Which MPV ????

[W.olly]

This is a question to the folk who have had or still use these old MPV`s, a little feed back as what we want is the older end of scale around 2002.

I am thinking to get back into my old small business of a handy man/maintenance, so transport is needed, a cheap start up vehicle for me and T to drive, a van is no good so to start we are looking at the MPV type cars but not new stuff, we are looking to spend around £1K, max £1.2k. We have been looking at the Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Partner, Renault Kangoo.
We do have a 2006 Peugeot 206sw which we will be selling to fund the car and a few bits, bity of a risk as it as good car but needs must, its a great car and fuel is excellent, what are these MPV`s like on fuel, well Diesel i guess will be best.

Any help welcome, or different choice in vehicle even.

 

[SmartWerks]

Ford connect. Used a kangoo, good combination if it's your only vehicle but i wouldn't buy french with my own money. Don't discount estate cars with roof rails and a tow bar would be handy.

 

[norlander]

I have an Opel Combo. 2002. Its been a great workhorse. Its a bit noisy, but keeping it serviced makes it nice to drive. The turning circle is crap.Its leaking water into the drivers footwell now which is a pain. I welded up a bed to go in the back- so it gets used as a camping car for music festivals/gigs etc.
I think the Renault is the market leader as they were first with the concept.
Then there is the VW crappy-no-I did not make a typing error on Caddy-from what I have seen of em, don't go near one.
The features you might need from these type of vehicles are :
interior height
load capacity
sliding doors
My one has been brill-the best thing about the Renault is that you will look like Postman Pat.

 

[Rocketman]

MPV are reasonable choice as people are turning to SUV's in their droves these days. The only down side of using a MPV is it's not very professional looking. Where if you turn up to do a job in a van it looks better. I think the old citreons' and Peugeot's aren't too bad really IMO - the older they are the less electrics

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I'd say Citroen Picasso or VW Sharan/ Ford Galaxy are worth considering as well as Vauxhall Zafira. Personally I'd avoid all Renault models other than Espace !

 

[Johnnypf]

I currently run (wife ugraded to a dispatch, this was hers) a 02 Partner Combi with 136k miles on and still runs great and before that a 51 Berlingo which had 150k. I deliberately went for the 1.9 non turbo engine on both as there is litlle to go wrong with them. The biggest cost to date is the refurb rear axle that i fitted myself last year over a weekend. If I need the full space in the back both rear seats are only held in with two T40/50 bolts so can be removed in less than 5min

 

[W.olly]

Just trying to avoid commercial at the minute, i like the Connect but over our price range for a start. I have been looking and they all seem roughly the same on fuel consumption aswell, doesnt help to narrow down choice though lol.
Is there any where the rear seats lay flush down or easy to be removed if needs be.

People slate french cars like Pug Citroen but we have always had them from a 1998 to 2006 cars and found them great all around but maybe for a little poor build quality but that it. never had a serious problem really, worst being an alternator fail and thrust bearing.

It could be between the Kangoo and berlingo...... both similar in style as its really T`s car

I was thinking on a LWB Shogun as i have had a few but running cost are a lot higher but excellent vehicles and loads of room. Estaes are not much on room really in hight that is.

 

[W.olly]

If I need the full space in the back both rear seats are only held in with two T40/50 bolts so can be removed in less than 5min

How do they fold down Johnny, and can 1 or 2 seats be left inplace on the Berlingo you had.

 

[W.olly]

I'd say Citroen Picasso or VW Sharan/ Ford Galaxy are worth considering as well as Vauxhall Zafira. Personally I'd avoid all Renault models other than Espace !

We looked at them but not keen on them, looks and also a few mates have had them and regretted it, although when a car is this old then its a risk whats going to repairs anyway i guess

 

[oddbob]

I'd go for the Kangoo type ...tint the rear windows (same colour as the body would be good) then it's a van when you want it to be a van!

