Any food market traders on here? I need advice!

[Sony 10]

I've got a new business that I'm setting up and it involves hot food.

I only have a 3 door Hatchback (Volvo C30) but I need to fit a griddle, gazebo, a gas bottle or 2, a big cool box and all my ingredients.

 

I'm kinda hoping I have enough space in the car and although it will be a pain unloading I'd rather keep the car as I know it's been reliable so far. I've looked for an estate and that but at the price range I can afford most estates/vans are tired and somehow the estate I was looking at (octavia Skoda) didn't look that big in the back.

 

Any opinions on whether I'm likely to manage? I haven't got all my materials to try yet!

[Gamston 10]

Get a trailer.

[Sony 10]

You need to pass a test for that- again too pricey!

[Gamston 10]

You need to pass a test for that- again too pricey!

I don't think you need to pass a trailer test, if the trailer is small. Worth checking it out.

 

https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/driving-licence-rules-and-what-you-can-tow

 

---------- Post added 06-08-2016 at 08:45 ----------

 

It money is an issue, then perhaps a roof rack could be an option until you discover if you can earn money from the new venture. I wish good luck.

[tzijlstra 11]

Trailer is indeed an option, might have to get a towing hook installed. Re. cars - you are now (perhaps have been for longer) a member of the Volvo for Life club, that means that you know they won't let you down, ever. Even the very old, very high mileage Volvos are still worth a look.

The C30 was a complete deviation from traditional Volvo values and you will seriously struggle fitting all that stuff in. Even with the rear-seats flat. Oddly, I am now after a C30 as a second car, but need to get my employment situation stable enough to pull the trigger. But that is what the C30 was intended to be - a second car. What you are after is a V70 (which we do have, as the first car!) that will deal with your sort of load-out without even blinking an eye. Looking at residual values and so on, it might be worth you having a chat with Gelders on Sharrowvale Road, I suspect they might be able to get you into a bigger Volvo for a straight swap.

[Sony 10]

Thanks tzi- the 'issue' however is that my C30 has 136,000 miles on the clock! And although totally reliable most see that mileage as a scrap car- it's only a 2010 car and is amazing in every way- I'm just worried about the load lugging aspect!

[tzijlstra 11]

Thanks tzi- the 'issue' however is that my C30 has 136,000 miles on the clock! And although totally reliable most see that mileage as a scrap car- it's only a 2010 car and is amazing in every way- I'm just worried about the load lugging aspect!

 

In that case the only sensible route for you is to look at a trailer.

 

Alternatively you can get similar mileage (but older) large Volvos for under 500£, I used to drive those as my first cars, get one with good MOT left on it and ideally a full service history from a specialist. Ask at Volvo dealers if they know of any on the market (or indeed Gelders on Sharrow). I have owned Volvos with 500,000 kilometres on the clock that never failed me (but at some point needed repair/service way bigger than the value of getting a different car).

 

Alternatively, you could look at used Citroen Berlingo vans, the Diesels from the early 2000s are very reliable.