Theres a lot about and they seem to be a very popular van however there also seems to be quite a few with gearbox problems between 120 -150 k . Same as the Renault Trafic and Nissan model
Thanks.. Will be checking this has been done, seems that they (SHOULD) have been done under warranty.
General Motors PK5, PK6, PF1, PF6 manual transmission failure common in Vivaro, Movano, Traffic, and Primastar. The 'built-in' fault, which will result in failure, irrespective of how the vehicle is driven or serviced, is that the gearboxes are assembled in such a way that the preload on the bearings is massively over-torqued, which results in bearing failure, and the total destruction of the box from as low as 20k upwards. In some cases the boxes are built up so tight that it makes turning the box over by hand virtually impossible. Once the bearings are replaced, and shimmed correctly, the box will go on virtually indefinitely.
I had an 07 ex aa one. Lovely to drive, economical and reliable until it snapper the timing chain. Was told never to let the fuel get too low.
Not sure how relevant to later ones this might be though.
Transit Custom are awesome vans & the most car like to drive of all the vans but they are commanding very high prices. I hope to get one at some point - but not a low roof as a medium or above makes loading, changing and other work so much easier.
The Vivaro is a nice van especially if you know gearbox work has been done. I used to use Geoffs older (04 ??) and was a pleasure to drive.
I have a 57 plate 2ltr Primastar,125K+uses no oil between services, lovely to drive, good fuel consumption 40 plus,in use every day its my own works vehicle.+tow a trailor,albeit a 3/4t but never fully loaded. This i was told was the best van to buy, no cam belt,(chain)good fuel consumption,good torque,which it has, 1.9,under powered,belt cam. 2.7,poor fuel consumption. Always go to Eden Vauxhall (Exeter)if i want generic parts,always obliging to help me,Had to get O/s/mirror glass,Half price what Rip off Nissan Exeter wanted....
The only down side on the engine's is,if you need an injector,they sieze solid in the head,(water sits in on the head),it is then very expensive to rectify
On another note,the only thing that says Nissan is the badges,every thing else is stamped Gm/Renault Mike
-- Edited by crumbles on Wednesday 6th of January 2016 10:33:23 PM
I had a 08 vivaro 2.0 sport van for five years, at 48!000m I had the No 1 injector go I was lucky that they managed to remove it as it was not ceased but still quite costly, apart from that not a lot else wrong, a great van that drives like a car , I have since traded. It in for the new Transit custom and have had it for a year which I like and am happy with
To be honest not a lot of difference in the two most of my journeys is just stop / start running around local both would return 30+ possibly the vervaro would just edge it combining urban and on a run having had both vehicals they are both nice in different ways
Everyone I know who's had one has said injectors go and is mega money and worse case is the head gets damaged getting them out also some gear box issues after its done over 90 k
Most of be horror stories are with the earlier models, as they got into the second half of their 12 year run ( which says a lot ) they are pretty good.
08 on and 2.0 engine should be pretty good, far cheaper than transit custom or transporters of similar age and spec.
Thats a great looking van I hope you get many years of enjoyment and use out of it ...prefect all rounder
It drives like a car.. Hopefully ride (meet) a lot more peeps from around Devon (& Cornwall) now, being retired does help with mid-week runs... just depends if i can get it off the GF!