Sold I'm dreaming of a white (C15 for) Christmas... NOW FOR SALE

[Wilko220]

The back story is here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16300&p=443974#p443974



After agreeing a price with Ruffgeezer, I decided that, in time-honoured Autoshite tradition, I would try to make a collection thread out of my trip from Hertfordshire to Lincolnshire to collect the prize piece of French exotica pictured above. By the standards others have set, I'm afraid it's going to be quite a dull one - but here goes anyway.

I had planned to make amends with Mrs W - not exactly enamoured with the fact that I had sacked off a Sunday with her to go and collect an old Citroen instead - by making her breakfast. Unfortunately though, I overslept, so had to modify the offer to a cup of tea in bed.



I think I got away with it. So shoes on and straight down to the station to catch train number 1 of the day, quickly grabbing this on the way - not that I had any doubts about the reliability of the vehicle but, you know, just in case...



It seems that my local station car park turns into a car boot sale on Sunday mornings. I didn't have time to browse but, fortunately, it looked like an utterly crap one anyway, so no loss really.



Straight into the station then.
This has to be one of the best railway station signs around I reckon...



... and on to the train.
Entertainment came courtesy of a two-day old free newspaper and - of course - Autoshite fone edition.



I was changing trains at Kings Cross, where some disappointing news was waiting for me.
But as I would hopefully be driving later, it was probably for the best. I need some discipline sometimes.



On to the second train of the day.
I'm not much of a leftie like but, given the choice, I prefer my trains nationalised in true '70s and '80s tradition, so this was good...



And then it was delayed.
On reflection, nationalised trains R SH!T AKTULY.

So, instead of half an hour to spare, I arrived in Peterborough, where I was to meet Ruffgeezer, with less than seven minutes to spare, leaving little time for car park tat-spotting



And, indeed, I found bugger all worth photographing to brighten up this thread. Except for this.



I mean the painting, not the toss cars parked in front of it.
I also thought this Peterborough station sign was quite funky in an understated sort of way. My photo doesn't do it justice.



I've no idea what the holiday coaches are all about. It certainly wouldn't be my choice of sunny destination.

Anyway, Ruffgeezer turned up bang on time. We had arranged to meet up in Peterborough as he had driven there to pick up a drinks cabinet bought off eBay, which we had to get back his missus' grandparents' place in Lincolnshire. So it was full diesel ahead and straight on the A16.

The journey was whiled away with lots of car-related chat which, to my surprise, I could hear above the engine noise. Tim explained that this late C15 has the advantage of the more modern and quiter DW8 lump rather than the XUD found in older versions.

And before we knew it, we were on the pleasant gravel driveway of Gramps Rufgeezer.

Having heard so much about the stunning cabinet in the back of the van, I was very keen to see it in its full glory.

The moment of anticipation:



And then, in the moment of excitement, managed to put my thumb over the lens for the next shot:



Nevertheless, I'm sure you agree it's a thing of beauty. Weighs a bloody ton though and the next half-hour was spent getting it inside.

Removal job done, complimentary can of coke downed, and paperwork signed, I was then in the driving seat and on my way back daaan saaarth.
I must say, I was pleasantly surprised what a comfortable and enjoyable drive it is. Quick acceleration, good all-round visibility, nice seats, a decent heater - the only down side are the brakes which are APPALLING - far worse than those on my LDV (the previous low-point of my useless brakes experience).

One thing you can say for the C15 is that it can hold its own on the motorway - although maybe I did push it a bit too hard, as passing the indicated 80 point simultanously loosened the bonnet trim and blew a hole in the exhaust, putting paid to that quiet ride.

At least I had the annoying radio and the sights of Lincolnshire to keep me amused though. For example, here's Boston's famous landmark as seen from the C15.



And there was also the customary stop at my fave roadside establishment to grab a 4pm breakfast...



Tim had been kind enough to stick a decent glug of diesel in the tank earlier, although this didn't quite get me all the way so I pulled off the A1 in search of a filling station and happened upon the town that gave its name to everyone's favourite British smelly cheese



It's a very nice place. Some pub quiz trivia for you - Stilton has never actually been made in Stilton but the cheese is so named because that is where it was first sold. PHACT.

And then home. I'm very pleased with my purchase and look forward to enjoying many more miles behind the wheel. It was also good to meet Ruffgeezer who is a top bloke.

[Spiny Norman]

Now that looks like a proper cup of tea.

[Doctormop]

A C15 and a casio batteryless, you is officially da boss man!

Sorry, don't know where that came from really, could find room in my life for both at the moment, top collecting mission, really enjoyable reading,

Thanks

[dollywobbler]

Excellent. Nice write up. Stilton is a rather pleasant place.

