Vivaro or Transit??

[chrisgc]

Hi

Am looking at purchasing a van.

Am thinking along the lines of either a Ford Transit or Vauxhall Vivaro

Budget is 4-5k.

Any thoughts please ladies and gents?

Also SWB or MWB??

Chris

 

[TaffyDuck]

Had both the Transit and now the Vivaro (Sportive) in the last couple of years. Vivaro is lovely to drive, looks smart, economical but has the odd gearbox problem and if it does go wrong its a nightmare to work on. Transit is bombproof, easier to work on,less economical, looks like it was designed by a USSR cold war car plant and drives like a tractor.

 

[RWJ]

The vivaro I use has had a dent in the back door where it was hit on site by a wet head over three years ago.

Some of the paint has flaked and it's not gone rusty yet....and we are on the coast so most vehicles rust away

 

[Amp David]

calm down, i said they get rid of them after 2 years not they last 2 years

Thought you meant they were shot after 2 years, as in knackered.

Just realised you meant they get shot after 2 years. I'm now calm

 

[jumpin jax]

no problem

 

[brooky25]

Dont worry about mileage on a transporter they are only just run in at 100k. Ive seen these with 3-4 hundred thousand miles on and still going sweet. Iv'e had Transits, Vivaro's and now a Transporter luckily with only 80k miles. Old transit's ( smiley fronts ) are bomb proof but newer shapes are garbage. I had a 53 plate 125ps transit last year and after £600 on injectors and £700 on a new dual mass flywheel and clutch it puts you off. But if you check any van properly and it has service history there are good ones in all makes. Just don't buy one off someone with a dodgy accent and claiming to be low mileage and one owner but misplaced history

 

[Recon Diesel]

i know this is an old post but ive had vivaro mk1 & 2 also ive had mk6 & 7 Transit all at the same time they are both bad vans the question is which is the worst. Vivaro Mk1 the worst van ive ever had its a renault megane in disguise exactly same engine the F9Q it was first released in the early 90's in the renaults and uses timing belt not chain when these vehicles get a serious fault they never tend to recover and cost people thousands along the way just do a google search. The Mk2 is much better new modern engine M9r with timing chain, but as all vans still have there problems.
Now Transits Mk7 they is two revisions 06-59 and 10- onwards the earlier revision 06-59 have a lot of teething problems where as the Revision2 is much better with updated ECU, water cooled EGR etc, and has less problems but still has them.
MK6 Transit is probaly the most reliable Van ive ever had and are at least fixable when things go wrong some of the problems on the later transit are ECU related so are un fixable without Ford Ids (diagnostics etc vehicle scanner), this van is the uglyest out of the vans but will make you the most money, and be most reliable, my 03 mk6 was much more reliable than my mk7 59 plate.
So the question is Which to choose Personaly Mk6 Transit all the way, but if you want a new van and dont like the look of the mk6 i would by 10 plate onwards transit over new Vivaro, but i suppose if you wana look pro i would buy vivaro as if you buy a new transit your customers might think the gypsys have turned up haha

Anyone on here need any injector parts or diesel pumps i work at Injectorshop and could help sort you out.

ALWAYS DO A GOOGLE SEARCH ON COMMON FAULTS BEFORE BUYING A VEHICLE AS YOU MIGHT BE SUPPRISED WHAT YOU HEAR ABOUT THE VEHICLE YOUR JUST ABOUT TO PURCHASE.

 

[somersetsparks]

As brooky says, transit smileys are bomb proof and can reach 300K + miles with ease, unfortanately they are not rust proof! mk6 transits suffer with fuel pump failure at 100K ish which will cost you a lot as you usually have to have a new tank as well as the pump.
Vivaro's suffer gearbox issues which are costly (1300 + labour) my mates went at about 80K. Our company vivaros were always in for repair wityh minor electrical niggles. However they are very car like and pleasant to drive.
I can't speak for transproters personally, but I have heard mainly good things.

Why not get a late sherpa, very basic reliable transit running gear, classic rugged looks and excellent value!

 

[richy3333]

Go with a Transit mate...

There's a reason that all the hire firms use them!

Is it the cheap sales deals they get direct from ford?
Enterprise are now hiring Transporters...

 

[KevinS]

Go with a Transit mate...

There's a reason that all the hire firms use them!

Yeah, hire firms use them, because they are brilliant till they reach the age of 3. It's downhill all the way from them on.
we have a large number of 10 plates. They have had new engines, gearboxes, and the rust on them is unbelievable

 

[Megavolt]

Vivaro painful just took a garage three days to get knacked injectors out

 

[MDJ]

I've got the LWB vivaro, can't fault it and it's comfort is better than the transit

I would agree with the opposite myself having owned both.

Mike

 

[guinnessgixer]

I'm on my second vivaro, awesome!my mates company drive into Europe regularly he says the lads prefer to take a vivaro to a merc! really cheap for parts as the vivaro, primastar and traffic are identical, so loads of breakers etc, gearboxes are bad on 04 models, otherwise buy buy buy!!

 

[Megavolt]

I'm on my second vivaro, awesome!my mates company drive into Europe regularly he says the lads prefer to take a vivaro to a merc! really cheap for parts as the vivaro, primastar and traffic are identical, so loads of breakers etc, gearboxes are bad on 04 models, otherwise buy buy buy!!

Yes and what about the common fault with the injectors and the silly design where they get stuck in and the head has to be removed to get them out don't buy buy buy. Spent 3.8k in twelve months on a 58 plate with 50k miles on it

 

[PEG]

Bedford HA van would knock a few of these modern yokes in to a cocked hat. Points need regular looking at and speedo requires a slap now and again but getting on 40 years old so steady...

 

[MDJ]

Bedford HA van would knock a few of these modern yokes in to a cocked hat. Points need regular looking at and speedo requires a slap now and again but getting on 40 years old so steady...

you still driving around in it?