Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
Moderator: RichardW
- Zelandeth
- Donor 2024
- Posts: 4731
- Joined: 16 Nov 2014, 23:36
- Location: Milton Keynes
- My Cars: 2006 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi.
1988 Renault 25 Monaco 2.0i.
1985 Sinclair C5.
1984 Trabant 601S.
1975 Rover 3500.
1973 AC Model-70. - x 1403
- Contact:
Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
Okay...sure I can't be the only one who finds himself on occasion wishing to have a van to transport an item from point A to point B and not drive back again. Especially when point A is in rural Aberdeenshire and point B is in Milton Keynes.
About the only mainstream rental company (locals are obviously not much cop for this - even those who initially made sense for an extra days hire have 500 mile rental limits with a £1/mile charge thereafter) who do this seem to be Enterprise. Northgate who are my preferred hire company by a country mile don't allow drop off of the vehicle at a different site to pickup.
However, just tried to book a van next week to pick up in Aberdeen for a run back down here in the weekend. ...nothing in the large van (or Luton) category available. Seriously?!? You are telling me that as a supposedly leading rental company that you have no LWB Sprinters, Masters, Transits (or God help me) Transporters in the whole north east of Scotland available for the whole week?
I'm trying to throw a not insignificant amount of money your way - far more than i should as you actually let me drive one way rather than there *and* back...but nope...you can't source me a van. Virgin's customer support were thankfully very understanding of the situation and fully refunded my suplosedly non refundable ticket - and let me keep the miles on my loyalty card - as they said the cancellation was "due to circumstances beyond my resasonable control." Hats off to them for that. Thanks guys.
...seriously tempted to buy a cheapie locally, service it, do the run then sell it...
...or just take the Xantia and cram in what I can. They are made with the same tech as the Tardis after all...been wanting to give her a decent run for a while. MK to Aberdeen and back would strech her legs nicely I think.
Open to suggestions as to how I can find a van to do an Aberdeen to MK run in the next week for vaguely sensible money!
About the only mainstream rental company (locals are obviously not much cop for this - even those who initially made sense for an extra days hire have 500 mile rental limits with a £1/mile charge thereafter) who do this seem to be Enterprise. Northgate who are my preferred hire company by a country mile don't allow drop off of the vehicle at a different site to pickup.
However, just tried to book a van next week to pick up in Aberdeen for a run back down here in the weekend. ...nothing in the large van (or Luton) category available. Seriously?!? You are telling me that as a supposedly leading rental company that you have no LWB Sprinters, Masters, Transits (or God help me) Transporters in the whole north east of Scotland available for the whole week?
I'm trying to throw a not insignificant amount of money your way - far more than i should as you actually let me drive one way rather than there *and* back...but nope...you can't source me a van. Virgin's customer support were thankfully very understanding of the situation and fully refunded my suplosedly non refundable ticket - and let me keep the miles on my loyalty card - as they said the cancellation was "due to circumstances beyond my resasonable control." Hats off to them for that. Thanks guys.
...seriously tempted to buy a cheapie locally, service it, do the run then sell it...
...or just take the Xantia and cram in what I can. They are made with the same tech as the Tardis after all...been wanting to give her a decent run for a while. MK to Aberdeen and back would strech her legs nicely I think.
Open to suggestions as to how I can find a van to do an Aberdeen to MK run in the next week for vaguely sensible money!
Current fleet:
06 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi, 88 Renault 25 Monaco, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 75 Rover 3500, 73 AC Model 70.
06 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi, 88 Renault 25 Monaco, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 75 Rover 3500, 73 AC Model 70.
- daviemck2006
- (Donor 2020)
- Posts: 4989
- Joined: 04 Dec 2010, 18:45
- Location: Macduff
- My Cars: Far too many good ones to remember. Many BL, Vauxhall, Ford, Renault, Citroen, Peugeot, and now VAG
- x 487
Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
Buy a cheapie and flog it again would be my preferred option I think. Or if you are feeling brave get an easy jet up to Aberdeen, buy a cheap up here then drive it down there and sell. Less miles in the heap, easyjet ticket cheaper than diesel, o ly an hour and a bit instead of all day driving. Or even braver if you know anyone in ne Scotland get them to buy a van for you so you know you have one [emoji4]
Skoda Karoq 1.6tdi 2018
Citroen relay camper 2012
In the family
Seat Leon 1.5tsi tourer 2019 daughter 1
C1 vtr+ 2010 daughter 2
Citroen relay camper 2012
In the family
Seat Leon 1.5tsi tourer 2019 daughter 1
C1 vtr+ 2010 daughter 2
- Gingerposer
- Posts: 244
- Joined: 04 Oct 2009, 21:28
- Location: Balmedie, Aberdeenshire
- My Cars:
- x 6
Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
Too expensive to get a haulier/courier to ship it for you? ( I have no idea what these cost btw) - there's loads of transport operators up here running nationally.
