Budget? I'm guessing £6k - £7k.
Not sure there are many Tourneo Connects about for that money, or at all.
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Fairly sure the rearmost seats on the Doblo don't fold, you have to take them out. Kangoo dearer than either. Had my berlingo for over a week now and am very happy. A friend has the 2.0 HDI whereas mine is the 1.6. Think mine is a little quieter with performance pretty much the same.
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Think the budget is definitely sub £10k, possibly nearer 8-9k.
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Don't forget the Skoda Roomster. I've seen a few now and they are definately less van like than the French alternatives.
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Berlingo seats dead easy to fold. Press button on seat back to unlatch, back folds down onto squab which then folds forward into rear pax footwell.
Two mountain bikes fit reasonably easily, no need to remove wheels.
Weak spot in luggage area is doggy guard which needs to be removed whenever rear seats are folded.
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Don't forget the Skoda Roomster. I've seen a few now and they are definately less van like than the French alternatives.
Yes, but pricier and no second hand ones yet.
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Evening all
Our Doblo was delivered in June 05 and this w/e clocked up 22,222. Hasn't missed a beat, has been serviced twice and had two new tyres. It is the 'family' version, the third row of seats do tip and flip but even then don't give you a lot of room - one spaniel and a couple of pairs of wellies really. However, with this third row of seats removed, not a difficult job but they are awkward and heavy to carry, there is a big load space. On our version each seat in the second row tip and flip individually and then the room is cavernous! I specified the 1.3 Multijet diesel for ours. I was impressed by its spec, I had driven a Panda with the same engine, and HJ was raving about its chain cam etc. We have not been disappointed. Ours is used mainly for short urban runs with a fairly light load but occasionally is used for longer M-way runs. You need to do a bit of forward planning ie dont find yourself in lane three halfway up a long slope with traffic backed up behind you or it rates a 5 star embarrassment factor. Generally very pleased with the costs, reliability and its 'usefullness'. I got a '1 tonne' or 1 cubic metre? big bag of bark mulch into it courtesy of a careful fork lift truck driver. And be honest with the way it looks no-one is going to nick it. I guess mountain bikes would fit fairly easily?
Papho
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Can't comment on Doblo or Kangoo except I don't think they look as good as Berlingo (or should I say I think the Berlingo is less bad??)
Had a 2.0HDi for 3 years, 35k. Nothing went wrong - just 2 new front tyres just before I sold it, Did about 43 mpg no matter how I drove it or whether it was fully loaded or not. Very practical and spacious - plenty of room for 4 or 5 plus luggage and masses of wine/beer boxes! Cruises easily at 80mph+ (in France) with plenty of poke up to that for overtaking.
My year old 1.6 has now done 12.5k, averaging 50 mpg, bit more power and torque so more lively but nothing dramatic over the 2.0.
I also find it surprisingly comfortable (for a van!) as do passengers.
Have a mate who has the Peugeot Partner version and he is a mad mountain biker. He seems to spend most weekends/holidays puting his bikes in, a load of camping/climbing/skiing gear etc and dashing off to remote areas of Europe to do his thing. He swears by it and its capacity for holding all his stuff.
You should be able to get a good one for your money.
A very cursory look at Citroen dealers shows one (2.0HDi) in Southampton, 04 reg, 38k, Desire version (a/c, modutop/fog lights / Comfort pack (or something like that) for under 7k - and there must be many others for less if you hunt around. One in Bury 23k for £6995.
Lots of 1.6s also but don't seem much cheaper than a new one - they are £9-10,000- and I only paid £10k for mine brand new. Worth looking to see what deals are available, I got interest free credit which makes quite a difference and the local dealer matched car supermarket price within £100 which was more than compensated for by the interest free.
www.usedcars.citroen.co.uk/
--
Phil
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Thanks for your input guys, especially Phil and Papho for taking the time. I will mail my BIL a link to this thread.
I saw one of the Transit Connects today and think that it would be too big as well as probably too dear. The Skoda, as mentioned above, although it looks good, think its too new for the budget that he would be looking at.
No one has spoke out in favour of the Kangoo, but I think it will be a case of him going to see what is available from the dealers and what is the best cost deal for him.
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They have seen a Peugeot Partner advertised. Anyone any knowledge of that car?
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They have seen a Peugeot Partner advertised. Anyone any knowledge of that car?
Rebadged Berlingo with minor trim differences.
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They have seen a Peugeot Partner advertised. Anyone any knowledge of that car?
I have a 2.0HDI one of these, bought in early 2003. No faults yet other than a recall item.
