New car time

[Niall]

Right I'm bloody sick of the 6 so it's got to go!


















Nah only joking! Had a meeting at work today and we have now been given a choice of two vehicles. At the moment I've got a skoda Octavia 1.9tdi but it goes back in November and unfortunately these are no longer an option. I'm having a bit of trouble deciding what to get though. Haven't got to give my option for about another 2 months but want to decide soon as I will be stuck with the thing for 3 years!

So the choices are
New shape Kia Ceed (not out yet)
Pros:
Cruise control, climate control, trip computer, decent stereo
Cons:
Car tax is the same as the skoda. About £2900 a year. It's a Kia, boot isn't overly huge

Citroen Berlingo van
Pros:
3000L of space for my tools and stock, don't have to keep it as tidy, tax is dirt cheap until April 2013 when it will be the same as the Kia
Cons:
It's a van, only has 3 seats, not very well spec'd

It has to be comfortable! I do about 3000-4000 miles a month so need to be comfortable so what I'm asking really is if anyone has driven the Berlingo and how comfortable they are on long runs and town driving.

[Curt]

If you don't need a van I'd go for the car. Even if it is a Kia.

[THE_Liam]

'69 Dodge Charger 440 6-pack R/T with the Muncie four-on-the-floor, Positraction 3.08 axle, Cragar Rallye rims, and the Rally Sport interior with the buckets.

[Ed Doe]

You gave me a heart attack when I read the 1st line!!

didn't read the rest, but basically buy a 1.9dt estate. Put big turbo on side. Modify Bosch pump. Add boost. /thread

[Niall]

You gave me a heart attack when I read the 1st line!!

didn't read the rest, but basically buy a 1.9dt estate. Put big turbo on side. Modify Bosch pump. Add boost. /thread

Care to explain that to my fleet manager when road tax is over £200 a year and it's broken down every 5 minutes? Not to mention the fact a lease company wont really do a 12 year old car.

[Dum-Dum]

Neither, both are shit an will break.

You need something that wont break down so either 3 series / honda accord or a new hyundai (although they handle shit in the rain)

[Niall]

Neither, both are shit an will break.

You need something that wont break down so either 3 series / honda accord or a new hyundai (although they handle shit in the rain)

Clearly your living up to your user name. I don't have a choice for any car. Just a Kia or Berlingo. I know there not great and tbh if I could keep my skoda, I would. I did 25k in it last year and all i had to do was get tyres done not to mention its comfortable and quite well spec'd.
Chris am I correct in thinking I've seen a new Berlingo van on your drive? Comfortable?

[Ruan]

In complete fairness... I went in Foobys old Hyundai i30 - same shit as a Cee'd... Really not that bad, I thought they were quite nice inside, rode well, didn't handle, but was at least comfortable, covered miles nicely...

I rekon a new Cee'd probably wouldn't be THAT bad...

A Berlingo no matter whether it's a multispace or a panel val, is at the end of the day... A van, it'll be a horrible place to be for 25,000 miles a year...





For a Korean car, looks damned good!

[Toms306]

I actually like the KIA if its the one on the ad, apart from the grill it looks good imo, and lots of spec too. Plus, like Hyundai, they've come on a hell of a lot over the last few years!

[rocker8742]

New berlingos arent too bad to drive distances in mate, fairly comfy and quiet with a bulkhead in cant comment bout ones without. Dont drive too badly with a decent engine gutless with a 1.6 though and they do lack leg room majorly for the driver

[Toms306]

Ruan got in before me lol. . Also I agree vans aren't nice, never really been in any until I done some work experience at ford commercial where they did all makes of vans tbh, and I was surprised how noisy, uncomfortable and low specced most were tbh!

[Niall]

Most of the engineers have got the old Kia. There's only 3 of us lucky enough to still have the skodas and I can safely say the old ones are built like shit but apparently, from reading reviews the new ones are much better. Just a shame about the boot space.

[Ruan]

We had a Transporter Kombi at my old work... Bi Turbo TDi 185hp...

You look at it and go oooh ahhh shiny... Then you look past it and it's just horribly made, plasticky, and in honesty, for 185hp, was shit slow. It's just a van...

[Connor]

Personally id go for the berlingo, having driven the partner (so the same thing) its aint that bad, plus you'll have a van to haul a load of shit around... Like engines and rear beams

[spike2002]

+1 for the berlingo my dad has a partner and its quite a comfy drive altho its some kinda special model or somethink as its raised compared to standard

[C.A.R.]

What is it you do mate?

Personally I like the idea of owning a van / using a van for work. They look actually pretty bloody smart those Berlingo's and the interior has loads of useful pockets and cubby holes etc. Plus that hole in the roof for sticking a ladder / similar through? Genius haha!

