2005 Ford Transit T300 SWB MR review from UK and Ireland

Service with brakes and replacement bulbs @ 16668.

New clutch @ 16977.

New injectors, solenoid and engine @ 23000.

Initial thoughts were "what a great van", nippy for a fairly big van, great turning circle, good visibility, all the bells and whistles you could hope for (LX model).

Great load area - fancy it's a bit wider than the sprinter - good for racks on both sides. Dopey little knob on inside of sliding side door though - keeps getting knocked to locked position, meaning I have to clamber in through the back doors to unlock side door, then back out and round to open up the side to get my tools out.

Then got it serviced - needed couple of new tyres and the front pads doing (fair enough I thought, I admit, I do carry a lot of weight for work). Going to work, morning rush hour, maybe a week or two later - and I'm thinking - eh? Doesn't seem to be pulling... no this ain't happenin' - clutch had gone.

A few months pass, and I'm back into the frame of mind: "aaw what a van", stopped for lunch, got back in, started up, and plumes of white smoke, juddering like mad at idle, give it some gas and you only get more smoke, no more revs to speak of. RAC came out - said state of the fuel filter was terrible. Ford "service" for you I guess. Couldn't fix it @ roadside, towed off to Ford garage. Two weeks later, just heard back that despite changing injectors, solenoid and mention of injector pump, dealer now wants to change engine. And they're quibbling about the warranty.

I'm self employed, lost work through the van being off the road, first baby just arrived and really could go bust over this. Not impressed. Backbone of Britain? Crap. Knew I should've bought a VW.