[ruffgeezer]

Good to meet you too Sir!, glad you made it home safe, although it dawned on me earlier that I'm going to have to start using the boring bloody Xsara until I either mot the Ax or fix the dispatch Buggerit!

 

Edit: and the cabinet does this:

 

It's top Taiwanese tat!

[Cavcraft]

Good write up, enjoyed reading that.

 

 

 

*The coaches would have been there to replace broken down/cancelled/CBA trains. Chester station is often surrounded by stacks of coaches to replace errant trains.

[chaseracer]

Top chod collection story, Wilko - even the relatively uneventful ones are welcome here. Trev2 looks good!

 

However...

 

 

I've no idea what the holiday coaches are all about. It certainly wouldn't be my choice of sunny destination.

 

Billy's hypothesis above is far too rational.

 

It is Peterborough. Therefore, people are escaping.

 

[Partridge]

Now that looks like a proper cup of tea.

 

I was thinking the same thing about the tea. Just how I like mine. It got me drooling this morning.

I enjoyed that, and what a cool old van.

[Wilko220]

what a cool old van.

 

It really is - the interior is fantastically old school, especially considering it wears an 03 plate.

 

The only real upgrade from earlier versions is a relatively modern steering wheel - so naturally I'm now on the lookout for a Visa or early C15 wheel to swap in...

[Partridge]

what a cool old van.

 

It really is - the interior is fantastically old school, especially considering it wears an 03 plate.

 

The only real upgrade from earlier versions is a relatively modern steering wheel - so naturally I'm now on the lookout for a Visa or early C15 wheel to swap in...

 

There’s a C15 laid up on someone’s lawn near where I live...it’s been there for as long as I can remember, so I can’t see the owner wanting to re-comission it any time soon. Not sure what year it is though. Want me to make any enquires?

[trigger]

Enjoyable write up, I used to drive a couple of V reg C15's Vans and for all their shitness they are pretty good fun to drive, thrashy and light, just don't slam the door too hard or all the door trim will fall off!.

[Wilko220]

 

There’s a C15 laid up on someone’s lawn near where I live...it’s been there for as long as I can remember, so I can’t see the owner wanting to re-comission it any time soon. Not sure what year it is though. Want me to make any enquires?

 

Thanks mate. I don't want a whole spares vehicle - but if he's in the business of breaking it for bits then I might be interested in one or two parts (including the steering wheel, depending on the type)...

[chaseracer]

Odd to think that this...

 

 

...used to be the Great North Road...

 

[purplebargeken]

That drinks cabinet beats the 'globe' type hands down. A good collection story and all done without the need to call that there breakdown company. It still boils my noodle a little to compute the C15 with an '03 plate. Bloody cool van though. Top shite purchase Sir!

[Partridge]

 

There’s a C15 laid up on someone’s lawn near where I live...it’s been there for as long as I can remember, so I can’t see the owner wanting to re-comission it any time soon. Not sure what year it is though. Want me to make any enquires?

 

Thanks mate. I don't want a whole spares vehicle - but if he's in the business of breaking it for bits then I might be interested in one or two parts (including the steering wheel, depending on the type)...

 

You’re welome I will go for a wonder tomorrow afternoon and have a nose-I will report back here.

[scooters]

I wonder if in 20 years time there will be C15s parked at farmers markets painted in the tricolouer with beardies with fake frog accents peddaling crepes and fromage oot the back at vastly inflated prices a la the H vans you see these days?

 

top cabinet btw ruffgeezer

[holbeck]

That drinks cabinet beats the 'globe' type hands down. A good collection story and all done without the need to call that there breakdown company. It still boils my noodle a little to compute the C15 with an '03 plate. Bloody cool van though. Top shite purchase Sir!

 

I was sat in a pub garden with a bunch of work* coleagues and just happened to mention that a C15 in the car park was a really late one on an 05 plate, cue a dozen uncomprehending faces.

 

Nice van btw! I bet it stands out in St.Albans, where everyone drives a black or silver Audi.

[Joey spud]

Brill van these,i had an F plated one as a work shop mule..

It was a 1700cc four speed bundle of joy that had mega miles on it due to being an ex local couriers van.The cluch pedal was allways heavy on it,i changed the cable and the clutch and in the end i drilled/tapped and fitted a grease nipple to the clutch pedal and that sorted it...

 

I spilt the contents of a supposedly drained gearbox in it once and after that you allways got the aroma of EP90 on every trip.

 

I reckon these vans are going to be worth something one day.

[ruffgeezer]

The only real upgrade from earlier versions is a relatively modern steering wheel - so naturally I'm now on the lookout for a Visa or early C15 wheel to swap in...

