What Van?

Irish Fire

Hi Folks,

I'm considering buying a mid sized 3 seater van in the new year i.e Vito or the likes.....

Any advice on what type I should look at or run a mile from?

Thanks in advance

LookBehindYou

It would depend on what size van you need.

Irish Fire

Something on the lines of a small transit (not connect though must be 3 seater)

R.O.R

Irish Fire wrote: »

Something on the lines of a small transit (not connect though must be 3 seater)

New or used?

If New then the Renault Traffic is the one to go for. Cheaper than the rest, with a 5 year, unlimited mileage warranty.

If its used, then I'd avoid the traffic, vivaro, primastar as the gearboxes are pants. The reliability of the transit hasn't been much better either.

Don't have enough experience of the Vito or Transporter to comment on them.

warfie35

R.O.R wrote: »

New or used?

If New then the Renault Traffic is the one to go for. Cheaper than the rest, with a 5 year, unlimited mileage warranty.

If its used, then I'd avoid the traffic, vivaro, primastar as the gearboxes are pants. The reliability of the transit hasn't been much better either.

Don't have enough experience of the Vito or Transporter to comment on them.

Stay well away from vito, pure crap, electics a nightmare

Irish Fire

R.O.R wrote: »

New or used?

If New then the Renault Traffic is the one to go for. Cheaper than the rest, with a 5 year, unlimited mileage warranty.

If its used, then I'd avoid the traffic, vivaro, primastar as the gearboxes are pants. The reliability of the transit hasn't been much better either.

Don't have enough experience of the Vito or Transporter to comment on them.

I'd be looking at S/H not too sure if I can afford a new one, Not a huge choice out there i've heard about the trafic type van so I won't be looking at that type van so my search is narrowed down some what......

bijapos

Toyota Hiace. Same footprint on the road as the Vito, but more importantly it has bulletproof reliability and decent economy.

Celly Smunt

The Nissan Primastar is 100% renault,don't buy that on the illusion of getting a big reliable Jap van.Electrics and gearboxes are notorious.

My mate bought a big Iveco van,the thing is an absolute monster,don't know how much however.

pdiddy

i know your probably looking for something bigger but the new model berlingos and partners come with two passenger seats not and there a pretty good van in my opinion anyways

Nissan doctor

The Nissan primastar, renault traffic and Opel vivaro all all the same van.

The Hi-ace is the most reliable work horse, but is pretty old fashioned at this stage.

What about a Hyundai H1?

George Dalton

If you buy a good Traffic/Primastar/Vivaro and look after it they are a decent enough van in my opinion. They are also a very nice van to drive, certainly much nicer than a Transit or a Hiace. The Transporter is also a nice van to drive but suffers its own reliability issues which mean it isn't worth the premium over the Renault I reckon. Having said that I would probably buy a Transporter if I was in that position but that is just my pro VW bias

maxfresh

The place i used to work had a fleet of nissan primastars ,a few had to have the gearboxes replaced at under 100k miles

barura

Have you considered the Citreon Berlingo? 1.6 diesel, nice to nip around in, 3 seats at the front... Would do you if you aren't moving Pianos and such.

colm_mcm

I'd second the h1
170 hp on the Irish spec and a great drive.

Nissan doctor

colm_mcm wrote: »

I'd second the h1
170 hp on the Irish spec and a great drive.

5 speed box is its only downfall IMO. It really misses the 6th gear for motorway cruising.

kilianmanning

father has two opel vivaros, a 1.9 and a 2.0. the 1.9 is good never any trouble 180,000 miles and still on original clutch, gearbox, turbo and injectors.
the newer 2.0 has a lot more electrics than the older 1.9 though.

colm_mcm

Nissan doctor wrote: »

5 speed box is its only downfall IMO. It really misses the 6th gear for motorway cruising.

Agreed, although the gearing makes overtaking swift in top gear. If they had fitted electric mirrors and remote locking it'd be even better.

Nissan doctor

colm_mcm wrote: »

Agreed, although the gearing makes overtaking swift in top gear. If they had fitted electric mirrors and remote locking it'd be even better.

My mates one has remote central locking

colm_mcm

Via an alarm maybe?

Nissan doctor

colm_mcm wrote: »

Via an alarm maybe?

Could be, I can't remember is it was a factory or aftermarket fob.

colm_mcm

They do a ðeluxe version in the uk with aircon and stuff but the uk Iload only has 110hp :-(

Irish Fire

TBH I hadn't thought of the H1, I wouldn't mind I've a friend that has one ane he loves the thing..... power wise he can't say enough about it. He loves the thing.

I'll shop around for one and get a drive in it. The Hiace is a bit dated looking but talking to others seems to be bulletproof.....

Looking online the Trafic type van seems to be the one to stay away from, I was also talking to a customer yesterday ans he's phasing tem out he had 8 of them and they all gave the same trouble.... gearbox and some electrical faults, he said there was a 6 month period that he had at least one van in the garage at a time, reckoned it was the worst purchase he ever made..... comments simillar to bardge poles etc.....

As I said I'll scout around and see what the H1 is like....