Best vans and pics ?

[steve garwood]

Then you two have my sympathy having dull, old grey hair. Mine is still a stunning, beautiful ginger.

If you pm me your addresses, next time I have it cut I’ll send you the cuttings ??‍?

 

[Part Timer]

Then you two have my sympathy having dull, old grey hair. Mine is still a stunning, beautiful ginger.

If you pm me your addresses, next time I have it cut I’ll send you the cuttings ??‍?

Mine's a silver colour not grey, can you afford a few cuttings ?

 

[steve garwood]

Mine's a silver colour not grey, can you afford a few cuttings ?

Yes, look how long it is at the back now ?

 

[Part Timer]

Yes, look how long it is at the back now ?

View attachment 20644

You'll be popular turning up at the Den looking like that

 

[Tango]

You missed Volvo, my V50 estate has the same engine as my Peugeot partner.

It irks me when I come to tax the van as it costs £260p.a. wheras Volvo is only £20p.a.??

They had an alliance with Renault in the 90s too - consequently a few old (and rare) renaults have volvo lumps in them but also some old volvos with renault lumps. Guess what, the volvos with renault lumps turned out to be just as reliable as the volvo lumps in volvos. 

No van is bad van these days says me who knows nowt about motors ? it's about payload to suit and price you'll only find out if it's been ragged around after you buy it, as for dpf all newer vans have them just buy Catclean and shot it in every 3-6 months I have had my 64 plate combo 2 years now and only had the dpf light come on once last week after not getting around to putting some in when I should of. 

Not exactly true in the 2nd hand market. There's a lot of timebombs floating round out there. I've spent the last 2 months looking at automatic vans. There's vito, trafic, vivaro, primastar, dispatch, boxer... 

Ask a seller when the timing belt or chain was changed and they'll suddenly become very cloak and dagger about it all. Chains are for life you say? No, on some vehicles it's safe to assume that (eg toyota) but on vivaros, trafic, primastar (all built to a renault design) the chain has an interval of 120k. They also stretch - causing timing problems and can snap. On those three vans the "lifetime" of the van is considered to be 100k so in the manufacturers eyes, they're being generous giving you an extra 20k.

Then there's the known gearbox faults, fuel pump faults, wiring looms... again.. all a renault design. But the vans look beautiful, they're big and have 3 seats in the front. As a new windy though it's a massive gamble - they typically go for £2200 up to £3500 and then you've got all the ignored maintenance to get done or ignore at your peril.

Cars are easier.. but i've just bought a melon.. Honda -had a honda civic before and it was super reliable for an ugly old dog. Unfortunately this one hunts at idle, sometimes stalls when moving into R or D and almost screams when doing a tight turn at low speed (rear diff apparently known for this - needs a fluid flush). On top of that they're known to have a tappet problem that can cause permanent head damage..

Still.. at least i got the sunroof working.

It's very difficult to recommend a vehicle, as what works out well for one might not work out for someone else. Anyone can be caught with a dud, and there's big money involved. .

A good example following.. but let me tell you the story of it all.

I looked at this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trafic-Sport-LWB-auto-automatic-looks-and-drives-great-transit-boxer-vivaro-/313076446274?nma=true&si=dyLnX2BJ9g81xlfTL6BYdYsS6Mk%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Good honest description from a nice polite honest seller. Decided not to go for it though as the timing belt / chain was uncertain, the stereo was proper faded / neglected and it is covered in vinyl which exposes part of the original paint work to the sun. Therefore when removing it, some paint will be badly faded and the paint that was covered will be darker. It would be a pain to get that looking good. In the end it went for £3.5k - for his "nice van we have"

So i looked at this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-vavaro-/224008491251?nma=true&si=dyLnX2BJ9g81xlfTL6BYdYsS6Mk%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Again, nice honest description.. nice van, split charge already installed.. Asked the seller about the timing chain, he said the previous owner told him it was done at 80k but there's no proof of it. It has 139k on the clock. Very few people get their timing changed THAT early - and on vans it seems common to completely overlook it. 80k however is a typical interval for a timing belt - so i figured the seller was trying it on (he did also admit he knew nothing about engines). The van also has a dead mileage display and a chip in the windscreen (he sent me a walkaround video via whatsapp a couple of days before it sold). Didn't bother. It went for £2250 - bargain price you might think - if the poissibility of the engine being destroyed doesn't bother you.

