Vans?

[ReadySalted]

I'm thinking about buying a van so need some advice.

(I've previously owned a plethora of landrovers and currently own a mk1 honda crv).

For some time now I've been planning to get a trail bike and I'm about to start looking for one to buy. With that in mind, and the fact I do alot of walking trips where a van would provide much easier sleeping than a tent - I'm looking to sell my car and buy a van.

I drive an 09 transit at work and they're great vans imho but I've driven the older 06 transits and they feel very slow and dated in comparison. The van would have to be big enough to fit a couple of off road bikes in, but be small enough to go on a normal sized drive.

In an ideal world, I'd love a new VW transporter but even 15 year old VW's are out of my measley price range: 1500 quid. With my budget I can't really afford to be pickey but it will be my daily drive when I'm not on the bike so don't want to be driving around in a rough old ex-plasterers van if I can avoid it.

I've heard good things about transits and vivaros. Nissan primastars don't seem as common but I like them. Merc vitos are the best looking but are smaller which has it's pros and cons. What do you guys think?

I'm also interested to know what it's like living with a van as your normal car?

[thefallenange...]

having driven an 05 vivaro, I will say it only caught fire once as my only breakdown. Glow plug ecu, otherwise was a perfect work horse compared to my 62 transit which is crap, guzzles fuel uncomfortable, stereo is poor and drives like a shopping trolley.
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[stevo as b4]

This is one for Binge and his pimped out Uber van!

Modern van's like Transits are pretty comfortable, much quieter than older vans like the Mk3 Transit or Sherpa vans, and a std SWB van would fit on anyone's drive that a family car would.

You'll never be as comfortable in a van as a car though, and for larger vans, especially if your going to be working or sleeping in the back, you'd want some insulation, floor and wall lining, and ideally an aux heater to keep you warm.

My work van has a GRP box body, and with a small diesel heater fitted, it gets warm enough quite quickly to be able to sleep in during cold nights, but the more insulated it is the better I would say.

[wristjob]

had an 05 vivaro at work before getting a 58 transit.
the vivaro was smaller but needed a lot more room to do a u turn.
was a hateful thing to drive.
i was so glad when i got the transit.
it was fine untill work fitted a 70mph limiter and "adjusted" emissions to make it run rough.
radio is a bit crap but at least you can plug a generic mp3 player into it.
as for living with a van as a daily driver with no car,get used to a noisy life.

[kerr]

For me transits all day long, generally more reliable, mines is an 06 swb, plenty of room for a bike and sleeping bag, that being said if i didn't need to rely on it for work id fancy a vivaro/primistar/trafic (all the same van btw) just purely because they look better.
Also i believe the later ones have timing chains rather than belts
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aprilia 125 Af1 Futura >> Suzuki gsxr 600 srad >> J1 zx6r >> cbr 600rr >> Speed Triple

[grr666]

From 06 onward the Vivaro and Trafic adopted the (more reliable) nissan engine from the Primastar.
I'm looking at the Trafic personally, lots of spec on the sort of age I'm looking at inc nav, aircon and E/W.
My Kangoo has been enough of a trouper for me to happily buy a Renault Commercial again.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Shaft]

With a 1500 quid budget, buy the best thing you can afford, regardless of what it is.

Unless you get very lucky, at that price you're going to be looking at something that's probably a bit beaten up, slightly frilly round the edges and with enough miles on it to make it a gamble.

The problem is, the market knows what are the good vans and what are the not so good, so the desirable ones command a premium.

As someone who spends most of his time looking after van fleets, I'd be looking for a good Vito or Hiace, but you'll struggle to find much worth buying at your budget.

As a PS, think about how long you'll be keeping it and where you'll be going; if you're heading near London, there's the LEZ to think about, a scheme which is likely to be rollled out across most of the big cities in not very many years, so make sure your new purchase is going to be compliant.
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[binge]

Depending on size of van. I had a Kangoo, which was great.
Managed to fit my R1 in the back of it at a push:

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/12189172_167050863645947_8267848834958015300_n.jpg?oh=79bd0d1dfd6349752252fad1531399e4&oe=56E4E933


And a Mk6 Transit, which was epic!

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/p720x720/12122918_158587164492317_7047576216082197409_n.jpg?oh=213b07d7bd21d28a589e9625f287288d&oe=56DC1DED




If you think a Mk6 Transit is slow, a VW Transporter T4 (as you've suggested) will send you to sleep!


Bang for buck, dont think you will beat the Mk6 Transit, and even the Mk7s are coming down in price now.

Vivaro/Traffic are wicked vans, but do be prepared to pay for a gearbox change as they do eat them!

Vitos are nice, but for all the extra money, they offer little more than a Transit. They even rust more!

[Parson]

[P.]

