What used van should I buy?

I have to find a new medium sized van quickly and am getting confused as to which to go for. I currently have a 2017 Ford Transit Custom which needs too much money spending on it. I had a new wet belt when I bought it and a new turbo two years later. I now find I need to replace both again and I've only had it 5 years. I also had issues with the adblue system after my turbo went so I am feeling a little sensitive about buying another Transit Custom although I love the van itself.
Previously I had a 2015 Renault Trafic which was great until the fuel injectors rusted into the top of the engine so wiping out any value.
I've looked at VW Transporters but they seem generally to be £3k over the price of the other two so am a bit wary of spending that much and would it be worth it? They are also scarce in my price range.
My budget with borrowed money and finance is £11k although lower would be better unless it is a spectacularly good van then possibly £12/13k. Please help!

Asked on 20 May 2025 by gillyg

Answered by Craig Cheetham
For your budget, a good choice would be a used Mercedes Vito with less than 100k on the clock. The pre-2019 models use a tried and tested 2.2-litre CDI diesel engine which is well-respected for its reliability.
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