[john tomkins]

Coz my van seems to be on it's last legs ( cambelt change due, brake discs and pads need replacing, squealing clutch bearing, black smoke from exhaust on start up, poor starting ) It's a 122,000 mile Berlingo, so I been on the lookout for a comparible sized van with bigger carrying weight.
Berlingo  and Partners 800kgs hard to find, same with Fiat Doblos, but I found a 750 kg Vauxhall combo van 1.3 cdti at a fair price, anyone use one of these and how do you rate them, any good?

[Steve Lowe]

Hi James
We have one of the new Vauxhall Combo's and a connect and the combo is a far superior van. Its bigger than the swb connect and faster (100 bhp) and we get about 55 mpg so i would go for it

Steve

[NWH]

Vauxhall combo over a connect,i don`t think so.

[Steve Lowe]

We have both do you?

[Captain Scarlet]

I have no experience of either van but what I do know is that in general Fords are much better than Vauxhalls. I myself would always choose the Ford. After my Peugeot Expert I think I'm going Ford. The best thing about Fords is not so much their reliability ( even though it is very good ) but the simplicity of fixing them and getting parts cheaply and quickly. The trouble with French cars/vans is that neither is true due to their strange designs and Frances laws on spare parts ( spare parts must be made by makers - its the law ) so some parts for a French car/vans are dificult to get hold of and sometimes expensive. Luke

[NWH]

I wouldn`t want a combo so no i don`t have one,i have driven one and there not a patch on the connect.It`s a touchy subject vans and to a certain degree it`s all personal opinion.

[alanwilson]

not over here luke, you can buy pattern parts for peugeots all over the place.

[Steve Lowe]

Yes sorry if i came over a bit full on but have you driven the latest combo as they are nothing like the older one.They have bags of power and plenty of room but like you say its personal choice

Steve

[sherco]

I have a 1998 combo and its been a brilliant van, just looking at getting a newer one, its so reliable and economical.

[john tomkins]

I agree its personal choice but with the higher load carrying weight their aint that much choice, I been looking for months.
It's just that reading previous posts about the raved about Doblo 1.3(power, ecomomy, refinement), it's the same engine in the Combo but don't recall much info on here about it?

[m.b.s.]

i have a 95 1.7 d combo great van till it broke down on me last week took a week to find ut what was wrong with it eventualy after having a sparki look at it it was the controll modual apart from that its been a good van and pulls 250 liters with full wfp gear and trad gear ladders ect hardly uses any diesel good space in back also hope this helps oh one thing i found it a sod to ply line though

[tacky]

    i think                   malc (g)old has the new dolbo . olso friend down the road has one ( hes a builder says its the best small van hes had ) they look roomy inside very good  mpg. i m sure malc (g)old has a post on here somewhere relating to the dolbo

[marc]

i had a new combo in march 2000 and it was great , at the moment i am running a 2006 citreon dispacth with the 20hdi engine and i have to say it is a smashing van to drive and coz i brought it new had e/w cd/player and air/con great in the summer ,my nephew now drives this as i have a new nissan navara adveture this too is a great motor its an auto so i only get 19/20 miles to the gallon ,we also got an old combo last year 98 s reg with 165,000 miles on & no pas spent £400 on a respray two months ago and it has just gone through the mot with no faults and for an old banger it drives ok and my veiw on the ford is that its a fine looking van and you dont win van of the year without being a good van ,that  said and done it is all persinal choice.marc

[m.b.s.]

i had a new combo in march 2000 and it was great , at the moment i am running a 2006 citreon dispacth with the 20hdi engine and i have to say it is a smashing van to drive and coz i brought it new had e/w cd/player and air/con great in the summer ,my nephew now drives this as i have a new nissan navara adveture this too is a great motor its an auto so i only get 19/20 miles to the gallon ,we also got an old combo last year 98 s reg with 165,000 miles on & no pas spent £400 on a respray two months ago and it has just gone through the mot with no faults and for an old banger it drives ok and my veiw on the ford is that its a fine looking van and you dont win van of the year without being a good van ,that  said and done it is all persinal choice.marc

mine also sailed through the mot in nov only failed on a stearing rack boot