I am looking for a DIESEL van under $10000.
My list for investigation is

Toyota Hiace Commuter
Mercedes M140
Mercedes Vito
VW Transporter
Ford Transit

Would love everyones input especially problems, costs to repair and pitfalls to watch out for.

Get a LWB, taht's my only tip.

Just checked this UK site out last week, loads of interesting reviews including some that may just shock you if you're thinking that VW and Merc vans are well made and very reliable:
http://www.roadtestreports.co.uk/

Some great reviews from Hiace owners, also search recent posts on Seabreeze re vans, here's one that may interest you:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/recommendations-for-cheapdecent-van/?SearchTerms=vans

Go Japanese.

Wicked campers seem to love those old mitsubish L300 vans, buggered if I know why, but they do seem to keep going

Don't know why your list doesn't include the Delica, reliable, practical...ugly as a hat full of a*$#holes. But it's always there, just how I left it. Sometimes dented, sometimes scratched, once someone even tried to break into it. Don't know why but you probably could fit an atm machine inside the back.
Anyhoo, she always starts and hasn't let me down, might be worth a look.
Go the lwb.

My suggestion would be the VW. They are well made (I have the caddy maxi 1.9 TDI) and even though mine is only 2 years old my only issue with it has been - why the hell didn't I get one sooner. No issues so far with raliablity - not surprising I guess considering it's age. Good service spacing - every 15,000 km.

Over the years I have had different versions of many of the vans on you list, or considered them as an option. Give the Merc M140 a big miss, I have never met anyone that has been happy with one of these.

I had a vito up until recently and it went well, was reliable, just a bit expensive to repair. A good van for under 10k. I now have a VW, but hard to comment against your criteria as it is brand new, so obviously very nice, very comfy.

I have had a couple of Hiaces over the years, All have been good and reliable. I don't find them as comfortable as VW, or Vito to drive due to the seating position. And the step through on the euro vans is really handy for carrying longer items. Also the newest shape sufferes from a lack of leg room on the passenger side, with a non adjustable passenger seat. For safety I also prefer a van with the motor in front. For this you could have a look for a hiace SBV, just not sure on price or availability.

The Delica does seem popular, but when I looked into them, for the number of times I might used the 4wd option it just wasn't worth the extra in servicing and running costs that usually goes with 4wd.

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aus301 said...

For safety I also prefer a van with the motor in front. For this you could have a look for a hiace SBV, just not sure on price or availability.

The Delica does seem popular, but when I looked into them, for the number of times I might used the 4wd option it just wasn't worth the extra in servicing and running costs that usually goes with 4wd.

I considered buying a Hiace SBV years ago, ended up with a Mitsubishi WA Express walk-thru van which is basically the same as a LWB Delica minus 4wd and luxury options (also with motor in front). Hiace SBV and WA Express only come with 2.4L petrol engines, no diesel options for Old Salty!

Old Salty, one thing worth checking out with any van you're looking at with 150,000-200,000 plus k's on the clock would be the cost of servicing as well as cost/availability of replacement parts (either new or used). I think you would find that you would be paying considerably more for a VW or Merc van than for a Hiace or Transit of the same year with roughly the same k's on the clock, and parts would also be much more expensive for VW and Mercs than other two (heard of one guy paying 10 grand for new cylinder head for older Vito and I nearly brought a VW Transporter auto a number of years ago but managed to get out of the deal after doing some research into cost of replacement parts!).

Also suggest checking out RedBook pricing for used vehicles:
http://www.redbook.com.au/used-cars/search.aspx

D - E - L - I - C - A...!



[you'll love it!]

Old Salty,
After extensive (ie 15 seconds on google), I have narrowed it down to 2 choices for you.

1)



2)



Please, you can thank me later...

Delicas are good, especially in the price range you are looking at. However they do have their issues. The diesel 2.8 TD, while not exactly notorious do have issues sometimes. I had to have the head replaced on mine. It warped and as a result was losing water. I had the head replaced along with new radiator, harmonic balancer and a few other things. It's been running brilliantly ever since.

I've just driven 600 kms today with no issues. There was no problems for my mechanic to source parts, a common concern with Delicas. There are so many in Australia there is a supply chain for them. The Delica is a great van but they can have issues.

Does anyone have an opinion on an old Toyota Tarago as a board carrier? They might be more comfortable to drive than many vans, but would they be big enough for Formula plus slalom gear etc? I'm on the lookout for a van too.

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drift said...

Old Salty,
After extensive (ie 15 seconds on google), I have narrowed it down to 2 choices for you.

1)



2)


Now there is memories for you
The mystery Machine is very tempting but Can't pass up Mr.T Did the van have a name? What was that show called??

@ Old Salty ^^^^^

Its The A Team

Old Salty, maybe you could track down the real thing minus the gang & Scoob:



Good LWB van, think you'll have to shoehorn a diesel into it though!

Gotta get yourself a Daphne too:

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Roger303 said...

Does anyone have an opinion on an old Toyota Tarago as a board carrier? They might be more comfortable to drive than many vans, but would they be big enough for Formula plus slalom gear etc? I'm on the lookout for a van too.

Yup, on our second one (had '89 currently '95), both have done over 400,000 with NO engine work. Genuinely drives like a car with coil spring rears. Good on fuel for something so big, can cruise at 140kph all day even fully loaded and feels safe, doesn't like long steep hills with the same load though. 4 wheel disc brakes and they stop in a straight line even in the wet...try that with most half empty vans! Very well put together and goes and goes and goes.

Tons of room in the back to sleep in. Pic shows 260 board protrudes at the front, it doesn't if you lay the seats down.

Top info and pic thanks nosinkanow. I'd probably remove the rear seats and Just use it for sailing gear. Looks like a 550 mast might fit too. The NSW formula events are scattered from Hawks Nest to Jarvis Bay so a fair bit of freeway driving is required. Much more comfortable in a Tarago over an old van. However Taragoes (and vans) aren't cheap even for a high milage weapon.

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nosinkanow said...

Roger303 said...

Does anyone have an opinion on an old Toyota Tarago as a board carrier? They might be more comfortable to drive than many vans, but would they be big enough for Formula plus slalom gear etc? I'm on the lookout for a van too.

Yup, on our second one (had '89 currently '95), both have done over 400,000 with NO engine work. Genuinely drives like a car with coil spring rears. Good on fuel for something so big, can cruise at 140kph all day even fully loaded and feels safe, doesn't like long steep hills with the same load though. 4 wheel disc brakes and they stop in a straight line even in the wet...try that with most half empty vans! Very well put together and goes and goes and goes.

Tons of room in the back to sleep in. Pic shows 260 board protrudes at the front, it doesn't if you lay the seats down.