Couple of novice buyer questions

[Debs]

Hi everyone.
im still looking to buy a minibus.
Ive two questions im sort of stuck on (makes it sound like an exam doesnt it )

1/ How many miles for a diesel transit minibus would you consider as starting to get old/big bills coming up/worn out? We were thinking anything over 80,000-100,000 miles onwards was starting to enter that territory but to be honest i dont 100% know

2/ We are trying to decide between a 12 seater or 15 seater (and remove a couple of seats from the 15 seater version). Will a 15 seater fit in an avergage parking space?
or will we be better going with a 12 seater?

Our old car was 15.08 feet long so i dont know how a 12 seater & 15 seater compare for length to that?



Thanks in advance

[bigjohnthomas]

your old car was 15.8 meters long
what car was it

[Debs]

sorry i meant feet *dippyDebsmoment*

edited to say i think all this endless phoning up places looking for one has mushed all our brains up!
The other day on the phone, my mum rang and asked a place if they had any 12" minibuses in, instead of 12 seater

[fedup2]

Dont get too hung up on the milage thing most vehicles ive bought over the years have had well over 100,000 miles on and they have been better than most of the low milage ones with alot less problems.

By 80,000-100,000 most problems have been ironed out.Getting the right vehicle from the right owner is generally a better thing to focus on than what it says on a speedo which to me is no indication at all of condition or the likelyhood of problems.My last van had nearly 120,000 miles on and drove better than this one at 50,000.
A vehicle thats lived on the motorway doing long days will have had a much easier life than one spent round town so one with 50,000 miles can be alot more hammered than one with double the mileage.
example..I used to do about 700-900 miles some days the drivers door,starter etc would be used probably every 300 miles with very little stress on the engine box and brakes,yet one thats been used locally will take alot more hammer and much more will be likely to be more worn such as the driver seat base from entry exit etc.
I think people get too hung up on milage as they do service history.A service book can be stamped while the vehicle still requires plenty of work but not done due to cost.

[Debs]

Thank you Fedup2, finally thanking you 2 years late

Well what happened.... we ended up getting a LDV convoy minibus 13 seater.

Fast forward to 2 weeks ago when hubby lost control of it and spun it over about 3 times! Got away with just a cut arm! Vehicle was written off as fire brigade had to cut him out of it.

So anyways we are back looking for a minibus and are seriously considering a Transit this time.
I just feel like a change but its really down to whatever we can get with the LDV payout (was a 36,000 miles, 2005, ex MOD if anyone interested and insurance are goin to pay just over £3000 out)


So we will have about £3000-£3500 budget

So would still be very greatful if anyone could let me know about Transit 12 seater length compared to 15 seaters?
(for parking spaces etc)

We quite like the fact that some we have seen have had a sliding door both sides, but this was before we found out how much the insurance would pay out, so thinking those models (sorry for my transit model ignorance) will be well above our budget now.

[Altransit]

The Mk5 SWB 12 seater is 4.6 metres in length approx, but they don't make the Mk6 12 seater in SWB form The Mk6 is a MWB, and is obviously longer, but has space behind the rear seats which the Mk5 doesn't have
The Mk6 Tourneo is a SWB but is only an eight, or nine, seater

[Debs]

Thank you