Currently we have two cars. My daily is a Clio 172 and hers is a Berlingo Multispace. Her ladyship has decided that she doesn’t like the Berlingo and she won’t drive the Clio due to the clutch being too heavy and it being a bit loud.

Plan is to sell the Clio and buy her a runaround, think Jazz/Yaris. Then to sell the Berlingo to fund something else. I don’t want to drive the Berlingo as a daily, I liked it begin with but now it just annoys me.

I have looked at the usual suspects, Mondeo estate/S-Max etc etc but then I was wondering about a SWB Crew Cab Transit/Vivaro type affair. Loads of space plus a separate bit to throw dirty crap in and not have to worry about it. Obviously it won’t be as refined as car but is it an option worth exploring?

Has anyone got one similar?

Have a LWB Trafic – great for all the reasons.
Only issue is being the auto – the robot decided to do what they all do and die because of a £30 sensor (shit design used on all renault/vauxhall autos)
Not a single issue otherwise and swallows bikes like its Moby Dick even fully racked out.
Being moved on at the end of the month when I decide what I’m doing with it (replace robot or sell as is) as I don;t do the mileage to warrant having it now or the bodies to fill the seats.

Cheers hammy. Anyone else?

We had* a 182 and a Transporter Kombi – it’s a great combination! Can through people, bikes or (more likely at the moment) tonnes of baby stuff in the back with huge amounts of room to spare. Unfortunately the Transporter will likely be going away in the spring as the Mrs is likely to change jobs (it’s her company car) and I’m really struggling to work out what to do to replace it – will definitely be missed!

*replaced with a Fiesta ST, meh.

Just picked up a Mk2 lwb transit connect crew van.
Its similar to a s-max in the front, and drives well.
Great size bit bigger than the berlingo probably.
Took me a while to find one though, especially without VAT
Just in the process of soundproofing and carpeting the back to make it quieter and less van-like

i love my berlingo van. three seats, rear camera etc…

*replaced with a Fiesta ST, meh.

I looked at those before I got the Clio. Too expensive and over 20bhp down on the Clio. Not that the Clio hasn’t been without it’s issues. Bloody french cars.

but then we all know that 1*2 engines can vary from 160-180bhp depending on the mood of the frenchman that built it 🙂

(ST is 182 with 197 on “overboost” iirc?)

That must be the new shape you have, I was looking at these.

Loads of space plus a separate bit to throw dirty crap in and not have to worry about it.

Well I love my Vivaro crew cab for precisely this reason.

Had it three or four years now, been reliable enough but not without niggles.

I don’t commute for work, so it mainly gets used for going riding and family trips. When the time comes to replace it I’ll either get a newer Vivaro/Trafic or the new Transit crew cab.

The lack of refinement compared to a car is no problem for me. It drives nicely and the six-speed gearbox is great for the motorway. I think it’s made me a better, more patient driver as well.

Have just chopped in my 8 year old Vivaro LWB Doublecab that I have had from new as my only vehicle. It was reliable driver for those 8 years so now have another new Vivaro LWB Doublecab. It’s the versatility I like.

Previously I had Landrovers so I’m probably not best placed to understand ‘refinement’ but both my vans have been the Sportive models so they seem to have everything I need… even a heater that works!

Debating right now whether to swap my Transit Custom + ageing car for a DCIV Custom. Love the way the Custom drives, slightly less refined than a car but it’s still great to drive IMO. Easier to park than a lot of cars actually with the massive mirrors & camera. Plus I like the height & spacious cab, seems to chill me out more than being in a car! The high spec ones have a lot of refinements/gadgets – the one I’m looking at is automatic, adaptive cruise control, heated seats/mirrors/screen, auto headlights/wipers, etc etc.

The only downside with a SWB DCIV is that you’d have to take the wheel off to get a bike in (plus no side door entry to cargo area). A few people on the Transit forum have removed the bulkhead though and replaced the stock 2nd row bench seats with the folding/sliding seats from the minibus version, so that’s always an option.

