What is there to look out for on these vans when buying second-hand? I think the 2.0 HDi is the best bet. A window van is necessary.
I went up to see one at the weekend, from "Autotrader". It did not seem to be a good bet. Had to open the O/S sliding door from inside as lock went round and round without unlocking. Bonnet release dangling off. Various other iffy things with wires under there. Very grubby inside front around driver's seat. Buttons missing from slider things on dash. Gear lever shroud worn through. Hole 4"x3" in solid rubber mat under pedals, thick foam rubber under, water soaked, water oozed from hole when pressure applied with foot. White crystals (zinc rust?) around seat securing bolts. "Blowing" sound from exhaust, sealant smeared around new rear exhaust section where it joins front section. Strange wheezing sound from somewhere under OSF, like gas escaping from aircon? No aircon AFAIK. Buckled jacking point on NSF. Leaves, etc. in engine - has stood a while. Odd radiator like motorbike "oil cooler" mounted under N/S sill (what the h- is that?). Mounting points for step projecting (bent) from under NS sliding door - no step fitted. Opened glove box, the whole thing fell off onto the front passenger seat. Odd "squatting" action from actuating rear-end switch, rubber-shrouded "suspension units" go up & down (what are these?). No service history since 1996. Owned by a "Hospital Services" organisation in Whitechapel previously. Just under £1,800. Did I do well to avoid the thing?
Any ideas where to get decent one "direct"? About £4K, prefer less.
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Oh arr - one o' they there Fiat Scudos or Peugot Experts would do, similarly.
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>> Odd radiator like motorbike "oil cooler"
>> mounted under N/S sill (what the h- is that?).
Might be the fuel cooler. AFAIK all HDi PSA engines need to cool the diesel down when it circulates.
>> Odd "squatting" action from actuating rear-end switch, rubber-shrouded
>> "suspension units" go up & down (what are these?).
May be air suspension units; might explain the wheezing from the front - the air pump. If it needs air suspension then it's been equipped to carry heavy loads.
>> Did I do well
>> to avoid the thing?
>>
Sounds like a right nail.
Disclaimer; I'm guessing above. Perhaps you can tell ?
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>> >> Odd radiator like motorbike "oil cooler"
>> >> mounted under N/S sill (what the h- is that?).
>> Might be the fuel cooler. AFAIK all HDi PSA engines need to cool the diesel
>> down when it circulates.
Would it really be under the NSF door sill? It looks like a heater matrix, 10" long, 4" deep.
>> >> Odd "squatting" action from actuating rear-end switch, rubber-shrouded
>> >> "suspension units" go up & down (what are these?).
>> May be air suspension units; might explain the wheezing from the front - the air
>> pump. If it needs air suspension then it's been equipped to carry heavy loads.
Ex-ambulance, "squats" to help people climb in.
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>> Any ideas where to get decent one "direct"? About £4K, prefer less.
One's turned up in bloomin' Norfolk for £5K (nice "window van"). That'd do, but it's too far away. Argh!
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Buying a van - pre-2007 Citroen Dispatch. - FotheringtonTomas
