best van on a budget

[nodeward]

yeh was just about to suggest that there are loads more options for an estate and you can always just tint the back windows so no one can see all your tools. something like a passat tdi would be good they are massive and bullet proof engines

 

[BrokenBiker]

well i have spoken to the three guys with berlingos, mixed reviews. 2 liked them and have only had to service them, the third has had 2 and both went horribly wrong.

also spoke to a guy about my van, he started off by ringing round to find anyone who would want it and give me a good price, then he suggested i ring his mate who reckons he can fix it without having to swap the engine. Reckons he has had loads of dead tranny engines out of vans like mine and fixed them all so in going to be spaking to him tomorrow. In the mean time there are 2 Renault traffics in a local trade sales place for a fair price so will be going to look at them soon, ive heard good things about them, both are autos with i think 2.2 td engines but not sure. Cheap enough yo insure and i think they are similar sized load space as the transit

 

[Robotstar5]

In the mean time there are 2 Renault traffics in a local trade sales place for a fair price so will be going to look at them soon, ive heard good things about them

We ran a trafic (I think) as a rally rescue ambulance for 2-3 years, ex Merseyside Ambulance Service then we put many 000's of miles on it, some of it hammered along forest rally stages, sold it to local St. John Ambulance and they ran it for another few years, never had any major mechanical problems.

 

[BrokenBiker]

ive seen a few of the plasterers and chippies that have them and they all love them, and reckon they are quick too.

waiting for this guy to get back to me about my engine, if he can fix it cheaper than selling it and buying a new one then i will have it repaired, bit if not these traffics are as cheap as the average smaller vans on ebay at the moment

 

[octo0072000]

We ran a trafic (I think) as a rally rescue ambulance for 2-3 years, ex Merseyside Ambulance Service then we put many 000's of miles on it, some of it hammered along forest rally stages, sold it to local St. John Ambulance and they ran it for another few years, never had any major mechanical problems.

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that's a reno Master also the turbo ones was fitted with the iveco engine not many left now last one i bought part camper ironically came from Newport

 

[Wedg1e]

Classic Cars mag this month has an interview with Tom Karen, the guy who styled the original Trafic... he's slightly better known over here as the bloke who created the Reliant Scimitar, the Bond Bug and... the Raleigh Chopper!

 

[the snooper]

bloody van has died. not what I need at the moment. was on my way back from a job taking down some PIR lights for a couple that are moving house, pulled off from the lights, into 2nd, 3rd...bang! hell of a thud, loads of smoke and no power, no drive, no engine. called my mate out to tow me home, he had a quick look and the verdict is its died a death and isn't worth repairing.

I don't want the hastle of an engine swap, haven't got time, I just want to find a van, buy it and job done.

my current is a 2004 tranny swb. nothing special just a run of the mill tranny.

im open to any make and model as long as its cheap to buy and reliable. im a spark so not carrying large things, and have tube on roof for conduit, trunking and occasionally copper pipe.

don't really need the size of a tranny, it came in handy a few times with the bikes and moving house but if needs be I can lend a trailer

so, what is good, what needs to be avoided. don't mind manual or auto, engine size isn't much of an issue but don't really need any more than a 2litre

cam belt gone ?

 

[Hitch]

If you want cheap motoring and a smallish van, i'd say Berlingo/Partner.
Had 3 vans and the car now, cant knock them. All been 1.9s, Not flying machines, but capable of sitting at 80+ on the motorway.
Had me last one nearly 7 years, scrapped it last month. Think i had my moneys worth, only gave £1500 for it.
Bought another one now, just newer.

 

[Wedg1e]

I am considering downsizing for the time being. I had a connect which I liked but ended up selling it as I didn't need it. wish id kept it now

I've had two Connects continuously since 2003 and am hoping that the company listens when I say I would prefer the all-new-for-2014 Connect to the bloody VW Caddy Maxi they've been trying to lump me with. We have two Caddies already: tinny, plasticky, noisy, sluggish: horrid things.

