Viewing 34 posts - 41 through 74 (of 74 total)
  • Citroen Berlingo- views?
  • MrSalmon
    Free Member

    Hired one on a Spanish climbing trip a couple of years ago- we were a bit annoyed as it wasn't what we'd asked for but by the end of the week we were converted.

    grumm
    Free Member

    What year did the new shape start?

    DickBarton
    Full Member

    Last year (I think around June-ish)…I think the old style is now known as the Berlingo First or something like that…Looking on Autotrader the new style doesn't seem to be older than about 15 months…

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    coffeeking
    Free Member

    Everyone I know finds the fuel consumption to be not as good as they'd hoped as Simon says, my friend had an earlier 2.0 HDI and it wasn't as good on fuel as his previous 1.9td XUD engine.

    Gearing may well be different on the van, but my 2.0 HDi powered 306 estate with under-sized wheels (by 3%) still happily returns 48 around town and 55+ on the motorway if properly serviced. And by properly serviced I mean changing the air filter more regularly than the recommended 2 year cycle (once a year). I physically cant get it below 45, even driving it hard and around towns.

    lobby_dosser
    Free Member

    berlingo= perfect SUV and occasional family car for me.

    khani
    Free Member

    the mrs looked at the berlingo, and then got a fiat doblo, its mahoosive and cheaper, there's loads of these vanny cars out now, just remember french cars are s**t and expensive to fix, EDIT i got a bongo 2wd with split folding rear seats and a high top, with a toaster and a kettle = perfect weekend bike bus :mrgreen:

    coffeeking
    Free Member

    Fiat are, from my experience, aweful to work on and very oddly designed.

    PSA cars seem to be simple, cheap on parts, easy to fix but have the odd electrical problem which gets them tarred with a "tat" brush.

    Daisy_Duke
    Free Member

    lA
    I too am looking at new Berlingo/Kangoo. I take it you're pleased it? What engine/spec is it?

    hora
    Free Member

    I like the front/'face' of the Doblo but the rest looks terrible. Its rear is almost a design square-fail. The Berlingo looks ultilitarian but balanced aesethically overall

    IA
    Full Member

    Doblo is also crap for safety, if that matters to you. (new) Berlingo is one of the safest cars made for child safety, if that matters.

    New shape berlingos will be on 08 plate onward, but they changed the trim levels for 09.

    I have an 09 VTR with the 90hp (middle range) HDI engine, and optional safety pack (stability control, more airbags etc.) Yeah I'm pleased with it, subjectively, performance is better than my old 1.8 (petrol) mondeo. Bit more roll round corners, but it doesn't make me drive any slower or anything. And I'm packed up and ready to leave the carpark 15 mins earlier, which counts. Laden it's LOADS better than the mondeo ever was, probably because it's built to carry 800kgs, so it drives so much better when full of crap.

    DD – well pleased with it, wish I had one years ago. (though the old shape ones aren't anywhere near as nice). Any more questions fire away.

    3 folk and 3 bikes all the wheels stay on, 4 + 4 you need to take the wheels off, then keep the seatposts in the bikes, put them upside down in the boot across the way (so the wide part of the bikes is up by the windows where it's wider) then i rack the wheels up in the space where the single seat's removed.

    aP
    Free Member

    Actually that's probably the aftersales metal plate that helps to stop your spare wheel being stolen (speaking with experience of having 2 stolen over 5 and a half years).

    Militant_biker
    Full Member

    And I'm packed up and ready to leave the carpark 15 mins earlier

    Ah yes, but you are the king of faff! For normal people I reckon the difference would be about 5 😀

    yoda
    Free Member

    I've had kangoos at work for the last 12 years and this year we switched to a Berlingo.
    The kangoo was bigger than its previous models without adding any extra space.The cost was high for a basic spec too.We got a much higher spec Berlingo for the same money.
    I love the new 1.6 HDI Berlingo.It's bigger than any Kangoo,much faster,(apparently it'll hit 110 going up M62 towards J24! :oops:) it has 2 1/2 seats in the front,lockable storage under middle seat which also folds into a table,slide out tray under drivers seat,fold flat passenger seat,storage pocket in rear door,power socket in back,rechargeable torch in back,free sat nav with hands free van phone,overhead shelf,leccy windows,heated electric mirrors,mp3 player,air con….and the best bit……a hook to hang your takeaway on!! 8)

    I can get 5 bikes in without taking wheels off.I've slept in it on a camp bed.If I dont drive like Clarkson it'll do over 50mpg.It has loads of torque too, get it under 1000 revs and it starts to stall and then it pulls itself out and accelerates pretty rapidly!It's fairly quiet too.
    It doesn't look like it once belonged to Postman Pat either.
    I actually think it looks quite good,especially in the cab with it's chrome(silver?) gear knob.

