Ok racers, van options, your opinions sought

[Pumba]

Ok I have been thinking about transport to move the buket and my road bike round the place when the need arises.

Currently I have a Mazda Bounty space cab 2.6L turbo diesel which has been great, plenty of power, and plenty of usabale space in the cab with the suicide doors to access the space part of the cab, drives like a car, and has room for two bikes (well maybe not two litre bikes with fairings, but anyway) it has been great for moving every thing around, but anyone that has had a ute knows the issues, security with all your tools and spares and bikes exposed to anyone where ever you stop, and last meeting when I had to take all my tools out and dry them off after consitant heavy rain wasnt all that fun.

So there you have it, that is the back story.

Now I am not really convinced in myself that I want a van, all the vans I know are noisy, ratterly pieces of crap that belch black smoke as soon as they are loaded and cant handle for shit. So I guess what I am asking is what options are out there and what are you using?

As this would be only vehicle, apart form the road bike, so it wouldnt be used for commuting every day but would be used for those round town type erands, and I quite regulary make trips to the Waikato or Taupo durring the summer.

Wow, I think I am starting to ramble on now, so I guess it is question of what do you have, and do you have any recomendations on what I should be looking at.

[gixerracer]

I bought a 2004 turbo transit and I said I would never own 1 but once I test drove it I couldnt not buy it. You could park a Toyota inside it and it goes Orsum. I bought one of those dividing walls and that stops all the smell and noise and helps with the heater in the winter lol. I also use it every day for work well not every day but hope to get that busy one day mine is mid roof long wheel base so a bit of a prick to park in town but ither than that you couldnt get a better van
Ok I have been thinking about transport to move the buket and my road bike round the place when the need arises.

Currently I have a Mazda Bounty space cab 2.6L turbo diesel which has been great, plenty of power, and plenty of usabale space in the cab with the suicide doors to access the space part of the cab, drives like a car, and has room for two bikes (well maybe not two litre bikes with fairings, but anyway) it has been great for moving every thing around, but anyone that has had a ute knows the issues, security with all your tools and spares and bikes exposed to anyone where ever you stop, and last meeting when I had to take all my tools out and dry them off after consitant heavy rain wasnt all that fun.

So there you have it, that is the back story.

Now I am not really convinced in myself that I want a van, all the vans I know are noisy, ratterly pieces of crap that belch black smoke as soon as they are loaded and cant handle for shit. So I guess what I am asking is what options are out there and what are you using?

As this would be only vehicle, apart form the road bike, so it wouldnt be used for commuting every day but would be used for those round town type erands, and I quite regulary make trips to the Waikato or Taupo durring the summer.

Wow, I think I am starting to ramble on now, so I guess it is question of what do you have, and do you have any recomendations on what I should be looking at.

[Gubb]

Last week at Turners Auctions they had a Fiat Ducato van that was an old Ambulance. Had solid floors with no wheel arches, cupboards where to oxygen tanks and medical supplies went, Was big enough to almost stand up in. I couldn't help but think it would have been perfect if I was involved in racing.

I think it went for $5k with 200K on the clock.

Awesome van though.

But sorry, I don't know how this story helps you.

Turners does have some decent things turn up every now and then that go pretty cheap though. Have a looksee.

http://www.turners.co.nz/Pages/Home.aspx

[Virago]

Get in here:

http://www.hauraki.co.nz/Competitions/Detail.aspx?id=663

[trailblazer]

why not invest in a fully covered trailer then you don't need to get a van.

[Pumba]

Get in here:

http://www.hauraki.co.nz/Competitions/Detail.aspx?id=663

:done: I should listen to Hauraki more

[Pumba]

why not invest in a fully covered trailer then you don't need to get a van.

Small section cultered up with enough shit already so a trailer isint an option

[lostinflyz]

pretty much if it smells bad, smokes a bit, eats some oil, doesn't drink water, has no heating, looks beat up and has 500+ thousand K's its just reaching its prime. did i mention the noise.........

[NinjaBoy]

I had the same dilemma. The van would be my only vehicle which I would use to get to work etc... I ended up getting a Hiace Supercustom. This is essentially a People mover in a Hiace Van shell. All the upmarket features of a People Mover eg. air-con , heater, 15inch car wheels not Van wheels. Fully lined with carpet and roof lining so it is less noisy. Just took out the seats and ala Race Van !