Alsoboth vans were half way up the country which was a big problem for me so the timing thing was the nail as it would have involved a long train journey and the tube - full of crammed commuters sharing the plague.

Couple of days later..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313085675919?ul_noapp=true

It's the same van! Now it's being sold by the guy selling the first van i linked to. Yes, you got it, Mr Honest from the first one has gone and bought the other one (despite his neighbours and his bungalow - as well as selling other vehicles on ebay) and has doubled the price. He initially had it up for £4995 and has now dropped it a tiny bit. But it gets better, because he uses exactly the same description for it as the first van with all the vinyl. He's clearing it out to keep his neighbours sweet at his bungalow and it's a "nice van we have".

I sent him a question and asked him if the van has any faults or it's ready to go. He replies saying it's good to go, no faults. No mention of the mileage display being shot and the chip is still on the windscreen - i can see it in his photos. I sent him another question asking about the timing chain, he replies saying yes it's been done at around 98k and he's GOT A RECEIPT FOR IT SOMEWHERE! He's had it less than 3 days!

It's a dud waiting to happen but he thinks it's fine to risk someones money and worth double what he got it for from another seller who was also risking someones money.

Also keep in mind these wagons are known for seized injectors (which can crack the engine head upon hydraulic removal), robotic clutch failure, fuel pump failure, fragile wiring looms.. anyone buying these vans needs very deep pockets because those faults are going to happen - if the timing doesn't destroy the engine first.

I did find one eventually in the next county.. again i asked about the timing before going to see it (2 hr drive), the seller wouldn't directly tell me if it had been done but offered to do the belt for an extra £100 (and there's no guarantee it would actually be done unless i sat there and watched). The next day "he's not replied to my message and didn't turn up for work - will try again". That was the last reply i got from him about it.

It's a minefield. I was able to set aside a bit of money for one major repair but now i've decided against the ren-oh range of vans and pretty much vans in general. I'll nab a vito or hiace if a good automatic comes up..

 

[Davy G]

They had an alliance with Renault in the 90s too - consequently a few old (and rare) renaults have volvo lumps in them but also some old volvos with renault lumps. Guess what, the volvos with renault lumps turned out to be just as reliable as the volvo lumps in volvos. 

Not exactly true in the 2nd hand market. There's a lot of timebombs floating round out there. I've spent the last 2 months looking at automatic vans. There's vito, trafic, vivaro, primastar, dispatch, boxer... 

Ask a seller when the timing belt or chain was changed and they'll suddenly become very cloak and dagger about it all. Chains are for life you say? No, on some vehicles it's safe to assume that (eg toyota) but on vivaros, trafic, primastar (all built to a renault design) the chain has an interval of 120k. They also stretch - causing timing problems and can snap. On those three vans the "lifetime" of the van is considered to be 100k so in the manufacturers eyes, they're being generous giving you an extra 20k.

Then there's the known gearbox faults, fuel pump faults, wiring looms... again.. all a renault design. But the vans look beautiful, they're big and have 3 seats in the front. As a new windy though it's a massive gamble - they typically go for £2200 up to £3500 and then you've got all the ignored maintenance to get done or ignore at your peril.

Cars are easier.. but i've just bought a melon.. Honda -had a honda civic before and it was super reliable for an ugly old dog. Unfortunately this one hunts at idle, sometimes stalls when moving into R or D and almost screams when doing a tight turn at low speed (rear diff apparently known for this - needs a fluid flush). On top of that they're known to have a tappet problem that can cause permanent head damage..

Still.. at least i got the sunroof working.

A good example following.. but let me tell you the story of it all.

