Vans

RPWC · 25th September 2017, 21:23

Does anyone have experience of ownership of the pre 2010 Vauxhall Vivaro/Renault Trafic ? I have read mixed reviews, some say alternators go, cam belts and chains need replacing at 70k. I'm looking at either one of these or another Transit. Transits are reliable and run nice, but rust for the hell of it.

SCP440 · 25th September 2017, 21:53

I would stick with a Transit, the Vivaro/Trafics have many problems as well as the ones you have listed and also can eat gearboxes. My friend who rebuilds gearboxes reckons he has lost count of how many he has done. As he says you don't see many old ones.

Yes Transit's can rot but the Turkish built ones seem to be a lot better, mine is a 2009 and even the stone chips have not rusted.

There is a lot more choice and if you are not in a rush a low mileage with a good spec will come up. Have you driven a 200ps Transit? Performance to blow your socks off.

coab · 26th September 2017, 07:10

As above nothing but trouble. NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD- electrics, eat gearboxes and even tho the Transit isnt perfect they are a better van and spares are plentiful.
I do mobile diagnostics now and in the last 12 months been to 5 Vivaro/Nissan versions and only one Transit. Transit was just a blocked EGR valve where as the Renault variants had a load of error codes and the owners were sick of spending a fortune on them. Pot luck I know but when you buy a van check the obvious signs of neglect, stone chips (which will turn to rot if left), does the suspension make any clunks and feels tight not worn out through carrying too much weight etc.

AndyN01 · 26th September 2017, 07:33

+2

for staying with Transit.

High mileage isn't an issue. Remember the only realistic way to put miles on is up and down dual carriageways and motorways. No real stresses there.

The short journey, stop/start ones are the ones that'll have issues with stuff like clutches, starter motors etc because those are the bits being constantly used.

Andy

murphyv310 · 26th September 2017, 08:08

Hi Richard.
We had a Nissan Primastar in Jetclean, it's just a Renault Trafic. It had three gearboxes in under 100,000 miles, it was sold when the turbo blew. Dare I say the Transit is somewhat better but poorer in other respects. Rust is less of an issue with the Renault and its considerably better on fuel, consumption on the Ford was never a strong point.
They went on to VW vans and I ran a T4 1.9 800 for 6 years, it was 10 years old when they bought it and it was very reliable, considering the weight it carried around it still returned around 30mpg. They also leased two T5 combi vans which were more spacious for the driver and better equipped. Personally I preferred old squeaky as it was nicknamed.
I've also two friends that have bigger vans, one a Citroen and the other a Fiat/Iveco both have had excellent service from them.

Lord of Hog · 26th September 2017, 08:39

That's right, just the same as all 1.8 K series have HGF.

I can't speak for the more recent models but between 1987 and 2003 I ran my courier company exclusively on Renaults: Extras, Kangoos, Trafics and Masters of all shapes and sizes, including curtain-side. The very early ones were prone to circuit board failure leading to strange combinations of of lights showing. Other than that they all put in sterling work averaging around 200k miles in their 3 years with me. I put this down to adherance to the 2 golden rules of avoiding vehicle failure.
1) Get them serviced on the dot every time
2) Don't drive like a NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-.

murphyv310 · 26th September 2017, 08:45

Hi.
I certainly agree that servicing and not being rough on them and driving like an idiot would massively improve reliability. The other chap I worked with was really sore on vans so you may have a valid point.

RPWC · 26th September 2017, 09:02

Thanks all, I had read good and bad reports but that has convinced me to stick with Transit or possibly go Citroen Relay/Peugeot Boxer, anyone know about those?

RPWC · 26th September 2017, 11:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPWC

Thanks all, I had read good and bad reports but that has convinced me to stick with Transit or possibly go Citroen Relay/Peugeot Boxer, anyone know about those?

Anyone got experience of either of the above?

mh007 · 26th September 2017, 16:59

I have owned my 2005 Renault traffic DCi100 (1.9) LWB van for about 8yrs now.
It's covered around 92k & It's kitted out so carries a lot of weight.
As I'm in the trade, I do all my own work & apart from regular servicing & timing belt changes, It's been a perfect little workhorse.
The only occasion it 'let me down' is when the back of the high pressure diesel pump sheared off (common fault on the 1.9's).
Still on the original 6spd gearbox although they can fail.

