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I'm thinking of swapping my car for a van, I'm fed up with having to use bike racks etc, I want something medium sized and budget would be around 3k, looking around Citroen Dispatch/Peugeot Expert seem to be the cheapest with 2008 models starting at around my budget, is there anything else worth looking at? Transporters/vitos seem to be a lot more expensive.
Transporters will be out of your budget, Vitos will fall in budget at the lower end of the new shape but aren't great vans.
With the despatch/expert avoid the 1.6 diesel engine. It's the same engine that goes in peugeot/citroen/ford cars and there are lots of very expensive turbo problems. The oil feed pipe to the turbo is too small and blocks. Fitting a new turbo does not fix things without a 12 hour process to clean the engine and feed pipe so avoid ones that say new turbo just fitted.
At that sort of money i'd probably be going transit. You'll be able to get a newer shape one for that sort of money 56 onwards.
With the despatch/expert avoid the 1.6 diesel engine. It's the same engine that goes in peugeot/citroen/ford cars and there are lots of very expensive turbo problems.
The 1.6s aren't a problem so long as you and your mechanic look after them properly, but in a dispatch/expert the bigger 2.0 engines are actually more economical, so I'd avoid the 1.6 for that reason instead.
I'm half thinking about one for my next van. If anyone has a LWB version and tape measure I've got a question 🙂
You should get a decent vivaro or traffic for that money.
They're nice enough to drive, just small enough to fit in most car parks and reliable enough.
Electrics been a bit flaky in mine, but nothing that's left me stuck or cost real money.
I've got an '09 Expert SWB for work with the 2.0 120ps engine. I'm an owner driver so try to look after it. It's OK but not amazing, whilst it's quite a modern van and drives nicely, the economy isn't great, having said that I have a roof rack fitted which helps drink the fuel.
I've had it for 50k miles and in that time it's not needed much work, replace an electric window regulator, disk and pads all round. It's developed an annoying suspension clunk, I suspect from the ARB bush and the electrics are very french, most of the time they work, sometimes they don't! It has a fault light that comes up every now and then about the anti pollution system, but no faults are present!
All in all I'd probably buy another if pushed, it's not a patch on my VW Transporter '08 130 I have as a camper however, but comparing apples with apples it's a £10k+ cheaper van.
With the despatch/expert avoid the 1.6 diesel engine. It's the same engine that goes in peugeot/citroen/ford cars and there are lots of very expensive turbo problems. The oil feed pipe to the turbo is too small and blocks. Fitting a new turbo does not fix things without a 12 hour process to clean the engine and feed pipe so avoid ones that say new turbo just fitted.
not doubting you for a second, but the wife has this engine in the fiesta and its been bl**dy great, loads of poke and pulls like a train i service it regular and its been fine for the last 50k miles. (probably curse it now)
slight hi-jack.. can anyone confirm if this engine is 'chain' driven rather than a normal belt? ive been told it is.
i'd say your on the right lines with a Citroen Dispatch/Peugeot Expert, 3 seats up front aswell.
not doubting you for a second, but the wife has this engine in the fiesta and its been bl**dy great, loads of poke and pulls like a train i service it regular and its been fine for the last 50k miles. (probably curse it now)
The issue with the 1.6s is they require very specific oil and very specific servicing. However the different manufactures that supply the engines in their cars have been a bit variable and vague in stating these specifics, and totally vague is stating why these things are important. More importantly these instructions haven't filtered out to the wider garage and servicing industry very quickly and the problems have been two-fold - garages putting the wrong oil in, and/or changing the oil in the wrong way and also garages not understanding whats happening when failures occur and treating the symptoms instead of the cause, resulting the same failures a short while later.
When the oil pipe feeding the turbo has blocked thats not a fault of the pipe, its a fault of the oil thats been used.
interesting, i change the oil every 6 months and use halfords ford specific semi synthetic in it.
what oil do they suggest then?
cheers
the 1.6 hdi (or Duratorq TDCi or mazda CiTD) engine isn't from the same family as other larger ford diesels (its not from the same family as the bigger Peugeot HDi engines either). I forget the grade exactly but but the key bit is that the oil is a 'low ash' or 'low SAPS' oil. Some of the issues have arisen from manufactures specifying the viscosity of the oil but not the 'low SAPS' bit
Peugeot, citroen and Ford have a deal where the French develop diesel engines up to 2l and Ford do the ones 2l and above It's why there are some significant differences between the size split.
My preference from small to medium sized;
Transit Connect, Vivaro/Traffic, Transit.
