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Got to try out a SWB Rifter, and the dealership let me take my bike.
Pretty much think it’s perfect for weekend adventures and off the cuff camping.
Will put some pics up once i get them on imgur
Things like the old Renault Espace were awesome for space and comfort but that was a big vehicle.
The old Renault Espace was like a Tardis. A 4.25m x 1.78m it was narrower and shorter than the current Megane but spaceous inside, however, people got their legs smashed in corner shunts.
b33k34
Full Member
The trend for everything to be some kind of SUV has removed a lot of options but I always think the most interesting Mtb vehicles are the less obvious ones – @RustyNissanPrairie being a perfect example.
My 'Blingo is good but I also have a Volvo XC90 that I'm removing the (two) rows of rear seats from that is massive inside and will easily swallow my 1351mm XL 29er. I'm planning on using it as a carcamper on a Scandi roadtrip.
It's £500 purchase price is nice when reading about the van prices on here.
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How about a Nissan Pathfinder? They are hoooge!
Pathfinder's basically a pickup though. I like the XC90 idea - they're not huge by modern SUV standards (and they're lovely inside) but ideally you'd do without the high ground clearance and 4x4 kit (which both eat interior space and add complexity and weight.
Generation 6 velle is a very nice thing indeed. Basically a launch special edition that bristled with kit. I think the only thing it lacked was the dif lock and parking heater.
Beware though. VW fitted some, but not all, with the old t5.1 180bitdi engine - the CFCA lump that ate its own EGR cooler’s dissolved fumes, boiled itself and generally misbehaved. They did this until they ran out of engines before the 204bitid was available. This has much better cooling (it’s charge cooled) and doesn’t have an aluminium EGR cooler, because that would have been an insane choice of materials for such a thing. The gen 6 CFCA engines do have the revision D EGR cooler which is less prone failure, but it still does happen and the engine is flawed elsewhere anyway.
Generation 6 velle is a very nice thing indeed. Basically a launch special edition that bristled with kit. I think the only thing it lacked was the dif lock and parking heater.
Beware though. VW fitted some, but not all, with the old t5.1 180bitdi engine – the CFCA lump that ate its own EGR cooler’s dissolved fumes, boiled itself and generally misbehaved. They did this until they ran out of engines before the 204bitid was available. This has much better cooling (it’s charge cooled) and doesn’t have an aluminium EGR cooler, because that would have been an insane choice of materials for such a thing. The gen 6 CFCA engines do have the revision D EGR cooler which is less prone failure, but it still does happen and the engine is flawed elsewhere anyway.
Cheers for that, good to know - I'll definitely check the engine code to make sure any 204bhp van I look at has a CXEB engine and not a dirty CFCA! 👍
Got to try out a SWB Rifter, and the dealership let me take my bike.
Pretty much think it’s perfect for weekend adventures and off the cuff camping.
Will put some pics up once i get them on imgur
So here's my Bird Aether 9 in ML (tyre edge to tyre edge 2100mm) in a SWB Peugeot Rifter. I'll be picking it up this weekend!
From the back
From the front; with the boot closed.
From the side - the wheel edge just comes a little in between the front seats - arms are not exposed to bare brake rotors
With the wheel off; theres plenty of room for car-camping for one; especially as the passenger side front seat can fold all the way flat if you remove the arm rest.
Here is the second row of seats; in this configuration is a bench of two and a single seat behind the driver.
You can remove the plastic guard highlighted in red; its only held down with 3 screws. You should then be able to unbolt the 2 seater bench from its pivot on the left and the main fixing on the right. Once done, you should have a completly flat surface from tail to footwell, which could be extended to the front seats with a bit of ply. This should allow easier bed building and bike transport, creating ceiling height by removing the rise the folded down seats create.
Nice pics, cheers.
So here’s my Bird Aether 9 in ML (tyre edge to tyre edge 2100mm)
Just clarifying this, because 10cm can make a huge difference in whether a bike fits or not. That's a Bird Aether 9 ML with a wheelbase of 1240mm according to the geo chart, right?
