Van HELL!!! Any advice very welcome - going to buy a new one.

[Destroyer2813]

Marshall Ipswich Vauxhall - VAUXHALL VIVARO Van 2.0CDTI [115PS] Van 2.9t Euro 5 - @Marshallmotorgp

Anothe r 1 i looked at Danny

 

[mutley racers]

My van just died!!!!! Vauxhall vivaro. Was driving home from work and a light flashed saying stop and showing the battery sign. As I needed milk I stopped at a garage to get milk and it wouldn't start. Totally dead. When I jump started it it went for a little bit then lost all power just around the corner from my house. Hopefully it's just a new battery that needs replacing

 

[Dannypipe]

£500 Tamz. Great. Now I'm really depressed!!

I've been chatting to my mate who works for me (he needs a new van too, as he wrote his off in the snow) and we're going to go to the auction this week, take a day off and see whats on offer. I will have to speak to the business manager at the bank tomorrow to see what I can borrow first.

I want something that's done under 20K miles. Once a van has done 80K it's best years are behind it.

I would love to iron out £15K on a nearly new van but I'm too tight fisted.

Stupid thing is we buy a new car every 3 years on HP. Part ex the old one and buy a new one. Have done for the past 4 cars anyway. So the wife drives a nice new car every day and I toodle round in a **** heap!!

 

[Dannypipe]

My van just died!!!!! Vauxhall vivaro. Was driving home from work and a light flashed saying stop and showing the battery sign. As I needed milk I stopped at a garage to get milk and it wouldn't start. Totally dead. When I jump started it it went for a little bit then lost all power just around the corner from my house. Hopefully it's just a new battery that needs replacing

Oh No!! Maybe it's catching? Maybe I've got a case of van flu!!?

Sorry to hear that Mutley. It's such a kick in the balls isn't it? I've got to go hire a little car tomorrow morning, can't be without wheels even for a day.

 

[Dannypipe]

Marshall Ipswich Vauxhall - VAUXHALL VIVARO Van 2.0CDTI [115PS] Van 2.9t Euro 5 - @Marshallmotorgp

Anothe r 1 i looked at Danny

Very nice mate. What do you think you'll get in the end?

 

[Destroyer2813]

Not sure, still debating fancy a change had 2 vivaros and aint had any problems with em but read a few stories about em but then again transits a bit more money but has a lot more features on it. Hate having to decide on things

 

[Dannypipe]

Me too mate. Trouble is my hand is being forced. I need to be sorted asap. If the van was working I'd take a couple of weeks to make a choice minimum.

 

[tamz]

My van just died!!!!! Vauxhall vivaro. Was driving home from work and a light flashed saying stop and showing the battery sign. As I needed milk I stopped at a garage to get milk and it wouldn't start. Totally dead. When I jump started it it went for a little bit then lost all power just around the corner from my house. Hopefully it's just a new battery that needs replacing

That is what i got rid of my vivaro for and bought the citreon. Took it to the garage and it showed up needing an alternator (£300) so that was changed. Stopped on the way past the garage to see if it would be ready to pick up later that day and he said it is cutting out. Ticked over for 10 minutes or so then would cut out. Showing an injector fault. I'd had the injectors done before at £800 odd so that was the last straw and i decided to dump it. The last thing i need is an unreliable van.
Btw i would never have another vivaro.

 

[Destroyer2813]

Im already couple weeks down still no closer :annoyed:

 

[Dannypipe]

That is what i got rid of my vivaro for and bought the citreon. Took it to the garage and it showed up needing an alternator (£300) so that was changed. Stopped on the way past the garage to see if it would be ready to pick up later that day and he said it is cutting out. Ticked over for 10 minutes or so then would cut out. Showing an injector fault. I'd had the injectors done before at £800 odd so that was the last straw and i decided to dump it. The last thing i need is an unreliable van.
Btw i would never have another vivaro.

But from what the AA bloke said, a Vivaro is the same as a Traffic and a Primastar.

Surely three different manufacturers wouldn't use the same engine, chassis if it was junk?

Been looking at the auction catalogue. They have hundreds of vans coming up. Lots of Vivaro's!!!

Don't want to buy a load of trouble though.

