A What Van thread....
Discussion
Hi guys
Not done a What...? thread before, but here goes.
Current van is a Vauxhall combo 1.7D 2003, side load door, had it for about 4 years and has cost more than I would have liked to keep on the road. Size wise I would like to go a size up from the current van.
Budget is £4500 (I am VAT registered so can be + VAT, but would have to find that extra cash)
The van will be used for carrying tiles / bathroom products, also tools.
I am looking at the Primastar/Vivaro/Traffic and the VW caddy at the moment has anyone got experience with these? whats running costs/reliability like?
any advice would be appreciated
Not done a What...? thread before, but here goes.
Current van is a Vauxhall combo 1.7D 2003, side load door, had it for about 4 years and has cost more than I would have liked to keep on the road. Size wise I would like to go a size up from the current van.
Budget is £4500 (I am VAT registered so can be + VAT, but would have to find that extra cash)
The van will be used for carrying tiles / bathroom products, also tools.
I am looking at the Primastar/Vivaro/Traffic and the VW caddy at the moment has anyone got experience with these? whats running costs/reliability like?
any advice would be appreciated
I've had my caddy for about seven years, it's an 04 plate.
Can't fault the reliability, excellent road manners - just like driving a car, very comfy. Servicing has been reasonable, obviously it's a little bit smaller than the others mentioned.
Only downside, mine is the basic SDI model. It's underpowered and I'd really like the turbo version.
Can't fault the reliability, excellent road manners - just like driving a car, very comfy. Servicing has been reasonable, obviously it's a little bit smaller than the others mentioned.
Only downside, mine is the basic SDI model. It's underpowered and I'd really like the turbo version.
Heard bad things reliability wise about the Vivaro/Trafic etc. LWB Transit Connects are fairly large inside, not too great on fuel though, high 30s is the best you will get.
Anything will be bigger than a Combo, I found the cab extremely small and the load space wasn't great either. How about a Fiat Scudo/Citroen Dispatch? Seem to be a good bridge between small and larger vans.
Anything will be bigger than a Combo, I found the cab extremely small and the load space wasn't great either. How about a Fiat Scudo/Citroen Dispatch? Seem to be a good bridge between small and larger vans.
Caddy will be a bit bigger than the Combo but not much. If you're not worried about the fuel economy I'd say go for a Transit Connect, if you are than maybe Citroen Dispatch / Peugeot Expert 2.0HDi. I've had no problems with the Berlingos / Partners I've had but they're not much bigger than the Combo load wise.
Thanks for the replys guys.
Been to look at a couple over the weekend, looked at a caddy (which was actually out of our price range but gave me an idea of what they are like) and a dispatch.
The dispatch was in very good condition, 80K on 55 plate, full history, one owner (Telewest), only fault i could find was the gear box was as loose as an essex girl, also exhaust souded rattley but looked fine?
The caddy was a 50K on 06 plate, ex pharmacy van. Parked next to the combo and measured the load space, caddy is 2" wider 3" longer so no real differenc, but to drive the it was a world of difference to the dispatch, much more car like.
I am swaying towards a caddy as it also has cheaper tax, and should be better on MPG. Want to look at some Vivaro/Primastar/Trafic still but hearing more horror stories about gearbox's on higher mileage examples, but will still look at some just for comparison. Also need to look at a connect.
The search goes on........
Been to look at a couple over the weekend, looked at a caddy (which was actually out of our price range but gave me an idea of what they are like) and a dispatch.
The dispatch was in very good condition, 80K on 55 plate, full history, one owner (Telewest), only fault i could find was the gear box was as loose as an essex girl, also exhaust souded rattley but looked fine?
The caddy was a 50K on 06 plate, ex pharmacy van. Parked next to the combo and measured the load space, caddy is 2" wider 3" longer so no real differenc, but to drive the it was a world of difference to the dispatch, much more car like.
I am swaying towards a caddy as it also has cheaper tax, and should be better on MPG. Want to look at some Vivaro/Primastar/Trafic still but hearing more horror stories about gearbox's on higher mileage examples, but will still look at some just for comparison. Also need to look at a connect.
The search goes on........
Thought Id update this as I have just purchased my new van, picked it up on wednesday. It wasnt a van we had really considerd, but a rep I deal with saw it and thought Id be interested, went for a look and it just felt right, and the price helped 
Here is a quick mobile pick
2007 with 80K, one owner, full history and MOT, one small dent but otherwise very straight.
Hope it lives a long happy life with us and isnt to hard on the old wallet
Here is a quick mobile pick
2007 with 80K, one owner, full history and MOT, one small dent but otherwise very straight.
Hope it lives a long happy life with us and isnt to hard on the old wallet
tacopowell said:
Thread revival...I wonder how you got on with this van?
I'm currently in the market for a van, Connect LWB been preference but market is fast, A citreon/Fiat are options though
It was so long ago you can now see the latest update on it in the "Classics left to Rot/Die" thread. I'm currently in the market for a van, Connect LWB been preference but market is fast, A citreon/Fiat are options though
Well, it was a good van......until it got destroyed by joy riders in an Impreza Christmas 2013 😤
Got replaced by a newer lower mileage version but is the medium wheel base, so about 30 cm longer load space. Been a good van also, only problem so far was the EGR valve gave problems last year but got fixed for £400. Also seems to go through rear light bulbs more than usual???
Also no cup holders is annoying !!
Got replaced by a newer lower mileage version but is the medium wheel base, so about 30 cm longer load space. Been a good van also, only problem so far was the EGR valve gave problems last year but got fixed for £400. Also seems to go through rear light bulbs more than usual???
Also no cup holders is annoying !!
These and all the "Sevel" vans are pretty good on most things, for the money, hard to beat. No rust issues like some German vans. IMO the best is the Fiat versions, and the later the better. The fiat motors are the Iveco motors and generally best of the bunch, good on juice too. Some earlier ones had a few niggles, but most are ok and few probs got sorted in later 2011 on models.
Others will have opinions on quality, but for the money, they are a bargain, just about the widest out there too, and drive very well indeed. I'd rate a Ducato and a far nicer place to be and nicer ownership prospect than a similarly priced Transporter, Sprinter etc.
Others will have opinions on quality, but for the money, they are a bargain, just about the widest out there too, and drive very well indeed. I'd rate a Ducato and a far nicer place to be and nicer ownership prospect than a similarly priced Transporter, Sprinter etc.
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