[Closed] What Van?

Ideally i want to get my bike inside without taking any wheels off, so looking at LWB vans.

Even with a SWB tranny and a rear seats / bulkhead you could still thrown a whole bike in the back. They go in fine, what they don't do (particularly larger/ longer wheelbase bikes) is go in especially tidily so a few bikes would prob call for a bit of dismantalling if you wanted to pack other stuff in too

I've a Caddy Maxi as my bike carrier - works pretty well...

However, to get fully built bikes in IME generally the bars want to remain perpendicular to the wheel, as if you've a tall-ish front end, a swivelled bar results in the end of the bars scraping on the ceiling at the back. However, bars turned makes much better use of the space.

As such, if i've more than one bike, i take the front wheel out, as I figure it's easier to take a wheel in and out than it is to constantly be turning bars or staking bikes with the bars in the right place next to each other in what is a relatively limited space.

Outside of that, it's bloody ace. 140bhp, loads of room, plenty of toys, looks good, decent on fuel. I ended up getting an Overland Land Rover conversion company to do a decent job of carpetting/flooring mine, with a new ceiling, leisure battery and loads of lighting, internal and external, just to make life easier when using the van for bikes in the winter!

I have had two VW T4s, and now have a Mercedes Vito. And while the ride of the Vito is definitely the smoothest and most luxurious of the three, i probably liked my first T4 the best.

No matter what, though, vans are great. I suspect you’re unlikely to go wrong.

Of the 3 you mentioned, the Caddy is quite a bit smaller. Not really big enough for day-van conversation, too little headroom.

We have a T5 at the moment and are looking to change it in the very near future. The last two T5s we've had, have had their problems and so I'm looking for something else. I really like the new Expert/Dispatch vans and people carriers, but most are quite under powered and finding a combi or people carrier is difficult.

Just started looking at Transit Tourneos, they come in 8 or 9 seat versions, can be loaded with toys such as heated seats (how did I exist before heated seats?), rear air con, etc., and best of all the seats can be folded down, forward, or even removed. Prices seem fairly good, especially without VAT. Security can be an issue on Transits apparently and with windows down the whole side, it might be worth making up some blinds. For our T5 kombi we got some material, cut it to the shape of the windows, stuck in some insulating foil and then sowed everything together with magnets in the edges.

Having had problems with both of our T5s I'm wondering what I paid for when I bought VW? Over 2 grand for a replacement DPF is obscene! So why pay the premium if it's still going to go wrong?

If you want a camper conversion, a LWB crewcab is what I’d recommend. Something like a Vivaro, Trafic or Primastar will be reasonably cheap and easy to convert. I had a SWB crewcab, and to sleep in it the bike had to be disassembled and put on back seats. In my LWB I can easily sleep in the back and put bikes in.

Got a couple of photos below (converting it slowly to a day van!)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YjZsAuTg58r4UuYd9

If you want a camper conversion, a LWB crewcab is what I’d recommend. Something like a Vivaro, Trafic or Primastar will be reasonably cheap and easy to convert.

This, if you're looking for two rows of seats and potential room to kip in the back.

But...

I had a SWB crewcab, and to sleep in it the bike had to be disassembled and put on back seats.

How did you manage this? I've never thought of sleeping in the back of my SWB crewcab, and I'm no beanpole.

We changed from our third C4 Grand Picasso to a LWB Tourneo Custom in November after seeing a deal to good to miss. Enough room for four adults and four bikes with wheels on.

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At 5000 miles/year I would be looking at a petrol avoiding the potential issues that mercuryrev has been through. I imagine the first lot of petrol T6s are coming up to a year old now. I would suspect the other manufacturers (of panel van sized combis) will follow soon.

Or look at the Japanese import MPVs - they do big boxy cars with lots of folding seats really well. Rear seats tend to flip up to the sides which is perfect for bikes, keeps lots of vertical space in the back. Japanese market ditched diesel for petrol decades ago.