 

[W.olly]

I'd go for the Kangoo type ...tint the rear windows (same colour as the body would be good) then it's a van when you want it to be a van!

Thats the intentions kida then in a way it is a van, removable sign writing aswell.

Just being checking tax bands, bloody stupid, but still either £130 - £180 a year, and still now its a monthly payment which is good for us.

 

[Johnnypf]

The rear seat is split 70/30 with the single (30) seat on the passenger side. The seats fold down and then forward again, think in that position they are about 9" deep. I can lug my r-tech mig and plasma, consumables etc and all of my other gear no problem (makita cordless gear, routers, transformers etc). My van is a dark blue and I have tinted all the rear windows to keep prying eyes out.

 

[Rocketman]

W.olly I think you would have to get to a 2007 onwards era of a mainstream MPV to start getting the really cheap car tax.

 

[phill d]

well for 1200 quid your going to be buying scrap in the mpv class.
no mpv or van is going to be much good at that price.
you would be better off buying a ford focus 1.8tddi estate. year 2001 around 120,000 miles will cost about 900 for a nice one.
I have one and they are brilliant on juice, 130 a year tax, low insurance as long as its 2002 or older.
don't go for tdci as they are not as reliable and more to insure.
the 1.8tddi don't bring much and engine is bullet proof. plenty fast enough (115mph +)
I have the 1.8tddi zetec estate model had it just over 7 years, nothing at all gone wrong with it in that time, mine is now 170,000 mile don't
drink any oil or water and 60+ mpg on motorway 45+mpg round town.
ive had all sorts from 1 litre cars to 7.3 litre dodge chargers plus vans and lorry's, never had anything this reliable and cheap to run.

citroen balingo is what my mum has had since almost brand new, what a pile of crap they are. always something going wrong,
not good on fuel around town and just 50 on a run if you keep to 60mph.
my daughter had brand new Vauxhall zafira, they are proper pile of s&^t. gutless heavy on juice high cost of parts and just crap.
the transit connect is a very good van but very expensive to buy a good one.
kangoo is crap like berlingo and similar vans. ford is the way to go, focus estate can be cheap to buy, but connect would be ideal.
any of the bigger mpv will be heavier on juice and insurance prices.
look for lpg petrol and youl save a fortune on juice and they are lower insurance too. nobody trust lpg so its cheaper to buy the cars.
lpg is by far a lot safer than petrol, I had range rover on lpg for 11 years, no hastle and works out 40% cheaper than petrol to run.
don't even think about anything from the vw audi bunch as they cost fortunes to upkeep when they get a bit tired.

but its all going to be down to what you can afford, you wont buy a good van for under 3 grand, anything cheaper will be worn out.

just my opinion, but its an honest one.

phill

 

[Rudi McAnichal]

Fiat Doblo? A bit more space inside than Berlingo/Partner/Kangoo. Mixed reports about the older 1.9 diesels, but the 1.3 diesels seem very good.

Doblos with wheelchair conversions (ramp + high-level roof) look quite cheap on AutoTrader, and might be handy if you need to load big equipment.

 

[W.olly]

well for 1200 quid your going to be buying scrap in the mpv class.
no mpv or van is going to be much good at that price.
you would be better off buying a ford focus 1.8tddi estate. year 2001 around 120,000 miles will cost about 900 for a nice one.
I have one and they are brilliant on juice, 130 a year tax, low insurance as long as its 2002 or older.
don't go for tdci as they are not as reliable and more to insure.
the 1.8tddi don't bring much and engine is bullet proof. plenty fast enough (115mph +)
I have the 1.8tddi zetec estate model had it just over 7 years, nothing at all gone wrong with it in that time, mine is now 170,000 mile don't
drink any oil or water and 60+ mpg on motorway 45+mpg round town.
ive had all sorts from 1 litre cars to 7.3 litre dodge chargers plus vans and lorry's, never had anything this reliable and cheap to run.