The turbo diesel gives it some oomph for overtaking and can quite happily cruise at the speed limit or above. It drives like a Car and handles best with a bit of weight in the back. Security is not an issue with tinted windows and remote central locking of all doors.

[CookMySock]

all the vans I know are noisy, ratterly pieces of crap that belch black smoke as soon as they are loaded and cant handle for shit.Any of the modern toyota hiace 3.0 turbo diesel vans go like a haunted shithouse. You will pay a bit more for them though, but drive one and you will be convinced.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Toyota/Hiace/auction-293002395.htm

Steve

[trailblazer]

Small section cultered up with enough shit already so a trailer isint an option
fair enough well a hiace super custom it is then awesome van with plenty of power to cart your race bike and gear around.

[Scuba_Steve]

Now I am not really convinced in myself that I want a van, all the vans I know are noisy, ratterly pieces of crap that belch black smoke as soon as they are loaded and cant handle for shit.

Says the person driving the Mazda ute! All I can say there is stop driving Mazda & Mitzi vans...

Nissan & Toyota are your best vans, Nissans are generally slightly cheaper but just as good if not better as being Nissan they use a chain cam instead of a belt.
I drive Nissan Caravan DX (LWB & High roof) I can fit 4 bikes + gear & 10 mates in no worries.
If you go Nissan Caravan/Homy/Urvan or Toyota Hiace you'll be pretty much right. petrol/diesel I would put down to your personal choice but go turbo if going diesel for obvious reasons.

[SWERVE]

I put a vote for the transit. They have transported 10000,s racers around the world for decades. Mercs & VW are bigger & more comfortable but at a price. Trouble with jap vans is lack of height and engines only really good for 300/350000 k. My transit is now on 490k and goin strong.

[codgyoleracer]

An Austin JU250 with apple boxes for seats, no top gear & no reverse gear. Was a shit van , but the memories & the beer drunk in it going to / from race meetings were the best ever.
Otherwise a V8 powered Hi Top, Long wheel base Hiace.........

[Biggles08]

pretty much if it smells bad, smokes a bit, eats some oil, doesn't drink water, has no heating, looks beat up and has 500+ thousand K's its just reaching its prime. did i mention the noise.........
Sounds like 'Bones' our old 1988 Ambulance from Ekatahuna...202 Holden with a tri-matic.....noisy as F@3k, eats oil and drinks petrol like a your uncle dad! Mint!

[Scuba_Steve]

I put a vote for the transit. They have transported 10000,s racers around the world for decades. Mercs & VW are bigger & more comfortable but at a price. Trouble with jap vans is lack of height and engines only really good for 300/350000 k. My transit is now on 490k and goin strong.

I got one Nissan (petrol) with 586000k on the clock & still going mint If it wasn't for the fact chassis vehicles have to conform to monocoque rules I would still be driving it round.

[lukemillar]

Sounds like 'Bones' our old 1988 Ambulance from Ekatahuna...202 Holden with a tri-matic.....noisy as F@3k, eats oil and drinks petrol like a your uncle dad!

Looks cool as fuck though with working flashing lights!

[ellipsis]

Having worn out at least half a dozen old Toyota vans that had been already worn out by previous owners before I got them, I can only add that every one of them was better than my earlier bike transport systems, which generally meant , wheels off, your neighbour or missus helping squeeze the rest of the bike into the back of the Carolla and hoping like hell there was someone to help you squeeze it out when you got to the circuit....never been let down by a Toyota van yet....jap holdens...

[k14]

Don't discount a Hyundai H100. Mine has around 420k on it and still goes strong. I have had to replace a few things (starter motor, reg, radiator) but parts are fairly cheap and mostly interchangable with mitsi L300 bits. Hiaces are great vans and bulletproof but you pay for it, also spare parts can be hard to track down and expensive. I bought my van for $2000 3 years ago and am seriously thinking of replacing it with a lower km one. If I had the money I'd buy one of the newer H1's in a flash, pity I don't have 30k lying around.

[sidwyz]

Have a look at my dads Nissan El Grand at the next meet, it has inderpendant rear suspension and really drives so very very well, when I borrowed it we really didnt want to give it back, it was sooo smooth.

3.5l has plenty of power, depending on how much you want to spend though, the older ones still look good not sure if they are IRS though, they have a 3.3L that goes good.

You can also get two bikes, generator, tools, pop-up tent, gear and lots of room for other stuff.

Definetly have a look at them.

