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  • Small van recommendations
  • bungalistic
    Free Member

    Looking at getting rid of my car and getting a small van for normal and biking trip use. So far been looking at ford connect and vauxhall combo vans. Probably looking around the 3-4k mark, if I had more I would look at the vw caddy but they’re a bit pricier.

    steveh
    Full Member

    Connect is a fair bit bigger than a combo potentially as you can get long and high versions. Longer ones have useful space. The 1.3 diesel engine that comes in the combos is known to have some problems, 1.7 is more reliable and nicer to drive. The 1.8tdci in the connect is generally ok subject to normal modern diesel problems. If you’re less worried about speed a 1.8tddi conect should be very reliable as they are old technology diesel and have much less to go wrong.
    Don’t rule out the parter/berlingo either but avoid the 1.6hdi engine as it’s known to be very problematic (it’s the same 1.6tdci taht ford used).

    kayak23
    Full Member

    Berlingo or similar car.
    You can fold the seats down or completely remove them as I have done except the single rear seat. It’s virtually a van now but I can comfortably carry 3 people and 3 bikes with 1 wheel off.

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    bazzer
    Free Member

    I know you might think it would be a pain in the bum, but consider a bigger van. They are no harder to drive and not that much bigger than an estate. Way more useful !!

    I rarely drive my car since I got my Trafic van.

    Gaz.dick
    Free Member

    I’d second the Berlingo, one of the issues I had, was on occasions, I knew I would need atleast 4 seats.

    The Multi-space allows me to run 5 seats when required, or 2/3 people with multiple bikes.

    Or my bikes + a single bed!

    Granted, I can see the use of larger vans, but if you are wanting something small, the Multi-space Berlingo’s are useful!

    peachos
    Free Member

    i can get 4 people, bikes and kit for a weekend in my berlingo. great car/van, i’ll be getting another when it dies (wringing out the mileage nowadays…)

    Shibboleth
    Free Member

    I’ve had a Caddy for about 3 months now and don’t know how I lived without it. Mountain bikes are bungied to the driver’s side wall (it’s ply-lined) and I can get 2 bikes in with bags of space to spare – just turn the front wheels 90° so they sit right up against the bulkhead and they fit no probs. I’ll look at some sort of floor-mounted fork anchoring system for carrying road bikes when the race season kicks off again.

    I was looking at a mate’s Nemo thing, he could carry one bike skewed across the whole load space, but 2 bikes were a problem without taking wheels off. I can even lie flat (corner to corner) in the Caddy if need be, and I’m 6’1″.

    Drives just like a car, great fuel economy, looks the mutt’s nuts and I know it’ll hold its value. If you’re going to use it as an everyday vehicle, why not spend what you’d spend on a car and get something that’s pleasant to drive?

    jambourgie
    Free Member

    I’ve got one of these. Can’t fault it really. Very economical.

    Has sooty and sweep taken up riding 😆

    redstripe
    Free Member

    a toyota hiace won’t let you down

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