Hi All ,
I`m Looking to buy an LDV convoy LWB Hitop Diesel (2.4TD) or a similar IVECO Van .Any advise on what is the most reliable ?I`ll be getting one 4-6 years old one ?
thanks
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Hard to tell - at six years old they are close to the end of their commercial life and will be pretty worn-out.
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Without a doubt, LDV. Rough and ready, poor trim, ill fitting doors etc. The suspension still includes kingpins and front leaf springs complete with steering damper. Nasty, bumpy and rattly compared to modern stuff, but thanks to the Transit engine and gearbox and the indestructible chassis they make a good workhorse.
Personally, I would avoid Iveco like I would avoid the plague. Same build quality as the LDV without the reliability. They just look more modern !
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>>Personally, I would avoid Iveco like I would avoid the plague.
Fully agree - from vans to full weight tractor units, they're complete carp.
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"It Vibrates - Everything Comes Off" - so I've heard.
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"It Vibrates - Everything Comes Off" - so I've heard.
"Large Dreadful Vans"
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Transists out of budget? I would also suggest a Sprinter but they seem to rust badly too early from what I have seen.
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Am I right in guessing your thinking Royal Mail/Parcelforce, at auction?
If so, you're trying to get a cheap van for the year & your £$£$.
& if I'm right, you'll get as reasonably well maintained one owner - but high milers = more shifts & more drivers, so go for the least amount of body damage - check the rooflines, too, 'cos these are xpensive to fix & do get hit frequently.
Also see if you have passenger seats & seatbelt anchorages, all in place, as they are often removed or not fitted at factory. Dear & difficult to source, used.
If I'm wrong, maybe consider an ex Police Sprinter, as a cheap BIG van
Sometimes in BCA or google WOMA .
VB
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Thanks to you all it looks like it`ll be an LDV for me then!! Its only going to get light use .
cheers
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Thanks to you all it looks like it`ll be an LDV for me then!! Its only going to get light use .
That's all most of 'em manage anyway, they spend more time in a workshop than on the road. Horrible things, earlier Sprinters (ideally with the 5-pot engine) are a much better bet.
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I can't say much about the Sprinter as I've never worked on one, but if the 5cyl engine is the same as the one fitted to the VW LT range, it's expensive to maintain. The VW motor has a cambelt - enough said, and a separate injector pump belt at the other end of the engine. Both have to be changed now and then. The front crankshaft damper fails regularly (later engines modified, but we're talking older stuff) and I've come across three snapped crankshafts in the last 5yrs or so.
Apart from the fragile (poorly protected) electrics there isn't much that an LDV can be in the workshop for !
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LDV mechanicals are mostly Transit.
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I think people expect LDV vans to break down more often, so they complain more when it happens. At my old job we ran a T-reg Convoy to quite a high mileage, mostly medium-long distance around the UK but with one memorable trip to Paris at an hour's notice! It broke down neither more nor less than I would expect Fords or Mercs to. The build quality was shocking though, my phone used to slip down the gap between end of the dashboard and the windscreen pillar.
I did some agency work for a parcel delivery firm in 2003 where some of the drivers were self-employed with leased/hired Iveco 35-10s and Sprinter 311CDIs. Under heavy multi-drop conditions (100 drops/day over perhaps 30 miles) the Mercs needed starter motors, batteries and door locks replacing every 8 months. The guys with the Ivecos rarely drove the same vehicle for 2 weeks without it needing something fixing. No-one used LDVs, I don't think they made one with a big enough load volume.
Dave TD.
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My mate did parcel delivery for a while, and their company sent all their leased Sprinters back early because the reliability was shocking. They weren't half quick though!
They had best luck with Vivaros and Transits.
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