Time for a van, suggestions welcome

Just got works car back from garage, basically been told I'll get 2-6 months out of it tops. So the van hunt begins. I'm not getting full van mount, gonna put a 350l tank in back, transfer pump and refill backpack from tank (round more suited to backpack than van mount). I still to a fair bit of trad work with father in law, so need a roof low enough to access ladders easily. I'm looking at a 2011 fiat doblo, or vauxhall combo, getting it on finance but looking at a 4k budget due to keeping repayments down. Are they any good? Or is there anything better? I know connects are good but can't find any near me that aren't trashed or in my budget.

Best small vans about are 1.9  vw caddy’s .i honestly wouldn’t enetertain any other Small van 

CHWS said:

Best small vans about are 1.9  vw caddy’s .i honestly wouldn’t enetertain any other Small van 

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I've had a look at them, only issue is a 1.9 is gonna hammer me on insurance, highest I can realistically go is a 1.6, the joys of being 29, 2 accidents (one apparently my fault but I dispute that and have done so since day it happened, and one last December which other person admitted fault) so only 1 years no claims (2 years in august), and living in a "high risk area".

I would still run a quote for insurance mate to see. They do a non turbo 1.9 engine aswell if the insurance was to be any cheaper ? I’ve heard it sucks on power though. My advice is stay away from them newer berlingo/partners , horror stories with the one I had 

Best bet would be to go for the lowest mialage you can with plenty of service history. A lot of vans on finance for 4k are going to be tarted up piles of shite. Im sure there are a few good ones about. I started off with a old berlingo 1.9d you can still find these with low miles under £1500. Better than been tied to finance on a 4k van.

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My advice mate dont mess about when it comes to a van, anything else is replaceable but if your vans in the garage constantly youve had it. Even if the insurance hammers you its all tax deductible. From my previous experience i wouldnt have a berlingo. Clutch went after 6 months and know two other people with citreons all clutches burned out. Have a ford transit swb now and it gets the job done. Also heard bad things about the new model renault traffics, turbos & engines blowing


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Just bought be first van last week and got a 64 plate vauxhall combo 1.3 from van monster for under 5k but the roof is high on these models at least for me been 5ft, But i assume you are looking at the older shape. 

I know sweet f.a about motors so chose van monster as they come with a 6 month warranty which covers gearbox, clutch and a whole load more 

Iron Giant said:

Just bought be first van last week and got a 64 plate vauxhall combo 1.3 from van monster for under 5k but the roof is high on these models at least for me been 5ft, But i assume you are looking at the older shape. 

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No newer shape but I'm 6'1 so can easily reach, and my father in law is 6'4

I heard an advert on the radio for Vauxhall vans
4 yrs 0% APR
4 YRS servicing
4 yrs warranty
4 yrs road side recovery .
Sounds interesting!!!!!!
Any thoughts???

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https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201801052485667?advertising-location=at_vans&supplied-price-from=1000&supplied-price-to=4000&advertising-location=at_vans&postcode=sa16rr&sort=mileage&page=1&radius=40

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201711091091074?advertising-location=at_vans&supplied-price-from=1000&supplied-price-to=4000&advertising-location=at_vans&postcode=sa16rr&sort=mileage&page=1&radius=40

Just had quick look and found these, Renault kangoo and a vauxhall combo, what do you guys think? @Dave B is it the same as yours? If so how u finding it?

1.3 combo you need to be carefull as the oilway to the cam chain tensioner can easily block which leads to the pulley seizing and throwing the chain which will trash the engine (fiat 1.3 cdti engines in them)

1.7 is a great engine though

Kangoo is great but side door version is better.. Just be aware of the low payload.. mine is only 625k which only allows me 400l ish of water

Dave B said:

1.3 combo you need to be carefull as the oilway to the cam chain tensioner can easily block which leads to the pulley seizing and throwing the chain which will trash the engine (fiat 1.3 cdti engines in them)

1.7 is a great engine though

Kangoo is great but side door version is better.. Just be aware of the low payload.. mine is only 625k which only allows me 400l ish of water

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Dave weighs 225kg everyone ?

