I’m after a van and need advice on what van to get.My budget is 4grand max.I’m after one I’m able to sleep in,fit mnimum 2 bikes and reliable.Any help much appreciated
Cheers

My tranny connect LWB high top was half yer budget.

PartnerThere’s one in the For Sale on here looks decent at 4K. LWB Partner.

If it’s cheap and reliable then it’s gotta be a Ford Transit preferably rust free.

Spent about two years delivering furniture in a merc sprinter van all over the uk and it was great to drive and had bags of space.These things go on forever and the one i used had 180,000 miles on it and still launched from the slip road to the fast lane of any motorway you pointed it at like a whippet!
There’s 1000’s of them on the roads which shows you just what a workhorse they are. If it was my £4K i wouldn’t waste my time looking at anything else.

Vivaro/Trafic.

You’ll get a nice one for that money.

Mine’s not been perfect but it’s very easy to live with and nice to drive. SWB will fit most car parks too.

I’ve recently bought a 52 plate transit for exactly this thing, lbw mid roof, so far I’ve insulted it with lamb’s wool and will be boarding it up, making a separate bike garage at the back at Easter weekend, then Carpeting the lot to make It more comfortable. For 4k you can get a much better model then my £800 did but mines still perfect for what I need. Avoid the tdci mk6 if you get a transit though as they cost ££££ when they go wrong. I found anything smaller too small

had a high top lwb tranny for 15 years. used for alps trip, scotland trips and every other mtb trip. kept a proper single matress in the back….perfect.

Anything that isn’t a Volkswagen. You can get a lot for 4k. The same mileage aged van will be twice the price as a vw, due to the vw **** tax. (I have one, it ain’t all that)
Fiat Ducatos are solid but massive
Transit is the obvious option
Vivaro/trafic is s similar size too.
Or something smaller if you just want to kip, not live in it. Fiat scudo? Tranny connect? Get on van-trader, the cousin of autotrader.

I’ve a LWB 08 Scudo(Dispatch and Expert are the same), carries 5 people and bikes (front wheel off but still). Slept in it with 3 of us on a Ikea sofa bed which fits in perfectly. Can be a bit flakey but its been pretty good so far.

Vivaro/Traffic/Primastar are reliable, parts are cheap and don’t really rust. I’ve got an SWB Vivato and it had a hard life before I got it and still going strong. If I was buying again I’d be looking at a MWB Transit, Master or Sprinter as the extra length and height would be helpful as a higher bed would make it easier to fit the bikes in.

Just remember that if you go bigger they cost more to repair. A Vivaro or smaller Transit are cheaper to get fixed.

Tom KP

Don’t forget a hiace. 4k should get you on which will outlast you. They are genuinely tough. Not the prettiest but I wouldn’t be so worried at that budget.

HIACE!!!
More reliable than anything!

A Hiace like this would be super cool for bike touring in, reminds me of a VW camper van

My old Toyota Hi Ace Powervan (T reg) is still going strong. I no longer own it but they go on forever. Pretty much the whole of the African continent drives old Toyotas.

Weird officerfriendly. Currently in the Seychelles, where everything on the road is Asian. Seen one euro car all week. A few of those hiaces about, and commented to (disinterested) OH that I thought UK hiaces were regular layout, rather than forward control. Also commented that a new forward control hiaces would make a great “faux classic vw”.

I used to own a 30 year old Hiace in Australia, was still going strong. Shame we only get the bonneted version over here, seen a couple of imported campers but bit wary of them.

They are the over here. Wonder how much it would cost to import one. Wonder why we don’t get them as a standard option….

My old T Rev Hi Ace had the engine in front. Having attended a few RTCs involving vans without the engine in front and seeing the damage to the driver I like to have an engine block between me and trouble.

Left field option…older shape Galaxy, Sharran, Alhambra ?
Can disgorge all of their rear seats. Front seats swivel 180 deg. Floor full of mounting points for strapping bikes up, & fits an air bed comfortably. Ghia models actually a nice, plush place to be, cruise control, climate control etc. Tailgate gives a great covered bench for cooking on.
Not far off the space of a van with the seats out.
Bit more car like to drive.

the mk1 galaxy is a VW really so suffers from the legendary VW unreliability. the electrics are truly awful.

Or a Peugeot 806 ?with the sliding doors similar to a Galaxy .I would like to know how long they are compared to an old Galaxy which is 6ft 8 in the back ? I want something our tandem will go in with just the front wheel out .

I reckon a swb Transit. Most useful vehicle I have owned until the rust worm got it.

Fits into a car park bay, low enough for most shopping centre carparks, so you can use it like a car.

I currently have a Citroen Dispatch, but only bought that because the driveway in my new house is too narrow for a Transit. It’s ok though.

Don’t overlook the Previa.
Fit 3 mtbs with wheels on or two across in the boot if you want main space for sleeping.
You have the speed and comfort over van.
All the glass makes it a bit cold at night though.

Even get a MX bike in the bike with the handlebars rotated flat

Been using a mid height tranny for biking/car/camping for the last 3 years and it’s been reliable and cheap to run. My son used to drive vans all over Europe and reckoned transits were the best if not the fastest. Mind you, a mate has converted a vivaro and swears by that too.

A newer model Toyota Previa sounds like a fantastic idea, they are very big inside and very cosy and comfortable too! And @Olly, you’re in the Seychelles? You lucky bastard! What are you doing on here then?!

Might be that I’m getting fussy in my old age but I’d want a proper van rather than an MPV if I was gonna sleep in it with two bikes and the associated kit.

Just on my Holibobs. Squeezing one last ditch go big or go home proper holiday in before 16 years of having a Jr to lug around with us.