Mercedes Vito Dualiner only option?

Been after a van for about 3 years but never seem to get one! Came very close to buying a new shape Toyota Proace but was informed that if I fit rear seats or turn it into a mini camper I will void the warranty………….so back to square one!

the vehicle needs to be really versatile, it will be a biking van, a family of 3 vehicle and my everyday transport/commute to work twice a month vehicle.

After exhaustive research the only vehicle that seems to fit the bill is a Mercedes Vito Dualiner. Ie I need rear seats that are removeable and fold up, tailgate, rear windows and and able to make into a stealth camper. The trouble is that sourcing a decent not too old Vito with reasonable mileage is proving very difficult. Dealer prices are sky high too around £14k fro a 5 year old with 60-70k on. I have looked at the Transit Custom too but they never come with removeable fold down seats and have to be retro fitted at large expense.

Anything else I should be looking at around 14k, lowing miles and folding/removeable rear seats?

Any big people  carrier and a window tinting kit seems like it would be the easier choice.

or a van that can fit three in the front and forget about removable seats

. I have looked at the Transit Custom too but they never come with removeable fold down seats

Most of the vans fitted with rear seats in the factory are built to suit Dual Purpose Vehicle spec for tax purposes – that requires a permanent division between the passenger space and the load space which is why the seats don’t just pop out

Any big people  carrier and a window tinting kit seems like it would be the easier choice.

or a van that can fit three in the front and forget about removable seats

People carriers I have looked at just don’t cut it for me and I can’t put my 5 year old daughter in the front legally hence the requirement for rear seating.

The other thing is for a stealth camper you’ll really want an extra long vito, the compact or long might be a bit short.

The VW Transporter T6 Kombi fits the bill. It’s probably about the nearest you will get to a van driving like a car. It has a second row of 3 seats and windows. The seats split 1 and 2 and either can be taken out individually by tugging on a couple of straps. It is literally a 30 second job although the dual seat weighs a ton. Most Kombis come with individual front ‘captains chair’ seats, and most have lifting tailgates with glass and rear wiper.

Most of the vans fitted with rear seats in the factory are built to suit Dual Purpose Vehicle spec for tax purposes – that requires a permanent division between the passenger space and the load space which is why the seats don’t just pop out

Sorry but not true. Being a Dual Purpose Vehicle does not put it in a different tax class, and there is nothing in the specification about any division between the load space and passenger space

 I have looked at the Transit Custom too but they never come with removeable fold down seats

Yeah they do, google Transit Custom Kombi. Only available in low/mid spec range though for some reason. Otherwise you could look at a Tourneo Custom (basically the minibus version) and just tint the windows.

Ah sorry forgot to mention can’t afford the scene tax of a VW! Also my friends with them do seem to have a lot go wrong??

We have just got a Tourneo Custom. Ticks all the boxes

Tourneo Custom very nice but very expensive or high mileage. Also can these sort of vehicles be insulated and ply lined etc to be comfortable to sleep in?

I have a LWB Vito and unless you are more than 2.3m tall you should be fine sleeping in it.

“Sorry but not true. Being a Dual Purpose Vehicle does not put it in a different tax class, and there is nothing in the specification about any division between the load space and passenger space”

Sorry that’s not true. A dual purpose vehicle has different BIK rating for company car purposes

The vws and the Merc dual cab font come with a bulk head as standard so that’s wrong too, they are an optional extra.

I have a LWB Vito and unless you are more than 2.3m tall you should be fine sleeping in it.

With seats out of my mates SWB Vito I can lie stretched out and I am 6’. So the LWB would be fine but I am not really enquiringly about length, more the MPV vs Van, seems the van will make a better stealth camper and I would certainly be nervous chucking bikes in a MPV with all its windows in the back.

Obviously not the only option…  But I bought a ‘long’ two years ago, and remain very happy with choice. I did have a build thread once.

Sounds like you are looking at second hand, so surely the ProAce warranty is less of an issue.

I’m in a similar situation.  Owned a Ford Transit Custom DCIV for 4 years; it’s been great but don’t want the bulkhead and want LWB.  Currently looking at lwb Renault Traffic panel van and getting removable seats put in.

If you want it to be the lower bik you’ll spec the bulkhead .

