After another van.

Had my escort van 5 years now and tbh its been brilliant takes loads of hammer, cheap as chips but starting to show her age now so i think time for a change this summer!

Can't be a big van,transit etc as no room on the drive for one.
Been looking at a connect as a side door would be handy and like the look of them!
After reliabilty more then anything and cheapish on fuel.

Will have around 2.5 maybe 3k too spend!

Any suggestions?

 

Connect....Superb vans and can look cool too

 

Connect definitely

 

Been looking at the pug expert vans around the x reg as they are just the right size and can get a really good one for around £1200ish but not sure what they are like as an all rounder?

May just save up for a real decent connect but seem to hold thier value well!!

 

At work we always have Citroen Berlingos (Partners in Peugeot form) and they seem to be bullet proof, at the moment we have 2 x 57 plate 1.6 HDis and both have done over 120,000 miles and have been faultless (get serviced every 10k)

 

Abit out of my price range a 2007 and abit small too!

 

You say you've got 2.5-3k? Plenty of decent Connects around for that money and you'll never lose much on one if you look after it.

 

They hold their money as they are just nigh upon bomb proof. They are the kind of van that you buy once and run forever. You don't need to sell them when you think they're getting on a bit because they're good for moon milage.

We have 5 on our fleet with the lowest mileage being 173,000 miles. Highest being 210,000 miles. 1 has had an engine but the rest have had virtually nothing (obviously ignoring service items). Just the usual alternator wiring repair and 1 had the gearbox out for the first time ever at 187,000 miles.

For 2.5k-3k you should get a reasonable 05 plate van or a mint 04.

 

So whats the best spec connect to go for then?

 

few months back I upgraded my astra g van to a 1.3 cdti 07 astra H van,drives and handles like a car,fitted cruise control,I get over 75 miles to £10 it has 6 speed and easy get you an instant ban,the 1.7 cdti is a better engine but I have done 7k miles without a single fault,I use it as my everyday car all for 3k

 

hate the berlingo compared to the astra to drive,maybe slightly more room due to hight,IMO I would rather an escort to a berlingo,only problem with the escort is there so sloooooooooooooooow,1.7cdti astra remapped pulls really hard from 1300rpm and are reliable,fast and comfty,and same mpg as the 1.3 cdti

 

Connect, or if you want to go a bit smaller mk5 astra.

 

astra vans are far to small you may as well have a astra estate and put the seats down when you need the room. ive had the escort, expert , astra , and now connect. and the connect is the best all round imo

 

1.7 CDTI Combo van. Plenty of room and great driving vans.

Ive done around 120k now in the past 18 months in mine and it has been excellent. Not as easy on fuel as I'd like, but still does 45+ with ease. But unlike most other vans, it really does drive superbly. And the engine is nice and torquey which makes driving it very good.

I had a 1.6 HDi Berlingo for a few weeks after some arsehole rear ended my van. What a total piece of shit they are. Small inside, big outside and little room in the front either for storage.. The driving position etc isnt bad, and the engine is economical and nippy.
But it was absolutely horrible to drive. And it's French, you just no it's going to break down !

 

Vw caddy,Tdi if you can,awesome vans,same size as a combo and that pd engine is bulletproof and mega tuneable whilst still being great on fuel.
Connect is a nice van too,but I think you'll get a cleaner caddy for the same money as their a bit of an older design.
Seat do an equivalent which is the same van but perhaps a touch cheaper.
They look so pretty lowered a bit on bbs cross spokes.

 

Caddy is much bigger outside and about same inside, maybe smaller if it has a bulkhead.

Also worth noting. A lot of modern small vans, and the Caddy is one fall outside the GVW greater than 2000kgs.

These vans carry reduced speed limits on single and dual carriageways. 50mph for a single and 60 for a dual.

Pain in the fucking hole if you're looking a decent small van that you're never going to load up to the balls.

