Fuel Economy: Berlingo, Caddy, Combo, Connect

Hi guys Looking at maybe getting another small van what mpg do you obtain my berlingo is doing approx 40mpg on shell fuel. Speaking to some people thay say they getting 50mpg out of a connect Not had our berlingo long its an 06 with 70,000 but dont know how its been serviced is 40mpg about right

I don't know (but wish I did) how anyone gets 50mpg out of a connect, this year I have averaged 39.67 mpg and that's not driving it too fast and over mainly long distances, mines a so called high roof lwb.

The guy i was talking to only has a swb low roof but cant see it making that much differance. Our berlingo does about 39mpg doing a steady 65-70 on a run using normal shell fuel not tried it on the better fuel

Schofields couriers said:

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The guy i was talking to only has a swb low roof but cant see it making that much differance. Our berlingo does about 39mpg doing a steady 65-70 on a run using normal shell fuel not tried it on the better fuel

14.2 pence per mile. That is what matters- you charge by the mile so you need to know your costs by the mile.

Over the life of the van it will use over £42k of fuel (b4 VAT) All the other costs are minor compared to the fuel.

I use a mix of supermarket fuel and the 'real stuff' ie Shell, Bp etc and the highest mileage I got, fill up to fill up was on Tesco fuel, but that could be down to the terrain maybe.

our berlingo works out 16.5 with vat 13.7 without thats at 1.44 a litre think iam working it out right 44.86 litre done 393 miles

I was using a fuel tracking application on my smart phone for a long enough time to get an accurate rate for the VW Caddy which averaged out at 11 miles per litre over a 6 month period.

This works out at £0.129 pence per mile (inc VAT), £0.107 pence per mile if one is VAT registered. (based on the price at my local fuel stop today!)

Scott.

Schofields couriers said:

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Hi guys Looking at maybe getting another small van what mpg do you obtain my berlingo is doing approx 40mpg on shell fuel. Speaking to some people thay say they getting 50mpg out of a connect Not had our berlingo long its an 06 with 70,000 but dont know how its been serviced is 40mpg about right

My berlingo which I bought from new in 2002 1.9d and serviced by myself every 10, 000 at a steady 65mph could just touch 50mpg, at a steady 80 ish 37mpg, That was mainly on shell I also used millers powerplus at every fill up, tyre pressures checked every week, and new air filter every 10, 000 also used millers xfe semi synthetic oil, bit of overkill some would say but ran like a dream, got rid at 180, 000 miles.

The connect 50 mpg I think is a porky they are quite a heavy van and not exactly aerodynamic.

Similar shape to a broken brick I think...

I should qualify that the figures I quoted above relate to our VW Caddy from new!

Scott.

Which caddy was it they do two i think isit 75psi or 115 dont quote me on them numbers Drove a new one couple of years ago and it wouldnt pull a kite let alone a load

My berlingo which I bought from new in 2002 1.9d and serviced by myself every 10, 000 at a steady 65mph could just touch 50mpg, at a steady 80 ish 37mpg, That was mainly on shell I also used millers powerplus at every fill up, tyre pressures checked every week, and new air filter every 10, 000 also used millers xfe semi synthetic oil, This bit says it all though..... bit of overkill some would say but ran like a dream, got rid at 180, 000 miles.

AJM sameday Couriers said:

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Schofields couriers said:

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Hi guys Looking at maybe getting another small van what mpg do you obtain my berlingo is doing approx 40mpg on shell fuel. Speaking to some people thay say they getting 50mpg out of a connect Not had our berlingo long its an 06 with 70,000 but dont know how its been serviced is 40mpg about right

My berlingo which I bought from new in 2002 1.9d and serviced by myself every 10, 000 at a steady 65mph could just touch 50mpg, at a steady 80 ish 37mpg, That was mainly on shell I also used millers powerplus at every fill up, tyre pressures checked every week, and new air filter every 10, 000 also used millers xfe semi synthetic oil, bit of overkill some would say but ran like a dream, got rid at 180, 000 miles.