Current: Other non-specified Japanese vehicle
Previous French cars:
Xsara 2.0 SX (sold)
Xantia 1.8 Forte (still going strong)
ZX 1.9TD (deceased)
Pug 406 TD (unknown)
Previous French cars:
Xsara 2.0 SX (sold)
Xantia 1.8 Forte (still going strong)
ZX 1.9TD (deceased)
Pug 406 TD (unknown)
- Stickyfinger
- (Donor 2016)
- Posts: 10411
- Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 21:05
- Location: Somset my lovleee
- My Cars: Xantia V6 ACTIVA 3ltr 24v Manual p1
Xm 2.1TD Ph2 Exclusive
AX, little Daffodil
SAXO White Mk1. Sally - x 1280
- Contact:
Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
Most pallet loads are about £80 , Ero pallet/1tonne, door to door kerb drop.
Can you not get a load made and wrapped well in shrink ?
Can you not get a load made and wrapped well in shrink ?
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
These people could give you a pleasant surprise, especially if someone is looking for a back load.
https://www.shiply.com/
https://www.shiply.com/
J reg 1.9d auto BX first Citroen
M reg 1.9d auto Xantia lx
N reg 1.9 td Xantia VSX Estate
T reg 2.0HDI Xantia Exclusive Estate Present car
M reg 106 diesel red
L reg 106 diesel white
02 Saxo 1.1i desire wife's present car(sadly now very ill cambelt gone- Doh)
M reg 1.9d auto Xantia lx
N reg 1.9 td Xantia VSX Estate
T reg 2.0HDI Xantia Exclusive Estate Present car
M reg 106 diesel red
L reg 106 diesel white
02 Saxo 1.1i desire wife's present car(sadly now very ill cambelt gone- Doh)
- Zelandeth
- Donor 2024
- Posts: 4731
- Joined: 16 Nov 2014, 23:36
- Location: Milton Keynes
- My Cars: 2006 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi.
1988 Renault 25 Monaco 2.0i.
1985 Sinclair C5.
1984 Trabant 601S.
1975 Rover 3500.
1973 AC Model-70. - x 1403
- Contact:
Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
Biggest issue I've got is that it's a load of my assorted "junk" mostly in the dark recesses of my parent's loft. Which after the Council re-insulated it is nigh on inaccessible. Father's the only one there now and is quite badly disabled, so no chance he's going up there. The house being 30 miles from nowhere doesn't help.
My plan is basically to stuff the whole lot in the back of the van, dump it in our garage here then over the course of a couple of weeks go through and decide what's to be kept, what's to be binned, what's to be eBayed and what's to be taken to the charity shop or what's to be given away to better homes. It's going to be far easier to do that here than it is up there. Once my stuff is in the van, the rest of his stuff is going to be getting dumped in what was formerly my room so that he can go through that and clear out at his leisure.
I do have a friend who lives not far off and is car savvy (he's in equal measure responsible for my Saab and Skoda obsessions), so probably not a stupid idea asking him the question actually of whether he could grab something...Problem if I ended up with a proper old Merc 208/308D is that I'd then not want to sell it on afterwards...have a big soft spot for them having owned one for a while years ago.
Last time I did this I had hassle with the van hire as well (the previous hirer failed to turn up so they had to scramble a van from elsewhere - ended up picking it up four hours late as a result), it was tipping it down with rain and they were run off their feet so never did a proper handover - I then got stung for an £80 odd bill for scratches on the side of the van that I had nothing to do with. Lesson learned there...
Also learned another lesson about vans a while ago when we were picking up our pool table. That's that I'll be actively telling them "Don't give me a VW Transporter or else." Had a 63 plate SWB one for that, and it had to be about the most hateful thing I have ever driven. About as much power as my old 1980 T25 (the much maligned 1.6 version...), a clutch that had two settings within about 1.3mm of travel, and brakes that were literally on or off - not ideal when you have a tonne or so of pool table in the back! Can't even have been that clapped out as it only had about 11K on the clock...
My plan is basically to stuff the whole lot in the back of the van, dump it in our garage here then over the course of a couple of weeks go through and decide what's to be kept, what's to be binned, what's to be eBayed and what's to be taken to the charity shop or what's to be given away to better homes. It's going to be far easier to do that here than it is up there. Once my stuff is in the van, the rest of his stuff is going to be getting dumped in what was formerly my room so that he can go through that and clear out at his leisure.
I do have a friend who lives not far off and is car savvy (he's in equal measure responsible for my Saab and Skoda obsessions), so probably not a stupid idea asking him the question actually of whether he could grab something...Problem if I ended up with a proper old Merc 208/308D is that I'd then not want to sell it on afterwards...have a big soft spot for them having owned one for a while years ago.
