Living with a van
Discussion
(with, not in!)
I've always wanted a van. Since before I could drive. I've now reached the age where I'm old enough and ugly enough to do whatever I want and I want to 'realise the dream' and add a van to the domestic fleet. Just because.
I'm a bit of a knowledge monkey, so have done tonnes of research, but there's one thing I don't 'get': do commercial vehicles have a different kind of bhp to cars?
My daily driver, a little 1 Series BMW, has 163bhp. And that feels like 'enough'. It's no racing car, but it'll grab a gap in traffic and hustle along with the crowd.
And then I look at vans. 75bhp. 90bhp. 115bhp.
Chatting to a CV salesman at Citroen whilst looking at a 125bhp LWB Dispatch, he described it as having "too much power". Really? Sales hyperbole aside, the power outputs of vans seem to be a world away from contemporary cars, so how do they actually even move?
So, ye men of van, tell all. Do vans have 'enough' power? Are car drivers spoiled or do you really all need 180+ bhp too?
I've always wanted a van. Since before I could drive. I've now reached the age where I'm old enough and ugly enough to do whatever I want and I want to 'realise the dream' and add a van to the domestic fleet. Just because.
I'm a bit of a knowledge monkey, so have done tonnes of research, but there's one thing I don't 'get': do commercial vehicles have a different kind of bhp to cars?
My daily driver, a little 1 Series BMW, has 163bhp. And that feels like 'enough'. It's no racing car, but it'll grab a gap in traffic and hustle along with the crowd.
And then I look at vans. 75bhp. 90bhp. 115bhp.
Chatting to a CV salesman at Citroen whilst looking at a 125bhp LWB Dispatch, he described it as having "too much power". Really? Sales hyperbole aside, the power outputs of vans seem to be a world away from contemporary cars, so how do they actually even move?
So, ye men of van, tell all. Do vans have 'enough' power? Are car drivers spoiled or do you really all need 180+ bhp too?
For most, a van is a tool. Its not something to drive with a fun manner. The 126 unit in the Citroen is a good unit, plenty of poke for a van, but won't set the world on fire. They genuinely do have good torque figures though. If your worried about that BHP number, look at the Transit 155, Transporter 180 etc
LouD86 said:
For most, a van is a tool. Its not something to drive with a fun manner.
This. I've been driving a sprinter for the last month or so as a self employed courier
you realise that stepping lightly on the pedal is a benefit not just to the engine but to your pocket too.
unless your going to be regularly shifting heavy weights then go for a more powerful option otherwise look at it financially because that's why your getting it. in the 7 or so weeks i've done only once or twice has my van been loaded with its maximum weight. mostly its due to its size that i'm getting hired. Once it was for a metal bar 4m long but it was 1cm by 2cm. that's it.
this being pistonheads its nice to have a van you'll enjoy driving etc but think with the pocket not the heart.
V8mate said:
I'm a bit of a knowledge monkey, so have done tonnes of research, but there's one thing I don't 'get': do commercial vehicles have a different kind of bhp to cars?
VW Caddy Maxi, 170bhp, 260lbft
VW T5, 180bhp, 300lbft
Transit 150bhp
MB Vito/Sprinter 188bhp, 330lbft
Peugeot Expert 160bhp
Peugeot Boxer 180bhp
Citroen Despatch 125bhp
Citroen Relay 155bhp
Iveco Daily 205bhp
Vauxhall Vivaro 140bhp
Fiat Ducato 180bhp
Edited by cheddar on Saturday 8th August 00:20
If you are tall try to get one without a bulkhead , more leg room .
Too much power will be a pain in the arris if its lightly loaded and around town ,we had a couple of test vehicles that had over 250bhp , lovely on open motorways but a right pain in town .Modern turbo engines don't have much grunt very low down like the old school plodders , so the power band tends to be very narrow , you get the power then a couple of seconds later you need another gear, gets to be tiring when in traffic .
Too much power will be a pain in the arris if its lightly loaded and around town ,we had a couple of test vehicles that had over 250bhp , lovely on open motorways but a right pain in town .Modern turbo engines don't have much grunt very low down like the old school plodders , so the power band tends to be very narrow , you get the power then a couple of seconds later you need another gear, gets to be tiring when in traffic .
Most vans are bought as tools. no requirement for anything more than "sufficient" power/luxurys etc.
Even the private buyers are tight most of the time, there's very few willing to spend a bit more for some comfort even when they're earning lots. you think more would want auto gearboxes etc but no.
I got the vito 120 (200bhp V6 TDI) which at 8 secs to 60 was the worlds fastest production van... fun but it's pretty thirsty. high teens mpg round town and less still in bad traffic.
Even the private buyers are tight most of the time, there's very few willing to spend a bit more for some comfort even when they're earning lots. you think more would want auto gearboxes etc but no.
I got the vito 120 (200bhp V6 TDI) which at 8 secs to 60 was the worlds fastest production van... fun but it's pretty thirsty. high teens mpg round town and less still in bad traffic.
The pay at my place is shocking but my manager loves me, so lets me buy what I want within reason.
