With the construction industry back on its feet, many plasterers will be feeling confident enough to invest in some new wheels. There has been a whole host of products introduced to the market over the past five years so it can be quite difficult trying to decide which van is best for you, but Parkers Vans is on hand to help you decide.
As with most industries and trades, plasterers have their own needs and requirements to look out for during the buying process. We’ve been listening to their views to determine the top three vans for plasterers. Here are the top five requirements:
- 2.5-metre load length for 8×4 plasterboards
- Easily-cleanable load area lining
- Cheap to run
- Affordable to buy
- Minimal downtime
Based on this criteria, we strongly recommend the following three vans for plasterers:
3 – Renault Trafic/Vauxhall Vivaro
The Renault Trafic and Vauxhall Vivaro were launched in in 2014, and we were impressed by the high levels of comfort, practicality and efficiency on offer. At 2,537mm, the internal load length matches that of the Volkswagen Transporter which means there is plenty of room for an 8×4 sheet.
However, a plasterer’s work can often be messy and there isn’t any protection for the load area as standard. Instead, both Renault and Vauxhall offer side wall and floor protection as optional extras (£730 for Renault/£635 for Vauxhall).
They’re the most fuel-efficient vans in their class, achieving combined fuel consumption figures of up to 47.9mpg on the combined cycle. Residual values, however, aren’t the best; retaining around 26 percent of their original list price after three years or 60,000 miles.
Read the Renault Trafic review.
Read the Vauxhall Vivaro review.
See all the latest Renault Trafic deals.
See all the latest Vauxhall Vivaro deals.
2 – Volkswagen Transporter T6
Launched in 2015, the Volkswagen Transporter T6 wasn’t a massive improvement on the previous generation, but then again, it didn’t need to be. The Volkswagen Transporter is the most coveted van in its class, as well as offering the best residual values.
The short-wheelbase model has a 2,537mm load length (easily accommodating an 8×4 sheet) and half-height hardboard on the side walls as standard. For full-height hardboard and rubber floor cover, this costs just £300 extra on short-wheelbase versions.
Fuel economy is no longer an issue, either. The latest T6 engines achieve up to 42.2mpg on the combined cycle, but what sets most customers back is the price. List prices start from £18,610 plus VAT for the very basic Startline trim level (even a bulkhead isn’t standard) and there is very little in terms of dealer discount.
Read the Volkswagen Transporter T6 review.
See all the latest Volkswagen Transporter T6 deals.
1 – Ford Transit Custom
With a maximum internal load length of 2,555mm, the short-wheelbase Ford Transit Custom can easily swallow an 8×4 sheet. There’s an easy-to-clean PVC lining for the cargo floor standard across the range too, and full-height hardboard on the side walls on Trend, Limited and Sport models.
The Transit Custom is one of the cheapest vans in its class to maintain, with combined fuel consumption figures of up to 44.8mpg and competitive pricing on parts and labour. There are over 100 Transit Centres nationwide, which offer flexible opening hours for servicing.
Prices start from £18,295 plus VAT and dealers often offer generous discount for pre-registered models.
Read the Ford Transit Custom review.
See all the latest Ford Transit Custom deals.
Need help finding your next van, these articles may also help:
Best medium vans for residual values
Best medium vans for fuel economy
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