 

[Irish]

I got a brand new transit in sept for 6k cheaper than the ford dealership on the Internet i used to have a Peugeot partner spilt head alternator went twice got sick of spending money on it like tamz and his vivaro and it was too small like the combo can nightmare to find stuff the day after finishing a big job, like someone else said we spend a lot of time in our vans so a bit of comfort is a must, only thing is you kinda have to clean it every week as I feel bad having a 16grand van covered in muck

 

[Destroyer2813]

All the spares i"ve ever got for my vivaro are badged renault

 

[Blake]

I've bought my vivaro when it was 6 months old and that was 6 1/2 years ago. It now has 45k on the clock and in that time it has had two wishbones and a new powersteering pump. Overall I've really enjoyed it and it's been a great van, I just wish I had bought the sportive with the full electrics.

Looking to change soon to the new Expert as I don't need such a big van anymore.

 

[Destroyer2813]

You don't do many miles then Blake , I had to have a ps pump in my old vivaro

 

[villa_tom]

Are there any websites you boys know of that sell new or nearly new vans? I'm looking at a new van at the moment as I've had a few problems with mine recently and it's time for a new one.

Ive searched for the van I'm after but I not 100% on the websites as I've never heard of them.

 

[Dannypipe]

I got a brand new transit in sept for 6k cheaper than the ford dealership on the Internet i used to have a Peugeot partner spilt head alternator went twice got sick of spending money on it like tamz and his vivaro and it was too small like the combo can nightmare to find stuff the day after finishing a big job, like someone else said we spend a lot of time in our vans so a bit of comfort is a must, only thing is you kinda have to clean it every week as I feel bad having a 16grand van covered in muck

So what website did you get the van from at 6K under the dealership price?

I won't ever clean my van every week, but I totally see what you mean about having £16K of van covered in black soot.

A dirty van is a sign of success as they say.

But then someone wrote 'Gypsy King' in the back of my van on Saturday....it was parked outside a shop on the highstreet....funny, but I did scrub it out straight away.

 

[Blake]

You don't do many miles then Blake , I had to have a ps pump in my old vivaro

I like to keep it local

 

[Irish]

Happy new car is where I got mine olive in Twickenham they're in hull and dropped to my front door, I was a bit nervous about doing over the Internet but I was more than happy with them

 

[Blake]

So what website did you get the van from at 6K under the dealership price?

I won't ever clean my van every week, but I totally see what you mean about having £16K of van covered in black soot.

A dirty van is a sign of success as they say.

But then someone wrote 'Gypsy King' in the back of my van on Saturday....it was parked outside a shop on the highstreet....funny, but I did scrub it out straight away.

I always remember a customer once said she called me because she saw the van and liked how clean it was and figured that must reflect in my work. Little did she know

 

[Dannypipe]

I've worked out on average I do 10.5K miles a year, so not much. I know this has a bearing on lease hire. Tend to work local, and though those are less miles than a motorway user, I do spend a fair amount of time in the van. Would love a bit of air con' for the summer. Sitting in traffic sweating my balls off isn't much fun. But the main bonus of a new van is space. Glorious space.

My van is ex BT and the racking is brilliant. It would cost a fortune. However every inch of space is used...and I still can't carry as much as I did in my last van.

 

[Irish]

Yeah the lack of space was a pig in my old van especially when you knew something was in there but it took half an hour to find it usually at about 6 on a Friday evening! Ford wanted just under 22k for the trend 125 t260 happynewcar did it for 15,800

 

[Dannypipe]

Yeah, lack of space is a nightmare. My passenger footwell has an old F&E tank, full of pipe clips.The seat a box full of paper work. The back both sides racked, and stuffed. Even behind, beneath the seats I have motorised valves, and pumps. Its a joke.

I will be so much less wound up at work when I have space to put everything.

I wont fall into that trap of carrying extra stuff just as I have more space. My last van (Don't laugh, an LDV) I used to carry a generator incase I was working somewhere that had no power. Loads of other pointless crap. Van before that was a Transit, and I did the same with that, until driving up a hill and the engine went BANG!

I will start carrying the pipe freezer & transformer though.

