This is a biking related subject, hence in the correct forum… Anyway…

I used to do quite a bit of van driving about 10 years ago, but have probably driven a van all of 4 or 5 times since then. Mainly back then was driving around in Renault Trafic’s, mid size Transits, Merc Vitos and Sprinters, and the occasional T5. Most of them were new, or nearly new though, and I wasn’t paying for them, just driving them…

Have about £4-5k to spend on a van (so accept it’s going to be 8 years old probably) that will have a primary role to carry a few bikes. Nothing heavy anyway. Will probably do no more than about 8-10k miles per year, but that said, I’d still like good economy (40+mpg consistently).

So ignoring brand loyalties, and what’s cool, what would you buy with £4-5k to spend on a van for bike carrying duties?

Mboy I may have a good offer for you. I have a 58 plate ford transit swb high roof which is perfect bike size 2.2 litre diesel it’s done 57’000 miles ( very low ) averages 34mpg so is bloody good for a van even on short journeys around town. Its navy blue and honestly in fantastic condition I can send you some pics once I’m back from my weekend away. I would be after £5600 for it which is a little highernbutni doubt you would find another van with this mileage and price for anywhere near what I am asking average with vat is between 7-8k 😉

My email address is tony18@hotmail.co.uk if your interested

I have recently brought a Renault Kangoo van for bike carrying duties, easily swallows 4 bikes and kit with wheels on but only 2 people! I paid £5100 for a 2009 model with 37k on it! Not the best looking van but is doing its job just fine!

Good traffics in that range, my brother paid £4000 for his, it’s an 07 swb with the 115, 90000 miles on it… That’s possibly a bit over the odds but he picked it out on condition- very tidy exterior and cabin, really detailed service history etc. It gives me van envy 🙁

Do you want to carry bikes or more? If thats it then the Vito/Transporter sized vans are good, cheaper to run easier to park etc.
If however you want something to carry you, your stuff and sleep in I’d go bigger (transit MWB and above) what you lose in parking and economy you can make back in free accommodation not having to dry tents and having your stuff locked away. We used to arrive places and pull out the Gas BBQ & Stove, some chairs etc still have somewhere to sit inside in bad weather, bikes in bed made and all that. Comfy & easier.

tony24, have never really liked Transits, also probably slightly too big I think.

willstaffs, a Kangoo is going to be a bit too small, might be as many as 6-7 bikes need to be transported at one time, along with some kit. Though would love something as economical as a Kangoo!

Northwind, would you say the Trafic is the one to go for? I must admit that though many years ago, the Trafic seemed like a nicer drive than the others to me, even if slightly plasticky (but then I drive a Renault currently anyway).

mikewsmith, just bikes. Won’t be used for being camped in (I have just bought a decent 4 man tent anyway). Just want something to carry a few bikes, drive pretty well (well as close to a car as possible) and be fairly economical.

EDIT: Oh, and a bulkhead is pretty much a must… Might not be doing that many miles per year, but occasionally it will be taken on say 2-300 mile round trips (possibly longer) on a motorway, and I rather like not being deaf!

Get the smallest thing that will take bikes without removing the wheels that you can find then!
This sort of thing is about right, bulkheads can be sourced, fitted, made so don’t sweat about finding a van with one (check the model out before for prices or just get some wood cut and insulate the gap)
Having seen your posting in the Mayhem thread see how you feel after swimming round in a muddy field for a weekend 🙂

do not under any circumstances buy a vivaro or traffic, they are unreliable to the point of being not fit for purpose. expect at least a £1000 per year on repairs and thats if you get a good one.

Personally I think the window vans such as the berlingo are hard to beat for bike transporting duties. 5k would get you a new shape one. Theryre not cool like a transporter but are significantly more fuel efficient, more car like to drive, take up less space and easier to daily drive..

moon on a stick much – the size and age of van your looking at for your budget isnt going to be doing +40mpg.

a brand new Dispatch JUST forfills all your criteria except price.

go work out the difference in price running at 30-35mpg instead of 40 …. its not a massive difference but if you accept that your not getting 40MPG it opens alot more options for vans – and gets you away from vans with fuel pump issues….. Id also say if you can find them in good nick – older vans are a safer bet right now most of the vans on the market have IP issues.

A VW Caddy.
You’ll pick up a decent one for £4-5k and they have a good resale value as well.
Mine manages 45mpg easily and hasn’t cost me a penny other than servicing over the two years I’ve had it.

We have a 2008 Toyota Hi ace which we bought last year for your budget. It had done over 100,000 k but had full service history. We sound proofed, insulated and carpeted it and with no bulk head the noise is fine. We can sleep two of us and 2 bikes in it comfortably and up to yet haven’t had any mechanical problems at all despite long trips to the lakes, north Wales etc. Def worth considering getting something you can sleep in and with no windows, as you can pull up and sleep anywhere undetected and no one can see in and spot the bikes when you nip in to supermarkets etc

Transporters may be a little expensive, to get a low miles, tidy one, but they do hold their value very well indeed, if you look after them.

By look after it means throw good money after bad ime of vw

I’ve had lots of vans over the last 8 years, transporters, vitos, trafics, vivaro, sprinter, iveco, lt35 etc and have seen a load more so I’ve got a pretty solid background to comment on these things.

If you are set on a transit/transporter sized van then you’ll be very lucky to get 40mpg consistently. New shape trafic with the 115 engine should be touching that at times and some of the t5 transporters will do it to and a bit more if driven like a proper grandad.

