Used ambulances

[chunkolini]

My crazy daughter is looking at buying, converting and living in an old ambulance.
Sounds mad to me, but between us we are good at mad impulsivety and making it work.
Not passed her test yet either so probably her first; maybe second set of wheels.
Any thoughts?
This type of thing.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/van-details/202601028880236?sort=price-asc&searchId=91b3f5e8-15af-4e5d-a625-99ab78188536&keywords=h3&make=&page=2&postcode=DD1%201EL&advertising-location=at_vans&fromsra&backLinkQueryParams=channel%3Dvans%26keywords%3Dh3%26make%3D%26postcode%3DDD1%25201EL%26sort%3Dprice-asc%26page%3D2%26flrfc%3D1

 

[julianf]

I would advise just buying a van, and converting it.

She will get minimal re-usable stuff from an ambulance, and a whole load of extra work stripping out the stuff she does not want, and dealing with the customisations that have been cut into it etc.


Way easier just to get a blank van, and buy exactly the kit she wants to fit to it, rather than trying to work around someone elses conversion.

 

[knighty]

agree with what julianf said

haven’t really looked but I don;t think they're much cheaper than a normal van to make the extra work (and conversion cost) worth ti?

 

[ajlelectronics]

agree with what julianf said

haven’t really looked but I don;t think they're much cheaper than a normal van to make the extra work (and conversion cost) worth ti?

235k miles makes it quite expensive I would say.

 

[julianf]

The minor advantage of the class 4 mot probably isnt even applicable at that weight point.

(ambulances and campers have the exemption - if converting on the highway, a v5 showing "ambulance" will, to an extent, validate a class 4 test until the criteria for "camper" are met - however, this is only ever an issue over the 3t threshold)

 

[pedrobedro]

One careful owner (seventeen lunatic drivers), full service history, only used for short trips. It's only 11 miles from here, says it's 240.

 

[badabec]

How about a Citroen DS ambulance?
This was mine as bought, seven years ago.

 

[Robotstar5]

235k miles makes it quite expensive I would say.

Pretty average mileage for when an ambulance is cast plus it will have many more engine hours from sitting idling on scene or waiting to tip at A&E.

 

[chunkolini]

Badabec.
That has my name on it.
Gorgeous French weirdness.
Rest of the points made make sense to me

 

[Stueeee]

235k miles makes it quite expensive I would say.

But unlike that "ex Bob the builder's" white Transit that's visible parked behind said Ambulance in the dealer's photos, this vehicle would at least have been properly maintained.

 

[BrokenBiker]

my brother and step father ran a private ambulance service for a while...when they decided to pack up, i got the job of stripping the ambulances out to sell on any kit to make a bit of cash...there isnt a huge amount in there that you would want to keep, plus you would likely want to cover over most of the windows if living in it, the least amount of entry points for light fingered passers by the better, pluss it will want insulating and glass isnt ideal.

personally i would go for a large sprinter type van, insulate and ply line, 4 way stretch and then kit out with the usual camper type furnishings...actaully no, if it were me i would buy a bus, possibly double decker and do it that way but not ideal for commuting

 

[julianf]

...if i were doing it, i would go with a standard van, and get it sign written for a trade that has no attractive tools whatsoever.

Maybe pest control, or something?

"Clinical waste disposal services"

 

[Gareth J]

If going for a used utility vehicle, I would think a square bodied van, like a Tesco delivery van, would be a lot easier to work with.

As a new driver, will the insurance be affordable?

 

[JOEPRO]

If going for a used utility vehicle, I would think a square bodied van, like a Tesco delivery van, would be a lot easier to work with.

As a new driver, will the insurance be affordable?

Going by the driving standards ive seen on supermarket delivery vans they will all have been in a field at least 10 times in their lifetime

 

[Jackimus]

...if i were doing it, i would go with a standard van, and get it sign written for a trade that has no attractive tools whatsoever.

Maybe pest control, or something?

"Clinical waste disposal services"

Asbestos removal is a good one.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Going by the driving standards ive seen on supermarket delivery vans they will all have been in a field at least 10 times in their lifetime

when i was on recovery i used to get a lot of calls to winch them off bridle paths, out of farmers fields, pulled a few out of small rivers, one slid down a hill in the ice becasue the driver thought that was the best place to do a 78 point turn...out and 1 girl that drove into a fallen tree that was across the road.

they are on par with amazon vans

 

[tom2207]

...if i were doing it, i would go with a standard van, and get it sign written for a trade that has no attractive tools whatsoever.

Maybe pest control, or something?

"Clinical waste disposal services"

Salad Delivery ,,, that would do it.

 

[dobbslc]

Before she goes and buys a van get her to watch this film first!

Google Image Result for https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_dm-a9R763A/maxresdefault.jpg

She might have a change of mind

 

[Misterg]

Lad on Youtube converted one a few years ago (Project Amber). There was a lot of ambulance specific stuff that was a pain to work around / remove.

Also, his was a Mercedes. Not sure I'd trust a Fiat with 250k miles on it.

 

[gaz1]

first expensive vehicle id say no she needs to learn to drive first and have a few years behind her with a lower cost vehicle even if she buys a length car to learn after she passes on another note she wont have been tested to use only mirrors left and right only, without the center mirror

length is fun so unless shes practiced in an old estate car then she dosnt know length parking is fun and height blocks many access onto sites as they are restricted