Also who told you fitting seats voided warrenty….it’ll void your perforation warrenty sure as you drilled a hole in it .

But It won’t void your warranty regards engine or gearbox going pop….

To clarify my earlier comment, if you want to leave the second row of seats in then the xlwb Vito still has around 6’ behind the rear seats.

Ah sorry forgot to mention can’t afford the scene tax of a VW! Also my friends with them do seem to have a lot go wrong??

”Scene tax”? I don’t understand that. Both the VW and Merc are premium vans and have similar costs. There is a vast array of aftermarket options for VW that people spend a fortune on that arent available for other makes, but you don’t have to buy into that

@trail_rat Being a dual purpose vehicle may impact some people’s BIK if it’s a company vehicle, but it doesn’t alter its tax class as a van

What do you mean you can’t put your 5 year old in the front of a people carrier?   Advice is to put kids the back but I’d rather have mine in the front of a ncap 5* people carrier than in the back of a van with windows…

“Being a dual purpose vehicle may impact some people’s BIK if it’s a company vehicle, but it doesn’t alter its tax class as a van”

BIK (tax) is the reason dual purpose vehicle exist.

BIK (tax) is the reason dual purpose vehicle exist.

And this is my point about how many vans will be specced if you are buying second hand. As a private/domestic use buyer BIK is of no consequence. However as a second-hand buyer the choice available to you is shaped by the vehicles that people that people have previously bought new.

You can have a van with seats in (a Kombi) and you can have a van with seats in that meets all the criteria of a ‘Dual Purpose Vehicle’ in terms of the proportion of passenger /payload split (which rules out a LWB), partitioning the load and passenger space payload weight and kerb weight. Tick all those boxes the the BIK benefit kicks in (and some benefits/work arounds re commercial towing and VOSA regs)

but it doesn’t alter its tax class as a van

Not altering the tax class is also the point. The vehicle you’re using as a car pays VED as a van- vans have a fixed VED rate no matter how big /small/ economical they are. For vehicles of this size/thirst you pay less VED as a van that the equivalent car – a DPV spec pick up will pay less VED that an equivalent SUV.

The DPV category allows businesses to buy ‘vans’ that they are really going to use as cars, but some of the features and flexibility you’d want from a Kombi style vehicle are ruled out by the DPV regs. So as a second hand buyer (or as a new non-business buyer) you’re not bound by those regs but the second hand market is shaped by them- they are the reason the fold down seats you want aren’t there in many factory built 5-seat vans.

I think we have a few in at the moment.  Including a lovely W639 Brabus Sport X 220.

I’m not getting involved in all that tax and BIK chat as you asked about Vito Dualiner/Crewvan.  If you want to chat to one of my salesmen call Matthew on 07788975910

Lwb does not always rule out DPV. I’ve got a new dispatch xl crew which easily meets the passenger / loadspace ratio.

Loadspace “just” long enough to lie down in so guess if really keen you could insulate and sleep back there with the bike. Except tailgate can only be opened from inside with a screwdriver….. Also don’t think there is a way to lock it from the rear without setting the alarm motion sensors.

Great van (same as Proace but only 3 year warranty). Don’t think you’ll find many pug / cit / Toyota for £14k yet. Also look at the Business Spacetourer as that has trimmed passenger space, rubber floor, removable seats and windows. Again very few in your price range yet.

”Scene tax”? I don’t understand that.

It’s a thing. We’ve ruled out Transporters for this reason. Mega-high mileage VWs for the same price as a reasonable mileage (and often newer) Merc.

Scene tax.

Yes, I agree, all other parameters the same, VW will be more expensive when buying 2nd hand. Even compared to Merc.

There is an argument about taking depreciation and running cost into account rather than purchase price, but anyway…

I think there are fewer vitos about. But I think you should be able to find something.

The law seems quite vague and the gov list of specific vehicles and their tax class is way out of date.

The rule of thumb seems to be 1 tonne payload to be VAT deductible and load area bigger than passenger area for better BiK.

So a lwb 4motion DSG T6 Transporter has a payload under 1 tonne, you can either have 4×4 or DSG but not both.

An extra long Vito has enough payload capacity to be classed as a van for VAT, and I think it should be ok with the load area / passenger ratio for BiK.

