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Vauxhall Combo 1.7 yes or no?

  • 30-08-2014 6:45pm
    #1
    Nono Toure
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 312 ✭✭


    I'm getting a van for the 1st time, I've always had cars. So I've decided on a smallish van for my 1st one.

    I see a 2005 Vauxhall Combo 1.7L for sale on Adverts, are these a good van? It looks to be in good shape judging by the pics.

    Is there anything I should look out for? Thanks


Comments

  • #2
    Hogan24
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27 ✭Hogan24


    I used to have one years ago, nice little van..


  • #3
    kkelly77
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,673 ✭✭✭kkelly77


    Nono Toure wrote: »
    I'm getting a van for the 1st time, I've always had cars. So I've decided on a smallish van for my 1st one.

    I see a 2005 Vauxhall Combo 1.7L for sale on Adverts, are these a good van? It looks to be in good shape judging by the pics.

    Is there anything I should look out for? Thanks

    I had a '03 one and upgraded to a '06 Kangoo 1.5dCi. The difference between the 2 is vast. The Kangoo, although has 5bhp less, drives sooooooo much better than the Combo. Much better acceleration and torque. Also has better spec.


  • #4
    porsche boy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,560 ✭✭✭porsche boy


    the combo 1.7 is a good one. they swapped to a 1.3 in 2007ish which, in my opinion isnt as durable.

    again, in my opinion the Kangoo is far less comfortable, the pedals for example seem to be angled so as your stomping them toward the floor rather then pushing them toward the bulkhead like most other cars.

    suppose everyone's different so I'd say go for a blast in a few different yokes and see what ya think.


  • #5
    Nono Toure
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 312 ✭✭Nono Toure


    Cheers guys, I'm sure they'll all kinda be the same to drive , I'm dropping down from an Audi :)

    But in terms of reliability etc are they ok?


  • #6
    Tail Docker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,954 ✭✭✭Tail Docker


    Nono Toure wrote: »
    Cheers guys, I'm sure they'll all kinda be the same to drive , I'm dropping down from an Audi :)

    But in terms of reliability etc are they ok?

    They're alright. No more, no less. Setting the valve clearances on these is important and needs doing often. No one bothers..also need regular oil changes or they get blowey and the fuel pumps die expensively, but often it is the EDU unit not the pump itself, solder joints inside go dry and cause non-running - resoldering and resealing usually work. The EDU going bad is a very, very common fault and usually misdiagnosed as the pump. The pumps also die though.


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  • #7
    Nono Toure
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 312 ✭✭Nono Toure


    Tail Docker wrote: »
    They're alright. No more, no less. Setting the valve clearances on these is important and needs doing often. No one bothers..also need regular oil changes or they get blowey and the fuel pumps die expensively.

    Cheers,

    Is there any other van of that size and price that you'd recommend as better? I'm looking for a 2005/2006 for between 2000 and 3000euro.


  • #8
    Tail Docker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,954 ✭✭✭Tail Docker


    Nono Toure wrote: »
    Cheers,

    Is there any other van of that size and price that you'd recommend as better? I'm looking for a 2005/2006 for between 2000 and 3000euro.

    Me personally, I'd buy a Connect. They're tougher and easy to fix. The combo also looks dated as anything. If you mind a Connect, they are tough as old boots. I wouldn't have a Kangoo if you gave it to me free.


  • #9
    Tail Docker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,954 ✭✭✭Tail Docker


    http://photos2.donedeal.ie/commercials/ford-transit-connect/SearchThumbLarge/32611719.jpeg

    2600 on DD.


  • #10
    Bpmull
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,042 ✭✭✭Bpmull


    2005 onwards caddy is the nicest of all the small vans most car like IMO. You may struggle to get one if your budget is small. The combo seems like a grand van but I just don't think it's as nice. Transit connect I don't know how anyone likes them. We have a connect and a few caddys in work and the caddys are 100 times nicer and everyone prefers them. The connect is loud and not as comfortable as the caddys. As for fuel consumption you couldn't buy a small van harder on diesel than a connect if you tried.


