spartan3956 Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 It all boils down to anything made by Man/woman can break. Sometimes its down to poor design sometimes pure luck. For instance a friend has a 2012 PEUGEOT MH lots of management ECU issues exploding vehicle battery £800 to fix before he can sell it. He thinks its rubbish. Yes i would buy other makes as i have done in the past it just gets to me off hand comments when the author has never owned the vehicle in question. Iveco No comment. Van master who bought Bentley wanted a top of the range MH to diversify from their Caravan manufacturing unfortunately the recession killed them off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 colin - 2015-01-25 ...the Renault (pre 2013) had much more severe gearbox problems and a much higher failure rate due to it's GM gearbox Hi Colin. Can I ask, does that date tally with the introduction of the "new" Traffic/Vivaro? or was the fault put right during the run of the previous model?..... It's just that in the past I've considered a cheap, used one of these as a possible replacement for our old Hiace when if finally dies on us...and although I was aware of these gearbox faults, the failing/ seized injectors is not something that I'd picked up on until I saw RobinH's post... :-S Spending 100s-1000s to fix a 30-40k motorhome is bad enough..but on a cheap 5-7k used van, it could almost right it off... :-S RE; Master. Our previous Chausson was on an '08 2.5 150hp 6 speed, 4mtr wheel base and I really liked it. It wasn't as "car-like" to drive as the little X250 Peugeot that preceded it but I thought it felt "sturdier" and more planted(if maybe, slightly "cruder"?).. I have no idea how much of a "time bomb" it may have been though ... (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 pepe63 - 2015-01-26 12:00 PM colin - 2015-01-25 ...the Renault (pre 2013) had much more severe gearbox problems and a much higher failure rate due to it's GM gearbox Hi Colin. Can I ask, does that date tally with the introduction of the "new" Traffic/Vivaro? or was the fault put right during the run of the previous model?..... It's just that in the past I've considered a cheap, used one of these as a possible replacement for our old Hiace when if finally dies on us...and although I was aware of these gearbox faults, the failing/ seized injectors is not something that I'd picked up on until I saw RobinH's post... :-S Spending 100s-1000s to fix a 30-40k motorhome is bad enough..but on a cheap 5-7k used van, it could almost right it off... :-S RE; Master. Our previous Chausson was on an '08 2.5 150hp 6 speed, 4mtr wheel base and I really liked it. It wasn't as "car-like" to drive as the little X250 Peugeot that preceded it but I thought it felt "sturdier" and more planted(if maybe, slightly "cruder"?).. I have no idea how much of a "time bomb" it may have been though ... (lol) AFAIK, it was sometime during 2012 that it was sorted, so later ones of the old model should be ok (famous last words). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 colin - 2015-01-26 12:49 PM AFAIK, it was sometime during 2012 that it was sorted, so later ones of the old model should be ok (famous last words). Thank you for that Colin. I will bear that in mind, if/when we take a look at them. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Den Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Makes interesting reading. I have a 57 reg 150 hp quick shift 6. Lwb 3.5t perfect, and very economical, more so than the 120 hp. 98.000 miles. ( it's forsale by the way) Plus a 13 reg 120 hp quick shift 6. Perfect, but slightly under powered. Never had a problem with all the previous vans. All fully laden all the time. No gearbox fault at all, and never replaced a clutch even with 250.000 on the clock of my previous ones. Den Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Just to clarify, my enquiries were only really aimed at the Traffic/Vivaro sized vans ? I hope I haven't caused any confusing.... :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Oops! Obviously, in the above, it should've read; "..confusion.." :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tea Cup Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 pepe63 - 2015-01-26 2:18 PMJust to clarify, my enquiries were only really aimed at the Traffic/Vivaro sized vans ?I hope I haven't caused any confusing.... :-SAs I was saying earlier, I have a Vivaro. Once the gearbox was professionally sorted, I think it's a super van. I'm getting 36 or 37 mpg measured on a whole month's trip,and you can happily cruise at 70 plus, in sixth gear it's only just ticking over at say 2500 revs. For long distance cruising it's perfect. It'll also cost much less than the capital cost of say a T5. The high top version, which I have, is easy to convert, you're saving £2 or £3,000 on the cost of a pop-top, and have added security. A friend had his pop top slashed while they were sleeping, losing their gear, which is what persuaded me to go for a high top. PVCs are water-tight, no problems of ingress. I do not know what the weight of the Bentley adds to mine, but there is plenty of power. You often have to drop to 5th on a long drag slope. It can be chipped if you need more grunt. The choice is yours, each make has its own problems, but those Bentleys looked very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Hi Tea Cup.. Can I ask, how much of a job was it to sort the box?.. I know when I mentioned this topic in passing to the mechanic(s) at the independent garage we used for our, then Master CB, they said they'd had some Traffic/Vivaros in but that it wasn't really that big job to put right...? (..I seem to recall them also mentioning low 'box oil levels were sometimes to blame.?....no idea how true that is..) I certainly haven't written them off...so to speak. