[simon w]

Haven't a clue what models to look for in the Custom range but will be starting to look for for a Ford Custom low roof short wheel base possibly medium wheel base with the very best payload they do in the range.  it will be carrying two staff members, 650 tank full, trade roof rack and ladders and all other window cleaning tools.

I'm currently running a Transit 125 330 AWD Euro 5  with a revenue weight of 3325 KG Gross. It pulls like a train when fully loaded and has been an ideal model for water fed pole. Is there  a close match to this van in the custom range  and if so can any Ford fans point me in the direction of model needed so I can start sourcing best examples.  I'm only coming up with twin cabs in the higher end payloads and this is not what I'm looking for can't even seem to find what I'm looking for on the Ford Approved sites so very confused.

[Martin Lane]

Hi
Last year l got the 340 model best payload l could get, mine is a long wheel base one, had to do a factory order and took 4 months to arrive

[simon w]

Hi
Last year l got the 340 model best payload l could get, mine is a long wheel base one, had to do a factory order and took 4 months to arrive

Hi Martin

Wouldn't want to be waiting four months and not planning on buying brand new unless an unmissable offer/deal can be found and a long wheel base wouldn't suit as we need to get in and out of tight parking spots when working a couple mile radius of city centre.  Whats the model/name of yours and I'll see if a short or medium wheel base is available and if there are any nearly new available with good spec low millage etc. 

[Martin Lane]

Ford Custom 340 L2H1 Limited

[DeLuce]

I’ve got the T290 with Grippatank 650ltr x 2 man heated set up. Two reels etc.  But I mostly work on my own. It is the 155hp 2.2 diesel . Good size and handles the weight easily.
Just bear in mind that they are really heavy on fuel. 27- 32mpg (mine uses the tank for my heater).Personally, that doesn’t bother me in my case.

[NWH]

Hi
Last year l got the 340 model best payload l could get, mine is a long wheel base one, had to do a factory order and took 4 months to arrive

Took 4 months to get it out of the air field coz there’s so many in there like an overflow car park you mean lol.

[simon w]

Ford Custom 340 L2H1 Limited

Thanks I'll consult Google and see if it's available in low roof short or medium wheel base.

[simon w]

I’ve got the T290 with Grippatank 650ltr x 2 man heated set up. Two reels etc.  But I mostly work on my own. It is the 155hp 2.2 diesel . Good size and handles the weight easily.
Just bear in mind that they are really heavy on fuel. 27- 32mpg (mine uses the tank for my heater).Personally, that doesn’t bother me in my case.

I will take a look at this model too and fuel consumption can't be any worse than what I have already and like yourself it wouldn't really bother me either. I also have a diesel water heater plumbed into the fuel tank

[KS Cleaning]

I’ve got the T290 with Grippatank 650ltr x 2 man heated set up. Two reels etc.  But I mostly work on my own. It is the 155hp 2.2 diesel . Good size and handles the weight easily.
Just bear in mind that they are really heavy on fuel. 27- 32mpg (mine uses the tank for my heater).Personally, that doesn’t bother me in my case.

I am actually surprised that a reputable company like Grippatank would fit a 650 litre 2 man heated system with 2 reels into a 290.

[simon w]

I’ve got the T290 with Grippatank 650ltr x 2 man heated set up. Two reels etc.  But I mostly work on my own. It is the 155hp 2.2 diesel . Good size and handles the weight easily.
Just bear in mind that they are really heavy on fuel. 27- 32mpg (mine uses the tank for my heater).Personally, that doesn’t bother me in my case.

I am actually surprised that a reputable company like Grippatank would fit a 650 litre 2 man heated system with 2 reels into a 290.

So what would be the better choice for a Ford Custom low roof short or medium wheel base?

[KS Cleaning]

I’ve got the T290 with Grippatank 650ltr x 2 man heated set up. Two reels etc.  But I mostly work on my own. It is the 155hp 2.2 diesel . Good size and handles the weight easily.
Just bear in mind that they are really heavy on fuel. 27- 32mpg (mine uses the tank for my heater).Personally, that doesn’t bother me in my case.

I am actually surprised that a reputable company like Grippatank would fit a 650 litre 2 man heated system with 2 reels into a 290.

So what would be the better choice for a Ford Custom low roof short or medium wheel base?

I think the 310 would be a minimum requirement payload wise for a 650 litre 2 man set up

[simon w]

I’ve got the T290 with Grippatank 650ltr x 2 man heated set up. Two reels etc.  But I mostly work on my own. It is the 155hp 2.2 diesel . Good size and handles the weight easily.
Just bear in mind that they are really heavy on fuel. 27- 32mpg (mine uses the tank for my heater).Personally, that doesn’t bother me in my case.

