Are vans better offroad than cars ?

[Mr. Dazzle]

spaced foot pedals.

Haha...this is the other reason. Nice close together pedals in the BMW, makes heel and toe a doddle. I can see how regular wearers of steelies might object.

Auto versions are just right for left foot braking too, I always drive those go kart style with a foot on each pedal just because.

[cheb]

I have to wear Converse type shoes in the MX-5, and contort myself to get in and out. Horrid little thing.

[mangocrazy]

Ita the noise more than anything which does it for me. You don't necessarily realise how tiring/unpleasant wind and road noise is. I've been in brand new (hire) vans so I have presumably seen the latest on offer, they're not a patch on even a mid level saloon for refinement IME.

Way better for carrying MTBs though I'll grant you

Agree with that. Not sure about modern vans but my 2002 T4 makes a real din when empty. Once it's loaded up with stuff it does improve somewhat, but still a lot noisier than a car. All those large steel panels, minimal sound deadening and lack of insulation is a recipe for a noisy environment.

Sharing the cabin with a cat on journeys to the S of F also adds to the noise levels...

[Mussels]

I don't remember any extra noise in the transit but it was a crew cab with a bulkhead so more similar to a car.

[mangocrazy]

I don't remember any extra noise in the transit but it was a crew cab with a bulkhead so more similar to a car.

A bulkhead makes a massive difference. Then the manufacturers can concentrate on sound deadening in the cabin rather than the acres of sheet metal in the back.

[Taff]

There's absolutely no doubt that a van is not the ultimate drivers machine, it simply can't be. but the other side of that compromise is practicality that you'll never get with any saloon car.

The Vito's seating position is deffo more towards car like than van like, nearly 4 hours driving each way to cornwall last weekend was not a problem and we do that sort of journey several time a year, it's all good and the reason that we've had this one for 11 years.
There's plenty of ply lining kits available for the rear 3rd of the vito, shove some insulation behind the ply and glue some carpet on the outside and it looks nice as well

[weeksy]

Well I was viewing that today. But the guy was below my valuation on the QQ and after my cycle with @crust I had beers instead!

[Felix]

Really don't get the 'vans are as nice as cars' thing. That's utter bollox IME.

YMMV of course, there's no accounting for personal comfort or taste! Maybe it's the soft palmed southern nancy in me.

TBF my natural body shape (leg/arm/torso ratio) deffo seems to favour the 'legs out in the front of you' seating position of a low car.

100% prefer driving y van than the car. Only have a car as the wife wont drive a big van

[weeksy]

FFS, looking last night and this morning at both Vito's and Transits, every sodding dealer has a load of 1* reviews.

Some it seems the majority are 1* lol

I can't actually find a dealer that seems to do well, this isn't just locally but miles away too. Could it just be bad luck with vans, or are all dealers on the crooked side of the fence lol.
I have to say, it's darkening my idea of a van that's for sure.

[Count Steer]

FFS, looking last night and this morning at both Vito's and Transits, every sodding dealer has a load of 1* reviews.

Some it seems the majority are 1* lol

I can't actually find a dealer that seems to do well, this isn't just locally but miles away too. Could it just be bad luck with vans, or are all dealers on the crooked side of the fence lol.
I have to say, it's darkening my idea of a van that's for sure.

Maybe van buyers are hypercritical?

[weeksy]

FFS, looking last night and this morning at both Vito's and Transits, every sodding dealer has a load of 1* reviews.

Some it seems the majority are 1* lol

I can't actually find a dealer that seems to do well, this isn't just locally but miles away too. Could it just be bad luck with vans, or are all dealers on the crooked side of the fence lol.
I have to say, it's darkening my idea of a van that's for sure.

Maybe van buyers are hypercritical?

Dunno, but it's either
1. Vans are shit and break down lots
2. Dealers are crooks
3. People are very fussy.

Sadly I'm leaning more towards 1&2

[Taff]

4. People only review when there's a problem that THEY feel hasn't been resolved to THEIR Satisfaction.

This doesn't necessarily mean that is a true reflection of the dealer.

[weeksy]

4. People only review when there's a problem that THEY feel hasn't been resolved to THEIR Satisfaction.

This doesn't necessarily mean that is a true reflection of the dealer.

Of course, you can forgive the odd one here or there. But honestly it's hard to find dealers who don't have quite a few terrible reviews. As I say whether that's the dealer being poor or lots of van issues/vans being sold with known problems and hidden from dealer, I'm not sure.

The Stepwagon and a towbar is moving higher up my want list by the day lol

[mangocrazy]

I think the online review process is severely compromised in many cases. It's either a load of puffed up, fake 5 star reviews or people wanting revenge due to some imagined slight or wrongdoing on the part of the seller.

[slowsider]

I think the online review process is severely compromised in many cases. It's either a load of puffed up, fake 5 star reviews or people wanting revenge due to some imagined slight or wrongdoing on the part of the seller.

Second hand car dealers having had a stellar reputation prior to the interweb

[mangocrazy]

I think the online review process is severely compromised in many cases. It's either a load of puffed up, fake 5 star reviews or people wanting revenge due to some imagined slight or wrongdoing on the part of the seller.

Second hand car dealers having had a stellar reputation prior to the interweb

Er, no. But leaving reviews online opens up a Pandora's box of possibilities, does it not?

[Dodgy69]

I wouldn't be too bothered about dealer reviews, History, mileage and condition is all I bother about.

[Tricky]

4. People only review when there's a problem that THEY feel hasn't been resolved to THEIR Satisfaction.

This doesn't necessarily mean that is a true reflection of the dealer.

Of course, you can forgive the odd one here or there. But honestly it's hard to find dealers who don't have quite a few terrible reviews. As I say whether that's the dealer being poor or lots of van issues/vans being sold with known problems and hidden from dealer, I'm not sure.

The Stepwagon and a towbar is moving higher up my want list by the day lol

I'm guessing it has to be a dealer for financing or PX reasons?

if not, and you can put up with white, this one maybe worth a look?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/van-detail ... e-to=10000

[Couchy]

You’re looking at the van equivalent of the banger end of the spectrum, 10+ year old vans with high miles. Our vans at 3 years old look and feel like cars at 10 years old. Even though they clean up well they’ve had a hard life.
Go and find a 15 year old car and the dealers that deal in them and the reviews are the same.

You can get mint vans and great dealers but they start at a budget higher than yours these days.

[v8-powered]

Friend of a friend is selling a 2012 CRV with a small knock in the front wing for 6.5k negotiable, 107k miles