In the past your plumber's van was something you would rather not see. An old and rusty van (normally a Ford Transit) with a dents and scratches that made it look worse than it really was. These days, plumbers' vans are a far cry from that old picture, offering highly sophisticated kits, comfortable cabins and a wide variety of mechanical options. Competition in the commercial vehicle sector has pushed up standards and variety, offering the driver high levels of comfort and attention to detail.
Combining car-like comfort with ruggedness and durability, new vans bring in a fresh approach to commercial vehicles. There is a wide range of sizes of loading space, from 3 to 17 cubic meters, which can be further customized to meet the plumber's unique requirements. Most vans utilize a sliding door which is useful in tight spots. Some vans even offer an option of two sliding doors for added flexibility.
A buyer can determine whether they would prefer a tailgate or double rear doors. Another interesting recent option is a reduced opening angle for the cab doors, allowing the driver or passengers to grab the handle in its fully open position and reduce the risk of heating the wall or other objects nearby.
Most vans sold to the plumbing & heating industry these days are diesel powered. This is mainly owing to their significantly better fuel economy and their higher torque in lower revs which is important for carrying and towing heavy loads. Recent developments in the diesel engine design and build have passed on major benefits to the consumer of both passenger cars and commercial light vans. The benefits include quieter engines and smoother operation, longer lasting parts, lower maintenance costs and better reliability.
Particulate filters, using mechanical filtering, remove carbon particles from the output gasses generated by the engine. The filter substantially reduces the amount of carbon emissions that is generated by the engine, making it less harmful to the environment.
The biggest single improvement in diesel engines in recent years was the development and deployment of the common rail system. Similar in operations to direct injection in petrol engines, the common rail system has improved the smoothness and quietness of the engine and consequently the quality of the ride. Another useful benefit of the common rail system is an improved fuel economy together with an increased torque.
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.
Modern light vans now offer comfort levels that were not available even for luxury cars only a few years ago. Vans are now offering air conditioning, cruise control and satellite navigation systems are offered as options or sometimes even as standard by some manufacturers. With better engines and ride quality, a long drive is not so daunting anymore.
Van manufacturers have also stepped up the level of safety features to bring vans in line with passenger cars. Most vans now offer a driver's air bag, and many offer other air bags as options (side and curtain airbags). Other modern safety features include ABS (Antilock Braking System) and ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme). Both of these electronic features are effectively active guardians that would correct the vehicle direction or breaking in case of skidding, or breaking in wet conditions. - 15485
Combining car-like comfort with ruggedness and durability, new vans bring in a fresh approach to commercial vehicles. There is a wide range of sizes of loading space, from 3 to 17 cubic meters, which can be further customized to meet the plumber's unique requirements. Most vans utilize a sliding door which is useful in tight spots. Some vans even offer an option of two sliding doors for added flexibility.
A buyer can determine whether they would prefer a tailgate or double rear doors. Another interesting recent option is a reduced opening angle for the cab doors, allowing the driver or passengers to grab the handle in its fully open position and reduce the risk of heating the wall or other objects nearby.
Most vans sold to the plumbing & heating industry these days are diesel powered. This is mainly owing to their significantly better fuel economy and their higher torque in lower revs which is important for carrying and towing heavy loads. Recent developments in the diesel engine design and build have passed on major benefits to the consumer of both passenger cars and commercial light vans. The benefits include quieter engines and smoother operation, longer lasting parts, lower maintenance costs and better reliability.
Particulate filters, using mechanical filtering, remove carbon particles from the output gasses generated by the engine. The filter substantially reduces the amount of carbon emissions that is generated by the engine, making it less harmful to the environment.
The biggest single improvement in diesel engines in recent years was the development and deployment of the common rail system. Similar in operations to direct injection in petrol engines, the common rail system has improved the smoothness and quietness of the engine and consequently the quality of the ride. Another useful benefit of the common rail system is an improved fuel economy together with an increased torque.
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.
Modern light vans now offer comfort levels that were not available even for luxury cars only a few years ago. Vans are now offering air conditioning, cruise control and satellite navigation systems are offered as options or sometimes even as standard by some manufacturers. With better engines and ride quality, a long drive is not so daunting anymore.
Van manufacturers have also stepped up the level of safety features to bring vans in line with passenger cars. Most vans now offer a driver's air bag, and many offer other air bags as options (side and curtain airbags). Other modern safety features include ABS (Antilock Braking System) and ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme). Both of these electronic features are effectively active guardians that would correct the vehicle direction or breaking in case of skidding, or breaking in wet conditions. - 15485
About the Author:
Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles on plumbers, boilers, Chelmsford central heating, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He focuses on helping cut costs by consulting on efficient heating.