  • #11
    Tail Docker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,954 ✭✭✭Tail Docker


    Bpmull wrote: »
    2005 onwards caddy is the nicest of all the small vans most car like IMO. You may struggle to get one if your budget is small. The combo seems like a grand van but I just don't think it's as nice. Transit connect I don't know how anyone likes them. We have a connect and a few caddys in work and the caddys are 100 times nicer and everyone prefers them. The connect is loud and not as comfortable as the caddys. As for fuel consumption you couldn't buy a small van harder on diesel than a connect if you tried.

    True, but when they break, it's usually pennies. When the caddy breaks, it's pricey.


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  • #12
    Nono Toure
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 312 ✭✭Nono Toure


    Cheers lads


  • #13
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    Tail Docker wrote: »
    True, but when they break, it's usually pennies. When the caddy breaks, it's pricey.

    What breaks in the caddy that's pricey?


  • #14
    Tail Docker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,954 ✭✭✭Tail Docker


    JohnBoy26 wrote: »
    What breaks in the caddy that's pricey?

    Any bit with VW stamped on it.


  • #15
    Bpmull
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,042 ✭✭✭Bpmull


    Tail Docker wrote: »
    Any bit with VW stamped on it.

    Tbh I had a focus and now have a golf. I only buy dealer genuine parts well most of the time anyway and I'm saving a fortune in parts. For example a vw oil and air filter are both 50% the cost of the ford ones. Before I got a ford I always thought they were really cheap for parts but there quite the opposite where as vw are very reasonable for most parts. Maybe the connect is cheaper for some parts compared with the caddy but it's hard to see the parts savings covering the extra fuel costs which is there is easily 25% difference in fuel costs between the two.


  • #16
    Nono Toure
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 312 ✭✭Nono Toure


    Are the parts for Opel's dear or cheapish?


  • #17
    Tail Docker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,954 ✭✭✭Tail Docker


    Bpmull wrote: »
    Tbh I had a focus and now have a golf. I only buy dealer genuine parts well most of the time anyway and I'm saving a fortune in parts. For example a vw oil and air filter are both 50% the cost of the ford ones. Before I got a ford I always thought they were really cheap for parts but there quite the opposite where as vw are very reasonable for most parts. Maybe the connect is cheaper for some parts compared with the caddy but it's hard to see the parts savings covering the extra fuel costs which is there is easily 25% difference in fuel costs between the two.

    Umm, conrod out through the block is a very, very common fault, used engines are like hens teeth and that tends to get spendy quick. BMM engines, 1.9 and 2.0 - also used in A3 and skoda/seat..


  • #18
    Bpmull
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,042 ✭✭✭Bpmull


    Tail Docker wrote: »
    Umm, conrod out through the block is a very, very common fault, used engines are like hens teeth and that tends to get spendy quick. BMM engines, 1.9 and 2.0 - also used in A3 and skoda/seat..

    I assume your talking about the bxe engine fault with the conrod. your kind of scraping the end of the barrel there. firstly to say it is a very very common fault is way to strong your probably looking at a lot less than 1% failure rate although by the way some talk about it here you'd swear every vw garage had a que of cars with conrods out throughout the block thats not the case.

    secondly the 2.0 sdi caddy doesn't have that problem at all. the 1.9 tdi caddys the only ones that could potentially have this problem would be ones with a bxe which wasn't even out until 2006 and I think the most at risk were 2008 vehicles with this engine. so to make out that every caddy on the road has a high probability of the conrod going out through the block is just crap tbh. I actually have a golf with this bxe engine and intend on keeping it longterm so although the issue is there I don't think its high risk.


  • #19
    Tail Docker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,954 ✭✭✭Tail Docker


    Bpmull wrote: »
    I assume your talking about the bxe engine fault with the conrod. your kind of scraping the end of the barrel there. firstly to say it is a very very common fault is way to strong your probably looking at a lot less than 1% failure rate although by the way some talk about it here you'd swear every vw garage had a que of cars with conrods out throughout the block thats not the case.

    secondly the 2.0 sdi caddy doesn't have that problem at all. the 1.9 tdi caddys the only ones that could potentially have this problem would be ones with a bxe which wasn't even out until 2006 and I think the most at risk were 2008 vehicles with this engine. so to make out that every caddy on the road has a high probability of the conrod going out through the block is just crap tbh. I actually have a golf with this bxe engine and intend on keeping it longterm so although the issue is there I don't think its high risk.
    No.The BMM engine is the rod-chucker. Plenty of Caddys c.a 08/09 with those. And the older 1.9 non common rail Caddys had much tougher engines. The BKD is good apart from porous heads in some case and almost inevitable turbo failure.


