Time for another what van thread (sorry, not sorry), never had a van but I am looking for one now. Reading past threads the Berlingo/Partner seem to be popular but I am looking for something a little bigger. My criteria so far is:
Reliable
Comfortable to drive and has cruise control
Will take 3 adult bikes with wheels on and 3 adults
Tall enough for a 5"4 person to stand up inside
Not a Volkswagen
Tailgate would be nice but not a deal breaker
I don't want a massive LWB van, so something size wise that can just meet the above would be perfect. Got a car so this will be purely for mtb duties.
What do you have and how do you find it with mtb's? I need to draw up a shortlist.
Plenty vans will tick all of those boxes apart from the hobbit standing up I'm afraid.
Just to be aware. Now is not a good time to buy a van as there are a shortage plus they are in demand for deliveries and campervan conversions.
Be prepared to pay a covid tax
That headroom requirement makes it a Citroen Dispatch/Ford Custom size van, and even that might be a stretch on a low roof one.
How far are you going with your 3 people? You can get 3 up front with that size of van, but the middle seat is a crush, you'd need to be good mates for anything over 30 mins! Otherwise it's a crew cab and you will need to have it configured to put bikes to the side of a rear seat if you want all the wheels on.
Tall enough for a 5″4 person to stand up inside
That's the difficult one. You will need a high roof or mid roof for this.
5'4 and standing up is a high top van, think you'll struggle with a normal panel van. Take that one off your list and pretty much any normal panel van will do that
5’4 and standing up is a high top van
Nope, it's a mid top.
Ford Transit Custom SWB, Mid-Top is your friend.
Just out of interest, why are you discounting one of the most commonly available van manufacturers on the market?
Get a car ! Or a pick up and hammer frozen sausages in the back ! 🙂
Definitely mid roof fir the height requirements
We have a Peugeot expert and all 5'3" of MrsBeanZ can't stand up in it .
Narrow across the front passenger seats, MrsBeanZ and a skinny friend was fine . MrsBeanZ and normal size mate was uncomfortable enough not to offer a lift again.
A medium roof van will be okay for a Hobbit
They probably don't want a T5/T6/T6.1 as their owners are so dull and are constantly defending their VW and how they cure cancer, are great value for money, are honestly no more unreliable than other vans, make potential sexual partners throw themselves at the driver, have great aftermarket spares scene, are the bestest van available using the letters T, V & W and the number 5 or even 6 (sometimes with a ".1" suffix for an added frisson of ejaculate) etc. etc. etc. etc.
😉
Stop it.. too late
Spider man!!!!
How big are the bikes ? I can get three in my SWB Custom with wheels on; two long 29ers and an old school 26" - and it's a crew cab so "6" (5 really unless you can find someone stick thin for the centre front) seats.
How long do you think you'll be stood in the back for at any one time ? That one criteria narrows down your choice massively.
Why do you want to stand up in the back anyway? Something fishy going on here methinks.
How long do you think you’ll be stood in the back for at any one time ?
it depends if they lock themselves in it
Here's a random fact that's no help whatsoever - I found out today that Ian Callum drives a T6
@rickon - you are of course correct, but to be honest, mid top and high top looks relatively similar to me. Both fuglier than a normal van. Which to most also look ugly but I like vans! Either of those won't fit under 2m height barriers, if that's important to you
Either of those won’t fit under 2m height barriers, if that’s important to you
Any van you can stand-up in at 5'4 isn't going to be lower than 2m.
Owning a mid-top for about 7 years I can remember maybe one instance when I encountered a 2m barrier. I just parked outside it.
Owning a mid-top for about 7 years I can remember maybe one instance when I encountered a 2m barrier. I just parked outside it.
Owning a vwt5 mid top for 10 years I agree. My vertically challenged friend at 5ft6 and a bit can stand up in a mid top, he thinks it's great.
I'm 6ft3, I can't even stand up in most high tops. It's never bothered me being in a mid top, you just adapt. I could never stand up in a tent either.
Ok, looks like the standing up criteria is limiting too much and to be honest it's not the most important thing. Didn't think about the 2m height barriers, you can tell I've not had a van before. So let's take that off the list.
The bikes are 650b small and medium/Large trail/enduro bikes.
The third person would probably be an average sized adult (family/close friends) and probably at most for a couple of hours.
Standing trump's looking cool/going under 2m barriers all day long. Nothing quite like.not banging your head putting your bike in and being able to get changed in the back without coming out looking like a hunch back
At 6ft 3 there are plenty tall vans you should be able to stand in.
Transits and ivecos immediately spring to mind nv400 and relay also work . -ik 6ft 3 and I'm talking about when insulated and converted to campers.no just empty vans.
Couldn't this just be a low height van with a pop top?
Transit connect LWB, Kangoo maxi, any of that size of van with folding or removable seats will be perfect for 3 folks 3 bikes, and will return about double the mpg of a high top transit sized van.
I've a merc citan XLWB (basically a kangoo maxi with a different front and cruise control as standard), only had it a couple of months, so far so good.
