Your thoughts and experiences with them please.

Looking at a 5 or 6 seat van with bike storage in the back – looked at some Trafic/Vivaro’s and they are not great price/condition it seems compared to the rather splendid Hiace I saw this week (2.5 D4D).

Having also got a Toyota Yaris that seems bulletproof, a Hiace seems a good bet – but prefer the new D4D 2.5, which would mean a conversion rather than the Granvia that would be 3.0d from a Landcruiser with mpg to match?

Was talking to my mate who’s parts manager at our local dealership a few months back , he says the new toyota van is awsome and nothing like driving a van. I’m guessing it puts it on a par with a T5 Transporter .

At the risk of upsetting the Dub fans, I would say the Hi-Ace is head and shoulders above VW. Where they do lose out big time to VW is the limited range and the lack of after market conversion bits.
I have an older model 2.5 D4D bought 2nd hand as a mobility wheelchair conversion so came with side windows and 2 rear seats. Touch wood, it has been scarily reliable, inexpensive to keep on the road and I have lost count of the offers I’ve received to sell it!

Used to have a 51-plate LWB D4D.
Bought it because it was far better than all the equivalent T4’s at the time and half the price. Seats are also a lot comfier than any German van. Awesome heater, can keep you warm with the windows down in winter. RWD fun if you want it.
Only went through consumables such as brakes, tyres, oil, filters etc.

Didn’t convert mine as
a)Didn’t particularly need any more seats.
b)We could sleep in the back with bikes and all our kit, or just put the tent in whole when moving sites.
c)Was the van that got used for roadtrips/Alps.

Got rid of it because of fuel costs, couldn’t afford to run anything this big, especially when it can easily keep the pace on the motorway.
30mpg thrashing, low 40+mpg when on economy drive. Keep some stuff in the back when snowy for the weight over the axle.

I’ve had an N reg Granvia for 4 years, don’t use it everyday, do about 3000mls a year in it, mostly abroad with a bike rack and trailer. Its been really good, replaced the starter motor bushes and a bulb holder,some water got in the lens, it is a bit juicy, 25 ish mpg, mines a 4×4, 2wd should be a bit better on juice, watch out for the insurance lots of places don’t want to know.

The lack of mpg is why I am looking at a newer 2.5 Hiace and convert it to back seats and ‘boot’.

http://vans.autotrader.co.uk/used-vans/toyota/hiace/2007-toyota-hiace-280-van-2-5-d-4d-95hp-diesel-flint-mountain-vfpa-8a70757236c75c020136cf0127816c9a/makemodel/make/toyota/model/hiace/price/2000/6999

Clever re-use of bulkhead here, shame it is only the 95bhp.

What paperwork is involved in making sure those seats are properly/safely fitted?
Can you re-register a van as a car to allow higher speed limits, if so, how much?

My insurance company didn’t ask to see any. However, I have retained the receipts from the coachworks.

Can you re-register a van as a car to allow higher speed limits, if so, how much?

No.

IMHO, a SWB HiAce with seats set that far back is going to have very restricted load length. Don’t be expecting to fit your bikes in easily.

Agreed, the seats should be further forward.
Our SWB Transit minibus (9seat) at work, minus cage and rear row = bags of room for bikes sideways without front wheels on. I was thinking of fork mounts (wheel on or off) on the side of the wagon, so the bikes sit across the van, over a luggage shelf.
Like this, but bars ‘straight’ and dropouts locked in.

I looked into this circa 700 for two fitted side windows and 750 for 2 double bench/belt fitted

Guy I sit next to at work has just got a Hiace cab van. Rear is decked out in plywood and seems pretty good space wise. He was talking about reselling as non-commercial tax on it is huge (in Ireland by the way). Think he was talking about €6000 odd for it. Low mileage too…if you’re interested let me know and I can send pics and details. Not sure what it would cost to clear it in the uk?

I have the people in mind for the conversion – those chaps above – vanguardconversions in Ft William. Prices are OK, I can do some work myself.

The Hiace has disappeared from the Toyota UK website 🙄

mandog – Member
The Hiace has disappeared from the Toyota UK website

I don’t think Toyota have made the Hiace for maybe just over 12 months now.

Toyota are now in partnership with Citroen and Peugeot. The new Proace van when it comes out is going to based on the Dispatch / Expert.

I had an early 80s Mazda E1600 during my year in Oz in the 90’s. Did 30k in 12 months. painted it with a roller, brakes were shot, there was half a turns play in the steering in either direction. You get the picture. Did all sorts of dirt track driving, remote beaches and all sorts of silly stuff and it never let me down.

Best thing about it was the length of it – had a full sized double bed in the back bolted to the body at window height with store age boxes underneath and there was easily space for another row of seats between the front of the bed and the back of the cab seats

Good times

New Hiace looks fun…seem Europe will not get it though…Jap import only.