Berlingo buying advice

[Micoclarke]

Hello all, I'm new to the forum but have lurked for a week or two so forgive me if I've posted this in the wrong area.

I'm thinking about switching to a Berlingo from my current car and have been looking at the Mk.1 & Mk.2. 

The first thing I'm not sure on is engine choice. I'm personally a fan of diesel (torque) but my current commuting routine would lend itself more to petrol. I've also read about the 1.6 hdi turbo issues. I guess my question is - how do the petrols compare to the 1.6 hdi? 

When I go to view a car, I've read that service history is a must. If there are any issues with a 1.6 hdi (i.e. Turbo replacement, little service history, injector oil weeping etc.) should I just walk away?

What are the other big things I should be worried about when viewing? I reckon I can look after small jobs - but what should I walk away from?

I'll also add that I'm 24 years old - has anyone got any advice or experience getting insurance for a Berlingo at my age?

Cheers, sorry for the long read.

[V6BOY]

1.6 HDI are notorious for turbo failure due to the oil pick up going to the turbo blocking up, it's paramount that these engines have oil changed regularly.Also injectors seals are common problem which lead to engine oil sludging up if left. Plus BSI ECU is a common failure aswel,if I had my time back I'd buy a vw caddy.

[Solent]

It's worth checking the VED duty for petrol models, certainly the later ones were much more expensive.

Don't be too concerned about the 1.6hdi as long as it has been serviced correctly.

[Johny555]

Plus doggy back axles,and French electrics,had my 2 Lt hdi van a year in the end got fed up repairing it!!got rid of it

[Lighty]

I think you are being a bit harsh regarding the Berlingo, most issues are caused by poor previous ownership maintenance. Vw caddys for example are certainly not better, we get just as many issues with these as the psa stuff, but they cost a lot more to repair.
1.6 hdi Berlingos are generally pretty good as they don't usually have a dpf, so the engine does not "self pollute " like the 110 bhp versions.
As for dodgy electrics, this is again usually caused by poor windscreen fittment, causing water into the BSI.
A well maintained Berlingo is easily as good as any other van, in my view.

[CourierJim]

I drove my previous 1.6 HDi 90hp for 343,000 miles and had to buy just one refurbed turbo circa 275,000 miles. I discovered that the oil feed pipe had been partially blocked by a chunk of the black bitumen-like substance used to seal the sump flange to the engine. I did have one injector leak on me in all that mileage, but I fixed this easily myself by torquing the retaining allen screw to 30 Nm.

I was so impressed with that first Berlingo B9 so much, that I bought another HDi 90hp in May 2015, and I have had 120,000 trouble free miles since then (just had to top-up the dpf fluid at 118,000 miles).

[Johny555]

He was asking common faults,so we have answered him,! Not calling the berlingo,just saying how it is

[geoff]

Johnny out of interest I started to look back at the threads you started to try and find out what issues you had with the Berlingo but only nine came up on the list most of these involved asking about fuel consumption, the worth of buying V Power diesel and the correct oil to use so I guess a forum clean up has deleted the others.

I noted a new starter motor which is of course wear and tear.

Battery draining was another issue you had, did you ever solve the problem ? Curious as to the outcome as there was no follow up on this.

I recall your axle needed renewing which is unfortunate but not really part of a nationwide epidemic.

What other issues did you have ??

[Johny555]

Comma unit,eg indicators not working half the time,turbo started to whine,one injector slight leak,this all started just before I got rid,before that, recon axle,starter,battery,alternator,also at night when I put heater on,the lights on heater switches would go out??,oh and sometimes were the mileage is displayed was just blank??

[ricc]

weve had an 03 1.9d multispace for about 5 years, it replaced a picasso hdi that had cost a fortune trying to cure an intermittant engine management light/limp mode problem and getting nowhere.  personally i wouldnt touch an hdi with a bargepole.     when 17 year old son was looking a berlingo it was same insurance as any other small car....as was the 97 pug 306 1.9td we eventually bought.  daughter has still got the 306 1.9d we had before the picasso.
all of them have had glow plugs replaced, but thats about it.

just go through cars for sale on fleabay , putting the reg nos in the meerkats for a quote.