[Dave Willis]

I think VW reliability is a myth - I've had loads and every one broke down.

VW camper - dropped a valve at 70,000
VW polo - caught fire
VW T28 - five cylinder petrol - would never start
VW Convertable Beetle alarm system failed, window motors failed
VW Jetta - everything failed
VW UP not broken down yet but clutch and gearbox is rubbish.

Son had a VW transporter five cylinder diesel engine - garage announced the engine was kaput at 60,000 and wanted NINE GRAND! for a new engine 

[benny donnelly]

Right lads new van needed asap this one of mine is going, sat outside customers house today trying to start it while pretending to be on the phone to hide the shame 

I think ill opt for a Transit tbh,  they are on the roads this years cant be that bad just have to look after the body for signs of any rust, parts are everywhere and very reasonable, there is a lad not to far from me breaks only transits and has a field full of them..

So can anyone recommend a model with a bit of poke in it and what one to go for with a 500 litre system on board?

Cheers

[evo]

hi mate i have a 59 plate transit trend 125ps 2.4 and it go,s like stink and thats loaded.
if i can find some picks i will put them up on here

[AuRavelling79]

I'm very pleased with my Hyundai iload. But then I should think so - I've only done 8000 miles in a year and a half.

2.5L Diesel 116bhp. Highest torque in it's class 343nm. RWD, nice turning circle, converts from two seats with paper tray/drinks slots or three seats. Air con. About 25/26mpg with my round town driving.

1060kg payload.

[paulben]

I had an old Hiace til about a month ago when some dipstick ran into it now got an old transit . Hiace far better only prob was oil leak always started son had it for 6 months and didnt break it so must be bullet proof

[Dave Willis]

I'm very please with my Hyundai iload. But then I should think so - I've only done 8000 miles in a year and a half.

2.5L Diesel 116bhp. Highest torque in it's class 343nm. RWD, nice turning circle, converts from two seats with paper tray/drinks slots or three seats. Air con. About 25/26mpg with my round town driving.

1060kg payload.

Long warranty too aren't they?

[benny donnelly]

hi mate i have a 59 plate transit trend 125ps 2.4 and it go,s like stink and thats loaded.
if i can find some picks i will put them up on here

Yeah be interested to see couple pics!

What it like on juice?

Ive been searching online most of the evening and have a couple lined up to see tomorrow.

[PoleKing]

Really?  Just how much do you spend on fuel?  Do you drive a Hiace?  Have you measured its fuel economy, or are your numbers just made up?

I spent £1,197 on fuel last year for my Hiace. Please tell me what van I could have driven to allow me to drive the same distance for £197.  I have a VERY full (and quite large) round, by the way.

Vin

I agree that £1000 saving is optimistic but to be fair if you work that back -

£1197 / £1.40 ish (conservative) is 855L or 188 Gallons assuming you get 30MPG (conservative assuming a full load) that's only 5640 miles.

I know that each of my 'vans' do at least 3 times that.

You sure? 90MPG?!

[AuRavelling79]

I'm very pleased with my Hyundai iload. But then I should think so - I've only done 8000 miles in a year and a half.

2.5L Diesel 116bhp. Highest torque in it's class 343nm. RWD, nice turning circle, converts from two seats with paper tray/drinks slots or three seats. Air con. About 25/26mpg with my round town driving.

1060kg payload.

Long warranty too aren't they?

Yes. 5yrs.

[formb]

Really?  Just how much do you spend on fuel?  Do you drive a Hiace?  Have you measured its fuel economy, or are your numbers just made up?

I spent £1,197 on fuel last year for my Hiace. Please tell me what van I could have driven to allow me to drive the same distance for £197.  I have a VERY full (and quite large) round, by the way.

Vin

I agree that £1000 saving is optimistic but to be fair if you work that back -

£1197 / £1.40 ish (conservative) is 855L or 188 Gallons assuming you get 30MPG (conservative assuming a full load) that's only 5640 miles.

I know that each of my 'vans' do at least 3 times that.

You sure? 90MPG?!

90mpg? Ha not a chance. I meant at least 3x as many miles.

