I had an older Pug partner (53 iirc) and it was nearly perfect as a bike/work/family mobile but could have done with being a touch longer.

Does anyone KNOW if the newer version (2008+) is any bigger in load length and height or does it just appear bigger as it is more rounded?

Why not have something that drives well and doesn’t shout neutered Husband with kids?

i.e. Another large estate?

Hora – your opinion is not valid as you ARE a neutered husband with kids (and chubby) Whilst i am not 🙂

I want a van really not a car but the berlingo with roofbars/bike rack looks cool

If you know how to drive, the original berlingo was good fun on country roads. Who was the btcc driver who said that if you learnt how to drive a motorbike properly a race car was easy?
We looked into the new shape berlingo a couple of years ago and IIRC it has a longer wheelbase and has a longer loadspace.

Have you looked at the new Renault Kangoo Maxi?? Might be just what you’re looking for.

I take it you’ve given up on the Trafic?

After reading up on vivaro and trafics they look ace but break very often

Had a look at one of the new Berlingo’s, Kangoo and Doblo (we’ve currently got a Renault mobile shed…er…sorry, old shape Kangoo).

The new Berlingo and Kangoo definately look wider and a bit longer inside and, according to the salesman the new Berlingo is bigger, as the van version was designed to be fork-lift loaded with a full pallet (dunno if this is just sales BS tho). For load space, the one that impressed & surprised us was the new Doblo – it’s massive and FWIR has got a completely flat floor (looks like it’d be perfect for an upright internal bike rack).

Who was the btcc driver who said that if you learnt how to drive a motorbike properly a race car was easy?

Jason Plato? I remember seeing him doing a hilarious back to back slalom test of a Berlingo and Kangoo a few years back – er, which is the main reason I went for the Kangoo!

We have a new Style berlingo. Comfier ride than the older one, and handles slightly better. Has numb brakes, and numb steering, but, most people don’t buy them for country road hot hatch chasing.

As for load carrying, brill. Size wise, fraction roomier in the back. Three fat adults fit width ways.

I’d stay clear of a doblo. Ours was plagued with niggly faults. The new one has a lot in common with the model it replaces and is made in the same factory.
The new Kangoo failed the elk test.[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAuwd4vrT9E[/video]

Cheers for posting that angryratio. TBH, we were thinking of going for the new Berlingo or Doblo, mainly because the interior of the new Kangoo is almost as Airfix as our current one!. Very good to see the difference in handling on the new models – the new Kang looks worse than the old Berlingo!

Hmm..Doblo doesn’t sound promising either 😕

Toyota hi ace and convert- 750 for rear seats and belts, 400 for side windows added.

Why would you want a van-based car though? Sadists I tell thee.

Think about it, the vast majority of the time it will only be carrying you and a bike.

i know i know – HORA is right

For me; mon-fri I use one seat in my car for 20 journeys. Passenger seat for an additional 4 journeys during the week.

Weekend; 3 seats for 4 journeys
Weekend; 1 seat/bike in boot for 4 journeys

12 times(once a month?) A year 4 seats for family journeys away.

For me at least a bloody mx5 would be utilised better with a hirecar for once amonth trips!

Why buy a car for “what ifs” instead of the smoothest/capable/quietist allround cruising?

Mondeo…..in a new flavour 😉

Just bought a new partner, having tested all the usual suspects. Doblo felt cheap(er) inside, really nasty in fact, kangoo less clever, and the combo was too expensive for what it is. Hasnt been delivered yet though, as the french dont seem to like to work… Here in italy these ‘cars’ are very popular. Doblo is most common probably because its local, kangoo a close second. Berlingo and partner much rarer, and i wonder if there is a reason for that…

I’ve got a 59 plate Berlingo and it’s great. Used for biking, camping (you can get 1.2m wide airbed in the back) and house improvement/diy/going to the tip as well as a family car and my work transport.
Done 25k so far no problems (and I’m not kind to cars).
Interior has a few rattles but mechanics seem sound.
I’ve got the 1.6d VTR (90bhp) and it will sit at 80-90 on the motorway and doesn’t feel to sluggish around town.
Economy is not great so far averaging 41 mpg but most of that is sitting at a high speed on the m40/m42. Cheer db

I think the seats come out easily on the New Berlingo\Partner, which gives a bit more useable length. Lower clearance though.

Kia sedona in black?

Or if you were thinking of a new van why not a used S-MAX?

Any more thoughts – steering towards one instead of full on van for reliability reasons really.

racing_ralph – Member
After reading up on vivaro and trafics they look ace but break very often

Yeah – you’d not want to have to call out the AA to help you out.

Vivaros are known to chew up gearboxes and as trafics are the same van this applies. Suspension parts are common issues as are injectors and turbos (mate of mine has spent 2.5k on repairs on his in 65k miles)

Re the rattles, I’ve owned a fair few cars but can’t remember any that rattled interiorwise. The peugeot 107 that I hired last week rattled. It was tedious.

Absolutely no offence (and it does read as a wee troll) but I see van-based cars as the extreme end of the Skoda mentality.

A good element of Skoda buyers will be the type of buyers who buy on value/ability.

Van-based car buyers perceive their purchase as being zero-prestige and capable utilitarian at a cheap/good price.

I drove a Berlingo for a weekend- loved it but as soon as I climbed into a normal car again it was like I’d artificially lowered all my expectations when I was driving the Berlingo.

The ‘normal car’ was quiet, smooth, steered and stopped as you’d expect (the normal car was a Forester so not even close to refined really).

I’m trolling and hope to offend Skoda drivers when I say this Absolutely no offence (and it does read as a wee troll) but I see van-based cars as the extreme end of the Skoda mentality.

There you go hora – fixed it for you.

i’ve had my old style berlingo for 5 years and wouldn’t have any other car now. Perfect for taking me biking, skiiing, weekends away, trips to the dump, shopping etc. (the only thing I use my car for anyway). Shorter than an estate so parking in the city is a cinch.

Don’t buy one if you’re shallow enough to think that your ranking in society is determined by what wheels you drive.

Lobby I now own a 1.6 focus. It has what I need 95% of the time as I really don’t need to visit ikea or the tip more than once a year.

hora – Member

Absolutely no offence (and it does read as a wee troll) but I see van-based cars as the extreme end of the Skoda mentality.

The Berlingo is not van based any more hora – car underpinnings. Van is a car based van NOT the other way around

Horses for courses innit. I don’t need a car to get to work- most of the time I’ve got something in the back eg bike, snowboard, diy stuff, motorbike bits.

Lobby agree 🙂