Tourneo Custom £20k - daily / occasional long trip

[siross]

I'm looking at getting a 8/9 seater van to use as a commuter couple of times a week and days out with the aspiration to drive to Euro Center Parcs in the summer.

The Ford Tourneo seems to fit the bill well and offers decent value for money.

Budget is £20k max but would ideally like to spend less than that.

Anything to look out for on the Ford? I've seen a lot of adverts commenting on the wet belt but not sure on any other common faults or things to look out for?

https://aquariuslc.co.uk/vehicles/WbsGjrBm/Ford-To...

This one seems like a decent option, fairly high miles but nothing crazy...

Also, any alternatives that would provide better value?

[ADJimbo]

I have a friend with a number of Tourneo Custom Nine Seaters on his commercial fleet. They do BIG mileages - around 90k a year, and he runs them three to four years before disposing of them.

He s only got brilliant things to say about them. Very rare they cause him issues (other than routine consumables) and they perform well. Drivers seem to like them as well.

[Master Bean]

Hyundai i800.

[LJF_97]

Wet. Belt.

[macron]

My recent thread may have relevance

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Mad Maximus]

You have to service them right or you’re asking for trouble. I would do the belts and oil when buying a second hand one just to be safe.

That one looks like a different shade front bumper? Maybe it’s had a prang.

[Richtea1970]

No real experience with the Tourneo but £14k for a 8 year old van with 130,000 miles doesn't scream bargain to me.
The mismatched bumper and dented rear panel would further put me off.
If you genuinely have £20k to spend I'm sure there are better examples. I love a day van/utility van abd have had a couple. I looked at most of them (Transit, VW, Mercedes etc) and both times ended up with a Vivaro (the mini bus version) as they seemed to offer the best value and we're pretty solid mechanically.

[Venisonpie]

Wet belts, injectors. The 2.0 euro 6 engines are poor compared to the previous 2.2 which was brilliant.

I ran over a hundred Custom's/Transit's and wouldn't touch one with the later engine.

[vikingaero]

There's a garage on YouTube in the East of England called thecareditionltd and they post up regular videos/shorts of the cars that come in. There's a surprising number of wet belt Fords from cars to Transits and Rangers, some of them with exceptionally low mileage - 12k.

He went through the alternatives:

Transporter - similar size
PSA & Fiat Vans - too big, problems galore
Trafic/Primastar - problems galore
Sprinter/Vito - really expensive when they do go wrong

And his conclusion was despite the wet belt problems, the Transit/Ranger was still the best choice - just change your mindset and do a belt change kit/preventative maintenance early.

[Lefty]

Transit and Tourneo customs are excellent, wetbelt obviously so just do it every few years. Watch for rust.

[Davie]

Might just be variations in the sites but that Transit comes back as a white panel van. However I wasn't checking for that reason, I was checking to see if it's classed as a minibus or as an MPV as that'd have implications. I have a 9 seater Transporter, it's classed as M1 but it's a bit of a great area as it states "8 seats plus driver" so some insurers saw it as a minibus, others didn't.

[Doesitdrive]

Wet belts are not the great big issue they have a reputation for, Transit are not difficult to do, if you use a new cover and give the glue at least 24 hours before starting.

Spent a lot of time with Ecoboost 1.0 with issues and come to the conclusion one will make the perfect commuter for my partner.

You have to use the correct oil, never ignore coolant leaks and top up, and shorten service intervals if you want them to last.

Seen them with 150k before they go bang, I think well serviced 80k is the max for changing the belts on the 1.0, perhaps 100k on the 2.0.

Plenty of Customs still running about, they drive very well, but I dont like the offset clutch on the manual, but I am very tall.

[Venisonpie]

vikingaero said:

There's a garage on YouTube in the East of England called thecareditionltd and they post up regular videos/shorts of the cars that come in. There's a surprising number of wet belt Fords from cars to Transits and Rangers, some of them with exceptionally low mileage - 12k.

He went through the alternatives:

Transporter - similar size
PSA & Fiat Vans - too big, problems galore
Trafic/Primastar - problems galore
Sprinter/Vito - really expensive when they do go wrong

And his conclusion was despite the wet belt problems, the Transit/Ranger was still the best choice - just change your mindset and do a belt change kit/preventative maintenance early.

I like their YouTube videos however they're an approved Ford warranty repair agent. Great for when your wet belt drops or injectors get stuck and snap off in the head and you're still in warranty. Not so sure about their objectivity on what will be potential revenue streams.

[POIDH]

Doesitdrive said:

Wet belts are not the great big issue they have a reputation for, Transit are not difficult to do, if you use a new cover and give the glue at least 24 hours before starting.

