Vans

[orangesrule]

Hi all. So I'm thinking about buying a panel van. A bit of background; My fiance and I would like to do a mini euroroad trip next summer (4-5 weeks). We also go camping around Devon and Cornwall a fair bit, and would like to do more of the UK. A few of our mates have Vans, mostly T5's. I do quite a bit of mountain biking and also living in Devon we drive a lot of lanes and back roads. This vehicle would be my 'daily', I do have an rx7 in the garage and ride a push bike to work every day though!

This brings me to the question what size van do I get!

Budget is flexible but looking around the £10kish mark inc VAT for a base vehicle.

Would need to house a bed and a kitchen(sink/hob)


Various options include:
LWB renault trafic/vauxhall/nissan equivalent
MWB high top sprinter (concerned about rust)
MWB high top boxer/Ducato (these come in smaller than the sprinter (concerned about general build quality)).

It strikes me a trafic is basically a big car, which means it would be super usable.

A sprinter could have a static bed with garage underneath for bikes ect. And a decent sized kitchen.

Would like the thoughts of the forum in helping with my decision!!

Kind regards

Edited by orangesrule on Sunday 22 December 16:42

[orangesrule]

Yeah T5's are put of the question due to price. Transit customs look cool, but I've heard horror stories about their locks.

[orangesrule]

Spx said:

Crafter
Long wheelbase, high top
I’ve driven it around South Hams aplenty, prefer to drive it in London. So much space inside.
Bed by the side door which you can leave open at night and sleep in moonlight. If you’re parking a lot get a camera on the back.
Once you drive one you’ll feel pity for the tiny van folk!

I'm in Plymouth, so venture around the South Hams quite a bit, how do you find it in the lanes?

[orangesrule]

So in Febuary a cheap merc e class wagon, was offered to me which i bought. Quite frankly it is bloody fantastic, 3l v6 tdi cruises so well, so i was getting in the mindset that it would be the perfect road trip car.

Until i saw a 16 plate L2H2 transit custom go up on Facebook around 40 miles away.

3 days later and i've put a deposit down.

Spec:
L2H2
2.2L 155bhp
Gunmetal grey
Limited - colour coded bumpers, parking sensors, A/C, fog lights ectect
48k miles
ex carpenters van

Going to collect on the 4th of july.

Feel a bit sick, and have to sell the Mercedes i was getting on so well with!!

[orangesrule]

Picked it up this evening. Pretty chuffed. Spent more than intended, but it was the exact spec I wanted and a bit newer/lower mileage. This is my first time driving a van, so acutley aware of the reduce visibility. Just need to get used to it!.

[orangesrule]

E class was well specced, eleglance, tow hitch, distronic, chilled/heated seats, isofix, satnav, blue tooth, all the normal comforts. It has sold though.

[orangesrule]

stevemcs said:

orangesrule said:

E class was well specced, eleglance, tow hitch, distronic, chilled/heated seats, isofix, satnav, blue tooth, all the normal comforts. It has sold though.

bugger. Hopefully it was a saloon and had more than 120k on the clock. Good choice on the transit btw.

Was an estate, 133k, fsh, 11m MOT.... found it fairly hard to sell in the current climate!

[orangesrule]

stevemcs said:

balls ... i'm on the look out for one now.

When servicing your van try and supply the oil yourself, the newer ones take 0w30 and anywhere between 6 and 10 litres, the last few i have quoted on its nearly made the cost of an oil change £100 of oil alone. Use genuine Ford fuel filters too, if you can get them at trade they are around £15.

This one is a late 2.2, so not sure if that comes under that remit. But yeah will heed your advice.