Hi All

I've been thinking for a few years about how to take the race car and caravan to events so that my wife and son can come with me. It's obvious now they're not interested so I'm going to get a van that I can camp out in!

I'm not planning a full motor home conversion but something I can put a fold out bed in, a cupboard and maybe a sink / cooker (typical surf wagon).

I fancy a Vito for some reason but open to other suggestions. It needs to be able to tow but I'm not too worried about it being slow :-) . Budget up to £3k. And i need one soon as I'm off to Mamhead in just over two weeks and have nowhere to stay! I'm off to the auctions later this week hopefully.

I'm in South West Wales so something local would be good.

Any thoughts?

Regards

Wyn

Isnt that whats the bongo is for lol

[Edited on 12/7/10 by prawnabie]

lots of vivaros at auctions, you'd get an 05 or 06 with 80k for about 3k+vat.

Not a great reputation for hardiness, but they do drive nice.

My own opinion is that older (the sort of age £3k will get you) Vito’s have poor paint, blister, chip, fade and rust, also expensive for any parts and yes they do go wrong, Ford transits likewise have poor bodywork and not the best mechanical rep, Renaults et-al don’t seem to do the mileage before they become unreliable and don’t hold their value.

The winner, in my opinion, is the T4 - great bodywork/paint and solid reliability. I actually think my old T4 was a better-built van than my current T5. The consensus in my trade (where this size of van is extensively used) is that the vw is better than the Merc in this size of van, something that is reversed when you compare the larger crafter/sprinter models

As above, T4

Yup, in that price range T4 is good, run a mile from the Vito, poor paint, Vivaro well worth a look if gearbox fitted as not done more than 50k, they seem to go every 100k although the 5 speed is ok, I find them much more comfortable than the T4 so would look for a Vivaro with a fresh gearbox personally.

Got to agree with the T4, and I practice what I preach
But it would mean an older type of van, they date back to the early 90s & though I like the way mine drives if you're used to a modern van like the Traffic/Vivaro it does show it's age a touch.
The following they have means they aint much of a bargain but you could get lucky!
On the plus side the build quality is about the best & if you want to ad a few bits & pieces to make it look less like a tradesman's van there's loads of stuff there for them.

When looking for a van I asked a mate who deals in them & does a lot of repair work on them, he did'nt rate the Vito at all, he finds it silly that a company that makes the Sprinter which can do mega miles can make such a hash of the smaller van.

Forget the auction...

Badda-bing; badda-boom.

Check out what i'm building/using

http://www.austengreenway.co.uk/search/label/Disco%20Bus

Race Van?




Something like that?

im looking at getting a van and have learnt so far that ANYTHING VW is head a shoulders above transits, vitos, vivaros etc. worth paying the extra few quid for. 2.5tdi 'blue eye' engine is reckoned to be a good beast for towing. theres a big following for the vw's too, ive just signed upto the T4 forum - full of usefull info.

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Originally posted by MK9R
Check out what i'm building/using

http://www.austengreenway.co.uk/search/label/Disco%20Bus

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quote:

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Originally posted by hobbsy

quote:

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Originally posted by MK9R
Check out what i'm building/using

http://www.austengreenway.co.uk/search/label/Disco%20Bus

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I like what you're doing there Austen

Good find especially with the air suspension.

I don't know how you find the time to do all this though.

What MPG do you get out of it and how big is the engine in it?

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I bought a Transit - 2002 long wheel base with a 2.4 TD engine - tows like a dream - I spent the weekend in it but it really needs some work on panelling it out and making it more homely. Winter project I think!