1998 Vauxhall Midi SWB Van 2.4 turbo diesel (Isuzu)

Summary:

The Midi is an excellent, economical and trouble free van that's pleasant to drive

Faults:

Nothing major has ever gone wrong with the van.

Its had the usual service items / parts you'd expect to replace over the years, brakes, tyres, etc.

Rear tailgate wiper has never worked (and never worried me!).

General Comments:

The van has been excellent and 100% reliable and trouble free. Even now it's getting on, I don't think twice about jumping in and driving 300 or more miles.

The Isuzu 2.4 turbo diesel engine is excellent, a bit noisy, but gets well over 40 mpg, possibly over 50.

I love the column gear shift, great fun to drive plus I learned to drive on a column change (on a Toyota pickup).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st July, 2009

1992 Vauxhall Midi 1.9 petrol

Summary:

A good workhorse

Faults:

Side door rusted away along bottom edge.

Faulty automatic choke.

General Comments:

The only real mechanical fault over the four years with this van has been with the choke in the last year. Fuel consumption was down to 23mpg and the engine would splutter and sometimes lose all power and backfire. I found that if the engine was warmed up first thing in the morning before driving this would overcome this.

Expensive to run.

Overall I have been pleased with this van although it can seem a bit lethargic.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 4th December, 2003

1994 Vauxhall Midi SWB Van 2.0 Isuzu petrol

Summary:

Awesome power, spoiled by poor build

Faults:

OK, here we go:

Rear exhaust section - 80000.

Wiper controller - 87000 (£10 scrap-yard fix).

Front shocks - 92000.

Intake manifold gasket - 92000.

Persistent auto choke problems resulted in the choke sticking open in summer, sticking closed in winter. Very frustrating with a huge loss of power/economy.

Eventually it screwed the mixture settings leading to backfiring which bust the front exhaust section. Replacing the lot seems to have fixed it...

General Comments:

Superb drivers van - 2.0 Isuzu petrol has incredible torque giving a surge of acceleration in any gear. Far smoother and less fussy than a turbo diesel.

Economical too - does 30mpg at motorway speeds with a light foot.

Leaves loaded small cars standing on long hills - it just keeps pulling.

Brakes are sharp and very powerful, and the handling is good on smooth roads due to the well balanced non-power steering. Ride quality is OK on good roads when loaded, but bounces everywhere when empty on bad surfaces.

However:

Rust is a problem - how Vauxhall made a van with no underseal at all is beyond me.

Gear change is agricultural when cold.

Panel gaps are wide enough to drive through.

I've part converted mine to a camper and have toured UK and Europe (down to Slovenia!) with mates - it's never let me down, but, coming from Subaru quality, it has annoyed me!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 24th July, 2001