Vauxhall Vivaro - - - - utter garbage!

[Soylent1]

Just before Christmas my beloved old Merc Vito gave up the ghost with almost 300k on the clock, so I needed a new van. I couldn't justify spending over the odds on a VW transporter and I was in a hurry, so I ended up getting a 57 plate vivaro (69k on the clock) out of necessity and budget. Well it's just out of warranty from the trader I bought it from and there's a problem with the injector(s) it's not going to be cheap! If I hadn't been such a skinflint, with the cost of the van and now the injectors I could have got a nice (slightly older transporter). I have a VW Golf it's brilliant! my old Merc vito was brilliant ten times over, there's a pattern here!. If I win the lottery I will buy as many new Vivaro's as I can and just drive them straight to the scrap yard!

 

[MMUK]

Nothing wrong with the Vivaro. Do you know how it was treated by the previous owner? Can you guarantee it was serviced properly? Can you guarantee you've not filled up with a bad batch of diesel?

Try some Redex and a quarter tank of premium diesel. I would be 99% confident your injectors are blocked due to bad fuel.

 

[axe]

Speaking from experience I had a Renault Trafic, which is the same van, and I have to say it was the worst vehicle I ever had the misfortune to own.

Before it had done 90,000 miles I had, briefly-

Mass air flow sensor.
Power Steering pump
3 steering drop arms
Load sensor for the brakes
Massive oil leaks from the turbo oil feed pipes
£900 bill for various items to pass one MOT
£2000 for a new gearbox at 60,000 miles
Endless electrical problems

Finally gave up on it when the crankshaft snapped in half!

Apart from that lot.............nothing major

Bought with 3 months warranty from a main dealer with 32,000 miles on it

 

[Soylent1]

Nothing wrong with the Vivaro. Do you know how it was treated by the previous owner? Can you guarantee it was serviced properly? Can you guarantee you've not filled up with a bad batch of diesel?

Try some Redex and a quarter tank of premium diesel. I would be 99% confident your injectors are blocked due to bad fuel.

It was a fleet vehicle before I owned it, full and very detailed main dealer service history. It's filled up from the village fuel station, as are the other two (German) diesels I own, which don't seem to have a problem with the fuel. I would be 99% confident It's a rubbish vehicle I should never have bought. I have checked and cleaned the EGR valve, MAFM. checked the turbo for play, the symptoms suggest injector fault as confirmed by a mechanic friend of mine.

 

[Soylent1]

Speaking from experience I had a Renault Trafic, which is the same van, and I have to say it was the worst vehicle I ever had the misfortune to own.

Before it had done 90,000 miles I had, briefly-

Mass air flow sensor.
Power Steering pump
3 steering drop arms
Load sensor for the brakes
Massive oil leaks from the turbo oil feed pipes
£900 bill for various items to pass one MOT
£2000 for a new gearbox at 60,000 miles
Endless electrical problems

Finally gave up on it when the crankshaft snapped in half!

Apart from that lot.............nothing major

Bought with 3 months warranty from a main dealer with 32,000 miles on it

Exactly! What's worse I even knew the things were rubbish before I bought one, so I suppose it's my own fault! £2000 for gearbox before 60K! The French should be banned from making vehicles!

 

[Graham Orm]

You were lucky!

I bought an 06 Peugeot Boxer brand new. It went in 15 times in the first year with electrical problems. It's been in since and still has a persistent minor electrical problem. I could have better reliability from something with 100k on the clock. I've still got it and it gives me good service now with 70k on it. It's just had it's first clutch, and a £700 exhaust replacement was avoided 3 years ago with some clever welding by a mate.

I remember saying in year one, if someone gave me a Peugeot I would park it with the door open and the keys in the ignition.

The best they could offer was a replacement out of their national database with similar mileage. I'd had it sign written and had an aluminium rack fitted so declined. It works hard for me now, but I still won't buy another Peugeot as long as I live.

