Boxes to be ticked –

Over 2m load bay length
3 front seats
Tailgate door
Less than 10k

Anthony ideas oh great Hove mind?

Worlds your lobster there.

Transit.
Transporter.
Peugeot/Citroen/Fiat Expert/Dispatch/Scudo
Hiace.
Vauxhall/Renault Vivaro/Trafic.

10 grand will get you a nice example of any of those. Might want to sit in the third seat though if your passenger will have to endure a long journey they can be a bit cramped.

edit – tailgate door will make it harder to source one.

We buy new Citroen Relays at 13k plus vat new Enterprise editions with all the mod cons and 100k warranty.

Look for L1H1

For the size you’re after.

Edit first link I found

http://palmerscars.co.uk/citroen-watford/new-business/citroen/relay/van_30-l1-h1-22-hdi-110_8114.html

I wanted a 3 seater small van, primarily for mtb duties. Didn’t work out due to speed limits, insurance, tax etc.
I bought a nissan nv200 combi, stripped out the rear bench leaving 1 rear seat, that so far has never been used. 2m metre load length, tailgate, under £10000.
Depends what you want to use it for really.

Maybe ive been lucky but years driving vans and yet to have an issue with the 50mph a road limit for larger/non car derived vans.
Insurance less than my car and tax is the same but the tax is very variable

I got a pre reg Renault Trafic for £14k including VAT, 10 miles on the clock, 4 year warranty and breakdown recovery. Say be worth checking out what offers out there

I don’t find the speed limit an issue – usually so much traffic it’s not the limiting factor, And still 70 on motorway. Insurance much the same as a car for me, around £250.

Not sure what you want to use it for but seen a few people convert these into mountain bike/camper vans before.

Just a Ford Transit LWB high roof. Think it ticks all your boxes but loads to choose from.

Auto Trader clicky

Merc Sprinter vans are probably the biggest if you’re after load space.

Sorry, should’ve mentioned it’ll be a daily driver too, so nothing like a sprinter size would work.

My mwb transit is a daily vehicle as well as work horse. Got the baby seat up front, tiny turning circle and parks well. You’re welcome to a test spin!

What year is it dan?

Millers vivaro has just shat it’s 2nd gearbox, so I’ll not be buying a vivaro.

It’s a cheapie 57, cost me 5k 2-3 years ago and has cost next to nowt in repairs other than wear and tear parts

Looking like either a transporter, vito or toyota proace…

Seems like vans are a bit of a lucky dip.

My Vivaro’s been fine for three years, though I have kept it well maintained. My friend’s Citroen Dispatch of the same vintage ate it’s gearbox recently.

I’d probably look at the new Vivaro/Trafic or Transit with your budget. Don’t VW and Merc vans cost more for similar age/spec? (I have not looked for ages)

transit. bought my old on off work with 150k on the clock, i sold it with 250k on the clock.
it never missed a beat.

Went with a transporter in the end, LWB, 2.5, 174Bhp. By god it can shift. Now on with the flooring and carpeting etc. Pics to follow…..

Oh look forward to the build pics! Trying to convince the mrs we need one for family duties and bike trips! 🙂

Just put a deposit done on a t5 transporter… hopefully pick up in the next couple of weeks! Finally got the misses on side and with the family a must as our current estate was just a nightmare getting all the gear in!

Test drive was very impressed… time will tell but actually excited to be getting a van haha… Done with cars for now!

@olddog
Where did you find that deal?
Currently looking for a tragic myself.

Finally arrived… so far very impressed 😉

That is lovely xcstu!

I’m guessing you blew the budget!

Mine, but Alloys have been powdercoated in gloss black now…

[/url]Veedub by nobeerinthefridge, on Flickr[/img]

That money would get you a 2014 Transit Custom or a 2011 plate T5.

I have a 2010 xlwb viano 3.0 and we love it. Much climate, many leather. Its no worse on th4 juice than my old t4, even having 2.5 times more power. And mainly the auto gearbox is just lovely. Been to les arc twice already

Nobeerinthefridge – cheers… very new to the van circle and t5s but loving it 😉 only 11 months old and has dsg and so smooth!! Nice looking van yourself… Has yours been lowered? Was sorting of half looking into it but was wondering how much the insurance would sting?

It’s lowered on Koni coilovers, but it’s getting new tyres fitted shortly, as between the coilovers and the 35mm tyres, it’s harder than a whores heart. I’ll be going to decent tyres, prob 245×45 – wheels are 19s – which will also protect the rims a bit too.

Insurance-wise, I told Aviva abot all the modifications and tbh it didn’t increase much at all, I’m £330 with full no claims which includes both me and Mrs Nobeer to drive the bus, and her Fiat 500 too. Even when I asked about remapping, they reckoned it would add about £30 to the annual price.

To echo the comment above, and any excuse to post a pic 🙂

LWB, 2.5, 174Bhp. By god it can shift.

17″ steels on standard T32 heavy weight springs

35% (of width) tyres, not 35mm surely?

How much on the end?

Better get the tape measure out, I only went up from a 65 to 75 profile on my van, and one tyre almost touches the wheelarch liner… And the other is a smidge closer…

I bet the reason the tyres are so low profile is because that’s the only way to get 19″ rims on it!

35mm br.

Nope, lots of folks running 20s spooky.

So lowering really hardeneds it up lots?? Running 20″ on mine and tyres really are like rubber bands.. came on it when bought!! Good to hear insurance not to harsh… with the same insurer and under 300quid fully comp with wife on it 😉

I found the opposite, lowering my T5 made the ride better and less crashy.
I also fitted some load rated SUV tyres which softened everything up a bit as wellong over the commercial tyres that were originally fitted.

Thought that would be the case… not tried loading it up yet with all the gear and the family to see how it handles…

Being new to vans never going to feel like my old car that was on rails but still doesn’t hang around for what it is 😉