At your budget however forget transporters and vitos. Vitos will be in price range and may look tempting but are pretty horrible places to be (shortest van i ever owned was one, 2.5 months to sell it on as it just wasn’t nice to be in), suffer really badly with rust and aren’t very well built. Transporters just have too much scene tax to be a possible at that price range, a shame as they are the nicest van to use – just pipping the vivaro/primastar.

I’d be looking at either vivaro/primastar/trafic (all made in the same factory in luton, same bits, engines etc and just different badges) or a transit depending on what you can find for your money. Both vans have probelms, the weak points on vivaros are the gearboxes, they are better on the newer 2.0 engines than the 1.9 but still aren’t the best. If you find a highish mileage one 100k ish then if it’s not already had one budget for one at some point, mine cost £750 fitted for a recon. Transits seem to suffer more with injector and fuel pump problems costs similar. For me the trafic group are nicer vans overall and are good to drive. Look for vivaro sportive if you want a nice looking one, plenty around and the premium often isn’t too high. For a normal one a 08 or 09 should be within budget without silly miles.

If you have any specific questions drop me a line and i’ll try and help out.

mboy – Member

Northwind, would you say the Trafic is the one to go for?

Honestly no idea… It’s nice to drive and it’s been properly reliable and takes knocks well. Does feel a bit plastic but then again his old transit felt like it was stamped out of a single sheet of corrugated iron so it’s all relative. Heard some internet mumping about reliability but he spoke to a couple of folks that run fleets and get on well with them. I know he’s very happy but then his old transit and convoy were both pieces of **** so he would be.

FWIW, I love my Trafic LWB. I removed the bulkhead but it’s fully insulated so not noisy at all. I also average 40mpg on long trips.

Get a Vauxhall vivaro SWB do you fine drive much better than Transits.Transits always feel like you are in a van,not like the vauxhall which drives more like a high car.Been driving vans for the last 30 years at work and own many my self.What ever you do dont buy a bone shaker[SHERPA].

Doible cab Pickup is the answer as its not only good for carrying bikes but is a 5 seater, comfy, economical and 4wd but when you out chunky 4×4 tyres on looks as freeride as the full sussers in the back!!

I have a new shape L200 and its just the best…put the hard cover back on when not carrying bikes and then have huge water proof boot!! Mine even came with nav and DVD in player in rear from factory!!

Vans also often don’t fit in car parks….only downside to pickups is bike security as they are sat outside!

People carrier… 😉
Does 40 mpg easy enough, probably comfier than a van.

I’d sooner have a van though. 😉

IMAG1101 by pten2106, on Flickr

Doible cab Pickup is the answer as its not only good for carrying bikes but is a 5 seater, comfy, economical and 4wd but when you out chunky 4×4 tyres on looks as freeride as the full sussers in the back!!

Double cab’s are good for pretty much nothing IMO. They’re no good offroad compared to a Land Rover, they’re no good as a car, they can’t get much in compared to a van, they’re as unrefined as a van and they DRINK fuel! Also, I only need 2 seats, 3 at a push, so a Panel Van is ideal.

moon on a stick much – the size and age of van your looking at for your budget isnt going to be doing +40mpg.

OK then 40mpg on a run… I know the Trafic’s with the 6 speed box are pretty decent on fuel on the motorway compared to shorter geared vans from experience.

We have a 2008 Toyota Hi ace which we bought last year for your budget.

Really don’t like the Hi-Ace for various reasons, and yes I’ve driven one. Even though it’s a Toyota, it feels like a big step back in refinement compared to many other vans IMO.

Been “van watching” over the last few days at Mayhem, and on the motorways and local roads, seems that by far the most popular mid sized panel van on the roads these days is the Trafic/Vivaro/Primastar. Now I know they’re not without their faults (but then so is everything), but I’ve driven them in the past and quite liked them. Think this is probably what I’ll end up with in one form or another…

do not under any circumstances buy a vivaro or traffic, they are unreliable to the point of being not fit for purpose. expect at least a £1000 per year on repairs and thats if you get a good one

🙄

(owner of 54 plate vivaro 116k on the clock, only non consumable or accident repairs has been one clutch, cost £900 in 9 years)

Its got to be Vivaro/Trafic/Primastar, or a Transit.

Don’t write off the Transit, 10 years is a long time and the 2000> Transit is a huge leap forward from the older smiley face one, and the 2006> facelift model although not such a leap is quieter and more refined and has a better cab/dash, (three gloveboxes, four cupholders, and two 2 litre coke/bike bottle holders anyone?).

The Vivaro is more refined but I prefer the drive of the Transit, it just feels a bit more meaty and connected.

I have a new 13 plate Trafic sport and I love it.

Its does a reliable 38MPG and about 42MPG on a run if I keep the speed down.

Its great to drive and has all the toys on it. Not really used my car much since I have got it.

It really is ace and a lot easier to live with day to day than I thought it was going to be. That said I don’t spend a lot of time in and around busy cities or multistory car parks.

Doible cab Pickup is the answer as its not only good for carrying bikes but is a 5 seater, comfy, economical and 4wd but when you out chunky 4×4 tyres on looks as freeride as the full sussers in the back!!

Generally not comfy not economical stupid tyres making it less economical a squash for 5 anf loads of scope for getting bikes nicked. Also factor in the need for waterproof bags. Apart from that just as practical.

Don’t write off the Transit, 10 years is a long time and the 2000> Transit is a huge leap forward from the older smiley face one

Have driven a few ages ago, when they were pretty new, but just felt too much like an old school van to me (although more refined and quicker than the older transits).

Off to have a quick butchers at a 58 plate Vivaro in a bit, done 90k miles but it looks mint and has full franchised service history and only one owner, for £5k.