Potential purchase of a 1.6 Berlingo

[welshdan]

Hi all. New to the forum and needing some advice. I am currently consulting purchasing a Berlingo Multispace for use in my wife's floristry business and as a family car. I live in Bristol and so would be looking at a petrol engine so as not to fall foul of the emissions zone. Noticing there are far more diesels than petrol vehicles though! My budget is 5k-6k. Are there any pitfalls to watch for here? Are there any 1.6 petrol owners here that have advice. Kind regards Dan.

[shedpete]

Until recently I had an M59 1.6 petrol which has sadly just gone to the scrappie after it failed its MOT due to corrosion, it had done over 150k miles. Still drove really well, it's a good car and engine.

Guess I'd just look for as clean and non-corroded an example as you can find and of course check everything electrical. Also (assuming it's an M59 not a newer one!) check rear wheels are straight, if splayed out it'll need a new/rebuilt rear axle at some point.

As you say there just aren't so many petrol ones around, and there's more demand for them since the LEZs came in.

A number you'll see on sale will be WAVs (wheelchair adapted vehicles) and I think I read on here these have smaller fuel tanks to accommodate the ramps - so maybe best avoid if range matters... not sure how that works with rear seats either... but maybe handly for wheeling in trollies of flowers :-)

Mine had the "Modutop" with roof windows and lockers and air vents for the rear passengers - great if you have regular rear passengers but not sure it's worth seeking out otherwise.

Good luck!

[welshdan]

Until recently I had an M59 1.6 petrol which has sadly just gone to the scrappie after it failed its MOT due to corrosion, it had done over 150k miles. Still drove really well, it's a good car and engine.

Guess I'd just look for as clean and non-corroded an example as you can find and of course check everything electrical. Also (assuming it's an M59 not a newer one!) check rear wheels are straight, if splayed out it'll need a new/rebuilt rear axle at some point.

As you say there just aren't so many petrol ones around, and there's more demand for them since the LEZs came in.

A number you'll see on sale will be WAVs (wheelchair adapted vehicles) and I think I read on here these have smaller fuel tanks to accommodate the ramps - so maybe best avoid if range matters... not sure how that works with rear seats either...  but maybe handly for wheeling in trollies of flowers :-)

Mine had the "Modutop" with roof windows and lockers and air vents for the rear passengers - great if you have regular rear passengers but not sure it's worth seeking out otherwise.

Good luck!

Thanks mate, yeah I'm seeing a lot with the wheelchair ramps but not great for us as we need the seats. There are some examples out there but obviously nowhere near the choice of diesel ones. It would be my first time owning a Citroen and I'll be selling a very reliable 2005 Toyota Corolla to buy one if I go ahead,hence slight trepidation.  It's simply the shape and the practicality of the Berlingo that is the draw.