If so, unless you're running 3 inch tyres, it's not 2100mm from tyre edge to tyre edge.
This is my XL Geometron with a 1350mm wheelbase (11cm more!) and 2.4" 29er tyres and it is almost exactly 2100mm in length.
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It might be pedantic, but like I say, when trying to fit long bikes in vans 10cm can mean the difference between it fitting and not fitting, or the wheels being intrusive into the driving area that it becomes an issue, or not.
You're no doubt right - I've likely mis-remembered the measurement I took!
Its maybe closer to 2000mm then.
👍 no worries! Provided you're running 29er front and back, it's easy to work out tbh, a 2.4" 29er wheel is 750mm diameter - add this to the wheelbase and you've got the length.
Long bike problems - the shortest I can make mine is 1900mm with the bar turned 90 degrees! With the bar flipped 180 degrees it's about 2000mm long.
In your pics, the bar seems pretty close to the roof, what fork travel are you on? Thinking longer travel might not fit even upright!
That is a really nice gen6. I forgot they have the adaptive suspension. Possibly the only thing I wish we'd added. LED lights are an absolute must on any transporter - the standard halogens are awful. It might have a towbar (most do) in which case you could look at an atera strada rack (none of the other racks allow the tailgate to open, even then I have to turn my bars and make sure my pedals are at BDC nearest the car), as they're less of an issue aerodynamically than the tailgate racks. Though the geometron will hang off the ends.
That is a really nice gen6. I forgot they have the adaptive suspension. Possibly the only thing I wish we’d added. LED lights are an absolute must on any transporter – the standard halogens are awful.
Yep, LED's are on the must have list, I'm not paying £40k for halogen lights!!
It might have a towbar (most do) in which case you could look at an atera strada rack (none of the other racks allow the tailgate to open, even then I have to turn my bars and make sure my pedals are at BDC nearest the car), as they’re less of an issue aerodynamically than the tailgate racks. Though the geometron will hang off the ends.
I've already got a towbar rack for my superb, the Geometron fits ok but clearance might be an issue on a Caravelle then... Bars will be fine but it might not clear the rack! See my towbar rack below.
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Ahh, with 800mm bars it might not fit without hitting the rear window either...
At this rate I'll be forgetting about the towbar and just getting a tailgate mounted one if I find I need it!
In your pics, the bar seems pretty close to the roof, what fork travel are you on? Thinking longer travel might not fit even upright!
Thats a 150mm Pike Ultimate. The bike is unsupported in the pics; with it properly upright theres probably 10mm breathing room. It has to go in forwards though; if you put it in backwards the boot door can't get the bike in when the handlebars and fork are vertically aligned; but its fine if you go front first with the back wheel lower until the handlebars clear the threshold.
If you removed the seats as I described to make a totally flat, van-like bed, you'd easily gain another 30-50mm I reckon. You could even dispense with that and have the wheel nestled in the footwell.
And spec wise if I can not lose much from my current car I'll be happy, I currently have:
Keyless entry
Adaptive cruise control
Adaptive dampers
Android auto
'Canton' 12 speaker audio
Heated screen
Android auto
Active lane assist
Speed limit sign recognition
Reversing camera
All round parking sensors (front, back, side)
Tri-zone climate
Front and rear heated seats
Smart light assist on bi-xenon headlights
From the above list, I think all the executive/generation six Caravelle is missing, is:
Keyless entry
'Canton' 12 speaker audio
Active lane assist
Side parking sensors
Rear heated seats
Smart light assist
Do they come with an auxiliary heater as standard or as an option? It's not much of an issue with the heated screen, but there's a lot more air in the cabin to heat up on cold days than in my car!
Thats a 150mm Pike Ultimate. The bike is unsupported in the pics; with it properly upright theres probably 10mm breathing room. It has to go in forwards though; if you put it in backwards the boot door can’t get the bike in when the handlebars and fork are vertically aligned; but its fine if you go front first with the back wheel lower until the handlebars clear the threshold.