I'm looking to import a Honda Stepwagon later this year for similar bikes/family/tiprun usage, fairly low miles so petrol mpg not an issue.

Japanese grey import MPV? Like Toyota Alphard, Nissan Elgrand, potentially lots of vehicle for the money.

Not a lwb, but...... In typical stw style of 'this is what I've got, so must be good'.....
We have a 7seat Nissan nv200. Had it since October and it's been great so far. Can fit three people with three fully built bikes, we average 42mpg, cheap to run and maintain etc....
Doesn't have the 'prestige' of a vw but is about half the cost.

We've just done something similar in the last 2 weeks. We went from smax to transit double cab in van. We went for the limited as you got more toys and the double rear doors were essential. We went SWB over LWB, but that was our preference, as we wanted something that could still fit a standard parking space easily, but the compromise is front wheel off, but have already 3 adult and 2 kids bikes in the back. so far very impressed and far cheaper than an equivalent aged galaxy.

Put off by VW by the VW tax, mainly single rear door, lack of bulk head and an equivalent VW to ours was 8-9k more expensive 2nd hand, but we think we have got a non-vat bargain.

Vauxhall / Renault traffic seemed to lack refinement, but was very tempted at one point by the new Berlingo / combi-life LWB. But wife didn't like the gearstick placement.

The Nissan nv200 was very nice - but nothing on the 2nd hand market. Mazda i800 worth a look.

My only advice is that dealers seem to struggle with non-vat vans, so may be worth a gaggle.

I've got a Tourneo. Had it for 2 1/2 years now and probably do 5-10,000 miles a year. Really it's for bike duties, camping and family trips.
Perfect for what you need. The seat flexibility is nice although they're heavy to remove and store. Generally I leave the rear set out and just tilt the front row to an upright position for loading a bike with wheels on. 3 bikes is easy this way.
The interior is very car-like and the mod-cons of heated seats and air con is good. Twin sliding door access is handy too for camping and entering/exiting the vehicle on the continent.
I camp in mine. The other half made up some internal window blinds that go on the windows with suckers.
I bought two raised beds from decathlon and use a 10cm mat on top. Super comfy. They just fit width wise with a foot or so at the end (SWB).
For solo trips, I use one bed and keep the bike inside. I use an electric hook up for site camping. This just fits under the boot lid so no need to drill holes. Means I can use an oil filled rad and/or air heater for warmth.

Tourneo Custom Titanium 8-seater here. 125PS, its great, just thirstier than our previous Vivaro, this thread might be helpful

EDIT cant get the hyperlink to work, try this thread: https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/anyone-drive-a-ford-tourneotransit-custom-feedback/

How will those 5k miles be driven?

I had a Saab I used for a 10 mile commute and bike carrying duties and the dpf was no end of trouble. My van hasn't as I stopped started bike commuting instead. If your 5k miles are mostly made up of long journeys you'll be fine.

I have a swb T5. Three seats in the front and two in the back so I can fit two bikes wheels on down one side (including a Surly Big Dummy) also means I can sleep along that side and shift the bike over.

Whatever you choose Vans are great, don't want another car.

How did you manage this? I’ve never thought of sleeping in the back of my SWB crewcab, and I’m no beanpole.

I built a platform on top of the wheel arches across the whole load space (giving storage space underneath), then slept diagonally across the platform. At 6', it was just about manageable!

It'll mostly be longer runs with the occasional short journey. Im not VAT registered or anything so it'll purely be for personal use. With that in mind, how have people bought vans when VAT needs to be included? Private sales or dealers? No sure how it works when a dealer sells a van, lots of prices seem to be ex VAT.

I built a platform on top of the wheel arches across the whole load space (giving storage space underneath), then slept diagonally across the platform. At 6′, it was just about manageable!

Aha, you know I'll be laying down in the back of my van to test this out now.

