Volkswagen Transporter and Mercedes Vito - opinions

[stevieturbo]

What does beastiality have to do with it ?

Have you thought about van hire ? Even on the short term as a trial. I know places who were getting lwb sprinters for like 7quid a day . and this stupid keyboard doesn't have a pound sign

 

[stevieturbo]

What does beastiality have to do with it ?

Have you thought about van hire ? Even on the short term as a trial. I know places who were getting lwb sprinters for like 7quid a day . and this stupid keyboard doesn't have a pound sign

 

[Bryan]

I need to dig this old thread up again. I'm either going to get a 1998-2001 shape Volkswagen Transporter 1.9TD or a 2000-2004 shape Mercedes Vito. Which would be better and what are that shape Vitos really like? I've seen a 2000 Vito with 100k miles in my budget and it seems very clean with no rust etc.

 

[stevieturbo]

Cant comment on either. Other than Vito's do rust like mad. So it would be odd for a rust free one.

Just throwing another suggestion out there, but know nothing about them. Toyota Hiace ?

 

[MarkyMck]

aren't mercedes vans rot boxes?​

 

[Bryan]

Toyota Hiace just screams Gypsy so that's a definate no.

This one in particular looks very well kept - metallic blue paint with body coloured bumpers etc. Any other ones I've seen have been rot boxes though.

I would prefer a Transporter but the scene tax associated with them is crazy.

 

[chunky]

Toyota Hiace just screams Gypsy

lol how?

 

[stevieturbo]

Ive only ever seen gyppos in transits. Ive seen more builders in Toyotas than anything. ALthough generally there doesnt seem to be a huge number of them about.

 

[DC.]

don't buy a Renault whatever you do.

Transporters are expensive but I think they are worth it. real solid van.

good luck anyway

 

[Bryan]

I've had enough Renaults in the past - Kangoo and Master.

Another main problem with the Hiace is the lack of rear barn doors - I know they do come with them but they're very rare. I need rear barn doors so that heavy things can be loaded in with a fork lift.

This yoke is exactly what I'm looking for:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280791893496?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

But by the time I get it back here it'll be over £2k and I have a budget of £1500 but £2k absolute max for one with less than 100k.

 

[mad mike 212]

have a traffic and had a vito in the family a while ago and both were dead on, altho i must say the traffic was a far better van and not 1 thing went wrong, cant say i ever seen a rusty vito (new shape) tbh as most of it was plastic , it did have a habit of jumping out of 1st gear. but honestly the traffic is a much much better van and very comfy too. transporters look better and seem to hold up well. sprinters DO rust alot. had a yard full in work and id dare say every1 of them had rust spots even the newer 2005 shape.

vito was a newer shape 1 aswell so im not sure about the older ones. only just seen your budget

 

[Nicky]

The Vito, as you have to remember when it comes to needing parts, is just like any other Mercedes; an expensive cuunt of thing...

We had a minibus version, a V220, that needed brakes and suspension parts religiously, due to the sheer weight of it and softness of it. Put Vito suspension into it to see if that would help, but no. It needed a pair of injectors too - 3 days work getting them out as they had leaked without being noticed, and with them being so far down into the head, they had to be dug out of the tar/bitumen that formed around them from the diesel. Would not wish that job on anyone.

Used to have a 2005 Vito van for work too, which was a week old when we got it, and as nice inside and quick as it was, it wasn't comfortable by any means. Steel bulkhead meant there was approx. 8 inches between the seats and the dash, if even, which mean absolutely no leg room for your knee's if you were a passenger, and the gear stick was a brutal obstruction too. The drivers seat didn't go back far enough, which meant the back of it was sitting vertical all the time, again very uncomfortable.

The sliding door mechanism gave a fair bit of bother, and was very susceptible to getting jammed with anything like fine stones and grit (road dirt), and the runner always held water which would have lead to rot very quickly. The rear doors, be it the single door that lifts up (hinged at the top) never seems to stay up with the weight of it, and the double doors (hinged on the sides) would pull door seals/rubbers off daily, meaning more water getting in and drafts, along with the hinges pivoting in 2 places which was a bad design as 1 would always seize and lead to opening and closing problems. The hinge mounts rust terrible on them too, as does the catch at the bottom of the double door which means they can be pulled open with a bit of force.

