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Thu 9 Jan 2020 23:41

Vauxall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - anyname

Hi, im looking for some advice on the new vauxhall combo cargo vans. Basically im thinking of getting one and wonder what peoples thoughts are on the quality of these vans; are the engines all that good, the general build quality ect. Im toying with the idea of getting a petrol over a diesel mostly because it will be used for fairly short runs around town and I dont need any particulate filter issues in the future, Anyone have one/ driven one, what do you think of them and are they worth the !0 - 12 K that they can be had for now.

Thanks all, any advice is welcome, great forum btw

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Fri 10 Jan 2020 08:25

Vauxall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - badbusdriver

You are probably aware of this, but the current Combo is a badge engineered version of the peugeot Partner and Citroen Berlingo. As such, the only reason you should buy one over another is down to prices and availability, i.e, if you can get a Berlingo locally for less money, don't swerve it in favour of a Combo.

As to the van itself, all i have read about the Combo (Life) is good. Good road manners, good refinement, good engines and good payload. The 1.2 Pure Tech is generally regarded as being reliable, but there has been a couple of threads surrounding owners having issues. Here is the most recent of these, www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/133876/peugeot-308...l, and if you read through, i have put a link to two previous threads i found.

As the van has been out for just over a year, it will still be under warranty, so i'd ideally be looking for something that had been serviced by a dealer rather than an independent garage. One of the reasons for this is that the previous Berlingo/Partner (diesel) had a poor reputation, but investigation suggests that one of the main problems is using anything other than the correct type/grade of oil. I realise you are looking at the petrol, but given the possibility of issues like the ones on the links, i'd be very particular about servicing. Going back to the warranty, it is 3 years i believe, and i'd probably also look into the pros and cons of extending that warranty.

Edited by badbusdriver on 10/01/2020 at 08:25

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Fri 10 Jan 2020 13:36

Vauxall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - Bromptonaut

We have the Berlingo albeit in car form. It's 2013 1.6/115 diesel and now pushing 100k miles. Only significant issues have been a binding rear brake caliper at around 90k and the 'joystick' for the door mirrors that snapped at around 75k. These days we probably do 12-14k miles a year but with a good long distance run at frequent intervals. It did throw up an engine warning early last year but that was for needing a top up of the FAP fluid that the DPF needs - maintenance alert rather than a fault.

Only caution I would have would be if you intend to tow. The Gross Train Weight limit (ie combined weight of vehicle and what's being towed) is less than the vehicles max laden weight plus the max braked towing limit of 1300kg. Tow anything over a tonne and you have to forsake payload. Never been a problem for us with a 1300kg caravan as we're a retired couple. Would be very marginal if we still had teenage kids.

Edited by Bromptonaut on 10/01/2020 at 13:53

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Fri 10 Jan 2020 20:06

Vauxall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - daveyK_UK

Had a Peugeot Rifter last year for a few months on hire , it drove fantastic and loads of space inside.
Highly recommended (I had the long wheel base version which was excellent although a friend had a Vauxhall Combo in the short wheel base and it could still fit in a euro pallet with ease).

As others have stated, if you can get a Citroen Berlingo version cheaper go with it as it’s 99% the same vehicle.
You won’t get a Peugeot version cheaper, they are considered the expensive version of the 3.

Nothing to be concerned about with the 1.2 petrol engine, the best small turbo engine on the market (unless you include the Honda 1.5 as small) and drives fantastic. Have seen a few Examples of this engine hitting 100k plus with no issues.

One thing worth specifying if buying new is the 3 seats in the front; even if your not going to use ithe 3rd seat the cost of the option works out less than the increase in value when used (hence its a no brainer).
Big demand on the 2nd hand market for 3 seater small vans.

Be mindful if you buy the base spec you don’t get the touch screen , it’s one of the better touch screens out there and easy to use.

Worth bearing in mind as part of the PSA and Fiat Crysler group deal, PSA have instructed Fiat to end its ties with the Tofas plant in Turkey that make the Fiat Tipo car but also the Fiorino/Qubo small van and Doblo van.
Rumoured the Doblo will be sold as a badge engineered Peugeot Rifter/ Citroen Berlingo / Vauxhall Combo by the end of the year.
Expect the Fiat version to be the cheapest although it may have less kit.

Also a rumour Toyota would soon start selling a badge engineered version of this van once demand started to weaken ( the 2 factories making this van where at full capacity) but nothing happened yet; a Toyota version would come with a 5 year warranty.

Edited by daveyK_UK on 10/01/2020 at 20:13

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Sat 11 Jan 2020 15:20

Vauxall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - Auristocrat

The Toyota version (Proace City) is available to order now, with deliveries due from May. Priced from £22K. Supposedly better equipped than it's partner vehicles. There will be a seven seater (Proace City Verso) MPV version available ,later in the year.

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Sun 12 Jan 2020 09:17

Vauxall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - gordonbennet

The Toyota version (Proace City) is available to order now, with deliveries due from May. Priced from £22K. Supposedly better equipped than it's partner vehicles. There will be a seven seater (Proace City Verso) MPV version available ,later in the year.

Would be interested to know if Toyota versions of PSA vans still have PSA type service intervals, because Toyota have never gone down the so called long life route previously, and they always (until the autobox in my current Landcruiser) specified sensible gearbox and diff oil change intervals.

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Sun 12 Jan 2020 18:49

Vauxall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - Auristocrat

The Toyota version (Proace City) is available to order now, with deliveries due from May. Priced from £22K. Supposedly better equipped than it's partner vehicles. There will be a seven seater (Proace City Verso) MPV version available ,later in the year.

Would be interested to know if Toyota versions of PSA vans still have PSA type service intervals, because Toyota have never gone down the so called long life route previously, and they always (until the autobox in my current Landcruiser) specified sensible gearbox and diff oil change intervals.

