Ulez friendly berlingo advice please

[Tinycamper]

Hi All

I'd love some advice please... 

I am keen to get a Berlingo multispace having seen so many positive things on youtube and here esp. the option to have a boot jump as hope to use it as a day-van and the odd overnight camping trip as well a regular car. 

However, I live in London and so am having to get rid of my much loved, battered but reliable 1998 audi A3 due to upcoming ULEZ restrictions and wondered what people would recommend - Ideally I want to spend less than 5k tops so am guessing will be a min. of 8 years old or so. 

my dilemma is this;
1.  Are the petrol ones any good? I have heard that the diesel engines are much better? So do I scrimp save and borrow for a BlueHDI? - cant find one at a reasonable distance ( best options all seem to be c. 250 miles away) for less than c. £8k at the moment, though.

2. Or go for an older petrol model? eg. 2005 or newer- I like the idea of the modutop and roof bars - I'm not bothered by a few dings but am used to a very reliable solid car so not sure if a false economy if Im going to end up spending a fortune on an older one in the end.

3. Try and find a reasonably priced newer petrol one - if so any tips on which model - don't seem to be many around.

4. Am a bit confused about all the model variations - what features are really worth searching to find? I Like the idea of the XTR with the roof bars etc.

Very few options close by to test drive so all tips greatly received so I can hone in on what to go for.

Many Thanks,

[Gryffindor]

Diesels are always more popular for commercial vehicles because they are workhorses and can take rough treatment, but with MPVs there's little to choose between diesel and petrol engines outside the ULEZ, buit in it there is no competition - buy a petrol and save a few grand each year if you commute within London 5 days a week!

I bought my 2003 Berlingo last summer. I had been looking a newer B9s but went for this one because it was in super condition - low miles, FSH, etc. Another member of this forum who has had M59s and B9s recently told me that though the B9s are bigger outside, they are smaller inside - that may be a point for you to watch.

Otherwise, your budget should easily get a good B9; good M59s are few and far between these days. A ballpark valuation for an M59 might be up to £1500 for a good one, slightly more for an excellent one but you'll have to wait for it to come up.

On the other hand it might be an idea to get as recent a one as poss; the ULEZ restrictions will not be getting any more lenient over the years.

I note what you say about having few local test-driving options but that's what you really need to do, so plan a day out to see 3 or 4 in succession a bit further afield. I'm in Essex but the one I test-drove was in Hemel, and the one I bought was in Martock, Somerset.

To start with, test-drive at least an M59 and a B9, ideally 2 or 3 of each with different specs and engines, to settle what you prefer. Then, if you are not in a rush, just sit back and wait for a good one to come up.

Look nationally - some dealers will deliver for around £1.50 a mile +/- and you can arrange an independent inspection to be done for you. I collected mine and made a weekend out of it, staying overnight at Wells on the way home (sort of...). I also collected my first Berlingo from Bedale - got the train to Northallerton, bus to Bedale, then drove to a b&b near Durham and had a look round there the next morning before driving home. All the costs involved are simply written off against the car's purchase price.

This site has full details of all the trims and specs:
https://www.parkers.co.uk/citroen/berlin...008/specs/
https://www.parkers.co.uk/citroen/berlin...998/specs/

[Gryffindor]

BTW the lack of petrol models for sale in London is precisely because of ULEZ - everyone in London are dumping diesels and keeping petrols. It really is a few grand a year in ULEZ fees for a diesel commute 5 days a week.

You will have to look nationally.

[Pedronicus]

I think you will find the only ones that can enter the ULEZ without charge are the BlueHDI models.

If buying putting the reg no into the ULEZ website you will be told if it is free or chargable.

[Tinycamper]

Diesels are always more popular for commercial vehicles because they are workhorses and can take rough treatment, but with MPVs there's little to choose between diesel and petrol engines outside the ULEZ, buit in it there is no competition - buy a petrol and save a few grand each year if you commute within London 5 days a week!

I bought my 2003 Berlingo last summer. I had been looking a newer B9s but went for this one because it was in super condition - low miles, FSH, etc. Another member of this forum who has had M59s and B9s recently told me that though the B9s are bigger outside, they are smaller inside - that may be a point for you to watch.

Otherwise, your budget should easily get a good B9; good M59s are few and far between these days. A ballpark valuation for an M59 might be up to £1500 for a good one, slightly more for an excellent one but you'll have to wait for it to come up.

On the other hand it might be an idea to get as recent a one as poss; the ULEZ restrictions will not be getting any more lenient over the years.

I note what you say about having few local test-driving options but that's what you really need to do, so plan a day out to see 3 or 4 in succession a bit further afield. I'm in Essex but the one I test-drove was in Hemel, and the one I bought was in Martock, Somerset.

