Right I need to get a van. I looked at a few duds this week, a ldv pilot and a transit connect. They were just to small. I have shortened my list to a transit swb, a toyota hiace lwb, and fiat ducato swb but the new ones not the square ones. I have five thousand avaialble and just want to get a reliable low maintenance van or one with low costs if it needs repairing. These all will tak e eight foot boards in. I think you can get away with smaller but I dont have space at home as in a garage so will need to leave most things in the van. The fiat is something I wasn't thinking about but they get good reviews and are galvanised so don't rust. Have any of you got any of these vans and could advise about pros and cons. Thanks
what van
- Thread starter brandon
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irish_spread
Private Member
Caravan
mikeadams1985
Private Member
Renault vauxhaull Nissan - same vans different badge
Fiat citroen and Peugeot - same vans different badge.
Renault Master I have at the moment. Fantastic
had a bit of trouble with it. But for 180k on the clock it's engine still pulls like a freight train. Plenty of room inside and can stand up in it win win
Fiat citroen and Peugeot - same vans different badge.
Renault Master I have at the moment. Fantastic
had a bit of trouble with it. But for 180k on the clock it's engine still pulls like a freight train. Plenty of room inside and can stand up in it win win
Jurek
Private Member
they all cost money to maintain. out of your list i have had an ex rac transit. lovely van, but the injector pump went - £1000 :RpS_cursing: i'm still not over it. and i have a lwb hiace. so far nothing at all. will run forever i believe. not had a fiat. but a chimney sweep i know has a doblo and swears by them. no problems at all. cheap van as well. not sure about the ducato. wetroom firm i know use them and never seem to be off the road. why not a vivaro?
I would stay away from the transits they rust far to easy and to many stories of them failing the doe on rust and guys having to spend huge amounts trying to weld the sills on them..great work horse tho,,every van has it's problems but I would tend to go with a toyota or a vw transporter,they tend to keep there value too.
D
Deleted member 23452
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IMNSHO there are only two ways to approach van ownership.
1) Bangernomics. Buy the cheapest van you can, and spend as little on it as possible. Run it into the ground and then throw it away and repeat.
2) Buy a new or nearly new van, preferably with a warranty and use it until it starts to cost money then sell it and repeat.
There is no guaranteed way to own and run a van cheaply, nor is there any particular model that will guarantee cheap ownership. That said, some are better than others on average. Some rust, some have mechanical weaknesses, and the ones that "run for ever" sometimes don't.
So, on your budget I would be looking to spend £3,000:00 tops on a decent Transit. Keep the other two grand as a just in case. Go for one that's been well looked after with service history and you've given yourself the best chance possible.
The best 'bangernomics' van I had was an Iveco daily SWB low roof. That was 14 years old before tin worm made it uneconomical to repair. Second would be a Transit.
I now have a brand new Vivaro after taking the plunge and agonising over laying out that sort of money. I looked at VW and Transit and there was nothing with either that justified the extra money that they cost above the Vivaro.
1) Bangernomics. Buy the cheapest van you can, and spend as little on it as possible. Run it into the ground and then throw it away and repeat.
2) Buy a new or nearly new van, preferably with a warranty and use it until it starts to cost money then sell it and repeat.
There is no guaranteed way to own and run a van cheaply, nor is there any particular model that will guarantee cheap ownership. That said, some are better than others on average. Some rust, some have mechanical weaknesses, and the ones that "run for ever" sometimes don't.
So, on your budget I would be looking to spend £3,000:00 tops on a decent Transit. Keep the other two grand as a just in case. Go for one that's been well looked after with service history and you've given yourself the best chance possible.
The best 'bangernomics' van I had was an Iveco daily SWB low roof. That was 14 years old before tin worm made it uneconomical to repair. Second would be a Transit.
