[Closed] Having a bike van as my only transport

I've only taken Bingo into work once and it was met with fits of laughter

About the 3 seats of the new shape Connect. You can get the new Berlingo with 3 up-front, but the 3rd looks mighty cramped and a Connect would probably be the similar*, don't think passengers on a long journey would be thanking you.

*obviously just a guess as it's not out yet, but it's bound to be narrower than the transit

I am in a similar quandry. The wife hates vans so I am looking for a stealth van. Currently we have a Meriva which she ,rightly, says is crap but it is so like a van for shoving stuff in the back. I fancied the new Berlingo but she immediately wrote that off as a 'VAN!'.
So I am looking for a van disguised as a car! Suggestions welcome.
Incidentally I would like something cheap to run for long trips. I can only get 50mpg out of the Vauxhall 1.7 CTDi engine by absolute pussying about. Normal careful , watching the gauge type driving only gives 45mpg. Have I been spoiled by an ancient non-turbo Astra diesel that would do 50mpg easily and 65 if you were careful? It was also incredibly slow and needed a calendar to time acceleration.

Why don't you want to get a tow-bar rack for your car? Security?

How about hiring a Transit for a few days to see how you get on with it?

it's a bit of a weird question IMO..

If you want to get a van, get a van..

Despite not needing one for work, I've always driven a van cos they are more practical, although I am much preferring only having a bike and trailer for transport these days

Wife and i went from two Alfas (147 and GTV) to a single Mazda Bongo between us. both of us have office jobs and no problems here. Bongo has more useable seats than both previous cars put together, with the fuel consumption on one of them! (unfortunately its the fuel consumption of the GTV!) Insurance is cheaper than either of teh other two as well...

Easy to transport bikes in and as its the tin top will still get into most car parks (1.96m high). we use ours as camper and people mover and can transport 5 people plus bikes (3 inside, 2 on the rear rack*

If you weren't fussed about having 8 seats/bed its easy to remove the rear bench to fit bikes easily in to the rear and some of them come with split folding rear seats which makes best of all worlds.

*bikes that is not people, all people go inside

My van at Bala last Friday night en route to the Dyfi
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If you want creature comforts and van practicalities I do think the VW Caddy MaxLife ticks all the boxes.
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I've only taken Bingo into work once and it was met with fits of laughter. Sitting there amongst the Mercs and Audis he did look a tad out of place.....

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I got rid of a Nissan 370z to get our T5, its converted to a camper so we can get away for nice weekends camping (read: biking!). Drives just like a car for the most part, easily fits in car park spaces and can get into multi-stories easily enough. Interior pretty much the same a a standard Golf/Passat/Polo, so nice enough place to be.

I have a berlingo (called bajingo of course) and its ace. Ok, being a 1.4 petrol its slow AND crap on fuel, but i can fit 3 bikes with wheels in teh back, its got aircon, cheap to buy, cheap to insure, and who in their right mind would want to steal one?!

Next on my list is a Mazda Bongo, as its a bit longer, so i could sleep in the back with a bit more space.

I've only taken Bingo into work once and it was met with fits of laughter. Sitting there amongst the Mercs and Audis he did look a tad out of place.....

They are probably laughing more at the fact you've called the damn thing Bingo.

Love the Sportline grill Chrisl 8)

Looks like a bigger meaner VAG and will blend in with the other Audi's and Mercs

Choose your colour wisely and have a few bling looking bits/bobs on it and instead of being the laughing stock of the car park you will be the talk of it.

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Not a cheap option but it has the kudos of the badge to punch above (many a car) any other van.

double 😳

Not a cheap option but it has the kudos of the badge to punch above (many a car) any other van.

And that's the most important thing, after all.

Could be for some. If its the one thing that is stopping you buying a van then it could be the answer 🙄

I have an L200 Double Cab pickup like a car inside and drive nicely...

Great for dirty bikes as I just hose out the load bay and re-attach hard cover.

Plus it doesnt look out of place as its not got animal stickers or dents etc all over just normal met grey with alloys...

