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[tunnie]

Hired this at the weekend to move out of my flat, now in Kingston until we get the house.



61 plate 3.5 ton Luton Transit, when I first picked it up, my god how it bounces around 

Rides a lot better with some decent weight in the back, but empty the ride is appalling. Liked the arm rest, general driving it was not bad, but it made a lot of noise, at 70 could barely hear yourself speak.

Did around 130 miles in it in total, to around £35 of diesel. So not too bad I thought, but after a very, very long day off emptying my flat, unloading van at Kingston and another drop off I was nackered. Climbed into the 3.2 at around 11PM after a long day, bum warmer on, popped it in D, drove down same roads as earlier in the Transit. Was like riding around in silk compared to before, silky smooth power, silence driving. Ahhhh.

It's put me off a diesel manual though, I found myself constantly changing gear and such a narrow power band. 

[Entwood]

Hired this at the weekend to move out of my flat, now in Kingston until we get the house.



61 plate 3.5 ton Luton Transit, when I first picked it up, my god how it bounces around 

Rides a lot better with some decent weight in the back, but empty the ride is appalling. Liked the arm rest, general driving it was not bad, but it made a lot of noise, at 70 could barely hear yourself speak.

Did around 130 miles in it in total, to around £35 of diesel. So not too bad I thought, but after a very, very long day off emptying my flat, unloading van at Kingston and another drop off I was nackered. Climbed into the 3.2 at around 11PM after a long day, bum warmer on, popped it in D, drove down same roads as earlier in the Transit. Was like riding around in silk compared to before, silky smooth power, silence driving. Ahhhh.

It's put me off a diesel manual though, I found myself constantly changing gear and such a narrow power band. 

Looks very similar to what I'll be driving tomorrow to move daughter from Cardiff to home ...

[Sir Tigger KC]

A bit more tricky to reverse as well, judging by the state of the concrete bollard....   

[tunnie]

Plan a lot of time, it will sit happily at 60ish without too much trouble. At  70mph there was a considerable increase in engine & cabin noise, but overall happy with it. As I'm used to fueling the 3.2 with petrol, i thought it was quite economical 

I also see why people use gloves on diesel pumps, my hands stank all day!

[tunnie]

A bit more tricky to reverse as well, judging by the state of the concrete bollard....   

Not me, honest, was always like that. It has huge mirrors, it felt a bit alien not being able to look out the back. But I reversed it into GrandmaT's driveway, with a very narrow gate, parked it with ease.

[YZ250]

We hired a lwb high top Transit van when my daughter moved house and I loved driving it so much that I didn't want to give it back.  I love the high driving position. 
It went really well, was economical for something the shape of a brick and it even had parking sensors.  You don't get the tail-lift on the van though.
After driving a few Luton vans years ago I have a fear of this design as I find them wobbly compared to the van. 
I even sneaked off from Newent last year to have a look around the custom van centre with a view to buying one. 

[bigegg]

You got one that does 70!?! 
Mine does 60 downhill, with a tailwind.

[tunnie]

You got one that does 70!?! 
Mine does 60 downhill, with a tailwind.

Could have got 85 out of it I think, 70mph, 3k revs, cruised ok at that speed, just loud!

[05omegav6]

A bit more tricky to reverse as well, judging by the state of the concrete bollard....   

Not me, honest, was always like that. It has huge mirrors, it felt a bit alien not being able to look out the back. But I reversed it into GrandmaT's driveway, with a very narrow gate, parked it with ease.

You noticed that too

Plan a lot of time, it will sit happily at 60ish without too much trouble. At  70mph there was a considerable increase in engine & cabin noise, but overall happy with it. As I'm used to fueling the 3.2 with petrol, i thought it was quite economical 

I also see why people use gloves on diesel pumps, my hands stank all day!

Rental vans tend to be the cheaper, lower powered versions, hence gutless. Plonking a bloody great shed on the back adds quite alot of drag, which does the underpowered engine no favours

[omega3000]

2 pedals is all you need , just like a bicycle 

[Marks DTM Calib]

You got one that does 70!?! 
Mine does 60 downhill, with a tailwind.

Could have got 85 out of it I think, 70mph, 3k revs, cruised ok at that speed, just loud!

3K revs at 70, kin ell thats underpowered.

The Ford diesel is a little agricultural and lacking in torque below 2k rpm.

[tunnie]

You got one that does 70!?! 
Mine does 60 downhill, with a tailwind.

Could have got 85 out of it I think, 70mph, 3k revs, cruised ok at that speed, just loud!

3K revs at 70, kin ell thats underpowered.

The Ford diesel is a little agricultural and lacking in torque below 2k rpm.

This little green arrow lit up on the rev counter, every time it went over 2k rpm 

Each time I changed it went out, so I think it wanted me to change up after 2k 

[Kevin Wood]

I remember hiring one of those to pick up my Westfield kit way back in 1999. The drive to Dudley and back was the longest day of my life. It felt like it'd be quicker to push the damned thing up some of the hills on the A34.

EDIT: Oh, and the guy at the hire place said "You got one of the good ones there. Goes like a rocket compared to some of them."

[zirk]

Managed to Total one them on a sharp bend quiet a few years back, was in between proper Jobs and was working as a Juke Box Engineer at the time, my Co Car had crapped out and was given one of them for the weekend to get me home and back, what they forgot to tell me was that there was a row of Fruit Machines all strapped to one side in the back.

Sharp bend, OS wheels in the air, all too quicly and the rest is history, including the Van and the Machines, managed to walk away without a stratch though via the front windscreen.   

[ronnyd]

Used one some years ago when my youngest moved to Glastonbury. As you say, it,s ok loaded but when empty
it seems to want to bounce off the road. Great fun though and a bit of an adventure as well.
Sadly it didn,t work out for him due to a heart problem so moved back a year later. This time i hired a Sprinter,
went like stink.