Thanks! Some people won't have anything else but a Transit but I've been a car/van dealer for over 40 years and all I know is I've owned most makes of van. Problem is they are all fine while under manufacturers warranty but most of us get them after white van man has had the best out of them
2015 vivaro sportive 1.6 bi-turbo has all the toys but runs out of puff to easy but returns 45mpg @ 70mph, dvt fits in if you remove the screen and mirrors.
Dave How have you found the new Vivario, i have a crew cab one from new 2011 with now 68k miles and been great no problems, been looking at another new swb crew cab sportive the cheapest so far is £20,450 and looked today at the new Transit Limited with all the gadgets and cheapest so far is £24,000 both included vat. Transit seems to be better all-round with a 2.2 litre but not on mpg but not sure about 1.6 bi turbo Vivario like you say ran out of puff. Also what Ps (bhp) is your one,
Had my acu licence thru today. Came with leaflet for 10k off a new renault van, or 9k off the equivalent sport verson, 18k instead of 27k. May be something worth looking at roadtrip
I'm very sceptical that you'll get big miles out the 1.6 tbh i recon the engine will be shagged @ 100k if not less, it's more about chasing emissions, First gear is pointless, having a 6-speed box you can pull away in 2nd most of the time and low down its Nippy with the instant turbo drive but then goes flat and I'm sure it would feel gutless if fully loaded.. It has 120 bhp on tap and a simply remap sees 175 bhp .The cabin I find nice with plenty of storage in the dash plus under seat storage, dash layout is great with the led speedo, cruise/speed limiter plus all the toys very car like, but there's quite a bit of rd noise from the front wheels . I like the low floor of the vavaro not only for loading but also the fact theres less body roll and for £14-£15k +vat I recon it's a great price especially when you compare against a T5 with the same spec is £25 +vat .
Hi DD, not sure about budget yet. We're still at the stage of working out if it's a good idea or not. Never considered a van before so it will likely be later in the year when we make any purchase. Stooby
If you are looking for this as an everyday driver, I would steer clear of the cheap makes, if you want class in every way it is a VW transporter or a Vito, (never driven a VW, Vito bigger engine one rear wheel drive, As I said I have a Vito Sport, V6 3 liter Diesel, they do not make that engine no more in a van, other wise I would have bought a new one, it is Stage one, it does over 30 to a gallon, Auto Rear Wheel Drive, goes like a train when you want it to, I mean really goes, and is a pleasure to drive cruising. 2 side doors, can get a DVT in with screen and mirrors removed, loads of tie down points. You can pick these up quiet cheap if you look around, the 2008 versions are quicker than the later release, they had to dumb down the standing start. the engines are rock solid as is the gearbox, this model do not rust like the earlier ones back in 2k, and have good up-rated suspension as a sport van, alloys, etc, the inside is well built, and can put in a full system with sub quiet cheap with sat nav. Good Vans are hugely over priced in my view when new, especially if you cannot put it through a business and get VAT back. I could easily drive it around everyday, I have no problems driving 500 / 600 miles in a day in it, as if abroad you could easily cruise all day in 3 figures, (of course fuel might drop) it has so much torque and power even loaded it goes like a train up and down hills. Over taking is a joy I have winter tyres on it, and rock solid on the road.
Problem with T5 is you pay a seen tax (it's the van to be seen in) but they do hold strong values, I've had 2 first one 1.9tdi had done 175k when sold and looked like it had done no more then 50k, second was 2.0tdi and just as good, I'm a massive fan of DSG and having it in a van is an added bonus, I also owned a vito sport brought new in 2008 and sold it after 12 months, it used to eat front tyres and 25mpg was not really ideal. As a workhorse i rate the vivaro it's cheap as chips and comes fully loaded and yesterday I did a round trip of 498 miles and used 10.9 gallons, not even my little Dsg caddy returns that figure .
Reading about poor reliability (gearbox) issues on the Vivaro (2005-2008)... I'm now looking at Ducato/Boxer 2007> .. Any comments? My budget is 3K
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If you are staggering a bike, the one that is not up against the front bulkhead, how or what do you use to stop it moving forward under braking. I've toyed with the idea of a front wheel chock in addition to putting the bike in gear, but that's no use if it the front chock is not bolted to the floor and a rental company wont take kindly to me drilling holes in the ply flooring just to accommodate it.
How about a large removable wooden board, just large enough to reach the rear of the staggered wheel.... Then bolt 2 chocks at the correct positions? The front edge of the board against the bulk head and the weight of the 2 bikes would hopefully hold it in place? Lash down as normal....
Depends. Front wheel chock is ideal. I have aslo pointed the front wheel into the side and strapped it from the top yoke diagonally to the same side as the wheel and another rear and/or middle
