Ducato vs Transit

[Neal]

We are now on our search for our next Motorhome, Fiat vs Ford?

 

It’s likely to be a Benimar, so obviously it will be the same model regardless of base vehicle. I suspect a lot is down to preference, but every time I hear of a MoHo being stolen, it always seems to be a Ford.

 

Our first motorhome was a Chausson on a Ford and it was a lovely motorhome, we just didn’t like the over about bed. Our current one is a Swift Bessacarr on a Fiat which us also great.

 

In any event, we always use a wheel lock when parking the MoHo.

 

Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks.

[Brian Kirby]

Might help to focus replies if you can clarify whether new or used and, if used, what approximate age/generation of Ducato/Transit you would expect to buy. The main practical difference (apart from mechanicals), between the Fords and the Fiats is that the Fiat cab is wider, so rotating cab seats are more easily turned without having to adjust backrest rake or seat position.

[mgnbuk]

I had a 2017 Chausson 610 on the then new Euro 6 170hp Transit. At the time of purchase most dealers had forward ordered the 610 on the Ford chassis, as this looked like more "value for money" than the 610 on the Ducato.

 

The Ford package included the 170hp engine, 16" alloy wheels, metallic cab, aircon, cruise control etc. as standard & this was nearly £1000 cheaper than a basic 130hp Fiat with 15" wheels, white cab etc. I had no preconceived ideas about the base vehicle - I had had 4 mostly trouble free years with a Ducato, but the "new" Transit got good reviews & was available, which a Fiat wasn't (the Chausson order book had closed at the time we were looking).

 

To say the Ford was a disappointment after the Ducato would be an understatement. I found the drivers seat unsupportive & thinly upholstered, the engine had a narrrow powerband that wasn't matched well to the gear ratios & fuel & Adblue consumption was higher than expected. Handling was decidedly soft & it didn't tow my motorcycle trailer well, with an uncomfortable pitching motion over broken surfaces.

 

The cab was narrower than the Fiat, the cab floor not flat & much of the cab storage was above the windscreen - all of which combined to make moving between cab & habitation more awkward.

 

I was unfortunate to have suffered with the fuel injector problems that seemed to affect quite a few of the early Euro 6 vans, but it was the way that Ford (and the Transit centre) dealt with the issues that finished the Ford for me. While the van was eventually fixed, it took 6 weeks to get the replacement injectors - 3 weeks of which were to get the parts from Ford Cologne to Polar Ford Huddersfield. There was, apparently, nothing in the Ford "system" to prioritise parts delivery for a "Vehicle off road" situation. No urgency or interest on Ford's part at any stage of the process - quite unlike my (limited) experience with the way Fiat handled problems. As I am still working & my holidays are fixed, the prospect of being "ignored" by Ford should a problem occur in the run-up to going away played heavily on my mind, so it had to go.

 

It is a couple of years now since the Euro 6 Transits came out & they may well be better now. I seem to recall seeing that they had launched a "flat floor" cab for the motorhome chassis, for example. And some are reporting that the automatic version is better on fuel than my manual model managed. But I have not seen any suggestions that the Ford "experience" with the dealers has improved any.

 

The Fiat part of the replacement 610 has been fine - more flexible & relaxing to drive, more economical, more comfortable. I think it handles better than the Ford, which was quite softly sprung. And, on the Fiat side, problem free - there was an outstanding recall for an intercooler hose clip when I took delivery that was sorted in under 40 minutes, but that has been it.

 

There were aspects of the Ford that were better than the Fiat - clearer, more visible instruments, better cruise control, higher rear axle load limit & easier under bonnet access. But, as a motorhome base vehicle, I think the Fiat is better overall & worth the extra cost over the Ford.

 

Nigel B

[Marcol]

To counter that I had an Autotrail on a Fiat Comfortmatic which was rubbish.

Where as my present Transit Benimar is better in every respect IMHO. But each to their own. Make sure you take them both for a good test drive and then decide which one is for you

 

 

[Kennyd]

I own a Renault master & Fiat Ducato , also drive son-in-law’s ford transit all less than 2 years old

For me the fiat wins hands down (even with comformatic box) , the Renault is pretty good , the Ford I don’t like at all

 

BUT just my opinion

[Neal]

Thanks for the comments, very interesting indeed.

 

We are looking at the new Benimar range and the dealer in Murcia, Spain had both on the forecourt.

 

Our current MoHo being Fiat, I think that’s what we will stick with.

