Been looking around, just online at the moment for a small van, budget £2000 max, £1200-£1500 would be better.
Berlingo (old shape) too small, had one of those before (1.9d slug) until the cambelt killed it.
Berlingo (new shape) better size but they all seem to come with that metal lump of hell which is the 1.6HDI ticking time bomb.
Vauxhall Combo better size but they mostly come in the 1.3 flavour which sounds like a nightmare of an engine with it's elastic timing chain which it seems when, not if, it stretches is a nightmare to replace. 1.7 seems better but much fewer of them and they have the DPFs which will be a problem with the use it will get with me.
The transit connect is the perfect size but it appears some genius at ford thought it would be a good idea to replace a timing chain with an elastic band submerged in oil and buried in the engine known as the wet belt system. From what I can find they only did this on the engines after 2008, can anyone confirm? Before 2008 it seems they all are a chain to the pump then an easy to change belt from the pump to the cam.
Plenty of the older connects around that should hopefully have the lower chain and upper belt but being a ford and older than a week corrosion is worrying me, do they suffer like their big brothers?
Any tips/pointers gratefully received.
I'd rather have sharp pointy things in the eyes than own a diesel time bomb but it isn't an option to avoid so looking for the best of what seem like a bad bunch.
Berlingo (old shape) too small, had one of those before (1.9d slug) until the cambelt killed it.
Berlingo (new shape) better size but they all seem to come with that metal lump of hell which is the 1.6HDI ticking time bomb.
Vauxhall Combo better size but they mostly come in the 1.3 flavour which sounds like a nightmare of an engine with it's elastic timing chain which it seems when, not if, it stretches is a nightmare to replace. 1.7 seems better but much fewer of them and they have the DPFs which will be a problem with the use it will get with me.
The transit connect is the perfect size but it appears some genius at ford thought it would be a good idea to replace a timing chain with an elastic band submerged in oil and buried in the engine known as the wet belt system. From what I can find they only did this on the engines after 2008, can anyone confirm? Before 2008 it seems they all are a chain to the pump then an easy to change belt from the pump to the cam.
Plenty of the older connects around that should hopefully have the lower chain and upper belt but being a ford and older than a week corrosion is worrying me, do they suffer like their big brothers?
Any tips/pointers gratefully received.
I'd rather have sharp pointy things in the eyes than own a diesel time bomb but it isn't an option to avoid so looking for the best of what seem like a bad bunch.