Vauxhall Vivaro review

[Martin Pearson]

Not personally Colin but the guy in the unit next to me swears by them, he’s got an 04 plate short wheel base that he bought at about a year old & has now just bought a new long wheel base van. He went for a long wheelbase because he wanted something that he could fit 8 x 4 sheets in up right & straight.

[Gary Birch]

I have one which i bought new 14 months ago ….To be honest I aren’t too keen …. My last 2 vans were vitos which in my opinion knock spots off the vivaro. I don’t find it comfortable and after long journeys I suffer badly, that said I am a tad overweight.

I wish I had bought a used vito for the same sort of money but have just got a Mitsubishi warrior to run alongside it so not as important now

For the record I paid 12995 + vat for a metallic black sportive… Not sure how that compares

Cheers

Gary

[Chris Wool]

had my 06 lwb sportive from new love it to bits just wish i pushed the boat out a bit more for a 2.5 engine.
52,000 miles almost trouble free crap service from vauxhall dealers IMO.
if ever you need parts from a dealer worth comparing renault and vauxhall prices they vary quite a bit. a clutch pedal spring vauxhall £2 renault £30 as i remember they would not sell just the spring.

horror stories about gearboxes but really brought about buy hard heavy loaded driving, mines run empty 90% of the time.

[Colin Crabb]

Cheers all! – have heard horror stories about the gearbox, but guess this can happen with any van (We’ve just had 6mths of what seems like constant repairs to our 07′ plate Dispatch). Think like take a closer look at this model.
Gary noted about the long journeys, thanks.

Cheers all,

Colin

[Gary Birch]

Probably be fine for most Colin but I don’t think the drivers seat is rated to 17 stone thats all mate.

[John Harding]

Got a standard LWB Vivaro and I love it to bits (Rich bought a new sportive a short while back too swb and I think he likes his also) dont think there are any brake or gearbox issues from 07 plate onward.

John 😀

[Tim Painter]

John what were the brake issues?

I have a SWB 03 plate it had the box done before I got it.
I just wish they took an 8×4 sheet 🙁 apart from that I love it.

I think they missed a trick not making the SWB take an 8 x 4.

[John Harding]

Not sure the exact nature but think it was disc warping issues, LWB is great for 8 x 4 s

[John Dorling]

We’ve got a ’58 Vivaro Sportive LWB and its a great van BUT be aware that they can have injector issues. Ours has only done about 47000 miles and number 1 injector went a few weeks ago (just out of warranty).

The problem is that the steel injectors get stuck in the aluminium head and can be nigh on impossible to remove. You can crack the head trying to draw them out. You can’t remove the head without removing the injectors so basically if they do get totally stuck in it’s a new engine. Google ‘vivaro injector problem’ and you will find more info. I think all of the manufacturers use the same engine so it won’t make a difference.

As we had told Vauxhall of an engine issue 3 times while the van was still under warranty and they had been unable to diagnose it, we made a bit of noise and they ended up getting a specialist in to remove the injector and paid for the job it would have been over £1000).

This issue might be fixed now, but worth looking into. I would still buy another one, but only a new one and chop it in before it runs out of warranty!

John

A thread on a vauxhall forum onm the subject here http://www.vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk/ … or.278689/

[Roy Roberts]

Looks like I’m gonna have to keep my fingers crossed, just bought an 09 plate lwb sportive. To replace my vwt4.

[Chris Wool]

good choice enjoy

[Colin Crabb]

Done! Signed today 😮

………….and not to feel out-done, the wifes changed her van too!
lol and now I’ve got to

quote :

Stick nice pictures on my van first and make it look pretty

(Shes updated her Citroen Dispatch)

Cheers all will look forward to taking delivery now

[Roy Roberts]

Thanks Chris,
Emptied VW today amazing what I have gathered over years, even found 3 Stanley knives I thought I’d left on site.

[Chris Wool]

funny at the amount of lwb sportives but every insurance com I have asked for a quote, say they never made one.

[Roy Roberts]

(:) (:) insurance company’s.
I rang mine Friday to change over to vivario for tomorrow to be informed it would
cost £75 to cancel the vw policy & then £470 for the new policy.

They must see me as a liability as I have never claimed on my business policy for
Years.

They got told where to go.

[Colin Crabb]

We got charged £10 admin fee, and new van was £47 more expensive (from a Dispatch 07 plate) – was happy surprised!

Mind you….. my private car, first year insurance was £280, they tried the automatic renewal trick with me…. second year was quoted at £670 !!!! (:) (:)
Do they hope you don’t read renewal notices?

[Gary Birch]

When i got the L200 I tried adding it to my existing policy….. £2800 to put it on upto the renewal date (7March). Ended up starting a seperate policy for £750 ish.

They are nothing short of being bandits!

[Hugh Potter]

I have an 03 plate vivaro, lwb 1.9, can’t complain, have done around 25k in nearly 2yrs of owning it, have had a few issues / repairs to make – clutch, gear linkage, track rod ends, ball joints and a few other bits but, to be honest, no different to any other 7-9yr old van that done over 100k.

I’m seriously considering a new one when this one finally dies. mine is kitted out with a bench seat in the rear, very large dog cage and a 2nd floor, this alows tools etc to store underneath, kids in front and dog at rear above floor, ladder down one side and anything up to 3m x 750 will still slide in on it’s edge. cage /floor sections / seats all removable so no probs with up to 8×5 then! tank of fuel will do around 550-600miles – i’m not the lightest right foot and usually carry too much crap too!

Hugh

[Roy Roberts]

Thought I’d wait until problem rectified, the van has had a real bad vibration from starting from cold after I week of use. The garage had it for about another week Checking it out to try to find the problem to no avail. Left it with them yesterday as they had booked a vauxhall troubleshooter to take it out today, turns out to be engine mount had worn internally, part will be shipped to vauxhall overnight and fitted hopefully for me to pickup lunchtime.

This has been a major pain in the a@se with having to remove gear so will be looking forward to happy van man again.

Regards

Roy