See, I knew there was another reason I'd discounted the smaller sized vans! My bike has 170mm forks with a 35mm bar so it'd probably be too tall! And I'd need to keep the seats in for carrying people occasionally.
I've got the auxiliary air heater, which is made by Eberspacher. There's a 7-day timer/programmer and a leisure battery under the passenger seat. There's also a remote control which is great on frosty days for preheating the cabin. This is all a single option so if they selected the aux heater then they get the full bundle. It's lush. The remote has a +1km range so when skiing or biking I can pause on the way home and get it nice and warm before I get there.
In addition to that they are all fitted with a Webasto thermotop-c as standard. This is used to aid in engine coolant heating and makes a massive difference to warmup times. As a result they're a lot less susceptible to DPF issues than regular T5/T6s. The thermotop doesn't come with a remote, but you can buy one to retrofit.
The heated screen is the regular ford sh1te that VW license off them. So expect moire and other random effects at low sunlight. Blind people claim you can't see it. You can. It's awful. I long for a retrofittable silver dissipated screen like skoda and the rest of VW have been using for donkey's years.
Transit van owners laugh at the mirrors which are flat, like a bathroom mirror. Side assist (blind spot warning) is consequently a valuable option.
There was a premium audio option. I seem to recall it was jokingly priced at £2500. A retrofit system would be a lot less than that. The discover system is ok, its embedded VW connect stuff is junk.
Awesome! Cheers - I've registered on the T6 forums but there's such a massive wealth of info on there it's hard to narrow it down!
If it's got the optional auxiliary heater it'll be easy to see as it has this control panel above the rear view mirror, correct?
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In place of the blanking plate:
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Might have to put this option towards the top of the list as it'll come in extremely handy when camping in the van.
I've driven a ford with the wires in the screen and didn't notice it too much so should be ok with thah, I agree it's a shame it's not the same tech as the Skoda though.
Yeah the control unit for the aux heater is in that space. there should also be two stickers on the driver's door: one for the thermotop and the other for the eberspacher. The intake for the heater is in the driver's footwell and the exhaust is in the b-pillar base:
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Should probably give the poor thing a sweep out.
As mentioned a few posts up turning the bars 180 degrees will make the bike shorter but judging by the pictures no one seems to be doing this.
I could fit a 1240mm wheelbase 29er in a crewcab transit custom L2 straight with both wheels on but had to turn bars 180, make a small cutout in the bulkhead at axle height to push tyre through and remove rear door plylining.
Having the bike completely straight helps when loading multiply bikes and fitting things round them
LWB Rifter owner here. L Orange stage Evo slots straight in, no bars turned.
@Wally
LWB Rifter owner here
Should be picking up my SWB this weekend. Anything I should know about them; any mechanical gotchas or anything like that?
No issues 2 years in for me- 19 plate. Main issue with mine is it's a wet belt 1.2 petrol, so I change oil every 6 months myself. Garage does rest. No idea on Diesel issues. Also, not exactly frugal, but I do less than 4K a year. Pulls away fully loaded no issue and very comfortable.
Pathfinder’s basically a pickup though
How so, other than looking like a Navara? It's a full-on seven seater SUV with proper rear suspension.
Saying that, all of the stuff you say about the XC90 applies to the Pathfinder; high and no roomier than an estate. Mine was a big slow smokey lump which cost £500 a year to tax
What estate is as big inside as a Pathfinder?
No issues 2 years in for me- 19 plate. Main issue with mine is it’s a wet belt 1.2 petrol, so I change oil every 6 months myself. Garage does rest. No idea on Diesel issues. Also, not exactly frugal, but I do less than 4K a year. Pulls away fully loaded no issue and very comfortable.
Sounds promising. I couldn’t find a petrol near to me or at a decent price; so I’m getting a diesel. A little bit anxious about it to be honest. But it’s just going to be for leisure, I’m WFH 100% so I guess it doesn’t make a huge difference
What estate is as big inside as a Pathfinder?
