£1500, best van for moving motorcycles around, opinions?
£1500, best van for moving motorcycles around, opinions?
Author
Discussion

Vincefox

Original Poster:

20,566 posts

190 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
I'm looking to buy something cheap and cheerful that I can pick up and drop off motorcycles in. It needs to be able to fit a fully faired litre bike and be under £1500.

Any opinions, suggestions? I'm looking at swb lowtop transits, T4s (bit pricey) and the d4d shape hiace as it's rwd and there's a petrol one but that might be a little small. Vitos are bad for rust apparently and i'd rather poke wasps up my a**e than buy a citroen or renault.

So, reliable, cheap and bike capable, is it possible?

Jimmy Recard

17,547 posts

197 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
Interesting that you'd rather poke wasps up your arse than buy the van that would seemingly be best for your needs

The cheap van market is pretty different from the cheap car market. Most vans that with age worse than cars.

At your budget, the cheapest recent, larger van you'll get is an LDV Maxus. I'm guessing you won't want one of those either

Krikkit

27,584 posts

199 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
Jimmy Recard said:
At your budget, the cheapest recent, larger van you'll get is an LDV Maxus. I'm guessing you won't want one of those either
Having driven one I think I really would rather poke wasps up my arse... Awful.

Anything else would be my choice!

hman

7,497 posts

212 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
transit all the way..

anonymous-user

72 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
Jimmy Recard said:
Interesting that you'd rather poke wasps up your arse than buy the van that would seemingly be best for your needs

The cheap van market is pretty different from the cheap car market. Most vans that with age worse than cars.

At your budget, the cheapest recent, larger van you'll get is an LDV Maxus. I'm guessing you won't want one of those either
Indeed. I've been there recently looking for a sub £2,000 Van and the truth is that the only vans that won't be total liabilities for this sort of money are 1.9 or 2.0 Dispatches and Experts (1.6HDIs are best avoided). I personally ended up with a LPG Transit, and while by car standards it is dog arse rough, it is head and shoulders above some of the other vans I had gone to see for similar money.

If its not for a business I'd strongly advise buying a large MPV like a voyager and ripping the seats out.

Jimmy Recard

17,547 posts

197 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
Krikkit said:
Having driven one I think I really would rather poke wasps up my arse... Awful.

Anything else would be my choice!
Yep, agreed. They're very, very bad. Generally badly made too.

The thing is that vans that OP likes aren't in this price bracket. I'd be going for the Fiat Ducato/Peugeot Boxer/Citroen thingy siblings, or the Renault Trafic/Vauxhall Vivaro/Nissan Primastar if I wanted something a bit smaller

kev b

2,755 posts

184 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
At that price point I would rather tow a trailer than risk a money pit van.

This from someone who would normally choose wasp insertion over towing.

hman

7,497 posts

212 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
I always used a trailer but every time I wished I had a van.

Tyre explosions
Wheel bearing failures
A lack of security whilst parked up
Limited to 60mph (legally)
Can't use lane 3
Strapping the bike down always took ages
Getting wet whilst strapping bike down in the rain
Allowing thieves the opportunity to follow your bike to its destination for later theft

A van is much much better in every way

oilspill

649 posts

211 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
Vincefox said:
I'm looking to buy something cheap and cheerful that I can pick up and drop off motorcycles in. It needs to be able to fit a fully faired litre bike and be under £1500.

Any opinions, suggestions? I'm looking at swb lowtop transits, T4s (bit pricey) and the d4d shape hiace as it's rwd and there's a petrol one but that might be a little small. Vitos are bad for rust apparently and i'd rather poke wasps up my a**e than buy a citroen or renault.

So, reliable, cheap and bike capable, is it possible?
Vivaros are popular at race circuits, but hey.
Most common early faults were the German sensors btw

kev b

2,755 posts

184 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
What about a box trailer?

Anyway you still have to strap the bike into a van.

If you think trailer maintenence is bad just try swapping front discs on a Transit.

Speed limit for a van is the same as for towing? Am I right?

Who me ?

7,455 posts

230 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
How many bikes at any one time. I ask ,because SIL is bike nut, and he uses a Suzuki Carry.

Horsey McHorseface

2,975 posts

202 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
hman said:
I always used a trailer but every time I wished I had a van.

Tyre explosions
Wheel bearing failures
A lack of security whilst parked up
Limited to 60mph (legally)
Can't use lane 3
Strapping the bike down always took ages
Getting wet whilst strapping bike down in the rain
Allowing thieves the opportunity to follow your bike to its destination for later theft

A van is much much better in every way
Not in a speed limit way (50 in 60 limit, 60 in 70 limit for vans), otherwise some valid points.