Last time I did this I had hassle with the van hire as well (the previous hirer failed to turn up so they had to scramble a van from elsewhere - ended up picking it up four hours late as a result), it was tipping it down with rain and they were run off their feet so never did a proper handover - I then got stung for an £80 odd bill for scratches on the side of the van that I had nothing to do with. Lesson learned there...
Also learned another lesson about vans a while ago when we were picking up our pool table. That's that I'll be actively telling them "Don't give me a VW Transporter or else." Had a 63 plate SWB one for that, and it had to be about the most hateful thing I have ever driven. About as much power as my old 1980 T25 (the much maligned 1.6 version...), a clutch that had two settings within about 1.3mm of travel, and brakes that were literally on or off - not ideal when you have a tonne or so of pool table in the back! Can't even have been that clapped out as it only had about 11K on the clock...
Current fleet:
06 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi, 88 Renault 25 Monaco, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 75 Rover 3500, 73 AC Model 70.
06 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi, 88 Renault 25 Monaco, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 75 Rover 3500, 73 AC Model 70.
- daviemck2006
- (Donor 2020)
- Posts: 4989
- Joined: 04 Dec 2010, 18:45
- Location: Macduff
- My Cars: Far too many good ones to remember. Many BL, Vauxhall, Ford, Renault, Citroen, Peugeot, and now VAG
- x 487
Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
I still say get the mate to buy something for you and fly up. If he gets a good bargain up here you might even make a bit on the sale price and pay the rest of the expenses! Job done for free[emoji4]
Skoda Karoq 1.6tdi 2018
Citroen relay camper 2012
In the family
Seat Leon 1.5tsi tourer 2019 daughter 1
C1 vtr+ 2010 daughter 2
Citroen relay camper 2012
In the family
Seat Leon 1.5tsi tourer 2019 daughter 1
C1 vtr+ 2010 daughter 2
- Zelandeth
- Donor 2024
- Posts: 4731
- Joined: 16 Nov 2014, 23:36
- Location: Milton Keynes
- My Cars: 2006 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi.
1988 Renault 25 Monaco 2.0i.
1985 Sinclair C5.
1984 Trabant 601S.
1975 Rover 3500.
1973 AC Model-70. - x 1403
- Contact:
Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
Especially if I give it a decent service and cosmetic tidy up prior to sale...it's amasing what a bit of paint and polish can do to first impressions!
Shame I wasn't doing this right after Citylink went under...imagine there were a few bargains flying around then!
Shame I wasn't doing this right after Citylink went under...imagine there were a few bargains flying around then!
Current fleet:
06 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi, 88 Renault 25 Monaco, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 75 Rover 3500, 73 AC Model 70.
06 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi, 88 Renault 25 Monaco, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 75 Rover 3500, 73 AC Model 70.
- NewcastleFalcon
- Posts: 24563
- Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
- Location:
- My Cars:
- x 6866
Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
Here's a 2005 Fiat Ducato on Gumtree (Bridge of Don) listed at £1200
regards Neil
regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
687 Trinity, Jersey
- daviemck2006
- (Donor 2020)
- Posts: 4989
- Joined: 04 Dec 2010, 18:45
- Location: Macduff
- My Cars: Far too many good ones to remember. Many BL, Vauxhall, Ford, Renault, Citroen, Peugeot, and now VAG
- x 487
Re: RE: Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
You should have seen the difference I made to the red fiesta! It went from 50 shades of pink to 3 shades of shine red lolZelandeth wrote:Especially if I give it a decent service and cosmetic tidy up prior to sale...it's amasing what a bit of paint and polish can do to first impressions!
Shame I wasn't doing this right after Citylink went under...imagine there were a few bargains flying around then!
Skoda Karoq 1.6tdi 2018
Citroen relay camper 2012
In the family
Seat Leon 1.5tsi tourer 2019 daughter 1
C1 vtr+ 2010 daughter 2
Citroen relay camper 2012
In the family
Seat Leon 1.5tsi tourer 2019 daughter 1
C1 vtr+ 2010 daughter 2
Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
My local self-storage guy rents out his vans when he's not using them. Might be worth asking if you have a similar setup near you.
- Zelandeth
- Donor 2024
- Posts: 4731
- Joined: 16 Nov 2014, 23:36
- Location: Milton Keynes
- My Cars: 2006 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi.
1988 Renault 25 Monaco 2.0i.
1985 Sinclair C5.
1984 Trabant 601S.
1975 Rover 3500.
1973 AC Model-70. - x 1403
- Contact:
Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
A good thought, and one I had investigated. Couple were happy to - but with the proviso that you weren't going to do more than 500 miles, and above that they imposed extorsionate excess mileage rates. Door to door by the most direct route I think we're looking at 526 miles from memory - one way...so well over 1000 miles there and back. Given that it's a 36 mile round trip to the nearest small town and 70 odd to the nearest big city, if you're there for a day or two and run a few errands, a few hundred miles can vanish in a flash. When I lived there doing 750 miles in one week wasn't unknown - and I wasn't commuting!
