Nissan Vannette/LDV Cub. Opinions?

[Grizz]

HAVING REALISED THAT ANOTHER MEDIUM SMALL VAN IS A BIT SILLY WHEN I ACTUALLY HAVE THE ASTRO ALREADY.





MY ATTENTION HAS GONE BACK TO A CAR I LIKED FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS



SO ITS A REASONABLY SMALL WAGON.



ADVISE, DISCUSS, TUT, SHAKE HEADS.





THANK YOU.












Much as the VW Caddy has given me 6 months of great service over almost 2000 miles, I keep wondering if something a size or two up would be a better option.


I really like a Toyota HiAce but they may hold their value more than what they are worth.


So the question is whether one looks at Vannettes or even a NV200 as an alternative.


Petrol/diesel preferably manual. Panel or glass sides, prefer glass sides.


Are they worth looking at or do we catch a cab and run for the hills



I am admittedly cheap, happy to travel and would hope to find something under £1500 .


We are talking about a size up from Berlingo/Partners here.


Alternatives?



Thanks.

[Eddie Honda]

Alternatives?

Eurovan

806, Evasion/Synergie, Ulysse, Zeta for glass.

Expert, Jumpy/Dispatch, Scudo for non-glass.

[Grizz]

Alternatives?

Eurovan

806, Evasion/Synergie, Ulysse, Zeta for glass.

Expert, Jumpy/Dispatch, Scudo for non-glass.

Brilliantly written.
Boooom !!

All the info I need.

I am generally cautious of the French stuff but guess enough of them about too.

I think glass with a dark tint would work.

[Old Wrinkly]

Good overall van but will need careful inspection for corrosion and previous poor welding repairs.
Twin side doors are very useful, carries a load very well
Scrapped mine after discovering during a cam belt change, that someone had previously welded the crank nut to the shaft.
I have a handbook that you can have for free and a set of new o.e. brake shoes for £10 collected, Walsall, West Midlands, if interested.

[bub2006]

A mate had one for a few years. He loved it. 2.3d noisy as all hell and slow. He managed to get it showing an indicated 90 but suffered with tinnitus after for a few days. I drove it once and made my 1.8 endura diesel escort van seem fast. He also had the 8 seater nissan vannette with a 2.0 petrol lump. Thirsty but quicker than it had the right to be and was a damn good drift bus.
Regards Eddie Honda's post above,a euro van is a good shout. If you do lots of mileage into towns with congestion zones get an mpv variant. I have a 2.0 HDI partner and if I remember right it has only 2 clean air zones needed to pay for where as the van had a lot more. Also tax is cheaper.
I blacked out the rear windows on my partner and removed the double seat from the back but left the single seat in so I can still fit 3 people but also carry smaller motorbikes.being car variant it's also got two sliding doors instead of non that most of the m59 models had.
Nothing wrong with french stuff,early 2.0 HDI 90s or the 110s either. 110 had an intercooler and possibly a dmf whereas the 90 didn't. My 90 is remapped to around 130bhp. Not for performance but more for torque mid range.

[Grizz]

A mate had one for a few years. He loved it. 2.3d noisy as all hell and slow. He managed to get it showing an indicated 90 but suffered with tinnitus after for a few days. I drove it once and made my 1.8 endura diesel escort van seem fast. He also had the 8 seater nissan vannette with a 2.0 petrol lump. Thirsty but quicker than it had the right to be and was a damn good drift bus.
Regards Eddie Honda's post above,a euro van is a good shout. If you do lots of mileage into towns with congestion zones get an mpv variant. I have a 2.0 HDI partner and if I remember right it has only 2 clean air zones needed to pay for where as the van had a lot more. Also tax is cheaper.
I blacked out the rear windows on my partner and removed the double seat from the back but left the single seat in so I can still fit 3 people but also carry smaller motorbikes.being car variant it's also got two sliding doors instead of non that most of the m59 models had.
Nothing wrong with french stuff,early 2.0 HDI 90s or the 110s either. 110 had an intercooler and possibly a dmf whereas the 90 didn't. My 90 is remapped to around 130bhp. Not for performance but more for torque mid range.

I have no clue on these Eurovans.

Things like DMF etc mean nothing to me.

I have probably done 1500 plus miles in 6 months.

Mostly into town 3 miles away etc.

I really need a car with van abilities.

[bub2006]

Dmf is Duel mass flywhee. I'd be looking older vehicles ideally for the mileage you do. Depends how much room you need but I swear by the early Berlingo/ partner for being as good as a car as it is a small van.
I've done 13500 miles in mine since October and it's let me down 3 times. Once when I first had it and 2 weeks later it spat it's pas fluid out due to a leaking rack,a gear linkage rod failing and a clutch cable.
The Pas leak I sorted by swapping the steering rack,the linkage was my fault as I knew it had a bad bush when we changed clutch and ordered new linkages but didn't swap them and the clutch cable was a new cable fitted in December that failed other week due to manufacturing defect.
I've towed a trailer up and down the country at over 50mpg,around town It won't drop below 42.
I've carried small motorbikes and scooters in the back of mine along with all sorts of shit. It's comfy and quiet and eats up the miles. Most I've done in one stint was throw trailer on the back and go from alfreton in Derbyshire to Lockerbie,load up with a bike and bring it back to chesterfield. I've fitted cruise control to my van so once on motorway I set cruise at 60 and let it sit there for miles on end.
The euro vans ,earlier ones can be had in 2.0 90 and 110 HDI. 110 having an intercooler or a 2.2 with 130 ISH bhp but I think they were mainly in the 406 and C5. Later on the 2.0 went to 136bhp and I think could also be had with 120 in some of the vans.
If you can find a decent enough euro van or even a Berlingo and partner if they would be big enough then I'd go for those over an LDV cub. Alot more refined and economical.

[cros]

Seconded. They're a nice idea but few have anything good to say about them.

[bub2006]

Seconded. They're a nice idea but few have anything good to say about them.

My mate liked his but said he wouldn't have another especially not the 2.3d

[Grizz]

Funny how sometimes you can’t see the woods for the trees.

I have no intent to sell the Astro Van

Unless of course, someone else needs it a lot more than me.

Chatting to my mate @craigrk this morning about various things including the Caddy and 206CC he reminded me that the Astro van is actually a Van.

So why go buy another medium/small van to increase the Caddy equivalent capacity when I have one, paid for, taxed, insured and more importantly…., Loved.

He actually made a really sensible suggestion that included getting rid of the Green Peugeot cheaply as is, roof down, for someone else to repair and selling the Caddy, replacing it with an early BMW Mini Clubman wagon or something equally weird or similar that’s been on my horizon for a long time. Cube, Soul, Cheap.


So with s sheet or plastic it is a great tool.








Next stop……

Some digging in the garden to move some soil.