With rearmost seats down, Pathfinder has 515l boot space.
Mercedes E Class: 640
Passat: 650l
Octavia 610l
Fabia: 530l
When all seats are folded, the Pathfinder has a huge 2091l, which beats most estate cars, but I found that to be a long, narrow tunnel which was not conducive to loading bikes.
XL Rifter from Parkers "Choose the seven-seater and boot space with the first two rows in place weighs in at 1,050 litres, while folding the middle row down frees up 3,500 litres of space"
What does a litre of space look like? Absolute nonsense measurement that actually tells you nothing beyond the total volume.
Check the RIDC database for proper measurements.
What estate is as big inside as a Pathfinder?
Mondeo is just about, 100mm and or so shorter in narrowest width and very slightly longer.
Interestingly enough, a Roomster isn't far off that either, you only lose 300mm in length and 75mm in width compared to the Pathfinder.
What does a litre of space look like? Absolute nonsense measurement that actually tells you nothing beyond the total volume.
Completely agree, boot space in litres means nothing, apart from 'x boot is bigger than x boot'.
But then, some litre measurements are only from the load cover down, some are the entire boot to the roof, so it's like comparing apples to rottweilers.
And don't get me started on reviews that say the boot will fit a mountain bike upright with the wheels on' - which what they mean is, it'll fit the 1996 26" wheel rigid BSO they dragged out the shed. 😡🤣
Just getting basic measurements like boot length with no seats or 1 seat in the seating position, or fully slid forward, requires a physical measurement. These things should be easily accessible online, but...
What does a litre of space look like? Absolute nonsense measurement that actually tells you nothing beyond the total volume.
I dunno about you guys but I find it really useful. Don't you leave a hose pipe running in your vehicle to transport water, or put your bikes through a blender to transport them? You can get so many bikes in when you measure them in litres 😉
requires a physical measurement. These things should be easily accessible online, but…
This is the real struggle here - especially for passenger vehicles. Its such a pain
These things should be easily accessible online, but…
See my RIDC links, they cover all that since for some reason disabled folk want to stick bulky stuff in the boot as well 😉
It's honestly the best and only resource I've found that actually collates all the important dimensions.
See my RIDC links, they cover all that since for some reason disabled folk want to stick bulky stuff in the boot as well 😉
It’s honestly the best and only resource I’ve found that actually collates all the important dimensions.
Yeah it's handy, it doesn't give all the info though, sadly.
For instance I know the boot floor on a SWB Caravelle is 2532mm according to the official brochure - sliding door is 1m wide, and the middle row of seats is around 70cm deep. So, I'm presuming the below measurement is with middle seats in the seating position, with around 60cm kneed room. So with the middle seat all the way forward I'd expect 175cm of space, roughly.
Length of boot floor - middle row of seats folded down
2564mm
Length of boot floor - back row of seats folded down or removed
1075mm
This is more an issue with cars that have seats on rails as you have an unlimited amount of configurations.
This site has a lot of measurements too, but none of the big van based MPV's, presumably because they're obviously big enough to camp in.
https://nimblecamper.com/best-cars-for-camping/
So with the middle seat all the way forward I’d expect 175cm of space, roughly.
Do they slide all the way forwards? I'd suspect they only go a certain amount, as most people don't have a need to slide them all the way forwards.
Do they slide all the way forwards? I’d suspect they only go a certain amount, as most people don’t have a need to slide them all the way forwards
They slide most of the way forward as you have to slide them to the front to remove them. Once I get a chance to have a look at one I'll take some measurements. So long as there's 170cm room my bike will fit front wheel off.
I think my Geometron has about the same wheelbase as that car 🤣
M/L Bird Am9 wheels right in my 2013 Ford Galaxy with one rear and the middle middle seat unbolted.
Cheap as chips, handles well due to being a car and all mod cons.
