Passenger Vans like Transporters

[P675]

Hi, I don't really want a van as a daily but I can't have a car and van. I want to be able to take my motorbike to Scotland and Europe without riding the thing on the motorway for hours and days. The obvious goto is the Transporter but my reservations are that everyone has one, and I can't believe how expensive they are, £20k is the limit. I'm wondering if there's anything else that's a good option?

Must:
Have at least 5 seats (doesnt need to be at same time as bike), more seats is a bonus
Be reasonably easy to remove seats to fit the bike in
Automatic
Cruise control
A/C
No longer than 5m

Would be nice:
Adaptive cruise (notice some VWs have it but only newer ones)
Not hard work to drive and park in cramped car parks

The Merc V Class looks like a comfy drive but not convinced the rear is high enough to get a bike in easily. Thanks for any suggestions!

[Davie]

Not everybody has a Transporter, that's fast becoming another of those analogies that had appeared over the years. However you can buy some verb well spec'd mid sized vans from a variety of manufacturers... but if you want to do five seats plus potential to carry a motorbike, you'll need one without a bulkhead and with sufficient height. You're probably looking at a Tourneo / Shuttle sort of thing. Residuals are strong on VW stuff so cost to buy may be high but you may lose less over say a year, three or whatever.

Why not keep your car and buy a bike trailer... or hire a Transit from Enterprise as and when required. That'd be cheaper. My old man did the latter when he was taking his classic places... worked out he was only really moving it a few times over summer. £150 a hire even ten times a year is cheaper than buying and with no associated costs on top.

Edited by Davie on Saturday 1st June 13:58

[Baldchap]

A Vivaro/Trafic/LoadsOfOthers is available with two rows of seats and in an auto. To get a bike in you would need to remove the seats and bulkhead, both of which are very easy to do - my neighbour has done precisely this.

Alternatively there is a LWB version, though I'm not sure how long they are.

Cruise is standard on the MK2, as is A/C, parking sensors and nav etc., though it isn't the last word in infotainment, to be fair. Very car like to drive and they are actually pretty reasonable performance after a remap - Celtic Tuning mapped mine to 145bhp for £250 and it has sailed through an emissions test since.

The other bonus with the Trafic/Vivaro is you aren't paying Dub or Transit tax. They're pretty cheap.

Edit: Only the Stelantis versions are available as an auto, so not a share with the Renault.

Edited by Baldchap on Saturday 1st June 14:17

[ZX10R NIN]

Peugeot Traveller:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405300...

Nissan NV300:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405139...

Vito:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404228...

Hyundai i800:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405039...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405019...

[Smurfsarepeopletoo]

Would a pickup work, crew cab has 5/6 seats, can get the cruise and auto.

[magpie215]

Would any of the larger JDM mpvs such as Elgrands or Alphards br suitable?

[aka_kerrly]

Super Sonic said:

magpie215 said:

Would any of the larger JDM mpvs such as Elgrands or Alphards br suitable?

Op wants easily removable seats.

early to late 2000s Elgrands and Alphards can come with the folding rear seat option combined with the flat floor which create quite a large area. You'd only have to remove the second row seats to create an area large enough for a motorbike

Elgrand


Alphard

[P675]

aka_kerrly said:

early to late 2000s Elgrands and Alphards can come with the folding rear seat option combined with the flat floor which create quite a large area. You'd only have to remove the second row seats to create an area large enough for a motorbike

Elgrand


Alphard

I do like the look of these and the NV200 as they aren't too big, but can carry a fair bit. Isn't insurance on imports a pain though, as in cant just use comparison sites.

[Belle427]

I have use of a 2006 Lwb Transporter and its a hideous thing to drive, its lasted well though and now has 203000 miles on it so i do think they are slightly more robust.
Id probably look at a Transit if i needed another van but do like the look of the Nissans, ive heard of problems with the auto transmission in them though.

[aka_kerrly]

P675 said:

I do like the look of these and the NV200 as they aren't too big, but can carry a fair bit. Isn't insurance on imports a pain though, as in cant just use comparison sites.

Getting insurance on a JDM import is not a giant hurdle nor overly expensive in my experience. The biggest factor is if the car is already in the UK or not. This is because when you insure a car in transport that isn't registered you pay a premium based on a chassis code and then update the policy once the UK number plate is issued. As a result the first year insurance was around 50% more than the 2nd year. On another import that was already registered in the UK when purchased the insurance was no more expensive than it's UK equivalent ( I own a USA an UK version of the same car)

Over the years I've used Adrian Flux, Chris Knott and Howdens as insurance brokers to deal with a selection of import cars. You won't find any of those on comparison sites.

