transporter or transit

[Nat]

Hi all,

I am going to get myself a van but am going a bit mad trying to decide what to get! I think I've narrowed it down to either transporter or transit. My budget is max £3.5k which gets you a pretty good transit or an older/more mileage transporter.

Would be grateful of any advice/thoughts on the above. Anything that could help me make up my mind would be great!

Cheers,

Nat

 

[Resolute]

Transit - good size and parts are cheap!

 

[gaspastemania]

cheaper parts for transit

 

[REDSAW]

you can have my transit for £3.5k

 

[AWheating]

the transports is a great van (i have one), but i would go for a transit at that money because you will get newer/lower milage and slightly less maintenence costs. one warning is the locks on a transit are not great so extra i would get an alarm and deadlocks when you can afford it.

 

[AWheating]

i ment transporter.

 

[Gray0689]

Transit is better IMHO
Transporters lovely vans but overpriced and transit better inside back fit in more

 

[mfgs]

I've had on 04 transit and have an 06 transporter now. The transporter is nicer to drive, but for the money you have to spend I would go for the transit. Nothing ever went wrong with the one I had, nice to drive 100bhp one has a bit of grunt. Only thing I dont like is how bloody far the mirrors stick out.

 

[nysk2008]

Out of the 2 I would go for the transporter, they hold there money really really well but i'm sure the transit is also an excellent van. I guess at the end of the end just choose c arefully and dont buy a cained one.

 

[Nat]

Thanks for your responses. Looks like its gonna be a transit then. I was starting to think that anyway but you've helped me sway it beyond doubt. Was also looking at vitos but don't like the way they have sliding doors on both sides as you lose a lot of space to put racking.

 

[nysk2008]

dont want to be a pain in the rear but have you considered the vivaro, primastar and trafic? thats what I have?

 

[dontknowitall]

I had a 53 plate transit connect and how have an 07 transit. Very happy with both and would buy another ford (but not from the same dealer). Loads of people like the transporter. Advice above, given the budget, seems good though. I think there'd be much more of a debate if the budget was around £7k upwards!

 

[Nat]

dont want to be a pain in the rear but have you considered the vivaro, primastar and trafic? thats what I have?

The vivaro was what I originally wanted but heard some negative reviews which put me off. I do like the look and size of them though. Do you rate yours?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

transits are crap end of argument for 3 years we have owned a 03 plate swb 2.0 durotorq its rusting terrible,the diesel pump is failing,the gearbox is crap,second gear keeps jumping out it had 60k when we bought it now its on 111k,the engine is a 16 valve version of Peugeot hdi the same lump in my expert only with more valves in the transit you get 90 bhp which is quick enough for its size and it has a timing chain so no belts to worry about,in the expert being lighter you get 125 bhp,security on transits are gay if you know where to cut certain cables your in(this applies from 2000-2011 model years unless you fit a plate inside the rear door all your kit will get nicked this is a honest opinion from a ****ed off transhed owner if you buy one you will wish you bought something better and a vivaro is not better they are complete ****e,but if you do go for one even if the body work is pristine it will rust away within 2 years of you owning it and the diesel pump will die costing you big bucks

 

[mfgs]

Maybe you just got unlucky. My transit was fine for the 2-3 years I had it. Done about 30,000 miles with no issues whatsoever.

 

[nysk2008]

I have a primastar and to b fair its excellent, the only thing which I have heard is that the turbos can go but if you get a decent one then your sorted. Loads of space, and if you get the 115bhp it has plenty of grunt. I was well lucky, I got mine with 70k and a full service but like anything, if it looks to good to be true it probs is. good luck!

 

[Kev the gas]

I paid just under 30k for a VW transporter Kombi 18 months ago, drives fantastic.

6 months ago had the ECU retuned, last month had new drive shafts, this week new steering rack.

Service required this week after only 13k miles. Supposed to be 18k or 2 years.

All after only 13k miles.

Depends how lucky you are, I had a Renault Trafic for 4 1/2 years, all it had in that time was a service.

 

[Gray0689]

30k for a van your mad

 

[Kev the gas]

Made sense at the time, 6 seats so the family can all fit in.

Tax and vat reclaimed.

Plus its very nice to drive. Nothing like a panel van with rattles ect, I know as I had a Transporter panel van this week as mine was broken.

It still makes sense tho as I have no need for a car myself, I used to run a family car, work van and a pick up for my weekend use. So I save the running and purchase costs of a 3rd vehicle.

 

[Nat]

Hi all,

Just thought I'd update this thread as I got my van.

Decided on a transit in the end due to the fact that you can get a lot of van for your money and they are reliable and relatively cheap to fix. Went for a medium high top as i like the way you can stand in the back, masses of room and you can get a length of pipe in the top. Never thought I'd buy from a dealer but found this one and thought it seemed like a good deal - 2004, very clean inside and out, 125k but has full history from 40k from the dealer. Paid £3050 with brand new tax and MOT and new tyres.

Just spent today racking it all out and after working all day yesterday I'm knackered! Hardly a restful weekend and now back to work tomorrow. Pleased I got it all sorted though. Hope you guys managed to chill out a bit this weekend.

Nat

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

thats a clean one to be fair

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

but it can still be broken into with a bread knife all they need to do is put it between the rear light and cut the loom that goe,s into the door

 

[Nat]

but it can still be broken into with a bread knife all they need to do is put it between the rear light and cut the loom that goe,s into the door

Really? That's worrying. Got it belled up and the tools are in a site safe bolted to the floor. Can you do anything about the doors?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

with our transit we bought a bracket that protects the wiring i have looked on ebay and cant find it

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

[DLMURL="http://www.garrisonlocks.co.uk/details.asp?product=Ford%20Transit%20Wiring%20Loom%20Guard%20-%20Single%20Pack&cat=4&scat=0&scat1=0&scat2=0&g"]http://www.garrisonlocks.co.uk/details.asp?product=Ford%20Transit%20Wiring%20Loom%20Guard%20-%20Single%20Pack&cat=4&scat=0&scat1=0&scat2=0&g

t[/DLMURL]ry this but ask them if it will fit

 

[stevetheplumber]

if youve got your power tools in a lock up youll be ok most thieves are open grab and run anything more and they will not bother if they realy want them that bad theyll burgal the house for the keys
most of us probably dont but we should all take keys and mobiles etc to bed with us

 

[Nat]

Thanks gas man but that link does not work.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

[DLMURL="http://www.garrisonlocks.co.uk/details.asp?product=Ford%20Transit%20Wiring%20Loom%20Guard%20-%20Single%20Pack&cat=4&scat=0&scat1=0&scat2=0&gsearch"]http://www.garrisonlocks.co.uk/details.asp?product=Ford%20Transit%20Wiring%20Loom%20Guard%20-%20Single%20Pack&cat=4&scat=0&scat1=0&scat2=0&gsearch

t[/DLMURL]ry this one

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

[DLMURL]http://www.garrisonlocks.co.uk/details.asp?product=Ford%20Transit%20Wiring%20Loom%20Guard%20-%20Single%20Pack&cat=4&scat=0&scat1=0&scat2=0&gsearch[/DLMURL]

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

no this one post 29 the forums playing up wont let me edit