Buying a used van

[Dave Davenport]

I'm going to test drive a Transit Custom tomorrow, it's 15 months old with 27k miles on the clock from a main dealer so is still covered by the three year Ford warranty. It's the spec we want with the latest euro 6 engine and the price seems good (but not too good) compared to what else is around (lots).
Apart from the obvious general condition and service history (if it's not had a recent one I'll ask they do one as part of the deal) is there anything else I should be asking/looking out for?

 

[biggs682]

27k In 15 months seams high to me but i suppose not if it's been earning it's keep on the high roads in the UK
Still got the remainder of it's warranty is a good point as well
Would expect it to have a full history at that sort of age for sure .

 

[Salar]

Check the name of the business on the documents to see what it's been used for.

 

[Levo-Lon]

If it's a parcel delivery van Avoid.

If it's a normal use business van it should be ok.
20k a year is normal for vans.
The euro 6 isn't a great thing to be honest.
More to go wrong with dpf ect.
You need to use it ,and do some miles or it will be a pita

 

[Specialeyes]

I've had my Custom (L1 Tourneo - so the minibus version but with 200kg of seats, even unladen) since March 2018 and we've just passed 20k miles together, in a ,mixture of massive journeys (Tuscany twice, full of bikes) and short urban work - best van I've ever had and a more civilised drive than many of the cars I've had too!

Newer models should have zinc-coated bodywork, so the earlier problems with rusting door hinges should have been resolved. It is worth checking the fit of all the doors though, as the driver/passenger doors can take a lot of strain and drop or distort the hinges if misused over time and the rear doors can take a beating depending on what the van was previously used for. We've had this issue in the past on a Transit Dropside, so beefier than a Custom but driven by a 20st prop forward who would overload the door and hang on it to climb in!

It should have been fully dealer-serviced and at 27k miles is just nicely run in.

 

[Dave Davenport]

If it's a parcel delivery van Avoid.

If it's a normal use business van it should be ok.
20k a year is normal for vans.
The euro 6 isn't a great thing to be honest.
More to go wrong with dpf ect.
You need to use it ,and do some miles or it will be a pita

It's the top of the range model with extra options so I doubt it was a parcel van but will check, no idea what the last two lines of your post mean!

 

[Levo-Lon]

It's the top of the range model with extra options so I doubt it was a parcel van but will check, no idea what the last two lines of your post mean!

That should be spot on, private business owners tend to go big spec as they drive them.
Fleet buyers don't care as they don't drive them.

 

[Specialeyes]

The DPF is the diesel particulate filter, which traps a lot of the crap and prevents it from going through the exhaust.
Once trapped, the particulates are superheated and burned off through a clever regeneration cycle - but this can take a while to get up to speed/temperature, so if you only ever do short journeys (<15 miles) it will eventually clog up, send the van into asthmatic 'limp' mode and need cleaning/replacing (and thus be a 'pita' - pain in the ar$e). So long as you give the van a regular run to enable the DPF to clear itself and you won't even notice it.

 

[Cycleops]

If it's main dealer you'll be paying over the odds but then you at least get a good warranty.

 

[Levo-Lon]

If it's main dealer you'll be paying over the odds but then you at least get a good warranty.

Yes and no on that.

When I got my new Doblo pre registered. Desira Norwich main dealer.
1 yr old 10 miles on clock I paid 6990 plus vat.
I also got 3 yrs warranty to start from my purchase date.

Local traders were wanting 5- 6k plus vat for a 3 yrs old with 50-100 k on them

 

[Dave Davenport]

If it's main dealer you'll be paying over the odds but then you at least get a good warranty.

The main dealer prices seem to be on a par with any others from what I've seen.

 

[Drago]

If it's not had it's service, get it in writing that the dealer servicing it before you buy it will be sufficient to maintain the warranty. Nissan, for example, have a 28 day/1000 mile threshold, and you can moan, bleat, and change the oil all you want - if the service is late, the warranty is kaput. End of discussion.

I'm sure it'll be fine, but worth keeping an eye on it. Good luck.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Ta all!

 

[Levo-Lon]

My vans gearbox has just gone again, this time the gear linkage has failed.
thank heavens for warranties.
13700 miles one rebuild and this may also be a strip and rebuild, the original 5k fault still happens.
i think ill get shut of this and get a small car.

Anyone fitted a towbar on a C1 aygo ect ?

 

[MikeG]

I'm going to test drive a Transit Custom tomorrow..........is there anything else I should be asking/looking out for?

I have an old Transit. They are an absolute rust-bucket. If the new ones have changed, someone will tell you I'm sure, but otherwise, I wouldn't buy a Transit again.