I need a petrol van for working in London - what do you recommend?

I'm builder working in London. I have a 17 year old Volkswagen Transporter pickup that I use, but - due to living in Islington and the T Charge - I need to replace it. I cannot seem to find a good Ford Transit Connect LWB or similar petrol van, and all the double cab pickups seem to be diesel. I need something that will take an 8 foot by 4 foot sheet of plywood, either inside or on the roof (not hang over the sides, length is not a problem). I cannot be alone in this dilemma. I cannot use a pure electric as occasionally I have jobs in Hastings and other 50-mile plus trips. What would you recommend, please?

Asked on 3 April 2018 by slimlavud

Answered by Dan Powell
A modern Euro6 diesel will exempt you from any T Charge or Ultra Low Emission fees, but might not suit your needs given the mileage needed to maintain a DPF: vans.honestjohn.co.uk/van-news/comment/van-drivers.../

That means you'll need a petrol or hybrid van. One option is the Ford Transit Custom, which is getting plug-in hybrid tech in 2019: vans.honestjohn.co.uk/van-news/new-vans/2017-07/fo.../

If you can’t wait that long – and don’t have enough budget to buy a new van – something like a used Transit Connect EcoBoost or Volkswagen Caddy TSI might suit your needs: vans.honestjohn.co.uk/van-top-10s/top-10-petrol-va.../
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