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Berlingo to a proper bike Van?

21 posts & 16 voices | Started 7 hours ago by Wally | Latest reply from groundskeeperwilly

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Wally - Member

Hi STW, I have an 05 155K 2.0HDI berlingo that I love and took me a two years to save for, gets new oil change every 6K and it just keeps on going. Just returned from a bike event and thought "I want a Van next purchase"
Anybody switched from a family car/van to a van/van and got any advice?
Am I missing a potential insurance, parking nightmare and should I get a new Berlingo in two years time as things have moved on? I like the soft willowy ride (ex 2CV owner) and being a little lazy have kept all my cars for 100K plus.

Any Sunday musings from actual small bike van or Berlingo drivers appreciated.

Posted 7 hours ago #
asbrooks - Member

From what I understand, the engines in the newer berlingos are not as good. Check out the Small Vehicle Campers page on facebook. There's some helpful people on there.

Posted 7 hours ago #
andreasrhoen - Member

Great plan!

No idea if there is a "long version" of the Berlingo around.
The long versions of the small vans are great!

Bought for little money a VW Caddy Transporter Maxi and have this car now for 4 years.
2 seat.

In the back: over 1.9 m to store stuff. I put a bed in on the left side and my bike is on the right side. Plenty space. Complete bike, upright.
Only issue in summer time: gets quite hot for a good sleep.

Friends gave me the hint to look for such long version Mini Vans.
But check with your insurance. The "family version" of my car i cheap to insure. The one I have bit too spendy...

Posted 7 hours ago #
chrisdiesel - Member

Regards van they do a LWB version of a BERLINGO van, Basically it’s another 12 inch attached to the back end.
Quite rare but not uncommon ex fleet vans.
2.0HDI is gone unfortunately great engine but heavy and economically not that great.
DV6 Engine is great unless abused by an lazy fool.
Then Turbo issues, not the engines fault just a lack of oil changes (previous discussed on here many times)

New BERLINGO due late this early next year, and the dv6 1.6 is going to a dv5 1.5 but basically the same.
Still great vans with no huge issues.
Day to day life with a van vs an multi space is a bit noisier but a lot cheaper to buy.
My money would be on a late Berlingo multspace xtr.
Nice spec better drive and look less van Ish
And you can get 110bhp and 6 speed that makes m/way speeds a quieter and easier.

Posted 6 hours ago #
kayak23 - Member

Berlingo car-based owner and lover here. 2002 157k
As above, if it was a touch longer it would be perfect.
I think with a van you end up just putting more shit in it you don't need.

Mine actually broke down on the way to riding yesterday so pretty gutted right now. Hopefully it's just some sensor but at 157k it's about starting to get some troublesome quirks.

A van would be nice in a lot of ways but Berlingos are just great.
I'd get another in a shot if I needed to.

Posted 5 hours ago #
towzer - Member

why do you want a van ?

As I understand it the catches are vans have lower speed limits and insurance harder (and maybe a bit less spohisticated) and roughly speaking the more you can get in it the harder it is to park/use as a normal vehicle
(oh yeahh check car park height and width limits[+road] and at 3.5 tonne some bridges are out)

You can pretty much 'van a berlingo by taking all seats out

I'm on a 1.6 hdi 135k (I also change oil every 6000, service every 12500 no probs yet), having looked around (for a bike carrying, tip[*civic amenity site] visiting, 8ft surfboard carrying inside with holiday luggage practical vehicle) then it's another berlingo/partner or poss vw caddy life - there just doesn't seem to be a better 'car' option.

I like the look of the citreon dispatch (https://www.autotrader.co.uk/vans/used-vans/citroen/dispatch) as it seems a bit bigger but we need isofix seat for grandson.

If it's for sleeping in look at nu venture and nu surf motorhomes (and romahome) as they're based on berlingo, dispatch etc - and having been in the nu venture berlingo it was imho impressive use of space.
See also - https://www.spacecampervans.com/

Posted 5 hours ago #
scud - Member

I've had two of the Berlingo old shape '03 and an '04 vans and two Peugeot Partner and Berlingo cars.

The car is a lot better in my mind and you have to remember insurance should be cheaper (vans and tools get stolen a lot, whereas the average Berlingo car owner is 84 or is a Motability customer). So you get same shell and engines in the cars but you also get sound proofing, insulation and the ability to mess around with the seat combos in the back, i ran my car most of the time with the double seat taken out and just the single in the back, so could fit in 3 bikes whole, 3 people and a lot of kit. Plus you can take out all the seats and just it like a van, but much quieter than the van and cheaper to insure.