I do a lot of long-distance miles with lots of gear onboard and the LWB Connect can hump 900Kg, way more than most of the small-mid sized vans. At a push you can get 8x4 sheets in (as long as you don't carry a passenger as you have to fold the seat down), 3m lengths of pipe etc. internal (seat down) or on the roof. 15000 mile service intervals (20K on the new one!).
Downside is that high-speed motorway runs have it guzzling DERV, high-20s easily (about 320 miles on a 50L tank) but local/ sensible running sees 400+ on a tank.
Only issues we've ever had... our '03 had a charging problem that turned out to be a broken wire in the loom under the slam panel, caused by the Turks over-tightening the cable ties and crushing the loom. Exhaust would corrode through just ahead of the back box every couple of years. Developed a starting problem the week before we traded it in; a quick puff of Easi-start and away it went, wasn't glowplugs, ran fine once started, Ford shrugged their shoulders and thought it may have been porous fuel lines.
The '09 I've been driving for the last 133000 miles has had a new wheel bearing, two injectors (allegedly caused by Tesco diesel having vegetable oil in it that was coagulating in cold weather) and now needs front discs (original ones still fitted). Driver's door now seems to sag slightly when opened, could be it's never been lubed at the so-called full service
Both vans had new windscreens due to cracking following stone-chips. Connects also commonly have broken front fog lights, they just seem to collect hits. No corrosion issues of note.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

When I was looking at vans quite fancied a Kangoo. Ticked most of my boxes and test drove one (petrol auto). My choice was a diesel but everywhere I asked said they avoid them as the 1.5 can be troublesome. Then looked at Partner / Berlingo and it was toss up between one of them and a Doblo until I made the mistake of buying an Expert ! Couldn't find a Connect within my budget. Did look at a place with quite a few ex Police vans - all in very poor cosmetic condition.

Paul H

 

[KemppiFrog]

La Post uses Renault Kangoos here and a friend has used a DCI 1.5 for 7yrs without any probs. Citroen C15s with the pug 1.7D engine are like confetti. Many used by farmers as local hacks. The only comments I have heard about DCIs are if you use them for short trips, or leave them un-used for periods (holiday cars) Mate has a much abused Berlingo HDI, only hassle was the rear axle that required changing after a stub axle came loose. He paid a grand for it and has done a few trips from Devon to the Algarve in it.

 

[Benthosboy]

but it drank petrol like george best and oliver reed in a distillery.

PMSL, which is ironic 'coz ATM, I'm doing some on-site lifting at a bonded wine warehouse near Avonmouth docks. I have NEVER seen as much wine in my entire life!!

 

[BrokenBiker]

cam belt gone ?

no, i thought that initially but its still on there.

from what the guy that is looking at it said i think the main problem is the crank has either broken or bent and taken a few other things out with it. He still hasn't come back to say whether he can fix it yet, he has till Monday to make his mind up and give me a price other wise im off to the auctions

 

[MrFluffy]

that's a reno Master also the turbo ones was fitted with the iveco engine not many left now last one i bought part camper ironically came from Newport

T35D as it goes, I had loads of them, great load height, good workhorses, dog slow on the autoroute up a big hill carrying a full load and the rot monster has eaten most of them now. You can buy the traffic which is smaller, with the same drivetrain and engine options, but most of them have a different lump in.

bb, to your original thoughts around a people carrier, I wouldnt go the galaxy route. They have driveshaft problems and weird steering issues. And I say this as a owner of a 2006 with the 130cv td donk with 175k on it we've had from new. Its waiting a uprated non oem middle driveshaft (different improved design, the original has a design flaw in it) and recently its had new suspension arms, driveshafts, ball joints etc etc etc, each component replaced by various dealerships until each one washed their hands of the problem (I refused to work on it until the last garage fubar'd the rack and wanted 2k to fix, so you can add new rack and pump to the list now). Once the mystery wobble is sorted which I am certain is related to the inner driveshaft being fubar again then its getting flogged as wife has bought a new clio diesel. Its been reliable, but I don't like cars with mystery weaves for my wife to drive the kids round in.