All in all, I would stay well clear of a Vito, purely because all the small things will add up and drive you insane, along with give bother and hassle which you don't need for a van that may be carrying valuable cargo from time to time, and be on the road constantly...

 

[chunky]

don't buy a Renault whatever you do.

Ive done 10k in a renault master and bar a few niggles it hasn't missed a beat, Just bought another too.

 

[Bryan]

To be fair to my Renault Master it went from 50k miles to 106k miles before anything major went wrong with it - just needed a power steering pump in that time. At 106k it needed a few injectors though which was expensive. Never needed a clutch or gearbox though.

 

[Bryan]

Does anyone know what MPG to expect from a 2.5TDI Transporter (old shape) and the 1.9TDI engine? I've found a clean 2.5 but I wanted a 1.9 for lower fuel consumption.

 

[stevieturbo]

Dont the 2.5's give problems with the cylinder heads ? I'm sure a friend has replaced a few of them. They crack badly between the valve seats and lose compression.

 

[Christopher]

we have 4 hiace's at work and 1 transporter

the transporter is never ending with bother
we had an 09 one new, it went through a few clutches, gearboxes and an engine! replaced it with a brand new one this year, and i think its been for a clutch/gearbox already!

the hiaces range from 98-05 and none of them has ever given bother. some are on 200k+ miles. i get the impression that the newer turbo-derv ones (2 of the 4) won't last as long as the older straight derv ones.
they are a pig on fuel.....but as reliable as they come!!

 

[Bryan]

Cheers for all the replies guys but the Transporter I'm looking at is the older model T4 around 1999-2001 age.

I've found another clean example in blue with 114k miles, 1.9td engine for £2000. Everytime I think about it though it's still a 12 year old van at the end of the day for £2k and is it really worth it??

So I've found a clean 2.5 at just over £1500 and a clean 1.9 at over £2k by the time I get it home but I'm still not sure about the fuel consumption for the two different engines.

 

[stevieturbo]

But realistically, for £2k what are you going to get that is fantastic ?

The older Transporters may be a good old van. Only thing I really dislike about them, is most of them look old. The pain it often faded. In the cosmetic respect they just dont age well at all.

Although I'm sure a good buff and polish would sort most of that. I'm assuming the 1.9 tdi engine and box are effectively the same as the car, so you really cant go wrong there.

 

[56oval]

lets be fair, 2k doesnt get you much in the van department, i paid 2250 for my last 2.5tdi 5 years ago, it had very high mileage hence the price, however i am still running it and it hasnt given me one bit of bother.

the 2.5tdis are now non compliant for londons low emission zone, prices in the uk have dropped for sure. old vans they are and yes they look dated but the later vans had a slightly revised front end that makes it look a bit more modern, if you can find a clean maintained one they are still a brilliant workhorse.

late front end however i do agree the rest of the van still looks dated.

 

[56oval]

Dont the 2.5's give problems with the cylinder heads ? I'm sure a friend has replaced a few of them. They crack badly between the valve seats and lose compression.

2.4's, renowned for warping too.

 

[stevieturbo]

It's not so much they look dated. Just they dont age well with paint fading etc I think when you get a good clean one, they are a decent looking van.
There's a white one on gumtree doesnt look too bad, but they're asking £2700

So is the 2.5 a different engine ?

 

[56oval]

its still a 10valve 5 pot, i couldnt tell you the difference tbh, im guessing increased stroke and lower comp for the 2.5, ive never heard of head trouble on the 2.5's just the 2.4's.
Timing belt failures do the most damage to these heads. as on most motors lol. very tuneable too, the late eurovan ones came with a seperate intercooler and 150bhp standard (europe only)

im due to change mine this year, im kinda dreading the thought of going for a t5.

 

[Bryan]

Well I've gone and got myself a Transporter.

It's a 2001 SWB 2.5TDI 102. Very pleased with it - it needs a few things sorting out such as the central locking and constantly flashing glow plug light but other than that it's a cracking van with only 126k genuine miles on the clock. I even got it for within my budget - I feel like I robbed the old man selling it.

The roof rack will be coming off and I'll get the paintwork touched up here and there but she'll do me for another 100k no bother.

 

[stevieturbo]

Looks tidy enough