I had my old Stinky in my Cinq a few times, but there’s no way the alpine or whyte would fit. Especially now with the scaffolding.
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Having spent an hour on the Classifieds page trying to give the hive mind first refusal on my 2014 T5 Sportline 2.0L, I have given up attempting to post it. It's therefore on FB Marketplace. Not sure if am I allowed to post a link but should be easy to find with a search. It is marketed to the general public at £22k, but the STW price is £20k. There is no VAT on it.
In the same response to the SUV thread, you don't need anything more than a saloon car with a 4 bike roof rack. Takes 4 trail bikes on top, all the kit you need in the boot, and the 4 of you are in a nice comfy space in the car ? Estate for the win.
We take our saloon cars for our MTB weekends. The SUV stays at home, as does my mate's Defender 110. We prefer the wafting down the motorway, good sound systems, and all wet kit in the boot (with a liner). My car is beige inside and my mate's black leather. They work very well.
And what happens when you want to stop for food? Or it rains? Or an overnight stay in a B&B?
hot_fiat
Full MemberI had my old Stinky in my Cinq a few times, but there’s no way the alpine or whyte would fit. Especially now with the scaffolding
I used to be able to get two MTBs in my 944 turbo. Nowadays bikes are so much bigger I can only get one in. Although it does also take a spare set of wheels, tools and luggage.
I'm not sure I could bring myself to spend my own money on a van, having had company vans for years. Like the idea of an XC90, had a quick look at prices. Nearly 2k for broken ones!
Our £300 (8years ago) Astra G 1.6 estate is looking more and more of a bargain!
Honda Element, if only they still made them
Like the idea of an XC90, had a quick look at prices. Nearly 2k for broken ones!
Brilliant cars but there are a few expensive potential faults with them, the facelift 2010+ models are better and also lower VED.
In the same response to the SUV thread, you don’t need anything more than a saloon car with a 4 bike roof rack
You also don't need to go mountain biking at all, that saves money on the car, the fuel and the bike itself but that wasn't the question. Life would be very boring sitting at home in my cold house (because I don't need central heating) eating beans on toast (because I don't need fancy food). Think of all the money I will have in my bank account when I'm dead or too old to enjoy weekends away riding bikes.
Been trying to find Caravelles with the spec I want, they're thin on the ground for sure. I think finding one with the led headlights, adaptive cruise AND the air heater is going to be like finding rocking horse poo, and if I do see one I'll sort of have to accept the mileage/condition etc, unless I want to wait another 6 months for another one to come up...
So I've got a price to fit an aftermarket heater system, with a second battery and charger, it's about £2400 Inc VAT and fitting on my drive 😬 Was hoping it would be £1500 max which would make it more of an option. It is still an option of course. Tbh it's only another £1100 to have a solar panel, hookup and 2x plug sockets installed at the same time so I'd probably get that done too.
Luckily I'm not in any rush... 🤣
full led headlights look like they're about £3-400 a side on ebay, might be a cheaper option
full led headlights look like they’re about £3-400 a side on ebay, might be a cheaper option
Finding one with led headlights isn't an issue tbh, it's the secondary heater. And the aftermarket headlights arent actually full LED, they're LED DRL but halogen projector main and dipped beam.
Not a fan of aftermarket stuff like that, especially headlights. It's £3k+ to have the factory LED headlights retrofitted.
£2400 buys a lot of nights in hotels when it’s cold enough to need the heater, surely?
£2400 buys a lot of nights in hotels when it’s cold enough to need the heater, surely?
That's true, however part of the reason I'm looking at a van is to be able get away for weekends at short notice just being able to book a campsite/find a parking spot for the night, and pay £5-20 per night Vs £90-100 per night. And yes, it might only be 4-5 times a year I'd need the heater when camping, maybe.
You can use the heater for pre-heating the van in the morning, or coming back to a warm van after a freezing cold ride too, so it's not just useful when camping.