The connect 50 mpg I think is a porky they are quite a heavy van and not exactly aerodynamic.

My Combo 1.7Di which has now 110K on the clock averages 54mpg at 70-75mph

managed to get 62mpg once in an experiment which nearly cost my life through boredom

Mostly empty or light half a dozen boxes

Actually got 45 mpg out of 1.7 Combo the other day. That was MUCH better than normal and accurately tested with the addition of 2 stroke oil!

Bought it new and now 3 yrs old, but average MPG has been just a tad below 40 mpg. Most of it's mileage has been heavy footed Autoroute / Autobahn driving though.

Schofields couriers said:

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Which caddy was it they do two i think isit 75psi or 115 dont quote me on them numbers Drove a new one couple of years ago and it wouldnt pull a kite let alone a load

2011 75psi. It happily hauls a load of slightly over 600Kg (if I remember correctly). However, we don't accept anything over 400Kg and it hauls this fine with the mpg down to the 48.

Hi peter i quite like the caddy over the others have you come across any major problems i know its vw but the golfs seem to have steering pump issues. Also are you saying you are getting 48mpg with a 400kg load

Schofields couriers said:

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Hi guys Looking at maybe getting another small van what mpg do you obtain my berlingo is doing approx 40mpg on shell fuel. Speaking to some people thay say they getting 50mpg out of a connect Not had our berlingo long its an 06 with 70,000 but dont know how its been serviced is 40mpg about right

40mpg is about right for a 1.9, the old non-turbo XUD engine. I ran a couple of those years ago when courier work was busy and diesel was

Schofields couriers said:

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Hi guys Looking at maybe getting another small van what mpg do you obtain my berlingo is doing approx 40mpg on shell fuel. Speaking to some people thay say they getting 50mpg out of a connect Not had our berlingo long its an 06 with 70,000 but dont know how its been serviced is 40mpg about right

I'll try that again!

40mpg is about right for a 1.9, the old non-turbo XUD engine. I ran a couple of those years ago when courier work was busy and diesel was less than 80p a litre, so I did tend to cane them a bit more than I would now. Happy days.

I've also had the 2.0HDi which did 49 - 50mpg on decent fuel. Most recently I've had a couple of 1.6HDis which manage 50 - 52mpg, again seem to be quite fussy on brand of fuel.

Schofields couriers said:

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Hi peter i quite like the caddy over the others have you come across any major problems i know its vw but the golfs seem to have steering pump issues. Also are you saying you are getting 48mpg with a 400kg load

Hi there. I am Scott! I work with Peter. The comments above are solely my responsibility. (just to clarify).

As for your question regarding liability. We acquired the VW brand new in July 2011 when we first began in the courier industry. So far we have covered close to 90,000 miles.

The only issue we had with regards to reliability was to do with the windscreen wiper and washer system.

One day it just seemed to pack up.

However, a quick strip down of the steering column revealed no obvious issues. So we reconnected all the cables and put the cover back on with the intention of taking it to the repair shop. Lo and behold, after re-assembly everything worked fine.

Conclusion: Just a cable that had probably worked a little bit loose due to all the miles and vibrations.

Other than the above, absolutely no technical issues at all. It still runs and drives exactly the same as the first day we received it.

Also, yes. With a 400Kg load, we achieved 48mpg. (all be it, taking it easy!)

We would not hesitate to recommend the VW Caddy.

Scott.

I nearly bought a Connect before settling on a regular SWB Transit. I get 39 - 43 mpg out of it, and the insurance isn't that much higher. So although I really like the Connect, the Transit seems a better value.

Having said that, I think the Connect might hold its value better than its bigger cousin.

You doing well there with the transit i only get 32-35 out of mine on a run doing 65-70mph

Nice thread

RAPID LIGHT TRANSPORT LTD. said:

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Actually got 45 mpg out of 1.7 Combo the other day. That was MUCH better than normal and accurately tested with the addition of 2 stroke oil!

