Landy for work?

[James144]

So a little bit of background I believe is required for this question. I plan on setting up a ground maintenance, agricultural and plant dealer for used equipment. I have been working at one for 6 years now and as my uni course is almost over and my boss is slowing down more and more, I have decided this is something I want to do and give it a go. As they say, `nothing ventured, nothing gained`.

The vehicle will be used for everything really, towing trailers, the odd bit of equipment such as wood chippers and so on. It will have to be able to tow 3.5 tonnes legally, and generally be a work vehicle that will be used every day. We currently use a Toyota Hilux, however this isn't really an option for me due to cost and towing laws.

I was thinking about a Defender 90 for the job, however I'm stuck with the decision, mainly how reliable the actually are and would it be better to go for a TDI 200/300 and strip it and build it back up with a new chassis and whatever else it needs, or invest more money and buy a TD5? Also vans are an option ie a Transit, in many ways they would be more suitable, but I like the safety factor of 4x4 as we due use it from time to time. Also as silly as it sounds, a lot of our business is done because people like you, when we ran a Puma Defender for 6 months everybody we spoke to loved it and makes a good first impression if in good condition.

So obviously you will be biased due to being a Landy fan, but what would you go for and why?

Cheers James.

 

[DiscoPol]

110 if towing the 90 can get a bit tail happy with a load on, tail wagging the dog etc etc

 

[James144]

110 if towing the 90 can get a bit tail happy with a load on, tail wagging the dog etc etc

We have ran both and found no difference. We don't drive fast when towing and as long as your load is set correctly, ie the trailer is balanced it doesn't tend to snake. But that is 1 for the Landy anyway .

 

[MudMatt]

I use a 110 for work (tree surgery).

Will you need to put a heavy payload on or in the truck itself?

 

[James144]

I use a 110 for work (tree surgery).

Will you need to put a heavy payload on or in the truck itself?

Nope not really, ratchet straps and a few tools mainly. However especially with this being a new business you never know what might come up.

 

[trax]

couple things

See if your boss is going to retire and see if you can buy the business and plant from him.

It'll take you a while to rebuild one, and you'll need the cash and time spent elsewhere, so knock that idea on the head.

When you are starting out, keep your costs low low low, don't kid yourself that you need new toys.

If you found a landy to be great marketing tool (really?, you sure you weren't going to get the work anyway?) then a nice old series would make more of an impact

 

[MudMatt]

Nope not really, ratchet straps and a few tools mainly. However especially with this being a new business you never know what might come up.

Assuming you thinking of getting a pickup AND going down the landy route Id go for a hiCap 110, mines plated at 3500kg GVW.

I have a transit tipper also, which, if im honest i tend to prefer for 90% of jobs.

If your delivering and collecting plant then Id say a 4x4 would be must as your likely to encounter muddy fields and farm tracks etc

 

[James144]

couple things

See if your boss is going to retire and see if you can buy the business and plant from him.

It'll take you a while to rebuild one, and you'll need the cash and time spent elsewhere, so knock that idea on the head.

When you are starting out, keep your costs low low low, don't kid yourself that you need new toys.

If you found a landy to be great marketing tool (really?, you sure you weren't going to get the work anyway?) then a nice old series would make more of an impact

He isn't going to retire just yet, he is actually allowing me to use all his equipment and still work for him 2 days if I want.

Yes I know there is a lot of time involved, but I do have 6 months or so before I start this business.

Yes my costs will be very low, a vehicle and a trailer really, the rest I have already or can use for free. Toys can be bought with success, just in the process of selling all of mine to increase my capital.

They actually are, as stupid as it sounds, this business is all from who you know and who likes you. It may not be the reason for a deal, but especially golf course and businesses do require a good first impression. A landy does seem to help with this as they are always a good point to talk about and people love them. My boss has an old T20 mainly for this reason, people see it and instantly are interested and that all helps with making a deal.

