so, I can get a pickup (VW Amarok) for less each month in company car tax -being a commercial vehicle- than almost anything else so cost wise (to me) they are a bargain. I’m not too worried about reliability as that’ll be covered by warranty and business and mpg I pay the same amount.

so, with a bit of bike carrying, I accept the bikes are outside, but I currently always use a roof rack so that’s no different. I live in the country so not a lot of town work, I tow, but actually already have another tow car and do a bit of limited off road, fields, tracks etc not mega stuff through rivers and over mountains.

I’m really struggling to pay the additional money for something like a 3 series estate. I quite like the ‘****’ factor as well, it makes me laugh.

what am I missing, why shouldn’t I?

There’ll be lots of haterz along soon, but I loved and miss my ford ranger. Go for it.

You’ll have to buy a roof for your half van.

I’m alright with that bit, a roof with bike racks on it actually!

HMRC are on to non-trades people getting Combis and Pickups, what is your job? Do some good research into potential BIK if they decide it’s mainly for personal uee

Just had the same quandary.

Pick up my dciv (5 seats) transit custom on friday. Had a ranger as a courtesy car for 6 weeks and loved it, it was a straight choice between that and the van. Same length (within 20mm) but for me just no where near as practical. 2k extra for a proper top for the back and I remember having to physically climb in to get stuff that had slid to the front of the load bed when we had the ranger. Had the wildtrak version and it was genuinely brilliant, but by God it was thirsty, sub 30 mpg at 70mph on the m5. If I was coming from a car it would be first choice but as I’m already a van driver the van won.

In your situation id go for it!

Happy Ranger owner here. VW is also nice tough. The kids like it, good view out, lots of space inside. Bikes and muddy kit goes in easily.

If you have a van and put bikes in they will still need to be tied up or they will be sliding all over the place..

Probably better deals VFM on a truckers the residuals are higher than they re on vans.

Navara does everything well….

Only a sample of one but the FiL’s is pretty awful. Uncomfortable in the back due to limited space and basic suspension. For something that’s huge outside it’s quite tight inside and the boot is ok but not massive. Problem is you cannot combine the space. In our estate/people carrier you can push the seats back to make it very roomy for passengers or flip the seats up for a van-like space and easily get a bike or 3 in upright with the wheels on. I suppose if it’s cheap then why not but it would be way down my list for a practical car.

Probably better deals VFM on a truckers the residuals are higher than they re on vans.

After weeks of research and the chop value I got on my current van that statement isn’t all that true. Vans have never been so popular with a wider market than ever.

Happy with the hmrc position, that’s not an issue.

can see the issue with stuff sliding forwards in the back, that could be a ball ache. On the flip side I can load it with shit and timber without destroying the inside!

What you want is a hilux surf.

Pick up? Tick!

Also a massive estate? Tick!

Got some locks for the bikes?

VW was fine for bouncing around on in a mine if you were in the front….

Navara does everything well….

Apart from the choppy ride quality, less than precise handling, pretty much fixed driving position…

Theres no way of locking bikes securely to roof bars either, simply can’t see the difference.

Amarok isn’t bouncy, has good spec, good driving position and plenty of room inside .maybe the fact that the load bay will get wet even under whatever cover I get and will stay that way until it gets warm and dry out… that’s all I can see against it

God awful things. Amazes me how many rad endoooro guys have them. Terrible security for your bike, fuel economy, crap on motorways, and you look like some banjo playing nutter.

Having said that a van is not a van if you can’t stand up in it….

Theres no way of locking bikes securely to roof bars either, simply can’t see the difference.

Your buying a van with none of the practicalities and more down sides. Take a test drive in something like the new Transit Custom Tourneo or whatever it is and see how it compares.

Unless you actually need a pickup for doing pickupy things… I wouldn’t.

I have one.  It carrys stuff that smells bad and weighs a lot.  It goes offroad… if I didn’t I would have a more sensible and more efficient vehicle.  That is comfy.  And doesn’t make the kids car sick when it goes around a corner/sees a bump on the road/catches a side wind….

I’ve got mine (Navara) for towing and launching / retrieving a water ski boat also retrieving a heavy mobile jetty out of the lake. Beyond that it’s a pain in the arse. Havlng said that customer who has had them all says amoraks are the nicest to drive and own. Some Massive drawbacks owning a pickup generally but you appear to be aware  of those

Re back seats. They’re just bench seats so adults have complained after more than hour in the back on long journeys.

As i say I genuinely have real world experience of both. We also have an amorak Ive used and been a passenger in quite a bit.

The anorak is certainly better on fuel than the ranger I had but that was the 3.2 version, if you even began to have some fun in that the mpg would plummet, went to Cornwall in it and after 4 hours the kids did say the seats weren’t all that.