Bought it new and now 3 yrs old, but average MPG has been just a tad below 40 mpg. Most of it's mileage has been heavy footed Autoroute / Autobahn driving though.

Ahh you see with a prosthetic foot I can't actually "put my foot down" and would actually have to adjust my seat to get the right angle to floor it, so its a steady (but not slow) acceleration.

Schofields couriers said:

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You doing well there with the transit i only get 32-35 out of mine on a run doing 65-70mph

If I'm doing 70 then mpg is much worse but when i can i cruise at 60max to keep mpg up.

In my experience having run all 3. BERLINGO - 58-63mpg CADDY - 40-45 CONNECT - 35

All swb low roof

Connect is also the worst place to be for 18+ hours at a time with the caddy and the berlingo about even but only because the caddy seat is better for my back. I would go for a newer berlingo with the 6 speed box as it'll get even better MPG and gets more kit as standard, if only they could have put the cup holders in a sensible place!

My connect usually returned an average of 43+ at 70 mph this was a tddi but the tdci only did 20 miles futher on a tank of fuel i did 50 once but that was driving it like miss daisy

ZENITH Courier Services said:

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Schofields couriers said:

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You doing well there with the transit i only get 32-35 out of mine on a run doing 65-70mph

If I'm doing 70 then mpg is much worse but when i can i cruise at 60max to keep mpg up.

Just done 650 to a tank £102 normally only get 500/540 but tried sticking to 60/65 normaly do 65/70 mpg upto 42mpg didnt think just dropping them few mph would make such a difference

Schofields couriers said:

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ZENITH Courier Services said:

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Schofields couriers said:

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You doing well there with the transit i only get 32-35 out of mine on a run doing 65-70mph

If I'm doing 70 then mpg is much worse but when i can i cruise at 60max to keep mpg up.

Just done 650 to a tank £102 normally only get 500/540 but tried sticking to 60/65 normaly do 65/70 mpg upto 42mpg didnt think just dropping them few mph would make such a difference

Great! It's exponential, so if you reduce your speed by 10%, you save more than 10% in fuel, in your case more like 20%!

You'll have him driving everywhere backwards now

MyVanCan.com said:

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You'll have him driving everywhere backwards now

I like your logic ;)

On second thoughts, I think it might be an s-curve rather than an exponential relationship, but maths never was my strong point...

Ford Connect had the pleasure of driving one today 90ps

Good points; Good visability

Bad points; Extremely hard uncomfortable seats Engine noise at all speeds Brakes that nearly send you through the windscreen Naff power steering can't feel anything Cheap plastic interior Poor handling

Verdict would never buy one, and mpg 35, awful thing, why are they so highly rated, is because its a ford, my doblo ran rings round this thing I had the pleasure in driving, did 200 miles.

AJM sameday Couriers said:

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Ford Connect had the pleasure of driving one today 90ps

Good points; Good visability

Bad points; Extremely hard uncomfortable seats Engine noise at all speeds Brakes that nearly send you through the windscreen Naff power steering can't feel anything Cheap plastic interior Poor handling

Verdict would never buy one, and mpg 35, awful thing, why are they so highly rated, is because its a ford, my doblo ran rings round this thing I had the pleasure in driving, did 200 miles.

Exactly my thoughts too!

I'm quite happy with my Connect, I think it does the job it's designed to do. Can't understand all the negative comments and I get 40mpg at 70 ish and I don't have a well padded behind either to counteract the 'extremely hard uncomfortable seats'. Pity the seat didn't go further back though due to the fixed bulkhead. Just renewed front discs and pads so yes it can pull up quite quickly but sometimes glad it can. I give it 7 out of 10. Often do a 1000 mile round trip with a break in the middle with no problems, and happy to do so.

moray couriers said:

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I'm quite happy with my Connect, I think it does the job it's designed to do. Can't understand all the negative comments and I get 40mpg at 70 ish and I don't have a well padded behind either to counteract the 'extremely hard uncomfortable seats'. Pity the seat didn't go further back though due to the fixed bulkhead. Just renewed front discs and pads so yes it can pull up quite quickly but sometimes glad it can. I give it 7 out of 10. Often do a 1000 mile round trip with a break in the middle with no problems, and happy to do so.

