What van do you use?

[kirkgas]

re lease vans i don't know if i'm too keen, we are coming to the end of a three year contract hire for about 200 vans and the repair cost is horrendous, with quotes of £600-700 for some of the vans with no more that reasonable wear and tear after 50,000 mles etc, looks like it will cst us a fortune, and any time the vans were off the road we had to hire another with no hurry getting them back from the garage, no surprise to know that the lease company had organised us "preferential hire rates" but from a sister company to theirs

 

[excalibur62]

whatevr you do dont buy a new vw caddy. pretty poor and i wish id kept my combo. thats 3 local ones that have had oil mixing with water in under 2k miles.

There have been a few oil cooler problems on the latest caddy's, but that has been sorted now.

The Transporter is a superb van though, just like driving a car but more fun. Even the old T4 is still a capable motor

 

[joboatbuilder]

I've got an R reg (1997) T4 transporter. The popular 1.9 TD short wheel base version. Bought it in April, unfortunately just couldn't afford a newer one, didn't like the idea of a contract either, don't like owing people money.
They are widely renound to be ultra reliable. Unfortunately mine is higher mileage, about 170k now, although that's not much for a diesel. The keyway in the end of the crankshaft had worn so the woodruff key slipped, loosening off the cambelt and smashing valves into pistons etc. got towed to my mechanic friend's house. Having spoken to several people about this now, it seems that it is what goes wrong with the higher mileage ones that haven't been seviced properly or by someone who knows the VW engines. Mine had had a new cambelt fitted last year by a garage who didn't notice anything was wrong then... maybe they didn't know it needed a new stretch bolt So if poss get a lower mileage one or get it with full VW service history or at the right price! Mine (like a few others now) has now had the crankshaft welded up and the head rebuilt. Luckily only cost half what a recon engine would have, but still 100s I could have done without The other thing that went was the gear linkage bush - plastic. Cost about £1 and took me 2 hrs to fit (i'm no mechanic) but without it couldn't select a gear! Apart from that no other problems at all. Just worn out I suppose, that's what I get for spending less originally
Despite my experience I would still recommend one as I know a few people with them and they swear by them. Get a new bolt fitted to the sprocket on the crankshaft. make sure it is a STRETCH bolt as VW don't tell people it is. That means if it has ever loosened or is removed for any reason (like putting a new cam belt on) it must be REPLACED as you cannot reuse stretch bolts. In fact, it you take it all apart check the keyway at the same time. Obviously you can't do this before you buy it though... and will need to correctly setup the timing again.
Having said all that, it always starts first time. It's fast on the motorway (90+) and very nippy around the town, brilliant turning circle, I have parrallel parked it in tiny spaces. (get the SWB version) and can get loads in the back. And there's virtually no rust on it, the bodies are very good. Just scabs where its been stone chipped/bashed by uncarful previous owners. I parked by an R reg transit the other day and the wheel arches were knackered and taped up!
I took a whole van load of hacked off plaster from my house to the tip a few weeks ago, and apart from the van being MUCH lower than usual (still had travel in the suspension) it still handled well and pulled well.
The Ex AA 2.4 TDI vans all seem to go for £5000 upwards. Lots of them around, well maintained, towbar, biggest engine they did.

 

[sterod1971]

as the previous post says lease
at least then if you get serious problems they have to change it

take my advice do not buy a ford transit connect they are more trouble than i would wish on anyone!

i have a 4 year old one and is a heap of s***te spends nearly as much time at the garage as on the road

it has a 7 page history of repairs including a wiring loom (the replacement is now corroding in exactly the same place)

I lease hire a 56 plate ford transit 350 with the 140 ps engine. Has been nothing but trouble...

It leaks water into the cab, told by ford its not covered by the warranty..lease company not interesred.

its had two safety recalls, requireing two days off the road (and assosiated loss of work) lease company again not interested.(Told me I should have taken the option of a courtesy vehicle..which I was advised against by the same lease company at the time of signing the agreement " Its a new van so itll be covered by fords warrantee and you'll gat a courtesy vehicle from them")........... Ford don't provide commercial courtesy vehicles.

The engine management light keeps coming on, so its back to the dealer to be diagnosed each time..guess what..you have to book it in for a whole day!

Now the self charging remote key has stopped working............you've guessed it, another trip back to the dealer for it to have a new key programmed.
Arghhhhhh!

 

[hairyben]

Best van I ever owned was a seat inca, in reality VW caddy with less badge kudos and a chunk less money. If some monkey of a mechanic hadn't broke the glo plug thread..

Now driving a vito 120... nice van, but mercs sure ain't what they used to be. needs it's 3rd recall, 9 months old and done less than 5000 miles, poxy egr valve every time. Apart from that it's brill, goes like a scalded cat.

 

[rampump]

I too have a Toyota Hilux, bought second (or third) hand for just over £2k. Plenty of power for towing, 2wheel drive for day-t-day economy and 4X4 when you need it.

Ultra reliable, starts instantly - fitted with two 540 amp-hour batts so there's plenty of power even on icy cold mornings.

Mine is a single cab but with a full length, high roof Truckman canopy with built in ladder rack. Will take 8x4 boards with ease, have fitted a vice and worklights inside & out.