25th September 2017, 21:23	#1
RPWC This is my second home 75 model car Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 20,177 Thanks: 4,008 Thanked 5,083 Times in 3,114 Posts	Vans Does anyone have experience of ownership of the pre 2010 Vauxhall Vivaro/Renault Trafic ? I have read mixed reviews, some say alternators go, cam belts and chains need replacing at 70k. I'm looking at either one of these or another Transit. Transits are reliable and run nice, but rust for the hell of it. __________________ Cheers. Rich…

26th September 2017, 07:33	#4
AndyN01 This is my second home Toyota RAV4 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Tamworth Posts: 3,076 Thanks: 2,478 Thanked 1,579 Times in 968 Posts	+2 for staying with Transit. High mileage isn't an issue. Remember the only realistic way to put miles on is up and down dual carriageways and motorways. No real stresses there. The short journey, stop/start ones are the ones that'll have issues with stuff like clutches, starter motors etc because those are the bits being constantly used. Andy __________________ Andy. http://www.midlandsnanomeets.co.uk/ Last edited by AndyN01; 26th September 2017 at 07:37..

26th September 2017, 08:08	#5
murphyv310 This is my second home Hyundai i10 998cc Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Kilmarnock Posts: 6,602 Thanks: 2,088 Thanked 2,298 Times in 1,349 Posts	Hi Richard. We had a Nissan Primastar in Jetclean, it's just a Renault Trafic. It had three gearboxes in under 100,000 miles, it was sold when the turbo blew. Dare I say the Transit is somewhat better but poorer in other respects. Rust is less of an issue with the Renault and its considerably better on fuel, consumption on the Ford was never a strong point. They went on to VW vans and I ran a T4 1.9 800 for 6 years, it was 10 years old when they bought it and it was very reliable, considering the weight it carried around it still returned around 30mpg. They also leased two T5 combi vans which were more spacious for the driver and better equipped. Personally I preferred old squeaky as it was nicknamed. I've also two friends that have bigger vans, one a Citroen and the other a Fiat/Iveco both have had excellent service from them. __________________ Cheers from Trevor MM0KJJ

26th September 2017, 08:39	#6
Lord of Hog Gets stuck in Rover 75 2.5 V6 in Wedgwood Blue Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Felbridge, East Grinstead Posts: 982 Thanks: 250 Thanked 294 Times in 206 Posts	That's right, just the same as all 1.8 K series have HGF. I can't speak for the more recent models but between 1987 and 2003 I ran my courier company exclusively on Renaults: Extras, Kangoos, Trafics and Masters of all shapes and sizes, including curtain-side. The very early ones were prone to circuit board failure leading to strange combinations of of lights showing. Other than that they all put in sterling work averaging around 200k miles in their 3 years with me. I put this down to adherance to the 2 golden rules of avoiding vehicle failure. 1) Get them serviced on the dot every time 2) Don't drive like a NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-. __________________ Conformity is not morality. Consensus is not truth.

26th September 2017, 08:45	#7
murphyv310 This is my second home Hyundai i10 998cc Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Kilmarnock Posts: 6,602 Thanks: 2,088 Thanked 2,298 Times in 1,349 Posts	Hi. I certainly agree that servicing and not being rough on them and driving like an idiot would massively improve reliability. The other chap I worked with was really sore on vans so you may have a valid point. __________________ Cheers from Trevor MM0KJJ

25th September 2017, 21:53	#2
SCP440 I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T 260 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Witney Posts: 2,504 Thanks: 6 Thanked 910 Times in 571 Posts	I would stick with a Transit, the Vivaro/Trafics have many problems as well as the ones you have listed and also can eat gearboxes. My friend who rebuilds gearboxes reckons he has lost count of how many he has done. As he says you don't see many old ones. Yes Transit's can rot but the Turkish built ones seem to be a lot better, mine is a 2009 and even the stone chips have not rusted. There is a lot more choice and if you are not in a rush a low mileage with a good spec will come up. Have you driven a 200ps Transit? Performance to blow your socks off.

26th September 2017, 07:10	#3
coab This is my second home 2007 57 GOLF GTi EDITION 30 DSG Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Newport Shropshire and Coventry. Posts: 5,138 Thanks: 2,424 Thanked 1,452 Times in 852 Posts	As above nothing but trouble. NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD- electrics, eat gearboxes and even tho the Transit isnt perfect they are a better van and spares are plentiful. I do mobile diagnostics now and in the last 12 months been to 5 Vivaro/Nissan versions and only one Transit. Transit was just a blocked EGR valve where as the Renault variants had a load of error codes and the owners were sick of spending a fortune on them. Pot luck I know but when you buy a van check the obvious signs of neglect, stone chips (which will turn to rot if left), does the suspension make any clunks and feels tight not worn out through carrying too much weight etc.

26th September 2017, 09:02	#8
RPWC This is my second home 75 model car Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 20,177 Thanks: 4,008 Thanked 5,083 Times in 3,114 Posts	Thanks all, I had read good and bad reports but that has convinced me to stick with Transit or possibly go Citroen Relay/Peugeot Boxer, anyone know about those? __________________ Cheers. Rich… Last edited by RPWC; 26th September 2017 at 11:47..