[FROSTY]

I've had/got a series of late 80's -mid 90's Hiace high roof vans and other than blowing up an engine that was on its last legs anyways I;ve never been let down.Im now looking at the same van as gixxerracer --a MID roof long transit.

[Pumba]

Says the person driving the Mazda ute! All I can say there is stop driving Mazda & Mitzi vans...

Well that must be a perception thing, same as my perception about vans, I can assure you my Mazda ute has never belched smoke (nither has the three others that my family have owned) , sure it may not be the quietist but I test drove a lot of utes and there are many that are noisier (Holden Rodeo springs to mind).

Shit prior to the ute I thought all diesels were nasty things, now I dont know if I could go back to a petrol vehicle.

[Pumba]

Don't discount a Hyundai H100.........

I have been noticing the Hyundai's a bit more latly, I have always been a bit weary of them(sort of the Hyosung of vehiles) but there new vehicles seem quite nice.


Have a look at my dads Nissan El Grand at the next meet

I must say I did notice it a bit at the last meet and was going to look a bit harder next time I saw it.

Right the Hiace, El Grand, Hyundi, Transit, hmmm seems like I might have some test driving to do

[marty]

http://www.turners.co.nz/Vehicles/Pages/Car.aspx?RefId=752865

[jellywrestler]

I bought one of those dividing walls and that stops all the smell Deodorant is cheaper...

[Kickaha]

Right the Hiace, El Grand, Hyundi, Transit,

There can be only one

Transit We use A LWB one for carting the sidecar around in, coming back from Puke three years ago we had a trailer on with two other sidecars on, didn't even notice it and fuel economy didn't even change that much

Without going to a VW, Fiat or other Eurotrash I would doubt you would anything like the same amount of space in the back

[k14]

I have been noticing the Hyundai's a bit more latly, I have always been a bit weary of them(sort of the Hyosung of vehiles) but there new vehicles seem quite nice.
Yes so was I when I bought mine but for the price I paid I couldn't of gone wrong. Three years later and the proof is in the pudding. I do 30-40000kms per year and it has never let me down. Their new range is very impressive, I wouldn't ever hesitate to buy another Hyundai whether van or car.

[Pumba]

Transit

Cheers, after doing a bit of internet trawling today I am leaning towards a Transit, SWB with sliding doors in each side.

Hmmmm, the more I talk and look at it the more I am starting to feel a bit more like a vehicle change will be comming in the not to distant future

[schrodingers cat]

Obviously the first option is a red herring but the other two on THIS (http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/01/29/video-road-cars-with-f1-engines/) page are worth consideration :shit:

[fossil]

I got sick of the "small "vans and got myself a toyota coaster with a lift up rear door.Seats 9 in comfort,TV/DVD/Video/Fridge/Cooker and can take 6 bikes and all our gear at a pinch. Cruises at 100-110 easy, costs less than a car and trailer to get across the water.

[=cJ=]

Merc 311 might be worth a look?

My girls father was looking for a tour coach and it boiled down to a scrap between this and a Transit. IIRC the Mercedes got the nod.

[Paul Booth]

I declared I would never by another Ford but.... August last year I put a Transit into service for our shop. This thing is awsome, drives like a car, pulls like a school boy, huge space, (even in SWB) sips fuel (10 ltrs per 100 km everywhere) and has huge towing capacity (2700 kg). Go the Tranny

[Pumba]

Hey all those that have Transits, have you had many troubles with them?

Talking to a few people in the business recon they are a bitch to work on and cost a small fourtune on parts and servicing. Would love to hear your opinions on them as owners.

[NinjaBoy]

Bought my SuperCustom turbo diesel 12 months ago with 145,000kms on the clock. 30,000kms later and all it has needed is an oil change every 10,000kms and a new fuel filter every other service. I use a mobile mechanic and everything can be done in the work carpark.

It would be nice to have a wider body such as a transit but I've been warned to steer clear of the Fords unless they are very late model and low kms. Have also thought about a Vito or something European but was worried about the cost of parts etc...

[Pumba]

Cheers Ninja Boy. The relibility of the old Hiaces is pretty good without a doubt.

Still curious to here from some of thise transit owners.

[SVboy]

For gods sake check out 'DOG & LEMON' guide re these vans. While the book leans toward the worst case senarios, at least you get an idea of common faults. The eurocrap is downright scary, and that includes transits. Make haste slowly.