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I posted on here afew weeks ago. I need a van big enough for 2 DH bike or 2 mx bikes. Budget is 2-3k.
Had decided on a Vivaro or Trnasit. This is where the problems start. Been to look at a few and been doing plebty of reading on both.
Vivaro - Wont rust, many many mechanical & electrical problems.
Transit - Will rust, pretty reliable mechanically.
Which one would you go for?
I saw a nice Vivaro yesterday for 2k, had injectors done but no cam chain replacement. Was on 150k miles with not much service history so would def need doing and from what I've been told it's a pig of a job.
Help!
Toyota hiace?
Hiace +1
The one which hasn't been abused all its life is more important than brand at your budget.
Always nice when you can see the previous owners signwriting whenn the lights just so......
My mate. Just got a new transit that's done 40k delivering audio equipment round the m25
This ^ light duties ftw
And if you do go hiace. You won't have to look at many. With 6 being availible nationally.
Most at about 3 * your budget.
They mostly all rotted away or been exported to Africa in a part rotted state.
Can you get 2x MX bikes in a Hiace? I put a SV650 in a dispatch and that looked pretty full.
You’ll get the most van for your money with the scudo / expert vans. Although a class/size smaller than transits the lwb version is only a shade shorter in terms of load length but gives you a lower floor which will make loading mx bikes easier
The least rusty Transit in budget, and get it undersealed to within an inch of it's life. Go for newer high mileage over older low mileage. Body panels easily replaced, look at the chassis, suspension mounting points in particular, also engine mounts, underneath the passenger seat, in front of the rear bumper and all sills.
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My 15yr old Transit sadly rotted away, just bought a 6yr old in pretty good nick, going to try to keep on top of it. Your budget will be somewhere between the two.
Pies - PM'd you.
Can you get 2x MX bikes in a Hiace? I put a SV650 in a dispatch and that looked pretty full.
1980's Kawasaki in a Transit Connect. 😊
Thanks for the help guys. Are the 2.5 movanos/masters any better reliability wise? They seem cheap (I’m guessing for a reason though)..
The bigger the van the cheaper it seems to be as it's less desirable.
Everyone wants *car sized* vans because they feel big vans are to much hassle.
That pushes value up.
Asked the garage man about Masters when I was looking, he reconed they were the least rust-prone of the big vans, but do have electrical gremlins.
Only vans which seem to be both rust-proof and mechanically reliable are Hi-Aces and T5s but both are very expensive (and a mate did have to spend £3.5k on a clutch and gearbox for a 10yr/160k T5 so maybe not as reliable as reputation suggests, Transit boxes will last a lot longer than that, but only if the rest hasn't rotted away around it)
Based on all the VW issues my mates have with t5s and other wise modern VW's do not deserve the reputation they have and are living very much on past glories.
T4s were some van.
Think you'd be hard pushed to buy a T4 for £2-3k that wasn't pretty much knackered.
Hence the "were"
Might have to look at the expert/dispatch instead then. Seem to be much more reliable, no rust issues just there's not as much space in the back that's all.
You'll get 2mx bikes in one of these. Be patient and you should get one for your budget.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F273968780422
My 07plate 100k mile Transit has cost me ~£1k in parts alone this calendar year - failed rear wheel bearing which resulted in 2 rear calipers, disks another set of pads due to oil, diff oil, hub seals and gaskets, front crank pulley and tool, replacement brake lines due to crap routing, starter motor, failed it's MOT yesterday so needs front wishbone, pair of rear leaf springs, front wheel bearing. Needs an EGR valve.
Owned for 6years and done light duty in our ownership, 1st owner was Network Rail (welfare van).
If I was paying labour it would have been scrapped. It is a hateful POS to work on. I just hate changing vehicles slightly more than I hate this van.
It's the only vehicle that has ever left me stranded (twice), the first was the original starter motor that suddenly failed, the second when the crank pulley fell off without warning 100mile from home.
Either up your budget or rent when you need a van.
I had an Expert before the Connect. Not a bad van, never did let me down in (think) 6 years of ownership and 70,000 miles. Built to a budget I always thought, had quite a lot of minor issues and annoyances when it came to trade in time. Wish I'd got the 2 litre version like taxi25 shows there, for the 6 speed gearbox as much as the increased power.
Might have to look at the expert/dispatch instead then. Seem to be much more reliable, no rust issues just there’s not as much space in the back that’s all.
like I say the 'L2' long wheelbase ones are barely any smaller than a transit inside - they look smaller because the floor in the back is lower which brings the roofline down. Counter intuitively the larger 2litre engines are more economical than the 1.6
I don't know if its the case for all models (I can't remember for the one I was driving) but the one in Taxi's link has sliding doors on both sides and that comes in handy for loading and securing awkward things like motorbikes
I had a Dispatch/expert many years ago, got 2mx bikes or 5DH bikes and riders in
Was the 2.0 hdi.Probably 1999 version
tthew- is a GPz750? I used to have one
I don’t know if its the case for all models (I can’t remember for the one I was driving) but the one in Taxi’s link has sliding doors on both sides
Yep, 2 sliding doors as standard and bloody handy too.
Alric, GPz 550 I think. Not mine, I was transporting it for a work mate.