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

Neal.

[PCC]

You might want to talk to your insurance company and see what the relative premiums and requirements are. The transit seems to be a problem with insurers.

 

Peter

[monique.hubrechtsgm]

The ford transit does not have a motor home platform like Fiat in terms of W-H and rear track.driving . In fact they do not have a motor home chassis.

[mgnbuk]

"The ford transit does not have a motor home platform like Fiat in terms of W-H and rear track.driving . In fact they do not have a motor home chassis."

 

That is not correct. Ford have beeen making a motorhome specific chassis since 2010 according to this press release https://www.practicalmotorhome.com/news/30506-ford-launches-motorhome-specific-transit

 

My 2017 Chausson was built on the Ford "motorhome chassis" - the Vin plate said Motorhome on it IIRC. And there has been mention of an "updated" motorhome chassis being made available since then that is front wheel drive only & has a flat floor, where mine had a transmission tunnel even though it was front wheel drive.

 

Nigel B

 

[monique.hubrechtsgm]

You miss the boat here. Even ford is aware of this but the market in europe is too small for it to open a line in Turkey. Have a good look again about the chassis. What is your rear wheel track?

[Kennyh]

According to the information I’ve been reading, Ford absolutely has a Motorhome chassis.

 

It is very interesting to let the various very positive statements from the press regarding the Ford Chassis and it’s handling as well as the feel from the 170bhp and Auto transmission package.

 

Have a look at 2 recent awards for most innovative design and Motorhome of the year, both based on the Ford package. See https://www.aboutcampbtob.eu/two-awards-for-trigano-motorhome-brands-chausson-and-challenger/

 

They are comments here about old Transit layouts and floor plans that are not relevant. The current model has a flat floor in the cab for example.

 

You know I’ve a boat as well and I’ve spent years having people tell me that “my engine is better than yours” and “Volvo D4’s and Sterndrives are terrible” - but the bottom line is it is the complete package, at a specific price point that matters.

 

Some people love BMW’s (personally I don’t), some love Merc’s (personally I dont), some love Audi’s (personally I do) - but they are all great vehicles - it’s all down to personal taste.

 

If the likes of Trigano Group (with circa 32% of European market share) is comfortable with pushing Transit based vehicles then that for me is a measure of how the industry views Transit and its fit for the Motorhome market.

 

As for security - many on here are absolutely right re the poor design of the Transit door locks - but that can be remedied for circa £200 for a very high security system ( the likes of the Hykee Replocks ).

 

Anyway, I just thought I’d add my tuppence worth as there appears to be a lot of, IMHO, misinformation on this thread so far.

 

 

 

 

[Rayjsj]

I would go for a Transit Base....if only they were more secure from vehicle theft, they appear to be particularly bad compared to the Ducato. Both could do with a fresh security overhaul though.

Just another consideration.

 

 

 

[Derek Uzzell]

As Nigel B said above, in 2010 Ford introduced for the Ford Transit Mk 7 a ‘camping-car’ chassis similar conceptually to Fiat’s. A ‘camping-car' chassis is also available for the Transit Mk 8 and details/photos of the Ford and Fiat chassis are on this Chausson webpage.

 

https://www.chausson-motorhomes.com/standard-equipment/chassis/

 

(Ford once exhibited at motorhome shows an AL-KO chassis prototype for the Transit Mk 6, but it was never proceeded with.)

 

As should be plain from the photos, neither the Ford nor Fiat chassis offers a direct flat cab-to-living-area floor. It’s up to the motorhome converter to decide whether or not to achieve this, but the likelihood is that (at least with non-A-class designs) there will be a step (or steps) somewhere in the floor to the rear of the cab.

 

The Rapido 640 model based on the Fiat X250 camping-car chassis had a step up to the rear bedroom area and a step up to the front ‘lounge’ area, but the lounge-to-cab floor was flat. Later Ducato X290-based Rapido 640 models still have a step up to the rear bedroom area, but the step up to the front ‘lounge' is gone and there’s now a step from the lounge-area up into the cab.

 

The current Fiat Ducato’s history goes right back to 2006 and that includes its Euro 6 powerplants. The Ford Transit Mk 8 was first marketed in 2014 and its Euro 6 motor in 2016. So it's to be expected that the latest Transit should be significantly more technologically advanced than the current Ducato. Whether this translates into the latest Transit Mk 8 being a ‘better’ base for a motorhome is anybody’s guess, though...