Only messing ?

About 105k plus my son at 105k lol

Dave B said:

1.3 combo you need to be carefull as the oilway to the cam chain tensioner can easily block which leads to the pulley seizing and throwing the chain which will trash the engine

1.7 is fine though

Kangoo is great but side door version is better.. Just be aware of the low payload.. mine is only 625k which only allows me 400l ish of water

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Cheers, looking at 180kg for 2 people, 350l tank & frame, backpack, ladders, & trad gear. One I'm looking at has side door and 800kg payload.

I'm thinking of running tank lengthways, and then having wfp gear by side door, twin Di on other side and trad gear at the back.

Cool.. nice vans

Just check when you look at one that it starts fine from cold

The kangoos get to a certain age when the fuel pump starts to break down inside (part of the block so no way to put an inline filter after the pump). The microscopic bits of swarf (metal particles) that come off it end up clogging the injectors which is the problem i had

I stripped, cleaned and rebuilt my injectors which would have cost 125 quid for recon ones or 250 for new and that is per injector and 350 for new fuel pump so could in effect write off an old kangoo

If the injectors stick it won't start easy from cold as they stick open and allow fuel to bleed back and lack of pressure in cylinders when trying to start

Dave B said:

About 105k plus my son at 105k lol

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Lightweights  :1f609:

Easy way to see is the fuel lines are clear so you would see air bubbles collecting round the fuel filter in front of where the battery is

Part Timer said:

Lightweights  :1f609:

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Me 6'2" and son 6'5" both rugby boys lol

Dave B said:

Cool.. nice vans

Just check when you look at one that it starts fine from cold

The kangoos get to a certain age when the fuel pump starts to break down inside (part of the block so no way to put an inline filter after the pump). The microscopic bits of swarf (metal particles) that come off it end up clogging the injectors which is the problem i had

I stripped, cleaned and rebuilt my injectors which would have cost 125 quid for recon ones or 250 for new and that is per injector and 350 for new fuel pump so could in effect write off an old kangoo

If the injectors stick it won't start easy from cold as they stick open and allow fuel to bleed back and lack of pressure in cylinders when trying to start

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That's why I'd always turn up unannounced to a garage, that way they haven't got a chance to warm it up! Plus ill take a mechanic with me

Dave B said:

Me 6'2" and son 6'5" both rugby boys lol

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Think me and the boy will be closer to 280kgs, both 6'5"

Big sul said:

I heard an advert on the radio for Vauxhall vans
4 yrs 0% APR
4 YRS servicing
4 yrs warranty
4 yrs road side recovery .
Sounds interesting!!!!!!
Any thoughts???

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There's nothing for nothing and very little for 6 pence according to what my dad used to say.

So ask your self - whose paying for the 0% APR finance? The bank isn't doing it for nothing. So whose paying for it? Indirectly you are.

Whose paying for the 4 years free servicing? You are.

Whose paying for the 4 years warranty? You are.

Whose paying for the 4 years road side assistance? You've got it; you are.

Advertising is another form of fishing. They may use different coloured lures but they all have one thing in common; a hook; to catch you and reel you in.

In the motor trade we only had one piece of cake - an amount which we called cash back. Not everyone was drawn in by the offer of cashback, so it that same cashback amount that was transformed into 0% APR or a higher discount. You paid the interest as the cashback was used to pay the interest on the loan. It was the same with all the other lures.

Another good hook was to pay no VAT. It drew in thousands of customers. But is there really an offer where the supplier pays the 20% govt tax?

But the one that was the most successful was the scrappage scheme allegedly introduced by the Govt. People got so involved in qualifying to get rid of their rubbish that they didn't even realise they were part of a marketing con or scam. Take Citroen for example. The scrappage scheme meant that Citroen made more profit on their cars after the scrappage scheme was introduced than they had since the Rip-off Britain campaign in 1999.  And no, the Govt paid nothing toward the public scrapping their old cars, it all came from the motor manufacturers. Who benefited - the motor industry and government coffers. Who lost out, the ordinary people in the street who got lured into buying a new vehicle they didn't actually need or want.

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