[Closed] Family van advice for 2 adults 2 kids & 4 bikes

LWB Trafic/Vivaro will do that. I'd suggest a rear bench though. If it's a 2 seater and offset to the drive side then access to the rear "bike" space via the side door is much better.

Well I can vouch that the crew-cab Vivaro / Trafic is great for a family for four with bikes. I have the SWB and have [i]never[/i] been short of space for family crap.

Nice to drive, reliable enough and affordable. Would buy again for sure.

If you're a cool dad who wears white Oakleys and you want your kids and other vanmen to respect you then make sure you get a VDub.

lol, i'm really not that cool. Most of my mates have got VW's but fitting 4 bikes behind the bulkhead can be tricky!

Chakaping have you done any conversion work on it or is it standard? Any pics I'd love to have a look. Cheers!

Agree with above . Renault trafic lwb crew can here , great to drive , plenty of space for family and bikes in with wheels on

VW Kombi without bulkhead and attachments for 3 separate seats. Keep the 5th in the shed for special occasions.

Sounds like a vivaro/traffic is the way to go. A VW is a lot more expensive and the only gain I can see is image (and long term value). Do the bikes go in the Combi sideways? can you get 4 in?

is the LWB vivaro/traffic essential? do the wheels need to come off whether you go LWB or SWB? if the front wheels have to come off regardless then a SWb might do just as well

You'll get the bikes in without taking wheels off in a LWB. It's only marginally longer and not so long that you notice it when driving. You get used to parking it too.

I started with a basic van, removed the bulkhead, had windows and removable seats fitted then insulated and lined it myself. The insulation makes a massive difference to noise levels.

The removable seats just made the whole thing more flexible - especially as I could flip them around for when I was camping in the back.

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I've done 6 blokes/bikes/bags to the IoM in a standard LWB crewcab - the pre-built one - too.

Had a T4 which we added windows and rear seats to. 4 bikes and 4 people no hassle.
Changed to a factory built T5 kombi recently and it’s just the same but more comfortable. 2 kids and 2 adults with bikes (front wheels off) for a day out is so easy. 4 of us to the Alps for 2 weeks means all wheels and pedals off to fit everything in but you don’t have to worry about not fitting everything in.

Couldn’t care less about the stereotype, it works really well.

Short wheelbase Ducato is a good alternative to VW T5s and Vivarros. They are very square a boxy, which helps fit bikes in
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I have a swb 2007 vivaro with a window fitted in side door & a pair of seats permanently fixed so it seats 5, but loads of room for 4 people & 4 bikes. Great vans, I’ve owned it since 2010 but not used it since getting a company van 2 years ago. I’ll get around to selling it soon.

I have a swb 2007 vivaro with a window fitted in side door & a pair of seats permanently fixed so it seats 5, but loads of room for 4 people & 4 bikes. Great vans, I’ve owned it since 2010 but not used it since getting a company van 2 years ago. I’ll get around to selling it soon.

Been running a Vivaro since 2008 and just replaced with another one. Both have been factory crew-cabs. I'd recommend the LWB as bikes slide straight in with wheels on - they don't in the SWB. You also have more space for luggage, etc.

If you can get the option, go with the 1+1 front seating rather than 1+2 - much comfier. Passengers report the rear bench as comfy enough - in the new van the bench is tailored more like 3 individuals with headrest and armrests, etc (I have a Sportive model).

We're really pleased with our 2011 Vito Dualiner. We've got the mid-sized one, which is referred to as the 'Long' in MB parlance.

Pro points:
- Easily takes 4 people and 4 bikes (I'm confident you could get 5 people + bikes in)
- Lots of kit as standard - eg. cruise control, electric windows, blacked out windows
- Tailgate and dual-sliding doors are standard fit.
- Available with windows all round if you want to avoid the builders van look.
- Clever rear seat design which allows them to fold and roll forwards if you want to get them out the way.
- The Dualiner is nicely finished inside, including full headlining and plastic trim in the back. Compare and contrast with a VW combi van.
- Significantly cheaper than a VW
- A good choice of engines, especially if you want an auto like us. VW 180bhp bitdi engines have some pretty serious issues and we found the 140bhp not quick enough for our tastes. We have the 3.0 V6, which is definitely quick enough :), but the 163bhp version was nippy enough as well.

Minus:
- Rear wheel drive, so you're potentially more likely to get it stuck in a field. That said we haven't had a problem yet.