I now have a brand new Vivaro after taking the plunge and agonising over laying out that sort of money. I looked at VW and Transit and there was nothing with either that justified the extra money that they cost above the Vivaro.
jamesthefirst
Private Member
As Jurek said toyota hiace is a great work horse. Had mine ten years.you can get your 8 foot boards in and coving will go in diagonally.
superspread
Well-Known Member
The vitos pre 2003 were not the new ones,I hope not anyway:RpS_scared:
Thanks for all the advice from everybody. I looked at a few over the past few days and I have gone and bought a Fiat Ducato 2008SWB. No bumps or scratches at all. It really looks the business. I went to see a Toyota Hiace but I felt they were to small and it was in insurance group 13 so that would have bumped up the costs a bit. I also saw two transits but they just felt like they had had a hard life. Now I need to get it signwritten. Thanks
chrisjack231
Private Member
You could have always gone for the best option i ever saw on here being a push bike with a trailer attached :-0
plastererpeter
Active Member
My vito sport has no rust old shape was ones for rust
mikeadams1985
Private Member
Been seriously considering a citroen relay. Would need mwb possibly lwb and a high top.
But there so cheap Compared to the rest.
Would never get a tranny and can't afford merc or vw.
Anyone got a relay?
I need a 3m payload with a bulkhead in
But there so cheap Compared to the rest.
Would never get a tranny and can't afford merc or vw.
Anyone got a relay?
I need a 3m payload with a bulkhead in
Hoddo
Active Member
You will hear the horror stories with every make/type of pvan you get
ive had a vivaro since 2008 from new and it's been no problem at all untill this past month it's gone through 2 starter motors and today I've had to order a new ignition barrel ffs! But over all it's been good, it must be my time now!
ive had a vivaro since 2008 from new and it's been no problem at all untill this past month it's gone through 2 starter motors and today I've had to order a new ignition barrel ffs! But over all it's been good, it must be my time now!
Key get stuck in ???? It's did on mine
Hoddo
Active Member
It was but always been able to release it, the ignition barrel was really hard to turn and sticking on the third click and making the steering lock want to stick on. Dangerous really. Vauxhall today told me its a common fault on them, then took £200 off me for it. Cheers haha
Jurek
Private Member
you should of got this baby, brandon. fourteen years old, now, but if you treat her like a lady, give her a little love and affection, two and ten on the wheel, she'd be good for a few years yet. its even got the raised floor so you can put your beads and rules underneath:
2000 Toyota Hiace Powervan Hearse | eBay
the fiat should be alright. they have ford engine and are galvanised. i think ...
2000 Toyota Hiace Powervan Hearse | eBay
the fiat should be alright. they have ford engine and are galvanised. i think ...
irish_spread
Private Member
Had old style ducato ears ago, bought it a year old and had it for 10 yrs, ran like a train and no rust. Bought a 2008 xlwb hi top relay bout 4 yrs ago, lovely van to drive, 6 gears, fast as feck but has driven me mad for past 3 yrs with electrical probs. 3 starter motors, 3 batteries, loads of feckin around with earth leads, still havnt got to what is causing the problem :RpS_cursing:
Thank you for the advise and replys. I haven't been on here becuase I have had a nightmare with the van i bouught. I should have got a Toyota like you said because already this van has cost me over a thousand. Two days after getting it it cut out about a mile from my house. The aa came after I had to phone them by the road and join and said it was probably the fuel injection and or the injectors and towed me to a garage. They have said it looks like it might be the pump but they cannot be sure and have said they can replace it for £1200 or I could arrange to take it to a specialist. I am gutted. I have no work at moment anyway and now a huge bill that might be evn more if it is not the pump. I contacted the seller on ebay to get a refund but he just said it was nothing to do with him just bad luck and put the phone down. I hate vans and cars when they go wrong. I don't know what to do now.
smoother09
Well-Known Member
sorry to hear that bud its a minefield buying motors you can get lucky and have one years or you can have sommat that ends up costing u a fortune
(
Fatarm
Trainee mod
mmm? What did you get and how much did you pay??
kebab king
Private Member
Feel for ya Mate, **** happens some times, just think, it could be worse, you could be a Ginger.
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