I am actually surprised that a reputable company like Grippatank would fit a 650 litre 2 man heated system with 2 reels into a 290.

So what would be the better choice for a Ford Custom low roof short or medium wheel base?

I think the 310 would be a minimum requirement payload wise for a 650 litre 2 man set up

Every time I do a Google search for the ford custom 310 all I seem to be able to find are twin cabs/people carrier type vans. Is there a specific model I should be looking for in order to start finding nearly new 310 Customs? which ones come with the best spec for our type of work? I have plenty of time to search for the best example I can find but obviously after going to the expense of fitting it out it's important to find the best vehicle

[KS Cleaning]

If you go on autotrader and enter 310 in the ‘add keywords’ box at bottom of search page, it should bring up a few.
The 310 in the pre facelift model is thinner on the ground because as a factory order they were around £500 more than the 290 and when it comes to resale value you don’t get that back.

[DeLuce]

I’ve got the T290 with Grippatank 650ltr x 2 man heated set up. Two reels etc.  But I mostly work on my own. It is the 155hp 2.2 diesel . Good size and handles the weight easily.
Just bear in mind that they are really heavy on fuel. 27- 32mpg (mine uses the tank for my heater).Personally, that doesn’t bother me in my case.

I am actually surprised that a reputable company like Grippatank would fit a 650 litre 2 man heated system with 2 reels into a 290.

I way 65kg.
my van is under the required 933kg capacity payload with what I carry.  I don’t have all kinds of equipment in there, just poles x3 , toolbox, and some spare brushes.
Only time I load up with other gear is if I’ve got a few gutter clearing jobs to do. Then I put my vac and poles in for those  jobs . No worries there. Enough room for another worker if required, but I’m usually on my todd. 👍🏼

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

I’ve got the T290 with Grippatank 650ltr x 2 man heated set up. Two reels etc.  But I mostly work on my own. It is the 155hp 2.2 diesel . Good size and handles the weight easily.
Just bear in mind that they are really heavy on fuel. 27- 32mpg (mine uses the tank for my heater).Personally, that doesn’t bother me in my case.

I am actually surprised that a reputable company like Grippatank would fit a 650 litre 2 man heated system with 2 reels into a 290.

legally its not over weight until the waters in it so there clear of any come backs     ......as you could say  ...I am actually surprised that a reputable company like honda makes a bike that does 160mph when  you can only do 70 

[simon w]

If you go on autotrader and enter 310 in the ‘add keywords’ box at bottom of search page, it should bring up a few.
The 310 in the pre facelift model is thinner on the ground because as a factory order they were around £500 more than the 290 and when it comes to resale value you don’t get that back.

Thanks that's showing a few more but maybe I should be looking for the Facelift model as the examples on autotrader are mostly 2015 reg and a little higher millage than I want. My 330 was quite difficult to source also as not so many were made.

[NWH]

Just get one that can carry way more the you will be that way it will drive better and you won’t be down your local garage fitting brake pads every few months,never buy one that’s very close to it maximum load you’ll be glad you didn’t.
The fords  cabin is cramped compared to a VW transporter pay more it’s worth it,it’ll last a lot longer than the ford as my mechanic says the VWs are the benchmark they are the strongest and most reliable over the time you’ll own it.

[simon w]

Just get one that can carry way more the you will be that way it will drive better and you won’t be down your local garage fitting brake pads every few months,never buy one that’s very close to it maximum load you’ll be glad you didn’t.
The fords  cabin is cramped compared to a VW transporter pay more it’s worth it,it’ll last a lot longer than the ford as my mechanic says the VWs are the benchmark they are the strongest and most reliable over the time you’ll own it.

No thanks

[dd]

VW do not come out well in any car reliability survey I have seen in the last few years.

My sister in law owned 1.2 polo, when it was 4 years old with 30k on the clock she had to spend £1000 replacing the turbo. It also had issues with sensors that VW were never able to sort.

Her mechanic friend advised her to stay away from VW and suggested she buy a Ford because they were more reliable.

[NWH]

VW transporters are the best in its class I know 4-5 people who own them 2 window cleaners,I’ve known people have a trafic-vivaro and have more problems at 30-40k miles than you’ll have in 200000 in a transporter.
How many 51 plate transits or vivaros do you see on the road still looking road worthy,I don’t see many and that’s what you want to look for when selecting a van,any van can be a nightmare but you can’t beat the Vdubs.
Twice the price twice the van in all aspects.

[simon w]

Guy's I appreciate your replies and I've had a few useful answers regarding my OP but please keep it relevant as it was Ford Custom specific and didn't really want this to become a Ford v VW and other makes and models. 

[dazmond]

VW do not come out well in any car reliability survey I have seen in the last few years.

