Fiat Ducato 140 v 180bhp Automatic any comments?

[Wicketter]

Looking to spec a Knaus 6m Boxlife automatic and trying to decide if paying for the 180bhp is worth the extra money. We currently have a Vantage NEO 6.3m and it has been worth it for the hills.

 

[Jonno1103]

The European vans are also weighed after manufacture, they have to be weighed to ensure they comply with EU minimum payload laws. The Mass in service figure on my V5C originates from the Type Approval documents not from the final weighing. Frankly the figures the DVLA choose to fill in or leave blank on the V5C seem to be a bit random and I wouldn’t trust the payload figures of either UK or EU manufacturers.

For me that's paranoia. Our F line weighed what the paperwork denoted, well, a couple kilo's more as it had a full fuel tank and the missus is 78kg.
Weighbridges are not the holy grail, they are just a prone to calibration errors hence why the DVSA allows the same 5% margin.

 

[DucatoMan2]

Looking to spec a Knaus 6m Boxlife automatic and trying to decide if paying for the 180bhp is worth the extra money. We currently have a Vantage NEO 6.3m and it has been worth it for the hills.

I don't think the headline bhp numbers really tells you what it will feel like. More important is, not just the torque, but the rpm curve where the torque is improved. I wouldn't have bothered remapping but for the fact that I'm towing. It works and you can tell the difference easily enough BUT you have to at least select the gearbox power hold mode or actually manually over-ride and hold gears to get full benefit. I find I really only use it on the sliproads and sometimes keeping ahead of lighly loaded lorries on big climbs.

It maybe different on the current engine, I'd look at the torque curves if possible.

 

[rob1234]

Cathargo? I looked then moved away. Sadly not for me when they want over £500 for an Omnistep which for me should be standard, nearly £1700 for towbar & over £2k for a 5m wind out awning with LEDs. Those prices are simply a rip off. Roof aircon nearly £2400? Standard UK retail price fitted is £1950. On a 4500kg Chic c - line I was over £172k with a payload of 526kg. That's on a brand I have zero experience of. I can't take that chance especially paying cash.

On a MY25 Comanche for 130k I can have it fully loaded including hydraulic levelling which they factory fit now and still have just over a 900kg payload.

Lenny if we do go down the AT route it'll be our 4th and we've never had an issue with any of them including the over 4 year old Ford we have now. I trust them, my dad sold them, I repaired them, Hymer too and worked for Trigano. We all go for what we know & trust I suppose?... You're a stalwart for the German A class having lived in them extensively, your knowledge in them gives you confidence, I'm the same with Auto Trail. I do like the Adria on the Merc' though!

my last van was an auto trail had it 4 years never had any problem with it ,,and would have had another if they did the layout i wanted ,,and my last van was 150 bhp manual ,,new one is 140bhp 9 speed ,,and i tow a car ,,i have not thought ,,i wish i had more power ,,love the auto box ,so smooth

 

[Pausim]

For me that's paranoia. Our F line weighed what the paperwork denoted, well, a couple kilo's more as it had a full fuel tank and the missus is 78kg.
Weighbridges are not the holy grail, they are just a prone to calibration errors hence why the DVSA allows the same 5% margin.

Perhaps I am paranoid but whose word do you have that the manufacturers figures are accurate? I still wouldn’t trust the published figures and without weighing it I would have to take the salespersons word for it. My latest purchase from Malibu/Carthago was pretty close to the manufacturer’s ones but all my previous ones have not been.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[BillandHelen]

Perhaps I am paranoid but whose word do you have that the manufacturers figures are accurate? I still wouldn’t trust the published figures and without weighing it I would have to take the salespersons word for it. My latest purchase from Malibu/Carthago was pretty close to the manufacturer’s ones but all my previous ones have not been.

On our new IH, they just weighed it for us on their own scales so we could see the before and after loaded figures on each axle. I’m sure every dealer must have the same portable, relatively cheap, scales these days?