[Feen]

My work, as I'm sure your's does, involves short distances and many stops. I have a 64 plate Ford Transit ( had the older model before).  The build quality is poor imo. I have had lots of problems with the doors esp hinges. They do get lots of use throughout the day but this is what I need from my van.  I have also had lots of minor problems such as the remote central locking packing up. Using the key in the door repeatedly has loosened the whole mechanism.  Any advice ? Vivaro? Transporter? Other? thanks in advance

[SB Cleaning]

I have a 2015 Vivaro , had it 3 years, replaced 2 tyres and rear brake pads,  been a brilliant van.

[RPCCS]

I have had numerous people warn me off the mk8 Transit, they are very poorly made, the door hinge thing is a common fault.  Same with the locking and injectors ate troublesome too. Im getting a Vivaro or Trafic next. Dont buy anything PSA related. (Peugeot Citroen group), tbey are not good either. I just got rid of a mk2  Dispatch that had been a money pit since I bought it  just under 2 years ago.

[Spruce]

I have had numerous people warn me off the mk8 Transit, they are very poorly made, the door hinge thing is a common fault.  Same with the locking and injectors ate troublesome too. Im getting a Vivaro or Trafic next. Dont buy anything PSA related. (Peugeot Citroen group), tbey are not good either. I just got rid of a mk2  Dispatch that had been a money pit since I bought it  just under 2 years ago.

The new Vivaro is a rebadged Citroen.

They have all got their problems. My Peugeot Boxer is made in Italy in the joint owned Fiat/PSA factory. They use 2.2 ford diesel engines. The deal with Ford on the back of the hdi engine deal they did was to fit PSA 2.2 hdi engines into the cars and Ford Puma engines into the commercial vehicles. The ford engine is heavy on fuel. Oil pumps are an issue especially with poor maintenance. Owners are told that the timing chain never needs replacing. Yes it does and it's more expensive to replace than a cambelt.

[deeege]

I have had numerous people warn me off the mk8 Transit, they are very poorly made, the door hinge thing is a common fault.  Same with the locking and injectors ate troublesome too. Im getting a Vivaro or Trafic next. Dont buy anything PSA related. (Peugeot Citroen group), tbey are not good either. I just got rid of a mk2  Dispatch that had been a money pit since I bought it  just under 2 years ago.

Sorry mate I completely disagree with this. I’m on my 3rd new Berlingo now in 8 years, every one of them has been superb. The perfect window cleaning van for a single operator imo.

Before that I had a vivaro, what a money pit that was. Never again.

[Status Check]

We have run all kind of vans and the 2015 onwards 1.6 Vivaro's have been the worst to own. Followed by the PSA offerings. Most reliable has been Fiat 1.6 Doblo's and Transit Customs.

[NBwcs]

I have a 2015 Vivaro , had it 3 years, replaced 2 tyres and rear brake pads,  been a brilliant van.

Not going to pretend i know alot about motors but ive always been put off vivaros because of the gearbox problems that was associated with them a few years back ,is that all sorted now?

[RPCCS]

The gearbox issue was with the earlier models.

[RPCCS]

I have had numerous people warn me off the mk8 Transit, they are very poorly made, the door hinge thing is a common fault.  Same with the locking and injectors ate troublesome too. Im getting a Vivaro or Trafic next. Dont buy anything PSA related. (Peugeot Citroen group), tbey are not good either. I just got rid of a mk2  Dispatch that had been a money pit since I bought it  just under 2 years ago.

Sorry mate I completely disagree with this. I’m on my 3rd new Berlingo now in 8 years, every one of them has been superb. The perfect window cleaning van for a single operator imo.

I had a 51 plate Berlingo 1.9 about 8 years ago great van, bulletproof engine, then got a mk1 Dispatch with same engine ,another great van1.6, worst van I ever had, nothing but problems, paid £5k for it and spent a fortune keeping it on the road since. Sold it to a Citroen enthusiast in France  earlier this week , for a fraction of what I paid and spent on it,, he has the diagnostic computer and is working his way through the list of fault codes.