[Silvanus]

Why not just get a decent trailer?

[P675]

Silvanus said:

Why not just get a decent trailer?

I've moved bikes around on trailers and had a trailer tent for a bit. It's quite stressful watching the bike wobble in the back window, wouldn't want to do a long journey. Maneuvering with a trailer gets annoying. Don't have space for a proper box trailer.

[Super Sonic]

aka_kerrly said:

early to late 2000s Elgrands and Alphards can come with the folding rear seat option combined with the flat floor which create quite a large area. You'd only have to remove the second row seats to create an area large enough for a motorbike
(Pictures)

Excellent pictures, didn't know the seats folded, we libe and learn

[AlwynMike]

Staying with the Vee Dub Club...
How about a Caddy Life...and with a wheelchair conversion.
2 litre diesel. Auto. AC. Some toys.
Drives like a car. Taxed like a car. Quiet. Cheaper (slightly) insurance as the disabled are seen as a lesser risk. 3 seats in the back lift out 2 + 1 although the double seat is 40 odd kilos! You can also, if you search, get the rear double seat slotting straight in for a full 7 seater.
The ramp is ideal for a bike and the dropped floor means enough headroom for most bikes. Choose your conversion as some ramps stow vertical, others like mine can also be stowed flat so you get a normal size van floor.
You can leave the single seat in the back so driver plus 2, bike, dog and all the gear.
Had stuff like Bonneville and GS1000 in mine as well as my normal KTM enduro.
It's a Touran floorpan, rather than a Golf so very space efficient.
1.6 is dog slow on acceleration, but will happily cruise all day at 80.
£20k will get you well into a Mk4 with a reasonable mileage.

[macron]

Several topics on these of late

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[MC Bodge]

aka_kerrly said:

Super Sonic said:

magpie215 said:

Would any of the larger JDM mpvs such as Elgrands or Alphards br suitable?

Op wants easily removable seats.

early to late 2000s Elgrands and Alphards can come with the folding rear seat option combined with the flat floor which create quite a large area. You'd only have to remove the second row seats to create an area large enough for a motorbike

Elgrand


Alphard

I like the look of these, but the petrol consumption is off-putting.

[P675]

AlwynMike said:

Staying with the Vee Dub Club...
How about a Caddy Life...and with a wheelchair conversion.
2 litre diesel. Auto. AC. Some toys.
Drives like a car. Taxed like a car. Quiet. Cheaper (slightly) insurance as the disabled are seen as a lesser risk. 3 seats in the back lift out 2 + 1 although the double seat is 40 odd kilos! You can also, if you search, get the rear double seat slotting straight in for a full 7 seater.
The ramp is ideal for a bike and the dropped floor means enough headroom for most bikes. Choose your conversion as some ramps stow vertical, others like mine can also be stowed flat so you get a normal size van floor.
You can leave the single seat in the back so driver plus 2, bike, dog and all the gear.
Had stuff like Bonneville and GS1000 in mine as well as my normal KTM enduro.
It's a Touran floorpan, rather than a Golf so very space efficient.
1.6 is dog slow on acceleration, but will happily cruise all day at 80.
£20k will get you well into a Mk4 with a reasonable mileage.

Yeah I've seen some of these, the wheelchair section either goes all the way to the front row but then you lose a second row seat, or only goes to the back of the second row which isn't nearly space. With those maybe when you take the second row out, if you just have a little ramp to get the front wheel out of the wheelchair trench.. might work but awkward with a low roof. I do like how the seats come out very easily and toolessly with these though.

[MC Bodge]

I would prefer a combi van that has car speed limits.

[s p a c e m a n]

http://www.davecooper.co.uk/bike-racks/motorcycle-...


Just buy a bike rack? Yeah I know that's a little one but someone must make full size ones.

Goolefu....

http://www.easylifter.co.uk/Hydraulic-Scooter-&amp...

Edited by s p a c e m a n on Sunday 2nd June 00:41

[RSTurboPaul]

The Peugeot Traveller mentioned earlier is massive inside - seats are entirely removable as required and it does not feel like a van as a passenger.