Anyone running an NV200 or Vauxhall Combo?

[stinkwheel]

After the latest monumental fuckup from the failVito*, I'm about to start pestering my boss for a new van.

I need a van that I can fit a motorcycle in the back of but with a low enough roof I can lift a 35kg canoe onto from my shoulders (so max roof height of 1920mm).

After a fair bit of research. I've come down to either a Nissan NV200 or a Vauxhall Combo (ideally an H1L2). Transit connect would also be on the list but given my options, it's more expensive and my boss is cheap.

Any comments on reliability, driveability and confirmation you can load a full sized motorcycle into the back of them (Not necessarily a 1200GS but definately a fully faired sportsbike). Problems? Good/bad points?

*So after the lighting ECU failed. The injectors were scrap, then the main ECU died. Just had to replace both front brake callipers due to totally seized pins and now the new ECU looks like it's just shit the bed. Not even hit 100k miles yet.
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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.

[Shaft]

Blimey, you really do have the Friday afternoon Vito, I've never known one go so badly wrong, at such low mileage.

Anyway, of those two, I would lean towards the Nissan.

The new Combo (AKA Fiat Doblo) isn't a patch on the previous model, either in terms of build quality or driving experience. The price of spare parts/service items have gone a bit mad (probably because it's a Fiat) and, judging by the few we've had through our workshop, I reckon you'll be needing to buy more parts than you might like. I'm not a huge fan of that family of diesel engines either, they aren't especially reliable.

Modern Nissans don't have the legendary Jap build quality of old, but from the couple that I've seen, they're better screwed together than the Vaux/Fiat and, surprisingly, the parts prices aren't too awful either.

Has the Citroen Berlingo appeared on your radar?

I've been looking after a sizeable fleet of those for the last three or four years, which have been pretty good.
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Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035

[MattEMulsion]

You've either got an unusually bad Vito or whoever does your repairs throws the most expensive parts at it to repair simple faults??? My work Vito is currently on 185,000 miles, it has been abused by various colleagues before I inherited it, it almost certainly has missed various service intervals and the only thing that doesn't work properly is the reverse light switch on the gear selector mechanism. Its a common fault that is sorted by bending the metal tab back out a bit. I've been meaning to get round to doing that for the last twelve months...
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[G]

These are a step down from the vito (the primastar/Vivaro/Traffic/Custom are the vito equivalent) - from my previous research, it's quite likely going to need the bike sideways a bit on the smaller ones.

Certainly not going to be as easy to slot in two as you can with a vito.

Got any non-rusty bodywork for sale? And a gearbox. And a chassis, actually?

[Shaft]

Somehow, I managed to completely ignore the load space aspect of the OP.

I reckon you might struggle a bit to get a decent sized bike in either of your choices - when Pyro picked up a Superdream from me, we had to take the top box off and it was still a tight fit, in a Berlingo, which is a similar size of van.

As G says, this is a step down, size wise, from a Vito.
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Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035

[MattEMulsion]

Its not just the physical size of the van interior that matters, its one thing wondering if a bike will actually fit within the dimensions, but ideally it needs to be oversized to be able to wheel the bike in with any degree of safety and control.
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[Jewlio Rides Again LLB]

The 63' plate T140 Tranny van at our place is nice. LWB mid top.
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Mpd72: I can categorically say i’m Brighter than that, no matter how I come across on here.
HAHAHA HAHAHA Blew Chilly MyCrowSystems

[Rncv]

Can confirm that a Berlingo/combo won't fit a sportsbike.

I had a swb 05 transit connect, got a fully faired GSXR 750 slingshot in it (mine had no bulkhead though).
Also got a drz 400 in it, had to have the door open slightly though.

Sold mine with 240k on it and had no problems what so ever in the 20k miles I owned it.
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Current: 01' Bandit 600, 92' Goose 350
Previous: Lots!

[andyscooter]

swb tranny would be ideal

not the connect the normal ones
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gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[G]

[andyscooter]

our local rolls Royce specialist has a vito I thought it was nearly the same size as the tranny

a mate had an older swb low top tranny and managed to get into carparks it wasn't much higher then a discovery
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gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[G]

They're both fine for height, though the vito is similar height with roof bars to the transit without. (I've got an official Merc roof rack that fits on nicely thanks to ebay and is useful for ladders etc.) But the extra width on the transit does make a difference - less spaces you can squeeze in and tighter to open doors etc.

As I say, the Transit Custom is pretty much the same as the Vito.

The slightly smaller size vans are better on fuel too.

[stinkwheel]

The vito is a shonky piece of crap. My local repairers tried everything to get it out of limp mode. It kept saying there was a fault with the volume air sensor but changing it never fixed it, nor did the umpteen other things they tried. It had to go back to Mercedes in the end and they said the ECU was toast. Replacing it worked for about 10 months and now it's reading the same fault code again.