Reckon a 2007> shape transit is the best to drive/be in.
can anyone confirm if this engine is 'chain' driven rather than a normal belt? ive been told it is.
The 1.6TDCI/hdi engine is belt driven.
I had a C-Max 1.6TDCI that I bought with 58k on it, so phoned a Ford dealer to ask when is the belt change due (thinking it would be at 60k or so) they said it's at 150k or 10 years whichever comes first... 😯
I bought a Vauxhall combo 1.3cdti van last year as my daily runabout and bike van. It's only got two seats up front and as it's an x BT van, had 50000 miles on an 06 plate and full service history. Cost £3200, runs like a dream, average over every tank is between 53-57 mpg and it sailed through its mot.
It can take at leat 4 bikes even with the steel bullhead retained for security but also is ideal for two of us going riding, if it's peeing down we can change in the back before re loading bikes. It's got deadlocks all round and no glazing in the back so ideal for bike security/prying eyes.
Okay it's a Fiat engine and there can be issues with the starter motors on them and oil changes are an absolute must but it's ideal for a budget reliable cheap van.
I hadn't really thought of the vivaro, a mechanic friend told me they were disastrously unrealiable but looking on the Internet it says they are reliable?? And transit wise they seem to have a lot of expensive to fix problems so I had discounted that too!
What about a Caddy - thinking about one myself??
We run 13 Vivaros on our fleet and they've all been very reliable, unlike the previous Transits!
Make sure that it's an 06 on van with the 2.0 Nissan engine though.
I haven't driven many but my brother's swb Trafic is very car-ish. Though it's smaller than my car so it would be really. Nice enough bit of kit and it seems like you get more for your money than a Transit. Mind you this is Trafic 2 as Trafic 1 jumped its timing and destroyed the top end of the engine, so that probably counts against it 😆
a mechanic friend told me they were disastrously unrealiable
Not sure about reliability as such - they're certainly not a mechanics favourite. When you open the bonnet you can't really get at the engine, particularly the top of the engine - things like working on injectors can turn into an awkward all-day ball ache and add a lot of labour costs (that can run to 3 figures) to what would otherwise be straight forward work on other models
Last year I bought a 09 plate Merc Vito with 134K on the clock for £5500.
A few small issues but for the money it's brilliant!
Ex-lease company means it was serviced at required intervals.
Had a new gear box a couple of years ago according to history.
Drives nicely, thumping stereo.
Bargains are out there but so is a lot if chaff.
Do all the 06 vivaros etc onwards have the Nissan engine?
I have thought about a caddy but I think it would be too small and I'm keen to have 3 seats!
My 07 Vivaro appears to have a Renualt engine, FWIW.
My 07 Vivaro appears to have a Renualt engine, FWIW.
same thing - Nissan and Renault have a 'special relationship' and the engine is a co-development
Why not go down the route of an estate car and just leave the rear seats folded down / take them out ? Surely a mondeo estate gives you nearly as much room as a berlingo / small van for lugging stuff around and much more comfort ?
56 plate trafic has 2.0 engine and 07 plate Vivaro . Might be a few exceptions, Being Renault they seem to get the tech first.
Friend told me the Vivaro was better built so he has went for a 04 180k Vivaro !!!
My Vivaro has been good, steering pump went and sometimes the throttle stops talking to the engine but a switch off on seems to sort that. Done about 25k over 3 years. 57 plate 63 k when purchased.
Trafic = Vivaro = Primastar
I've been looking for some time now. Initially I wanted a Caddy Max, plenty of space, takes the bikes with the wheels still on and like a car up front. Only two seats though.
I would love a transporter, but the prices for ones with air con are horrendous. We drove to Spain last year and I'm not prepared to go without Aircon in 38deg heat.
Vito's are significantly cheaper with better kit levels. I've driven one many years ago and really liked it, especially with the auto box. The sport x ones are lovely. The biggest problem I've read about the Vito for me is traction. They're supposed to be useless on grass even if dry, which could render it useless when camping.
That means I'm currently looking at the Vivaro/Primastar/Trafic with the later 2.0 engine/115. Seems the best value/spec/price balance
I spent a bit of time looking recently, and came to the conclusion that a hiace was what I needed, in LWB flavour. Not too big, 3 seats, tailgate to get changed under and engines run for more than 200k quite often. Not bought one, but I will.....
Some day.... 😀
same thing - Nissan and Renault have a 'special relationship' and the engine is a co-development
So it might be a Nissan engine despite Renault branding (and being in a Vauxhall)?
Not confusing at all.
🙂
If it's a van, why stand outside to get changed?
