Don't Overlook These Details When Choosing a Pre-Owned Chiller Van
A chiller or refrigerated van can be just what you need for delivery of items that should stay cool while in transit, such as pastries or flowers. You might also be legally obligated to use a chiller van for transporting foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals, and of course they're necessary if you're thinking of selling ice cream or cold soda from the vehicle itself. Whatever your needs for a chiller van, note a few important details you'll want to consider when shopping around for a pre-owned model, so you know you get a quality vehicle that will work well for your transport needs.
Check the shocks and struts
Frozen meats can be very heavy, as are stand-alone freezers that are installed in chiller vans for items like ice cream. Because of this added weight, the shocks and struts of delivery vans may suffer excessive wear and tear, and especially those in the back of the vehicle. When shopping for a pre-owned van, you'll then want to have the shocks, springs, sturts, tie rods and other such pieces checked carefully, and especially if you notice the van seems to rock when you take it for a test drive.
Odours
Certain items that are transported in a refrigerated van can leave unpleasant odours behind, including furs, raw meats and even flowers and live plants. These odours can linger and get absorbed by your own products, so that your fresh foods might smell like old furs once they arrive at a supermarket! To avoid this risk, try to actually smell the back of any chiller van before purchasing it, and especially if it was used to transport any item that is known for creating such odours.
Fan and vent
Some chiller vans are just insulated against outside temperatures, but others will have a fan and vent, where cold air is produced and circulated. Check this fan and its blades, as well as the vent cover, for any dust and dirt build-up. If there is a tremendous amount of dust built up on the fan blades and the vent grille itself, this may indicate that the fan and chiller were not cared for or maintained properly. That added dust, dirt and other debris can also cause excessive wear and tear on the fan and its parts, including its wiring, so that the motor may wear down and fail sooner than you expect. Be sure to test the chiller but also give it a visual inspection, so you know if it was properly cleaned and maintained over time.
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