To start with, test-drive at least an M59 and a B9, ideally 2 or 3 of each with different specs and engines, to settle what you prefer. Then, if you are not in a rush, just sit back and wait for a good one to come up.

Look nationally - some dealers will deliver for around £1.50 a mile +/- and you can arrange an independent inspection to be done for you. I collected mine and made a weekend out of it, staying overnight at Wells on the way home (sort of...). I also collected my first Berlingo from Bedale - got the train to Northallerton, bus to Bedale, then drove to a b&b near Durham and had a look round there the next morning before driving home. All the costs involved are simply written off against the car's purchase price.

This site has full details of all the trims and specs:
https://www.parkers.co.uk/citroen/berlin...008/specs/
https://www.parkers.co.uk/citroen/berlin...998/specs/

Thanks for all these tips.  I dont drive to work but with the expanded ULEZ it'd cost me every time I moved the car anywhere, so a ulez friendly option is obligatory. I had read somewhere that it was a good idea to buy from a local dealer if possible in case you have issues with the car after but I don't think Ill find the one I want locally very easily at all. Instead I'll try that idea of making it a day or night away and try and get a good mechanic check and some kind of warranty if possible.

I think i just need to be patient for the right one to come up. Very hard as i want one now!!

If anyone has any views on the blue HDi that would be good to hear also.

[Matt Haigh]

I've purchased 2 successive low mileage B9 XTR's from the Citroen Approved Used scheme, they come fully checked, serviced, new MOT, and with a Citroen Approved Used 12 mon warranty, roadside assistance, and MOT pass guarantee. Currently running a Blue HDi 100 S/S XTR and very happy with it.

I'm fully aware that I've paid a significant amount more than I would buying from private sale, Autotrader etc. and there may be people who have had issues with the warranty?

I've been very happy in all respects, the dealer has dealt direct with the warranty company whenever anything was needed and it was only a wiper blade at MOT that they refused to pay for (a wear item), and they have picked up some quite large bills at times, the big ones I remember being replacing injector seals, replacing EGR cooler, 2 broken font springs over the years

PS I don't work for Citroen!

I'm not sure about the inside of the M59 being bigger than the B9.

[Gryffindor]

I guess what Pedronicus is saying is that petrol cars are also chargeable under ULEZ. They weren't about 2 years ago when I researched all this, so apols for being out of date. I did say that ULEZ would not be getting any more lenient over time!

Matt Haigh has in effect recommended a good retailer, if that's the right term, and that would be my next advice to you. There are advantages buying from a local dealer, but there are good and bad dealers everywhere, so it pays to spend time researching dealers too. In fact I see this as possibly more important than the info on the car being offered - it becomes more believable if the dealer has good feedback, a healthy turnaround of stock, etc.

You could even go a bit further still down this path. I suggested this to someone else a few days ago, but you could just look for the best dealer you can find, irrespective of what stock they currently have - it could be someone nearer you if there is one you feel able to trust - and in the meantime drill down exactly what spec, trim, model, engine, colour, age, mileage and price you want, and then ask that dealer to source one for you. If you can wait, they will probably turn up exactly the right car sooner or later, and will take pride in doing so.

[Gryffindor]

Update: more recent petrol engines (Euro 4 and up) are exempt.

• Petrol cars that meet the ULEZ standards are generally those first registered with the DVLA after 2005, although cars that meet the standards have been available since 2001
  
• Diesel cars that meet the standards are generally those first registered with the DVLA after September 2015
  

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-l...-zone/cars

[Pedronicus]

I guess what Pedronicus is saying is that petrol cars are also chargeable under ULEZ. 

My grovelling apologies but I was referring to diesel Berlingos which the OP mentioned in his post.

I shall now go and stand in the corner all day! 

[Sol]

The B9 is definitely much bigger inside and out, both cabin and rear load area. I have large storage cases that barely fitted in the M59 and had to jam them in, yet two of them in the B9 leave loads of room and actually slide around in it, so much so I had to strap them down in the B9. It's about a foot and a half wider in the rear and longer even in the L1 SWB model. Also the M59 had no room for 3 seats in the front, but the B9 I have now has 3 front seats and storage under them. Granted the middle seat is not full adult sized, but I could touch both doors in the M59 from the driver's seat, no way in the B9.

I see my 2012 B9 is LEZ exempt for London, but not ULEZ exempt, so it depends on which zone you will actually drive in. If you intend to stick to the Greater London LEZ zones, you can buy a diesel up to 2015 and it will be free from charges. Central London of course is ULEZ but if that's not your manor then it gives you a much wider choice of vehicle.