When the injectors went (would fail to restart after being parked up), they were sent in for reconditioning and the company called back saying there was nothing they could do with them and they would scrap them for us.

I'd say it's spent half of the last two years in limp mode.

I think a Transit custom is going to be too tall. 1922 roof at the lowest point but 2020 at the highest. 1922 would put it at the upper extreme of what I can lift my boat onto without having to have a step/platform next to it.

I don't really need to get two bikes in it. Just if I needed to drop off/collect one. If I'm taking one on holiday, I take a tiddler like the YB100. Used to get three bikes in the SWB transit but I don't really need such a big van at the moment so downsizing was on the cards.

I think the ones I was looking at are kind of a "big small" van rather than a "small small" van like a Berlingo or nemo or a "mid size" van like the vito/transit custom.

The main "pinch" point I found with the vito is the back door height.

The Vito is 1264mm. The new combo H1L2 is 1250. The NV200 is 1228. So the bike should physically go into the back of one up a ramp.

Length is the potential issue. Vito is 2422, Combo is 2170, NV200 is 2040.

The VFR wheelbase is 1480 so add 17" (431mm) and we have 1911. Mathematically a VFR750 should fit in the back of an NV200 without even angling it.

By comparison a berlingo has a door height of 1155 and is 1700 long, so much smaller.

I feel a scale drawing coming up.

The Nissan is sounding like the best bet to be fair. Also has two sliding doors which is one thing I really like about the vito.
____________________
“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.

[G]

Motorcycle wheels are based upon rim size, not tyre size remember (while many push bike wheels are done on tyre size).
the internet lists it at 2180mm, which seems about right. I know a 17" motorcycle tyre is somewhere around a 26" push bike tyre and 1480mm+26"=2040mm as an idea.
Note that if you've got the compact vito, the length listed probably goes under the sill below the seats. It was designed so you could get a few 8x4 sheets in flat. But that's only for about 20cm height or something.

Though, you can save a little by having the front wheel turned. My 675 is lsited at 2020 and I can get a bit in behind it.

You may be able to get longer wheel base versions.

You could also consider the 'Caddy Maxi'.
These seem to offer decent economy thanks to the smaller platform.
Not sure on current models, but as an idea...
>>Maximum load length is 2,250mm; 469mm more than the standard Caddy. Maximum width is 1,558mm, narrowing to 1,170mm between the wheelboxes, while maximum height is 1,257mm. Rear loading height is 594mm. The rear door aperture is 1,181mm wide and 1,116mm high.<<
Low door height again.

I have looked at them, but in reality I don't want to go down from the Vito in load volume. (Ideally I'd have a XLWB sprinter/iveco for bigger stuff and something with good mpg that for when it's smaller or daily stuff.)

[stinkwheel]

Interesting exercise. Scale diagram.

Not as much to choose in terms of size between the ones I've mentioned as you'd imagine. Berlingo included for reference.

The bike overall length is now correct.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/download.php?id=98802
____________________
“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.

[MattEMulsion]

[stinkwheel]

[mudcow007]

can confirm a high top connect will swallow most bikes in, mine took my bandit with ease

[G]

[Tarmacsurfer]

One of the guys I regularly work with runs a combo, I'd be *very* surprised if you could carry a bike with any sort of ease - even allowing for the fact he's racked a lot of the load space I'd say you'd have trouble maneuvering anything up a ramp and to an angle whereby you could close the doors. Pity, as it's a reliable old workhorse - he bought it second hand from an electrical fitter and it's passed another three MOTs with no problem, poor little thing carries all sorts of crap (landscaper/tree work and general handyman).

Afraid I'm no expert on the four wheeled things, that's about as much input as I can offer.
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I'm immortal. Well, so far.

[grr666]

NV200 is like a loaf of bread with wheels on the corner. I'd say it was a bit small personally.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[mudcow007]

[G]

Yep, long wheel base I'd say. The VFR is a bit longer and you have to account for front fairings which may add a bit more.

Probably would just fit in, but suspect wouldn't be entirely pleasent getting it in.

Certainly too small for my needs even when it's just one bike (when you add in all the tools etc.)

[mudcow007]

that went in via a scaffolding plank.

easier enough going up except as it goes into the van the bars are too high to get either side - sketchy on your lonesome

[Ebbs73]

Have you thought about a fiat scudo / Citroen / Peugeot .

I have a long wheel base scudo 57 plate , had my zx6r j1 in the back with ease , not sure on the height but I can lob my ladder on the top and I'm 5ft 6 and a half . ( it does pain me )



Chris