bi-ennial service charges.

[Robinhood]

euroserv - 2010-09-30 2:15 PM

 

Why support Ford? They don't make any transit's here any more. They have abandoned us so why help them? Just because fleet managers are stupid does not mean we have to be.

 

Nick

 

I thought the Transit was the only remaining Ford vehicle still assembled in Britain (at Southampton).

 

The last I heard was that van assembly was being transferred abroad (but has been delayed for a bit), but would be replaced by (an element) chassis-cab Transit assembly at Southampton.

 

Must admit I've had Fiats/Peugeots to date over the last 20 years or so, but my recently purchased Transit-based Hobby is ticking all the boxes at the moment, and the service experience to date has been so much easier and better.

[Brian Kirby]

Robinhood - 2010-09-30 3:56 PM ............. Must admit I've had Fiats/Peugeots to date over the last 20 years or so, but my recently purchased Transit-based Hobby is ticking all the boxes at the moment, and the service experience to date has been so much easier and better.

Penny to a quid your platform cab Tranny base was made in Turkey.  Ours was, and so far as I know, Turkey is the ony source of Transit platform cabs.

[Guest JudgeMental]

locar ford dealer has just called to remind me CAR needs servicing next month and MOT. Offer is they ,collect and return, full service for £129 and the MOT for £9.99,,,,,, dont sound bad what? 8-)

[Robinhood]

Brian Kirby - 2010-09-30 4:17 PM

Penny to a quid your platform cab Tranny base was made in Turkey.  Ours was, and so far as I know, Turkey is the only source of Transit platform cabs.

It was (my post wasn't meant to imply it was *exclusively* built in Southampton)....and as I understand it the existing van assembly from Southampton is to be moved there or to Romania (but I don't think it has happened yet).

[euroserv]

A bit more about Iveco.....

 

In the late 80's Ford had an aging Cargo truck and no big vans, they, in their infinite wisdom decided that there was not sufficient demand for them to invest in a big van or truck range for what was really only going to be the UK market (which they led, but were quite pitiful in Europe). They decided to import Iveco Daily vans and stick a Ford badge on them, and import Trucks (for a spell in kit form to be assembled at Southampton) and tret them in the same way.

 

It was successful because not only did they sell well (Number 1 selling 7.5T truck for 14 years in the UK) but also managed to deceive folk into thinking that Ford owned Iveco, which of course was far from the truth. Fiat own Iveco, and Iveco has been quite a success story with the Daily being as dominating of the European markets in much the same way as the Transit has been in the UK.

 

With the imminent break up of Fiat into Auto and Industrial divisions happening early next year, the latest speculation is that Mercedes Benz are trying to buy Iveco (as yet not offering enough) because Iveco and Fiat have South America sown up and are very well represented in the Far East with vehicles being built under licence all over the place and some very high profile joint ventures. Whatever happens, the future of Iveco looks more secure than a lot of other manufacturers.

 

Fiat Professional will remain in the hands of the Auto division. Which seems odd, but reflects the value that Fiat put on it.

 

Not at all on topic but I thought one or two of you would like to know.

 

Nick

[fred grant]

well, maybe one, but two unlikely euroserve my biddy.

 

 

fiatfriendlyfred

[Guest Peter James]

euroserv - 2010-09-30 2:15 PM Fiat specify 5W 40 oil (NOT 10W 40) for all vans made since 2005

 

True. But mine is the Citroen Badged Version (Relay 120 manufactured 2008). Page 21 of the Citroen Maintenance and Warranty Guide, which I have in front of me, shows a chart for recommended oil viscosity.

10w 40 for temperature range -20C to +50C

5w 40 for temperature range -30C to +50C

 

 

And another thing... The 2.2 engine in the Transit and X250 is supposedly a joint venture between Ford and PSA but in truth there is nothing Ford about it.

 

When I changed the oil filter I noticed the 'Ford' logo cast into the oil filter housing. And as you say they are also fitted in the Transit so it looked like a Ford engine to me. Nevertheless, I wouldn't be surprised if its a Peugeot Citroen diesel engine as it just seems too good to be a Ford.

[Guest peter]

oldlowie - 2010-09-29 11:34 PM

 

Basing the average British motorhome on a Fiat was the biggest con ever >:-(

 

My Trannie is serviced by my local garage at £80 a year (including ALL Ford servicing requirements); it will will last for another billion miles before I finally tire of it, sell it to a builder, who will thrash it for another billion miles, and then sell it to a 'traveller', who will thrash it to its ultimate death sometime in 2036.

 

My 'van will then hang its head in shame for only enduring 40 years of abuse, a light-weight in commercial vehicle circles :D

 

Please stop buying Sevel X2/50's and support good ol' Henry Ford. You are already too late to support Iveco (a Ford partner), who have now gone bankrupt - shame on you >:-)

Ah....But the Fiat 130 Multijet is an Iveco engine.

[Guest Peter James]

Have just scanned in the oil viscosity recommendations from my Citroen Handbook. Will see if I can attach it here

[Guest Peter James]

Seems to have worked (chart above)

 

I can see that 5w 40 is a better oil that 10w 40, because is better between -20C and -30C. And that Fiat would recommend it when they don't know what temperature you will be driving in (From my experience Italy has a wider temperature range than Britain).

 

But if you never go below -20C aren't you wasting your money?

 

(even 15w 40 goes down to -16C so would be good enough for most of us)

 

The ACEA Standard that PSA recommend is ;

for engines without particle filter: A3/B4

for engines with particle filter: C2 as first choice, or C3

 

(Peugeot Citroen's recommended manufacturer is 'Total', but I'm guessing thats for commercial reasons, like Fiat recommend 'Agip')