3 rear seats fold flat to give 2.1m length load bay, or split to leave single or double. 55mpg is a bonus, decent for a van.
Plenty choice in that size, combo, nv200, expert etc, have a look about, I came across citan by chance, very rarely see them up here.
The third person would probably be an average sized adult (family/close friends) and probably at most for a couple of hours.
Yeah, for a couple of hours, you're going to want a crew van like Nobeer suggests. I've got am LWB connect, it's brilliant but standard van no rear seats. Mid-50's mpg and I made a slide out bike rack because the rear head room makes it a PITA to get inside for strapping down scoots. Lift up tailgate probably your next issue, (sorry!) proper vans tend to prioritise fork lift trucks loading pallets into the back.
As an observation on the VW thing, I spend a lot of time on site all over the south and midlands.
I can’t remember the last time I saw a VW van in the hands of someone who uses it for ‘work’.
The vast majority seem to be Vivaro/Trafic/Primastar or the newer variants alongside the Citroen Dispatch. After that it’s Transit Custom.
VW target market is no longer guys ‘on the tools’, it’s a lifestyle vehicle.
(I’ve owned one, and now have a Trafic.)
For me, if you scrub the need to stand from the list of requirements I’d go Berlingo Multispace (previous version not the newest). We have one of those too.
All the rear seats fold flat or are removable individually. Can easily fit 3 x bikes and blokes.
2 bikes go in ‘wheels on’ with 2 seats removed.
The Multispace has a tailgate and the twin sliding rear doors mean loading bikes is easier as you can access the front to strap down etc from the slider rather than by crawling in.
£20 a year road tax on ours and being a ‘car’ it’s not on van speed limits.
I wouldn’t worry about the passenger seats unless they are contributing to the purchase. Just because you squeeze up next to a bloke wearing shorts in a van doesn’t mean you have to have sexy with him.
I have a Vito Dualiner LWB and I love it, takes bikes easily, really nice to drive, incredible turning circle because it is rear wheel drive.
BUT, it is a 2010 and I am now beginning to start the battle with rust. My era of Vitos are infinitely better than the older ones for rust but they still seem susceptible. I spent all weekend rust treating the chassis areas that are starting to corrode, plus I have a few spots appearing around the rear wheel arches.
It is a massive shame because it is a lovely van and has been incredibly reliable.
Vivaro/Trafic/Primastar or the newer variants alongside the Citroen Dispatch. After that it’s Transit Custom.
Pretty much down to cost, really.
Well to Mattbee's point, I have a T6 and it's my daily driver, I'm not on the tools
It's our only vehicle and would really struggle if it was over 2m. Lots of car parks where I like (in North London) have a 2m restriction - would be a pain if you had bikes on the roof of a car too.
In those circumstances, there isn't really an option to park on the road outside. Would be a real pain. Would be fine if it was our second car. Also wouldn't be an issue in lots of places further afield that we've been, don't notice the height restrictions there
Got my van earlier this year, I can think of quite a few car parks (at least 5) where this would've been an issue with a van over 2m. Don't know why they're there... to stop big vans/motorhomes/caravans/travellers maybe?
EDIT - while I'm a fan of the van, i'm trying not to be a fan boy. Height restrictions where I live are a factor. Berlingo multispace is a cracking every day option that is good value, if you can live with the looks
😂
This. Once you go over 2m you’re not going in quite a few car parks.
I used to be able to park my Vauxhall Vivaro, Toyota Hi Ace and Transit Custom in multi-storey car parks. Which is quite handy. Once you add the mod/high top you lose that versatility. I’ve had tall vans in the past and while it’s great to be able to take your wetsuit off while standing up. It does suck if they shut the ‘pikey barriers’ while you’re still in the car park. Especially when you’re working later on. LOL.
You just need to decide how important standing up inside is. If it’s non-negotiable then I would recommend a Transit Custom, as reliable as a VW (possibly more so) but much cheaper and you can fit 3 people in it as well.
Lots of 2m barriers round here and lots of Transporters getting used as work vans. I'd reckon over half liveried vans round here seem to be T5's.
The folding seats in a Transit are apparently the business though and can add a lot of versatility to a SWB bike carrying van.
Also a tailgate gives a little instant sheltee for getting changed underneath. Barn doors give a bit of instant cover for....
Thanks for all the replies so far, I'll have a look at all the suggestions and draw up a shortlist.
"Not a Volkswagen"
that sums it up. Eiver its a dub innit or it aint.
gorra be a dub innit bro, wiv bling rimz an lo pros an bangin chunez innit
go for front wheel drive for lower floor/roof heights, or LDV for cheapness. They all go rusty.
Following .. same specs here except it would be mainly 2 people but occasionally might need 3. (or 2.5 if Jnr is 0.5)
Under 2m with some form of roof bars on ....(not of necessity with anything on the roof bars)
Needs to fit/lock at least 4 bikes (pref 5) in (when not being driven and can have wheels off if needs be)