 

I did mention this on the ride back; I still have it somewhere!

 

There’s a C15 laid up on someone’s lawn near where I live...it’s been there for as long as I can remember, so I can’t see the owner wanting to re-comission it any time soon. Not sure what year it is though. Want me to make any enquires?

 

Must resist!!!!

[Partridge]

I checked it out-it’s a bloody 03 reg

[Wilko220]

I did mention this on the ride back; I still have it somewhere!

 

Sorry mate - didn't remember that!

What's it off?

[Lacquer Peel]

That steering wheel looks ideal for not selling to wat.

 

C15s look like fun, I'm sure a 1.9TD could be bodged into one.

[ruffgeezer]

I think its from a Peugeot 104, it looks to be the same as a Visa Gti item but with a pug badge.

[Andrew353w]

 

Straight into the station then.

This has to be one of the best railway station signs around I reckon...

 

 

I was changing trains at Kings Cross, where some disappointing news was waiting for me.

But as I would hopefully be driving later, it was probably for the best. I need some discipline sometimes.

 

Great story!

 

Pity that trains from St.Albans to Hatfield stopped running in 1951, or you could have saved a trip into & out of London!

 

But...[ANORAK MODE ON] Next time why not try the Arriva 300 bus from St. Albans to Hatfield, then First Capital Connect from Hatfield to Welwyn Garden City & then East Coast to Peterborough? That would give you the chance to get some bus shite too![ANORAK MODE OFF]

 

If you're ever stuck at St. Albans station on a Sunday the old signal box has been restored-well worth a look over.

 

Loved the Stilton factoid! Is there still a road sign in that area pointing to Stilton in one direction & Melton Mowbray in the other? I seem to remember this on my many journeys to Horncastle.

[Wilko220]

The bus option did occur to me but, as I work in London, I have a season ticket for the train into Kings X anyway, so this was probably the most cost-effective way!

 

I live a stone's thrown from the signal box and still haven't got around to going inside. It's definitely on the to-do list...

 

Don't remember seeing the cheese/pork pie sign but I'm definitely planning to have a better look around the area some time. Very nice part of the world.

 

I think its from a Peugeot 104, it looks to be the same as a Visa Gti item but with a pug badge.

 

I'd love a Pug 104 one day...

[Wilko220]

Although this van remains an absolute weapon, a lack of opportunity to use it combined with an absence of storage has led me to make the difficult decision to put it up for sale.

 

Facebook was very excited about this move because, after I took some snaps of it today on my phone, it automatically made a special groovy slideshow for me.

 

 

Anyway.

 

In the nearly four years since I bought it off Ruffgeezer via this forum, the C15 has had very light use. I've only done about 3,000 miles in it over that time and it is currently on 87,500 miles.

 

It has been serviced annually and has hardly been driven since its last full service a few weeks ago. It has a little over 10 months' MOT remaining. The only advisory was a poor rear brake effort and that has since been addressed (although the brakes on these are rubbish even when in full working order).

 

It is on a SORN.

 

Faults of which I'm aware:

 

• The lock mechanism for the rear doors is missing and has been replaced with a padlock
• The heater blower doesn't work (although it didn't make much of a difference even when it did).
• The radio is temperamental - seems to be a loose connection in the removable face.
• There are some quite large and unsightly rust spots on the bodywork (rear of the cab primarily) which really ought to be addressed before they get more serious.

For what it's worth, it has a brand new nearside headlamp unit which I fitted for the MOT. Tyres don't have much wear and the battery is less than a year old. No pools of oil on the driveway or anything like that.

 

In many respects, driving one of these is like transporting yourself back to the early '80s, although this one does have the more modern 1868cc diesel engine and it shifts if you put your foot down. Gets a bit shaky at much over 65mph, although it'll take you to 85 - for continental driving - if you want to be a lunatic. Seems like good fuel economy although I've never measured it. Not veg oil friendly I'm afraid.

 

Autoshite price: £400. Located in St Albans, Herts, close to the A1, M1 and M25.

 

New photos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ruffgeezer]

Looks a whole lot better for your ownership.

 

Radio is a mix of terrible and terribly fancy jvc. I hated it.

 

It was a cracking van if a little disappointing compared to the xud version.

 

I think I stripped and cleaned on of the fan motors to get it going again.

[hairnet]

Oh fek

 

*thinks of ways to be banned from AS

[ruffgeezer]

This Friday sees the drinks cabinet move into our house for the first time since Wilko helped me unload it at Mrs Ruff's grandparents place.

 

 

Edit; also we are moving into the house right across the road from them too.

[Jim Bell]

I would buy that but the steering wheel is on upside down.