I drove an 18 plate Transit on a 300 mile round trip a couple of weeks ago. It wasn't as quiet or comfortable as my wife's 7 year old Clio, never mind my 8 year old 5 series.
What 'vehicle' to buy?
- Thread starter Stumpy
- Start date
It was a works van, so probably povvo spec, but still well north of £25K.
Some of the vans being mentioned are going to be in the same price range as a premium estate car. The VW T6 starts at around £32K for a crew cab with DSG and tops out at around £55K!
However, none of this is any use to Stumpy as he has £5k max to spend and we all know that the vans he'll get for that will be primitive rot boxes with all the comforts of an Iron Maiden.
Some of the vans being mentioned are going to be in the same price range as a premium estate car. The VW T6 starts at around £32K for a crew cab with DSG and tops out at around £55K!
However, none of this is any use to Stumpy as he has £5k max to spend and we all know that the vans he'll get for that will be primitive rot boxes with all the comforts of an Iron Maiden.
You pay a significant VW tax on the transporter. Of course no van is going to compare to a nice car, simply because its a van, but they have come on leaps and bounds in terms of being perfectly viable as day to day transport.
Its getting harder and harder these days to find decent cars at lower prices, the rise in electronic dependance in cars seems to have reduced their lifespans, and gone are the days when you could ic up a perfectly serviceable banger for bargain money.
In the noughties I had a variety of big old Merc and Volvo estates that where bulletproof and easy/cheap to maintain, and all bought for less than 2k.
Its getting harder and harder these days to find decent cars at lower prices, the rise in electronic dependance in cars seems to have reduced their lifespans, and gone are the days when you could ic up a perfectly serviceable banger for bargain money.
In the noughties I had a variety of big old Merc and Volvo estates that where bulletproof and easy/cheap to maintain, and all bought for less than 2k.
motmcd
Active member
I use my Dodge Ram Crew Cab pickup truck, but I'm from the US - land of oversized vehicles so that suggestion may be bunk for your location. With that disclaimer out of the way, I'll add that I've used vans in Croatia and Italy to transport bikes. Man, I wish we could get the European iteration of vans here. I love the 6-speed, turbo diesel 6-cylinders you all have over there. Tons of room and fantastic fuel economy by comparison to my truck. Last summer in Croatia I rented an Opel iteration of this van configuration and with four guys and four bikes we had plenty of room. The Opel van performed well enough but not nearly as well as the Fiat Ducato van I had in Italy. So if I were in Europe I'd be pushing for the van solution to your cycling transport needs. Cheers to all!
A Yeti is a good shout, but the cheapest Auto on Autotrader is £5995.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201903075639471?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201903075639471?
An auto Tardis, sorry Berlingo, in budget;
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201903095720713
It's in Ross on Wye so if you came to view on a weekend I could show you some awesome trails.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201903095720713
It's in Ross on Wye so if you came to view on a weekend I could show you some awesome trails.
All 3 rear seats are removed, it seems, although in this setup he/she could leave the left seat in.
It needs to be an auto double cab and it needs to be the fully leathered up model to be a smooth mile eating machine. This drives better than my Evoque. ?
I love how "first world problems" this post is... What 3rd car to buy for my 3rd bike . (No offense meant to anyone, quite the opposite! I belong to the you-can-never-have-too-many-bikes-or-cars category)
. (No offense meant to anyone, quite the opposite! I belong to the you-can-never-have-too-many-bikes-or-cars category)
It needs to be an auto double cab and it needs to be the fully leathered up model to be a smooth mile eating machine. This drives better than my Evoque.
View attachment 11867
It looks very nice. How much was it?
mark1a
Active member
If a van seems a bit hollow & crashy, for the sake of a few hundred pounds, apply something like Dynamat or Silent Coat to the wheel arches, side panels, roof, floor, door skins, etc and then line & carpet the rear. It makes a massive difference.
Couchy
Well-known member
Over the years we have had vans and kombi vans, from the top of the range T5.1 180 to a Brabus vito and as nice as they are none of them drive like a car. We have a couple of new transits and they are nice too but still not a car and all of them bar the V6 vito are slow.
For personal use 4 years ago I bought this for £5k a Nissan Elgrand. It has been faultless in 5 years and serves great for carrying family, motorbikes and now mountain bikes. It is still worth £5k too. It is comfier and quicker than a van and the rear seats go flat to make a bed if needed or spin round to make a lounge. I get 3 bikes with wheels on and 3 people, 4 would be doable too. Of course there is a downside and that's the 25mpg average since owned but the engine sounds well and goes well and with little depreciation the overall running cost isnt too bad.
For £5k there is no van I'd want to be in, tbh there is no van I'd want over this at any price
EE382478-F9E3-4E32-BDF4-A1ABF1E0964C by Tony H, on Flickr
Untitled by Tony H, on Flickr
For personal use 4 years ago I bought this for £5k a Nissan Elgrand. It has been faultless in 5 years and serves great for carrying family, motorbikes and now mountain bikes. It is still worth £5k too. It is comfier and quicker than a van and the rear seats go flat to make a bed if needed or spin round to make a lounge. I get 3 bikes with wheels on and 3 people, 4 would be doable too. Of course there is a downside and that's the 25mpg average since owned but the engine sounds well and goes well and with little depreciation the overall running cost isnt too bad.
For £5k there is no van I'd want to be in, tbh there is no van I'd want over this at any price
EE382478-F9E3-4E32-BDF4-A1ABF1E0964C by Tony H, on Flickr
Untitled by Tony H, on Flickr34K new
Fully spec'd or plus options?
This is the most relevant post on this thread so far.
What is the height of the rear door if you don't mind me asking. I'm wondering if a enduro bike would fit?
- Thread starter
- #80
Over the years we have had vans and kombi vans, from the top of the range T5.1 180 to a Brabus vito and as nice as they are none of them drive like a car. We have a couple of new transits and they are nice too but still not a car and all of them bar the V6 vito are slow.
For personal use 4 years ago I bought this for £5k a Nissan Elgrand. It has been faultless in 5 years and serves great for carrying family, motorbikes and now mountain bikes. It is still worth £5k too. It is comfier and quicker than a van and the rear seats go flat to make a bed if needed or spin round to make a lounge. I get 3 bikes with wheels on and 3 people, 4 would be doable too. Of course there is a downside and that's the 25mpg average since owned but the engine sounds well and goes well and with little depreciation the overall running cost isnt too bad.
For £5k there is no van I'd want to be in, tbh there is no van I'd want over this at any price
I agree and following @Russell previous comments above I’ve been looking at these and the Toyota Alphard - going to see a couple this weekend and hopefully, all being well, will own one for next week - I’ll let you know.,..
- Thread starter
- #82
The engine is the same as the 350z, albeit detuned, obviously - nothing a good ECU wouldn’t sort out....
- Thread starter
- #84
Yeah, cos that'll definitely improve on the 25mpg...
?
Couchy
Well-known member
1200mm height of opening, biggest motorbike I’ve had in is a 990 super duke you won’t get anything taller in tbh.
Couchy
Well-known member
Yup a good forum and a few specialists, all service parts easy and cheap enough and non service parts a day or so to order. They are a simple reliable thing though.
Couchy
Well-known member
Completely different top end, they are 240hp and tuning isn’t easy. They are lively enough for a big bus 0-60 around 7s so amusing on the traffic light GP but they are a comfy relaxing drive.
- Thread starter
- #90
Why do I get the feeling stumpy is going to be posting up something like this on Monday
View attachment 11892
If I did it has a nice living area for when the Mrs kicks me out... ??
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