I'd consider the MPV route. Firstly, normal speed limits apply, and you tend to get lower miles for less money and better maintained. Yaris Verso's are like a Tardis inside.

Just searched on Seat Alhambra 1.9 TDi: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SEAT-ALHAMBRA-1-9-TDI-13...



Edited by Horsey McHorseface on Thursday 22 June 22:31

lee_erm

1,091 posts

211 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
I'd get a Transit with as little rust as possible. I'n my experience the oily bits are pretty bulletproof. If I was spending a little bit more I'd consider a Vivaro or one if it's variants too.

I'd avoid Vito's, they're crap.

Edited by lee_erm on Thursday 22 June 22:21

oilspill

649 posts

211 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
kev b said:
At that price point I would rather tow a trailer than risk a money pit van.

This from someone who would normally choose wasp insertion over towing.
I have a trailer for motocross bikes, but with a budget of £1500 I would purposely buy a money pit Vivaro for a couple of hundred quid then sling £1500 at it renewing everything DIY you're going to rely on and wear out anyway. recon gearbox £500- £600 fitted is biggest expense so long as you find one with a good motor. The Vivaro drives just like a car and can even be fun with a stiffer shock choice. The bodies are normally very good. Even look for a minibus that will have likely been driven kinder and you wont need to do the gearbox (sell the seats they fecth good money).
Our old works Vivaro did 200k on its gearbox as everyone drove for economy competions , until it started leaking oil out onto clutch. The motor only broke down the times 2 German sensors failed.
There are people doing exactly the above when they do camper conversions. Several Vivaro forums out there.

anonymous-user

72 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
This should serve you well.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Once you have the money (not essential):
I'd invest in some decent locks, secure the van, maybe a general tidy up both mechanically and comsetically, give it a damn good clean, tidy up the load area, treat any rust spots, bash the dents out, new tires and service.
It should last you for years and years.

oilspill

649 posts

211 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
Horsey McHorseface said:
Not in a speed limit way (50 in 60 limit, 60 in 70 limit for vans), otherwise some valid points.

I'd consider the MPV route. Firstly, normal speed limits apply, and you tend to get lower miles for less money and better maintained. Yaris Verso's are like a Tardis inside.
Or a Vivaro/VW Mini-bus. Seen people get 3 motocrossers in both of them and they get classed as a car for speed limits and tolls.

oilspill

649 posts

211 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
kev b said:
At that price point I would rather tow a trailer than risk a money pit van.

This from someone who would normally choose wasp insertion over towing.
I have a trailer for motocross bikes, but with a budget of £1500 I would purposely buy a money pit Vivaro for a couple of hundred quid then sling £1500 at it renewing everything DIY you're going to rely on and wear out anyway. recon gearbox £500- £600 fitted is biggest expense so long as you find one with a good motor. The Vivaro drives just like a car and can even be fun with a stiffer shock choice. The bodies are normally very good. Even look for a minibus that will have likely been driven kinder and you wont need to do the gearbox (sell the seats they fecth good money).
Our old works Vivaro did 200k on its gearbox as everyone drove for economy competions , until it started leaking oil out onto clutch. The motor only broke down the times 2 German sensors failed.
There are people doing exactly the above when they do camper conversions. Several Vivaro forums out there.

oilspill

649 posts

211 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
Vincefox said:
I'm looking to buy something cheap and cheerful that I can pick up and drop off motorcycles in. It needs to be able to fit a fully faired litre bike and be under £1500.

Any opinions, suggestions? I'm looking at swb lowtop transits, T4s (bit pricey) and the d4d shape hiace as it's rwd and there's a petrol one but that might be a little small. Vitos are bad for rust apparently and i'd rather poke wasps up my a**e than buy a citroen or renault.

So, reliable, cheap and bike capable, is it possible?
Vivaros are popular at race circuits, but hey.
Most common early faults were the German sensors btw

duncs

229 posts

285 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
You can get an old diesel hiace powervan (non turbo) for that sort of money. It will probably look a bit ragged around the sills but they are not too expensive to repair and the chassis is less likely to be rotten. Mechanicals are rock solid, super reliable and being rear wheel drive piss easy to work on. I've got a 1996 SWB one showing 200K and to my mind it's just nicely run in smile It's not fast but it drives pretty sweet, if a bit noisy on the motorway.

Levin

2,095 posts

142 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
quotequote all
Volkswagen LT35? They're a bit older than some of the vans you could get, but might be an option. There's one in Barnsley on eBay with internal locks and the like already, but it's over 250,000 miles so might not be your cup of tea.