Looks like if I travel to have it fitted at Autoterm themselves it's £1650 for the heater and 2nd battery & charger combined, which is a a fair bit cheaper. At that price, if I book a hotel/airbnb over a campsite 20 times that would be the heater paid for.
I think I'll keep the factory heater high up on my want list, but if a van comes up which is perfect otherwise I know I'll be able to get it fitted afterwards.
You can use the heater for pre-heating the van in the morning, or coming back to a warm van after a freezing cold ride too, so it’s not just useful when camping.
HOw much more useful than a pair of heated seats though ? Or a heated Windscreen ? (Both found on Transit Customs)
I find even on the coldest days, the heated seats make a massive difference to instant warmth when getting in.
Finding one with led headlights isn’t an issue tbh, it’s the secondary heater. And the aftermarket headlights arent actually full LED, they’re LED DRL but halogen projector main and dipped beam.
Not a fan of aftermarket stuff like that, especially headlights. It’s £3k+ to have the factory LED headlights retrofitted
I was talking about genuine second hand parts. Not sure how hard they are to retrofit, might just be plug and play or might need a switch flicked with some software. Eg
I find even on the coldest days, the heated seats make a massive difference to instant warmth when getting in.
Mine are never off for a good part of the year. They're not comparable to a diesel-fired heater though - we had a webasto in our previous campervan and it was superb. Utterly fierce on full power, good thermostat control, and quiet. I've love one in my Transit but it's only ever used as a 'day van' so not a huge need. For camping though, essential for me.
I was talking about genuine second hand parts. Not sure how hard they are to retrofit, might just be plug and play or might need a switch flicked with some software. Eg
Ahh ok, from a quick look they're very much not a plug and play option. As I said though, finding one specced with LEDs from the factory isn't that hard.
For the heater, I may end up buying a van in summer and seeing if I need it during autumn/winter and then having one fitted next winter.
How much more useful than a pair of heated seats though ? Or a heated Windscreen ?
There both lovely options, and both are options available on VW too.. but not taken as often as on Fords. Also not sure how either would be useful compared to a warm van after a cold ride, or sleeping in it over night. Added is the fact that caravelle's are listed as car, so no worrying about van speed limits unlike a transit. I mentioned this to a friend this weekend, who'd gone from an (old) T5 kombi (M1)) to a LWB Transit (N1), he had not even been aware...
so no worrying about van speed limits unlike a transit. I mentioned this to a friend this weekend, who’d gone from an (old) T5 kombi (M1)) to a LWB Transit (N1), he had not even been aware…
I'm aware of them but don't really see where they come into play in the real world.
Built-up areas: 30mph - the same as a car
Single carriageway: 50mph - 10mph less than a car
Dual carriageway: 60mph - 10mph less than a car
Motorway: 70mph - the same as a car
Possibly only the single 50mph limit may be an issue. The rest, well i only sit at 62 on a dual, which is 60 real-world.. I can't think of a single carriageway where i'm likely to want more than 50mph
Have you looked at a california beach? Should have most things you want, but it will only have 1 side door and no leather. LEDs were optional. Most were speced without the side pods and caravelle seating.
The Executive spec caravelle I'm looking for has both the heated screen and heated seats as standard. Neither will help when it's -2 degrees on a campsite in Exmoor and I'm freezing my nuts off though...
I still remember camping in an Exmoor valley in September and it getting down to a couple of degrees overnight.
Have you looked at a california beach? Should have most things you want, but it will only have 1 side door and no leather. LEDs were optional. Most were speced without the side pods and caravelle seating.
Briefly, and the pop top would be awesome but that would mean mega budget creep, £50k for one realistically. I know they hold their value well.
And spec wise, they're far worse - no leather, few with LEDs, and I'd still need to get rid of the sole rear bench seat for 2x/3x single rear seats which seems a bit wrong in a California.
Added is the fact that caravelle’s are listed as car, so no worrying about van speed limits unlike a transit.
The Ford equivalent of the Caravelle is the Tourneo Custom, not a Transit Custom, and is also listed as a car. No difference in speed limit to a Caravelle.
