Kev Stephenson

It was dean lofthouse that posted the video

So here is the new concept. More than likely never to be released but it would look good with a chip box on

It may mean that he has to pass up the really technical jobs now but may have enough easier stuff that an inexperienced and hence cheap team can do for him. It may mean a slight change in direction of the company but a company that keeps going. If he let the newbie go who costs considerably less than you do that difference in cash flow could have folded the company. Like Andy said is there any chance you can go self employed? You could sub straight back to your old employer a couple of days a week and then sub to other companies for the rest. It may be a way your old boss can keep you and the technical work without having to pay your full wage, you have a guaranteed 2 or 3 days a week and if you are as good as you make out then filling the rest of the week won't be a problem. Good luck with whatever you do Kev

No problem. See you at mine 7.45ish. If I'm not here I will be dropping the kids at nursery

I'll assume the family bus is being used to transport logs then shall I rob? If you can get them in your pocket rocket then I will make sure there is room in the glove box of the Merc Kev

depends how wide the tyres are, on the 130 I had it ran 8.5" wheels with near 10" tyres on. I ran 32ish psi front and rear without problems when fully loaded. Run them too hard and all the vibration from the road is passed to the chassis and suspension and not absorbed by the tyres.

or if you really want a husky one Husqvarna Chainsaw Combi Spanner 501691701 | eBay UK

All the stihl chainsaw ones I have have screwdriver ends. The hedgetrimmer ones have a torx end. They are a couple of quid from a stihl dealer

I think that was more a bargain buy than a vehicle holding it's money. Find me a £6k 3 year old Navara (not poverty spec) and I will buy you one as well!!

Yes..

The early D3's are £210 to tax, 54/05 plates. I could for the same money get a 57 plate Navara but do they lose money at a silly rate? The third option is a 110 county or 110 utility (need 4 seats and a decent load space) but then I am looking at 02/52 plates with near on 100,000 miles. However these will hold there money better than the other options. What ever I get will be prodominantly personal use/quoting (50:50 split on milage) with very occasional woodland work and pulling Armchairarborist out of what ever he is stuck in this week!! A Navara or utility landrover would go through the books paying personal milage hence the business takes the hit on depreciation, the D3 would have to be personally owned claiming business miles. I am not VAT registered so that doesn't influence the decision. Help!!

I am torn between a double cab Navara and a discovery 3 for my private vehicle / quoting bus

A bit like me then!!!

Just back from the sign writers

The land rover did everything the transit will do plus it was good in the snow and off road, had a winch and would pull a lot more. It also looked better. Yes, it carried a bit less and was a bit more cramped but it still did all that is needed. If I had a regular amount of off road work then I would never have sold the land rover but like I said I wanted to free some capital.

Not had to drive it far with a decent load on yet so we will have to see. It is evidently down on power compared to the land rover but should be fine. The back on the landrover is literally 3" longer ignoring the tool box (the grinder ramps don't quite lay flat in the transit) but the transit is 6" wider. The landrover has a lower roof on it on purpose - to stop us overloading it. Other than the known TD5 issues (oil in the loom, leaking fuel pressure regulator, EGR crudding up, all cheap fixes) I had no real issues with the land rover in nearly 4 years

Mine was about 2300kg empty and one 10" wide tyres so didn't sink in anything. The problem with a 110 tipper is it carrys all the load over the back axle, the 130 single cab has 70% of the load between the axles. Yes you will be over loaded when full on a 130 but the same can be said for just about all 3.5 tonne trucks

I have just last week sold a Yr 2000 130 TD5 defender and bought a 2004 transit tipper The 130 has averaged 18.5mpg over the last 12 months but will go anywhere. It pulled like nothing else but when very full rolls around a lot as the weight is high up and there is a lot of travel in the suspension. It was an excellent truck and I will miss it but 90+% of my work is road side domestic and yard is hard standing so I don't need the 4x4. It also was worth quite a bit and I wanted to release some capital. I also don't like working in the snow so don't need a chip truck that will go out in the snow. The transit has a much more spacious cab, can carry 3 people without it being intimate and seems to carry weight better. It also has a much smaller turning circle. As a day to day tree truck I think the transit will be better, my land rover went to another arbtalk member who also runs a 6.5 tonne tipper and wanted a second truck for building site jobs etc. For this it will be ideal. I will be getting another landrover for a personal car

New type A's Rope new bars, chains, sprockets for the big saws something shiney to keep the other shiney bits company in the bottom of the climbing bag over priced burger silly expensive warm beer

The easy way is if you wouldn't have bought it (or could have claimed for it on expenses) if you were employed in the same job then it is tax redeamable. e.g. clothing - if you supply embroided t-shirts/hoodies/etc to your groundie then you can have the same. They should be for work only. So for example the comedy 'I've got wood' style t-shirts for wearing to the pub can't be included. Food is only what you would claim on expenses if you worked for another company - do you as company owner supply your groundies food and drink for lunch? If you are working so far from home that it isnt practicable to take a pack up and you therefore are out of pocket because you had to buy food which was more expensive than if you were at home then you can claim it. If you sub to someone for a week that involves a stay in a travel lodge then you can claim all the food while you are away. Washing machine - only if it is solely for cleaning your work gear Feel free to put anything you want through the books just be prepared to prove beyond doubt that it was necessary for work. If not you may have every nook and crany you own checked by the tax man.

I have not left the fold for good, just taking a sabatical while I decide which flavour of green oval will grace my drive. Currently considering a discovery 3.

Editted for accuracy:001_tt2:

Standard issue local authority mug that, comes in a box marked small.

I will be getting another, looking for a 110 utility to replace the Merc ML. I will be back in a green oval before you know it

It certainly needs a crown lift!!