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why buy a transit?

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why buy a transit?

Postby saddahati » Tue May 19, 2020 10:11 am

Hi everyone

I would love to get a transit as the layout is great for a camper conversion and price is ok. BUT I just keep hearing of all these problems with transits with transmission and more...
Quite a few comments as "wouldnt touch them" etc
Im trying to get clarity on this and so thought I would come to a transit forum though Ther is maybe some bias as quite a few transit owners who may love them.
Can anyone tell me if there are specific models or years to stay away from where the majority of issues were?
Thanks
Ang
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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby dumper » Tue May 19, 2020 4:01 pm

What mk are you looking for makes a lot of difference m8
MK 8 L4 H3 Motorsport campervan
Past camper vans
1974 mk1 v4 with 2.0 pinto fitted
1986 mk3 2.5 di swb
1990 190 lwb 2.5 di
1998 100 lwb 2.5 di
2006 350 jumbo 135 tdci
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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby ned » Tue May 19, 2020 6:39 pm

Not heard of many transits with transmission problems :? Rust yes but all vehicles rust
RUST IS LIGHTER THEN CARBON FIBRE

57 transit 85t260 2.2 swb, moondust silver.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=209987

03 transit 125t280 2.0 tdci swb 229,000 miles.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=168296
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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby Altransit » Tue May 19, 2020 7:39 pm

I've owned, or had the use of every model from Mk1 to Mk7, and I can vouch for the fact that not one of them has suffered with transmission problems, they've all parted from me, bearing the original engines, clutches and gearboxes, after at least a hundred thousand miles of use, each.

As vans (and cars!) get more technological you'll undoubtedly get more problems with electronics, fuel systems, engine management, etc, but purely mechanical problems are, if anything, fewer than they were many years ago.
1994 Mk4 SWB 115 Minibus 70ps Di (R.I.P.)
1997 Mk5 SWB 115 Minibus 70ps Di (Gone, but not forgotten!)
2004 Mk6 SWB T280 Medium Roof 85PS 2.0 TDDi - Vantunered (Also gone)
2008 Mk7 SWB T280 Medium Roof 85PS 2.2 TDCi - Also Vantunered
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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby bambi mk 1 » Tue May 19, 2020 7:46 pm

Altransit wrote:I've owned, or had the use of every model from Mk1 to Mk7, and I can vouch for the fact that not one of them has suffered with transmission problems, they've all parted from me, bearing the original engines, clutches and gearboxes, after at least a hundred thousand miles of use, each.

As vans (and cars!) get more technological you'll undoubtedly get more problems with electronics, fuel systems, engine management, etc, but purely mechanical problems are, if anything, fewer than they were many years ago.

Were they looked after as well as the exported XR :?: :P
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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby Altransit » Tue May 19, 2020 7:56 pm

bambi mk 1 wrote:Were they looked after as well as the exported XR :?: :P

Certainly not, vans are workhorses not showpieces :lol: :mrgreen:

I can't have done a bad job looking after the XR3i, It's still in use 35 years later, when most of them ended up as wreckage in a scrap yard back in the eighties :P
1994 Mk4 SWB 115 Minibus 70ps Di (R.I.P.)
1997 Mk5 SWB 115 Minibus 70ps Di (Gone, but not forgotten!)
2004 Mk6 SWB T280 Medium Roof 85PS 2.0 TDDi - Vantunered (Also gone)
2008 Mk7 SWB T280 Medium Roof 85PS 2.2 TDCi - Also Vantunered
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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby Punto443 » Tue May 19, 2020 10:43 pm

Exported to Scotland :lol:
Although would have been to santapod last weekend for a visit if not for the lockdown :(

As for vans, go for a drive, count how may different types and how many of each.
I bet transits will be right up the top.

Canny be that bad eh?

Never heard of them having weak gearboxes? Trajic/viv/Nissan on the other hand yes.

Rust and neglect kill transits
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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby knobby1 » Wed May 20, 2020 12:42 am

Punto443 wrote:Never heard of them having weak gearboxes?
Rust and neglect kill transits


Agreed mate.....A variant of the MT82 was used in Mustangs a few years back, some of them had 500hp plus..!

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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby saddahati » Wed May 20, 2020 8:18 am

I havent seen any consistent make problems to identify a faulty make. There was a recall of 400000 transits in canada in the 2015 t0 2017 model for a coupling problem "flexible coupling connecting the transmission to the driveshaft may prematurely fail" but thats not in australia. Saw this site for specific australian issues.
http://australiancar.reviews/reviews.ph ... it&gen=275

I hadnt thought of a specific make yet though something in the 2000's decade and would be dependant on this forum advising on make issues or great makes with good reliability and low cost maintenance and good fuel economy. I want a capervan set up to live in.
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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby Cider Andy » Sat May 23, 2020 9:38 am

They all have (or can have) problems, just like any other vehicle of any make: I saw a quote earlier today that Rolls Royce used to call oil leaks "controlled seepage"!