Spruce I know the new Vivaro is a Dispatch/Expert in disguise,its not a new one I’m looking at.

[Feen]

Thanks all of you for your feedback. Minefield. 

[SB Cleaning]

Thanks all of you for your feedback. Minefield. 

At the end of the day it doesn't matter what make of van you go for as they all have their problems.

[AuRavelling79]

I bought a new Hyundai iload "Comfort" in March 2012. I have just turned over 48,000 miles. Payload 1068kg.

Other than pads, discs and tyres it has needed nothing except an auxiliary drive belt at the last service. (didn't snap - just shiny and my garage recommended changing it - only £20.

It is still on its original battery and it also has a leisure battery to charge.

Warranty (5 year - 100,000 miles) issues - 1 side door handle snapped off and was replaced.

No cambelt, RWD. 2.5 litre high torque 343 Nm with mediocre  BHP (114)

Rear door hinges are worn in as much as they blow shut in the wind so I have put a hook and eye on them!

[Innocence & Experience]

I have a 2013 plate Berlingo with 225,000 miles on it and drives like its done 80,000,
Granted, the clutch isn't too good and will probably need replacing soon but still looks and drives like a new ISH van!
Probably put the kiss of death on it now!

[Status Check]

I think what this thread proves is that finding a reliable van is purely down to some degree of good luck. All makes and models have problems. Some of our most unreliable vans have been new lease vans and in contrast some of our older vans run with no trouble at all. 

[Spruce]

I think what this thread proves is that finding a reliable van is purely down to some degree of good luck. All makes and models have problems. Some of our most unreliable vans have been new lease vans and in contrast some of our older vans run with no trouble at all.

I agree.
What I also believe is that can also be owner related. This might be a strange thing to say but when I was in the trade we had a fellow buy a brand new C5 Citroen. It seemed to spend a lot of its time in the workshop having warranty repairs done. When it was a couple of years old he traded it in for a brand new C5. Huh?
Vardy's put that C5 up on the lot and it sold shortly afterward. A few years later that new owner told us it was the best car he had ever had with absolutely no issues.

Please can someone explain that.

My second car was a Volvo 122 Amazon. When I bought it it needed a bit of work. In the end that car cost me a fortune. My then girl friend's father called it my Involver.
The last straw was when it threw a ring. I stripped the engine down and completely overhauled it; rebore, crankshaft regrind and new bearings, cylinder head skimmed and valve seats and valves reground.
I resolved to sell it once the engine had bed in which I did. A local car sales yard offered to sell it for me which they did. It ended up that the dealer went bang and I came very close to loosing the lot. Thankfully that dealer had just had a cash sale and paid me out of that.
A few years later I saw it parked in the street in Bulawayo and a chap was getting into it. I asked him how he found the car. He also told me that the previous owner must have really looked after this car as it ran perfectly and had never missed a beat since he purchased it from that garage that stopped trading.
I was gutted because I loved that car. I still ask myself if I sold it too quickly.

[TomCrowther]

I’ve been thinking about a new van for my compact round and have concluded that a horse and cart is probably the way to go.  Very green. Not much can go wrong. Customers will love it.

[dazmond]

I think what this thread proves is that finding a reliable van is purely down to some degree of good luck. All makes and models have problems. Some of our most unreliable vans have been new lease vans and in contrast some of our older vans run with no trouble at all.

really?what problems have you had with new vans then?

if you get a brand new van you should expect to get many, trouble free years out of it with the odd service here and there and consumables replaced(tyres,brakes,etc)

[Spruce]

I’ve been thinking about a new van for my compact round and have concluded that a horse and cart is probably the way to go.  Very green. Not much can go wrong. Customers will love it.

It seems every customer but one who has bought a horse has become a slow/bad payer. These things are expensive to maintain especially when vet bills come along.

[simon w]

I’ve been thinking about a new van for my compact round and have concluded that a horse and cart is probably the way to go.  Very green. Not much can go wrong. Customers will love it.

How would you stand legally with a gas bottle on board and your tank strapped down?

[david mark]

I've owned a Viraro 66 plate the DPF sensor comes on now and again