 

[axe]

http://www.roadtestreports.co.uk/road-test-reports/Renault/Trafic/

If you can be bothered to read this gearboxes on these are a common fault

My sincere advice is get rid as soon as you can

 

[sawdust1]

yes i agree, avoid. Had mine 1 1/2 years 07 plate 70k on clock, replaced both track rod ends, new steering rack, 1 wheel bearing, now excess noise from
gear box going up and down gears which sounds expensive. Trims and door handle falling off. Only 73k on the clock now, time to go back to a Transit !

 

[Woodmonkey]

Interesting, I have recently been looking at buying a van of this size, a bit for work and a bit to use as a camper van in the summer. First choice would be a transporter but since my budget is only around £3500 I have ruled that out. Been looking at vivaro/trafic/whatever the Nissan version is called but maybe need to have a rethink based on comments here.... Was put off the Vito as I heard they are particularly bad for rusting out. Guess that leaves the trusty transit....any other suggestions?

 

[tekno.mage]

We bought a Peugeot Boxer 2002 van second hand in 2006 - it was low milage and had previously belonged to an Estate Agent who only only used it to transport "for sale" signs around in! The only things that have gone wrong with it so far are the heater element (which started leaking about a year after we bought it) and a pulley in the engine (can't remember which one) - of these two faults the pulley was cheap to fix (about £50 as I recall) and the heater element wasn't (nearly £500 mainly due to it being a mare of a job that took the mechanic most of a day). Aside from that it's been a really good van and I am impressed by the lack of rust on it, especially as it lives outside in wet and windy mid Wales It still drives really well and is really good for transporting wood, logs, lathes etc etc.

When we bought it I was actually planning on getting a Mercedes Sprinter, but the Boxer had a bigger load space and was considerably cheaper.

 

[gasman]

I recognise those boot-neck colours on your avatar

 

[Soylent1]

Interesting, I have recently been looking at buying a van of this size, a bit for work and a bit to use as a camper van in the summer. First choice would be a transporter but since my budget is only around £3500 I have ruled that out. Been looking at vivaro/trafic/whatever the Nissan version is called but maybe need to have a rethink based on comments here.... Was put off the Vito as I heard they are particularly bad for rusting out. Guess that leaves the trusty transit....any other suggestions?

Vito's do suffer quite badly from body rust, well mine did! it was so bad I stopped washing it as it made it look worse!
I'd just save up and get a transporter, especially if you want a to convert to a camper. I know they are expensive but, they do hold value.
Any opinions I have on van's should be ignored as I obviously have no idea whatsoever what I'm on about. Buying a Vivaro is proof of this!

 

[Soylent1]

I recognise those boot-neck colours on your avatar

Yeah former royal. Yourself?

 

[blackrodd]

After reading this thread, It's interesting how our personal experiences do vary.
My son had a vito and had "loadsa" troubles with it, rust, breaking down etc
And yet my Boxer van is hardly any trouble at all, and one of the first panel vans I had was a trafic van.
It was really good, hardly any rust and reliable, and my citroen berlingo at 167000 miles has been really good,
Just had the first serious garage bill in 5 years at £470. before that just service, tyres and battery.
Regards Rodders

 

[PhillyDee]

You might be happy to hear that 3 months warranty is total crap. Under SOGA you have 6 months in which the burden of proof that the vehicle was not faulty when sold is in favour of the buyer.

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/cgi- ... 3-1011.txt

My favourite is this one on page 10

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/report ... ft1242.pdf

 

[Woodmonkey]

I'd just save up and get a transporter, especially if you want a to convert to a camper. I know they are expensive but, they do hold value.

That's the problem even for 5 or 6 grand you are looking at a 10 year old van with 200k. Doesnt strike me as good value somehow.

 

[Distinterior]

I have owned a SWB 2006 Trafic from new. Mine is the 2.5L engine version and it currently has 118K on the clock.

So far I have only had to do routine maintenance to it (brake pads and discs, wiper blades, windscreen, tyres, new clutch etc)

It still has the same battery and exhaust system fitted when new.

I am in the market for a new van, but something bigger (probably a Master LWB)

If I needed another van of the same size as my Trafic, I would buy another one tomorrow...!!!!!!

The best vehicle I have ever owned for the money I paid. I suppose everones experience is different.

Tim.