2004 Vauxhall Combo Van LPG 1.4 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

I beg you do not buy a Combo Van! A VW Caddy or Ford Connect is a much sounder bet

Faults:

Wiper blade motor failed at 32k.

Goes into limp mode if I rev it in first. It's hard to get up hills!

Rear springs cracked at 43k.

Weird 2cm up and down movement in the steering column, like height adjustment, only not. Didn't affect the drive at all, but was an MOT failure. New column was over £300.

Water coming in the passenger footwell after heavy rain.

Gear linkage snapped at 44k.

Bonnet pull failed!

CV gaiter fail.

Gearbox failed at 46k.

General Comments:

The worst, most dated, cheapest, nastiest, most basic van ever!

Based on old Corsa technology to use up old Corsa stock.

How can so much fail on a car that's done less than 50k?

In the end I was pleased the gearbox went, because I was forced to scrap it. No one else will have to suffer.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 14th February, 2013

2005 Vauxhall Combo Van Panel Van 1.3 CDTi diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Very poor van, unreliable and slow

Faults:

This was a company fleet vehicle, which I obtained from new, and did just under 60,000 miles in till I parted with it.

The van had the tiny 1.3 turbo diesel engine in, and this engine was a constant source of problems, mainly with the engine management system.

There were numerous occasions when it just would not start for no reason. If I left it a few minutes it would then start OK. It also had a habit of going into Limp Home mode and would not rev above 2000RPM properly, then it would suddenly be OK again.

The turbo intercooler pipe split, resulting in oil all over the front of the engine and a loud whistling noise on acceleration, which was annoying.

The performance was dreadful, it was hesitant on acceleration due to the electric controlled accelerator pedal, which does not use a cable linkage, the 0 - 60 time was diabolical, and even worse if the air con was on.

It went into Vauxhall soon after I had it for the performance problems, they told me there was nothing wrong and I wasn't driving it properly.

The fuel consumption was appalling - 300 miles from a tank, probably because I had to floor it to keep up with everything else - I am sure this was related to the other ECU problems the van had.

General Comments:

A dreadful van in terms of its engine.

Not as bad as the previous Combo I had, an old shape one, the one that looked like a hearse, big and bulbous.

That chewed drive belts and got through alternators like there was no tomorrow, many a time I was stranded waiting for the AA.

It is better looking than its predecessor, but no more reliable. The seats were hard and although it had air con, it didn't have electric windows - strange.

The load space in the back was OK, and if it had been more reliable, I wouldn't have minded driving it, but each morning I always thought to myself, will it last through today without problems?

If I was buying a small van myself, I would have preferred a Transit Connect. The Vivaro is OK but that's a Renault built van with a Vauxhall badge.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 20th November, 2008

29th Sep 2010, 03:09

Have found my Combo van fine even when loaded to capacity. I have no problems with acceleration and it does nearly 600 miles on a full tank of fuel, so I do not understand why yours does not, must be that turbo is not working correctly as I can feel the turbo cut in when needing to accelerate quickly. Mine accelerates to 60 very easily, even loaded. I suggest that you service the vehicle every 6 months i.e. air filter, diesel filter and oil filter, as this often detracts from performance and fuel consumption. I was told this by my works fitters.

21st Jan 2012, 19:20

Hi, is yours the 1.3 CDTi then? I'm confused. I've found an ex British gas van on 46,000 miles. I've been told they won't pull you out of bed. Is yours good up hills when loaded?

16th Jun 2012, 12:08

I also have a Combo 1.3 year 2005 that constantly goes into slow mode. I had it checked by a computer plugged in under the dashboard. The computer said it was the mass air flow sensor, but since fitting a new one, I still have the same problem... Would rather have my old Ford van any day; no computers needed, had it 13 years, & not one engine problem.

2nd Nov 2012, 06:06

I have had a 1.3 diesel for 2 years, and have done 97000 miles in it (26000 on when I bought it). It has now done 123000 total, and runs as sweet as a nut. It pulls like a train, it is serviced to Vauxhall's details, and has an oil change between services, so maybe that's the secret.

19th Jul 2015, 21:51

Bought a P plate Combo diesel 2 years ago, fibre glass lined, paid 450 for it. The body work is tidy, and it runs like a sewing machine. I've had my moneys worth; it does me for work.

22nd Jul 2022, 21:36

Combo vans are decent, and easily better than Ford's Transit Connect from the same time period.