Small Van experiences?

[Tomo1971]

Hi, I am looking to lease a small van for work as I am going self employed these next few days or weeks.

Maybe a 1.3cdti AstraVan or a 1.6HDi Citreon Berlingo.

I have driven an old shape 1.7DTi16v astra van before and loved it, great fuel economy etc. Also drove a V reg peugeot partner (same as berlingo) and found it not too bad.

Any body have any experience of these or similar vans. Fuel economy and comfort are more important than performance.

I have been quoted £55 a week + Vat with unlimited miles/full maintenance/tyres/VED included for the astra or berlingo. All I need to do is insure and fuel it.

Any thoughts?

Steve

[BeezerDiesel]

I have literally dozens of small vans at work to look after.
Transit Connect nicest to drive, not sure about engine size but it's probably a 1.8 or 2.0 turbo Diesel. I'll have a look later. Comfy seats, loads of space in cab, good mirrors. Only down side I can think of about these little beauties it that although they are small van sized they actually come under bigger (Transit) van regulations and you are only supposed to do 50mph in a 60 single carriageway etc.

Vauxhall Combi (Corsa) 1.3 Turbo Diesel. Nippy, fairly comfy. Lower slung than the Connect so more car-like. Mirrors more car like too so has blind spots on motorway.

VW Caddy 2.0 SDI, feels much more upmarket than the other two, nice looking radio LOL, but veeeerrrrrry slooooow unless you're just using it around town.

Citroen Berlingo, errr, a bit quirky, not sure about engine size but the hire one I briefly drove a few weeks back was also sloooooow. If it was my money I wouldn't want one.

Fiat something-or-the-other, we had one of these briefly on hire the other week, didn't drive it but boy was it ugly.

Don't know if that's any use to you but if you have any more questions I'll be glad to answer them.....

[RADIOTWO]

Originally Posted by Tomo1971

Hi, I am looking to lease a small van for work as I am going self employed these next few days or weeks.

Maybe a 1.3cdti AstraVan or a 1.6HDi Citreon Berlingo.

I have driven an old shape 1.7DTi16v astra van before and loved it, great fuel economy etc. Also drove a V reg peugeot partner (same as berlingo) and found it not too bad.

Any body have any experience of these or similar vans. Fuel economy and comfort are more important than performance.

I have been quoted £55 a week + Vat with unlimited miles/full maintenance/tyres/VED included for the astra or berlingo. All I need to do is insure and fuel it.

Any thoughts?

Steve

Hi Steve

You don't say what you will be using it for, ie hundreds of miles a day or just round the block type of driving, but have you seen the new Peugeot "bipper" I am sorry I don't know what it is like but the RFL is only £35 a year !

Radiotwo

[Octygone]

Haven't tried the astravan but the berlingo is like a jelly in a high wind and it is sssllloooowww

[Aspman]

Father in law has a new Berlingo with the 1.6 derv and he thinks it's great.

Just to confuse you.

He did consider just getting a normal car like a roomster and taking out the back seats.

[cheezemonkhai]

Originally Posted by Octygone

Haven't tried the astravan but the berlingo is like a jelly in a high wind and it is sssllloooowww

If fitted with the 1.9 XUD still.

[Tomo1971]

Thanks for replies so far.

Will be using it for a couple of toolboxes, Dc cables, spares, laptops and probably doing 800 or so miles a week, not around town!!

Have driven a connect, it was the middle one engine power wise (same 1.8 engine) and found it great but only when someone else paying for the fuel!! Seemed to be filling it up every minute, about as aerodynamic as a brick with eggboxes stuck on it, which wont help.

Hence my thought of an Astra, my old 1.7 used to do 50+ no matter how it was driven.

Had a set back today though, not going to be easy to insure a car owned by someone else as a new self employed, and will probably be for a minimum term of 12 months. Oh joy.

Also been quoted £105+Vat for an astra from Enterprise, based on 125 miles a day with their insurance.

decisions

Steve

[yashicamat]

I've driven a few Transit Connects. They do have a fantastic load area and a very airy cabin (it's a bit of a tardis, doesn't look big on the outside but feels huge). Generally handles pretty well and the engine is quite refined, although don't expect much go out of it.
Overall good vans and a step up over the mk4 Astra vans we had before.

