Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Poll New Reply
Author: Subject: Whats the best mid size van
pinto

posted on 31/10/09 at 08:40 PM Reply With Quote
Whats the best mid size van

I'm now looking for a van
i have a Peugeot expert at the moment (i am a chippy buy trade so a fair few tools )
just wondered what people think is a good van don't mind a bit bigger or smaller
have about £7000 at most
have been looking but cant make my mind up so thought i would ask you lot
thanks


View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
speedyxjs

posted on 31/10/09 at 08:54 PM Reply With Quote
Land rover

Thats what im getting

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
JoelP

posted on 31/10/09 at 09:06 PM Reply With Quote
dont get a vivaro! Absolute pile of crap. Im thinking transit next.





Beware! Bourettes is binfectious.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Ben_Copeland

posted on 31/10/09 at 09:16 PM Reply With Quote
I drive a Merc Vito, comes in many configurations.

Takes a 8x4 sheet in the back and over a ton payload.

I have a 55 plate and never had any problems. 80k.

Good on fuel and pretty quick. Nice to drive, electric windows etc. Best is the assisted brakes and stability control / traction.





Ben

Locost Map on Google Maps


Z20LET Astra Turbo, into a Haynes Roadster

Enter Your Details Here
http://www.facebook.com/EquinoxProducts for all your bodywork needs!

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
morcus

posted on 31/10/09 at 09:30 PM Reply With Quote
Transit all the way.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
JoelP

posted on 31/10/09 at 09:59 PM Reply With Quote
someone told me that new mercs arent built like the old ones. My 2000 sprinter was/is a proper solid van. Always fancied a vito 120 though!





Beware! Bourettes is binfectious.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
a4gom

posted on 31/10/09 at 10:30 PM Reply With Quote
i too am looking at similar wheels, i don't have the same budget, probably 1/2 the 7k. it ticks the boxes at the mo, i don't need it for work but have two young lads so is bikes, quads, r/c cars, body boards, no matter where we go there is something to go. oh and there is the trailor and westfield to get to the track

i'm looking for something with the second row of seats, i was looking at a vivaro but maybe not now??





Andy

Perfect planning prevents pi$$ poor performance!

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
gazza285

posted on 1/11/09 at 12:15 AM Reply With Quote
As Joel said, not the Vivaro, work swapped my Tranny for a Vivaro and it's shite. All the usual stuff, gearbox, clutch, wheel bearings etc etc have gone, as well as being possibly the worst driving seat known to man, which I find strange as the last Renault I had had the most fantastic seats I've ever sat in (a Fuego!). Fast and good on juice don't make up for the many many shortcomings.

Don't go for anything VW either as they have been living off a reputation built on flat four engines, they haven't made a reliable van since.

Citroens are good though, as long as you avoid the HDI stuff.





DO NOT PUT ON KNOB OR BOLLOCKS!

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
orton1966

posted on 1/11/09 at 06:24 AM Reply With Quote
VW transporter

mid-size vans are very popular in my line of work with many people also using them for personal day to day transport. The general consensus being that the VW transporter is the best of the bunch.

Vito's are regarded as a little more "car like" to drive but are more fragile and older ones seem to rot more

Transits are utilitarian to drive and again early ones rot

Transporter's drive almost as well as the veto and seem to have the best bodywork also they hold their values well because of demand from surfers and the like

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
chrsgrain

posted on 1/11/09 at 08:50 AM Reply With Quote
I like my transporter, it my only car, and though I don't use it for work, it takes a fair bit of punishment. I've had 2 now, and never had them go wrong. Its low which is good for multi storey car parks and the like... comfortable to drive, I'll definitely have another one! Probably expensive for what they are though.

Chris





Spoing! - the sound of an irony meter breaking...

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
hillbillyracer

posted on 1/11/09 at 10:11 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by gazza285


Don't go for anything VW either as they have been living off a reputation built on flat four engines, they haven't made a reliable van since.



When looking for a van I asked a good mate who's made a good business from repairing & dealing in vans.
He reckoned the VWs were difficult to beat for reliability but made strong money & questioned whether the extra was worth it for most trades folk.
If folk thought the vans were anything like the flat fours last built in the 70s I doubt if anyone would even call in at the showroom, a reputation built on stuff that old counts for little when you're buying a working van. On the VW scene the water cooled crowd poke fun at the unreliable flat fours!

I now drive a T4 Transporter, it's my car aswell as a work van, 51 reg & 150,000 on the clock. I bought it with 138,000 in full confidence that it had loads of life left & it's been great so far, not been any trouble at all since I put it on the road. I'll run it for as long as it does what I need & doesnt cause me hassle
This replaced a Fiat Scudo & the difference in qualitiy is like night & day but the T4 is a bit more van-like to drive, the T5 which you'd likely be looking at is apparently nice to drive.

How about a look at the Toyota Hiace? If the build is anything like the rest of the range they wont be a bad machine if a little dull but in a working van does that matter?

Transits are what my mate makes his money out of, as a workhorse they're very capable, loads of space, reliability is good enough & there's so many around the problems are well enough known & parts fairly cheap. The real problem is the rot which unless you blitz it with waxoyl or the like it'll be getting scruffy at 6 yrs old.

The Vito he did'nt think much of, rust worse than the Transit & unreliable too but the Sprinter was a good van, capable of mega miles.

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
Jon Ison

posted on 1/11/09 at 10:22 AM Reply With Quote
The T4 VW is pretty robust, had two T5's here's the list.

Blown turbo. (parts ingested full engine re build)
Water pump x 2
Gearbox x 1
Rear brakes seized one side taking disc's.
Diff.
Always locking you out !!!!
Awful driving position for the "longer legged"
Very uncomfortable passenger seats for anything more than 20 miles.

I could go on.






View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
thunderace

posted on 1/11/09 at 10:50 AM Reply With Quote
i had drove around 10 vans over the last 10 years and must say i love the transit cant fault it.lets face it its nor really changed much over the last 10 years just swaped the front and bumpers and updated the dash i like my 100hp fwd one i have at the moment it not new 2003 i think but it only cost me £2000 it has twin side loading doors and a hatch back .
parts are very cheep and you can get a new engine for one for £1000 on ebay with all the auxilarys.
i get 30-35mpg fron it .

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Poll New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.