The VW Transporter T6 Kombi fits the bill. It’s probably about the nearest you will get to a van driving like a car.

This was once true of the T4 (20yrs ago), less so the T5 and even less relevant nowadays when there are vans that are much nicer to drive than a VW.
Even the very latest vans still do not drive like cars. Cars have got better and better but the difference is closing nowadays. Don’t be fooled into thinking a T6, Transit or whatever, drives just like a big Focus.

lets also not forget speed limits……

genuine Dual purpose vehicles get higher speed limits than vans with seats fitted.

Why not look at the Viano the executive minibus version. I’ve got one and it’s great multiple seating options

and it’s classed as a car so no problem when you need to go to the tip.

Theyre really nice to drive and really smooth with the auto box.

That’s a good call, as you’re not bothered about claiming VAT back.

not sure where all the BIK, VAT etc talk is coming from as it appears to me as though the OP is buying this a privte vehicle so the main concerns for me would me minimising VED and maximising the allowable speed. A people carrier will probably or minibus type van be higher VED unless it is a berlingo or something.

Because what is available on the used market is determined by what’s bought by first users.

First users want low bik and higher speed limits or a van .

Few want a van with fold up seats -high bik and low speed limits

Aftermarket lots of private users want the latter

Low supply

High demand

High prices.

Sounds like you are looking at second hand, so surely the ProAce warranty is less of an issue.

The Toyota warranty is with the vehicle and the one I was looking at is 2 years old with 3 years warranty left.

Also who told you fitting seats voided warrenty

Toyota UK warranty dept

”Scene tax”? I don’t understand that. Both the VW and Merc are premium vans and have similar costs

Not what my research shows. The VWs like for like have far less kit and far higher mileage.

There is an argument about taking depreciation and running cost into account rather than purchase price, but anyway…

As far as I can tell, Vitos and Transit Customs seem to hold onto their value really well these days also.

“Toyota UK warranty dept”

And you think it’s the right answer or the easy answer ?

You cannot void a whole warrenty due to fitting some seats unless they can prove in some way that in doing so the failed part was compromised.

Is the perforation warrenty will be gone but the engine and power train warrenty will remain in tact

I have a SWB 62 plate 2.1l sport. 2 bikes and kit fit easily with one of the rear seats removed. I haven’t slept in the rear but with all seats removed it wouldn’t be a problem. Don’t be scared of mileage when buying them. My previous Vito had 200k on the clock, this one has 150k, no major problems from either to report. Couple of common problems, leaky injectors (reseat and thicker copper washers to fix), rear wiper motor corroding but all round good vehicle.

I too couldn’t afford to pay the VW tax, of which they do command a higher price for the same spec vehicle on the second hand market. I paid £7500 for my van 6 months ago, so £10-12K should get you what your looking for privately.

“Toyota UK warranty dept”

And you think it’s the right answer or the easy answer ?

I think that if I modify a van still under warranty having been told by Toyota that my warranty would be void then……………………Probably not worth the risk I would say.

I paid £7500 for my van 6 months ago, so £10-12K should get you what your looking for privately.

I notice they seem to hold value very well even with high miles. Thin on the ground though for private sales and a rip off from dealers. Don’t need the van until spring so will keep looking.

Not really. Either your asking the wrong questions or speaking to the wrong people .

As I said they cannot void a power train warrenty because you have drilled holes in the body.

On that front you best not buy a vehicle in warrenty from  anyone if you believe what Toyota have told you and want to turn it into a mini camper.

The cutting/drilling body work.holes and warrenty is discussed at great lengths on self build forums and the result is always the above .if you have a perforation issue (rust ) your on your own….if your gearbox takes a shit it’s nothing to do with holes cut in the body work.

Not really. Either your asking the wrong questions or speaking to the wrong people .

So the question I asked was “if I modify a Toyota van still under warranty ie. fit a row of seats in the rear would that void the warranty?”. The people I asked are Toyota UK warranty dept and my local Toyota dealer.

The main reason I was considering the new shaped Toyota is the warranty, otherwise I would get something less new and cheaper,

ah yes well part of your warrenty is void so while you have asked a big general vague question they have answered with a vague arse covering answer.

sounds like you should buy a dualiner.