Best 'van' I've ever had. Wouldn't go back to a transit

 

[alphaalarms]

we have berlingo's
ex british gas ones
the racking is out of this world, service history are always full!
were also looking at the ex b gas transit connects! same size but racked

 

[Bilioustrumpstaine]

I only buy new vans and always the heaviest duty they make standard.

The GMC is the 3500 series the Dodge is is the B 350 Series and the Ford 350 Super Duty® Extended Length Wagon (strongest engine and transmission) and also like the dodge extended body.

Considering a call missed can cost me several hundren dollars I find it imperative to have vans I can depend to start up and work day after day.

Is that why you have three vans so you can (almost) guarantee one will be working.

 

[Norcon]

I bought a Ford Transit 90bhp lwb hi-roof (it had 70k on the clock) from a trader in Berkswell nr Coventry in July. They advertise in Ebay and Autotrader, say they have 40 years in the trade. Within a week, the water pump broke, they paid for a replacement. Six weeks later, the clutch went, and the mechanic I took it to said they must have known it had that problem when they sold it to me. They are giving me the cold shoulder, and it cost £700 to fix, so I am taking it to the small claims.

I only went that route because I didn't want to commit to buying new, but from comments here, leasing sounds like a good option, I have always just preferred buying for cash, I don't like owing anyone.

I only buy new vans and always the heaviest duty they make standard.

The GMC is the 3500 series the Dodge is is the B 350 Series and the Ford 350 Super Duty® Extended Length Wagon (strongest engine and transmission) and also like the dodge extended body.

Considering a call missed can cost me several hundren dollars I find it imperative to have vans I can depend to start up and work day after day.

The cheapiest insurance one can have for cars and vans is changing the oil every 1,500 miles f0r the first 3,000 then ever 3,000 miles after that

A few of these monster trucks (with fuel bowser's in tow) are floating about in Northern Ireland mostly owned by people who just show them off at weekends.
Great hulking uneconomical chunk's of metal like these are no more reliable than smaller economical vehicles used in the UK.
With the price of fuel here you couldn't run a business with heavy duty trucks like these.
We prefer more economical and reliable vans like Volkswagen Transporters, Ford Transits, Toyota Hi-Lux's , Vauxhall Vivaro,s, Mercedes Sprinter/Vito etc returning between 30 - 45 mpg..

I own a VW-T30.
130PS TDI PD 2.5 litre, 5 cylinder producing 340Nm maximum torque with a 6-speed manual.

Even the high powered Sportline can do over 40mpg.
http://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/transporter/sportline-panel-van/

 

[dave1953]

04 reg Vivaro 2.7 tonne
Bought this with 35k on clock, drives like a car and economic but watch out for fuel pump problems, under warranty no sweat otherwise Vauxhall want £2500.00 to replace it and more if the injectors are damaged. Tha Nissan, Renault, Merc and Vauxhall all use the same fuel pump but the common rail diesel is the problem, its apparently too powerful. I believe the engine has now changed to some Euro based whatever.The mechanic who fixed mine reckons the next breed of engine for vans, due next year, is totally sealed and thrown away at 150.000 miles

 

[Sylvan Tieger]

I have 2 Ford E 350's with the extended body super duty type

The gas mileage has a lot to be desired 5- 7 MPG BUT I have plenty of room and these are real work horses able to carry lots of weight with amazing pick up

I also have a GMC 3500 series although it is the heaviest that GMC makes and I have no problems with it mechanically it just seems under powered.

 

[Sylvan Tieger]

04 reg Vivaro 2.7 tonne
Bought this with 35k on clock, drives like a car and economic but watch out for fuel pump problems, under warranty no sweat otherwise Vauxhall want £2500.00 to replace it and more if the injectors are damaged. Tha Nissan, Renault, Merc and Vauxhall all use the same fuel pump but the common rail diesel is the problem, its apparently too powerful. I believe the engine has now changed to some Euro based whatever.The mechanic who fixed mine reckons the next breed of engine for vans, due next year, is totally sealed and thrown away at 150.000 miles

I normally replace my vans and cars every 3 years or 40,000 miles which ever comes first as I rather buy new every few years knowing I do not have to worry about break downs putting me out of service for a few days.

The resale with low mileage just about guarantees I get almost 50% back from the investment

 

[lagunaglen]

Had an 02 transit t280 100 bhp version,only problem i had was fuel pump leak,but at £1000 to replace its a big problem and very common,so sold it.

Now have a 57 reg company citreon berlingo,we have lots of these and almost everyone has either rear doors or side door that wont open.
But good on fuel and very nippy,will do 100 mph plus.

 

[Sylvan Tieger]

Had an 02 transit t280 100 bhp version,only problem i had was fuel pump leak,but at £1000 to replace its a big problem and very common,so sold it.

Now have a 57 reg company citreon berlingo,we have lots of these and almost everyone has either rear doors or side door that wont open.
But good on fuel and very nippy,will do 100 mph plus.

Want speed try a Subaru WRX with the correct afer market chip this car can exceed wll over 160 MPH

 

[Norcon]

Sylvan Tieger wrote

The gas mileage has a lot to be desired 5- 7 MPG

That's pathetic.
Was talking to a long distance lorry driver (Europe) the other day.
Tells me he averaged 12mpg in his HGV grossing 38 tons with some loads.