My poor beloved fiesta has been declared terminal. Looking for something cheapish, economical and practical to replace it.

Has anyone got anything to say about the above two cars apart from that they are fugly, I know this.

Which is the better bet for cheaper driving and fitting bikes and kids into?

Cheers.

The berlingo in your pic is the new shape. Previous shape was same as the pug in the second picture.

I loved my berlingo…for practicality, it was the best car I’ve owned and is happily own another. Get 3 non dh bikes in with 3 people and kit no probs. Kids shouldn’t be an issue either.

New shape is bigger and better equipped. Previous shape model, the pig had more toys like a passenger airbag as standard but was more expensive.

Great vehicles…get one!

If you think they’re fugly don’t get one.
I had a 51 Berlingo multispace it was great, very bike friendly.
I found that people who had a lift in it suddenly realised how useful it was, particularly when they decided to be rude about it not being a knobend audi and ended up walking home :o)

Yeah I do see them as a tad fugly, but sometimes that’s good.
I just found the photos quick, don’t think I’d be getting a newer one.
2001ish sounds about it.
What are they like economically (mpg) and diy servicing etc?

My key questions are how reliable at leggy mileage are they and how comfy on long journeys?

They aren’t fugly IF you don’t wash them. Kinda charming and rugged then.

We drove down to the Pyrenees and back about 5 times in ours. It’s fine, the ride is very comfortable and will sit at a nice speed all day. Ours was the 1.6 petrol, driven quietly we’d get just over 400m from a tank, loud pedal would get 300m. Don’t know about servicing (ours never gave any problems and we were fortunate in having a local independent Citroen garage) but the original shape was based on the ZX/ 306 estate.

I’ve had two, a total of seven years of driving about in them.
Very reliable, only one problem in all that time and quite economical 40-45mpg (2 litre turbo diesel)
Comfortable but driving position doesn’t suit everyone.
Not very fast but not as bad to punt around as you’d think.
Great mountain bike car just as shame they got more expensive to buy new, still cheap second hand though 😉

Mine was a non-turbo’d diesel…is get 600 miles out the tank. Never had any issues at service times.

We’ve got a berlingo 1.9 diesel, no turbo. Getting about 42mpg with careful driving, much less in a rush. Great for bikes, and no problems yet at 60k miles. If it was only a foot longer it would amazing.

If it was only a foot longer it would amazing

It’s the lack of length that put me off buying one. Great car, but just that little bit too small.

If it was only a foot longer it would amazing.

Would it gain that foot if I only ever needed 3 seats?

I think its bang on. Long cars don’t fit into many many spaces easily

anybody thought about the Nissan NV200 Combi?

i agree with hora. i think the length is bang on. Perfect city car. Agree it’s considered fugly by some, but as a mountain bike/snowboarding car it’s hard to beat.

Depending on model, you could remove the seats with ease or get a torq head and remove the seats you don’t need…you will gain the foot but loose the seating.

It is a very good vehicle…I ride a large frame, 19″, and I could get 3 similar sized bikes in…1 needed the front wheel off but that was it…was also with the seats in…with them out it didn’t need the wheel removed.

Seriously it is a brilliantly practical vehicle.

There brill!….mines an 05 Citroen multispace Forte with 110k miles, really practical. Had it a year, only problem being a duff alternator, You WILL get the piss taken out of you by your mates for driving one, but once they’ve been in it or used it they will want one!. Cheap to run, does about 40ish mpg and low ish tax, very low insurance group. Incredibly practical with the seats down, very good for going to the tip as well, cos they are as big as a van but cos they’ve got side windows in they are classed as a car. Buy one! You wo,nt be sorry. One for sale in the next street to me, if anyone wants some details give me a shout.

If it was only a foot longer it would amazing

I say that as I reckon it would make getting more than one bike in a bit easier. It’s not so bad with xc bikes, but if I’m putting bigger bikes in it becomes a bit of a faff, and avoiding faff with bikes was the main reason for getting it. It’s really not that bad though, I’d get another if it died. Permanently removing the double seat would be a big help.

I’ve had a Fiat Doblo for 4 years – even uglier and like the others your looking at the kind of car no one wants and everyone needs.

“It’s the lack of length that put me off buying one. Great car, but just that little bit too small.”

Early Berlingo – It does not take long to remove and replace the seats but as I seldom carry more than one passenger I just leave ’em out. Like this I can get a tandem in (straight, not diagonal) so bikes should not be a problem.