  • #20
    Bpmull
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,042 ✭✭✭Bpmull


    Tail Docker wrote: »
    No.The BMM engine is the rod-chucker. Plenty of Caddys c.a 08/09 with those. And the older 1.9 non common rail Caddys had much tougher engines. The BKD is good apart from porous heads in some case and almost inevitable turbo failure.

    Ah ok fair enough wasn't aware of that BMM engine fault have only heard of the bxe one which is what i thought you were referring too. If the op has never had a van maybe the best thing to do is drive a few different types and see what they prefer. I personally prefer the caddy you prefer the connect others prefer berlingo I supose it just depends on personal preference really.


  • #21
    Tail Docker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,954 ✭✭✭Tail Docker


    Bpmull wrote: »
    Ah ok fair enough wasn't aware of that BMM engine fault have only heard of the bxe one which is what i thought you were referring too. If the op has never had a van maybe the best thing to do is drive a few different types and see what they prefer. I personally prefer the caddy you prefer the connect others prefer berlingo I supose it just depends on personal preference really.

    TBH, that's pretty much what it comes down to. I know and can fix any issue a Ford Endura variant throws up, hence, I favour them. Someone else will like VW, someone else one of the PSA vans. I dislike the PSA vans as they are a bitch to work on, especially the electrics/sensors/fuel supply system. I dislike the VW vans as when the crank walks or it throws a rod, it's scrap and ends up being a big bill and the oil pump situation boils my pee. I dislike the Combo as I have had them from new and found them to be so bland, staying awake was a struggle.

    I'm a contrarian anyway as my favorite van is an escort, mainly as i can fix them blindfold when they break and get bits in the local newsagents. That's just me, I am well aware. Lol.


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  • #22
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    Tail Docker wrote: »
    Any bit with VW stamped on it.

    Vw parts in general aren't really any more expensive than ford parts tbh.


  • #23
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    Tail Docker wrote: »
    TBH, that's pretty much what it comes down to. I know and can fix any issue a Ford Endura variant throws up, hence, I favour them. Someone else will like VW, someone else one of the PSA vans. I dislike the PSA vans as they are a bitch to work on, especially the electrics/sensors/fuel supply system. I dislike the VW vans as when the crank walks or it throws a rod, it's scrap and ends up being a big bill and the oil pump situation boils my pee. I dislike the Combo as I have had them from new and found them to be so bland, staying awake was a struggle.

    I'm a contrarian anyway as my favorite van is an escort, mainly as i can fix them blindfold when they break and get bits in the local newsagents. That's just me, I am well aware. Lol.

    What oil pump situation? 1.9 TDI units don't suffer from oil pump problems.

    Those ford enduras aren't exactly bomb proof, they can give their fair share of issues too. Tdci's even more so.


  • #24
    Tail Docker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,954 ✭✭✭Tail Docker


    JohnBoy26 wrote: »
    What oil pump situation? 1.9 TDI units don't suffer from oil pump problems.

    Those ford enduras aren't exactly bomb proof, they can give their fair share of issues too. Tdci's even more so.

    They break their belts. Full stop. Change the belts early. Bomb proof.


  • #25
    Nono Toure
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 312 ✭✭Nono Toure


    Going viewing a 1.7L this eve. Is there anything I need to look out for? If it drives nicely & is fairly comfortable, is that all that should concern me?


  • #26
    Bpmull
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,042 ✭✭✭Bpmull


    Nono Toure wrote: »
    Going viewing a 1.7L this eve. Is there anything I need to look out for? If it drives nicely & is fairly comfortable, is that all that should concern me?

    I suppose all the obvious things look out for rust. Check the engine to see if it's dry ie no oil or coolant leaks. Check tyres brakes ie look at the discs see if there is much of a lip on them. Ensure the clutch and gearbox is in good working order. See if the van is smokey when running or if you can smell it burning oil. All the common stuff really. Have a look at the first post on this boards buying thread good general tips on looking over the van.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056198864


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