Posted 5 hours ago #
firestarter - Member

Talking of berlingos I have a 54 plate 1.4 petrol but fancy something a bit newer I think

But I want petrol as it suits my needs better are there any newer berlingos about in petrol or am I going to have to look elsewhere

Posted 4 hours ago #
oldtalent - Member

Get an nv200 & take the seats out. Its the biggest small van sized car available. Berlingos are too short.

Posted 4 hours ago #
DickBarton - Member

Got the Puggy Partner Tepee Outdoor - great machine...1.6 hdi 115bhp done 12k miles on it and due a service and oils changed (tomorrow). Ex motability and had very low miles for the 3 years, engine got terracleaned and been running great since then.

Ideal for 3 people and 3 bikes (bit tight with 3+3 + kit, but been a great machine.

Posted 4 hours ago #
Wally - Member

NV200 combi is a good idea, thanks will look.

Posted 4 hours ago #

white101 - Member

I have a 16 plate Berlingo enterprise 1.6hdi van for work, Just got back last night from a few days in Northern Ireland working/biking, took a load of work gear and both my bikes mtb and road (no wheels off) 2 and a bit seats up front (3 adults is a squeeze) Plenty of space and easy on the juice.

Posted 4 hours ago #
trail_rat - Member

Why did you get your engine terracleaned dick ?

We just bought our third on the he platform on the trot. There isn't a better day to day and bike mover.

The new one A 2015 tepee outdoor also ex motability. Was cheap as chips to compatible vehicles.

It's longer than either of the previous and bigger.

Posted 4 hours ago #
DickBarton - Member

In 3 years it have done 14k, short trips and the engine was clogged. I got an engine management warning and the code was turbo pressure was below nominal. Everything appeared to be OK visually and garage suggested a clean as it could be a multitude of patches of soot. So it got cleaned and been great every since...exhaust has very little diesel smell about it when idles, it is there but slight. No warnings since.

Posted 3 hours ago #
hairyscary - Member

Is a Tepee big to sleep in with all the seats taken out?
I am looking to replace my 2008 Seat Alhambra that is massive in the back with all the seats out. I don’t want another Alhambra/Galaxy as the newer versions have the stupid seats that aren’t fully removable........and they seem to go for a lot of money.

Posted 3 hours ago #
DickBarton - Member

Front passenger seat folds flat (with armrest removed)...plenty long enough, I think I'll be doing that at 10 under as apparently there no room for me in the caravan as I apparently snore (news to me as I never wake up!)...so it is a yes from me.

Posted 3 hours ago #
hairyscary - Member

Awesome, looks like my choice has been made then.
Cheers.

Posted 3 hours ago #
alric - Member

2008-on Berlingos have an extra foot in the back
The MPV has better insulation than the vans, and the suspension is softer
Insurance is 350(car)/450(van) for me

Posted 1 hour ago #
andreasrhoen - Member

2008-on Berlingos have an extra foot in the back
The MPV has better insulation than the vans, and the suspension is softer
Insurance is 350(car)/450(van) for me

correct.
Insurance is an issue.
Van: NO insulation...
My van right now:

Bought for little money a VW Caddy Transporter Maxi

one advantage of the 2 seat vans:

the floor in the back is absolutely flat.
Was easy to install some camping stuff (bed and so).

But: there are - in the back - not too much windows in such a van. Means when driving / turning you have to look much more carefully for other cars (and bikes!).
With bike and stuff: great vacation vehicle. In the town not so much fund to find a parking lot (the MAXI is looong).

Posted 43 minutes ago #
spooky_b329 - Member

(oh yeahh check car park height and width limits[+road] and at 3.5 tonne some bridges are out)

Pretty sure they are all under 2t, they don't get close to 3.5t

Posted 16 minutes ago #
groundskeeperwilly - Member

I'm thinking of one of the smaller vans for trips with the dog and bike. Any of you carrying a 4 legged friend with bikes also inside? What is your set up?

I'm currently using a Passat estate so loads of room for the dog in the boot with a dog guard on backseat and then bike on a rear rack. Set up works OK but think bike inside vehicle might be better as I find myself parking up certain places and needing to leave the bike outside!

Posted 12 minutes ago #

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