Transit Custom Double-Cab-In-Vans like mine (equivalent to a VW T6 Kombi) are seen by some as a grey area: they're classed as vans but also meet the dual-purpose vehicle criteria which means they could travel at car speed limits, similar to the likes of double-cab pickups. I don't risk it.
I can’t think of a single carriageway where i’m likely to want more than 50mph
I can think of plenty, one for me being the A9 north of Perth. If you stick to 50mph you'll often get tailgated by HGVs who're allowed to travel at 50mph on the same road. Not fair but that's the law.
I’m aware of them but don’t really see where they come into play in the real world.
Built-up areas: 30mph – the same as a car
Single carriageway: 50mph – 10mph less than a car
Dual carriageway: 60mph – 10mph less than a car
Motorway: 70mph – the same as a carPossibly only the single 50mph limit may be an issue. The rest, well i only sit at 62 on a dual, which is 60 real-world.. I can’t think of a single carriageway where i’m likely to want more than 50mph
I agree it's not a massive pain, I just totted up the motorway Vs non motorway miles on a drive from Kent to Aberfeldy, on my normal A1 route and it works out about 30 mins longer when traveling at 10mph less on the non motorway sections. I don't think I'd be sitting at 70 mph in my car most of the time though tbh, more likely to be cruising along at 65/67mph.
A moot point though as I'm only looking at the car versions - tourneo/caravelle etc which have normal car speed limits.
Don't forget the 50p extra on the Dart charge per crossing! 🤣 I'm guessing some ferries etc are more for vans than cars.
I can think of plenty, one for me being the A9 north of Perth. If you stick to 50mph you’ll often get tailgated by HGVs who’re allowed to travel at 50mph on the same road. Not fair but that’s the law.
I was thinking of that exact road too, even being up there for 2 weeks I lost count of the times I was sat in a line of traffic at 50mph waiting for a DC section to appear. On the plus side, you'd not have any traffic in front of you...
All this chat about speed restrictions in vans. Morals and the legal aspects aside. Has anyone ever been stopped for using a van at car speeds?
In 20+ years of driving vans I've been stopped on the isolated occasions I have marginally exceeded the limit. I imagine the folk rocketing past me do so as they've never been stopped
Honda Element was a new one to me - didn't know these existed. Got potential to be really useful for MTB transport. Reminds me of the Skoda Yeti but even more practical. Not bad for a 20+ year old design.
All this chat about speed restrictions in vans. Morals and the legal aspects aside. Has anyone ever been stopped for using a van at car speeds?
It's more the average speed cameras that I think would be an issue. I, generally, obey van speed limits: 55mph on single (52mph on GPS) and 65mph on dual (61mph on GPS). Even at those speeds other vans hurtle past me at above not just van speed limits but car limits to. Do they all get penalised by the average speed cameras? Perhaps yes, perhaps no.
Father-in-law got a ticket for exceeding van speed limit on a dual section of the A30 in a hire van. Claimed he didn't know vans have lower speed limits than cars but I dont believe him. Occupation: car dealer...
Honda Element was a new one to me – didn’t know these existed. Got potential to be really useful for MTB transport. Reminds me of the Skoda Yeti but even more practical. Not bad for a 20+ year old design.
Similar to a MK1 Nissan Prairie of a similar era, the Mk1 Honda Stpwagon was good as well before it went a bit blingy. The Berlingo is the modern equivalent.
Honda Element was a new one to me
dont exist in the uk, and afaik in RHD
dont exist in the uk, and afaik in RHD
ah i'm wrong about the RHD bit it seems
This thread has got me looking at all kinds of weird nonsense. Now that I can't drive my van from one side of Sheffield to the other I need to start thinking outside of the box.
Early Stepwagons look cool but I bet they're a thirsty beast. Couldn't even consider running an Elgrand.
I like the look of this but don't know anything about them...www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/657075219110150/
People seem to get 25-30mpg. ut of early Stepwagons in 2.4l guise which is about what I'll average in my 2l CVT 2011 version.