Vito? I’ve a 55 Traveliner and it’s great for bike, me, and loads of kit.
Sprinter, a little over budget ( haggle room) Sprinter
Does have a tail lift though!
Left field suggestion, a SWB Ducato?
This looks like 8ts got a few scrapes and knocks but 47k and £2.5k?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201908211381604?atmobcid=soc3 Download the app to find your perfect van. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.autotrader.androidconsumersearch&referrer=utm_source%3DApp%2520Shar e">Autotrader Ducato
Sprinter, a little over budget ( haggle room) Sprinter
Does have a tail lift though!
Tail lift is just bolted in, if its in good condition and will pass its certification test it'll fetch £500ish.
It may or may not be an issue, but some vans have virtually no fore and aft seat adjustment, especially if they have a solid divider, which can make driving very cramped if you’re fairly tall; I’m 5’10”, and I really struggle with Berlingos and Partners, some big vans are as bad, I have problems driving them a quarter of a mile to our storage site, they’re just so uncomfortable.
Just a point worth keeping in mind if long drives are considered.
It may or may not be an issue, but some vans have virtually no fore and aft seat adjustment, especially if they have a solid divider
This is only the case if you drive from the fixed double passengers seat.
The driver's seat has plenty of fore and after adjustment for a fit and healthy person especially of only 5ft 10. If you were 6ft 6 like rnp you'd have a valid point about the bulkhead.
I mean what you say was true when folk were driving round in ford Thames but the transit revolutionised that in the 1965.
Due to the more suited natural and ergonomic position I get out after long trips with a back that's in much better shape than if I travel in a ford focus.
Hiya,
I have a mark 3 trafic to be honest a lot of the problems with them are mis-diagnosis especially the gearbox. The gearbox issue is often a poorly greased linkage. I did speak to a dealer once who did say though that they have a lot less problems with the trafic than vivaro they do seem to be made to different standards when I looked at one. My one has certainly been more reliable than my brother in law's T5.
JeZ
Using a 2015 Peugeot Expert here, size is spot on for two bikes, have a Bikestow for securing. These are a bit dearer on this year but had the Mk1 version as a works van a few years ago and was a good solid van with a lot less issues than the Vauxhall models.
One thing to allow for is insurance. Plenty of companies will insure as personnel use (no commuting) or for business use (need a business), but I use as a daily driver vehicle and finding a company to do Social, Domestic, Pleasure and Commuting on a van is a challenge. A-Plan do cover for this if you are going to use as a daily driver.
I've got a hiace. It's probably on the narrower end of vans I've seen.
I can lay an 8x4 sheet of ply down flat between the wheel arches and the length fits too (swb)
I would think you could get two mx bikes in it. I hope so as I plan to drive my motorcycle and a mates down to the Alps one year.
Mind you, I got my Gsx750 into the back of my old Berlingo no problem(dual seat removed)
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Might have to top and tail but 2 should go in a hiace
I'd focus on looking for a well preserved trafic or vivaro at that price.
The issues seem to get overstated by internet "experts", people I know who have owned them have found them generally reliable and mine (now in your price range) tends to need about £500/ year spent to keep it going.
Nice to drive, no rust and the six speed gearbox is great for the motorway.
I have an Expert 2.0. Easily gets two enduro bikes in and loads of camping gear. Has sliding doors on both sides which makes things a lot easier. Most bikes we got in was about 12. Took all the bikes on a group get away to Peebles. Was bit crowded but with the front wheels off and a bit of careful loading, it's achievable.
i had an older 2.0 HDI expert ( 56 plate? ) and it was very comfortable, much more so than T5 or transit I've driven. did 5 hour drives without stopping without any back issues. only issue was it was bloody noisy at motorway speeds!
i'd have another, but keep on top of oil changes or the turbo will suffer. really the only reason i moved it on was the shocking degree of 'couldn't care less' applied to it and me by the garage i was using at the time.
direct line for insurance. S,D&P included as well as business use, they also allow NCD to move between van and car cover.
This is just another one of the many examples of Ford's "engineering" I've suffered with this POS.
Rear wishbone bush gone - not a huge problem.......until the rear bolts captive nut turns deep within an inaccessible cavity. Cue googling followed by removal of seat and flooring, bit of measuring then a hole saw to access the now spinning nut.
Buy anything other than a Transhit.
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I’d focus on looking for a well preserved trafic or vivaro at that price.
The issues seem to get overstated by internet “experts”, people I know who have owned them have found them generally reliable and mine (now in your price range) tends to need about £500/ year spent to keep it going.
Nice to drive, no rust and the six speed gearbox is great for the motorway.
Exactly my experience too. There is a trick to oiling the gearbox linkage with a bit of 8 mm plubimbing pipe and some aerosol grease. Just look after them and they're fine. I change oil yearly and gearbox oil bi yearly and no problems except and stone took out my air-conditioning condenser.
JeZ
At that budget all are a risky buy, I’d go for newest van. The relay/boxer vans are not cool so you’ll get a better one than a transit. None are as reliable as a hiace, the only van we’ve had that needed nothing. The VW we had were the worst reliability wise. After that all the others and we’ve had most were the same.