Fiat or Ford?

[Clemmo]

As the post below says we are looking for a new Motorhome.
Both have Fiat Cabs.
All my previous Mohos have been Fiat so I guess I feel an affinity to them.
It would broaden my choice if I brought Ford into the mix..
Anyone have thoughts on Ford or Fiat?
( I have sat in one..just feels different, maybe not so airy or spacious?)
Clemmo

 

[Two of usI]

As the post below says we are looking for a new Motorhome.
Both have Fiat Cabs.
All my previous Mohos have been Fiat so I guess I feel an affinity to them.
It would broaden my choice if I brought Ford into the mix..
Anyone have thoughts on Ford or Fiat?
( I have sat in one..just feels different, maybe not so airy or spacious?)
Clemmo

Would never touch another Fiat after the trouble and costs we have had to endure with our 'Comformatic"

 

[Pausim]

Another thought though I don’t know the answer. The useable space in a motorhome or van lies between the steering wheel and the back wall. My 6.4m Fiat loses some of its useable length to dash and engine space but is it better or worse than other base vehicles. At a glance the Ford appears to have a longer bonnet and if this is so would a Ford lose more of its useable space to dash and engine space? The next time I take my van out of storage I will try to measure the length lost, perhaps someone with a Ford could do the same. I will take the measurement from the top of the steering wheel because this where the rotated drivers seat rests when a little inclined.

 

[Nanniemate]

Use able space to me is swivel both seats and it's the floor space that's left. From the front of the seat foot space to the u shaped lounge and then is the table fitted or not

I think you need to view as many vans as possible

 

[Clemmo]

Well I started this….so here is a wrap up.
I drove Ford and Fiat in manual and Auto. All drive pretty nicely and you sit quite a bit lower in a Ford cab..no real issue.
The Autos were both excellent…so I decided Auto was for me.
Decision maker was ‘“in cab movement” and for me the Fiat was a clear winner. When I stood up to get out of the seat the Ford impeded my headspace. This was confirmed when standing in the Hab areas looking towards the cab. The Ford was a little more “closed in” Finally when I stood up to move back into the Hab area I caught me knee on the Ford auto bump.

So each to their own these were my findings so we searched Fiat Autos and now have a lovely 9speed set up.
Enjoyed the search and very happy with result

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[Nanniemate]

Well I started this….so here is a wrap up.
I drove Ford and Fiat in manual and Auto. All drive pretty nicely and you sit quite a bit lower in a Ford cab..no real issue.
The Autos were both excellent…so I decided Auto was for me.
Decision maker was ‘“in cab movement” and for me the Fiat was a clear winner. When I stood up to get out of the seat the Ford impeded my headspace. This was confirmed when standing in the Hab areas looking towards the cab. The Ford was a little more “closed in” Finally when I stood up to move back into the Hab area I caught me knee on the Ford auto bump.

So each to their own these were my findings so we searched Fiat Autos and now have a lovely 9speed set up.
Enjoyed the search and very happy with result

Not true unless we see the pics ...please

 

[Clemmo]

Ahhhh there you go

 

[Puddleduck]

We have had (In chronological order):

Toyota, Mercedes, Fiat, Fiat.

Same order of preference as well......

 

[CAB96]

We have had (In chronological order):

Toyota, Mercedes, Fiat, Fiat.

Same order of preference as well......

Ascending or Descending?

 

[barryd]

For a motorhome I never even thought about the cab and engine make. As if turned out on our new to us Swift Esprit it was a Fiat Ducato. Does it really make much difference? These are all commercial vehicles so designed for a bit of hammer I think. The main thing for me was the layout and payload.

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[Puddleduck]

Ascending or Descending?

Toyota was the first one

 

[Clemmo]

For a motorhome I never even thought about the cab and engine make. As if turned out on our new to us Swift Esprit it was a Fiat Ducato. Does it really make much difference? These are all commercial vehicles so designed for a bit of hammer I think. The main thing for me was the layout and payload.

It clearly made a difference to me.
I enjoy the driving as much as the destination. If there wasn’t a choice then obviously other factors come into play.
We all make our choices on what matter to us
Clemmo

 

[barryd]

It clearly made a difference to me.
I enjoy the driving as much as the destination. If there wasn’t a choice then obviously other factors come into play.
We all make our choices on what matter to us
Clemmo

After driving a 1996 2.5td Peugeot boxer Kontiki for 16 years all over Europe and 80000 miles my new to me 2.3 Ducato of 2015 vintage drives like a dream!

 

[ChrisL]

I'm a bit late to this thread but Fiat or Ford? No question about it for me, Mercedes

 

[Clemmo]

Couldn’t consider Mercedes as way over my budget.
Hence the question Fiat or Ford

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[Pausim]

I'm a bit late to this thread but Fiat or Ford? No question about it for me, Mercedes

I had a Mercedes Hymer in 2015 which served me well but it wasn’t that nice to drive, tendency to wander off the straight line at the slightest excuse. This could always be corrected but it wasn’t a relaxing drive. The similar sized Fiat Carthago that followed in 2019 felt much more stable. My 2024 Series 9 Fiat puts them both to shame but it is a van conversion and a bit smaller.

 

[barryd]

Is it not also down the the chassis how they drive? Both my vans have been extended Alko chassis and have handled pretty well.

 

[ChrisL]

I had a Mercedes Hymer in 2015 which served me well but it wasn’t that nice to drive, tendency to wander off the straight line at the slightest excuse. This could always be corrected but it wasn’t a relaxing drive. The similar sized Fiat Carthago that followed in 2019 felt much more stable. My 2024 Series 9 Fiat puts them both to shame but it is a van conversion and a bit smaller.

My preference for Mercedes is based on driving Sprinter vans, Ford vans and Fiat's in general, I really didn't like driving the transits at all, I found the power delivery to be inferior to Sprinters which had more torque at lower revs, making driving in traffic easier, with regard to fiats, I haven't driven a Ducato, but they appear to suffer with quite a few reliability issues, especially the comformatic but also fuel filter issues, instrument panel issues etc. I've driven a few Fiat cars back in the day, I found them fun to drive, the Fiat 124 special T with the twin cam 1600 lump was great as was the Fiat Dino with the ferrari V6 lump but build quality was never good. Just my experience, we all have different requirements and expectations from the vehicles we drive.