What van? (Not pickup for a change)

[Dave W]

So the time has come for a pickup swap.
The Dmax has been brilliant but thinking of a change of approach this time. I don't need the 4wd aspect and rarely use the back seats and also the rear tub is too small to get anything meaningful in.
The plan is to go down the 3.5t flatbed van route. Something like a Nissan cabstar/iveco daily/merc sprinter/isuzu grafter etc. I'm sure there are more options.

Only real criteria is being able to properly tow 3.5t and still carry a ton on its back
Any to look at or avoid?
I know people who run Nissan and iveco and they rave about them.

 

[ACEngineering]

So the time has come for a pickup swap.
The Dmax has been brilliant but thinking of a change of approach this time. I don't need the 4wd aspect and rarely use the back seats and also the rear tub is too small to get anything meaningful in.
The plan is to go down the 3.5t flatbed van route. Something like a Nissan cabstar/iveco daily/merc sprinter/isuzu grafter etc. I'm sure there are more options.

Only real criteria is being able to properly tow 3.5t and still carry a ton on its back
Any to look at or avoid?
I know people who run Nissan and iveco and they rave about them.

Wouldn't I'd advise a iveco daily. Lots of niggles. Mainly suspension poor.
My iveco had a clutch at 48k! Never towed anything but loaded all the time, even so its rated to carry its load plus tow so should have lasted longer.

It's a 61 plate euro 4. Last one before face lift and euro 5.

 

[JP1]

So the time has come for a pickup swap.
The Dmax has been brilliant but thinking of a change of approach this time. I don't need the 4wd aspect and rarely use the back seats and also the rear tub is too small to get anything meaningful in.
The plan is to go down the 3.5t flatbed van route. Something like a Nissan cabstar/iveco daily/merc sprinter/isuzu grafter etc. I'm sure there are more options.

Only real criteria is being able to properly tow 3.5t and still carry a ton on its back
Any to look at or avoid?
I know people who run Nissan and iveco and they rave about them.

You are then in to Operator Licensing territory (as well as the tacho)

 

[Dave W]

You are then in to Operator Licensing territory (as well as the tacho)

Yes thank you. That's all on the agenda

 

[Finn farmer]

French (Nissan, Renault, Peugeot, New "Toyota" vans) are sh!t, older Ivecos are pretty reliable, Mercedes could be good if they don't rust anymore. Vw and Isuzu are supposed to be good.

 

[ste stuart]

Im goin through the same thing at the minute and it's hard to choose, the hd transit will tow 3.5 ton, and the tranny is good to drive.
I'm thinking of getting somethin like this https://www.allybacks.co.uk/allyback-gallery/
On maybe a ranger or dmax but the smaller extra cab (dog usually on back seats) looks a decent compromise to me and should look reasonable/be half decent to drive.

Ste

 

[Farmer Roy]

Instead of the dual cab that seems to be almost standard in the U.K., why not just a cab chassis single cab Dmax / Hilux / Ranger etc with a flat tray ?

 

[Dave W]

Instead of the dual cab that seems to be almost standard in the U.K., why not just a cab chassis single cab Dmax / Hilux / Ranger etc with a flat tray ?

Still wouldn't have the load space of a 12ft flat bed

 

[Farmer Roy]

Still wouldn't have the load space of a 12ft flat bed

Fair enough

 

[ACEngineering]

I think when the time comes I will be going Peugeot Boxer because its cheap or back to a transit, hard to justify the extra 7k for a transit though

 

[2wheels]

son's work (recovery services) run a variety of light trucks. mitsubishi canter, renault ,daf, and some others. he being workshop foreman gets them all to service/repair. according to him they are all a pile of shite. that doesn't help you much, does it

 

[bobk]

Better with a little lorry aren't you .

 

[nick...]

Builder mate has a Isuzu flatbed cabbed thing,not a canter but it’s been brilliant.built on a proper chassis too
Nick...

 

[beltbreaker]

Chippy mate has just bought 2 Crafter's and a Transporters as they have a good deal on them which makes the same price per month as Peugeot and £130/month cheaper than Ford each per month 5yr warranty too apparently deal changes end of month. He is trading 2 Transporters and 1 Peugeot from memory. He saves him 12k per year in repairs keeping them in warranty.

 

[Kidds]

I have always liked Cabstars and have had them for last 30 years. Newest was a 2000 though so can’t comment on more recent models.
Are they rated to tow 3.5t? I think mine fully loaded only left 2.8 to tow. It would have easily towed 3.5 though.

 

[Nearly]

 

[Kidds]

Had one of them too, mine was horse drawn though, not on a trailer.

 

[JeepJeep]

I've always liked the Masters from the getting the job done side of things.. They were lighter than the Sprinters we had and you could physically get more in them due to the lower floor FWD. They were hammered and took it well.

Lot of MAN badged Crafters appearing around here now seem to popular.

 

[Courier]

French (Nissan, Renault, Peugeot, New "Toyota" vans) are sh!t, older Ivecos are pretty reliable, Mercedes could be good if they don't rust anymore. Vw and Isuzu are supposed to be good.

We tend to go for Renault 59 plate has 340k miles on it, 16 plate automatic has 175k miles ( had a clutch at 150K miles ) - Main problem is keeping up to the rear caliper handbrake mechanism - Just bought a Nv400 curtainsider / taillift £25k.

Poor driver attitude is the main reason for unreliability.

 

[Sandy]

Discovery commercial?