 

So its looking like a connect then i think! Astra is just too small and never really liked the caddys even though i hear they are good vans!

 

Also worth knowing , the Connect also falls over 2000kgs at 2040kgs. So it also has restricted speed limits.

Van makers should list them all as 1999kgs !! Who really gives a fuck about an extra few kgs ? Most small vans would be lethal to drive if fully loaded.

 

Cant go wrong with a connect we have a few in our fleet and tbh they are really good. We have had a few problems with the abs system bur apart from that they are ok.

 

I got a 05 reg corsa combi van for 1k with 72k on it. It's the 1.3 cdti and it drives spot on. Can't go wrong for the money and it's a fair size really, I got rid 10 16' connifers in 4 trips to the tip.

Gavin.

 

So a connect is restricted on the bypass and motorway to lower speed limits?

 

The pug experts / citroen despatches are great vans. They look ugly but are comfortable, economical, realiable, and (if you get the 110hdi) reasonable quick. The connects are not economical, eat tyres apparently, and are dog slow.

I ended up spending more and getting a caddy though as i'm in an image conscious industry, where the french-farmer look of the expert/dispatch wouldn't cut it.

Chris

 

Not too worried about the style aslong as it clean looking!

As for speed ive had an escort van for 5 years so really not worried about that!

Would consider an expert/dipatch just didnt really want to go French!

 

I ran one for a couple of years, only ever needed the scheduled services. Loads of room. Three seats if you buy the right one. up to 50mpg depending on driving style.

Transit Connect will do 35mpg average. Might as well buy a petrol!

 

Connects are great.
Just sold an 06 reg with 60000 miles for 3k.

 

Dont go connect unless you don't mid the fuel.its defo one of the best looking I think but I get the same mpg out my car and my van had low milage.personally can't beat a combo van or astravan.

 

No, I was very clear.

Single carriageways and dual carriageways.

Ive no idea what bypass you refer to, and a motorway is neither a single carriageway or dual carriageway.
There are no restrictions on motorway speed for the small vans exceeding 2000kgs GVW.

 

I did borrow a Connect for a week. After hearing people complain about fuel consumption I was worried about it. But TBH it really wasnt bad at all. From memory it was doing around 45mpg although I do drive very easy.
Havent a clue what model of Connect it was though. Didnt even feel like a turbodiesel it was that slow, although it was a td.
Didnt like the van much at all, although it's wing mirrors were great lol ( Combo wing mirrors are crap )

 

Want good mpg really! Not sure what to do :/

 

If you get an older Expert, get the 1.9TD.

It's intercooled meaning with a good tune (I was running 22psi and 126bhp in my 1.9TD 406) they are pretty quick and they have Bosch fuel pumps so they can be run on pure vegtable oil!

 

Not worried about speed at all tbh. Reliability and economy are most important and clean looking!

 

Astra 1.7 dti will do 60mpg with ease and very reliable. More modern cdti use slightly more fuel, but obviously more powerful.

Avoid all vauxhall/fiat 1.3 diesels. They may be economical but a very unreliable engine.

 

Astra just isnt big enough

 

Yea, I know. But they really are super economical.

The basic 1.7 di combo's are very easy on fuel around 50-55mpg, but by fuck they're slow.

 

The Connects come with 3 engine power outputs. 75, 90 and 110bhp. The 110 goes quite well. The 75 needs thrashing to make it go anywhere which is why the economy suffers (we have a 75 on fleet) but it still gets high 30's. It's not bad on tyres either. The 110 is better for motorway work but you'll probably find more 90's than anything else out there.

Get one. You won't be disapointed.

 

Not sure what model of Connect I borrowed. But it really wasnt bad on fuel. Perhaps a lot is down to driving style ? It certainly wasnt a powerful model though

 

As i say speed really isnt an issue tbh i drive like a granny most of the time anyway!

Id probably get a 75 and maybe remap if it was that bad!