The Kia is still a big pretender in my opinion. Much like Japanese cars of the 90s, it takes styling cues from the upper-market European models and tries to blend it all into one - the brand doesn't really have an identity which is why they are opting for this stupid shape grille and will make it uniform accross the range. I think that grille shape is the only thing Kia have actually designed and made themselves without just ripping the idea from another manufacturer.

That said, if the car works as a whole package then it will be a safe bet. It'll look tacky, have terrible LED running lights and a lovely plasticy interior and if past is anything to go by then it will be very lacking in the dynamic departpment. Plus, when people ask you what car you're driving you HAVE to tell them "It's a C apostrophee D" you can't just say Ceed.

[kingy]

im with connor on this one. get the van mate. think of the money you can make shifting gear for other people on eveinings and weekends. you would be a fool not to imo.

have a look around, look at how many nice houses their are with vans on the drive. no brainer.

[ginge191]

the new kia ceed actually looks ok

I'd take the Kia; the thought of a berlingo van

[mark_airey]

I spent a lot of time in an older shape berlingo when I was doing the same job as you are mate and TBH they really aren't that bad, we did a lot of miles in it and it was reasonably comfy, nice enough to drive etc and the newer ones are a million times better than they used to be.

A van for work IMO would be the way to go, you have room to put stuff in it if you need to move anything and if you need a car then just use the 6! the newer berlingo's are pretty car like to drive TBH and well specced for vans most of the time

[Midnightclub]

Agreeing with mark on this one, the berlingos really aren't that bad and with the 1.6 HDi they are fairly pokey when they're empty, good on fuel as well! I have a friend that works for a pharmacy and he drives one everyday around town and it's fairly comfy tbh

[lolsteve]

You gave me a heart attack when I read the 1st line!!

didn't read the rest, but basically buy a 1.9dt estate. Put big turbo on side. Modify Bosch pump. Add boost. /thread

Care to explain that to my fleet manager when road tax is over £200 a year and it's broken down every 5 minutes? Not to mention the fact a lease company wont really do a 12 year old car.

Because racecar

[306carter]

How tall are you? If your taller 5'11" thn don't bother with the berlingo. The seat don't back far enough. But as a van there not that bad. Plenty of storage in the cab over head under the seat large door bins ect. Most come with built in sat nav but you have to put credit on it. oh and 3 seats? More like 2.5 seats it more for a child or a malnutritioned adult.

In the rear the interior light is a torch so can be removed charges it self up. Pretty big loading space.

The 1.6hdi engine is ok but you have to boot it to get it move. 2 lads at my work have them both 10 plates got them in June 10 both have over 160k on and not had problem with them. There serviced every 15k both have original engine box clutch ect.

[Niall]

I'm 6ft4 so that could be a problem!
Biggest thing for me is comfort. I do a lot of miles town and motorway and I do have a few back issues so need to be as comfortable as possible.
If I go for the Kia, that means I will have to manage my stock a lot better as I won't be able to fit anywhere near as much in as I can in the skoda but I do think the kia will be more comfortable.
Trying to find somewhere where I can test drive one but no one has the new model ready to test drive yet. Berlingo I'm going to go and test drive one eve next week.

[C.A.R.]

Kia seats in my Mrs Picanto are like sitting on a quarter inch of foam on a concrete slab. Hard, would be a better way of describing them.

[Connor]

I disagree about the height thing, im 6'1 and didn't have a problem in a partner, can't see the berlingo being any different

[Toms306]

Kia seats in my Mrs Picanto are like sitting on a quarter inch of foam on a concrete slab. Hard, would be a better way of describing them.

They must use hyundai seats then lol, the ones in the i10 were awful, I've sat on more comfortable park benches!

[306carter]

The ones at my work have a metal half bulk head that's standard on berlingos. It's that's that's in the way of the seat.

I've driven a partner they only have 2 seats and an arm rest? You can push the seat back more in them .

[Grant]

I drive a Peugeot partner at work and tbf it's not too bad. It handles like a boat, and is this slow, but it's 9 years old. The newer berlingo should be considerably better. Didn't realise they have 3 seats up front too now. Test drive both. See what you think?

How often do you take more than two passengers anywhere?
A van would be useful for car parts, taking the dog out, dogging, kidnap and extortion, and as you say don't have to keep it as clean...

[Poodle]

Im with carter mate, had to drive a berlingo for work last year and it was way too cramped to be comfy, sodding knees were up by my chin. Dont get one, youre taller than i am!

[mark_airey]

As you say Naill, just test drive them both and see which you prefer, no amount of people telling you what they think will be any substitute for actually driving them both, but i'm still sticking by the van decision for all the reasons Grant outline above