Kamakazie
Full MemberPeople seem to get 25-30mpg. ut of early Stepwagons in 2.4l guise which is about what I’ll average in my 2l CVT 2011 version
That's not bad, that's 2015ish Transit custom mpg, plus petrol is cheaper and less smelly, clattery awfulness.
I've never owned a diesel and never will. Had plenty of company diesel vans though.
Has anyone ever been stopped for using a van at car speeds?
My Mrs got done for doing 70 in a 70 (dual carriageway) by a camera van. So there’s one for you
ah i’m wrong about the RHD bit it seems
I thought they were USA (LHD) only so that’s kinda interesting. Always had a bit of a soft spot for them too
Just catching up on this thread.
Regarding the pre-heater, I’ve picked up a second hand Eberspaecher (from a Vito like mine). I’m having to botch it a bit as the van isn’t coded and doesn’t have the dash button or Mercedes remote receiver but I’ve sussed out a way to install/control it. Total cost will be around £300.
I’ll update in here when it’s all installed.
I've been checking autotrader/VW approved used website/eBay daily and today is the first time a caravelle has come up with the 'right' spec of LED lights, Adaptive cruise control, and the ultra rare secondary diesel air heater...
2016, so a bit older than I'd have wanted, 150ps and 4motion (probably the perfect combo), low 17k miles and only £32k which is very cheap for any T6 Caravelle! Nice colour too. Interior colour could be tricky to find the single seats for, and tricky seeking the rear bench as most have the black interior.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/van-details/202303125166025?atmobcid=soc3
But... it's a private seller, 5hrs drive away in Merseyside! 🤣
That'll be snapped up by a dealer within a few days and back up for sale at £5k more, I guarantee it.
Pfft, 5hrs is nothing - get it bought!
Or is it more the Merseyside aspect rather than distance?
(I accept it's not the same for everyone, but where I am I've usually got to travel for the best cars - furthest was a 960-mile round trip to Torquay and back)
Looks a nice van. That side step though... how are you supposed to fit the mandatory sidebars with that in the way? 🤣
Agreed 5 hours for such a large purchase isn’t that big a deal. Set off at 7, you’ll be there by lunchtime
Jump on the train and go get it man. I've done solo trips to the ends of the UK for daft stuff like Opel Manta's and a £400 Volvo 240. It'll be a good day out.
Yeah the distance isn't that much of an issue, it's more the private seller thing, I want a warranty and will need to part ex my car, so private is just a no-go.
If it was a VW approved used vehicle then I'd have no issues with travelling that far, or further! Happily do a road trip up to Scotland for the right car.
On closer inspection that car doesn't have the intake vent in the drivers footwell for the heater so it might not actually have the factory specced heater option, might just be the control panel has been retrofitted.
Worth considering a non-erbesbacher vehicle as I believe the heater emissions will count towards the VED category and may bump you up a class if fitted. T5 174 I had was 2grams CO2 below the next banding. With a diesel heater, it would have been in the next VED band.
Worth considering a non-erbesbacher vehicle as I believe the heater emissions will count towards the VED category and may bump you up a class if fitted. T5 174 I had was 2grams CO2 below the next banding. With a diesel heater, it would have been in the next VED band.
Cheers, I think that only applies to cars registered pre-April 2017, and even then it means £220 a year Vs £265 (I think) so not a huge amount. Post April 2017 (I'm aiming to get something no older than my 2017 car) it's a flat rate of £165, plus the extra £355 for 5 years from end of year 1 (so if it was registered 1st April 2017 it'd be back to £165 by now, £520 due in 2018, 19, 20, 21, 22).
Didn't realise they included the optional heater in the emissions totals though.
That blue one might even be a 204 going by the all red TDi lettering.
checked it on gocompare and its returning as a 150. I didn't think they did a 4motion 150 though. Wouldn't be the first time VW have incorrectly registered a vehicle.