Ex GB Self Conversion + polite introduction to one and all + general Q about Ex BG fleet

[ThePledge]

Hi Caddy2k forum,

Recently bought myself a 13 reg BG Caddy Maxi for a conversion. Based in Dorking, Surrey and will be roadtriping around UK Climbing and Kayaking over the summer in it. Being furloughed from work just after purchase really gave me something to get stuck into during lockdown. Just about finished main build, bed and storage done now just making it "liveable". Are there any other gas men or woman out there on here. Driving around the Surrey hills I've seen a fair few, hard to miss them tbh.

This is my first van and I am defiantly no mechanic, although I am pretty handy and pick most things up quickly (read and follow instructions, Youtube etc). I will be using the caddy2k forum to help with any problems I run into down the road - I look forward to soaking up the wisdom within the forum from more seasoned caddy owners.

Couple of general questions really -
1. First of all is anyone in the same position as me (bought ex BG for self conversion), would be good to hear from you
2. I bought the van from a commercial van company just outside of Dorking, the van had come straight from BG the day before. They serviced and MOT'd the van before purchase, all passed with no problems. However, reflecting on this I wonder if the garage might have passed anything if they're going to sell it (or is that my cynical mind?) And wondered if it might be worth getting it services elsewhere just to check?
3. Van was sold with no service manual and however I do have a recorded history of all work done to the van - with just over 40k miles is there anything to watch out for?

Appreciate they're basic Caddy Q's but they're on my mind, hope someone out there can help.

Please and love,
The Pledge

[SnoWhite]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

You won't be the first to ponder how well their former fleet vehicle has been serviced. Indeed start to wonder what really constitues a service?

Typically the leasing company who supplied the vehicle to BG will be keen to extract the best price for ex-fleet vehicles when they are sold off to trade or private buyers. Hence most will do a very basic service (oil & filters) and probably check that obvious faults (blown bulbs) are fixed - but that is about it. You will be very lucky if your van has just received a major service which entails some expensive but also critical parts being replaced.

Remember lease vehicles are typically chosen by firms who just want their service engineers to be out doing work for their customers, and not sitting around waiting for their van to be maintained. This means vehicles lease are often replaced just before any major service items fall due for attention. So if you do not have paperwork to prove stuff has been done, do not assume critical stuff like the cam belt and water pump has been replaced, especially as a belt failure can destroy your engine.

Have fun with the lock-down project and post up some photos - please.


SnoWhite

[RatBag53]

Hi & another welcome from me. I do not own an ex-BG van but I do have a Maxi & only live up the road in Epsom.
Mine is an ex-Lex Leasing van which served its time as a Britvic Drinks Co. service vehicle & appears to have been
serviced regularly albeit with some sketchy details in the book. Most leasing companies will wish their vehicles
to be correctly maintained so as to maximise on potential auction sales. Although I carry out most of the work on
my van myself I can though thoroughly recommend the facilities at VDS in Redhill. A quick google search will reveal
details but James is a very helpful fellow & runs two modified Caddy's himself as a VW/Audi specialist he really knows his
stuff. A good buddy of mine in Dorking uses him for the servicing of his Maxi life. However I would strongly advise may be
with the help of VDS, to determine whether the cambelt & water pump have been changed -- I suspect probably not
so it may be a good idea to do so -- just to be safe. Good luck with the progress --- may see you about sometime.

[RivalDealer2020]

Hi

I’m also a new member and are in a similar position to yourself

My First personal van, but for work use.

Ex bg 65 plate 32k on clock when purchased in November now has 44k on and it hasn’t missed a beat.

I have discovered lots of stuff in the van British Gas had fitted for its fleet recently.

But What I have discovered more importantly than anything is that I am very happy with my blue van and you should be too!

Yes my service book is also empty and the garage I bought mine from also did a hasty service and MOT my van suspiciously flew through.

I’ve given her a good look over more than once and I’d say that mine has wanted for nothing during its time with bg.

When I picked it up from the garage it had literally just had brand new discs and pads all round before it was sold at auction to the garage I bought it from so I personally don’t buy ALL scrimping tales people tell about fleet vehicles.

Yes big companies want to have their “engineers” constantly working to earn money but their vehicles DO need to be maintained just like any other on the road and the engineer isn’t going to be too happy about driving something that isn’t fit for purpose or safe are they?

Unfortunately however I have been told my van is due it’s timing belt as it’s now 4 years old, I spoke to the vw garage in Preston my van originally came from to ask if they have any history of it, unfortunately not the service guy told me kwik fit had the contract to maintain the bg fleet on behalf of hitachi capital the leasing company so vw had no data on it.

The VW service guy did say that it is unlikely my timing belt will have been done due to its age and time it has come out of the fleet but it had had its emission software recall done.

I will replace the timing belt myself as vw want £490 for the privilege.

Other than that I have no worries about the service history or anything else with it as it hasn’t given me reason to think otherwise.

I’m unsure about your van and how long it has been in the fleet for bg as it is a 13 plate and I assumed fleet vehicles are usually defleeted at 5 years old or less even.

either way VW recommend the timing belt replaced every 4 years so best case scenario yours was done when it was first due you only have 1 year left until it needs doing again anyway.