I've only ever driven a Vito and would happily have one of them. One time I had a CBR125, CR125, Super ped and a minibike in there. Real size bikes I've had an SV and a Daytona in there at the same time.

[nowhere.elysium]

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

Looks like the inside of the tyre would wear quicker.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[binge]

Tyre wear wasn't really hindered too much by the negative camber.
Poorly adjusted front toe on cars which belong to people who don't maintain them properly causes faster tyre wear.

[jjdugen]

Everything mentioned so far will be rusty crap by the time it gets to being £1500. Probably with inter-stellar mileage too.
There is but one van that is:-
Comfortable.
Quiet
Reliable
Cheap!
Easily take two trials bikes
Plenty about.
The Pugeot Expert, also in Citroen and Fiat disguise.

The bodywork has some king of treatment that makes it impervious to the worst our roads throw at it. Get the turbo 1.9 D circa 1999 - 2004 for best value. Can't go inside the M25 ring though, Boris will get annoyed.
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The CBR900RR has been sold. Aprilia Falco worms its way into my heart.
Try Soi 23 on Amazon for a good read.... Self promotion? Moi?

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[Aff]

Ive had a G1 ZX6 and a 929 Blade in the back of my Expert (new shape - 07 onwards) at the same time.

However it is now dead with some unknown sensor fault which has knocked out the fuel system.

Bought it for 1500 quid off a landscaper, so was full of spiders and worms. Should be able to sell it spares or repair for the same price though if I cant find the problem.
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Current Bikes:Honda 929RR Fireblade, Honda CD200 Benly (Project), Stomp Z2 140
Electric Bike Project

[Ebbs73]

I have a fiat Scudo 57 ( Peugeot expert , Citroen ) and I love it .
Long wheel base , 130 engine and cam get two grown up bikes in the back .
I only have my van for work and pleasure and it's lovely to drive , lots of little extras to , I did get it cheap at 3 years ago at £ 3500



AFF , do you have a factory bulkhead ??


Cheers Chris

[Aff]

[Wonko The Sane]

my only advice, having driven a number of vans as 17 seat mini-busses

if it says LDV on it, don't do it, they have been some of the most hateful things I've ever had to drive and usually something went wrong with them, either a door handle stopping working or the brakes failing on the motorway (killed the clutch and gearbox bringing it to a stop)
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[STONEY!]

Another Vote for SCUDO/EXPERT/DISPATCH here you can get an xt350, a drz400 and a kmx125 in the back of one (just), they do 40odd mpg with ease (all 3 engine types but different speeds!) and rarely rust.

downsides, door locks are crap, if you get rusty one it will be hell, engine work is a pain in the arse, cable gear change can get sloppy.

1.9d slow reliable and cheap to buy
2.0hdi fastest, most expensive least reliable (but still pretty bombproof)
1.9d-turbo best of the bunch, fast economical and pretty bombproof, ideally you want the one with bosch fuel pump and front mount intercooler, turn up the boost and fuelling for drag racing lols!

[Nb]

I had a 2002 peugeot expert for a year, it had the 1.9d non turbo engine and was slow as shit but reliable. But they dont really rust and are quite a versatile van with twin sliding doors. I'd rather have one of those again than a similar priced transit that will most likely be rotten.
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Cbr1100xx blackbird gone, mk4 golf gt tdi chav now
Colin1 wrote 'Im grateful for what i can get, which isnt all that much.'
Columbus travel insurance are crap!! Do not use!

[mailee]

I wouldn't thank you for another Transit. I had a Mk6 2002 tdi model and it went well until the diesel pump let me down on a long trip home. A replacement pump was going to cost me £800! as it is coded....the van only cost me £1800 so I ended up scrapping it and bought a turbo daily which is a bit agricultural but has a bullet proof engine.

[ReadySalted]

I've been looking at them all day every for a week or so and there really isn't alot in it. Vivaros and their twins seem to be the favourites but even they hold their value pretty well.

Merc vito's also seem to be holding my eye. They look pretty good imho although their floor seems to be a bit higher than other vans so maybe more difficult to load.

I do find myself being very very tempted by blowing the budget and buying a VW transporter for a fair bit more money. It doesn't help that the people who live opposite us have a family type one and I look at it with envy every morning as I leave for work. I'm only interested in the van type ones which seem to look pretty commercial anyway, and have nothing but space in the back - so ideal for bikes and sleeping.

I don't know if the whole VW van fashion thing will be short lived and the paying the above the odds VW pricetag will be have been a bad choice when I come to sell it in years to come.

[robs321]

For £1500 you will get what you pay for. A pile of shite, unless you get lucky!

[almostthere]

Got a 2004 Peugeot Expert would highly recommend one had it since new
, never let me down yet.
Best place to buy a van would be at auction get an ex lease hire van with warrantied mileage cheap as chips
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