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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Aug 22, 2013 15:38:15 GMT
My OH, Neil, is not a member here, but he's posted a thread on WCFMH. We've been offered a camper swap, one autosleeper for another, both 2 litre petrol, same year. Our current van is the Ford Transit (Legend), the other is a Peugeot Talbot (Talisman). Copy of Neil's post below. "You'll no doubt remember the problems we had getting our Ford Legend autosleeper thru its mot earlier this year? Arthur saved our bacon doing major welding work and getting us thru that sticky patch, but it will always need pretty major attention, underneath at least, to keep going. Well, our friend Robert, who originally sold it to us, has come up with a bit of a proposition: He's just bought a Talbot autosleeper off eBay and says he's happy to swap it with ours! Its the same age (E reg), is a few inches longer and the chassis looks in much better nick - Uploaded photos here. I find the offer very tempting, although one member already is very against it. My main reason for it is the better chassis and just about everything else underneath. The front cab has quite a bit of patched up rust and the oil mess underneath MAY just be because it is very awkward to top up because the spout is right at the back of the engine next to the spare tyre. If we were to go for it we'd miss the old girl but we do feel there would be a lot less to worry about in the next few years. What do you think, folks?" Most peeps seem to think we should stick with our Ford Transit (Legend). Neil's had a drive this morning in the Talbot and says it's a much smoother and faster ride than ours, but it does have a nasty oil leak. Inside it's the slightly longer autosleeper version with the 2 extra floor cupboards in the middle and has the traditional seating arrangement, not 2 fixed benches, and both front seats swivel. It's pretty tidy internally and he has all the paperwork from new, including a journal of where it went on its travels for the first 40k miles. Don't like that leak though and I have mixed views. Any thoughts?
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Post by Firefox on Aug 22, 2013 16:07:47 GMT
Very tricky to say! I'd stick with the Devil you know probably. However, you could ask Old Arthur how likely the Transit is to need a lot more spending on it in body repairs in the coming years. That's putting him on the spot I know, but he probably has a better idea than anyone if more is going to need spending. The only thing that would persuade me to swap was if I knew the Ford underbody would need a lot more spending on it. But - you would be saddling your friend with those future repairs
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Aug 22, 2013 16:20:01 GMT
I don't think the "friend" would be bothered as he'll only keep it for 5 mins (literally!!!) - just like the dozens of other campers he's had over the last few years To be fair, he didn't know the chassis was a bad as it was. He's a big bloke and can't get down to look underneath vehicles any more. The guy he bought ours from did the dirty on him and he really wasn't aware of how bad the underside was - in a way, that was our fault for not looking properly in the first place! Heart ruling head and all that - but never again! I think it will be a constant annual welding job to keep the Transit on the road, hence why we were considering the swap. The Talbot has a galvanised chassis and it's definitely in way better nick that our Transit. The oil leak is the biggest bugbear.
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Post by Firefox on Aug 22, 2013 16:55:07 GMT
Any idea where the oil leak is from?
It could be as simple as an oil filter which needs tightening, or something more problematic like a head gasket.
Is your friend a dealer on the quiet in disguise then?!
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Post by n brown on Aug 22, 2013 18:21:32 GMT
i'm still wary.are you sure your 'friend' who sold you the first rustbucket hasn't got an ulterior motive for now generously offering to take it off your hands ?
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Post by robmac on Aug 22, 2013 18:24:50 GMT
i'm still wary.are you sure your 'friend' who sold you the first rustbucket hasn't got an ulterior motive for now generously offering to take it off your hands ? He's probably remembered the fiver he left under one of the seats.
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Post by flyby on Aug 22, 2013 22:24:26 GMT
has the font cab bin spay up as it looks like a load or rusty water marks arould the front head lamps ,have i look up under the dash boad there rot there and you cant see it but there do and arould the windsceen to , so would make sure of the front cab fist then the oil leak pus the sump looks very rusty to we need to replace that to if it not to bad put some oil on the outside of it to ,
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Post by Ems&Beau on Aug 24, 2013 8:42:14 GMT
I'm pleased with my fiat ducato (exactly the same as the Talbot). It also has an oil leak which gets on the chassis at the front and the bottom of the fuel tank, mine is from the rocker cover which is common on these as they get bent and over tightened. Also sumps plugs leak is the washer isn't replaced, both gearbox (which has 2) and the oil sump. The oil seal where the drive shafts go in also fail and spread oil everywhere so the oil leak could be from more than one place! Where ever it comes from it seems to get on the driveshaft and then get flung everywhere!! Parts are relatively easy to get but some are no longer available, I think transits are better for parts and if I were you I'd stick with what you know. They all rust and have problems. Mine has had some welding and will probably need some more! Just enjoy the van you have
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Post by landydriver on Aug 25, 2013 15:49:42 GMT
All Talbots, cars, vans and everything else they made were and always will be JUNK. Stick with the ford at least youll get bits for it. The "friend" has done you once....why take the risk. It all looks to me like you will be "done" again. Seems he'll get a Ford van you have welded for a Talbot van that will need welded. If the talbot was that good he'd sell it on for a profit...but then if I was him...swap it for a transit...a transit WILL be much easier to sell
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Post by gaz on Sept 16, 2013 23:52:35 GMT
so....what ya doin marie ...stick or twist
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Post by Etienne Le Croq on Sept 17, 2013 6:02:54 GMT
Or are you gonna see it?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2013 10:02:10 GMT
Marie, my Transit has had an oil leak since I bought it, my mechanic (up here in Cumbria) changed a gasket but that didn't cure it. However in nearly 2 years I've never had to top up the oil yet (although the mechanic may have done). So I'm not too bothered about the oil leak, especially as it's keeping the rust off the engine! So I don't think an oil leak is a major worry but it depends how bad it is, where the leak is coming from and how much oil it's using.
On the other hand, I can give you details of an excellent Transit mechanic in Preston who knows Transits inside out - I know it's a bit of a drive but you can stay in his yard overnight, his labour charge is only £30 / hour and he would have had my clutch changed in under 2 hours had we not had to wait several hours for Ford to deliver parts. It was cheaper for me to drive to Preston to get the work done than to have it done locally. I know it would add another £20 - £30 to your bill in fuel but definitely worth considering, especially for big mechanical jobs.
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Sept 19, 2013 23:13:22 GMT
We're sticking. I've kinda grown fond of the old girl However...... I would actually like a van just for me, myself, I Chocolate. Now, please.
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Post by Etienne Le Croq on Sept 20, 2013 20:08:15 GMT
Very selfish!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2013 8:58:44 GMT
We're sticking. I've kinda grown fond of the old girl However...... I would actually like a van just for me, myself, I Chocolate. Now, please. Much as a chocolate van would be fantastic, I do think a rusty oil leaky Ford Talbot would last longer
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Post by Is it spring yet, dormouse? on Sept 29, 2013 15:54:50 GMT
Much as a chocolate van would be fantastic, I do think a rusty oil leaky Ford Talbot would last longer I think that's kinda debatable! Chocolate. Now, please.
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