Faults:

When I bought it, the clutch was broken, so I had to replace it.

It has new brakes and a timing belt that was serviced a year later. I also replaced the heating and air conditioning system two years after I bought the van. Being over 20 years old, the vehicle doesn't have many electronics, so I haven't had any problems in that regard. The engine hasn't been touched; I only had it checked at the time of purchase, but it works fine.

General Comments:

Since we're very close to retirement, my wife and I decided to make a change in our lives during this final stage of our lives. We decided to dive headfirst into the world of camper vans. Our goal is to have a camper that can be used until the end of our lives, so when we decided on a van, we chose an older one (20 years old when we bought it) that was well-maintained and fairly inexpensive. It cost us around 7,000 euros.

Our goal was to have a reliable, durable, and inexpensive van with spare parts, and fortunately, the Transit fits these requirements perfectly.

The items I purchased, which I mentioned earlier, were all sourced in the UK, all at a very affordable price, considering it's an older vehicle and Ford has spare parts available for this type of vehicle from the 1990s. The van is a camper, so it comes much better equipped than the commercial and work version. It has electric windows, air conditioning (not very necessary in Northern Europe, but I've used it a few times), and the driver and passenger seats are much more comfortable and suitable for long trips.

As for the vehicle's mechanics, it's truly what I expected, especially its reliability. It's clearly a well-made vehicle, designed to last. Although I changed many things at the time of purchase, in almost 170,000 km it hasn't had a single problem. The naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine is the best it has; it runs like the first day. While it's a bit noisy, it's not at all unbearable, and it holds up well at cruising speeds of 120-130 km/h on the highway. It's the heart of the vehicle and its best feature.

I hope to enjoy it for many more years; so far, it's given us a lot of satisfaction.

Faults:

Without reference to minor issues:

Continuous valve type noise since new.

Oil presenting on inlet manifold and turbocharger body since new.

Excessive crank case pressure.

Fine cracks detected at each valve in cylinder head.

Direct engine repairs re oil and noise to date;

Numerous valve adjustments.

Five (5) turbochargers.

1 new cylinder head.

1 short motor that presented with the same problems on first drive from dealer.

Rocker cover and induction line modifications to curb oil in inlet.

2 timing belts.

1 long motor. etc etc.

Gear box - bearing collapse difficult 1st gear select. New gearbox fitted.

Clutch - vibration and slipping - worn on outer edges - replaced and machined.

Differential - noisy bearings 1st, then loose bearing carriage on two occasions.

Power steering pump - leaking front seal - replaced unit.

Cooling fan - viscous couplings x 2 due to bearing collapse.

Service brakes rear drums - distorted and required machining.

Fan belt adjustment bolt - Sheared off while travelling.

Body finish - roof sagging at cross members weld positions.

And the list goes on!

General Comments:

One of the best vans I have owned and driven with regard to functionality, comfort and handling.

Load capabilities are not understated, and would out perform most competition.

Would be an excellent commercial vehicle, but is sadly let down by Ford Australia and the dealer, whom lack capability, commitment and understanding.