Page 24 of 35
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2022 8:15 pm
by Mussels
Druid wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 7:11 pm
What you need is an MPV of some sort - all the comforts of a car with the space of a van.
Ford S-Max
I've had a few MPVs and a crew cab van, MPVs had nowhere near the same amount of space. Might be enough for Weeksy though.
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 7:55 am
by Mussels
Potter wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 9:02 pm
weeksy wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 8:11 pm
You fail to see one important factor. That's not what I want to do. Not even slightly, remotely or a teensy bit.
You could never understand my complete satisfaction with that side of life, just as I'll never understand your desires too, but I can't put into words how little it interests me.
Yeah we're never going to understand each other.
If I really wanted a £15k van but I only had £10k, then I'd go and earn the other £5k. It doesn't matter if I had to do two jobs for a while, it's just a means to an end, if I want something then I'll work hard to get it, if I don't really want it then I won't.
There is nothing on the planet desirable enough that I'd take a loan for it, I'd just get a better job, work more hours or get or two jobs.
It's not that simple when you are in a decent salaried job or even a contract.
Apart from the likely big tax hit on a second low paid job many contracts forbid any other paid employment.
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 8:52 am
by weeksy
Potter wrote: Sat Jul 16, 2022 8:41 am
Mussels wrote: Sat Jul 16, 2022 7:55 am
It's not that simple...
Agreed, it's not simple, I know well enough that life can be tough, you just have to find a way.
Back on topic, I've been driving a rented "large commercial van" (I think it was the XL Merc Sprinter) to move some things into storage and I definitely wouldn't fancy one of those for anything other than occasional use as a camper or race van or something. It was too big to use as a regular car/van, you can't park in any normal spots, it's got a really big footprint. I wasn't even keen on calling in at Asda if we were passing because it needed two car park spaces and was a bugger to get around tight spots.
In contrast a normal sized Transit is a great family vehicle, we used to use ours in preference to the Volvo C30 we had at the time, great for shopping, picking stuff up, motocross at the weekends, etc. Three decent seats in the front was ideal for us.
If I was keen on a van then I'd get one of those, they don't even look too bad either if you're parking it on the drive every night.
I'm struggling to find one for <£10k with less than 100k+ miles on them though...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155050457111 ... SwGYZiwuR6
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374164292837 ... SwmZxiwV-L
They're both decent in terms of price and miles.
I'm struggling with the whole idea at the moment, I start with say a CRV, then the Q5, then I think the focus estate makes more sense, but then I'm spending £11,000 on what's essentially only 30,000 miles less than the QQ and marginally improved functionality.
There's another thread on same lines by another guy
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topi ... ack-world/
Plenty of owners getting £1000, £2000 bills. Which is what I've seen over the years.
Putting £11k in a van then getting stung for £1500 in first 6 months, that'd sting. I'm not really risk averse, but at times I can be.
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:32 am
by Taff
when we started with agility and needed to transport multiple dogs and caravan and child we went through this exact same process.
need a van but don't really want one that much, so we went through renault laguna & Audi A4 estate, neither of which did the job quite right, so we changed for a fiat scudo, kept it for about 2 months and turned out to be the most uncomfortable vehicle I've ever driven and then we got an oldish T4.
we had some teething problems with it but after it was fixed and remapped it was spot on until I got the vito which is my 'daily' driver (when I actually need to go somewhere). I wouldn't be without a van now.
when we get round to replacing the vito it will most likely be for another vito but we'll start thinking about it when this one is about 15 yr old and eventually get the new one 4 years later
My advice - skip the car variant & little van stages and jump straight in for a vito
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203959044763 ... Sw55VihhM1
even if you hate this you won't lose much money on it if you decide to change it again
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:35 am
by weeksy
I can't see me hating a Vito in honesty, can't see how it would happen.
They make a lot of sense
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:44 am
by Taff
the one that I've linked has 3 seats in the front so you could [probably] get 2 motorbikes in the back and 3 of you in the front, at all other times leave the rear seats in the back (you could remove the RH single one if you wanted) and you've got loads of room.
30 mpg round town type driving nearer to 40 on a run. 23 towing a big caravan.
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:48 am
by Taipan
weeksy wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 7:20 pm
Druid wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 7:11 pm
What you need is an MPV of some sort - all the comforts of a car with the space of a van.
Ford S-Max
A petrol Smax is a decent shout yes
Guzzle juice like a good 'un compared to its petrol counterparts though. Are you against diesels?
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:56 am
by weeksy
I'm against diesel yes. Unless going van and then there's very little choice
I'm currently discussing this with owner via WhatsApp
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/295090223596 ... SwF31izWKP
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:56 am
by Mussels
I'm a fan of getting my own mechanic's report, each time they have predicted all the bills accurately even for things I wouldn't think of checking like suspension bushes.
You are looking for something that will be a lot better than you already have but you already have a fairly good compromise so anything else better at one bit will be worse in another.
I would replace my diesel with another diesel, unfashionable so cheaper and loads more mpg.
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:58 am
by Mussels
Don't believe the London cab comparison, those ones have rear wheel steering added
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 10:06 am
by KungFooBob
On the plus side, you can earn some of Potters suggested extra income by doing airport runs.
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 10:09 am
by Taff
that looks nice, the 111 has about 110 bhp and feels a little bit gutless but it can be remapped to something like 160 which makes it drive like you'd expect it to. not overly powerful but enough to go as quickly as you want
the rear door cards were relatively cheap from MB when we bought ours, or if those ply ones look a bit tired I've got a pair the garage that lasted about 2 weeks in my van.
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 10:12 am
by Druid
weeksy wrote: Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:35 am
I can't see me hating a Vito in honesty, can't see how it would happen.
They make a lot of sense
I've had a Vito and really liked it. Comfortable, almost car like driving position. It started as a Traveliner with two rows of seats, the rears were split into a twin and a single which made it really versatile. Mine was a Compact, so the shortest wheelbase/body length but it was big enough to get an R1 in afer taking the rear seats out.
Early ones rust quite badly but anything after 2007 is better protected. 2.1 diesel engine is pretty robust, the only real issue is the Mrecedes
Black Death.
They have a really small turning circle which I think contributes to fairly rapid tyre wear, mine would last about 6k before scrubbing the outer edge of the front tyres, but I was using cheap Chinese tyres.
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 10:33 am
by Mr. Dazzle
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.
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 10:36 am
by Mussels
Watch for a middle seat airbag in Vito's, they were an optional extra that wasn't available with other options and was a deal breaker for me.
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 10:41 am
by Mr. Dazzle
I just use the force
Everyone always comments how low my car is. Its not even that low, its a boggo 3 series which isn't even on the M sport suspension. But its low like an old school BM saloon before everyone started driving 4x4s. IMO it deffo feels and drives significantly better than a high vehicle, which is always gonna be compromised.
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 10:47 am
by Mr. Dazzle
Fond memories of my wife's Mk1 MX-5 where your eyeline was the same as everyone else's door handles
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 10:51 am
by Mussels
It's not just ride height that causes me problems in the Jag, it's the overhangs that mean it scrapes the floor over speed bumps and in multi-storeys. It depends what you want, the Jag is in another league for driving quickly but the Transit was much better for long distance comfort.
The Transit was like any other Ford car inside with all the normal features you'd expect.
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 11:04 am
by Mr. Dazzle
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
Re: Are vans better offroad than cars ?
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 11:10 am
by cheb
I must have really low standards then, I've preferred driving any of my vans to driving a car.
Height, space, decent sized and spaced foot pedals. The adaptability of be able to sleep in it has been really useful over the years too.
I like that 113,000+ miles is described as low mileage.