That's one of the downsides to the Vivaro, they have barn doors, not many tailgate ones
If it's a van, why stand outside to get changed?
Just an extra option, that's all. I'll be inside the van changing, everyone else can get changed outside!
I have a transit connect LWB and it's perfect for me. I have converted it into a camper (there's a thread somewhere where I was showing off) and it fits 2 bikes with the bed in bench mode and 5 bikes when the bed is folded away.
I know it was a long time ago, but
Your diagnosis is almost certainly correct. You can buy a kit of that internet to replace them rather than the whole roll bar, but it's in an awkward place to repair.I suspect from the ARB bush
I have an Expert, it's the 1.6 and I change and flush the oil every 8k miles. The service interval is 20k 😯 so it's been no problem the last 18 months. Yes, you need the correct spec, low ash oil. Bit slow, I wish I'd taken a bit more time to find a 2.0 one, but mainly for the 6 speed 'box.
It's not really a 3 seater, unless your passengers are very comfortable in each others company, and I'd definitely not want to travel far that way.
Barn doors for the win, otherwise you can't get a tonne bag in with a fork lift truck. Get changed in the back! (never did really understand that reason for wanting a tailgate)
I've got an SWB Transit (8yrs old 79k miles for £2,300, you should be able to get newer and shinier for your £3k)
Anyway, I was looking for Dispatch/Hiace size but glad I went for the bigger van, should have had an LWB with hindsight, you'll always want more!
Got the 2 litre 85 and it's excellent.. Had it for 2 1/2yrs, now on 102k. Cheap as chips to run, 40mpg (I don't drive in town much) insurance for a 32yr old £204 and total repair bills in that time of £15 for a bearing, plus £130 for two tyres. And £40 to replace a sump I smashed on a log... Surprisingly nice to drive too. I'm a complete novice and I can service everything on them.
Watch for rust on Transits, mechanically bombproof as far as I can tell, but the rust is everywhere, spent three weeks on my back completely stripping and treating the chassis. Check especially under the passenger seat, front suspension mounts and the sills.
Definitely recommended.
Toyota hiace, you won't have any problems
Does anyone know if the expert/dispatch have any rust issues?
The older shape expert/dispatch/scudo would be my port of call, never see them rusty and they seem to survive as taxi's quite well. Quite like my current shape fiat doblo 1.6 but not sure they're available at £3k right now.
@ sazter ..can you send me the link of that van conversion at the back? I saw a similar van as you just described in CYB enduro last sunday.. I am looking myself for that kind of van size for conversion..
i have the new berlingo , after driving for a month..i miss my ford focus terribly 🙁 ..and should have bought a bigger van anyway much convenient than pitching a tent.
This van search seems to be proving difficult, every van I look at seems to have pages of problems, some people love Vivaros, some people hate them, same with transits etc etc. The only Peugeot Experts that come in budget are 1.6s that every one says are too slow, so I'm really not sure what direction to go in. If major reliability was't a problem and based on size, comfort, looks etc I think the Vivaro would be top of the list and some people say they are great but the common faults of injectors and gearboxes mean others are seriously warning me off, is there any spec of Vivaro that is the one to look at, maybe the chain driven 2.0 CDTI version??
I have an older shape expert 02reg and no rust other than the odd stone chip
Find the size perfect and a bit easier day to day than the Renault master I had before
Only slight issue is mines the 1.9d that's a non turbo one
So a little slow but a very simple van
We've got a 1994 Toyota Lucida which cost £800 a couple of years ago and has only cost us regular oil changes since. We can get a few MTBs in easily or two motorcycles with kit at a push. It's great for days away 🙂 but there's no space to store the bikes if you want to sleep in the back overnight 😕
Earlier Vivaro/Trafic/Primastars suffered from rainwater pooling around the injectors. Removing them then becomes problematic and can involve some very expensive machinery and a risk of warping the cylinder head. Later versions (08 onwards perhaps?) have a revised arrangement of trays beneath the windscreen to prevent this.
I think that you are also, perhaps, suffering from the usual issue whereby it's mostly the disgruntled that can be bothered to post about their experiences (this is true of almost anything). Look around at the number of Vivaros, Trafics, Transits on the road and it statistically inevitable that there will have been a few problems.
I've got a 02 Dispatch (old shape) 2.0L HDI with no issues or rust. The dash is a bit squeaky and it's a bit filing cabinety but those are my only complaints. I'm getting 43->47mpg, it's got plenty of poke and drives pretty much like a car.
I read somewhere that you can sleep in the back of them. I thought that was b*****x until just recently I laid down in the back just to see for myself. Anyone under 6' can sleep no problem.