Si

We've lived with a van (Peugeot Expert) for the last 3 years or so. It's been great. Only need to take passengers occasionally so got removable seats fitted in the back. When the seats out can easily get 4 bikes in no trouble. Also built a removable bed for it so we can sleep in there too. About to trade up to a camper now though...

Just a point about Transporters. For a variety of reasons they are popular. Bought wisely in the first place, although sometimes seemingly more expensive than others, yet there are bargains to be had, they do seem to hold value very well.
My first one bought 7 years ago, sold last year for more than what I'd paid for it, even though I'd added 90,000 miles to the 50k it had when I bought it.
Just hoping my T5 works similarly.

They are probably laughing more at the fact you've called the damn thing Bingo.

and refer to it as him..

macb - Member
Interesting stuff folks and does anyone know which of the options allow for two rows of seats and bikes to go in complete behind? I quite like the look of the Vito Dualiner and Hyundai appeals on price.

Vito Dualiner Extra Long Wheelbase.

As well as fitting MTBs (fully built) and still 5 seats, I can fit a crosser in diagonally, or if I tip 1 of the rear seats forward, my Ducati track bike.
Take the rear seats out and you can fit in 8x4 sheets of ply too.

Thanks, I'm formulating a shortlist here which so far consists of the Vito Dualiner, Hyundai ILoad and some form of Transit. I'm gradually unravelling the blurb from manufacturers sites and the most detailed or easiest to translate so far has been the Vito stuff. With the second row of seats in place then you have lengths of 1405mm, 1650mm and 1880mm for the standard, long and extra long wheelbase varieties.

As you've mentioned to fit complete bikes in behind two rows of seats then it would need a capacity along the lines of the Vito extra long wheelbase. But I do seem to be struggling a bit to get that dimension out of the various sites I've been looking at.

Like others we're looking at changing the makeup of our two vehicle household. So it would be a change to a small run around and then the combi vehicle. My wife used to drive a Kia Sedona which had an overall length of 4.81m which isn't a huge amount less than the extra long Vito which comes in at 5.238m.

I'll keep doing searches, scanning this thread and others and narrow down a shortlist to arrange some test drives. Any suggestions of what to look for or avoid gratefully appreciated, especially around reliability and economy.

Just googled the new Connect, wow. Don't see how they are doing to do 3 front seats comfortably though

I have a silver VW T5 as my only vehicle, works for me no probs, go for it!

2007 Vivaro here, fitted a window in the side door & a double seat with built in seatbelts behind drivers seat. It is my perfect vehicle. Wanted a vw but couldnt afford or justify double the price. It was a little bit Sluggish, a remap totally changed that. Fits my bike built, 4 extra bikes with 1 wheel removed and 5 people.

Very interested in the Vivaro remap therag.

How has it affected fuel consumption? What size engine do you have? Where'd you get it done?

Cheers 🙂

Look at vantuner for van remaps, great service , loads more power for around £300

will do, ta

I've got a Transit mid top, SWB as my only vehicle. I used to park in a secure corperate car park next to Porsches, Aston Martins, Audi r8s... Never bothered me, or anyone else.

Transits are brilliant, cheap to run, repair and buy. In 60k miles I've replaced two bulbs and wiper blades. Passed every MOT. Its quick, nimble, amazing turning circle, and a proper good size in the back and comfy to drive.

chakaping - Member
Very interested in the Vivaro remap therag.
How has it affected fuel consumption? What size engine do you have? Where'd you get it done?
Cheers

You can get an economy or performance remap, I had the performance. From 90bhp to 130bhp 🙂
Cost £150. Its a 2L & had it done at a local garage in Pontypridd
I've done 45k now since having it done & will have my next van done too.

righto, mine's a 2litre too and could do with a bit more pep.

Have you noticed much impact on MPG?

It does about 425 miles to £100
Not sure what it did before tho & I've got a heavy foot.