I looked at this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trafic-Sport-LWB-auto-automatic-looks-and-drives-great-transit-boxer-vivaro-/313076446274?nma=true&si=dyLnX2BJ9g81xlfTL6BYdYsS6Mk%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Good honest description from a nice polite honest seller. Decided not to go for it though as the timing belt / chain was uncertain, the stereo was proper faded / neglected and it is covered in vinyl which exposes part of the original paint work to the sun. Therefore when removing it, some paint will be badly faded and the paint that was covered will be darker. It would be a pain to get that looking good. In the end it went for £3.5k - for his "nice van we have"

So i looked at this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-vavaro-/224008491251?nma=true&si=dyLnX2BJ9g81xlfTL6BYdYsS6Mk%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Again, nice honest description.. nice van, split charge already installed.. Asked the seller about the timing chain, he said the previous owner told him it was done at 80k but there's no proof of it. It has 139k on the clock. Very few people get their timing changed THAT early - and on vans it seems common to completely overlook it. 80k however is a typical interval for a timing belt - so i figured the seller was trying it on (he did also admit he knew nothing about engines). The van also has a dead mileage display and a chip in the windscreen (he sent me a walkaround video via whatsapp a couple of days before it sold). Didn't bother. It went for £2250 - bargain price you might think - if the poissibility of the engine being destroyed doesn't bother you.

Alsoboth vans were half way up the country which was a big problem for me so the timing thing was the nail as it would have involved a long train journey and the tube - full of crammed commuters sharing the plague.

Couple of days later..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313085675919?ul_noapp=true

It's the same van! Now it's being sold by the guy selling the first van i linked to. Yes, you got it, Mr Honest from the first one has gone and bought the other one (despite his neighbours and his bungalow - as well as selling other vehicles on ebay) and has doubled the price. He initially had it up for £4995 and has now dropped it a tiny bit. But it gets better, because he uses exactly the same description for it as the first van with all the vinyl. He's clearing it out to keep his neighbours sweet at his bungalow and it's a "nice van we have".

I sent him a question and asked him if the van has any faults or it's ready to go. He replies saying it's good to go, no faults. No mention of the mileage display being shot and the chip is still on the windscreen - i can see it in his photos. I sent him another question asking about the timing chain, he replies saying yes it's been done at around 98k and he's GOT A RECEIPT FOR IT SOMEWHERE! He's had it less than 3 days!

It's a dud waiting to happen but he thinks it's fine to risk someones money and worth double what he got it for from another seller who was also risking someones money.

Also keep in mind these wagons are known for seized injectors (which can crack the engine head upon hydraulic removal), robotic clutch failure, fuel pump failure, fragile wiring looms.. anyone buying these vans needs very deep pockets because those faults are going to happen - if the timing doesn't destroy the engine first.

I did find one eventually in the next county.. again i asked about the timing before going to see it (2 hr drive), the seller wouldn't directly tell me if it had been done but offered to do the belt for an extra £100 (and there's no guarantee it would actually be done unless i sat there and watched). The next day "he's not replied to my message and didn't turn up for work - will try again". That was the last reply i got from him about it.

It's a minefield. I was able to set aside a bit of money for one major repair but now i've decided against the ren-oh range of vans and pretty much vans in general. I'll nab a vito or hiace if a good automatic comes up..

That's some good advice on things to be aware of Tango, thanks. It is a minefield out there.

 

[Iron Giant]

@Tango I personally wouldn't buy a van off a random guy selling on Ebay I would only buy from a reputable garage with a van that comes with a warranty and I wouldn't go anywhere near a motor with over 100k on the clock, I know far to little about motors to buying a motor off Joe Bloggs and if I at some point was going to I would take my good mate with me who is car mad and knows his stuff.

 

[Robt100]

Cars are easier.. but i've just bought a melon.. Honda -had a honda civic before and it was super reliable for an ugly old dog. Unfortunately this one hunts at idle, sometimes stalls when moving into R or D and almost screams when doing a tight turn at low speed (rear diff apparently known for this - needs a fluid flush). On top of that they're known to have a tappet problem that can cause permanent head damage..

