Plumbers’ Vans are Modern Safe and Comfortable
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.
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.
Plumbers can specify whether they prefer double rear doors or a tailgate. Some cab doors are now designed with reduced opening angle to make it easier to grab the handle when the door is fully open, further reducing the risk of the door opening into a wall or other obstacles.
Most traders' vans sold in the UK at the moment are using a diesel engine. The main reason for their success is their fuel efficiency and high torque in the low rev range, helping in towing heavy loads. Developments in diesel engine design and assembly in recent years have made them smooth, quiet while keeping their advantage as longer lasting, cheaper to maintain and highly reliable powertrain systems. These developments apply to passenger cars as well as commercial vans.
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.
Common rail systems have done wonders for the diesel engines in recent years. Similar in many ways to direct injection systems in internal combustion petrol engines, the common rail system has improved diesel engines' smoothness, softened their noise and vastly improved the ride quality. Other important benefits of the common rail systems include better performance, improved fuel economy and increased torque output.
An alternative system is now being introduced which injects fuel at much greater pressure than conventional diesel engines. There are now several vans with engines adopting the new technology which offers improved efficiency and flexibility.
Modern light vans are now sold with gear boxes offering five or six gears. This improves the ride quality, offering a smooth ride. Some vans are now offered with automatic or semi automatic gear boxes, which are winning hearts on the highly congested UK 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.