 

[micknkatenki]

"The vehicle will be used for everything really, towing trailers, the odd bit of equipment such as wood chippers and so on. It will have to be able to tow 3.5 tonnes legally,"

Dont forget if you are towing and it is a business you will need a tachograph fitted to whatever vehicle you buy to be legal if collecting/delivering plant/machinery etc and getting paid to do so (hire and reward)

110 or other 4x4, crew cab if need to carry people

 

[James144]

Nope as much as I want a pick up too, I can't afford to chuck money into two vehicles really. So it would be a landy, or a van.

Yeah I like transit tippers, but for my job they aren't really suitable most of the time. We do encounter mud from time to time, but not all that often. Having said that we are busiest in winter and snow and ice are concerns. We don't really use 4x4 all that much, but it also handy to have as we never know what to expect with new places and customers.

 

[James144]

Yes a tachograph will be put in place, Vosa are getting more and more sharp with towing these days.

 

[micknkatenki]

Yes a tachograph will be put in place, Vosa are getting more and more sharp with towing these days.

yes they are but its amazing how many people still dont use one.....its only time. I run 4 vehicles with tachos from Bottesford and VOSA are keen at Bingham roundabout and all over now.

Dont forget to record all hours in a proper RHA (ROAD HAULAGE ASSOSIATION) book to show what you have done when not using tacho i.e. driving without trailer and with a trailer.

 

[James144]

yes they are but its amazing how many people still dont use one.....its only time. I run 4 vehicles with tachos from Bottesford and VOSA are keen at Bingham roundabout and all over now.

Dont forget to record all hours in a proper RHA (ROAD HAULAGE ASSOSIATION) book to show what you have done when not using tacho i.e. driving without trailer and with a trailer.

They they are really bad there, and are getting worse all the time. Yeah I'm doing my towing license soon, so I will be up to date with everything. Most people just ask to be pulled over when you see the state of the trailer and vehicle towing it though, especially when their load isn't strapped down well.

 

[edwardcraney2012]

I recently seen a transit 4x4 I assume it was a factory fit thing, but not sure it would be best of both worlds? I know what you mean about a landy being good for getting interest, at the garage if you ask someone if they like their land rover they can spend ages telling you about it, hardly anyone ever says anything against their landy though!

 

[Nevets22002]

I started my maintenance company on my own over ten years ago. I built it up from nothing to running nineteen per cent of the primary school in this area, doing all the internal and external maintenance, including the grounds maintenance, emergency and planned maintenance programs as well as development, refurbishments and capital funded projects.

As well as the school contracts we also carried out 24/7 emergency repairs as well as planed maintenance and refurbs, void works and evictions for a housing association with thousands of properties all over the south west, covering from reading to the south coast and everything south of the m4 to lands end.

I know this is going to be very big headed and I am sorry in advance but successes comes to those that go for it. Fortune favours the bold as they say. I was a success and I sold my company two years ago this month. I retired at the age of 42, I am 44 this coming February so hard work, the right approach and a lot of luck does pay off.

That all said your right that a large amount of the luck comes from if your clients like you.

I have grown un easy with being off work this last year so have come out of retirement to work part time, only because my old clients kept calling asking me to go back. I purchased my old 110 CSW as a hoppy to do up, try green laning and for a holiday across Europe. Now I have kited the back out with racking/storage solution and am about to remove the large rear windows, replacing them with lift up doors like a utility top. I was respected in business not just because of our outstanding results but for the little things like the condition of our vehicles even down to the sign writing. I designed our logo and it was replicated by the local paper for their vehicles.

Branding and image are important, just look at logos for coke cola, nike, google, land rover etc, bigger companies yes but the public image is just as important.

I get stopped a lot to talk about my landy and once talking I can plug my new business opportunity and plug the guys I can sub-contract too.

A local large plant hire company in town (owned by a good friend) run four defenders (pick ups and vans), they may not always be the best suited vehicle but they always get to the job and rarely get stuck or let them down..

My view for what its worth is go for it, get a landy, take any opportunity to get people talking to you, and have a vehicle that can cope with anything you could ask of it.

Finally try and do as I did, work hard, save and then buy to progress, try not to borrow anything.

