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hiring a van - how important is the high top?

cooldan

cooldan

i like pizza
Joined
Jul 21, 2011
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Ealing, London
looking into van hire, just a small van this time so i know that i won't be getting a tail lift. my local place says that if i want a high top, i will need to hire a large van, but if it's not essential, they can just hire me a standard Transit van. i know that a high-top is supposed to be an important benefit, but is it essential?

is a standard Transit without hi-top any good at all?
what about a Vauxhall Vivaro?
and a VW Transporter?

is there a minimum roof height i need - like 1.3m, or 1.5m, or 1.6m? does anyone know for sure?
talk to me about the essentials, do i need to pay the extra cash for a hightop, or is that only important if i'm carrying 6-8 machines? i'm only looking to transport 3-4 games this time.

so for example look at this list, which has vehicle heights in it : http://www.smarthire.co.uk/vehicle-dimensions.htm
 
maybe stating the obvious but you only really need slightly more than your longest pin (including shooter)

Obviously more is easier for manuveuring,securing etc, if you have the pin on a sack trolley you will need room to tilt the trolley with pin on. but you could get by with just sliding the pins on their sliders although it will require much more energy..

just measure the height of your tallest tombstoned pin and take it from there

of course ive only moved a pin in an estate car so what do i know ? but I have moved loads of crap in different vans etc
 
standard transit should be ok height wise for the pins, on end, but you probably won't be able to stand up in one.

not sure if you would need LWB or whether SWB would do, depends on how you are planning on loading them?

what I would suggest is look at what you are going to hire and make sure that there is enough space plus enough securing points on the front/sides for strapping the pins in and then you won't get any nasty surprises when you go to pick it up. Also specify that is the van you want as van hire companies have a habit of swapping hire vans around :eek:
 
ok thanks fellas

i measured a tombstoned BWS with shooter rod, it was 138cm tall. therefore i reckon the absolute minimum height for a van would have to be 140cm, or 150+ for anything with a funny gun launcher.

i found another place that has a SWHB Transit so i'm hopefully sorted now. it's a bit further away but i can bike there when i'm collecting it, park the bike, and bike back when it's all returned.
 
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I don't think van companies charge on height only more for long wheelbase so go for high top so you can move machines and yourself easier .
 
ive move 5 in our high top swb transit. 4 upended and the biggest on the back lying down which helps with wedging everything in although upright games are strapped as a sensible precaution. also with weight wise I think 5 is really the limit with driver and 2 passengers. this was all looking good for the Party as Northampton was only an hour away but now its too far so Andy is having to collect . most machine I ever transported was in a 7.5 tonner when you were allowed to use a car license and that was 39 games albeit decapitated oldies
 
I own a Renault traffic high top (same as vivaro), just the job to stand up in without hitting your head, if you value your neck don`t bother with a standard version
 
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