I have a renault trafic 2006 6 speed with 127000 miles on the clock. I now cant select 1st gear when the van is moving, even when the clutch is depressed. It will go into 1st when the van is stationary. All other gears seem fine. I know these gearboxes are trouble and it is likely that it is on its way out.

However, the van is insulated, carpeted, has a leisure battery, bed, flooring and apart from the gearbox is in good nick.

I am in two minds as to what to do. A recon gearbox will set me back around £700 plus fitting, so lets say £1500 all in. I would then hopefully then have a fixed van. However, with the age of the van, am i pouring £1500 down the drain if other issues arise ie engine fails.

Should i cut my losses and get another van. The issue with this is that all of the ‘camper’ mods wont be in it, so it will all need doing again.

Went through something similar a year or so ago with mine (Nissan Primastar – same van apart from the badge).

’06 plate van with 130,000 ish miles when the injectors went on it, cue a bill of around £1200 to fix them.

I’d not long finished putting in box seats / folding bed, wiring up a leisure batter and plug and it’d been insulated, lined and windows fitted a year before that.

In the end I green-lighted the repair based on the theory that scrapping the knackered van I have and know I’d still end up having to chuck another £1k ish on all of the work I’d done to mine. Plus the cost of actually buying the newer van on top. 18 months and 20,000 miles on there’s been no additional major setbacks (touch wood), and I don’t regret the decision one bit.

A £1200 repair bill on a van that originally cost me £2000 *did* take a bit of contemplation though, I must admit.

thanks, a pretty similar scenario.

cost wise, it would be alot cheaper to replace just the box as a van with a broken box is worth nothing. But, even though the numbers add up, as you say, its alot of money compared to the worth of the van.

With the gearboxes on these notoriously made from chocolate biscuits, who’s to say the one you replace it with is going to fare any better?

The guy who had mine before I bought if (via the mechanic at the local garage) had given it away (to said mechanic) because the gearbox had shat itself and was replaced with a refurb’d unit. I’m 45,000 miles in on it now and no sign of any issues as yet. If everything else on your van is Ok, I’d be inclined to take a deep breath and just get it fixed.

Is the ‘box whiney in 6th, too?

£800 in labour for removing and refitting sounds steep. Does that include a new clutch?

I’d look for some local specialists and get some actual quotes. IF there’s a decent local specialist, they may even be able to rebuild your gearbox.

Have you tried changing the box oil? When was it last changed?

I’d investigate (or get garage to as I did) whether a new gearbox is really necessary.

Had issues getting mine into certain gears in the past, one time it needed new cable, another time just a bit of a clean up. Shifting fine now on similar mileage to yours.

Do you often need to change to 1st gear when it’s moving? It sounds like the syncromesh has failed on 1st – I learnt to drive on an original Mini that wasn’t built with syncromesh on 1st, and required ‘double declutching’, ie, clutch down, shift into neutral, clutch up, clutch down, shift into 1st, clutch up. That technique should work and you can carry on without spending money.

A vote for “stick with it” from me. As an aside do you often need to go into first from second when moving? Not sure I do but mine’s always empty and I live somewhere flat.

Apropos of nothing. If you do decide to twist I think it’s very unlikely that “we buy an car” would check if it goes into first from second when moving and they find Vans highly desirable. Mentioning that for no reason whatsoever.

If the bearings are on the way out, it’s the beginning of the end. If van is a keeper due to the other money you’ve sunk, better to get it looked at now IMO.

I had similar trouble and there is a gearbox specialist called Ian Peck in Wolverhampton that refurbs these, his work is top quality. Basically you need new bearing in the gearbox and he will open it up and replace what is needed, much better than a second hand box, will cost you £600 upwards and he’ll do it in a day. I got his details via a Trafic/Vivaro group on facebook which is full of common problems and fixes and the standard reply to anything gearbox related is go and see Ian Peck. It reminds me of the “go and see jedi” mantra that always comes up on here when anyone mentions bike skills! Details here https://www.facebook.com/Gearbox-Rebuild-and-Repair-Specialists-185963138127837/

This is the group, well worth joining https://www.facebook.com/groups/RenaultTrafficUk/

I now cant select 1st gear when the van is moving, even when the clutch is depressed. It will go into 1st when the van is stationary

Could just be the first gear synchro, do you know how to double de clutch?

i know where Ian Peck is as its round the corner from where i grew up (ive also seen him on Car SOS!)

van is going in for a service on Monday and the guys will give it a good going over to look for any other issues – this will give me piece of mind before committing to the gearbox fix.

a refurbed box from renault spares uk is between £600 to 700.

pretty convinced im going down the stick route and will get it sorted.

I’d definitely stick with it if you have the insides set up as you like it. They are good vans with well known issues that are easily resolved. Look after it and you can easily double your current mileage. I drove down from Manchester to get my box done in Wolverhampton and driving home it felt the best it ever has done. Time and cash well spent.

May not be the gearbox, could be the linkage from gear lever to selectors, they can be dodgy but easy to fix. Let the specialist have a look see.

The vauxhallowners forum may have some answers

We stopped using these vans pretty sharply due to gearbox faults at a year old and 30k miles. Car gearbox apparently