In years gone by your typical plumber would show up in his old white van, most likely a Ford Transit with a rusty wheel arch and a few scratches and scuffs down the side. Things have moved a long way since then, and today's plumbers are spoilt for choice for well engineered, fully customisable and well priced vans. Plumbers looking for a new van will notice that the competition has brought a wide range of vans which are comfortable, well designed and are easy to drive.
New vans combine high levels of comfort with commercial focus, offering good combination of space, ruggedness and comfort for the driver. There is a wide array of loading space (from 3 to 17 cubic meters) that can be further tailored to the plumber's needs. Sliding doors are common, with some vans offering a second sliding door for added flexibility and access to the loading space.
The back of the van can be customized either as a tailgate or a double rear door setting. Another useful customization offered is a reduced angle cab door opening clearance to allow the users to hold on the handle even if the door is fully opened thus minimizing the risk of hitting the wall or other objects.
Diesel engines account for the vast majority of commercial vans sold in the UK currently. Diesel engines are successful since they offer a combination of fuel efficiency and high torque in low revs which is important to the trade (especially for towing heavy loads). Diesel engines have made major steps forward recently in the passenger cars group which migrated to the commercial vans side. These include smooth and quiet operation, coupled with high fuel efficiency, high reliability and longer lifetime for the engine.
A special mechanical particulate filter is used to clear out carbon particles from the exhaust gases. The filter greatly improves the quality of the exhaust output and reduces the carbon emissions from the engine.
Similarly to the direct fuel injection for petrol engines, the common rail system for diesel engines has brought in major improvements in the smoothness and quietness of the engine and the respective ride of the vehicle. The common rail system has also improved the engine's performance and economy and yet increased the torque in low engine revs.
A recent development offers even better performance and flexibility for the engine. There are several new vans that are offered with a new technology which injects the fuel at a much higher pressure than normal, improving the performance of the engine while keeping fuel efficiency levels high.
Most new vans now offer at least five gears and some come with six. Automatic and semi automatic ('clutch-less') gear boxes have become more popular in recent years as they are more relevant for UK's heavily congested roads and town centres.
Comfort levels of modern vans have improved remarkably compared to the old vans. Air conditioning, cruise control and satellite navigation systems were available only on luxury passenger cars until recently, yet are now offered as options and sometimes as standard on commercial vans. With improved ride quality, the new commercial van is becoming an inviting place to be in.
Another important improvement is the increased level of safety in modern vans. Most light commercial vehicles now come with a driver's air bag as standard and some offer passenger airbag or other airbags as options (e.g. curtain and side airbags). Vans are also offered with ABS (Antilock Braking System) and ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme). Both of these electronic systems can save lives by keeping the vehicle stable through controlling the power distribution between the wheels or by taking control of the breaking system in difficult breaking conditions (such as icy or wet roads). - 15478
New vans combine high levels of comfort with commercial focus, offering good combination of space, ruggedness and comfort for the driver. There is a wide array of loading space (from 3 to 17 cubic meters) that can be further tailored to the plumber's needs. Sliding doors are common, with some vans offering a second sliding door for added flexibility and access to the loading space.
The back of the van can be customized either as a tailgate or a double rear door setting. Another useful customization offered is a reduced angle cab door opening clearance to allow the users to hold on the handle even if the door is fully opened thus minimizing the risk of hitting the wall or other objects.
Diesel engines account for the vast majority of commercial vans sold in the UK currently. Diesel engines are successful since they offer a combination of fuel efficiency and high torque in low revs which is important to the trade (especially for towing heavy loads). Diesel engines have made major steps forward recently in the passenger cars group which migrated to the commercial vans side. These include smooth and quiet operation, coupled with high fuel efficiency, high reliability and longer lifetime for the engine.
A special mechanical particulate filter is used to clear out carbon particles from the exhaust gases. The filter greatly improves the quality of the exhaust output and reduces the carbon emissions from the engine.
Similarly to the direct fuel injection for petrol engines, the common rail system for diesel engines has brought in major improvements in the smoothness and quietness of the engine and the respective ride of the vehicle. The common rail system has also improved the engine's performance and economy and yet increased the torque in low engine revs.
A recent development offers even better performance and flexibility for the engine. There are several new vans that are offered with a new technology which injects the fuel at a much higher pressure than normal, improving the performance of the engine while keeping fuel efficiency levels high.
Most new vans now offer at least five gears and some come with six. Automatic and semi automatic ('clutch-less') gear boxes have become more popular in recent years as they are more relevant for UK's heavily congested roads and town centres.
Comfort levels of modern vans have improved remarkably compared to the old vans. Air conditioning, cruise control and satellite navigation systems were available only on luxury passenger cars until recently, yet are now offered as options and sometimes as standard on commercial vans. With improved ride quality, the new commercial van is becoming an inviting place to be in.
Another important improvement is the increased level of safety in modern vans. Most light commercial vehicles now come with a driver's air bag as standard and some offer passenger airbag or other airbags as options (e.g. curtain and side airbags). Vans are also offered with ABS (Antilock Braking System) and ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme). Both of these electronic systems can save lives by keeping the vehicle stable through controlling the power distribution between the wheels or by taking control of the breaking system in difficult breaking conditions (such as icy or wet roads). - 15478
About the Author:
Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles about plumbers, boilers, Bath central heating, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He focuses on helping cut costs by advising on efficient heating.