[dougie vrs]

why not try to import a skoda praktik? ,lol . transit connects are good ,but very thirsty on fuel, i would go for a renault kangoo, nice and comfy,practical too

[gadgetman]

Loved my tranny connect. Sluggish and thursty.

Fiat Scudo/cit dispatch/pug partner - completly horrible to drive. Easily stolen from. Mine was attacked 3 times.

Fiat Doplo - AVOID! Unreliable, easily stolen from.


If you plant on carrying expensive stuff, you must get one with a full, hardened bulk head like the tranny connect - and get an upgraded alarm for it.

You'd be better using the likes of Lombard, Lex, PHH etc for long term vehicle rental/leasing. Lower costs and more customising for starters.

[Tomo1971]

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Loved my tranny connect. Sluggish and thursty.

Fiat Scudo/cit dispatch/pug partner - completly horrible to drive. Easily stolen from. Mine was attacked 3 times.

Fiat Doplo - AVOID! Unreliable, easily stolen from.


If you plant on carrying expensive stuff, you must get one with a full, hardened bulk head like the tranny connect - and get an upgraded alarm for it.

You'd be better using the likes of Lombard, Lex, PHH etc for long term vehicle rental/leasing. Lower costs and more customising for starters.

TBH the connect would suit, its just the fuel that puts me off. The one I had for a while was a 220L (95bhp I think) and was fine, handled quite well.

I'm in a normal SWB transit at the mo and I think that is great too but again, even worse on fuel and probably too big.

From my research so far, 55 a week plus vat is a very good price for unlimited miles and no commitment.

BUT having said all that, its an extra cost, I may just use the vRS for work. Ok it will depreciate more but surely would cost less in depreciation than a lease and insurance. Just worried its a little low to carry decent weight in the boot.

Steve

[Wardy]

If you don't need mega space, what about a supermini based model? Think the Corsa's already been mentioned, or the Fiesta?

Steve

[smstext]

it depends on size and cost, i prefer merc sprinters personally.

[BeezerDiesel]

Following on from my previous post, I had a quick go in the hired in Fiat ugly thing. It drives as bad as it looks. In this day and age I'm really surprised something this bad exists. It must be very cheap, not even got central locking. If the Connect is heavy on fuel (I don't find them that bad) then go with the Vauxhall Combi. Plenty of room in it, good on fuel, reasonably tough work horse and quite nippy.

Someone mentioned a Kangoo. They drive nice and are quick but we had two that were initially very popular then turned out to be very very unreliable. You can't afford unreliable when you're self employed. Shame really as they are cheap and great to drive.

[gadgetman]

No one's mention a Merc Veto.

These days they are pretty cost effective and bullet proof. Down side would be higher rental tho. IIRC VW do an almost exact version of the Veto.

Caddy's are good too. Plenty of go in them

[BeezerDiesel]

Originally Posted by gadgetman

No one's mention a Merc Veto.

These days they are pretty cost effective and bullet proof. Down side would be higher rental tho. IIRC VW do an almost exact version of the Veto.

Caddy's are good too. Plenty of go in them

I think Vitos and Sprinters are somewhat bigger than what the OP wanted.
If a Transit Connect is going to be too heavy on fuel then a Merc definately is.

[KLM]

What about the new Peugeot Bipper (carp name). Seems to be getting good reviews.

[okeh]

I have a renault kangoo 75cl for work

Its very comfy to drive around in and not too bad acceleration wise,the top end is meant to be 90 something but once you get to 80 the thing starts to rattle like an old bus and when its windy weather you have to hold the steering wheel like your life depended on it in anticipation of the next gust of wind.

On the good side ,engine wise ive had no problems with it and its now four years old

[Tomo1971]

Thanks again,

Vito too big, way too big. Bipa (or whatever its called) maybe too small but maybe worth a look as its more about driver comfort than outright space, Id imagine they are OK for town use but awful for runs down the motorway.

I think I will have a look at Corsa Combi's with the 1.3cdti engine, see if that will be big enough for me to get comfy in.

I may end up buying a van but now looks like I will be sharing with an ex-collegue that lives not too far from me, which will halve the costs. This also makes using the vRS out the question really, how would one decide on how much his contribution to the upkeep would be etc?

I have driven a kangoo too, agree, quite nippy but a pain at speed, although maybe a bulkhead would stop the noise?

Steve

[gadgetman]

ARe you doing PC repairs or IT related?

If you're carrying lappys around, get something secure and one of those secure boxes thats tethered to the vehicle.