These are the same base vehicle as the Berlingo, but buying second hand it would be a mistake to say they have only minor trim differences. For example at the time ours came with bigger wheels as standard than the equivalent Berlingo, so the ride is improved (the bigger wheels were a cost option on the Berlingo at the time). There were other things too. The standard Partner was more expensive than the Berlingo, but once you'd balanced up the options they were about the same (our deal on the Peugeot was marginally better, but it was marginal and it was four years ago). So looking at them second hand it is worth comparing the spec in some detail.
As I've said before, these are brilliant vehicles. They are tough, comfortable, move along surprisingly briskly when encouraged, and are very versatile. I wonder if the "doggy guard" mentioned above is actually the luggage restraining net--very reassuring when the full load area is used and the net is behind the front seats. On a campsite last year there was a guy with a vintage Vespa in the back of his.
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The Skoda Roomster has lots less space in the boot than the Berlingo/Partner.
The rear seats can't be folded flat into the floor - either the seat back flops down onto the cushion, leaving a stepped load bay (aprpox 9" high) or you have to remove the seats completely. Not at all as practical as you'd expect from a car of this type.
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Just an update - they went and saw the Partner today but the used one that they were interested in isn't actually coming in till this weekend. However they checked out another one in the showroom and were impressed with it, so will probably go back after the weekend to test drive and do some haggling.
Model is a Mar 06 1.6hdi (90) Escapade with £7k miles for £8495
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Escapade. That's the one with the raised suspension and faux 4x4 trimmmings, n'est pas?
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Just a final update, they have decided to go for a Doblo 120jtd. All the cars they looked at were much of a muchness, the only major selling difference between them was that the Doblo had the 120 engine whereas the others were down at the 80bhp (ish) .
However, they are pre-registered and he only has a choice of black or red.
Red is VERY Postman Pat!
Black is, well many of these are used as Taxis! Plus we all know how hard it is to keep a black car clean without it being 5' 10" high!
Currently edging towards the black one though.
Thanks for all your input, B-I-L read it with interest.
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"Currently edging towards the black one though."
I saw a black one on the road, it looked like a hearse.
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Red is VERY Postman Pat!
Ah yes, but add a couple of fake Royal Mail logos and you can park anywhere.
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I told him to get the red one and then to get a sign writer to do a Pat and Jess stencil onto the front windows!!
He didn't appreciate my comments!
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He didn't appreciate my comments!
You don't drive one of these if you are the kind of person who cares about doing what everyone else does. I find people stop teasing when they need something big shifted.
But yes, red would be a colour too far for me. Black though, I could live with. Add tints, big alloys, side skirts, and lower it. Imagine the size of the subwoofer you could put in the boot. It would need an air intake on the bonnet too.
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Your right, they want it to transport stuff to their caravan and back as well as using it for his mountain climbing trips, tents, eqpt etc!
Might still give him all my Xmas cards to deliver though ! :)
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hi ive got a 53 plate 2.0 berlingo and it strugles 2 go over 70 i got it second hand it also realy lacks power and cant overtake anything do you think its restricted? if so how? apart from that a great van my mate has a doblo and i prefer berlingo 45-50 per gallon it seems however i drive
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Be aware that the Transit Connect is classified as a car derived van and so is restricted to 60MPH on dual carriageways and motorways.
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Be aware that the Transit Connect is classified as a car derived van and so is restricted to 60MPH on dual carriageways and motorways.
Yes, I know it was ruled out on grounds of cost earlier up the thread, but share this info - as also previously discussed on this forum - for anyone else bumping in to it later. Recalling the fact, I checked it on Google first and found this link: www.drivesafely.org/safety_cameras/speed_limit_tab...m
I had to laugh at the mention of a Mercedes Sprinter being limited to 60MPH on dual carriageways; I don't think I've ever seen one being driven at less than 60 MPH!
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Car derived vans are same as cars on duel carriageways. (70mph)
www.drivesafely.org/safety_cameras/speed_limit_tab...m
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"I had to laugh at the mention of a Mercedes Sprinter being limited to 60MPH on dual carriageways; I don't think I've ever seen one being driven at less than 60 MPH!"
Time they were limited to 56mph on the Motorway, too many have been blasting down the outside lane at well over the ton.
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Car derived vans are same as cars on duel carriageways. (70mph) www.drivesafely.org/safety_cameras/speed_limit_tab...m
Read the notes below the table; the Transit Connect falls in to the "over two tonnes laden" category, so has a 60MPH limit. This applied regardless of whether it is running laden or not.fully laden or not.
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