Faults:

Difficult to start in cold weather, especially at fairly low temperatures and if it spends the night outside a garage; otherwise, it presents no problems in this regard.

The engine malfunction light (check engine) may come on due to jerking or loss of power, often due to faults in injectors or pump.

The loss of fifth gear is a common problem in the manual transmissions of this van from the 1990s and early 2000s. It is usually due to wear on the fifth gear pinion, often aggravated by a lack of lubrication.

Problems with the fuel gauge, especially when filling the tank to the maximum.

General Comments:

I bought this van back in early 2009 to replace my previous Transit (not much older than this one, it was from 1995) and, beyond the problems I mentioned (nothing worrying since it was used with more than 60,000 km) it gave me much more satisfaction than expected.

If I had to compare it to the Transit, mechanically and in terms of engine, both are very reliable and built to last as long as possible. The difference I noticed was mainly in the handling and the interior. The Ducato is clearly more modern, with more technology, better finishes, and is also much easier to drive.

The van weighs almost 2200 kg (3.5 tons). Its payload is usually between 1200 kg and 1500 kg, although in my experience it can carry more, especially with this engine, which is the largest in the series.

Its design is ideal not only for work but also for recreation, which is why you see so many Ducato camper vans.

As for handling, although it's the largest and heaviest, it's not difficult to maneuver in the city, except in tight spaces, but overall it handles well. Despite its rugged appearance, it's surprisingly capable.

The engine is by far the best thing about this vehicle: spartan, with just the right amount of electronics, and more than proven. With proper maintenance, it won't keep you up at night. Easy to maintain and inexpensive, it's the kind of engine they don't make anymore, but you really miss it these days with cars and engines that require extremely high maintenance and have questionable reliability.

It has the necessary power and can take you over 140 km/h if you ask it to, even with the air conditioning on.

Fuel consumption generally doesn't exceed 10 liters per 100 km, which I consider low for a large van. Of course, if you drive aggressively, consumption will skyrocket, but under normal conditions, it's quite economical.