I keep meaning to take a picture when I have two motorcycles in it which is similarly no problem.

The Doblo is about a foot longer internally.

Depending on model, you could remove the seats with ease or get a torq head and remove the seats you don’t need…you will gain the foot but loose the seating.

I have a feeling that counts as a ‘modification’ in the eyes of insurance companies and effectively can voidyour cover. Not totally sure on that but it may be worth checking.

convinced they are a good idea, not convinced I can raise the cash though…

Just bought a 58 plate Doblo 1.3 Multijet TD.

Sooo much space, frugal (nearly 50 mpg, mixed use), surprisingly fun to drive, cheap tax, very solid interior, bigger than the Berlingo and much cheaper.

Great car, wish I’d have got one years ago.

Apart from the height difference I wonder how a Berlingo compares to the Honda Jazz.

(427 v 624)

Jazz is considerably smaller inside. We had a tandem in our blingo, it wouldn’t go in my parent’s jazz.

I don’t own a Tandem!!

“very good for going to the tip as well, cos they are as big as a van but cos they’ve got side windows in they are classed as a car”

bit of a non point really – i have a van partner and have never had any issues with the tip/recycling centre/ferrys/toll roads never tried to charge me more than a car

now when i took my dads signwritten transit to the tip it was another matter.

How many times a year do you go to the tip.

I hired a Berlingo van and had to drop the pressures in the tyres to get the van back out under the barrier at our local tip!!!

live in the country so usually at least twice a month sometimes once a week with the recycling as they do not pick up here.

urm how do people with 4x4s get in your tips ? my land rover is significantly taller than my partner and it also gets in no bother !

Good point. They’ve fitted a massive RSJ across. I couldn’t get a transit in of course and when the Berlingo was fully loaded (saying that the van one looks like it sits higher on its rear springs?) it fitted under easily. Unloaded and it was 😯 😆

I’ve been pondering a Berlingo (amongs others, Focus estate maybe)…is the bootspace completely flat when the rear seats are folded forward, or is there a ‘step-up’?

Looks like there might be a step-up…

boot space is flat – the bottom folds up also and store in the footwell and up the back of the front seats

with seats in place you get a flat floor but you loose about a bit of load area due to the seats folding up

Cheers t_r

::sigh::

I miss my old berlingo 🙁

Well, I miss the load space, the ease of packing, the lack of concern about how dirty it was getting as you could just clean it out with a stiff brush and the ease of finding it in a car park.

I don’t miss the ‘handling’ (ha!) or (in my case) the lack of air con or fuel economy or the comments about needing a wheelchair to use one

berlingo2 by twinklydave, on Flickr

I *think* I miss the delightful interior colour scheme now, too…

Anyone of averageish height been able to sleep in one ok?

FWIW we opted for a Fiat Doblo as it was quite a bit bigger. Had Kangoo’s before and they’re slightly smaller again. Our 04 plate Doblo was a 1.9JTD and went really well. Bought with 12k and sold with almost 90k. Only think that went wrong was wiper mech. Seriously look at Doblo. Avoid 1.3 JTD as sooooo slow.

6ft 3 and i lived in one during the week for a month to save a 140 mile round trip each day …… (between houses)and have slept in it at several events/riding holidays. its one

with good tires upfront mine handled great dave and due to great ground clearance it was good in the snow

mechanics stuck on bargain basement tires(he thought he was doing me a favour as i always put on the cheapest as a student) this time and they are foooking awful on both counts – handles shite and is garbage in snow cant wait to get them off !

whats the deal with the little roof windows? do they open?? i,ve seen some with sunroofs which i like the idea of, but i was wonering if the little roof windows are just for viewing or for opening?

On the handling – the one I rented (van version) felt fine- no issues or scares and I didn’t treat it too well either.

The new berlingo is based on the c4 floorplan so slightly bigger, don’t think a foot but is longer.

Going to look at an 03 1.9 diesel berlingo on Saturday. Looks a good example with pretty low mileage. Reading reviews, most folk say the 1.9 is the one to avoid in the berlingo family. Low power and perhaps not as good mpg as you’d expect etc.

I’m not after a sports car , just something practical and cheap to run but admittedly a little motorway cruising speed would be nice. I’m coming from a 1.25 fiesta so is the 1.9 really such a model to avoid?
Anyone owned the 1.9?

It will do 90 but needs several miles to get there! I got 600 out the tank of my 1.9 non-turbo. It did legal speeds no probs at all but it was quick to get to them.