I'm looking for a new car (well newer than my current 12 year old Escort anyway) and would like something that combines reasonable comfort for two with good old iron hauling capability. Obviously I've just described a van, but windows would be nice and rear seats are an occasional requirement. So I have been eying up such things as Citroen Berlingo and Suzuki Wagon R. Has anybody out there had direct experience of this type of vehicle and can comment on their suitability?
I go for a car & trailer as I don't then end up driving a van when I'm not moving stuff. I can also move bigger stuff on my trailer than in a van, it's easier to load, especially from a hoist etc. Of course there are downsides. A trailer takes space and I cannot tow my caravan and trailer together. That's why I show small engines that will fit in a car. On the subject of cars, I had a Citroen once. Great load lugger with self levelling suspension, when it worked. It was the most unreliable car I have ever known.
I have a Discovery, bought specially with old iron in mind which will haul over half a ton in the back, plus towing the caravan. The door height means I can get an engine up to 41" high and, with the back seats folded, over
They are rated to tow 3.5 tonnes with a max noseweight of 500 lbs as well. If you can get one with the self levelling air suspension, so much the better. They then come with active anti roll bars which eliminates nearly all body roll on the road. It's very impressive. Downsides are the thirst, even the diesels drink fuel. For the size of the vehicle, the internal space is rather limited. I can get almost as much floor area in my Sierra. They do have more height though.
For me, a Volvo estate will do it everytime. Mine ('86 760GLE 3 litre Vee 6) has now done 272,000 miles and just flew through an MOT with no rust reported at all, two front suspension bushes and an exhaust tail pipe.
I do 20,000 miles a year, mostly at high speed on the motorway. It is fast, responsive and it is quite amazing just how much you can get in the back. With the back seats down, you have six feet of flat load area which will comfortably sleep two. The height from bed to top of tailgate is two feet and most smaller engines can be shoved inside, thus saving the need to take a trailer.
I'm not sure how much I've had in there in terms of weight, but a bloody great dynamo and a couple of compressors cannot have weighed much less than five hundredweight - and there was space (if not capacity!) for more. I could easily have towed a trailer/caravan to, if required.
Excellent examples can be picked up for around £1,000 - usual disclaimers!
The Berlingo is a slug on a long trip unless you get the higher output engine(s), the Suzuki Wagon R is a dinosaur as far as engines and trailers are concerned.
Vans can be a drag if you have to go anywhere socially, we know, we run three vans and have no cars at all, but the usefulness can never be underestimated, especially for hauling engines and hardware.
Estate cars are almost as useful and have the added advantage (usually) of being able to tow slightly more weight than the car they are derived from.
Astra's are a bit small, the Peugot 405's are pretty good in turbo form, Volvo's are the main battle-tanks of the roads but tend to be a bit thirsty but my favourite would be the Vauxhall Carlton or Omega estates, they tow extremely well, the 2 litre and 2.2 litre engines are quite economical and they are big inside. You can get the V6 engines as well, but they are a bit beyond the home mechanic with all-electronic controls for everything.
We had a 2-litre Carlton estate when we moved to Rushden in 1986 and regretted letting it go when we changed over to an all-van fleet in the companies. If I had to go back to a car, I'd probably look for a late Carlton (K or L reg) or an Omega estate.
They are all built in Germany by Opel BTW.
Kind regards,
Peter
Peter Forbes Prepair Ltd Luton, UK email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk home: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk
I was lucky enough to be able to buy the Series two, which as John says, has very impressive suspension. For an extra £60 (rip off) they give you a remote control which will lower the rear of the vehicle "on its haunches" so to speak. This means I only need short ramps and still keeps the angle reasonable.
As I had Jags for about 25 years prior to getting the Discovery, I wanted a decent cruising motor so I opted for the V8.........has a really bad steering pull to the left..........every time you pass a petrol station!!!!
Hmm. Slug and dinosaur - not exactly an unreserved recommendation then! I must say though that the Berlingo looks ok on paper in 1.6 or 1.8 petrol form and though the 90hp 1.8 is rather thirsty, its probably a nicer drive than the 110hp 1.6. Of course the 2.0 Hdi diesel has power and economy but is beyond my pocket and that goes for the likes of Disco's as well (we're not all filthy rich southerners you know!).
I don't actually own a trailer (there's an admission) and I don't think that several yards of Volvo would fit in the drive but perhaps a smaller estate (Skoda Fabia) might do the job. The largest engine I'm likely to want to carry is 2 1/2 hp Bradford on trolly which is probably only around 3cwt, but even moderately sized engines are virtually inpossible to get in and out of a conventional hatch back with a loading lip higher than the boot floor.
Most things fit inside. If it won't, then they're good towcars.
Earlier this year I didn't buy one, but spent the money instead on another's years maintenance for my Citroen XM. 6 months later, out falls my gearbox !
I'm still driving it, I just don't have 5th any more. The lovely leather interior is turning into furniture.
I'm following this debate with keen interest. I have always driven estates and my current vehicle is an N reg Peugot 405. A superb vehicle which has a GTW of 1100KG and returns around 48 poodling and 38 towing. (I can't match the angle of attack of Kim's Volvo, when its laden, so get less lift :-) The 406 is 2" wider and won't fit up my passage otherwise I'd have one like a shot! I have looked at the Skoda estate and was extremely impressed. The build quality was good and you get a hell of a lot of car (and extras) for your money. A lateish VW Passat is comparable with the 405 and worth a look. The trailer is only 2 years old and has clocked up about 8000 miles. I'd be lost without it but its presence in the yard is a damn nuisance. Neither my back nor the wallet will cope with a L-R anymore but I do miss the view. ttfn
The Berlingo is OK, if you get one with the 2.0 litre Hdi engine, the older IDI engine is nowhere near as good The petrol engined version is a slug, too slow to get out of its own way. My own choice is a diesel Citroen C5 estate. Mine is an early one, and has had a couple of dealer recalls, but the later ones are just fine, and seem to be very cheap for what is a lot of car. It has self levelling suspension, and can tow 1.5 tons, with a 600 kilo payload in the back. I am well known for my lead filled right boot, but average about
30mpg when towing, It too has the ability to lower and raise the rear suspension by means of a rocker switch just inside the back. It makes hitching and detaching a trailer a doddle. I've done nearly 40,000 miles in two years, and am still very happy with the car.
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