 

[Irish]

Yeah I racked mine out with Barton storage bins for the 15/22/28mm fittings couple of f&e tanks for waste fittings and got my electric tools neatly stacked on the floor it's almost a pleasure to go to work I had every nook and cranny filled in my old van could never give anyone a lift it was that full

 

[Dannypipe]

I had every nook and cranny filled in my old van could never give anyone a lift it was that full

That's me mate. I'm sick of sighing when I know I have to go and uncover half my vans contents to get a munsen ring. (For anyone interested, munsen rings are stored in the canvas bag, at the back left, beneath the racking and behind the wastepipe fittings and the soldering gear box (fishing tackle box).

You can see my pain here right!!

 

[mfgs]

Have a look at the vw transporter. It may not be as big as you want, but they are lovely to drive. I much prefer mine to the transit I used to have. Also now having air con is a real bonus, I wont own a van without it from now on. I spend a lot of time in my van, so I want it to be nice to drive and comfy.

 

[Dannypipe]

VW's are too pricey mate. Never heard a bad word about the Transporter.

 

[Phil]

Ha Ha Danny, my Combo sounds just like yours, box of waste fittings in passenger footwell and box of waste traps on seat with seatbelt round it. I cram powertools under the seats and in those little cubby holes behind the seats.

I put up with the hasstle as it great on fuel and I don't have to worry about parking a hulking great minibus and dragging it around all the narrow roads around here.

 

[Dannypipe]

We're Combo brothers in arms mate. But I've had it. Yes those cubbyholes behind the seats are crammed, as is the shelf above my head. No inch of space is wasted.

I have more tools in my little van than most blokes I've worked with. I have just about everything you'll need in domestic plumbing/heating work....and it's all crammed into about half the space it should be. In fairness I do have to keep on top of the van internally. Can't just throw everything in. I would have a nervous breakdown after a week of working like that.

 

[Phil]

Clutch went on mine a few years ago, I thought I'd be looking at Vauxhall Astra money for a new clutch WRONG! £700.

 

[Dannypipe]

Fuel pump on mine. AA guy said if I'm keeping it, I should also change the manifold.

The pump is around £480 apparently (not checked) and isn't a small job. Its bolted onto the side of the engine, and powered by the cam shaft.

For the record I do nothing mechanical to my vans. Best left to a mechanic in my opinion.

I did just get it serviced in December, and have new glow plugs. That was £400.00. So if this repair is about £800.00 then it's had £1200 in the last two months.

Not cheap motoring by my standard.

 

[Irish]

Cxr100 is in the hunt for a new can you could always sell it to him

 

[Dannypipe]

Well, who ever buys it isn't getting a dog of a van.

I had it serviced every year at Vauxhall, until this one in December which was a local independant garage. Still set me back £400 sheets.

It's done under 60K and will probably do another 60K, but not under my ownership. It's getting flogged!

 

[villa_tom]

Well, who ever buys it isn't getting a dog of a van.

I had it serviced every year at Vauxhall, until this one in December which was a local independant garage. Still set me back £400 sheets.

It's done under 60K and will probably do another 60K, but not under my ownership. It's getting flogged!

Im in the same boat as you Danny. I've got a berlingo on a 56 plate. Had it three years and not a peep, but in the last 4 months its had its service/MOT, a new clutch, a new alternator and a power steering pump on Wednesday. Then to top it off I had a flat this afternoon when I popped the shop :-(

to be fair it's done 185k so coming to the end, but if someone wanted it for a little run around it'd be sound. I've just had enough and I rely on it to much to be having faults all the time.

The size of this van suits me fine as I don't really do much installation, I'm looking at a brand new nemo or bipper from the dealers. Can pick up a new one for under 10k, so that's the route I think I'm going.

Ive looked at the racking for the nemo and some of it looks great, I think if a van is racked out in a good way, size becomes less of an issue if your only doing service and repair and fitting rads like myself.

 

[kay-jay]

Crikey Danny it sounds like you have the vauxhall isar .....

 

[Dannypipe]

I've been to about every van dealer imaginable today, and to the bank to get a business loan. If the loan gets approved I'll be off to the auctions I think.

My head is a mess.... lease hire, contract hire, HP (not the sauce) balloon payments, down payments, VAT down, VAT back.

I really am really confused. Been to accountant too. Been a busy day. Hired a Fiat 500 for three days!!

So I'll be glad to get into anything once I finally make my mind up.

I think auction might be the way though. Familiar path for me.

If it doesn't I may now be interested in this myself.