Spent a lot of time with Ecoboost 1.0 with issues and come to the conclusion one will make the perfect commuter for my partner.

You have to use the correct oil, never ignore coolant leaks and top up, and shorten service intervals if you want them to last.

Seen them with 150k before they go bang, I think well serviced 80k is the max for changing the belts on the 1.0, perhaps 100k on the 2.0.

Plenty of Customs still running about, they drive very well, but I dont like the offset clutch on the manual, but I am very tall.

Meanwhile everyone without a wet bet just services according to schedule. In doing so they also save money on longer service gaps as well as the risk and fear of an implosion....

[Doesitdrive]

POIDH said:

Doesitdrive said:

Wet belts are not the great big issue they have a reputation for, Transit are not difficult to do, if you use a new cover and give the glue at least 24 hours before starting.

Spent a lot of time with Ecoboost 1.0 with issues and come to the conclusion one will make the perfect commuter for my partner.

You have to use the correct oil, never ignore coolant leaks and top up, and shorten service intervals if you want them to last.

Seen them with 150k before they go bang, I think well serviced 80k is the max for changing the belts on the 1.0, perhaps 100k on the 2.0.

Plenty of Customs still running about, they drive very well, but I dont like the offset clutch on the manual, but I am very tall.

Meanwhile everyone without a wet bet just services according to schedule. In doing so they also save money on longer service gaps as well as the risk and fear of an implosion....

Timing chains can be an issue too, have been since all the emissions lowering. Modern engines and they are too light.

Sprinters have a big issue with them post 71 reg, find the right mechanic and wet belts are not such a big issue and they sell very well on the used market with belts done.

[siross]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Lots to take in.

I'll see what I can get up to the level of £20k.

Most of the vans I'm interested in have recently had the wet belt done which will help cover us for a while as it won't be doing mega miles.

For arguments sake, if the wet belt has been recently done, what kind of mileage would be a "put off"? Not only from a reliability point of view but also a resale point of view, if I put on 8-10k per year over 3 years (for arguments sake).

[Doesitdrive]

siross said:

Thanks for all the replies guys. Lots to take in.

I'll see what I can get up to the level of £20k.

Most of the vans I'm interested in have recently had the wet belt done which will help cover us for a while as it won't be doing mega miles.

For arguments sake, if the wet belt has been recently done, what kind of mileage would be a "put off"? Not only from a reliability point of view but also a resale point of view, if I put on 8-10k per year over 3 years (for arguments sake).

For 20k they shouldn't be high miles ?

I would rather buy more miles and the belt done than less miles and not, with the belt done for sale you can ensure the correct oil is used, you dont know what's in another for sale.

Check for oil leaks on one that has been done, if they don't let the glue set before running they always leak.

[siross]

https://ebay.us/m/U5MKCV

106k miles. Wet belt done at 90k, looks like a decent van

[stevemcs]

siross said:

Thanks for all the replies guys. Lots to take in.

I'll see what I can get up to the level of £20k.

Most of the vans I'm interested in have recently had the wet belt done which will help cover us for a while as it won't be doing mega miles.

For arguments sake, if the wet belt has been recently done, what kind of mileage would be a "put off"? Not only from a reliability point of view but also a resale point of view, if I put on 8-10k per year over 3 years (for arguments sake).

Just be wary of the belt being done, you need to be looking for a new timing belt cover and sump, we had one recently that had the belt done complete with invoice - but was leaking oil and coolant, nothing looked like it had been touched so we ended up doing the job again, yes the belt and tensioner had been done but that was it. The sump hadn’t been off and they reused the belt cover.

So if you find the perfect van with good history and no belt change, don’t be put off, buy it and stick £1500 aside for it to be done.

[Doesitdrive]

stevemcs said:

siross said:

Thanks for all the replies guys. Lots to take in.

I'll see what I can get up to the level of £20k.

Most of the vans I'm interested in have recently had the wet belt done which will help cover us for a while as it won't be doing mega miles.

For arguments sake, if the wet belt has been recently done, what kind of mileage would be a "put off"? Not only from a reliability point of view but also a resale point of view, if I put on 8-10k per year over 3 years (for arguments sake).

Just be wary of the belt being done, you need to be looking for a new timing belt cover and sump, we had one recently that had the belt done complete with invoice - but was leaking oil and coolant, nothing looked like it had been touched so we ended up doing the job again, yes the belt and tensioner had been done but that was it. The sump hadn t been off and they reused the belt cover.

So if you find the perfect van with good history and no belt change, don t be put off, buy it and stick £1500 aside for it to be done.

Mentioned it earlier, even a new belt cover is useless if they don't let the glue go off properly before starting it.

New sump isn't a must, but removal and a thorough clean is.