Advice please on first tranny

[malarky]

Hello all
This site is great, I have been trawling through many posts looking for opinions on all the transits out there from mk1 to mk14.5, and now my head is spinning.

So - I NEED A VAN!!

I'm a pedestrian since my ldv200 turned to powder on my doorstep and it seems that everyone under the sun is advising me to go transit - so i am.

MY IDEAL -

I'm fussy. SWB too short (but would do me 90% of the time and my back is 2 knackered to be loading roofrack). Lwb too big (would too often be carrying a big empty box around but might be tempted to get one - as someone here said you cant get a big load in a small van)

So, as goldilocks would choose, I want a MWB (just right)

But are they sh**e?

is it going to cost me a fortune in pumps and flywheels and valium?

I've got around 5k if my blackmail scheme works so i'm probably looking at and X or Y reg with about 70-90k on the clock.

I would only do around 10k per year as most of my work is local (a significant chunk within 3 mile radius!!)

What would you tranny folk recommend i do?

I've bid on a few on ebay, but no winner as yet - also i'm mechanically incompetent (impotent?) and if it cant be fixed with gaffer tape I dont want to know - so I dont really know what to look out for...

Well, there's a long rambling question. Long rambling answers welcome.

Thanks all

[madmark]

for you if a swb or lwb is no good then you will have to go for mk6 new shape mwb ,cant say much about them as i here some people never have a problem and some have loads of problems with them! i would think the art is to get one thats been well maitained by fords so if it needed a pump then it would of been done ,so you need like a ex company vehicle!

[Smooth Hound]

Depends what your carrying ,but if i was you i would be thinking swb with a tow bar and a small 5 to 10 cwt that you can manage with your back to hitch up and unhitch.
Mike

[malarky]

I mainly carry light small loads, but my main problem is that every so often i need to carry 8x4 sheets of mdf or ply - often with artwork on them - so they cant get wet and need to be caried inside safely...

[Smooth Hound]

How about atrailer 8by4 or afraction bigger with a rain cover ,i have atrailer with a cover and it is bone dry and clean inside ,,and its alot easier on the back then in side the van unless its a high top. I use old caravan cushions to put things that dont want to get scratched or jump around, and if its not needing to carry heavy weights it wouldnt be much say 1 to 200 quid you can even get made to measure tarp covers quite cheap now ,anyway good luck .
Mike

[malarky]

I dont think that I have the space for a trailer, it would have to stay on the road outside the house - and parking can be a mare - the bloke I share with, my g'friend and my 3 best mates all have lwb vans- so parking can be a mare.

Smooth hound, have you got anything against the mwb or are you just advising me on what you thinks best for my situation?



i've been looking at this one on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FORD-TRANSIT-VAN- ... dZViewItem



seems ok to me...

anyone have any thoughts?

[Luke]

i think the mwb is a great idea there was allways a gap in the market for a van between the lwb and swb

[FredTransit]

small medium and large, seems natural enough! Don't know whay it wasn't thought of before.

[Luke]

small medium and large, seems natural enough! Don't know whay it wasn't thought of before.

extra large too fred your forgetting the jumbo

[FredTransit]

small medium and large, seems natural enough! Don't know whay it wasn't thought of before.

extra large too fred your forgetting the jumbo

Ah yes, but they are a bit special, and not even a ford option.

[Luke]

small medium and large, seems natural enough! Don't know whay it wasn't thought of before.

extra large too fred your forgetting the jumbo

Ah yes, but they are a bit special, and not even a ford option.

on the new trannys they are

[FredTransit]

I meant the extra long lutons, even the new 'option' wheelbase doesn't go up to 15'6". I mean Ford SVO, not special chassis like ours, which wasn't anything to do with Ford.

[malarky]

....ahh,

well i know what size i want, that wasnt really the issue

I suppose what i really want to know is how crappy the x-y reg trannies are.
There seem to be a fair few peolpe having more than your average grief with them. Or do the people moaning just make 'emselves heard more?

I could just get an older LWB and have some cash in hand to sort out any future probs or buy something newer and if anything goes wrong i'll have to rent out my spare room, or girlfriend, or similar to fix it...

i'm looking out for something from ex-fleet with a full service history, which seems sensible to me. But the amount of friendly advice i'm getting from all corners is totally conflicting - bananas and smileys and old and new, who hates what etc...


I could just get an older LWB and have some cash in hand to sort out any future probs or buy something newer and if anything goes wrong i'll have to rent out my spare room, or girlfriend or similar to fix it...

like i said, i need stickers to distinguish 'arse' from 'elbow' when it comes to vans.

[Valsheda]

....ahh,

I could just get an older LWB and have some cash in hand to sort out any future probs or buy something newer and if anything goes wrong i'll have to rent out my spare room, or girlfriend or similar to fix it...

I think you have hit the nail on the head there mate, get yer self a late smiley, just shop around till you find the best for the money you have, or get a Mk6 and arange a big over draft with your bank for the up keep if something goes wrong

[maxlee]

would jsut get a lwb and keep sime cash put by if any thing gose wrong

welcome to the site btw