As above though all variants of the transit are really nice these days and cheaper. The fitted bulk head gives you a similar layout. I genuinely couldn’t believe that the ranger is 20mm longer than a lwb custom though.

you look like some banjo playing nutter.

Yeah but think of all the fun you could have!

We’ve just changed from a Ford ranger to a transit van on the farm. The ranger was the previous version and no rear seats and used for farm work only. It was in all honesty a simple and reliable 4×4 carry vehicle. It wasn’t very nice on the road long distance (I managed to go to Newcastle on Tyne from York up the A1 and felt like I needed a sauna and massage) but it was what it was and 25mpg was its average. I know we’re talking different variants of 4×4 but they’re all pretty much agricultural vehicles underneath just some are better than others.

If you want one, why not.

HMRC have been saying the same message for ohhhhh 10 years…now? and it’s rare they chase anyone.

We do see a lot of 4×4’s at the beach surfing, they’re just “lifestyle” vehicles and rubbish at carrying anything longer than a meter and a half… then boards always rammed in sticking up over the cab..

Well I got it last weekend. Amarok with all the toys I could find second hand. It’s got a fibreglass clamshell cover which if I want to fit a bike under, I do need to take the front wheel off but it’ll transport loads of kit and 4 people very well. I’ve only had the Towbar fitted today so not sure how well it pulls  2 ton trailer out of a wet field but based on the tracks I’ve already put it down, I suspect very well.

It also amazes me how people react better to me squeezing through a gap in it than they ever did in my stupid blue 1 series!

Ive yet to do a king drive (400 mike day) but see no reason it’ll be anything other than comfy. unless hmrc change the rules I can see me keeping this for at least 3 years which would be a record for my company cars. I’m buying a lumberjack shirt this weekend….

So the environmental impact isn’t an issue then?

So the environmental impact isn’t an issue then?

No worse than cheap flights to America…

Unfortunately, simply being better than someone else doesn’t make it ok. You cannot absolve yourself simply by finding someone worse. It’s not a personal issue.

It sounds like you want a pick up. If you are prepared for any additional tax implications, poor environmental credentials and the potential damage it will do to other road uses due to crash incompatibility then go for it.

I think you should have in mind that you will be acquiring a dynamically poor family car or a less practical van depending on your primary reason for buying.

That sounds like hate but I’m trying to give you an opinion and it just came out like that. The only way to find out for sure is to live with one for a while.

edit

Nevermind, I missed you final post scrolling on my phone. I was right though you wanted a pick up!

Whatever Molgrips, hypocrite. 😉

Unfortunately, simply being better than someone else doesn’t make it ok. You cannot absolve yourself simply by finding someone worse. It’s not a personal issue.

So you’ve decided not to fly to the states then because of the environmental impact of doing so?

Good Luck 🙂

No worse than cheap flights to America…

😂

So it’s longer than T4 long wheelbase, never mind the standard wheelbase, and you can’t get a bike in the back without taking it apart!

So you’ve decided not to fly to the states then because of the environmental impact of doing so?

Why does what I do make a difference regarding g the OP’s truck?

You’ve had your pants pulled down Molgrips, just bow out gracefully.

OP you have looked at hybrids as a company vehicle ?

BMW 330e / 530e are very cheap on tax.

Why not a truck ? I’ve seen them trying to emergency stop on motorways, they are scary

All I did was raise a question. Is the environmental impact an issue? You lot tried to divert the question to talking about my potential flights.

I’ll answer the question for you. Yes, the environmental impact is an issue. As is the impact of long distance flights.

Just wondering if the OP cares.

I think it’s too late to save it now…..

Yep, pretty much. However it’s only a bit longer than say a 5 series and you won’t get that much in the back of a 5 series and still get 5 in the front. It’s not as roomy as a van in total capacity but I don’t want a van (drove one full of boards, sails, wetsuits etc for years). The ride is a little fidgety compared to a car, but better than any van I’ve driven and the economy is just as good. I certainly don’t think that a pedestrian / other vehicle would be better off being hit by a T5 and yet I’ve never seen a comment like that on any other van thread…

Molly, I really can’t take you seriously, I don’t believe that you’re deliberately trolling but my goodness the lack of self awareness (or is it do as I say, not as I do?) is just great!

Oh and yes, I’d have been very interested in 330e / 530e but neither come as estates, can’t even get stuff for the weekend in one of those (2 adults, 2 kids)

is is the environmental impact an issue? No, I wish there were none but of course there always is and it’s better than the T5 2.0bitdi with DSG I tested as well that would have had rave reviews on here!

i suspect that there isn’t a single person on this forum who lives in the most environmentally friendly way possible and Molly, for certain you don’t so I’m not sure why you’re worried about others?