time for another van

[Badger1bear]

Hi guys I dont suppose any of you out there have purchased or know anyone who has purchased an Ex RAC or Ex AA van ?

I am thinking of getting one due to their service history. My thoughts were they needed to keep their vans in A1 condition to be ready for call outs and reliability had to be high for them (thats my thinking)

I have a transit connect 230 (gross 2300 kilos) and 99% of the time its running at 2280 kilos Its time for summat a bit bigger and a transit 330 or 350 would be just the ticket and RAC and AA happen to use those

Just curious if you guys have any input/experience with these fleet type vehicles

 

[stormin]

I'm not sure but I wouldnt be surprised if their vans are on contract hire or lease agreements and serviced to the book like every other fleet van on a similar arrangement.

Only advantage I can see is they are regularly driven by supposed good mechanics who can spot a problem earlier than the average Joe and get it sorted.

Roadside mechanics also tend to know quite a few more than the ordinary quick fix bodges though! How many of those have been used on their own vehicle to get them home or off the motorway.

 

[rtbcomp]

A friend of mine bought an ex-RAC Transit and is very pleased with it. It came with a water heater and wash-hand basin, 2 split charged batteries and plugs fitted for jump leads.

 

[Badger1bear]

sounds promising its just a coincidence that the Orange RAC vans are the same colour as the work trucks, ya reckon I can get him to advertise on there for a price ?

Seriously tho, vans with the double rear doors can have those heavy duty locks fitted

Is there anything available for the vans with the one piece tailgate doors ? I dont really want to be fitting those locks (see above) halfway up the door on either side of the one piece tailgate if I can help it

 

[Shox Dr]

I know 2 that worked for the RAC, and one that bought a VW transporter from a guy in wales, who resells them. The VW guy sold it about 8mths ago, had it 3-4yrs. We changed the CAM belt, and other than that nothing much, it was very good on fuel (don't know cc) if it wasn't thrashed.

The other two have (1 retired) have had mixed happiness in the time I've known them both (15-20yrs). From not liking the vehicle (possibly personal choice) to poor build and engine problems/performance.

HTH


I wouldn't have a top hinge reardoor, I'm for ever tee-waating my head on them

 

[zzr1200]

I believe Snowcat had an ex-AA/RAC wagon, a small Bedford pickup, I think he hasn't long got shot of it.

 

[julianthegypsy]

A friend of mine bought an ex rac transit and was very pleased with it. Obviously well serviced and in great nick, though a bit pricier than others available.

 

[madkayaker]

As vans tend to have tailgates so they can deploy there towing dolly.

I did see a broke down AA van in Warrington the other day

 

[octo0072000]

ex rac vans

this place seems to sell a lot of them with the rear door lock on tranny only opens on a remote no exterior lock used to be a flaw on the rear wiring loom to get access to central locking I believe that has now been fixed



http://www.mvsvansales.co.uk/

 

[normspanners]

I would have a tailgate door we always used to try and get them for rallying coz you can leave the door open whilst its pi**ing down you or the van dont get wet and you can nose a car under them and i was thinking of making two flaps to go either side to velcro to the side of the tailgate and hang down to the height of the wings of the stricken car.
In answer to your question I used to be an RAC contractor and alot of garages and other contractors used to buy them because they were so well serviced, ok they have done BIG milage and towing but they are never short of anything and were never thrashed because the lads didnt usually break any speed limits coz they would get a disciplinary

 

[Badger1bear]

this place seems to sell a lot of them with the rear door lock on tranny only opens on a remote no exterior lock used to be a flaw on the rear wiring loom to get access to central locking I believe that has now been fixed



http://www.mvsvansales.co.uk/

that looked promising till I found out they are 210 miles away

 

[octo0072000]

that looked promising till I found out they are 210 miles away

nice day out for you about 20 miles from me

 

[rtbcomp]

That's the place the guy I mentioned earlier got his from.

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

I'm 99% that most RAC or AA vans are 4WD?

 

[madkayaker]

I've never seen the rac or Aa with a 4x4 can. For 4x4 they use landrovers

 

[normspanners]

I'm 99% that most RAC or AA vans are 4WD

I'm 100% that they are not.
on my patch they had 2 troopers and a disco and that is N wales

 

[zx9]

A few years ago I looked at ex Coke fleet vans the ones that service vending machines, at the time they were well spec'd VW Transporters but by the time I needed to replace my old van they (Coke) were disposing of Vauxhall / Renault vans and I got scared off by all the talk of gearbox problems. I work in Central London a lot so parking is usually tight that put me off the tail gate rear doors as I would not be able to open them in a cramped parking bay, at least I can squeeze into the barn doors with only a foot of space behind the van.

 

[Pete.]

We used to run Hi-ace vans with tailgate rear doors. One of our guys parked on a corner in London with the tailgate up and a lorry rounded the corner and took it off

 

[bullet]

ive just got a 05 plate vivaro, think its awesome, gearbox problems were up to 04 plate as the breather was in the wrong place, the only issue ive had is the gear linkage, just a simple cable tie job as a new one would soon go, and its a £120 part, the cable tie is pnce,lol other than that its ace

 

[Badger1bear]

ive just got a 05 plate vivaro, think its awesome, gearbox problems were up to 04 plate as the breather was in the wrong place, the only issue ive had is the gear linkage, just a simple cable tie job as a new one would soon go, and its a £120 part, the cable tie is pnce,lol other than that its ace

Do you have any pics bud ? If that's right about only vehicles up to 04 it could be another van to look at Ex AA