Vito Dualiner ELW

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I have a Transporter 5.1 Kombi as my only drive and it does everything I need it to. Fuel economy is pretty good if I'm careful (40mpg generally and 700 miles out of a tank if I'm careful) and it drives surprisingly well. Servicing is fairly cheap as are the running costs.

The biggest negative with owning a van is how it is perceived by some people. To some it is just a van and therefore at the bottom of the car park top trumps. If this is a concern to you then don't bother getting a van. Personally, I don't really care too much what other people think of my daily transport so I'm very happy with the VW and would have another.

The Transit Custom looks very nice.

Has anyone got direct comparison of a Vito Dualiner ELW against a Transit Custom L2?

Looking at the picture of the Vito above it hasn't got a bulkhead which I assume would reduce the space a bit. But that comes as standard on the Transit doesn't it? I would certainly have a requirement for the rear of the van not to be visible from the outside.

I think my test drives will be Vito, VW and Transit

Van only and loving it!

well I've got a VW and a Traffic test drive lined up for this weekend. I'm also pulling various bits of info together on a spreadsheet covering the Vito Dualiner, Transit Custom L2, VW Kombi, Vivaro and Traffic. I've been poring over reviews trying to whittle things down around the variables that wouldn't present themselves via test drives...so reliability and longevity.

Has anyone any back to back experience of the differences between a standard VW Kombi and the Sportline version? There's about a £10k or 50% uplift in the starting prices of the two. But I'm figuring that I'd be adding bells and whistles to a basic Kombi anyway that may be included with the Sportline.

If you have got the money to burn go for the VW T5/6 Sportline they are georgeous!!
However you are buying a van for biking/ outdoor pursuits, it has to be practical. If you get it all blinged up then you will worry about placing filthy bikes and people in it. My advice is to get a 5 year old T5 which has been a motability van. They generally have around 50,000 on the clock have been serviced to death and are in good order. I have a T5 which I have converted to a camper with pop top roof, 4 bike VW rack on the back, Special features for biking, Kayaking etc such as wet gear storage in the boot. The van sleeps 4, carries 4 bikes I get 40mpg out of it and it drives and runs like a car. How much for van £15,000 all in and with camper conversion insurance is less than £300 per year. Dont get sucked in to the new vehicle money pit, a van like mine with the conversion are selling for around £35,000 new! Shop around before you buy!!
Welcome to the van squad once you have one you never go back.
Vans I have had include Ford Escort Van, Fiat Forino (blew up going to Wales for the Red Kite event Back in the day!! Vauxhall Astra Max, VW Polo Van, Peugeot Partner (bought in 2003 200,000 miles in 9 years with 11 trips to the Alps, Andorra and Spain never broke down)a fantastic van only changed for a T5 to build a camper as I am getting old and need the comfy bed.

Having recently bought a VW van here are my thoughts.

Biggest draw of the Sportline is the looks which make it look less works van like. The same effect can almost be had by sticking on bigger wheels, spoiler and side bars to a Highline/Trendline. The Sportlines are lowered by 40mm which can be a good/bad thing depending on your planned usage; my friend bought a lowered T5 but had it raised back to normal because he found the ride a bit crashy on back roads and he wants to not worry when accessing forest car parks and fields for bike and Enduro motorcycle events. With 18" wheels the normal suspension feels great and I'm not going to lower mine.
There is no doubting that Sportlines look better and you do get a leather interior... although that can always be added later (at a cost). The Trendline or Highline spec has most of what you want anyway. Trendline get the double din stereo which gets the four speakers, cruise, parking sensors, and Tasamo darker cloth interior which are a must (IMHO). Trendline additionally gets the important AIR-CON, fog lights and leather steering wheel. I realy wanted sliding doors both sides for ease of getting the kids out... or getting yourself out if the space is tight; this may only work if you get the two "captains chairs" up front as you can walk through the back easy. If you go for the bench up front its not so easy. I orignaly wanted the bench to take 6 folk but my my wife wanted two captains chairs which makes it a 5 seater; and I think she made the right choice as having the single chairs and being able to move around the cabin easy is a luxury (and I'm not that likely to carry six people).
I wanted a 4Motion which means no Sportline unless I went almost full custom. 4Motions are pretty rare and all the second hand ones I found were already sold or not much cheaper than new.