Still.. at least i got the sunroof working.

@Tango Going off topic a bit here, but it's probably the idle control valve (ISCV) thats up the creek. Might be worth starting the engine and unplugging the wire/loom from it to see if it cuts out. ISCVs are pretty cheap, just depends where it needs to fit!

 

[Tango]

@Tango Going off topic a bit here, but it's probably the idle control valve (ISCV) thats up the creek. Might be worth starting the engine and unplugging the wire/loom from it to see if it cuts out. ISCVs are pretty cheap, just depends where it needs to fit!

yeah that was the first thing i thought too but the ICV on this its inside the throttle body which needs to be dismantled in order to clean it all out etc. Really don't want the hassle - already got another car on the drive thats been sorn 10 years which i'm still trying to get running reliably after an engine swap. 

I dislike car tinkering anyway and as my health isn't exactly permitting many days, i really don't look forward to it. Obviously i'm gonna have to crack on with it at some point but i'm not looking forward to it. I've got a garage full of car parts, tools, barrels, etc.. it's literally becoming more and more dangerous by the week trying to walk through it..

 

[Dave B]

@Tango I personally wouldn't buy a van off a random guy selling on Ebay I would only buy from a reputable garage with a van that comes with a warranty and I wouldn't go anywhere near a motor with over 100k on the clock, I know far to little about motors to buying a motor off Joe Bloggs and if I at some point was going to I would take my good mate with me who is car mad and knows his stuff.

I would as I knownmy vans and cars but you still have a risk like the kangoo I bought and all seemed fine but within 3 months the fuel pump started to degrade inside which then shoved all the swarf through the fuel system and knackered my injectors.

Was cheaper to sell it cheap than fix it.

From most garages you only get 3 months warranty so wouldn't have made a difference.

Lesson learnt is avoid french 1.5 diesel engines as apparently a common issue.

 

[Tango]

@Tango I personally wouldn't buy a van off a random guy selling on Ebay I would only buy from a reputable garage with a van that comes with a warranty and I wouldn't go anywhere near a motor with over 100k on the clock,

We've bought pretty much all of our cars from eBay. Bought blind (other than photos) but just done our research. Never really had a problem with any of them reliability wise. The only one that came semi close to being a dud was a ford ka - the missus got there to find her immaculate car had rust under the sills however in the 3-4 years she had it the thing never missed a beat. It only went to scrap because the body was slowly turning to dust and the clutch was failing but by that time it had been everywhere... lol. Engine was solid with a chain which ford being ford, you could genuinely trust.

I would as I knownmy vans and cars but you still have a risk like the kangoo I bought and all seemed fine but within 3 months the fuel pump started to degrade inside which then shoved all the swarf through the fuel system and knackered my injectors.

Was cheaper to sell it cheap than fix it.

Believe it or not, renault can make very good motors when it suits them but the problem is it doesn't suit them very often. I find it shocking that vauxhall and nissan trusted them to produce vans with their engines and gearboxes. Mind you, that said, Nissan is now owned by renault - and just after that buyout, the nissan 4x4 range started putting pistons through very expensive engine blocks.

 

[Dave B]

yeah that was the first thing i thought too but the ICV on this its inside the throttle body which needs to be dismantled in order to clean it all out etc. Really don't want the hassle - already got another car on the drive thats been sorn 10 years which i'm still trying to get running reliably after an engine swap. 

I dislike car tinkering anyway and as my health isn't exactly permitting many days, i really don't look forward to it. Obviously i'm gonna have to crack on with it at some point but i'm not looking forward to it. I've got a garage full of car parts, tools, barrels, etc.. it's literally becoming more and more dangerous by the week trying to walk through it..

I don't mind a bit of tinkering.

Used to be in the ford rs owners club and had the sump off, head off, new rings new big ends and re honed all the bores etc in 1 hr 45 minutes on my old s2 rs turbo.

