The brands we hated, Renault and VW. You couldnt keep them running long enough to deliver them. Brand new cars! Who would have thought?
Agree my word i do VW Das auto no das crap.
Here is our story, two vehicles one 2008 Kia 2700 ( 2.7 diesel ) bought new $25000 drive away , now 580000 still going strong around 200km per day ( cast iron block and head non turbo )
VW transporter duel cab TD5 all alloy motor they have no belts or chains all works on a cog system, $48000 drive away done 24000km now worn out and stuffed 2016/17 $12000 in repairs,
DPF $4500 gearbox rebuild $3000 i could go on butt you wont have enough memory on your computer.
Conclusion Buy Jap or Korean, don't touch Fiat ducato vans or Renault guys in the courier trade tell the fail as soon as out of warranty.
VW tech at dealers told me VW are moving away from diesels under 3lt also heard rumors ? Toyota, Isuzu and others are doing same they are causing them headaches with the pollution laws.
Feel sorry for those with Fiat, Renault or Mercedes motor home, don't brake down outside a major city.
Well ... as this thread grows and people's personal experiences are added, it seems there is not a single vehicle that is clearly universally recommended.
A good experience of a marque by one is offset by a bad experience by another.
Some have had nothing but trouble with each of the vehicles they have had - while others have lived under the wing of the gods and had no trouble with any of the vehicles they had owned.
It is incredible that any of the manufacturers have any success.
I guess it just shows how fraught the decision on purchasing a new vehicle must be.
It would seem, from the experiences shared here, one would have more luck in winning the lottery.
OH dear ... and then to add the decisions on which van to buy - it is a wonder any of us have avoided ended our time in an institution for the mentally insane.
Cheers - John
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
Well ... as this thread grows and people's personal experiences are added, it seems there is not a single vehicle that is clearly universally recommended.
A good experience of a marque by one is offset by a bad experience by another.
Some have had nothing but trouble with each of the vehicles they have had - while others have lived under the wing of the gods and had no trouble with any of the vehicles they had owned.
It is incredible that any of the manufacturers have any success.
I guess it just shows how fraught the decision on purchasing a new vehicle must be.
It would seem, from the experiences shared here, one would have more luck in winning the lottery.
OH dear ... and then to add the decisions on which van to buy - it is a wonder any of us have avoided ended our time in an institution for the mentally insane.
Cheers - John
Yep, I think that sums it up.
The only consensus we'll ever reach in here is that we can never reach a consensus! A true oxymoron?
Happy days.
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Cheers,
Tony
"Opinion is the medium between ignorance and knowledge" - Plato
Stay away from the below 3 ltr and you shouldn't be too bad. Most of Euro's are 2.5\2.2 ltr etc.
Isuzu should hang onto their 3 ltr for a while. It runs 2 of their small trucks. plus D=Max and other.
VW. MERC. FIAT etc. hmmm.
Buy a light 2 or 3 ton flatbed truck and have a M\Home body mounted.
make do with entering from outside
Like we do in vans.
Dual Rears. big wheels 4.5-7 ton. Lotsa room for lotsa crap. Legally
with economy.
400ltr diesel Go. 600ltr water. Go
Large wife.. Hmmm. Maybe. ?(chuckle?) As he ducks round corner from Di.
Getting rid of these latest Tiny little engines will NOT be a bad idea methink's.
I reckon 3 ltr should be min size. 3.5 to 4 and more. Ideal.
Why not think outside the square, in the future when we go sight seeing, we simply sit in the lounge, watch the TV and fly the drone to the next spot. The drone of course is solar charged/powered. We will all stay at home!
Just look at history peoples and the changes most of us have seen in our lifetimes!
My mother-in-law is still alive at almost 98 - she was born just after WW1 when bi-planes, basic trucks & cars were the "In thing".
We have all seen changes in technology along the way. One of my grandfathers had a 1927 Stanley Steamer & he couldn't get steam up to go up Commodation Hill (a once horrendous hill between Nurioopta & Blanchetown, SA) while a T model Ford came along boiling its radiator - as my mother told me. So the petrol companies bought out the rights for Stanley to produce steam cars & people were frightened of the steam pressure!
Later we all had petrol cars of various "technologies" & people said they wouldn't last, etc. My first car built in 1948 had a single overhead camshaft - how long was it before that was common? Then diesels came in & are still in. my first Nissan - an MQ. I didn't want a diesel, nor a 24v system, nor a metallic paint job - what did I get? ALL THREE! And I had a 4.2L GQ diesel & now (shaking macka's bones), a GU 4.2L diesel. And we all think our rigs are the best!
And caravans - there was a discussion here recently about what our cars of the future would be towing. 3.5T+ ATM vans with multiple slideouts? Perhaps no! 1.5T ATM ? Perhaps mostly!
Governments will come & go - even Trump & Kim Jong-un. Why worry about what we cannot slow down with the future? I guess you all read comics when you were children about flying saucers & flying from moon to moon to planet - could that be just around the corner (they already have AI)? Even Dick Tracey had a video watch - have your (grand) children go the latest model now?
Make the most of the freedoms we are able to enjoy (let's not live in London & own a car), to travel to where we can while the money stays viable.
Warren
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Warren
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If you don't get it done today, there's always tomorrow!