For the absolute destruction it can cause for the rubber band to fail that keeps everything going I’d say get her done, piece of mind while your driving through the middle of glencoe


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ThePledge]

Thanks all for your replies, all very help full.

@SnoWhite- I had pretty much decide I was going to buy the vehicle before I got there so the guys at Priority Commercial in Beare Green really didn't have to do much selling. Not the best negotiation strategy from myself but with my limited knowledge of used vans I just had to trust them and hope for the best. Naive maybe ... but I like to be positive and have faith in people. However, when they told me they had never heard of the VW Diesel Emissions Scandal (literally three of them in the shop who sell VWs day in day out swore blind to me they had never heard of it) - They did call up and check to see if it had been recalled, which it hadn't and I have since verified. But I did have second thoughts as they lied stright to my face as a group which really pissed me off, but then again what can I expect from salesmen ... they are just trying to sell vans I guess. And they did. Who's the mug

I do have a vehicle maintenance history document from Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions LTD, which outlines all work done to the van. I can see the Cam Belt and Water Pump has not been changed so I will be giving James at VDS a call, thanks for the that @RatBag53.

@RivalDealer 2020, what kind of stuff have you found fitted in the van by BG? I was told mine was restituted to 72mph, but had it at about 80 yesterday. I didn't buy the van for speed but I've heard you can get some real power out it - was yours restricted?

[josher]

Hi,

I'm in a similar position to you, just purchased my 13 plate exBG van last weekend, I'm actually in Horley.

Planning to self build mine but have a few bits done for me like leisure battery, thankfully I see cambelt and water pump done a year ago, however mine is slightly higher milage at 57k. Hoping to get a full service done next week.

How did you get on with removing all the BG wiring for their equipment? So far i've disconnected the 12v stuff and need to remove the roof panel to trace back the other wiring. guessing it runs down the A pilar to the glove box, not sure if i'll cut it or pull it all out.....

Cheers

[ThePledge]

Hi Josher,

The only wiring I had was the LED strip lights that came with the van. One small one in the cab and two longer ones running down each side in the back. I actually kept the smaller one and remounted it in back as they're pretty good lights if you need to fumble around in the dark. Removed the two longer ones but left the wiring in incase I ever want to put them back in.

Have you got a place in mind to help with the few bits? I can recommend someone who did similar work to my van if you fancy.

Just out of interest, where did you get your Caddy from? What did you receive with it i.e service manual, owner manual ect. I only got a service log from Hitachi Leasing.

The P

[josher]

Ah ok, I still had all of the BG racking and stuff in, thankfully managed to remove it all and the wiring, but also left the lights.

If you have someone that you used that would be great!

I picked up the van from a trader near Slough, I had an empty service book, owners manual and a couple of MOT certificates. I was able to get the history through hitachi which was good.

Vans actually in for service at the moment, I took it to Halfords Autocentre as they’d previously maintained my van through their branches and wanted to see if I was able to get any more service history and get checked over quickly. Everything looks fine except I have an oil leak around injectors and injectors chuffing. So new rocker cover gasket and seals to be fitted today. Parts were not too expensive but labour cost was madness. Could have taken back to the guy I bought from and claimed under his warranty, but he was being very difficult. So need to find a good local garage, might give VDS a try next time.

[RivalDealer2020]

My van was supposed to be restricted but as I found out very quickly that device must have been removed



I have found lots of stuff bg fitted -


There is a very handy addition fuse box that’s under your document tray on the dashboard,
It is half switched live half permanent live so very useful for dash cams or anything else small power you want to install

You may have a viezu diesel tuning box fitted under the bonnet for “fuel saving” people on this forum slate them but I’ve checked with viezu and it’s a genuine small power boost at lower rpm which has got to be a bonus for free!

If you have additional antennas on your roof they are high quality panorama antenna brand and can be repurposed for other uses, mag need to replace the whip on them for more specific frequencies, I repurposed mine for DAB signal as my built in antenna failed.

If you have a mechanical security lock on your back doors there is a spare key for it in the fuse box under the bonnet

Also mounted on the outside of the fuse box is usually a flat battery saving device, it automatically cuts the power to the van if your battery is getting low to save you having a flat one and getting stuck

The LED lights installed in the back are Labcraft brand are are very high quality and worth selling or reusing

I’m sure there is more I have missed, British Gas spent a fortune on these vans with the spec and I’m sure they where looked after well too!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BritishGasBlue]

Any idea how to rewire the cargo LEDs to be switchable?

[ransomz0]

To make the LED lights switchable they need to go onto a permanent live feed and then insert a switch. I'm just in the process of doing this, and plan to use the permanent live to the roof light and split this off, insert switch and that should do the job.

[ransomz0]

To make the LED lights switchable they need to go onto a permanent live feed and then insert a switch. I'm just in the process of doing this, and plan to use the permanent live to the roof light and split this off, insert switch and that should do the job.

[Daved-and-Confused]

My advice would be to consider a timing belt kit and water pump. The engineers do like to sit in them with the engine running so mileage is not always the best measurement of engine running time. I bought a van with 29000 miles and at 32000 had a leak from the water pump and decided to change the lot. I thought better safe than sorry.