Mk6 and Mk7 transits are not a patch on the old transits

[limeyboosk]

We have had nothing but problems with the newbies at where I work. One engine even went pop at just over 60,000miles. Another one the gearbox went, and we have had no end of problems with lights coming on 24/7.

The old ones that we had on 97 plates kept on going on to 350,000miles and beyond. No problems whatsoever. I see one of our old beasts still on the road going strong.

Apart from the fuel savings, I feel they should bring back the old ones, at least they lasted more than 100,000miles.

Someone told me the new mk7 engines have been made on the cheap. Is this true?

[limeyboosk]

Thats my techinical question for the day...

Are the engines as strong as the old ones?

[ake]

MK6 that have done 250000 miles are not uncommon and a few MK7 are well over 150000 so they can't be that bad

[Vee4]

I'm with you limeyboosk. I was considering replacing my old 'smiley', partly because of the London 'LEZ' but now the extension of the scope to light vans is on hold, I'm not so sure. It doesn't seem likely that something as complex as the Mk7 will last as long (12 years and 270,000 miles) with no more than routine maintenance and careful driving. Also, I don't want stuff like HLA, ESP, etc. I want to be driving the van, not having the van do it for me. My van returns 35mpg, so I don't know if a new one will be more fuel-efficient than that, since even the minimum spec is 85PS, and 115PS if you want the 6-speed gearbox.

[DI.-DAVE]

I ran a 98 MK 5 LWB HI-TOP for five years & recently replaced it with a MK6 2001 T350 120PS LWB HI TOP. I was dubious at first if I,d done the right thing as I.d heard the new generation transits were plagued with electrical problems,hard to work on, needed main dealership to maintain them.Now my MK6 has 170.000 miles on clock (original engine) and runs like a dream starts first time and is cheaper to run than MK5 I had. Also pulls a lot better & accelerates a hell of a lot quicker & pulls up hills where the old DI would need to drop down the box.I would also need to rev the guts out of old DI to get the thing rolling.When I sold my old MK5 it had 247.000 miles on clock & still drove well, but it had had a replacement engine (genuine ford)at 180.000 mls.a new clutch, and a hell of a lot of bills to keep the thing running.Being self employed I had kept all the old bills and these added up to quite a lot of money over five years.But the final thing was the dreaded rot, I welded a new floor into rear also various chassis sections .I now know my way round my new! van and find it easy to work on and as easy as old MK5. No doubt the old DI engines are good but when everything else around them rots you have to move on .I looked at a lot of vans before buying my MK6 this van has no rust/rot every panel is straight and still wears original ford paint. My advice is dont listen to people who sometimes have no clue but only pass on crap they have heard from others who may of had a bad van.I guess I am lucky but would,nt want a MK5 again

[pikeybob]

My mk5 i sold is still going the mk6 is in a scrap yard (engine fooked ) the mk7 still going but only done 21k no probs yet (fingers & toes crossed ) Think your right limeyboosk the mk6&7 are more efficient but the relabilty suffers as a result.

[alexgrfc]

mk5'eat n sh*T mk 6 anyday!!

[DEAN MACHINE]

I had 4 mk5 with no real problems other than rust , im on my 5th mk6 and the first 4 were very reliable and i put big mileage on all of them , however i got me a 54plate 350 in december and since i got it ive had a new diesel pump, front and back brakes , a new prop shaft , a new gear linkage, all that in 4 months . i think (hope) that this is just a bit of bad luck , my next van will be a mk7 but ive got to put 150,000 miles on this first , i just hope its up to it

[Guy88]

i said id never get a MK6, then i got one and would never go back

[winterheating]

i offered a builder a ''tow of war'' with my 75ps and his twin cab mk5 tipper, but he was a chicken wish i had a tow of war with my 125tdci then i'd defo be laughing

maybe thats how we should settle which ones best

the MK5 is just like a bumbling old man , always moaning and loud, moving like a slug, falling apart and rotting, ugly, only goes out on sundays, has a million miles on the clock,
simple, but everyone loves them.

[thunderider]

my motor on my mk6 gave up..well it wernt the engine it was the vac pump pipe....the engine still ticked like a swiss watch at nealy 300k....

[Mike]

After the comfort, performance, economy etc etc of the MK7 I would hate to have to slum it in an earlier model.

[psv-hgv-flt]

have too agree with mk5 last for ever, bullit proof, less trouble, can DIY fix, and far better build.

[winterheating]

since the launch of the mk6 in 2000, FORD must have had to employ twice as many mechanics to cope with all the problems
before 2000 they may have only had one or 2 commercial mechanics since the MK5 goes on and on with no problems.

[FBF]

we recently sold our old smiley tipper, it was a turbo too. had 160k on it and still drove tight and reliable. i had the arches done and resprayed the cab, new seat (why cant ford make a decent seat for the transit?) fitted a new ally body on the back and a new turbo then learnt about the upcoming lez compliancy and guessed it was better to sell the smiley and get the mk6 sooner rather than later... wish i could have afforded to keep it it was the best van ive ever had.. do like the mk6 though its nicer to drive and feels way more refined, but that old tipper had some power in it, rapid too with the tipper axle.