citroen balingo is what my mum has had since almost brand new, what a pile of crap they are. always something going wrong,
not good on fuel around town and just 50 on a run if you keep to 60mph.
my daughter had brand new Vauxhall zafira, they are proper pile of s&^t. gutless heavy on juice high cost of parts and just crap.
the transit connect is a very good van but very expensive to buy a good one.
kangoo is crap like berlingo and similar vans. ford is the way to go, focus estate can be cheap to buy, but connect would be ideal.
any of the bigger mpv will be heavier on juice and insurance prices.
look for lpg petrol and youl save a fortune on juice and they are lower insurance too. nobody trust lpg so its cheaper to buy the cars.
lpg is by far a lot safer than petrol, I had range rover on lpg for 11 years, no hastle and works out 40% cheaper than petrol to run.
don't even think about anything from the vw audi bunch as they cost fortunes to upkeep when they get a bit tired.

but its all going to be down to what you can afford, you wont buy a good van for under 3 grand, anything cheaper will be worn out.

just my opinion, but its an honest one.

phill

Hi Phil, sounds like you have had some bad experiances with these older cars, or you cant get a good car for under £1200 from these old type of cars. I have been looking over some on the net and some good some bad, seen a few Berlingo and the other types also at my price range and all MOT`d clean and in fair nick,guess its picking the good ones out, it goes for all cars you can bne lucky or not on what you get.
I have had 3 Mitsubishi Shoguns and folk slate them, more the LR lovers, i have never had trouble from them are find they are superb vehicles for he money, and also less than £1500 at 20 years old aswell. yes a different type of vehicle but goes to show you need to know what you are looking at when buying cars and a lot of luck aswell. Just need to dig around a bit,
It will be a nice car from what i usually drive myself aswell lol, you want to see what i have at the minute, i just dont trust it to start every day though lol. It would be a good car for getting attention for advertising though, i am tempted to fit a good old Pug XUD engine in it, run on WVO then at 85pl

Road tax of £180 for a 2.0HDi Berlingo isnt to bad i guess, just a little more than what we are paying now. but ins is the same as got a quoate and MPG running cost a bit less on a Berlingo towards our 1.6HDi Pug. can get 70mpg on a long run and low 50`s around town.

Fiat Doblo? A bit more space inside than Berlingo/Partner/Kangoo. Mixed reports about the older 1.9 diesels, but the 1.3 diesels seem very good.

Doblos with wheelchair conversions (ramp + high-level roof) look quite cheap on AutoTrader, and might be handy if you need to load big equipment.

Not looked to much at them, worth a look into more, T likes the Berlingo at the minute, 1.3 diesel sounds small but interesting, We spotted a nice looking Black one that was wheel chair converted but T wasnt impressed with the ` weird` roof lol.

 

[Dee J]

Ex gas board Kangoo sold on at 150000 miles because of rust issues from a bad repair. Peugeot Partner lasted to 185000 miles before the gearbox started making expensive noises. Just got a Citroen Berlingo with 65000 on the clock for £2.5k. Just don't expect any traction on mud. DAMHIK

 

[W.olly]

You know, dont know what i ma faffing at here, wife can keep her car, i can sell the engine out of my kit car for a good price, they go for enough to buy a complete Pug 306, stick the engine in the kit car and scrap the rest to get a LDV pilot G box and extras i need to do the conversion. Fairly easy and have done it before and took 4 weekends to do in an SJ. Best bit this is tax exempt and £150 ins
Nice weather is here aswel.......lol

Stands out a bit aswell.

 

[oddbob]

That Dutton looks like it would make a nice distinctive 'handy/maintenance man' runaround(?)

 

[W.olly]

That Dutton looks like it would make a nice distinctive 'handy/maintenance man' runaround(?)

I reckon so, it stands out and gets attention so sign written could look good, it will have bigger tyres fitted aswell for the 4x4 look, and i can see it with a full length roof rack, stainless maybe so the same as the bull bar and bumpers lol, just not as big section lol.