I have a 140hp Transit as a delivery van and a 140hp Caddy as a run round.
The difference between having a vehicle that strains to overtake and one that can do it fairly easily is the difference between my hating my job and liking it, given that I spend a lot of time on rural roads.
Bearing mind that - certainly when empty - vans are quite light and tend to be quite hard sprung, so can be surprisingly fun to drive for their bhp if you buy the right one.
I have a 140hp Transit as a delivery van and a 140hp Caddy as a run round.
The difference between having a vehicle that strains to overtake and one that can do it fairly easily is the difference between my hating my job and liking it, given that I spend a lot of time on rural roads.
Bearing mind that - certainly when empty - vans are quite light and tend to be quite hard sprung, so can be surprisingly fun to drive for their bhp if you buy the right one.
V8mate said:
(with, not in!)
I've always wanted a van. Since before I could drive. I've now reached the age where I'm old enough and ugly enough to do whatever I want and I want to 'realise the dream' and add a van to the domestic fleet. Just because.
I'm a bit of a knowledge monkey, so have done tonnes of research, but there's one thing I don't 'get': do commercial vehicles have a different kind of bhp to cars?
My daily driver, a little 1 Series BMW, has 163bhp. And that feels like 'enough'. It's no racing car, but it'll grab a gap in traffic and hustle along with the crowd.
And then I look at vans. 75bhp. 90bhp. 115bhp.
Chatting to a CV salesman at Citroen whilst looking at a 125bhp LWB Dispatch, he described it as having "too much power". Really? Sales hyperbole aside, the power outputs of vans seem to be a world away from contemporary cars, so how do they actually even move?
So, ye men of van, tell all. Do vans have 'enough' power? Are car drivers spoiled or do you really all need 180+ bhp too?
You would have liked my 2.8 VR6 Caddy then.....I've always wanted a van. Since before I could drive. I've now reached the age where I'm old enough and ugly enough to do whatever I want and I want to 'realise the dream' and add a van to the domestic fleet. Just because.
I'm a bit of a knowledge monkey, so have done tonnes of research, but there's one thing I don't 'get': do commercial vehicles have a different kind of bhp to cars?
My daily driver, a little 1 Series BMW, has 163bhp. And that feels like 'enough'. It's no racing car, but it'll grab a gap in traffic and hustle along with the crowd.
And then I look at vans. 75bhp. 90bhp. 115bhp.
Chatting to a CV salesman at Citroen whilst looking at a 125bhp LWB Dispatch, he described it as having "too much power". Really? Sales hyperbole aside, the power outputs of vans seem to be a world away from contemporary cars, so how do they actually even move?
So, ye men of van, tell all. Do vans have 'enough' power? Are car drivers spoiled or do you really all need 180+ bhp too?
2.8i VR6, approx 180BHP, K&N Induction Kit, flipped rear axle, coilovers, VR6 Golf leather seats, Polo dash, G60 steel wheels....
My van's my car. It's a T5 1.9tdi 105bhp with a sensible remap up to iro 140bhp. The difference is astounding, it now pulls to the red line making overtaking much easier. Before the remap it was all over by 3000rpm.
Van's tend to have a lot of weight over the back compared to the front, I find mine spins the wheels very easily.
Van's tend to have a lot of weight over the back compared to the front, I find mine spins the wheels very easily.
Comedy grip levels is why vans have no power. We have a boggo standard 59 plate Caddy Maxi & if the roads are even damp the traction control spends it's life stopping you moving & flashing on the dash.
Makes me chuckle it has TC & manual windows.
It's great for us though, we're restoring our cottage & the amount of building materials it's carried so far has been very helpful.
Makes me chuckle it has TC & manual windows.
It's great for us though, we're restoring our cottage & the amount of building materials it's carried so far has been very helpful.
Hooli said:
Comedy grip levels is why vans have no power. We have a boggo standard 59 plate Caddy Maxi & if the roads are even damp the traction control spends it's life stopping you moving & flashing on the dash.
Makes me chuckle it has TC & manual windows.
It's great for us though, we're restoring our cottage & the amount of building materials it's carried so far has been very helpful.
The lads at work used to pop the fuse out that works the ABS for... reasons.Makes me chuckle it has TC & manual windows.
It's great for us though, we're restoring our cottage & the amount of building materials it's carried so far has been very helpful.
I have been considering a van something like a vivaro for domestic duties involving bikes and go karts and a bit of camping.
What are the speed limits though for such vehicles is it easy to get done just by driving like you would a car?
I had a galaxy when they first came out and it was brilliant for family stuff bikes went inside upright and karts fitted in the back and so on but now good ones seam rarer than rocking horse droppings and the later shape just are not big enough to do what the old ones did?
i do like the look of the vws but am not going to pay the premium they demand.
What are the speed limits though for such vehicles is it easy to get done just by driving like you would a car?
I had a galaxy when they first came out and it was brilliant for family stuff bikes went inside upright and karts fitted in the back and so on but now good ones seam rarer than rocking horse droppings and the later shape just are not big enough to do what the old ones did?
i do like the look of the vws but am not going to pay the premium they demand.
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