I wish you the very best of luck, I hope you get to use every opportunity and become a successes too.

 

[fergus123]

discovery 3.

 

[James144]

I started my maintenance company on my own over ten years ago. I built it up from nothing to running nineteen per cent of the primary school in this area, doing all the internal and external maintenance, including the grounds maintenance, emergency and planned maintenance programs as well as development, refurbishments and capital funded projects.

As well as the school contracts we also carried out 24/7 emergency repairs as well as planed maintenance and refurbs, void works and evictions for a housing association with thousands of properties all over the south west, covering from reading to the south coast and everything south of the m4 to lands end.

I know this is going to be very big headed and I am sorry in advance but successes comes to those that go for it. Fortune favours the bold as they say. I was a success and I sold my company two years ago this month. I retired at the age of 42, I am 44 this coming February so hard work, the right approach and a lot of luck does pay off.

That all said your right that a large amount of the luck comes from if your clients like you.

I have grown un easy with being off work this last year so have come out of retirement to work part time, only because my old clients kept calling asking me to go back. I purchased my old 110 CSW as a hoppy to do up, try green laning and for a holiday across Europe. Now I have kited the back out with racking/storage solution and am about to remove the large rear windows, replacing them with lift up doors like a utility top. I was respected in business not just because of our outstanding results but for the little things like the condition of our vehicles even down to the sign writing. I designed our logo and it was replicated by the local paper for their vehicles.

Branding and image are important, just look at logos for coke cola, nike, google, land rover etc, bigger companies yes but the public image is just as important.

I get stopped a lot to talk about my landy and once talking I can plug my new business opportunity and plug the guys I can sub-contract too.

A local large plant hire company in town (owned by a good friend) run four defenders (pick ups and vans), they may not always be the best suited vehicle but they always get to the job and rarely get stuck or let them down..

My view for what its worth is go for it, get a landy, take any opportunity to get people talking to you, and have a vehicle that can cope with anything you could ask of it.

Finally try and do as I did, work hard, save and then buy to progress, try not to borrow anything.

I wish you the very best of luck, I hope you get to use every opportunity and become a successes too.

Thank you for your advice. I do not find you big headed at all, we work hard and have reason to be proud of what we achieved. I do believe a landy is the way forward, it is just a case of convincing a few people who don't seem to understand the nature of the business :doh:.

I will be taking out no loans thank you, I have enough student debt as it is. Been working for 6 years or so now and saved money to do this, even the toys are being sold.

A disco 3 costs too much really, I'm starting off small and cheap.

Cheers James.

 

[James144]

Well after spending some more time researching a landy is looking more and more like the right vehicle, basically it seems to be the only vehicle with the exception of the Isuzu d max that can actually tow 3.5 tonnes. They all say they can, but when you get down to the total mass of vehicle and trailer they can tow 2.4 tones at best.

Also a tacho may not be required if I could just get a final definition of what hire and reward means, so a phone call to VOSA will be made

So with this what 90 would you go for and why? This will be my only vehicle and I will be doing around 20,000 miles max a year, can a defender do that realistically? I was thinking about a td5 as the tdci are a bit expensive really and as much as I know age doesn't equal reliability, I know the tdi's can be rather failure prone. Any help and advice would be great.

Cheers James.

 

[THEengineer]

Well after spending some more time researching a landy is looking more and more like the right vehicle, basically it seems to be the only vehicle with the exception of the Isuzu d max that can actually tow 3.5 tonnes. They all say they can, but when you get down to the total mass of vehicle and trailer they can tow 2.4 tones at best.

Also a tacho may not be required if I could just get a final definition of what hire and reward means, so a phone call to VOSA will be made

So with this what 90 would you go for and why? This will be my only vehicle and I will be doing around 20,000 miles max a year, can a defender do that realistically? I was thinking about a td5 as the tdci are a bit expensive really and as much as I know age doesn't equal reliability, I know the tdi's can be rather failure prone. Any help and advice would be great.

Cheers James.

my 18 years old used daily and worked hard defender will have done roughly 25 k a year with no real issues,its a 300tdi