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Replies

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  andrew magill November 23, 2011 at 8:56pm

  not much head room in the back of the vw. transit semi high roof good job parts cheap but rust issue
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  Andy Lawrence November 23, 2011 at 9:18pm

  Really Paul?

  'Ive got a Mercedes Sprinter now bought from  new but buying second hand I would still go with ford.'

  I'll be changing the van in about a year and was thinking of a Sprinter.

  My Transit has done less than 120,000 but has caused me problems this year. Think my choice will be either a Sprinter, another Transit or possibly an Iveco Daily, although I don't know too much about them at the mo.
  

  Paul @ PPCH Services said:

  The swb transit is a fraction bigger than the vivaro and I think bigger again than the hi ace. Not a lot in it but it does make a difference.

  I preferred the transit to the vivaro from a driving point of view, transit is also cheap for parts. my garage warned me of gear box problems on the vivaro so I always steered clear of them. Ive got a Mercedes Sprinter now bought from  new but buying second hand I would still go with ford.
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  andrew magill November 23, 2011 at 9:26pm

  andy how do you find your transit for rusting?
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  Paul McNulty November 23, 2011 at 9:26pm

  I've got a Hiace. The longer wheelbase helps a lot, you can fit a mower through the side door and have enough length for other tools easily. They really are unbreakable, my garage cursed me buying one. After 130,000 miles it's only needed one central-locking sensor (£38), and a diff bearing at about £300 on top of regular servicing. The clutch is beginning to go at last!

  Transits (and similar-sized vans) are a lot bigger inside, I have to fold the mower handle in the Hiace which is a pain. Reliability is worse and running cost are higher though, I'd only go for something bigger if I needed to carry a lot of materials.

  The Transporter, and the Vivaro varients, are supposed to be less reliable over high miles. Fine if you're buying new and trading them in, but not the best if you buy used and keep for many years.

  This is all based on my van-specialist's advice. He services all types of van in all types of use, and he's not going to retire on my Hiace's costs!
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  Adam Pilgrim November 23, 2011 at 9:33pm

  As regards vans - I have had a Nissan Vanette - too small, too noisy - too lots of things - so I got rid of it and bought a long wheelbase semi hi Transit 2004.

   

  If you are ever going to tow virtually ANYTHING and are going the Transit route, you need a rear wheel drive model as the front wheel drive models are seriously limited on legal towing weight. Mine has been a good van, I bought it at a fair price knowing it had some issues, all of which are common to transits of that era.

   

  Watch out for rattling timing chain (that's £400 odd to fix), rattling dual mass flywheel (potentially up to £800+ to fix or convert to single mass flywheel at around £250 for parts plus labour). Also watch out for rust, knocking or whining rear axles (if rear wheel drive) and rust virtually anywhere - oh seized and squeaky blower motors are common too. Also watch out for a 'dragging clutch' that isn't - it could be the spigot bearing - the part is £26 but the engine has to come out to fit it....

  Insurance is also a consideration, I am 23 with a clean licence and physically can't insure a Sprinter or some of the VW range - we are talking £000's of pounds a year here....

  Vivaro's and their Renault equivalents have a reputation in the trade for bad gearbox/clutch issues.

  Some days I wish my Transit was a Jumbo (extra long wheel base high top) - that's on days like the picture below...

   

  

   
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  aiden moon November 23, 2011 at 9:38pm

  thanks everyone for your replys :)
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  Andy Lawrence November 23, 2011 at 10:08pm

  Not too bad considering,

  
  I know they have a bad rep for this but mine is an 02 plate and outside of a few rust spots above the windscreen and around the filler cap the main body is clean. The wheel arches and the sills are starting to go a little bit though and I'm debating whether or not to get them sorted or just leave it and swap next year.

  
  andrew magill said:

  andy how do you find your transit for rusting?
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  Andy Lawrence November 23, 2011 at 10:12pm

  Yeah, funnily enough been thinking about the mileage thing myself.

  Most Sprinters I see seem to be delivery vans etc flying past me on dual carriageways. Not sure what I would get for around the 8k mark. Parts also a consideration.

  
  Cheers

  
  Andy

  Paul @ PPCH Services said:

  Andy, my logic is as follows:

  Most second hand sprinters have done big miles and as rule Mercedes charge for each extra feature eg heated mirrors etc rather than including many particularly in the pree face lift, hence many used vans  can be quite basic.

  If they do go wrong the parts are really expensive. Used fords typically have farr lower miles , more features as standard  and parts are a lot less.

  The Sprinter is a amazing drive and i love mine but its been  built factory to my spec without penny pinching and having it from new I have warranty on it. Through not buying it  used I know  it has not been thrashed by someone else with the risk of me footing the big parts bill.  
  
  Andy Lawrence said:

  Really Paul?

  'Ive got a Mercedes Sprinter now bought from  new but buying second hand I would still go with ford.'

  I'll be changing the van in about a year and was thinking of a Sprinter.

  My Transit has done less than 120,000 but has caused me problems this year. Think my choice will be either a Sprinter, another Transit or possibly an Iveco Daily, although I don't know too much about them at the mo.

  Paul @ PPCH Services said:

  The swb transit is a fraction bigger than the vivaro and I think bigger again than the hi ace. Not a lot in it but it does make a difference.

  I preferred the transit to the vivaro from a driving point of view, transit is also cheap for parts. my garage warned me of gear box problems on the vivaro so I always steered clear of them. Ive got a Mercedes Sprinter now bought from  new but buying second hand I would still go with ford.
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  Big Dig Groundworks November 23, 2011 at 10:15pm

  I have an 07 Lwb medium roof Transit which I have had for just over a year now.

  Moved up from a swb T reg transit. Got the LWB because I wanted the 350 so I could easily carry a ton of grit or MOT in the back and only a LWB allowed for this.

  Also the extra room it gives is brilliant. I also opted for the 140bhp engine with rear wheel drive as my last transit couldnt pull the skin off rice pudding.

  I love transits due to cheap and easy to source parts.
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  Adam Pilgrim November 23, 2011 at 10:18pm

  My van is 2004 and has had some remedial paintwork prior to my ownership. All inside the wheel arches and all around underneath I have liberally coated in Waxoyl to kill off existing and hopefully prevent new rust... Mind you, at a previous job, I drove a Sprinter Luton that at just over one year old was already going rusty under the paint on the doors and the windscreen pillars. Apparently white ones are prone to it whilst the other colours last longer...
  
  

  andrew magill said:

  andy how do you find your transit for rusting?