The VAT is easily answered, by you paying 20% on top of the advertised price. Businesses would have to do that too, but could them claim it back.

Look for a private sale if you want to avoid it.

Sorry for the slight thread hijack, but a photo of the platform I built in my SWB before I sold it and bought my LWB.

Https://photos.app.goo.gl/RbwmpwDucwLDR5tJA

Like Toyota Alphard..... potentially lots of vehicle for the money.

certainly a lot of grill. And you get to sit out on the veranda.

lots of prices seem to be ex VAT.

the price is quoted ex-vat as is a lower looking price and for register/businesses its the effective price they pay, eventually, when their accounts and returns are done and outgoings are balanced against the vat they've charged on their own sales. But the money that actually changes hands is the full vat-inclusive price whether you are vat registered or not.

I think there's an echo in here, sure I said that 4 hours ago....😁

We changed from our third C4 Grand Picasso to a LWB Tourneo Custom in November after seeing a deal to good to miss. Enough room for four adults and four bikes with wheels on.

Now you've had it a while, how do you like it?

I take it you've got the L2 version, any problems parking etc.?

So far we think its great and ticks all the boxes. We have taken the double seat out of the back and cant see it been used. Not encountered any problems in parking it. Its the L2, 170hp auto, which is about a metre longer than the Grand Picasso. Came with all the extras. Ideally we would have preferred the orange one but the deal was far too good to pass on.

Transporter for my own van very happy with it. Transit custom for work van. The Transit is nicer to spend time in as in comfy cab and drive and probably cheaper to.

I have a SWB Renault Trafic (Trafic, Vivaro, Primastar all same van FYI) with a row of seats in the back (no bulk head). Works really well. Loads of room for passengers. What I would say though is that I have to take the front wheel off my 29er hard tail to get it in the back unless I fold the seats. A LWB would avoid that as gives an extra 40cm I think.

So far we think its great and ticks all the boxes. We have taken the double seat out of the back and cant see it been used. Not encountered any problems in parking it. Its the L2, 170hp auto, which is about a metre longer than the Grand Picasso. Came with all the extras. Ideally we would have preferred the orange one but the deal was far too good to pass on.

The orange one?

Would I be right in thinking with the back row out and the front row folded forward you could get a motorcycle (or two) in?

It certainly looks very nice and everything I read about them is good. I'll have to see what sort of trade I can get on my T5.

The orange glow paint instead of black mica. Not sure on getting a motorcycle in but there is loads of room left after putting 29ers in with the 2nd row folded.

Thanks Tracey, we do motorcycle trials as well, so it's really handy to have seats to get changed. I'm pretty sure I'd get the bikes in.

Thanks again

I have a T6 LWB Kombi. Bikes go in 3 wide behind rear seats without taking wheels off.
Its the 140 version and performance is ok, good enough anyway.
I get between 540 and 600 miles to a tank full, not sure how many litres. As for day to day..
Its fine, be careful if you go drive through coffee or supermarket parking but otherwise no issues.
Oh and its a real nice comfy drive if you arent in a hurry.

After 3 T5’s and the last one being nothing but trouble 4 years ago I bought a Nissan Elgrand import for £5k, it was used for motorbike transport initially but now it’s used for mtb transport, with 4 seats in place I can get 4 built bikes and people in. It’s still worth £5k now and has been reliable, downside is 24mpg, plus side is 250hp V6 and a lot of comfort

[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4811/31814133717_59006e30cc_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4811/31814133717_59006e30cc_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/QtiKyR ]EE382478-F9E3-4E32-BDF4-A1ABF1E0964C[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/153018338@N03/ ]Tony H[/url], on Flickr

Set up to carry bikes

[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4869/31660767437_4a337795d0_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4869/31660767437_4a337795d0_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/QeKH7D ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/153018338@N03/ ]Tony H[/url], on Flickr

Long wheelbase? Lots of space? Go anywhere? Look no further...