Need a Van to go trackday / bike racing. Any advice!

[stevejmanc]

I'm looking to sell my road bike and car and get a trackbike and van. Any ideas on a van?

Van requirements:
I'm divorced with 2 kids so only use my car to pick them up, days out etc and i walk to work for the rest of the time. I'm not after anything huge, just big enough for bike and gear etc.

cheers

[Stu R]

Budget?

[Fleckers]

crew cab pickup ??

[Blakeatron]

Just one bike? and how bothered are you with it?

I have seen someone squueze an r1 in an escort van.

Transits are popular, what about a bongo? Leave the camping interior in and you have a dual use vehichle. Also brews and sleepovers will be a lot easier on site!

[Fahd]

I use a Fiat Ducato short wheel base (same as pictured below), they're relatively cheap (£1000ish) for one that's around a 2000 model and mine has never let me down. You may think it'd be ideal to get something smaller but I've found it can be a nightmare trying to get a bike in and out of smaller vehicles that can just about fit a bike, especially if you're worried about scratching or damaging the bike when loading and unloading it. With this sized van you can have it strapped down in the back (or even two bikes if you do track days with friends), carry all the tools and gear you'll need and still have three seats up front free.

[stevejmanc]

cheers guys. Budget can be upto 4k but the cheaper the better. yeah a transit size i think is ideal. A mate has recommended SWB mercedes sprinter or VW T4?????

[sjj84]

We recently got a '06 plate Vauxhall Vivaro at work. It's more comfy and drives better than a transit. Not sure what they are like for reliability though.

[Ricky_M]

Mk6(Previous shape)Transits are a bit utilitarian to be used in place of a car, Sprinters are even worse.

Vivaros/Trafic seem like a nicer place to be, but not too reliable from what I hear.

I think a Transporter would be the best bet, they seem to be popular around my way.

Could you not just an estate and a trailer?

I wouldn't like to use a van everyday, would drive me mad!

[Louisa911]

We were in the same boat as you but for mountain biking and to convert into a semi-camper.

We spent every day for months and months (literally) searching for a non-abused and clean VW T4, but in the end spend £4k on a 2002 Toyota Hiace with incredibly low miles, immaculate paintwork and was originally a disabled bus so had all service history, pirellis all round and never been abused. Carpeted any ply lined throughout, with tinted windows, one rear seat and even came with a ramp! (good for bikes)

Other than cambelt, general little rattles and fitting nicer trims, a CD player and rear speakers, its not needed anything doing to it and gets around 450 miles from a tank. Not the most refined of vehicles but you get what you pay for!

....oh and forgot to mention- its a lovely bright turquoise colour too



ETA: this is my bf's daily drive- the only problem he's found to date is that it won't fit in some multistoreys... but thats no biggie.

Edited by Louisa911 on Tuesday 17th May 19:43

[hornetrider]

How many trackdays do you do? Tbh I can't see the logic in binning a car for a van in this case. Could you really live with a van on a day to day basis? How about an estate, tow bar and trailer?

[DanGPR]

Car and bike trailer would perhaps be more practical?

You can often pick up a track bike with a trailer with it.

[martin mrt]

I use a T5 Transporter as my daily drive, since owning it 3 BMWs and two Golf have also been through my possession and yet the T5 is still here, frankly I can't see past it, it drives like a car, it's quicker than some run of the mill hatchbacks, handles "reasonably" well but it swallows up everything I need it to, and it pulls my Brian James Car trailer when I want it to. Put simply I could not live without it, and any other van doesn't even come close IMO, and I've driven pretty much every van currently available at the moment.

If you can afford to up your budget slightly, get a T5, if not get a T4, slightly more industrial than the T5 but a cracking van still

[Simon1397]

Louisa911 said:

but in the end spend £4k on a 2002 Toyota Hiace

Had a non-turbo X plate (2000) Hiace for work for 4 years, all it ever needed apart from an annual MoT was a pair of batteries and it was the most reliable and dependable vehicle I have ever owned. I expect the turbo model (D4-D, IIRC) would be much faster and quieter but I'd have one again no hesitation.

[james0]

Had a 55 plate Toyota Hiace 2.5 D4D for about 110k miles / 2 years.
Very reliable well made van and needed no parts apart from servicing which was cheap even at Toyota main dealers (every 10k).
But they are practically stone age which really shows in comfort levels, rust protection, handling and performance.
It also had a pretty small fuel tank (smaller than the VW Caddy I use at the moment).

[markcoznottz]

Ive always wondered if you could fit a track bike in a zafira with the back seats folded flat/ rears pushed forwards.

[stevejmanc]

Great advice. Thanks.

The problem i have regarding a trailer and estate is i live in a apartment block with only one space for a car and nowhere else for a trailer. (oh how i miss a driveway).
Also, with a van i can leave my stuff in it,(parked in secure carpark all the time)

If anyone hears of any good T4's or T5's knocking about please let me know.

for anyone out there thinking i'm mad, then its proof of what motorbikes does to someone. Its already cost me my marriage. but as i say.....women come and go, but bikes are forever.

[tuborgman]

Simon1397 said:

Had a non-turbo X plate (2000) Hiace for work for 4 years, all it ever needed apart from an annual MoT was a pair of batteries and it was the most reliable and dependable vehicle I have ever owned. I expect the turbo model (D4-D, IIRC) would be much faster and quieter but I'd have one again no hesitation.

i'm currently driving a 01 hiace as a taxi and it's on 390,000 miles with nothing failing. not terrible as a driver as well although seats can get annoying after a few hours.