Reliable Cheap Small Van recommendations

[twotakt]

Hi,

Any advice on the following would be highly appreciated as I'm clueless on the following topic. Looking as per title, want something car derived so it's cheap to insure but big enough to carry at least one bike. Also has to be cheap to tax and in fuel and also easy to maintain and/or reliable. I don't care about looks, speed nor age and budget is pretty tight ~£800. Looking in the local papers and it seems I'll be looking at ~P and R regged Escorts, Berlingo's and Hijet's lol.

Any advice/reccomendations?

Ta,
Jack
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R.I.P. Tareree Shiimi, 1985-2008

[Faldo]

If you're looking at Berlingos/Partners then avoid the later 1868cc N/A engine (the one with a plastic inlet manifold), they're incredibly underpowered and very unreliable.

In fact, if you're looking for reliability, you probably won't get much better than a Berlingo/Partner 1.4 petrol (KFX multi-point engines are indestructible, I know as I've tried to kill one), and as petrols are less desirable than diesels should be fairly cheap, with fuel economy and power very similar to their diesel counterparts.
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Current: ZZR1400
Previous: ZXR 400 L9, ZX-7R P5, ZZR 400, ZX-7R P6, Bandit 600, GSXR 750 Slingshot, DRZ400, DR650, ZX10R C1H, ZXR 750 L1, ZXR 750 L3, '99 ZX7R P4, KTM 300 EXC, ZX-9R E1, TDM850

[twotakt]

That's spot on ninja, wasn't really looking at pettie's until now but will keep an eye out for they.
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R.I.P. Tareree Shiimi, 1985-2008

[cagiva gezzer]

Had a 1.9D Berlingo for three years and 63,000 miles. As above, gutless and under powered. However, in three years of abuse it never let me down. Warning lights had their own disco once after i launched it into a hedge, but apart from that nothing.

One small problem, you won't get a motorbike in the back. Could only just get a MTB in there diagonal. If you had two MTBs you had to take the wheels off.

You'd be looking at a dispatch sized van to take a motor bike whole.
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"because one stroke isnt enough and four strokes waste two"

[cagiva gezzer]

Oh, and the MPG was awful on the 1.9D. 35MPG for mixed driving.

My new 1.9TDI Caddy manages 40MPG@80mph and 45MPG+ mixed.
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"because one stroke isnt enough and four strokes waste two"

[twotakt]

That's a fail, will have to keep to keep saving as dispatch type van's are far too expensive for me atm. I might get a car and a trailer possibly for now.

Ta for the advice though.
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R.I.P. Tareree Shiimi, 1985-2008

[Faldo]

[twotakt]

I've had a few people saying bikes won't fit in berlingo's but I remember a lad picking up a dt125r and that fitted in easily (quite a big bike). Would want to use it to take my yz490 offroading and picking up small bikes really i.e. mito's, rs125's, dt125's, scooters etc.

just 2t stuff really, mostly quite small.
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R.I.P. Tareree Shiimi, 1985-2008

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

IIRC stuff like the Berling isn't quite long enough to fit m/cs in, although I was using the length of a 600cc sports bike as a yard stick last time I checked.
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My Flickr

[stinkwheel]

Go the whole hog and buy an old shape transit 100 or similar. The non-turbos are not too thirsty on fuel and you can drive them all day long in great comfort.

I actually quite enjoy driving my Transit van. Arm rests for the win.

Don't be scared of them, they drive as easily as a car.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Ariel Badger]

My van... LDV Cub (actualy a rebadged Nissan) with 2.3L of Japanese reliability powering her. Room for two bikes or one bike and me sleeping. Recomended.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[BenR]

Bedford rascal/suzuki carry. You'll be surprised what you can get in them.
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Current bikes: suzuki RG125UN wolf. Yamaha MT-07

[.Chris.]

How about a good old Sherpa / LDV Pilot? Slow and generally dire to drive but can be had for about 8p these days.

I want one
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Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F

[twotakt]

Thanks to all for the advice and suggestions, as it'll regularly used I think I'd get annoyed with the size of Berlingo. Wouldn't mind a transit sized van but last time I checked insurance was pure rapage, hence me trying to avoid something like that. That LDV Cub looks quite tidy and will be keeping an eye out for one of they.

Back to the grindstone to get more £££'s for insurance, lol.
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R.I.P. Tareree Shiimi, 1985-2008

[.Chris.]

You could always go for an old Land Rover 109". I reckon you'd be able to get a bike in the back of one, although the load area is very high off the ground.

You should be able to get a usable one for your £800 as they're worth less than the SWB 88s. Insurance is cheap, although they're pretty terrible on fuel (~15mpg on the 2286cc petrol). Tax will be the same bracket as any vehicle with an engine bigger than 1549cc. Dead simple to maintain at home too with lots of cheap spares available should you need them.
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Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F

[twotakt]

[Ariel Badger]

The Cub returns about 35mpg loaded and is a dream to drive. My old Land-Rover gave 12mpg in town and had to be wrestled around corners. The Cub even has a working heater and windows don't fall out.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[stinkwheel]

The insurance on my Transit 100 was £250 TPf&t with no no-claims (using it on another vehicle) which covers anyone over 25 to drive it. This included European breakdown assistance.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

Why not look at a pick up instead? You'll get bikes in the back of those.
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