New food business- new or retro classic van? Please help me!

[sat1983]

I am wanting to start a new mobile catering business.
I love the idea of an old classic van- such as a Citroen HY.

Trouble is they come as standard with 1950s reliability (same as any vans that age)
No safety whatsoever, rubbish heating system, very slow (I don't care about a van being quick but we're talking 55 mph max on motorways) and never far away from rusting quickly.

But they have such bags of charm!!

A new van has:

Plentiful supplies of spares, a possible guarantee, no rust (VW T5 transporters at least!!), generally reliable, torquey with a nice amount of power, good creatures comforts as standards (nice to have chucked in for free) and fairly safe.

No charm though, zero image, zero "standing out".

No for a business image is everything, but so is reliability.

Which do I go for?

[DoctorX]

sat1983 said:

I am wanting to start a new mobile catering business.
I love the idea of an old classic van- such as a Citroen HY.

Trouble is they come as standard with 1950s reliability (same as any vans that age)
No safety whatsoever, rubbish heating system, very slow (I don't care about a van being quick but we're talking 55 mph max on motorways) and never far away from rusting quickly.

But they have such bags of charm!!

A new van has:

Plentiful supplies of spares, a possible guarantee, no rust (VW T5 transporters at least!!), generally reliable, torquey with a nice amount of power, good creatures comforts as standards (nice to have chucked in for free) and fairly safe.

No charm though, zero image, zero "standing out".

No for a business image is everything, but so is reliability.

Which do I go for?

You'll stand out in this:

[Chicane-UK]

I think if I was wanting to run a business, I'd want as little time as possible spent unable to get to clients / customers because of reliability issues.. get something new IMHO!

[Diffy]

Get a Mk1 Transit and fit it with the 2.5 DI engine.

Ultra reliable.

[sat1983]

Chicane-UK said:

I think if I was wanting to run a business, I'd want as little time as possible spent unable to get to clients / customers because of reliability issues.. get something new IMHO!

It's totally the right thing to do, I just can't help but feel a bit peed off though as the business would do so well with the retro van.
To tell the you the truth, Sheffield City Council won't allow a new van where I'd want to be- but they would the retro one...
Says it all really...

[106Lad]

Get the right new van, some minor modifications and itll stand out anywhere.

This one is owned by an Alloy Wheel Supplier.

[ambuletz]

^ depends on your target market/demographics. If he was looking to cater to people outside a halfords, or at a regular car event/mod fest then it would be fitting. No ounce of charm in that though..

[k-ink]

If you fail to turn up once you may have no clients left to worry about the image.

Besides image can be achieved in other ways. Invest in proper graphic design. Not from a high street sign shop. But from a REAL graphic designer.

[sat1983]

It would be a french food type business. It really somehow has to be retro.

As much as I love the VW transporter Sportline- it just wouldn't fit the bill...

[MX7]

I've seen a few companies use new vans with a retro look.

Something like this.

http://www.vindicator.co.uk/pages/models.htm#model...

[sat1983]

Example:

Image is everything nowadays. No good doing good food if your van doesn't catch the eye.

I mean do I choose this:



Or this....



They say pictures tell a 1000 words, you see my dilemma...

[Hugo a Gogo]

I see this nice Ice Cream van at a park near me, just drives in for the day and stays, doesn't do any big travelling


does it have to be as big as an H van?

Renault Kangoos have a bit of a retro french vibe, maybe some sort of high-roof stand-up conversion (with corrugated panels!) and a retro signwriting job

[steveo3002]

sensible head says it has to be a modern van , wont no good losing customers and money when some old shed is in the garage being patched up and waiting weeks for rare parts to be sent

[Diffy]

Why does everyone say classics are unreliable ?


As per my suggestion of a Mk1 Transit with a 2.5DI, I know of one used every day as a classic car recovery truck. No problems.

[Andrew_M]

Depending on what kind of catering, and how far you need to travel from your home/business you could consider a tuk tuk

http://www.tukshop.biz/index.asp

[sat1983]

^ I need to able to stand up in the van!

Does anyone know if sticking a modern engine is possible in a 1960's Split screen camper?

[Andrew_M]

sat1983 said:

^ I need to able to stand up in the van!

a 1960's Split screen camper?

you'll not stand up in that, they are barely 6ft in height

[Beefmeister]

Spend a bit of wonga and see these people:

http://www.danburymotorcaravans.com/

Classic looks, and reliable too.

This one looks ace!

http://www.danburymotorcaravans.com/index.php?opti...

[vit4]

+1 for Transit with more modern Transit running gear. I recall one which had the 2.4 duratorq engine and running gear in it, the net result was a (then) brand new van which looked like a 1969 van. Might be worth a look in?

[Andrew_M]

A hightop 70's van would be better




Danbury van's are mostly camper based and £30k plus!