My sister in law owned 1.2 polo, when it was 4 years old with 30k on the clock she had to spend £1000 replacing the turbo. It also had issues with sensors that VW were never able to sort.

Her mechanic friend advised her to stay away from VW and suggested she buy a Ford because they were more reliable.

ford vans and cars have always served me well over the years.......

on topic i think its madness to install a 650L 2 man diesel hot system into a custom 290 as im sure the payload is only 950kg!(or thereabouts)...you ll defo be overweight first thing in the morning with a full tank.....

[KS Cleaning]

I’ve got the T290 with Grippatank 650ltr x 2 man heated set up. Two reels etc.  But I mostly work on my own. It is the 155hp 2.2 diesel . Good size and handles the weight easily.
Just bear in mind that they are really heavy on fuel. 27- 32mpg (mine uses the tank for my heater).Personally, that doesn’t bother me in my case.

I am actually surprised that a reputable company like Grippatank would fit a 650 litre 2 man heated system with 2 reels into a 290.

legally its not over weight until the waters in it so there clear of any come backs     ......as you could say  ...I am actually surprised that a reputable company like honda makes a bike that does 160mph when  you can only do 70 

Not really a relevant comparison tho is it🤔

[KS Cleaning]

If you go on autotrader and enter 310 in the ‘add keywords’ box at bottom of search page, it should bring up a few.
The 310 in the pre facelift model is thinner on the ground because as a factory order they were around £500 more than the 290 and when it comes to resale value you don’t get that back.

Thanks that's showing a few more but maybe I should be looking for the Facelift model as the examples on autotrader are mostly 2015 reg and a little higher millage than I want. My 330 was quite difficult to source also as not so many were made.

If you are looking at the facelift model you will then be looking at the 320 as a minimum for your needs. Again this will be difficult to source as dealerships generally order 280’s and 300’s. Just to confuse you more the Sport model still comes in 290 & 310 in the facelift model, but the 310 sport won’t have a big enough payload for you.
A good port of call would be Evans Halshaw, or Absolute vans and ask for Mark Ashman. It’s worth remembering that you will get 0% finance with a 30% deposit on an unregistered Custom.

[simon w]

If you go on autotrader and enter 310 in the ‘add keywords’ box at bottom of search page, it should bring up a few.
The 310 in the pre facelift model is thinner on the ground because as a factory order they were around £500 more than the 290 and when it comes to resale value you don’t get that back.

Thanks that's showing a few more but maybe I should be looking for the Facelift model as the examples on autotrader are mostly 2015 reg and a little higher millage than I want. My 330 was quite difficult to source also as not so many were made.

If you are looking at the facelift model you will then be looking at the 320 as a minimum for your needs. Again this will be difficult to source as dealerships generally order 280’s and 300’s. Just to confuse you more the Sport model still comes in 290 & 310 in the facelift model, but the 310 sport won’t have a big enough payload for you.
A good port of call would be Evans Halshaw, or Absolute vans and ask for Mark Ashman. It’s worth remembering that you will get 0% finance with a 30% deposit on an unregistered Custom.

Thanks again that's useful advice I will keep searching

[wayne 77]

Ford sells the Transit Custom in a wide range of gross vehicle weights (GVW, what Ford also calls gross vehicle mass or GVM), so make sure you know exactly what you're buying and whether it's suitable for the amount of payload you will be carrying.

GVW is the total weight of the vehicle with everything on board including the people - exceed this, and you're breaking the law.

In the Transit Custom, the GVW ranges from 2.5 tonnes (2,500kg) in 250 series models to 3.4 tonnes (3,400kg) in 340 series models.

Depending on model year there are numerous other series options between the two.

Ford Transit Custom payload
As a result of this, Transit Custom payload ranges from just under 700kg to nearly 1,500kg - that's 1.5 tonnes, more than many vans in the class above.

The exact amount varies with engine type, trim level, fitted equipment and bodysize.
As for trim make sure to get a limited

[jmb]

Hi Simon,
We got a 320 170PS long wheel base last year and so far its been great, 650 tank with heater ect drives well even when fully loaded.

As for parking around Bristol I havnt found a problem, give me a shout if you wanted to take a look at it.

Cheers Jon.

[EandM]

Have Ford finally sorted out the oil pump failure problem on the 2.2 and 3.2 diesel ?

[simon w]

Hi Simon,
We got a 320 170PS long wheel base last year and so far its been great, 650 tank with heater ect drives well even when fully loaded.

As for parking around Bristol I havnt found a problem, give me a shout if you wanted to take a look at it.

Cheers Jon.

Thanks Jon. I'll take you up on that, I'll keep an eye out for you at the filling station. 

