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Tue 9 Nov 2021 12:25

Please help me decide next van purchase - Kris the joiner

Hi there. Im in the market for buying a van.

My trusty fiat scudo has just been scrapped due to failing mot rust, ecu and exhaust problems.

I am wanting a transit or vivaro van about 2008 -2010 age and about £4-5k

But i just cant decide... i love the look of them both. Transit looks nicer in the cab but the rust is putting me off especially after just scrapping my scudo for rotting away. The vivaros are galvanized so not rusty.

But do the vivaros fail more mechanically??

So i need advice, is the rust on transit small fry compared to vivaros being more problematic?

Let me know your thoughts

Thanks

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Tue 9 Nov 2021 13:11

Please help me decide next van purchase - SLO76

Second hand vans are a nightmare, especially right now with prices at ridiculous levels. I had a quick look around at £5k and everything is a decade old and/or 150,000 miles up. I wouldn’t touch a van at this age or mileage, it’s highly likely to be an absolute money pit.

People don’t change vans just because they fancy a change, they get rid of them when they’re no longer economically viable and causing too much trouble. The only real exceptions are ex lease vehicles which are offloaded at a set mileage and/or age.

I’d either find more money or I’d buy an MPV or large estate car.

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Tue 9 Nov 2021 15:01

Please help me decide next van purchase - badbusdriver

On top of what SLO says, this is a really bad time to be buying any used car or van, the prices are just stupid.

I'd seriously consider leasing a van, especially if you could get away with something smaller than a Transit/Vivaro size. I use a Caddy van myself for my business and due to having a couple of issues, had been contemplating a change but no way would I be prepared to paythe kind of prices being asked for a similar sized van up to 5 years old. For the kind of budget you are working to, any van you get, (unless very lucky) is potentially going to be a huge bill waiting to happen.

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Tue 9 Nov 2021 16:43

Please help me decide next van purchase - Kris the joiner

hi, thanks for your replies

at this moment in time i do need to buy a van pretty soon as im using the family car to work, i want transit/vivaro size. and £5000 is all i can afford at this moment in time.

so with this in mind can you advise which is better to get.

transit that goes rusty or vivaro that might not be as mechanically reliable as the transit

thanks

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Tue 9 Nov 2021 17:52

Please help me decide next van purchase - badbusdriver

At this budget, nobody can say which is going to be better. Personally, I'd guess the Transit to be more mechanically reliable of the two, at least on paper. But in reality (as with cheaper cars), you really need to be judging each van on condition alone. Also, because of the problems finding something worth buying, you really shouldn't be limiting yourself to two choices. It would be absolute lunacy to ignore a tidy van in your area simply because it isn't a Transit or Vivaro. You need to be looking at anything tidy which is big enough for your needs,

Citroen Dispatch and Relay,

Fiat Scudo and Ducato,

Nissan Primastar(*) and Interstar,

Peugeot Expert and Boxer,

Renault Traffic(*) and Master,

Vauxhall Movano

At £5k, a fairly well looked after and treated example of any of the above would almost certainly be a better option than a knackered and abused Transit or Vivaro.

(*)These two are a Vivaro with different badges.

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Tue 9 Nov 2021 18:48

Please help me decide next van purchase - Trilogy.

I'd look at something like this. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265388695157?hash=item3dca661e7...g

People do change vans for all sorts of reasons. The guy who'd owned my van before me bought another because he needed a larger one. Three years ago I bought a 2005 VW Transporter with just under 176,000 mile,s with very good service history, last owner had it for 7 years. In the 12,000 miles I've had it, bar routine servicing, it's only had a new power steering pump and a split air intake pipe.

Make sure you get a vehicle with service history, and preferably with few owners. In addition to a VW transporter how about a long wheel base VW Caddy or a Toyota HiAce or Transit Connect?

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Tue 9 Nov 2021 20:09

Please help me decide next van purchase - Xileno

I was looking at getting a MK8 Transit about three years ago with a view to converting it to a camper, I'm sure I could get one for £10k then as a nearly-new one. Some quite old rough Mk7 versions seem to go for £5k.

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Wed 10 Nov 2021 21:17

Please help me decide next van purchase - SLO76

“ so with this in mind can you advise which is better to get.

transit that goes rusty or vivaro that might not be as mechanically reliable as the transit

thanks”

Buy the one in the best condition. Forget likes and dislikes, you’d be mad to walk past a tidy Peugeot Van to buy a tatty Transit. I’d also expand the search to include every van of the size you need and again buy on condition. A Toyota Hiace can make for a good budget large van if you can find one that hasn’t been absolutely ruined. Many are owned by small shop owners but again they tend to keep them until they’re done.

I just found a great van on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/van-details/202110028048535

I just found a great van on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/van-details/202110148502500

Peugeot’s can be robust with the 2.0 HDi diesels. This one owner example must’ve been good.

I just found a great van on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/van-details/202111099393349

Did find a tidy one owner Transit but you’d need more money.

I just found a great van on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/van-details/202110228780616

Edited by SLO76 on 10/11/2021 at 21:37

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Tue 9 Nov 2021 21:44

Please help me decide next van purchase - Mike Lyons

I've just been through the same process with my builder step-son after his old '51-plate Peugeot Partner gave up the ghost.

We spent ages looking & anything up to £12k seemed to have issues, either lacking service history or over-priced.

If you have your own limited company, check with your accountant if you can claim HMRC 'Super-deduction' capital allowance which would mean you could offset 130% of cost of a NEW (must be new) van against tax.

Super_deduction_factsheet.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

This was the case for my step-son & we went for new Citroen Berlingo van & a loan, with intention of running van for 10+ years.

Note

i) there's not many bargains for new vans around, dealers know it's a sellers market.

ii) you may to wait for stock as did he. He was able to use the family car for work for a few weeks but only because we were local & could help out with picking up kids from nursery etc.

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Wed 10 Nov 2021 11:57

Please help me decide next van purchase - daveyK_UK

With vans you generally have to buy new/pre-reg or 3/4 years old ex fleet.

Anything older is likely to be problematic regardless of the make and model.

Of course there are always exceptions but they are few and far between.

Some people suggest buying ex police vans but I would disagree, most police forces know when to get rid of stock before they become expensive despite the vehicles having a heavy maintenance regime.

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