1990 Bedford Rascal 1.0 petrol

Summary:

Hilarious, quirky, useful campervan

Faults:

Fuel pump needed replacing at over clock miles.

Speedometer etc doesn't light up, at over clock miles.

Choke snapped off at the same miles.

Had to change both seats at the same miles.

General Comments:

Uncomfortable.

Noisy.

Bad on economy (Isle of Wight, silly speed restrictions, tourists and loads of hills).

Good on economy (motorways to Wales and back at 60 mph, over 500 miles, £80 petrol).

Long time to warm up (I'm buggered now the choke snapped today).

Under powered for our steep hills.

Great fun (passengers always close their eyes and think we're gonna topple), light steering, rear wheel drive (back slides in the wet).

To be honest, I don't know accurately the mileage (over clock) now says 02183/2. I think it needs damn good service and tune up etc. Got a receipt saying it had the head rebuild just before I bought it. Paid £495.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th April, 2012

1986 Bedford Rascal 970cc

Summary:

If I couldn't fix it I'd buy another rascal

Faults:

Blew a coreplug on the carb at the junction of the M5 & M4 (was doing 80mph at time so my fault)

New exhaust at 70k miles. Water pump went on A14, bit of a job as the whole vans built around it, but £15 for a new one.

New clutch at 98k miles, did this at roadside & didn't need to jack her up. took an hour & half including flywheel which was damaged by a piece of detached clutch.

Flushed out heater & rerouted pipes (works brilliant when its clean)

Fuel pump replaced.

General Comments:

Cheap to buy & run 50mpg & £120 insurance.

Reliable (list above is 55k miles of hardcore thrashing)

A tip for all rascal owners: there is a heater pipe running under the engine. the metal pipe is what corrodes & clogs the heater & rad. Take it off & the rubber heater hose will reach down the drivers side instead. I did that to mine, flushed the rad & heater out & she hasn't used a drop of water in 12months. The heaters brilliant now as well.

These vans go anywhere (including between car park bollards lol)

Has anyone seen them on the news? some far eastern countries use them as swat vans.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th February, 2007

21st Jun 2007, 12:59

"50 mpg": Is that at 50 mph? What does it get at 60 mph? What does it get around town?

14th Jul 2008, 12:17

I've just purchased a 1992 Bedford Rascal; never again, too noisy, slow going uphills, and very heavy consumption; 25 mpg.

In reply to 21st Jun 2007, 12:59

9th Dec 2022, 17:15

Original reviewer was exaggerating I'm sure. Realistically these vehicles did around 35 - 42 mpg at best on average, about right for an older small petrol engine.

1990 Bedford Rascal 1 litre

Summary:

Small is beautiful!

Faults:

I'm now on my second Rascal; the first one's big ends went probably due to me not changing the oil often enough. Engine was eventually replaced and the van was stolen and torched! :o (Few little problems to sort on the second Rascal which I got at 85k; the fuel consumption was high, but the carb was tweaked and now okay, driver's seat permanently at 45 degrees, probably due to a hefty builder using it, secondhand seat fitted and okay, radiator clogged up, secondhand one fitted and now okay. Nothing disastrous.

General Comments:

Great little vans - shame there's not a diesel version available - or any 1 litre version available anymore. An automatic wiper function would be nice, the 2 speed on/off option is a bit basic, but this may have been improved on with later models than mine.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th October, 2005

22nd Mar 2006, 13:44

The rascal is a great van. I put a luminition ignition on my one and it runs well now. Also it took an age to warm up so a new thermostat cured that. The new Suzuki carry van looks really nice, but beware, The height in the back of the new one is less than the old version. Think of that. Make a really small van and when the new one comes out make it even smaller and restrict the customer market for it even more. The rear height is based around 1 meter metric of plaster board and things like that you may put in it. I will stay with the rascal I think. My one has 106,400 miles on it and no smoke and still going strong. Change the oil, warm it up well and it will last a long time. And don't forget to change the timing belt.