Some useful resources.

T4/T5 forums are great [url= http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/ ]Linky[/url]

Edward Davies at Leeway Van Centre was good for information although unable to help me in the end, huge stock of second hand non 4Motions [url= http://www.leewayvancentre.co.uk/ ]Linky[/url]

Swiss Vans if your considering new [url= http://www.swissvans.com/ ]Linky[/url]. My local dealer was pretty useless saying nothing available and 6-9 months for delivery although no guarantee’s as 4Motions are not built often. Swiss Vans found my unicorn and made the whole process simple including modifications and delivery in just over a week (if you do buy from them tell them I sent you as they do a referal thing - email in profile )

Custom Vanz... just to drool at [url= http://www.customvanz.com/ ]*drool*[/url]

My kids love the Van. Its named "Gunter" after the Penguin in Adventure Time.

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I REALLY really want a van. However i do like the 50mpg i get from the Mondeo and i do enough miles in a given month that less than 45mpg would truely irritate me.

It also needs to be a decent sized van as i'd use for motorbikes too (x2)

I drive a van as my only vehicle transport, have done for years barring a recent flirtation with Pickups..

They are great toy boxes.

Recently I had a test drive and have been considering this electric van..

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On paper it seemed great, nearly 100 mile range which would suit my local use, you can fit them with a tow bar, (I have a sailing dinghy that occasionally I have to move around) and right now it would be sat there charging as I spend hours at a desk.

But, the day I tried it, the weather was really cold and the range just evaporated to like 40 miles which isn't really enough for a return journey to the next town, so it kind of put me off. I did wonder wether you could carry like a portable generator to offset the problem of distance drives.

I'd love not to have to pay nearly a hundred quid every time I fill up.

napesneedle and messiah that's really helpful and I'll study those links in detail. I particularly like the point about the 5/6 seats and the Captains chairs ideas, 5 seats meets our needs as a family. I am having the new/secondhand debate with myself, with the VWs there doesn't seem to be much difference in price between new and nearly new.

The only definites I have so far are, side doors on both sides, bulkhead to make it impossible to see into the load area and space behind the second set of seats to fit 5 bikes without taking wheels out.

I do need to ask, are the VWs really that much better, I've pretty much ruled out the Vito but was thinking in comparison to a Renault Trafic or Citroen Dispatch? If I go down the VW route I'm not seeing much change from £35k.

Anyway I'll study those links and no doubt be back with more questions....thanks....Al

I'm not actually bothered by the visual appeal of Sportline models and would prefer the higher clearance of the standard.

So from the Leeway site would this be a reasonable deal?

http://www.leewayvancentre.co.uk/stock/report/1267

£30,000 on a van... jeeez... errrrrm .... WOW.

The only definites I have so far are, side doors on both sides, bulkhead to make it impossible to see into the load area and space behind the second set of seats to fit 5 bikes without taking wheels out.

thanks zangolin, but I was looking at the specs for load length behind rear seats and the LWB Vivaro seems to be only 1660mm...this could be a bit on the short side. Though I do plan on taking our largest/longest bike with me to various garages to try out the space for real. That said £18k is far more appealing than £35k:)

Do you really want/need a LWB? The one you linked to is a LWB.

I thought I did and my friend who does moto-enduro does to get the motorbike in; but I ended up going for a SWB as my wife said NO to a LWB (Private ambulance according to her).

With the SWB the bikes have to go in the back at an angle but I can see no reason why four cannot go in easy. Its worth making sure you have the 2/1 split rear Kombi seats (usually are) so you can whip out the single and fit in long things or even more bikes.

With tinted glass I wouldn't bother about the bulkhead as its difficult to see in - I throw a blanket over everything in the back which makes it impossible to see whats under. Or fit some kind of curtain arrangement if it really bothers you. Without the bulkhead its possible to climb through and get changed out of the wind/rain/viewers.