[robertphil]

i would think most folk would rack up 15k in their van each year . Dave Willis is lucky in that he doesnt do much driving ,so owning a gas guzzler has little effect on him .

 earlier in the thread Dave you mentioned all those unreliable VWs you had,why to god did you keep on buying them then? perhaps deep down youre a masochist ,

 when that valve dropped on your VWcamper did you smile to yourself?? go on,admit it if you like to be spanked in your wallet  

 i knew of a guy like that-heres a true story - he would go buy his shopping at LIDL  but on the walk home would sling his carrier bags full of food over somebodys garden wall

[Dave Willis]

I've owned several vehicles over the years Citroens too but all the VW's gave trouble. The dropped valve was on an air cooled camper van. My Citroens both broke down in the first week from new due to poor electrics.

I've just remembered another VW I owned for about a month - I went to the local garage who specialized in servicing VW's for some parts. When I quoted the engine number they fell about laughing. It was a particular engine that was so bad that the mechanics would mark it with tipex and put bets on as to whether it would get as far as the first service    

I don't know where the reputation for the Hiace being a gas guzzler comes from - all the research I did before buying one suggested they were pretty economical (deisel). I've not found it heavy on fuel even on a 500mile return trip to Grimsby.

Amazingly the Fiat Doblo vans seem pretty reliable according to people on this forum who use them - only 1300 deisels engine too.

Most vehicles have an Achilles heel Renaults, Vauxhall and Nissan seemed to have gearbox issues, Transits appear to be rust and injectors. Citroen possibly electrics although I had a Despatch that was problem free.
The VW my son drove was a cracking van bought from new - lasted three years before it was deemed fit for the bin by the main dealers - just made it out of the warranty period.

[robertphil]

i sense you MIGHT be one of those vehicle masochists Dave . the Tippex story lends weight to my theory


 do you load your van up with everything WFP that you can cram in ...
 and then the  kitchen sink -just so that it can use more fuel

 

[Dave Willis]

No, just unlucky to be drawn in by the VW marketing hype.
Unfortunately regarding camper vans there never was much choice. Transits just weren't cool.

VW also made a diabolical gearbox for a while but they've managed to keep quiet on that one.

[Perfect Windows]

i would think most folk would rack up 15k in their van each year . Dave Willis is lucky in that he doesnt do much driving ,so owning a gas guzzler has little effect on him .

Interesting.  With no supportable facts stated you conclude:

"Most" window cleaners would rack up 15k a year.  

Think it through.  You work about 45 weeks a year after holidays, etc.  15K miles would be 333 miles a week, or 67 miles a day.  Really?  Where are all these people working?  My round's spread all over Southampton and surroundings and is one of the least compact ones I know.  The furthest house I go is ten miles away, so even on a day containing that job, unless I drove round in circles once I got there, I couldn't possibly rack up 67 miles.

What an amazing thing is the internet.

Vin

[Perfect Windows]

No, just unlucky to be drawn in by the VW marketing hype.
Unfortunately regarding camper vans there never was much choice. Transits just weren't cool.

VW also made a diabolical gearbox for a while but they've managed to keep quiet on that one.

For years whenever anyone spoke about VW reliability I've pointed out that the ONLY source of that was their campaign "If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen".  It was swallowed hook, line and sinker and became blindly accepted and repeated ad nauseam.  Great marketing but no basis in fact.

Vin

[formb]

"Most" window cleaners would rack up 15k a year.  

Think it through.  You work about 45 weeks a year after holidays, etc.  15K miles would be 333 miles a week, or 67 miles a day.  Really?  Where are all these people working?  My round's spread all over Southampton and surroundings and is one of the least compact ones I know.  The furthest house I go is ten miles away, so unless I drove round in circles once I got there, I could't possibly rack up 67 miles.

What an amazing thing is the internet.

Vin

I cannot speak for 'most' window cleaners but I have multiple rounds and ALL of them cover MORE THAN 15K per year.

ALL of them.

If your furthest house is only 10 miles away I'd say you have a VERY compact round compared to most. But, like I said, I cannot speak for 'most' window cleaners.

[formb]

For years whenever anyone spoke about VW reliability I've pointed out that the ONLY source of that was their campaign "If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen".  It was swallowed hook, line and sinker and became blindly accepted and repeated ad nauseam.  Great marketing but no basis in fact.

Vin

I'm not on the 'argue with Vin bus' but I have owned 3 Golfs and 1 Jetta, cracking cars, very little problems with them...

[formb]

If your furthest house is only 10 miles away I'd say you have a VERY compact round compared to most. But, like I said, I cannot speak for 'most' window cleaners.

'Most' of the window cleaners to reply on these threads would tend to agree:

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=173766.0

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=164324.20

[AuRavelling79]

My van covers about 5000 miles a year. Farthest custy 10/12 miles.