Also 45 minutes to change the clutch..(with a compressor and air tools mind)

The problem with cars/vans  nowadays is it takes all day to remove the ancillary components to do a job.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I was side by side the new Merc Sprinter today. Doesn't seem to be any sharp angles on it now, lovely and smooth in clean diamond white. I have now set myself a target for a long wheel base one if the work keeps rolling in. ?

 

[Dave B]

I was side by side the new Merc Sprinter today. Doesn't seem to be any sharp angles on it now, lovely and smooth in clean diamond white. I have now set myself a target for a long wheel base one if the work keeps rolling in. ?

The old sprinters were great.

Had the fuse box under the steering column.

Take out the fuse for indicators and speed limiter disabled.

Do 115 mph up the motorway with a full load and pop it back in when ready to indicate off the motorway. 

Not the same nowadays 

Great turning circle though compared to transits and vivaros etc

 

[Iron Giant]

I would as I knownmy vans and cars but you still have a risk like the kangoo I bought and all seemed fine but within 3 months the fuel pump started to degrade inside which then shoved all the swarf through the fuel system and knackered my injectors.

Was cheaper to sell it cheap than fix it.

From most garages you only get 3 months warranty so wouldn't have made a difference.

Lesson learnt is avoid french 1.5 diesel engines as apparently a common issue.

I got mine from van monster which came with a 6 month warranty also you could extend it which I never did it's had the odd issue but as previous lease van it will have been ragged around a bit but on the whole it's a decent motor. 

A mate of mine buys to his budget which is cheaper motors but as said above he knows his stuff currently he has an 04 mini and he has spent a bit on it as needed but also keeps it looking immaculate looks as good as a 20 plate mini that never gets washed. 

 

[Dave B]

I got mine from van monster which came with a 6 month warranty also you could extend it which I never did it's had the odd issue but as previous lease van it will have been ragged around a bit but on the whole it's a decent motor. 

A mate of mine buys to his budget which is cheaper motors but as said above he knows his stuff currently he has an 04 mini and he has spent a bit on it as needed but also keeps it looking immaculate looks as good as a 20 plate mini that never gets washed. 

Brother in law selling a 280bhp mini gp2 if you're interested. 

 

[Tango]

I don't mind a bit of tinkering.

Used to be in the ford rs owners club and had the sump off, head off, new rings new big ends and re honed all the bores etc in 1 hr 45 minutes on my old s2 rs turbo.

Also 45 minutes to change the clutch..(with a compressor and air tools mind)

The problem with cars/vans  nowadays is it takes all day to remove the ancillary components to do a job.

Yeab i gotta admit some cars these days (even the 10 year olds) do seem to be a pita to get down into when you need to fix stuff. The honda i've bought is the same, i was looking at a few guides online last night and thought to myself "what on earth have i done this to myself for?". When you got to undo half a million rusty and seized bolts you just know it's not worth bothering due to the trouble it'll cause. I have an impact driver but no impact wrench and the breaker bar has been known to sheer things off in the past.

I still don't understand why they can't just come up with an engine that slides forwards out of the bay when you need to work on it. It really would make life so much simpler.

Great turning circle though compared to transits and vivaros etc

I have to wonder how turning circles are such an issue. We had a megane moons ago and the turning circle on it was just awful. Replaced it with a larger and longer model and i could turn it round in all sorts of tight spaces (parallel parking was weirdly a lot easier too).

 

[Iron Giant]

Brother in law selling a 280bhp mini gp2 if you're interested. 

No mate thanks, got far too much going with the allotment and work to enjoy a second motor.

 

[PDixon cvs]

I ran out of space in my lingo so just picked up a Vauxhall Vivaro loads of space 

 

[dazmond]

If your planning on cleaning for a long time get a brand new van and get it sign written.....most second hand van's have been ragged to bits....itll look smart for many years to come,keep it clean and serviced regularly and itll last you 10years+.......

I've had it with old second hand Van's,the downtime,breakdowns,moving tanks/systems every few years,etc....

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I usually buy a year old van from a main dealer. I bought mine the last time Vat went down and got a grand off as I was paying cash for it. At that time the vans weren't shifting and the same could happen again.