Whilst I have no experience of it myself, I see advice on here to avoid the 135ps Mk6 TDCi because the fuel system is fragile. Beyond that, keep it maintained and try to deal with any rust as it starts and it should be good and reliable for many years.
Drink moderately, eat healthily, exercise regularly, die anyway.
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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby Altransit » Sat May 23, 2020 9:45 am

saddahati wrote:I havent seen any consistent make problems to identify a faulty make. There was a recall of 400000 transits in canada in the 2015 t0 2017 model for a coupling problem "flexible coupling connecting the transmission to the driveshaft may prematurely fail" but thats not in australia. Saw this site for specific australian issues.

The Americans build their own Transits using different engines and gearboxes to the UK, so presumably the Canadian ones are American built.
1994 Mk4 SWB 115 Minibus 70ps Di (R.I.P.)
1997 Mk5 SWB 115 Minibus 70ps Di (Gone, but not forgotten!)
2004 Mk6 SWB T280 Medium Roof 85PS 2.0 TDDi - Vantunered (Also gone)
2008 Mk7 SWB T280 Medium Roof 85PS 2.2 TDCi - Also Vantunered
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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby dumper » Sat May 23, 2020 12:36 pm

Cider Andy wrote:They all have (or can have) problems, just like any other vehicle of any make: I saw a quote earlier today that Rolls Royce used to call oil leaks "controlled seepage"!

Whilst I have no experience of it myself, I see advice on here to avoid the 135ps Mk6 TDCi because the fuel system is fragile. Beyond that, keep it maintained and try to deal with any rust as it starts and it should be good and reliable for many years.

My 135 was ok must have been lucky I got mine before all the bad posts on here turn up but after reading them I would not have got one but it was a good driving engine.
MK 8 L4 H3 Motorsport campervan
Past camper vans
1974 mk1 v4 with 2.0 pinto fitted
1986 mk3 2.5 di swb
1990 190 lwb 2.5 di
1998 100 lwb 2.5 di
2006 350 jumbo 135 tdci
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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby davyjcb » Sat May 23, 2020 12:57 pm

flogged my 135 on with over 230 K on it, yes it did go for a set of injectors at 104 K but it did pull like a train and other than that only put 1 clutch in it.
Obviously it had pads an discs/shoes oil an filters but any vehicle requires the run of the mill servicing to perform it's duties
96 escort 55 van gone
98 smiley mwb semi high gone
01 90/350 mwb semi high roof gone
05 135/350 lwb semi high roof gone
10 85/260 swb low roof leader gone
09 140/350 lwb semi high fwd
11 115/330 mwb semi high roof
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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby Cider Andy » Sun May 24, 2020 10:50 am

dumper wrote:
Cider Andy wrote:They all have (or can have) problems, just like any other vehicle of any make: I saw a quote earlier today that Rolls Royce used to call oil leaks "controlled seepage"!

Whilst I have no experience of it myself, I see advice on here to avoid the 135ps Mk6 TDCi because the fuel system is fragile. Beyond that, keep it maintained and try to deal with any rust as it starts and it should be good and reliable for many years.

My 135 was ok must have been lucky I got mine before all the bad posts on here turn up but after reading them I would not have got one but it was a good driving engine.

davyjcb wrote:flogged my 135 on with over 230 K on it, yes it did go for a set of injectors at 104 K but it did pull like a train and other than that only put 1 clutch in it.
Obviously it had pads an discs/shoes oil an filters but any vehicle requires the run of the mill servicing to perform it's duties

It just goes to show, doesn't it, how things can get a bad reputation? Any machine, if looked after, should perform.
Drink moderately, eat healthily, exercise regularly, die anyway.
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Re: why buy a transit?

Postby ned » Sun May 24, 2020 10:52 am

Cider Andy wrote:
dumper wrote:
Cider Andy wrote:They all have (or can have) problems, just like any other vehicle of any make: I saw a quote earlier today that Rolls Royce used to call oil leaks "controlled seepage"!

Whilst I have no experience of it myself, I see advice on here to avoid the 135ps Mk6 TDCi because the fuel system is fragile. Beyond that, keep it maintained and try to deal with any rust as it starts and it should be good and reliable for many years.

My 135 was ok must have been lucky I got mine before all the bad posts on here turn up but after reading them I would not have got one but it was a good driving engine.

davyjcb wrote:flogged my 135 on with over 230 K on it, yes it did go for a set of injectors at 104 K but it did pull like a train and other than that only put 1 clutch in it.
Obviously it had pads an discs/shoes oil an filters but any vehicle requires the run of the mill servicing to perform it's duties

It just goes to show, doesn't it, how things can get a bad reputation? Any machine, if looked after, should perform.


Things get a bad rep usually from people who have never owned or used said thing
RUST IS LIGHTER THEN CARBON FIBRE

57 transit 85t260 2.2 swb, moondust silver.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=209987

03 transit 125t280 2.0 tdci swb 229,000 miles.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=168296
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