One of the companies were actually willing to talk and told me that the limit was actually due to wording in their hirer insurance policies on hire length. So that may be where the seemingly arbitary 500 mile limit comes from.
One of the companies were actually willing to talk and told me that the limit was actually due to wording in their hirer insurance policies on hire length. So that may be where the seemingly arbitary 500 mile limit comes from.
Current fleet:
06 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi, 88 Renault 25 Monaco, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 75 Rover 3500, 73 AC Model 70.
06 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi, 88 Renault 25 Monaco, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 75 Rover 3500, 73 AC Model 70.
- daviemck2006
- (Donor 2020)
- Posts: 4989
- Joined: 04 Dec 2010, 18:45
- Location: Macduff
- My Cars: Far too many good ones to remember. Many BL, Vauxhall, Ford, Renault, Citroen, Peugeot, and now VAG
- x 487
Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
Where is it that you actually are going to Zel? I'm thinking the 70 miles odd is to Aberdeen so I'm guessing out either deeside or more likely donside.
Skoda Karoq 1.6tdi 2018
Citroen relay camper 2012
In the family
Seat Leon 1.5tsi tourer 2019 daughter 1
C1 vtr+ 2010 daughter 2
Citroen relay camper 2012
In the family
Seat Leon 1.5tsi tourer 2019 daughter 1
C1 vtr+ 2010 daughter 2
- van ordinaire
- (Donor 2017)
- Posts: 2537
- Joined: 23 Jun 2015, 14:45
- Location: Live & work in London but weekend in Devon (or do I now live in Torbay & work in London?)
- My Cars: Citroens:-
'81 2CV Club (quietly sleeping in a parallel universe)
'05 (yes, really) C15
'97 Xantia Exclusive estate
others:-
'96 Jeep Cherokee Limited - the "donor"
'99 Jeep Cherokee Orvis - the green one
'97 Jeep Cherokee Limited - the red one
'99 Cadillac Seville STS
'96 Cadillac Eldorado ETC
& numerous what might be described as abandoned projects! - x 405
Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
f-w-i-w: Europcar do 1-way van rental
Citroens:-
'81 2CV Club
'05 C15
'97 Xantia Exclusive estate
others:-
Jeep XJ Cherokees x 3
'96 Cadillac Eldorado
'99 Cadillac STS
& the numerous "abandoned projects"
'81 2CV Club
'05 C15
'97 Xantia Exclusive estate
others:-
Jeep XJ Cherokees x 3
'96 Cadillac Eldorado
'99 Cadillac STS
& the numerous "abandoned projects"
- Zelandeth
- Donor 2024
- Posts: 4731
- Joined: 16 Nov 2014, 23:36
- Location: Milton Keynes
- My Cars: 2006 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi.
1988 Renault 25 Monaco 2.0i.
1985 Sinclair C5.
1984 Trabant 601S.
1975 Rover 3500.
1973 AC Model-70. - x 1403
- Contact:
Re: Minor rant...how hard can it be - Van hire
Place is about 15 miles west of Inverurie. Basically draw a triangle on a map between Turriff, Huntly and Inverurie, and our house is almost dead centre on that triangle.
Didn't realise Europcar did it too, may need to investigate them as well then.
Pallet wise I'll definitely be keeping that company bookmarked, as I'll hopefully be trying to get an old Lister diesel generator set shipped down at some point in the next couple of years - and that's going to be a pallet job given the weight and bulk of it. Still trying to work out how to get it out of the garage! Generator bit I reckon shouldn't be too bad with an engine hoist and some brute force - engine weighs a tonne though and looks at first glance to be a ruddy awkward shape...that will eventually be a toy to live in the back of my garage to tinker with on rainy winter evenings...
Didn't realise Europcar did it too, may need to investigate them as well then.
Pallet wise I'll definitely be keeping that company bookmarked, as I'll hopefully be trying to get an old Lister diesel generator set shipped down at some point in the next couple of years - and that's going to be a pallet job given the weight and bulk of it. Still trying to work out how to get it out of the garage! Generator bit I reckon shouldn't be too bad with an engine hoist and some brute force - engine weighs a tonne though and looks at first glance to be a ruddy awkward shape...that will eventually be a toy to live in the back of my garage to tinker with on rainy winter evenings...
Current fleet:
06 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi, 88 Renault 25 Monaco, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 75 Rover 3500, 73 AC Model 70.
06 Peugeot Partner Escapade 1.6HDi, 88 Renault 25 Monaco, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 75 Rover 3500, 73 AC Model 70.