    Now the downside,
    it doesn't brake as well as the Kangoos with a full load on.It's fine when lightly loaded though.
    It doesn't handle as well as the Kangoo on twisty roads.
    It's also not built(finished) to the same standard as the kangoo.The Kangoo always felt more solid, you can see the rough edges on the Berlingo.

    The true test is this though,see how many berlingos on new plates you see compared to kangoos this year!The only new kangoo I've seen so far is the demonstrator from the dealership down the road.

    DickBarton
    Full Member

    I'm assuming that true test is a good thing in the Berlingo's favour then Yoda?

    hora
    Free Member

    a hook to hang your takeaway on!!

    Sniff, my Forester has two curry hooks. I only found them last week (when putting the curry in the boot).

    Kangoo. I imagine when asked at a dinner party/pub/anywhere what you drive and you answer 'Kangoo' the lady in question will probably assume you are a history teacher who lives with his Mum above a newsagents in St Albans.

    IA
    Full Member

    Regarding the spare wheel, on the new shape ones you need to get inside the boot to undo a bolt to get the spare out (though the bolt is somewhere you can get at even when it's full). Presumably an improvement to stop folk thieving it.

    As well as the curry hook, above the windscreen you also get a very handy baguette shelf, and a couple of handy scotch-egg silos below the central air vents. And the driver getting a glove box too is ace.

    Which reminds me of a downside – the regular glove box on a RHD is crap, cos the fuse box is in the same place as it would be on a LHD one, so therefore takes up half the glovebox. But it's a minor niggle, it's not like there's not enough other places to stash your crap in berlingo!

    Daisy_Duke
    Free Member

    [/quote]The true test is this though,see how many berlingos on new plates you see compared to kangoos this year!The only new kangoo I've seen so far is the demonstrator from the dealership down the road.

    That's also becasue the new Kangoo has only just come out, whist the new shape Berlingo's been out 12months. Went to see new Kangoo yesterday and it's huge compared to the old model. As big if not bigger than my current Doblo van. The top spec gets folding front passenger seat which would make transporting long items, tandem etc, easy peasy. Waiting for 24hrs test drive before I decide

    OrangeChammy
    Free Member

    I have had 2 berlingo multispace's… an 03 1.6 petrol (forte model – no extras) that we traded in with 36k miles and never a problem for an new 2005 2.0 HDi (desire model – all the toys!).

    We have now ran the 2.0 HDi for over 4 years and never any major probs, it now has 65k miles, been serviced as per manufacturer instructions – only issues: a failed alternator at 40k miles (an expensive £300 even getting a good deal on it), and a manic electrical issue after a major rainstorm, lights flashing an engine wouldn't turn off! – this only happened once at about 60k miles. Also, sliding doors not so good for passengers – a bit hard to open. Paint is rubbish!

    Now the plus points… I second the above comments on fuel, very economical, cheap to service and my local independent garage reckons they are really tough as based on a commercial vehicle and rarely give problems. Low insurance, group 5 and cheap for tyres – I put a set of firestone TZ200's on there at £50 each and have lasted 35k miles and still going. Handling is good, but 1.6 petrol with no modutop (glass roof) was better as it was a fair bit lighter. Loads of space – 5 bikes and 2 passangers, 3 bikes and 3 passangers, you can sleep in it and it takes a full dismantled kitchen, inc. the sink.

