Jobs in style

Plumber drives to jobs in style

BEN WATSON/North Shore Times

PLUMBER'S VAN: Peter Vandenberg says the Bentley guzzles gas.

"But if it gets the company noticed it's a good thing."

Peter Vandenberg has just spent about $360,000 on a new Bentley –

and turned it into a plumber's van.

He has been turning heads on Auckland's North Shore after he had his new pride and joy kitted out with signwriting, a roof rack and equipment for his company Atlas Plumbing.

Mr Vandenberg has been in the plumbing business for six months, having previously made his living in property development in London and New Zealand. He says buying a Bentley as a plumbing vehicle is a bit of a practical joke on the industry.

The response from the public has been excellent. "People have been coming out of bars and taking photographs of it. All the boys want to be taken for a drive." His competition has been more subdued. "There's just smiles and hmmm."

He admits using a luxury car has drawbacks – he has to clean it twice a day and the 12-cylinder, six-litre engine guzzles about $120 of fuel every two days. "But if it gets the company noticed then it's a good thing." His wife was not keen at first on the high-cost concept.

"She's come around now."

He may even do the same to a Ferrari one day.