I have a berlingo, I’d love a crew cab van but alas not enough funds. But bookmarking this thread for ideas 😉

Something boring to consider these days – if you regularly drive somewhere that has (or is looking at) emmisions charging, I fully expect vans are going to get hosed 🙁

If they do a T charge at BPW we’re screwed, otherwise can’t really see it being a problem for the vast majority on here for many years yet! Having said that, I’d buy a petrol/electric Transit right now if it were available (believe they start testing one in London this year).

Did you ask Ling?

🙂

Something boring to consider these days – if you regularly drive somewhere that has (or is looking at) emmisions charging, I fully expect vans are going to get hosed

Not a problem. Live in the North East and I’d never drive anywhere that had a C-Charge anyway.

Did you ask Ling?

Hmm, good idea. Best not cancel after ordering though.

Another Vivaro crew cab driver here (LWB). Had it from new and driven it as my main vehicle for the last 4 years. I love it. Drives well, high driving position, comfortable for driver and passengers, loads of room…

Downsides – SWB, the crew cab takes up a fair bit of room, it leaves limited space for bikes without taking wheels off. I can just about get Jnr’s large enduro bike in with the front wheel twisted (my bike is smaller!). Parking – if you live somewhere with only multi storey/underground car parks you might struggle to get in. Fine if there’s plenty of outdoors parking.

Have a Vito crew cab here, had it for ten years, has been a fabulous bit of kit. Though strangely I hanker after a Berlingo as an everyday hack….

Swappsies 😉

I don’t know if other people feel the same way but I didn’t find the transit crew cab that nice to travel in. It drives well and its comfortable to sit in – compared to a car the rear seat is somewhere that three adults can sit and have plenty of room about them. But… the current flock of transits have a really pretty jarring ride. They feel like the suspension isn’t pre-loaded or theres too much air in the tyres – pinging and jarring. As the driver its not too bad even though your aware of it but I found that passengers found longer journeys very fatiguing.

Vivaro double cab, SWB. Active family and big dog meant cars got trashed. Van is ideal for us,ply lined rear section that you can throw everything in and an interior that you can mop clean. Usually get two adult bikes in and two kids bike in with no dismantling involved.

What is the road tax rate for the Vivaro’s?
Been looking at something to replace my now died peugeot partner, as now running a very old polo doing my head in!

£175 – £250 ish same as pretty much all commercials

I think it’s made me a better, more patient driver as well.

I’ve a Vivaro but having a non turbo Escort van taught me that 😀

I get about 38 mpg out Of the Vivaro and I love it. It’s not a crew cab but I do have dog cage immediately behind the front seat so similar size at the back and it’s fine getting bikes etc in,

What is the road tax rate for the Vivaro’s

I pay by direct debit and it’s £20.12 a month.

Cheers, ah thats not to bad can take that hit for the ease of getting bikes in. Who do you look at for insurance, Van speaclaits? Or your normal adrmiral, hasting direct etc…

Have a Vito crew cab here, had it for ten years, has been a fabulous bit of kit. Though strangely I hanker after a Berlingo as an everyday hack….

The Berlingo has been a great car to be honest. Never had any bother with it mechnically apart from a cracked spring which is a common thing. Change the oil every 6k miles and jobs a goodun.

Road tax not an issue. The Clio is £240 a year but that will be going down so the rest can go on bumping up the £140 a year we pay on the Berlingo.

Need to have a proper look around as everything I can see in my price range is either a rotter or has intergalactic mileage, or a combination of both.

For insurance, mine is modified slightly so have used Adrian Flux and this year, Brentacre

Also, I’ve only 3 years NCD as my main discount is on my car so was getting quotes of £1000 due to my postcode

Brentacre got it to £400 as they mirrored the discount from my car.

We found it difficult to get affordable van insurance with the normal well known insurers. We went with a company called Bedford Insurance I think (OH sorted it out).

The 1.9 a lot of companies will do on the “normal” comparison sites as they class it as an estate – the 2.5 comes as a commercial only.
Had this argument a number of times – identical van apart from the auto only coming in the 2.5 engine they class it differently.
Rip off merchants as always.