Recommend a Van

[Turbo]

Thought I should update this thread. I didn't realise that I'd been considering a van so long!

So after I wrote off the 406 3 years ago I bought a 306 HDI Dturbo- cash was scarce at the time & a van was unaffordable. To see how useful a van would be to me I removed the rear seats & ply lined it, making a 306 van! They did make one, quite a few in Southern Ireland.

It was a sort of success, it showed me how useful a simple load area would be that I could throw something in without worrying about damaging trim or carpets! The downside was the 306's soft lowered rear suspension. If I put any heavy load in it the car looked like a dog with worms - dragging its ass on the ground!

Then there was the hassle of removing the ply lining to get through MOT though it was probably only an hours work.

I have been keeping an eye on van prices & I noticed they got cheaper since covid started. I have been trying to save while also watching for the right van - a dispatch/expert/scudo with the 2l hdi engine, not white & LWB if possible. Finding one has been difficult, 2l hdi's are hard to find here, any I found either were overpriced or had crazy mileage.

I finally found one this week, belonging to a local firm, a 2014 model, 141,000 miles, LWB, dark silver grey. Got a look at it today, liked it, left a deposit, picking it up next week!

My budget was around £2500 but that would only get a 2008-2010 model but by stretching to £3500 I got this one, several years younger!

So I'm well happy, just need to get the 306 tidied up ready for sale.

 

[HughF]

After praising the mk7 transit, it blew up on me twice so I'm back to a 1987 Renault master.

What are the other engine options in the scudo? Smaller than 2L?

 

[Matchless]

Mk6 Transit, very good engine, Mk7 Transit not very good, similar engine but with a timing chain from a mecano set and new fangled injection system, more eco, cheaper road tax but you get through more engines! so less eco!

 

[HughF]

Mk6 Transit, very good engine, Mk7 Transit not very good, similar engine but with a timing chain from a mecano set and new fangled injection system, more eco, cheaper road tax but you get through more engines! so less eco!

Yep, aside from the vp30 and vp44 pump troubles on the tddi engine, it really is very good.

The mk7 tdci really is poo in comparison.

I do prefer the iveco 8140 / sofim s9 though... Seems a bit tougher

 

[jerrytug]

After praising the mk7 transit, it blew up on me twice so I'm back to a 1987 Renault master.

What are the other engine options in the scudo? Smaller than 2L?

The 80's Masters were tough old things, I thrashed one for a year and it never saw a spanner.

 

[Sean]

After praising the mk7 transit, it blew up on me twice so I'm back to a 1987 Renault master.

What are the other engine options in the scudo? Smaller than 2L?

1.6... which is a newer engine than the 2.0 the 1.6 is fragile and prone to leaking combustion in to the oil which then sends coke in to the turbo bearing and into the general oil ways. The 2.0HDi is old and has been in everything. its service intervals are longer than the life expectancy of the 1.6 ( 100k or 10 yrs between belts!) its bloody fast too!

 

[HughF]

The 80's Masters were tough old things, I thrashed one for a year and it never saw a spanner.

I love mine... Wouldn't want to crash it though, doubt I'd walk away from it.

 

[m_c]

1.6... which is a newer engine than the 2.0 the 1.6 is fragile and prone to leaking combustion in to the oil which then sends coke in to the turbo bearing and into the general oil ways. The 2.0HDi is old and has been in everything. its service intervals are longer than the life expectancy of the 1.6 ( 100k or 10 yrs between belts!) its bloody fast too!

They don't leak combustion in to the oil, anymore than any other diesel engine.
The issue was too little oil, long service intervals and small oil galleries, which meant dirt built up in the oil galleries, and eventually restricted the oil flow to the turbo. I have seen one with engine oil like treacle and still running, but it was obvious it hadn't been serviced for quite some time.

The 1.6 is an OK engine, but only if well maintained. Any with a questionable service history, or having had the turbo replaced, just walk away.
If I had a vehicle with the 1.6, I'd change the oil at least every 10k.

 

[HughF]

Oil is so cheap these days (even for low saps 5/30), I don't understand this obsession with long life service intervals. Every 5k for my diesels

 

[Matchless]

Oil is so cheap these days (even for low saps 5/30), I don't understand this obsession with long life service intervals. Every 5k for my diesels

company accountants, and fully serviced lease deals!

 

[HughF]

company accountants, and fully serviced lease deals!

Yeah if I was leasing them and handing them back after three years I wouldn't bother doing anything above and beyond the factory service schedule...

 

[Turbo]

After praising the mk7 transit, it blew up on me twice so I'm back to a 1987 Renault master.

What are the other engine options in the scudo? Smaller than 2L?

There is the 1.6 HDI 16v, which as mentioned are well avoided. They also had a problem of the injector clamps coming loose letting diesel & combustion gases out, leading to poor running, coking up the engine & eventually the turbo going bang! There is a 1.6 8v which is slightly better but still has a lot of issues.

I had my pick of 1.6 vans but no thanks!

The guy I bought this van from has several vans, all Citroen, all 2.0 HDI. He had his fingers burned twice by Berlingos with the 1.6 engine, both spent more time in the dealer than on the road! One had the engine replaced but still wasn't right, luckily it was all covered by the Dealer warranty.

I think the 2016 on vans have petrol models available but they are rare!

 

[Ashley Burton]

company accountants, and fully serviced lease deals!

Also manufacturers want you to keep buying a new one once it's out of warranty

 

[HughF]

There is the 1.6 HDI 16v, which as mentioned are well avoided. They also had a problem of the injector clamps coming loose letting diesel & combustion gases out, leading to poor running, coking up the engine & eventually the turbo going bang! There is a 1.6 8v which is slightly better but still has a lot of issues.

I had my pick of 1.6 vans but no thanks!

The guy I bought this van from has several vans, all Citroen, all 2.0 HDI. He had his fingers burned twice by Berlingos with the 1.6 engine, both spent more time in the dealer than on the road! One had the engine replaced but still wasn't right, luckily it was all covered by the Dealer warranty.

I think the 2016 on vans have petrol models available but they are rare!

We have a 1.6 berlingo as a works vehicle... Doesn't have a hard life.

Hopefully the shift to hybrid powertrains will see the end of noisy, rattly, unreliable diesel vans that need constant clutch and flywheel jobs. The electric single speed powertrain in my car returns between 55-60mpg when never plugged in and that's hauling 1850kgs with a 1400cc ecotec. It would be brilliant in a vivaro sized van.

Anyone tried a phev transit custom yet?