Peugeot Rifter – Hows it working out for you?

Back for my seemingly annual post about cars/vans….

Peugeot Rifter owners, how are they working out for you now they are a couple of years old?

Currently driving an Audi A4 Estate which I’ve been plugging on with for the last couple of years, expensive aircon pump fix last year and a slowly dieing clutch and whiny turbo mean its probably time to change wheels before another big bill lands.

We’re currently a two car household and ideally would like to consolidate down to a single vehicle.

I cycle to work during the week, and really only use the car to head off at weekends with bikes/camping stuff/wing foiling kit/surfing.

Practically I need something with more load carrying than I’ve got, and it would be great to be able to crash in the back of it comfortably for the odd overnighter.

My other half is more focussed on daily driving properties – up to date tech, sat nav, car like drive, reasonable fuel efficiency.

Previous car was a Skoda Octavia – boot space is definitely larger than I have now, but head space is limited for dossing in.

I’ve been down the whole van rabbit hole for a while and looked at most mid sized vans – Transporters, Vivaro, Traffic.  We’re planning to move overseas in the next 18 months, so don’t want to sink loads of time and money into a van and the reality is that we don’t currently have the time to get the most use out of a mid sized van with extended trips away as we tend to head overseas to see family.

We’ve ended up coming back towards van based MPVs like the Rifter and newer Berlingo.

Plan would be to add some wind deflectors and build a copy of the Amdro Boot Bed (rather than Bootjump), this would potentially give us a couple of different options:

– Ability to pack it to the gunnels for weekends away camping and cycling

– Overnight dossing in the back of the van when we go surfing as a couple

– Solo overnight trip away wingfoiling where I could sleep in the van with my kit

Currently thinking of the GT Line, Diesel, 130 BHP

An e Rifter seems like the car we might be looking for next….. I wish they could move away from the Berlingo looks though. That said most cars are just big blobs nowadays

My other half is more focussed on daily driving properties

My wife said she wouldn’t drive a Berlingo because of how it looks

Range on the e-Rifters looks low for our needs hence diesel.

They are definitely better looking than previous lumps, but still nothing to get excited about – its essentially a van with windows so I guess you need to view it on practical terms.

One of our cars is an old Renault Scenic. Similar to a Berlingo in many ways but still looks more car than van.

Eldest just managed to find a LWB (who knew they existed) Vauxhall Combo. I was surprised by how big in the back and how acceptable it is to drive. I drove across Fife in it a couple of nights ago, and it is fine. Pulls well with a new turbo under warranty… —wink emoji—

I would peer beyond the usual Rifter and Berlingo. Combo, Doblo, Townstar, Kangoo, Citan, NV200, Courier etc. Many come as ‘combo’ with rear seats and windows, as well as the MPV versions. The LWB of them all (harder to find) are all long enough to kip in.

Ex-post office Berlingos are the long wheelbase model…

Ex-post office Berlingos are the long wheelbase model…

And are pretty knackered – both the style of use (stop start, in out, never past 3rd gear etc) and the onwer who is not exactly known for being a carefully run organisation or who stick to normal standards…

There are a good few LWB small vans from other suppliers which are better – ours was from an engineering company.

We bought a Vauxhall Combo XL 1.5 Diesel in April. Traded a 5 door Mini for it.

Loving it so far. Plenty of space for our needs. We took the 3 rd row of seats out, even with the back seats up the boot is huge. Put the seats down and it’s enormous. We’ve had the rear windows tinted, added roof rails/bars and put a roof box on.

You won’t be disappointed.

Theres a Fiat iteration of the stellantis van too now – the new Doblo.

The Vx combo seems to be the cheapest variant used.

*berlingo 1.2 feel petrol, new in 2019. (It was cheaper than the rifter, it’s more basic, less bells and whistles, replaced older style 1.6hdi berlingo which I gave up on at 170,000)

countryish driving – about 43 mpg, 45000 miles , no probs.
feel has very basic set up with few bells. (Screen that phone connects too but I find a gps stuck to windscreen safer and easier to view) , limiter handy, basic speed cruise … ok, auto wipers – a bit erratic,

Great for loads, good squarish shape, flat, low boot edge.  (Two mtb, surfboard, trials motorbike plus paraphernalia), tbh I don’t think other vehicle types will match this shape and low floor for packing/loads.
Very glad I got rear parking sensors.

for sleeping check what front seats do (mine don’t go flat, think on higher specs they do) , that would give a bit more length. There are mini camper conversions for them.

drives well* (for a car van), but you know when it’s full and even when it’s empty it’s frustratingly rubbish at a road overtaking, higher power diesels probably better (but at not too high an annual mileage my trusted dealer said petrol probably less hassle than diesel with dpf)

*funny push out rear door windows , only open a tiny bit , they upset the grandchildren. (Yayyyy) and boot window doesnt open in mine

Another option is a Ford Galaxy, if you’d like it to drive a car rather than a van and have more luxuries.

I removed the rear seats from mine to get a huge boot, and my deviate fits in wheels on with the seats dropped.

I drive work Berlingos – it’s the same vehicle. Adblue problems and mileage on electric ones is atrocious loaded or in winter. Someone else may be along to refine what exact engines have the adblue issues. Get a petrol or a pre-adblue model.

Having had berlingos and partners since 2008

I wanted to want an e rifter but the range is very poor.

But that said there isn’t another vehicle of its ilk and so they appear to be one of the few e vehicles where the value isn’t plummeting like a stone.

I’ll stick with my diesel b9 pre adblue for now. (Although pre-adblue ones are not lez compliant. Not that it bothers me)

If your wife wants a car like experience, galaxy, Alhambra/Sharan has similar space to a rifter/Berlingo but a lot less van-y. Often not much more money, either

If you are buying, look for a post Feb 2023 diesel with an 8mm cam chain. Make sure you use the correct oil. It is highly likely that what is in the handbook is wrong. There have been a number of changes.

Had Vx combo 1.5D for 2 years. Hideous Adblue issues, couldn’t be resolved. Shame, otherwise practical and cheap.  Apparently the berlingo based SCR system was an afterthought that was flawed. Traded in for 1.2 petrol and no probs. Main dealership never even checked the diesel on the swap.

We have the 130bhp gt line 2019. Can’t fault it. But only had it for 3 months.

Electric version, can’t see you getting much more than 100 miles are motorway speeds. Based on my Citroen EC4 which has the same motor and battery, which might matter to some, especially when motorway chargers are charging ~£1 a kW.

Can the adblue issue be dealt with software wise?

https://www.pacetuning.co.uk/other-services/ad-blue-removal.html#:~:text=This%20process%20of%20ECU%20reprogramming,detect%20that%20its%20been%20disabled.

If your wife wants a car like experience, galaxy, Alhambra/Sharan has similar space to a rifter/Berlingo but a lot less van-y

The Sharan has significant people and load carrying capacity, and (as an example) only 10cm longer than a Volvo XC60. Having driven both close together*, the Sharan is like a big/long car, the XC60 like a boat.

*Father in law has a Sharan and had an XC60 as a hire car. To be fair the Volvo was a nice car but very much needed the various driver aids to compensate for its complete vagueness of where the wheels are.