Hyundai i800, van based but not a van which is a good thing for refinement,insurance etc.
Remove (heavy) rear row of seats, middle (60/40) split row can slide forward if required, job done.

Some great advice in here thanks for taking the time to post and with pics.

Are Vans more expensive to insure than large cars (excuse my ignorance never had a van before).

Are the LWB harder/worse to drive than SWB (My wife will need to drive it now and then. We currently own an Smax and also a Ford Ranger double cab truck which she does like to drive though finds hard to reverse in).

I assume buying a non crew cab and adding seats results in some complications and that a factory crew cab is a better simpler option?

Thanks all, plenty food for thought and research fuel!

Matt

Insurance is too dependant on your circumstances/location to be able to say. It needn't be any more expensive than your car, depending on what you currently drive.

LWB is OK to drive and park. You soon get used to any additional length.

Factory Crew Cab is more "car-like" and quieter for passengers unless you properly insulate the rear. It'll likely have doors at both sides whereas panel vans tend to have one door only. It'll also have windows already fitted.

Outfitting it yourself gives much more flexibility of course - especially if they are removable.

Remember that speed limits are reduced for vans.

I have a SWB Vivaro and my insurance is £398 through Brentacre.

Don't forget to disclose any modifications, especially if you get a panel van and add seats Windows etc. Might be worth getting a quote for a crew cab then getting a quote for a panel van with modifications.

Insurance for modified vans is generally not provided by Direct Line, Aviva etc and tend to just be available through Brentacre, Adrian Flux and other specialists. My Van has extra window in the side door and alloys.

I've had all of the vans folks mention above at different times and the Transporter is by far the nicest overall. You do pay more for one but residuals are very strong so you can a lot more back than an equivalent vivaro etc.

Bikes wise 2 full size bikes go diagonally complete in a SWB kombi without bulkhead. Front wheels off and they go across the width ok.
LWB is 400mm longer but makes a massive difference to space inside. A friend built a rack for mine which holds 5 full size bikes complete behind the rear seats easily.

Transporter T5 Shuttle/Caravelle is ideal.

Mine was a 9 seater but i removed the 3rd row of seats. It can take 5 fully built bikes and still have the 6 seats in it. The middle row is split into a 2+1 as is the front. There are some that come with 1+1 up front though. This would allow for 2 captains seats in the front. The middle row would allow you to remove the unused seats and that space could be used for bags etc.

The other bonus with going for a shuttle/caravelle is that some of them come with a second heater in the rear. It's great for heating the cab up on cold days and with a bit of DIY you can rig up some hoses and use it as a shoe dryer.

Anyone got any good pics of their bikes loaded into these respective vans? The internet is full of vans converted for one or two people, and vans which fit 4 bikes and can sleep an entire tribe in cleverly installed beds, but I can't find many of the 4 seat 4 bike (or more) set ups.

IF anyone could be naffed to grab a camera and post a pic of their set up, or even email it across (email in profile) I'd be grateful.

One of the things which leans me towards cheap vivaro/traffic/transit is that I want something which I'm not going to worry about getting dinged, scratched and generally abused. If I went VW I feel like i'd be constantly worrying about it, where with a cheap utility van even if it sank into a bog I could get my bike out and cycle away reasonably content. I'm not decided yet, and could totally go VW, but not sure if it's for me (yet).

While a bulkhead marginally reduces utility (i'm guessing) I imagine it contributes greatly to ride comfort and that with a LWB the loss of space is mitigated against. No idea how LWB and SWB compare pricewise if one is more pricey than the other, but will research that in due course.

Thanks for the comments about doors (interesting that the crew cab has two), insurance, shoe drying hacks and speed limits. Is the speed limit thing physically on the engine, or just in the highway code?

Speed limit is down to the classification of the vehicle. There are lots of posts on here, and elsewhere, about it.

50mph on a single carriageway, 60 on a dual, 70 on a motorway.

FWIW, I regularly get 40+ mpg in my 2.0L Trafic LWB

FWIW, I regularly get 40+ mpg in my 2.0L Trafic LWB

Same here. I drive like a granny these days but the power is 115 bhp on the Vivaro which is great for overtaking

If you're not fussed whether you have LWB or SWB that will help find a good van at the right price.

The SWB takes four bikes easily, front wheels off and placed top to tail across the van. I use old curtains in between them for protection.

