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Noobie

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There's no way I'd buy a new Transit Custom. Self-destructing wet cam belts. Ford switched from chain driven cams to wet belts in 2015. Buy 2015 or earlier.

Renault 1.6 and 2.0 diesel vans also run wet belts.
You could always buy 2 and have one in bits changing the wet blanket and cleaning all the shit out of the engine 6 monthly 🤔
 
Just had the wet belt done on my transit as it was over on age not mileage.
The belt wasn’t in bad condition but I change the oil and filter every year regardless of the miles I do.
I’m hoping to get another 5 years before it needs changing again.
 
Just had the wet belt done on my transit as it was over on age not mileage.
The belt wasn’t in bad condition but I change the oil and filter every year regardless of the miles I do.
I’m hoping to get another 5 years before it needs changing again.
Frequent oil changes are key. Even if the belt appears to be in good condition as it wears it can shed micro-particles into the oil system. If I had a wet belt engine I think I'd do additional interim oil changes.

All this bullshit is emissions-regs lead. Wet belts equals lighter cam drive train, equals same power from smaller displacement, equals lower emissions per mile so, Ed Milliband gets to tick another meaningless box in his net-zero fantasy. And if your engine self-destructs he doesn't give a shit.
 
Frequent oil changes are key. Even if the belt appears to be in good condition as it wears it can shed micro-particles into the oil system. If I had a wet belt engine I think I'd do additional interim oil changes.

All this bullshit is emissions-regs lead. Wet belts equals lighter cam drive train, equals same power from smaller displacement, equals lower emissions per mile so, Ed Milliband gets to tick another meaningless box in his net-zero fantasy. And if your engine self-destructs he doesn't give a shit.
Don't you understand, scrapping perfectly good vehicles and regularly replacing them with not so good ones us progress 🤣
 
I could track down a really clean ten year old Sprinter and run it for half a million miles.
I don't know a single sprinter driver to get over 250k out of an engine 👀 i genuinely don't think any of the never vans are worth a fuck ... my brand new transit is a dirt box for 55k euros 🤢
 
Just had the wet belt done on my transit as it was over on age not mileage.
The belt wasn’t in bad condition but I change the oil and filter every year regardless of the miles I do.
I’m hoping to get another 5 years before it needs changing again.
How much did it cost NG, if you don’t mind me asking?
 
I don't know a single sprinter driver to get over 250k out of an engine 👀 i genuinely don't think any of the never vans are worth a fuck ... my brand new transit is a dirt box for 55k euros 🤢
I bought a 14 year old cheapo but quite nice xxl high roof Sprinter in May when it was on 167k miles. Hoping to get way over 300k miles from it before it dies. I bought it from a transport company I know so confident it has been looked after. I`ll let you know if and when it gets to 250k on engine number 1.
 
I bought a 14 year old cheapo but quite nice xxl high roof Sprinter in May when it was on 167k miles. Hoping to get way over 300k miles from it before it dies. I bought it from a transport company I know so confident it has been looked after. I`ll let you know if and when it gets to 250k on engine number 1.
All my mates with them had to get recon engines from the UK... hope you got a good one 👍
 
I don't know a single sprinter driver to get over 250k out of an engine 👀 i genuinely don't think any of the never vans are worth a fuck ... my brand new transit is a dirt box for 55k euros 🤢
Highest mileage vans I've known were Ivecos of about 15-20 years ago. Door handles and stuff fell off them but mechanically they went on forever. I looked for a swb Daily once and when I saw people asking 3 grand for ones with 600,000 on the clock I gave up.
They're not the best to drive though, at least not the ones I've driven. Like lorries, which isn't surprising I suppose since Iveco is essentially a lorry builder.
As my first post here, I wouldn't buy any commercial newer than Euro 4. You still won't be allowed into Cazs without being mugged so there's no advantage and they're loaded with electronic emissions shite that give constant problems.
Trouble is, older generation vans are usually fucked because they'll be high miles and few owners bother to look after them.
 
Highest mileage vans I've known were Ivecos of about 15-20 years ago. Door handles and stuff fell off them but mechanically they went on forever. I looked for a swb Daily once and when I saw people asking 3 grand for ones with 600,000 on the clock I gave up.
They're not the best to drive though, at least not the ones I've driven. Like lorries, which isn't surprising I suppose since Iveco is essentially a lorry builder.
As my first post here, I wouldn't buy any commercial newer than Euro 4. You still won't be allowed into Cazs without being mugged so there's no advantage and they're loaded with electronic emissions shite that give constant problems.
Trouble is, older generation vans are usually fucked because they'll be high miles and few owners bother to look after them.
The last 2 work vans prior to the current Sprinter were an xxl high roof Citroen Relay and an xxl high roof Movano. Both bought with around 150k miles . Both sailed up to 300k but suddenly started to deteriorate after that so were sold. No complaints though as each covered 50k miles a year but only depreciated at around £1500 a year.
 
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The last 2 work vans prior to the current Sprinter were an xxl high roof Citroen Relay and an xxl high roof Movano. Both bought with around 150k miles . Both sailed up to 300k but suddenly started to deteriorate after that so were sold. No complaints though as each covered 50k miles a year but only depreciated at around £1500 a year.
I guess when you're doing that many annual miles, fuel efficiency and service costs are more important than overall longevity. If they've made you your money by the time they get sold on as bangers it doesn't matter. Different calculation for the private buyer looking for a loing term van for a hobby.

I don't run a large van anymore but back in the day I'd always look through Auto trader to see which makes were appearing with the highest miles. Sprinters, Ivecos and Toyotas would regularly appear with north of 300K on them. I never saw a Renault Trafic with more than 180K. Naturally I bought a Trafic as I'm a twat. Luckily I wrote it off driving through a flood before it got to 100K and Adrain Flux sent me a nice cheque in the post so all was well..
 
My sisters partner runs about 40 vans around London, and a pal of ours distributes fish to chippies from Birmingham to the borders and has a similar number.

At a get together a couple of months ago they were talking vans - both said Sprinters have the lowest bills, and Frenchies (can't rmember if they were talking about Renaults or Citroens) were off the road the most. Both buy them new and run them until they're trouble, or dead.
 
Highest mileage vans I've known were Ivecos of about 15-20 years ago. Door handles and stuff fell off them but mechanically they went on forever. I looked for a swb Daily once and when I saw people asking 3 grand for ones with 600,000 on the clock I gave up.
They're not the best to drive though, at least not the ones I've driven. Like lorries, which isn't surprising I suppose since Iveco is essentially a lorry builder.
As my first post here, I wouldn't buy any commercial newer than Euro 4. You still won't be allowed into Cazs without being mugged so there's no advantage and they're loaded with electronic emissions shite that give constant problems.
Trouble is, older generation vans are usually fucked because they'll be high miles and few owners bother to look after them.
I’m on my 3rd euro 6 non adblue van, some vans from late 2016 early 2017 got through as non adblue.
 
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