[karlosdaze]

Anyone who has the Vivaro, can I get users opinions? Currently have a 4 year old CD111 long van, but because the Mercedes service is so crap in Mallorca - thinking of changing. I still think the quality is a lot better on the Merc' after looking round the Vivaro. But with all the extra features on the Vivaro I'm sorely tempted.

Anyone have a Nissan Primastar or the Peugeot Boxer? Any good?

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

i got the renault trafic love the van but the computers a pain
heard loadsa horror stories on gearboxes on vivaro,trafic n primaster

[Frankybadboy]

i love my vivaro,havent had a problem as yet.gearbox problems are on the older models.
i believe that the boxer is very heavy on feul.

the nissan has a lot better electronic pack to the others.

[tomy jackson]

that murk will just kep going

[Moderator David@stives]

Hi karl

we have 2 new trafics, and have owned a merc, yes the merc has a "certain" build quality, but i feel the trafic is a lot better van, it is very comforable and car like to drive, IMO they look better too.

Not had any real problems, we plan to keep them 3 years then trade them in, so the build "quality" wont come into it really, you only need that vfor long term ownership.

[Steve_c]

My mate has got a Vivaro he is on his 3rd Gear box.(90000) Transit 08 on, best fuel economy. 15000 miles service intervals and no cam belt.

[Mist A Bit]

i dont know how anybody can run a business using a vivaro. to many potential faults to list. keep the merc you`l have a happier life. Yes the parts are expensive but you`l need less of them. i could keep a merc on the road and will cost half the amount to run over a 300,000 mile period. a vivaro wont ever reach a decent milage

[karlosdaze]

I did read about the gearboxes from 2003? or that era. I believe the traffic, Vivaro, Primastar all received the same gearboxes & that problem has been sorted out now. Correct me if I'm wrong? I've also read that all these vans are basicallt the same components & it's only the shell that's different?

The Merc in it's first 2 years had a new alternator, new door hinges, new door rail & the roof resprayed because of rust. The rust is starting to show again - even though Mercedes wanted me to pay for it! I did point out the 7 year warranty. I now have the plastic shrouds falling off the sides & the drivers auto door window doesn't work - its the cable - 300 euros. I've also had 4 new wing mirrors either nicked/broken - they run at 100 quid upwards. The van also got recalled a year a go to have a new spare wheel carrier fitted, which I've just had done because they couldn't get the parts here. It seems that Mercedes say that they can get any a spare part to anywhere in the world in 24hrs, yet I had to wait 6 months for windscreen wipers - such is life in Mallorca.

In a crash I think I'd probably come off better in the Merc than another. But all these bits & pieces add up.

Renault - just got rid of a Megane - never again.

Any New Vivaro owners out there that can tell me the score?

[Clive McDonald]

Dave can i ask you about the tank and the installation?

What size? was it tank only using your bits or the lot? Are you finding work runs smoother?

I had a tank installed and my pumps attached for the first time and i get fewer problems.800L means i don't have to stop during the day.

[Moderator David@stives]

Hi Clive

I have got Gardiners systems fitted, i was there guinea pig.

The tanks are 650 litres, i wish i had gone down that route earlier, everythings running smooth no problems at all, everything is self contained behind a panel.

I was going to fit my new van out with some of my spares, i just cant bring myself to diy anymore, so the van is just used on shops, trad at the moment.

650 l usually lasts a day, i prefer one man per van these days, we find 2 people dont even earn 30% more on average than one person. it works on big jobs but when you have a lot of stop/starts forget it.

[Frankybadboy]

My mate has got a Vivaro he is on his 3rd Gear box.(90000) Transit 08 on, best fuel economy. 15000 miles service intervals and no cam belt.

my brother in law is a fully trained ex manager of brunnel fords,now with is own garage doing fords.

his words dont touch a tranpoop,now this is a man with 30 years exprience on fords.

steve i believe him and not you.

[Sir Squeaky]

My mate has got a Vivaro he is on his 3rd Gear box.(90000) Transit 08 on, best fuel economy. 15000 miles service intervals and no cam belt.

my brother in law is a fully trained ex manager of brunnel fords,now with is own garage doing fords.

his words dont touch a tranpoop,now this is a man with 30 years exprience on fords.

steve i believe him and not you.

Correct!

I have a Trafic and due for change next year.
I fancied something different (purely for a change) and thought maybe a Transit.

Two mechanics since have said me "Noooo!!!!"
They have twice as many breakdowns, and the usual problem is injectors or other ignition faults.

Apparently the old ones were fine, but the TDCi is a load of poop.

[Frankybadboy]

My mate has got a Vivaro he is on his 3rd Gear box.(90000) Transit 08 on, best fuel economy. 15000 miles service intervals and no cam belt.

my brother in law is a fully trained ex manager of brunnel fords,now with is own garage doing fords.

his words dont touch a tranpoop,now this is a man with 30 years exprience on fords.

steve i believe him and not you.

Correct!

I have a Trafic and due for change next year.
I fancied something different (purely for a change) and thought maybe a Transit.

Two mechanics since have said me "Noooo!!!!"
They have twice as many breakdowns, and the usual problem is injectors or other ignition faults.

Apparently the old ones were fine, but the TDCi is a load of poop.

thanks squeaky over your way tomorrow  to see daughter in cardiff

[Clive McDonald]

Hi Clive

I have got Gardiners systems fitted, i was there guinea pig.
Yes his tanks have been crash tested and have a low centre of gravity.Mine is skid mounted and i do roll a bit when driving.I feel that if alex could have put up with us a bit longer we could have had some usefull input- just as we all did, credited or not, with the poles.

The tanks are 650 litres, i wish i had gone down that route earlier, everythings running smooth no problems at all, everything is self contained behind a panel.

Again i started DIY, but was always fixing and bodgeing.The lads who did mine are midlands based and do a lot for omnipole so they knew their stuff but also had me with ideas of using a van for diy for three years of what a perfect system might be.

If i started fresh i think Ionics would be a good choice.

I was going to fit my new van out with some of my spares, i just cant bring myself to diy anymore, so the van is just used on shops, trad at the moment.

I feel the same. Get Alex's engineer to do it when you know what you want.

650 l usually lasts a day, i prefer one man per van these days, we find 2 people dont even earn 30% more on average than one person. it works on big jobs but when you have a lot of stop/starts forget it.

WW says that too.The bloke i had has left, a new one starts tuesday.Every time i'm on my own i do hit high numbers.I might have to accept that you are both right but i don't want to. 650 ran out for me at 2pm and then with a drive back and a refill and a cuppa could be half an hour lost for two men.So the tank was 2k to be fitted and aside from chasis bolts being better than the screws i had fixing it, this was my cost justification.

I find the job quite stressfull and have lots of admin at night.I do things to make work easier but end up working harder.

Sorry to go off topic but you don't get many good posts on here anymore.

[Darranvps]

We run an 18 month old Boxer, never had any problems with it.

[karlosdaze]

We run an 18 month old Boxer, never had any problems with it.

Tell me more - how do you get ladders off a ladder rack on one? Was looking at them today. It's like a Tonka Toy.

[karlosdaze]

Test drove the Vivaro today - I wasn't impressed.

[Clive McDonald]

the point is that it's cheap.

[jarvy]

Had my vivaro sportive for year and a half now,never missed a beat! Nice easy drive,plenty of room inside,and not too bad on the fuel. The earlier vivaro's did have gearbox issues,but these were pre 2005 (6?)
Certainly drove a lot worse before,and would never get ford again,but thats just my choice. I'm sure there will be others that disagree!