    2.0 HDi is only 90 bhp is much better and more powerful than it sounds.

    It also looks and drives better than the Kangoo and Doblo as well as making much more sense than a regular 'people carrier' as it is becomes a proper van when you need it.

    hora
    Free Member

    Had a good hard think. The next car I would have will only be a MX5 or….another Subaru Forester. Its been a pain before but I love it. **** the mpg. 😀

    hora
    Free Member

    Hmmmm still thinking about a Berlingo or Peugeot Partner ('looks' better)- I dont think a Forester will be big enough for a pram/paraphernalia and dog 🙁

    wombat
    Full Member

    My parents have an 03 plate 2.0 HDI Berlingo. I think it's ace.

    Big inside, costs buttons to run (well over 50 mpg) goes much more quickly that other road users expect 😉

    I've borrowed it a few times for biking trips, if I could persuade Mrs Wombat I'd have one like a shot (she wants an Audi/Volvo) the new shape ones look really smart too.

    DickBarton
    Full Member

    Partner is the same as Berlingo but the Lion badge makes it more expensive…a couple of very minor trim differences depending on spec you go for, but save your cash and take the Berlingo…same car, cheaper price…

    bonzodog
    Free Member

    2.0 HDI here. Best car Ive ever had. Soooo practical. When this dies, Ill buy another.

    hora
    Free Member

    Partner is the same as Berlingo but the Lion badge makes it more expensive…a couple of very minor trim differences depending on spec you go for, but save your cash and take the Berlingo…same car, cheaper price…

    True -I've noticed the Partner is very very rare secondhand whereas the Berlingo looks more popular (i.e. loved) etc.

    lobby_dosser
    Free Member

    True -I've noticed the Partner is very very rare secondhand whereas the Berlingo looks more popular (i.e. loved) etc.

    i think peugeot stopped bringing the partner into the UK for a bit because they didn't want to compete with Citreon on price.

    hora
    Free Member

    Be interesting to see how reliable etc the 1.6HDI is compared to the (older?) 2.0HDI. The stats give the smaller engine better everything.

    DickBarton
    Full Member

    I really like the look of the 1.6HDi XTR – XTR mainly due to the individually removable rear seats…but I'm not going to be looking at one until April next year so hopefully there will be more on the second hand market by then.

    hora
    Free Member

    The 1.6HDI is a PSA/Ford engine- as used in the Mini diesel and 1.6TDCI Focus apperently 🙂

    midgebait
    Free Member

    DickB, I've had one of the 1.6HDi XTR's since February and I've not got a word of complaint about it. If I take it easy then I can get 50mpg and with the rear seats removed it's big enough to sleep in. Mrs Midgebait and I (plus dog and bikes) went to the Hebrides for 10 days this July and used it as a mobile tent, which is handy given the 'summer' weather while we were there! Otherwise it's still very usable for commuting.

    IA
    Full Member

    I really like the look of the 1.6HDi XTR – XTR mainly due to the individually removable rear seats

    If you look at 58 models, then they had the individual rear seats as an option. I know this, as I test drove a 90hp petrol VTR one with them.

    TBH, I can't think why I'd want the individual seats. I did consider it when I was buying and thought they'd be good, but now I have it, I think the only benefit would be making them a touch easier to remove.

    DickBarton
    Full Member

    My thinking for the individually removable seats is more for flexibility in packing bikes/kit and bodies in – middle seat removed is perhaps more flexible and easier to stack bikes in with the kit down the sides to allow passengers in the seats (although admittedly it would only be 2 bikes with wheels on in the middle if 4 people needed a lift). If I can find one at the price I can afford then that is what I'll get but I suspect I'm not going to loose sleep over these seats if I can't get them.

    IA
    Full Member

    2 bikes wheels on wouldn't fit down the gap left by one seat I don't think. Not easily anyhow. And if they did, you could just remove the single seat from the 2 +1 setup. No need for the bikes to go down the middle?

    Given you can always have just one seat out the regular one, I don't see the advantage in it being the middle one? Although you can poke a wheel between the front seats, so I'll admit if you need to carry 4 people, and a tandem with the wheels on, it might be the only option 😉

    slowjo
    Free Member

    I have got a 51 plate Berlingo. Love it, nice and reliable (only one or 2 issues – a fan belt and front suspension- otherwise cheap as chips to run. Fits loads of stuff and is big enough for me to be comfortable in. Added bonus for peeps with elderly relatives – they find it very easy to get in and out of.

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