[RPCCS]

Don’t buy a new Transit,they are made in Turkey now and several people,who are familiar with Transits,have told me the build quality is trash. They are very easy to break into,also a lot of  issues with reliability, injector faults plus other  problems with loss of power.  One person told me he knew of someone  who had one and the shut line between the rear of the front wing and  the hinge area of the passenger door,was so great that when driving on a motorway they had to have someone in the passenger seat  to hold the door and stop the wind forcing it open.😦

[dazmond]

Don’t buy a new Transit,they are made in Turkey now and several people,who are familiar with Transits,have told me the build quality is trash. They are very easy to break into,also a lot of  issues with reliability, injector faults plus other  problems with loss of power.  One person told me he knew of someone  who had one and the shut line between the rear of the front wing and  the hinge area of the passenger door,was so great that when driving on a motorway they had to have someone in the passenger seat  to hold the door and stop the wind forcing it open.😦

stop scaremainering!fords are nowhere near as bad as vivaros and the like for  reliability issues....i have a transit connect L2 240 limited...ive had it 3 years now and its never missed a beat...i love mine......

[jonboywalton75]

Ive a transit custom for over 5 years, only problem has been  a dead battery which turned out to be my fault
Luv my custom

[NWH]

VW all the way come on now certain things won’t polish.,makes me laugh how many plumbers and electricians I see driving them about with 2 stripes down the bonnet lol.

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

having seen how they get into experts buy pulling at the bottom of the side doors with three fingers it makes the custom look way better you cant belive how easy vans are to get in these days

https://www.facebook.com/mostaque.miah/videos/10221355467654226/UzpfSTE0NDQ0MDgwNzY6Vks6MjU2MjAxMTI1MDcyMjA3Mw/?fref=nf

thing is all vans have good and bad ones if buying new then its down to warranty so why not the nv300 or the proace with 5 years instead of three ?

[NWH]

If you offered me an 18 month old 4 wheel drive auto 204bhp transporter or a brand new transit custom sport if they were side by side I’d drive off in the VW thanks no questions asked.

[NWH]

There’s a lot of cars you could stick next to that VW van as well and I’d still drive away in the van.

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

If you offered me an 18 month old 4 wheel drive auto 204bhp transporter or a brand new transit custom sport if they were side by side I’d drive off in the VW thanks no questions asked.

dont like them was going to sell my t3  syncro  for one but they just did nt have any sole like my old t3 so didnt bother

[NWH]

Lol T6 different gravy.

[zesty]

Love my transit custom, it’s a 63 plate and never had a problem.

Still runs like new, albeit a bit louder now it’s on 104k miles.

Mates dads got a VW transporter, doesn’t look as nice in the cabin, but I’ve heard the auto gearbox is better than the transits. Otherwise, I’m sticking with customs myself.

Each to their own! That’s the great thing about choice!

[dazmond]

Love my transit custom, it’s a 63 plate and never had a problem.

Still runs like new, albeit a bit louder now it’s on 104k miles.

Mates dads got a VW transporter, doesn’t look as nice in the cabin, but I’ve heard the auto gearbox is better than the transits. Otherwise, I’m sticking with customs myself.

Each to their own! That’s the great thing about choice!

exactly...ford make the best vans for our job....VWs  are overpriced for what they are IMO.......

[NWH]

Lol yeah if they’ve started making the best vans they must have started today Daz,bedrock is full of transits m8 Barney Rubble loves em he can put his feet through the foot Wells on em.

[dazmond]

Lol yeah if they’ve started making the best vans they must have started today Daz,bedrock is full of transits m8 Barney Rubble loves em he can put his feet through the foot Wells on em.

dont get me wrong...i have a VW myself(golf GTD 18 plate)i love it......but no way would i spend a fortune on an overpriced transporter for work!

[NWH]

How many miles do you do for work and how many do you do for pleasure,I do more for work.
Don’t get me wrong I like my cars but if it was a choice I had to make the amount of work driving I do if I had to spend 40-50k  on a car or work vehicle it would be a van,I know someone that’s just PCPd a BMW 8000 max mileage a year 630 a month 6k down lol just uses it at weekends.
He drives a battered old van for work,senselessness but everyone has there own view on it.

[dazmond]

3k a year in the van and around 8k a year in the golf

[lal]

  Had my Transit Custom over 2 years now, Love it 

[dazmond]

both me and my girlfriend have the same ford vehicles for our businesses,hers is just the 7 seater car version of the connect L2 240(grand tourneo connect).....we both love them,hers is all sign written too...

[֍Winp®oClean֍]

Transporters are like skips on wheels! As stylish and exciting as a drunken village slag! Reminds me of the Red Bull soap box series where you see bath tubs on wheels!!
Me thinks someone may have a wee bit of buyer's remorse!!

[NWH]

Transporters are rubbish yeah I’d never buy one.