Thinking of getting a van - tell me why vans are great when you have multiple dogs:P

tk123

I'm thinking of changing from my ix35 to small a van/combi so back seats if I need them but I'll probably keep them folded up out of the way 99% of the time. I'm just not happy with the space I have in the ix for the dogs and how safe the current setup is. Has anyone changed to a van - any regrets?

I have very specific criteria in what I want in a car so please don't waste your time telling me how great your estate/corrolla/mini/<insert random car> is etc etc :P

mymo

My only concern would be are vans tested for rear and side crash tests like cars?
I'm assuming they wouldn't be a strict on a van, but combi may be. I know you have probably researched this already.

Nody

I'd look at the V70 combi; secure as a tank and a insanely huge boot to go with it.

DBB

A few things to bear in mind, assuming it's a commercial vehicle you're thinking of.
Key factors for me selling mine included the yearly DOE (~€90... The annual thing drove me mad), the pricey insurance, the tyres being more expensive (they're reinforced tyres and must be on for the DOE, which is called CVRT now), and don't forget that now if you want to tax a commercial vehicle as a commercial vehicle (it's cheaper than taxing as a private vehicle), you need to provide evidence that you do actually require the vehicle for work. This is a one-off requirement though.
If you're insuring it as a commercial, you can't just jump into a friend's/relative's private car with their permission and drive it, as you can if you're insured for a private vehicle.
All in all, although brilliant for fitting crates, dogs and all sorts, for me all of the above eventually gave me a pita, so I sold my van

gctest50

the stability control helps :

tk123

DBB wrote: »

A few things to bear in mind, assuming it's a commercial vehicle you're thinking of.
Key factors for me selling mine included the yearly DOE (~€90... The annual thing drove me mad), the pricey insurance, the tyres being more expensive (they're reinforced tyres and must be on for the DOE, which is called CVRT now), and don't forget that now if you want to tax a commercial vehicle as a commercial vehicle (it's cheaper than taxing as a private vehicle), you need to provide evidence that you do actually require the vehicle for work. This is a one-off requirement though.
If you're insuring it as a commercial, you can't just jump into a friend's/relative's private car with their permission and drive it, as you can if you're insured for a private vehicle.
All in all, although brilliant for fitting crates, dogs and all sorts, for me all of the above eventually gave me a pita, so I sold my van

Nah I'm looking at the likes of a partner tepee type so aimed at the mpv market but the seats fold out of the way - no hassle with doe etc I've had jeeps/suvs for years so used to expensive tyres - I just forked out €300 for two of them last month!

gctest50

newer is better usually - otherwise they'd have a hard time selling stuff

just as an example :

peasant

yes...as dbb said...unless you're farmer or have some business of some sort it's a right pain to run a commercial privately.

The taxman insists that you pay private tax whereas the insurance will only insure you commercially...so you pay top dollar each time.

We're only two humans but several dogs and a van would be ideal...but with every vehicle change I've ended up owning yet another "normal" car of sorts as the figures just didn't work out.

Another thing that's bad about commercials is that most of them have blanked out side windows and your view at awkward junctions is severely restricted ..the same goes for the "over the shoulder" look when changing lanes.

zinzan

Brother has a Berlingo for his dogs - a lab and a newfoundland and finds it great. Seats folded up most of the time but there if he needs them.
Says the steering on the Berlingo is a bit heavy but otherwise it's fairly economical and easy drive.

peasant

tk123 wrote: »

Nah I'm looking at the likes of a partner tepee type so aimed at the mpv market but the seats fold out of the way

The best dog transporter I ever saw was a Toyota Verso ...two front seats only and a blanketed paradise for three St. Bernards in the back

Renault Kangoo, Citroen Berlingo (= Peugeot Tepee) make brilliant doggy vehicles IMO

tk123

gctest50 wrote: »

newer is better usually - otherwise they'd have a hard time selling stuff

just as an example :

Yeah thanks but there's already a v70 in the house and it's not my style! I did enjoy seeing them get smashed up though as I hate the bloody thing lol!! (it's not mine!:P)

As I said above I'm not looking for suggestions on what car to buy or I'd be over in the motors forum. I'm interested in hearing from dog owners with vans(!)

aaakev

Iv a Mercedes vito crewcab. Iv had myself, brother, 2 kids, all camping gear, my bike and my 2 dogs one of which is a grate dane x newfoundland and space to spare. I regularly take the dogs off, iv a rubber mat in the rear and throw a blanket in for them, they love it. As soon as the back door is open they jump in and wait to go somewhere!

Probably a bit big for what you want but very versatile

strandroad

We have a renault scenic - back seats fold and also tilt up when folded, so there's even more space. It turned out to be a great choice for dogs!

beveragelady

I have a Kangoo, an ex-post van. I got it purely for dog transport and I wish I had done it sooner. I have two collies who travel with me a lot (we're just back from a trip to the Isle of Man) and it works very well.
Here's why:
It's easy to clean. I park it on a slope and sluice out the cargo area.
It's comfy for them. I got eva rubber mats cheap and put them on the floor. This also prevents them sliding around if I brake suddenly.
It's easy for them. As they age they are spared the awkwardness of jumping into the boot of a car, there is less of a jump into the van.
It's safe for them. I have rubber padding on the bars between the seats and the cargo area. In the event of sudden braking they have a soft landing.
It's safe for me. No loose dogs while I'm driving.
I do less driving! I used to have to drive people home after nights out all the time because I'm an almost non-drinker and an always-designated driver, but the fact that I can only carry one passenger absolves me of a lot of responsibility.

In general I really enjoy being a van-driving lady. The dogs are perfectly happy to make quite long trips, and I find the extra expense of owning a van to be very manageable and well worth it. The insurance was an extra €55 a year, the annual CRVT is a pain but also reassuring. I tax it privately because there was no conceivable way I could say I need it for work, but that's manageable too.

I'm pro van!

tk123

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
Had a look today and didn't really like them lol!! What I liked most was the qashqai van - which was basically the same as what I have if I had the dog guard mounted behind the front seats. Luckily I have some welders in the family who are going to make some plates etc so I can move the guard up and just drop the seats. I'm a bit relieved tbh - I have lots of doggy bits and pieces for the ix that I didn't want to have to replace - most of all my beloved hitch and Otto step shipped from america (back when the exchange rate was good! :P).