a break van so probably is only driven to site and parked up for the breaks, so not a over worked van.


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## Kiashuma (May 4, 2011)

neilos said:


> Personally I wouldn't. If it's an ex Network Rail van, access to the tracks isn't always done via nicely paved roads!!


Agreed, look at the dent in the sill driver side :doublesho


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## griffin1907 (Mar 4, 2006)

van is no longer available.... does this mean you brought it then?


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## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

......


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