Buying advice

[Flash]

Hello, new here and I'm thinking about buying a Berlingo/Partner van.

It'll be used mainly to carry the mountain bike about and avoid getting my other car dirty with dump runs etc so I'm not going to be spending a great deal, probably up to £1500ish.

I used to have one for work but it was new at the time, and this was quite a while ago.

So what am I looking for while trawling the bottom of the market?
My main concern is reliability, a cheap van isn't cheap for long if it spends it's life in the garage.

Is there much of a difference between MK1 and 2? Or is the facelift a cosmetic job only?

Is the bulkhead easy to remove if fitted? I prefer them without so I can chuck stuff in the back easily.

I've noticed a couple of petrol ones, would these be less complicated and less likely to go wrong? I'm not bothered about MPG as it won't do heaps of miles (and the other one does 25mpg normally).

Is there anything that goes expensively wrong that I can look out for when I'm test driving?

Thanks folks.

[eame64]

Hi and welcome to the forum.:wave:
Why not a multispace instead of a van,if its for carrying your bike you can remove the seats if need be, plus i don't know the rules in aberdeen for bringing rubbish to the dump but they certainly don't let vans in round our way,with windows in though no problem.

[finny]

the 1.9d is quite slow but reliable and does around 40mpg, the 2.0 hdi is pretty nippy and I think will nudge 50 mpg, I would personally avoid the 1.6 hdi because of known turbo issues, the bulkheads do unbolt in the van easily. as for checks have a look at rear wheels and if there straight up and down as there is some sort of bearing that can go on rear axel but you would see one of the wheels on an angle, I had a mk1 1.9d, I bought it off a mate and sold it to a mate, still going strong 180k, changed the oil every 10k and just the odd routine maintenance, the multispaces are good, loads of storage, some have got a big sunroof/rails type thing, check for water leaks on that

[Flash]

I'd like the van because there is more room in the back, my other car is a BMW X6 so people room isn't really an issue.
Also they're even less obvious as I may be zooming about with around 9k worth of mountain bikes in there id prefer no windows!

[finny]

one of the old blue gas vans might be good for you, they got extra security locks, they come with a plastic liner, rear window guards and a secure bulkhead

[Flash]

Checked with the dump, as long as it's not trade waste you're ok with the van.

It looks like there may be someone my dad knows selling an 06 1.9d for £1200 with 104k miles.
If it's decent this may be ideal!

[finny]

your lucky, the council ones down here in kent wont have non of it, I always have to squeeze any rubbish in the mrs tiny pug 107, 104k on a 1.9d I nicely run in, should do that again, I see on a courier forum 300-400k, they must be nice bikes you got for that sort of $, I do a bit myself, ive got a road track and several mtb runs 1 mile away I use at a park they built a few years ago, nothing serious just a bit of fun

[ron]

I believe insurance is dearer for vans.Also where I live d**k Turpin charges £6-40 to cross his (Severn)bridge & £12-80 for a van,even if it's private use.Just things to take into consideration.alut:

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I believe insurance is dearer for vans.Also where I live d**k Turpin charges £6-40 to cross his (Severn)bridge & £12-80 for a van,even if it's private use.Just things to take into consideration.alut:

I have noticed d**k has been automatically censored.cratch:

[addo]

You mean D¡ck?

[Flash]

No road/bridge tolls in Scotland (I think), and the van will be mostly staying local!
The nearest purpose built MTB place is about 100 miles away but I have loads of trails and hills on the doorstep. My bike is a Santacruz blur Lt, my mate has a carbon fibre Bronson (about 6k worth. He's mental). Cycling on the road scares the hell out of me do no road bikes.

Insurance is £200 fully comp, another benefit of living up here. Aberdeen has the lowest car crime rate of any city.