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I asked a local van hire company who I knew ran Renault vans. Turns out they gave up.using them in 2013 mainly due to gear box problems so not much help on ones made after that. They now use transits for small to medium size vans and Ivico for the larger ones with which they have been very happy. Just out interst why are you going back to a coach built from a PVC? We have just gone the other way so,I hope we've done the right thing! At least the ones you are looking at are not as wide mirror wise as the Faits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Den Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Hire companies buy fords for one reason. Cost. Buy 2 for 1. Son in law runs 3 transit minibuses. Try asking him about his garage bills. Oil pump failures, common over 40.000 miles ford garage informed him. He has run Renault like me with very low on the road costs. His now going to try a Merc. ? I have a Merc MH and the Crank shaft sensor packed up after 22,000 mile. Just out of warranty. I must admit I didn't pay a penny. ( but that's another story ) Unless people run a particular vehicle they can only go on here say. I run 2 Renault masters at the moment, a Merc mh and a bmw car. I might be lucky in not having hardly any faults, but I'm relatively careful. Would you buy an x hire vehicle, yes if you were wearing a straight jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Are you another PVC convert, ( I'm was one once, but saw the error of my ways ) coming back into the fold? Interesting to know why the change of heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tea Cup Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 pepe63 - 2015-01-26 7:09 PMHi Tea Cup..Can I ask, how much of a job was it to sort the box?..I know when I mentioned this topic in passing to the mechanic(s) at the independent garage we used for our, then Master CB, they said they'd had some Traffic/Vivaros in but that it wasn't really that big job to put right...?(..I seem to recall them also mentioning low 'box oil levels were sometimes to blame.?....no idea how true that is..)I certainly haven't written them off...so to speak. :-DSorry Pepe, didn't see your post. My van is VERY high mileage, 205k, but I bought it cheaply because the body is great, much better than you'd expect, so the cost of the gearbox rebuild was acceptable. There is a very good gearbox specialist nearby who quoted £1,500 or so for a complete rebuild with new clutch. It took just a few days and was well worth it, silky smooth. It's definitely an engine out job though. They said that the gearboxes were made too tight, and they loosened the shims for the rebuild. Don't know about low gearbox oils causing the problem. Just to repeat, they are a great van. I've talked to T5 owners with expensive problems, too. At least you pay much less for a Vivaro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tea Cup Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 pepe63 - 2015-01-26 7:09 PMHi Tea Cup..Can I ask, how much of a job was it to sort the box?..I know when I mentioned this topic in passing to the mechanic(s) at the independent garage we used for our, then Master CB, they said they'd had some Traffic/Vivaros in but that it wasn't really that big job to put right...?(..I seem to recall them also mentioning low 'box oil levels were sometimes to blame.?....no idea how true that is..)I certainly haven't written them off...so to speak. :-DSorry Pepe, didn't see your post. My van is VERY high mileage, 205k, but I bought it cheaply because the body is great, much better than you'd expect, so the cost of the gearbox rebuild was acceptable. There is a very good gearbox specialist nearby who quoted £1,500 or so for a complete rebuild with new clutch. It took just a few days and was well worth it, silky smooth. It's definitely an engine out job though. They said that the gearboxes were made too tight, and they loosened the shims for the rebuild. Don't know about low gearbox oils causing the problem. Just to repeat, they are a great van. I've talked to T5 owners with expensive problems, too. At least you pay much less for a Vivaro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Thanks for that Tea Cup... ..if it only went at 200k, that wasn't too bad for you then (..I'd read of folk who were supposedly on their 2nd-3rd box in the first 30-40k or so?... But, like you, I also know/have spoken with, some T5 owners, who wish they had stuck with their old, non-turbo'd T4s.. :-S Thanks again. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Tracker - 2015-01-24 7:15 PM We are considering a return to a compact coachbuilt and this looks like the joker in the pack - rare enough to appeal to us and hopefully well made enough to last as being no longer in business Benrley specific parts are likely to be rarer than hen's teeth? I have a downloaded pdf brochure for the Indigo. It is not very informative: a few pretty pictures and a bit of blurb and it does not mention the base vehicle ( although we know it is the Renault Trafic ). I can e-mail it to you if you are still interested and would let me know your e-mail address. Harvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 Thanks Harvey, that is a very kind thought, but I already have all the blurb and as you say I do now know that it is a Trafic not a Master having been mis-informed originally. I think we have almost dis-counted the Bentley, not so much due to the gearbox issues but due mainly to the lack of a cut away cab and need to rotate the cab seats to make single beds which would make living in it almost as tiresome as it is in a panel van when compared to a 'proper' coachbuilt, but I really appreciate your kind offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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