You will also get lots of bags, tools, spares, tents etc in along with the bikes if you need to.

We get 4 bikes on our fiamma bike rack. For enduro gnarpoons you need to take the front wheel off.

We have a vw t4 swb

LWB is OK to drive and park. You soon get used to any additional length.

Much as I'd like this to be true it just isn't. A standard parking bay is 4.8m long and a LWB van is 5.6m or so. No amount of getting used to it will make a big van fit in a normal parking space.

My LWB Trafic is less than 5.2m in length. In 6 years of ownership, parking has never been a problem.

Regarding insurance. I have quite a few years no claims + licence for HGV etc and it meant Jack S**t to the insurance companies. They start you from square one so expect your first year to be expensive.
Aviva did the best deal for me with a modded Vivaro.

I'm another that has had no problem driving and parking LWB vans. I drove a LWB T4 for about 7 years as a daily and had no issues. Yes it overhangs the space (reverse in or you'll struggle to get back out) but not enough to be an issue.

Even multi storey carparks are OK if you're a bit sensible.

[quote=bear-uk ]Regarding insurance. I have quite a few years no claims + licence for HGV etc and it meant Jack S**t to the insurance companies. They start you from square one so expect your first year to be expensive.
I started with NFU and they carried forward my car NCD.

I'm another that has had no problem driving and parking LWB vans. I drove a LWB T4

Yes, but a LWB T4 is a smidge over 5m - only a few cm bigger than a Mondeo. In proper van terms it's somewhere between a SWB and a MWB, and substantially narrower. A LWB Sprinter/Crafter is 7m, Citroen Relay/Fiat Ducato 6m.

I started with NFU and they carried forward my car NCD.

After lots and lots of shopping around we finally found a broker that would do this for us too but it wasn't easy. That said quotes varied massively and NCB isn't the huge factor that insurance companies would have you believe.

Sorry I should have said I now drive a LWB T5, regularly but not daily as I've got a car now, and still don't have any issues with parking.
A LWB T5 isn't a big van.

It's about 6cm wider than a T4 (ignoring the mirrors) which I can't say I've ever noticed in use.

ajaj - Member
LWB is OK to drive and park. You soon get used to any additional length.
Much as I'd like this to be true it just isn't. A standard parking bay is 4.8m long and a LWB van is 5.6m or so. No amount of getting used to it will make a big van fit in a normal parking space.

We're (mostly) talking about LWB T5s and Vivaros etc which aren't 5.6m, the 5 is 5.3 and scotroutes says his Trafic is even shorter.

Yes a LWB Crafter, Master, Transit etc will be more difficult to park.

I'll be sure to bear length in mind when researching a purchase, but again I value your comments on the matter they'll be very helpful. Interesting that there is nothing like a standard and they're all so different.

A SWB with a delta hitch/saris trap/other for mount would fit my 29er wheel off and the kids 14" 26wheelers by the sounds of it. That said I won't discriminate against a LWB particularly from one of the brands which are slightly more manageable.

Insurance will be a painful necessary evil by the sounds of it.

Does anyone use aftermarket locks for their van?

Hi I have a short wheelbase t5 2 captain seats and three seat bench then factory plastic bulkhead.

Here’s what we found over 10 years of using vans as a family car
Don’t get 3 seats in front, the kids in the back can’t see you and feel left out.
Try to get double side door. Having the sliding door on the drivers side is a big help to loading kids shopping etc.
A tailgate at the back is a good rain shelter and I have 2 led down lights in mine ideal for getting back in the dark.
A swb van is fine if your oktaking a wheel off. The bikes can go in nose to tail and are often shorter if upside down
When we go on holiday I take off both wheels and put the bikes in first sideways across the bulkhead.
I’ve had a few t4 caravelles a t5 shuttle with rear seat row removed.
A couple of t5 kombis. The Vw stuff drives nicely the 20l 140 will do 40mpg driven sensibly and if it’s a factory kombi it’s down on the v5 as a car not a light commercial so you can do 60 legally rather than 50 on B roads.
Been in quite a few of the Renault vans and always seem quite noisy and rattly to me.
Guess best to drive a few and see what feels best for you.

Anyone got the newer generation 1.6 diesel engines?
Been looking at the new Trafic but worried that the 1.6 will be crap and that the build quality suspect...

Heres my SWB van with 2 bikes in the back with front wheels off, you get the ida of what space you have to play with.

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2 bikes loaded across the way

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