The thing is since it's introduction in 2002 its won every award going, every van I have owned or hired or driven has been so much better than the connect, its engine noise is obtrusive, the handling is like a bus the ride is poor, I have even considered buying one of these not anymore, my berlingo was great, smooth quiet engine, nice brakes, nice handling nice suspension, the connects steering is far too over assisted and the fuel economy not good

Mine must be a one off then

I hated the driving position when I hired one

The thing is a van is just part of the toolkit. Ok a nice to drive one, with luxury extras is nice, especially the amount of time one spends in it is nice to have. I personally do not like Fords. I have had new Transits and connects, both purchased and on hire. Maybe my perception of Fords is somewhat soured due to the mechanical problems I encountered. I do agree though that the Connect was uncomfortable for me, noisy, thirsty and definitely handled poorly. Others may disagree, as one man's meat is another man's poison. That is why people buy different makes! I loved my Sprinter but hated the latest models, and so it goes on.

MK, I agree that the driving position (even for me at 5'8 & 1/2'') is not ideal but apart from not having electric windows, a/c or any other toy I really can't complain as and my missus keeps saying I'm turning into a right miserable ole fart so believe me I would if I could.

moray couriers said:

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apart from not having electric windows or any other toy

An electric window on the passenger side is essential for ease of asking directions (unless you are too proud to do that)

Nah, not at all, but I go stop on the other side of road

ASKING DIRECTIONS? I haven't had to do that since... I can't remember

Just been looking at the new Berlingo sized Mercedes Citan. Very impressed, its supposed to do 65mpg. Its just over £13,000 so not a bad price. Anyone else seen it?

RGM Courier Services said:

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Just been looking at the new Berlingo sized Mercedes Citan. Very impressed, its supposed to do 65mpg. Its just over £13,000 so not a bad price. Anyone else seen it?

Looks good but the way Mercs Rust puts me off

RAPID LIGHT TRANSPORT LTD. said:

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RGM Courier Services said:

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Just been looking at the new Berlingo sized Mercedes Citan. Very impressed, its supposed to do 65mpg. Its just over £13,000 so not a bad price. Anyone else seen it?

Looks good but the way Mercs Rust puts me off

I thougt the citan was a rebadged Renault kangoo witha nicer interior than the Renault, if so the renault version is far cheaper, I have seen the longer one for sale around the £10, 000 mark, the 65mpg could be a marketing thing, there are lots about so they must be ok my doblo at 56mph from Portsmouth to Preston average d 62 mpg there was traffic about.

RLT. That's true, I've seen loads of rusty Mercs on the motorways. AJM.. Now you mention it the Cital looks suspiciously like the Kangoo. Might give the cital a miss then. What do you think of the Doblo? I'm coming to the end of my van contract so I'm looking for a new van. My berlingo is fine but it's so uncomfortable to drive - no leg room.

RGM Courier Services said:

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RLT. That's true, I've seen loads of rusty Mercs on the motorways. AJM.. Now you mention it the Cital looks suspiciously like the Kangoo. Might give the cital a miss then. What do you think of the Doblo? I'm coming to the end of my van contract so I'm looking for a new van. My berlingo is fine but it's so uncomfortable to drive - no leg room.

I like the Fiat, and a mate has had one for a few years without any probs Not sure what I will get as next small van yet but will look further at the Fiats

Fiat doblo and vauxhall combo are same van renualt kangoo and peugoet bipper / renualt nissan vauxhall vivaro Soon you wont have a choice

I get around 44mpg with my 03 1.7di combo van useing shell fuel.

Just slightly off topic but this is to do with the vans discussed. When does a small van become a midi sized one. Mine is a LWB high roof Connect, max payload 825kg & 3.73m so what is it please?

That's 3.73m3