The service intervals for the Toyota Proace, another PSA product, are every 25,000 miles or 24 months, whichever occurs first. So presume the Proace City maybe the same.

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Sun 12 Jan 2020 19:04

Vauxall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - gordonbennet

The service intervals for the Toyota Proace, another PSA product, are every 25,000 miles or 24 months, whichever occurs first. So presume the Proace City maybe the same.

Well colour me shocked, i'm surprised and disappointed in Toyota over that, can't see those things taking over from the legendary Hiace as last forever then, unless the service depts are having quiet words in customer's ears?

I would like to have been a fly on the wall when Toyota's design engineers were told their long established and well proven adherence to sensible annual servicing circa 9/12k miles was to be doubled in both factors, on the vehicle they warrant and applied their badge and reputation to, bet you couldn't print what was said.

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Sat 11 Jan 2020 18:42

Vauxall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - anyname

Thanks for the responses its most helpful. Still not entirely decided on diesel or petrol. Do these new diesels still need a blast at 60 mph down the motorway for 15 mins each week to burn the soot out the particulate filter ?

Other than that I do like the look of these vans, im itching to get hold of one.

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Sat 11 Jan 2020 20:35

Vauxall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - Bromptonaut

Do these new diesels still need a blast at 60 mph down the motorway for 15 mins each week to burn the soot out the particulate filter ?

No, or at least not in our experience. Our Multispace, named by my daughter as Fleur, probably gets a good run once or thrice a month. Not planned; determined by taking the caravan out, Mrs B's professional meetings an hour + away in Nottingham or Hatfield plus visits to friends and relations. Otherwise it's tootling about locally to shops, Mrs B's gym etc.

OTOH some longer runs if, as is usually case, I'm driving we do in my petrol Fabia. It needs a leg stretch off my 5 miles each way commute too.

Edited by Bromptonaut on 11/01/2020 at 20:36

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Sat 11 Jan 2020 22:59

Vauxhall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - Avant

Out of interest, Bromptonaut, if you see this, how does the fuel consumption on your Fabia compare wth the diesel Berlingo? I'd imagine not much worse.

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Sun 12 Jan 2020 09:07

Vauxhall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - Bromptonaut

Out of interest, Bromptonaut, if you see this, how does the fuel consumption on your Fabia compare wth the diesel Berlingo? I'd imagine not much worse.

Bit of an essay below. If that's TL:DR short version is about same on runs but quite a lot worse in town.

First of all while I log consumption in the Fabia (and the Roomster before) on a phone app we don't do that for the Berlingo so there's only it's on board display to go by.

Based on that I'd guess mid forties on normal mixed use, well into the fifties on a long distance run. That of course excludes towing where we're lucky to see 30.

So far I've filled the Fabia four times always brimming it. Results per the app are 39.22, 37.83, 53.8, 51.9. The first two are pretty much all commuting, the latter are late December to January when family get togethers saw us trek to Liverpool and then to North Wales a week later.

It's obviously being dragged down badly by the commute. Normally I do a cheeky freeload at a park/ride for Northampton Uni and use the Brompton for the mile from there to/from the office in town centre. For most of November/December that was weathered off and I parked on a multi-storey in town. I start at 07:45 so getting in is a breeze but finishing around 16:45 there's a mile or more nose/tail crawl. Apart from the health kick thing avoiding town centre traffic is reason for parking and biking.

The Skoda dash display shows 'trip' consumption and it's showing the obvious; consumption in that queue is abysmal. Stop/start should help but that's not operating because of the cold engine plus lights, heater etc.

This week I've been back on the bike and with Spring on the way that should be norm again so will be interesting to see how it goes then,

I do though have strong impression that it's nothing like as economical in urban as the diesel Roomster was. It's so long since I last had a petrol car (a BX that was traded in 1993) that I've no feel for it's urban v extra urban consumption. There must though be a reason why, pre-hybrid, urban taxis were 100% diesel.

Edited by Bromptonaut on 12/01/2020 at 09:41

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Sun 12 Jan 2020 16:51

Vauxhall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - Avant

Thank you so mch for that - all of it interesting!

I asked because when SWMBO had her 1.4 petrol A1 it gave about 45 mpg on short runs and about 54 on long ones: fortunately we don't normally get into traffic jams as we did when we lived near Reading (Northampton I would imagine is similar). That was better than the diesel V60 we had at the same time (42 and 50)

It made me wonder whether diesel was still worth it for small cars. I think it still is for bigger cars doing long runs: a diesel Q2 would probably do quite a bit better than my petrol 2.0 (34 and 42 which is still quite creditable). SWMBO's current A3 1.5 convertible is a much heavier car than the A1, so consumption is a reasonable 38 and 48.

One day I might think about a plug-in if prices stop being exorbitant: we do a lot of 8-10-mile round trips and it would be good to do those on electric power. But very happy with what we have for now.

Sorry - my fault - we've come a long way from the Vauxhall Combo, but the diesel v petrol debate is I hope still helpful.

Edited by Avant on 12/01/2020 at 16:52

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Tue 14 Jan 2020 21:01

Vauxall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - RJ414i

The Boss is picking up a 25 mile, 19 reg, pre-reg Berlingo van next Monday.

He's getting a top of the range 1.2 petrol which would be hopefully more 'future proof' if we ever need to go into the centre of Bristol in 15 months time, when the diesel ban come in.

He will be hoping to keep it for 12-15 years.

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Tue 14 Jan 2020 21:24

Vauxall combo cargo - Vauxhall combo cargo thoughts - badbusdriver

The Boss is picking up a 25 mile, 19 reg, pre-reg Berlingo van next Monday.

Well i never, Bruce Springsteen driving a Berlingo van!

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