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currently have an octavia estate when i've looked at vans before the poor mpg has put me off. The transit custom claims around 48 combined, what is the reality of the average mg. Also how are they to use as everyday vehicles, mainly driving a roads. And where is the best place to look online for 2nd hand ones, preferable with a 2nd row of seats in the back and side glass.
cheers
Don't know if it's any use but I've got a mk6. Claimed combined mpg is 40, I'm getting 39/40 in the real world. However, I do next to no town driving, on the odd occsse I do that really hits it. So if you're mainly doing A roads you should be able to get somewhere near the claimed combined figure.
Very easy to live with, no harder to park than a Mondeo. Generally reliable (have heard of issues with the locks on Customs though)Â but they rust like buggery. If you are getting one where it hasn't set in yet, straight out of the paintshop, then get it undersealed ASAP.
There is a Transit forum full of very helpful people somewhere, Google will tell you.
Had one over the Easter weekend, hardly any load in it and driven with normal hire van sympathy and got somewhere close to the 40 Mark, not sure which engine it was. Could have been a fair bit higher I reckon
I have a 125bhp limited version. Always loaded up with a fair bit of  weight in it and I get 30mpg mainly driving around town, motorways can see 36 occasionally.
You have to remember it has the aerodynamics of a large concrete block!
Also how are they to use as everyday vehicles
as a life long van driver and for most of those years choosing not to have a car and using transits and sprinters as my daily transport... I find the current range of transits pretty horrible to drive. They handle well, plenty of power etc but they all feel like they've got too much air in the tyres - they seem to sit at the top of their springs and pogo you around - even with a decent load in them. So disappointing as the previous generation were amazingly comfy on the road and one of the most comfortable ways you could travel.
If you're over 6 foot you'll bang your head on the roof of the customs quite often  - and the bigger transits have sun visors that keep hitting you in the face too.
And across the range both the custom and the larger transits - huge mirrors that you can't see anything behind you in. I don't know how they've managed to create such a massive blindspot to the rear.