Hi,
First post here so saying hi to everyone.
First got a Transit last year after having a Mondeo Mk3 estate and needing more room (and the car was getting a bit damaged on the interior trim, now belongs to my sister!)
Picked up a 2007 Transit 85T280 swb low roof 5 speed with about 160000 miles on from the local breakers/salvage yard (pretty much every vehicle i've ever had came from a breakers or salvage yard, i've always got a good deal this way!) It was a fairly easy fix to sort the damage, in fact all I needed to do was get a second hand headlamp! The bonnet just needed a bit of manipulation with a hammer and a piece of wood, and the bumper bar the same. It was a fairly basic low end van (wind up windows, manual mirrors etc.) but did what I needed. Never really had any problem apart from a bit the camshaft sensor loom needing replacing where it plugs onto the sensor.
Still, I thought that a slightly bigger van would do the job better and I might be able to stand up in it as well! A silver 2008 140T280 LX mwb medium roof 6 speed with about 124000 miles came up at the same place with very similar damage to the white one and I managed to pick that one up. Plus it had a lot more extras like electric windows/mirrors, high end dash, esp, heated front screen, Thatcham alarm, etc. Needed some work doing (and it was a bit grim inside!) like the damage from the accident, broken side door handle and lock contacts, both mirrors damaged, broken rear door lock, etc. but now is looking pretty good. I've recently picked up a cruise control steering wheel as I understand with the high end dash, I can just put that in place, get it switched on and be done. I was hoping I could do it with ForScan but i'm not sure. Slightly paranoid about my bcm/ecu unit going missing in the post if I sent it off to be switched on!
Anyway, still got some paintwork to do where I replaced the wing and some other damage that's been on there for a fair while but it's coming along nicely!