LDV Pilot

[Squire_Dawson]

If my latest life/get-my-arse-in-gear-plan I'm putting together comes to fruition, I will be needing a van that has to earn its keep. Now, I've got my mind set on the above LDV model for several reasons:

 

1. They are fantastically shite, in the most venerable sense.

2. They have a true blue-blooded lineage.

3. They are firmly in shitter's territory.

 

There are still a lot of these knocking about, and I can see them as one of those vehicles that disappear almost overnight. So I'd quite like one before they do.

 

There have been a few on ebay with knackered king-pins, and of course a lot are ex-Royal Mail with all the attendant potential pitfalls.

 

So, what do you all think?

[Cavcraft]

Yes, buy one. And make it a Maxus as they're the best of the bunch and one of our number (on here) is selling one.

[twosmoke300]

King pins are not bad to do on them. Needle roller bearings not bushes so no reaming reqd. You have 1 chance to get the cotter pin out. Use it wisely

[Junkman]

This was mine.

 

 

Piggy 1.9 ran well on salad dressing.

Make sure it has PAS.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

If you buy one don't be tempted to fit an RS Turbo Recaro drivers seat with bits of dexion racking to improve the woeful comfort* of the driving position. Because if you do and you're 6'3", even if you've tested for headroom ,you'll be so high you won't be able to see out of the windscreen,guess how I know?

It would no doubt cause great hilarity if you did this in 1993 just before picking up 8 members of a hen party in your 200 Sherpa minibus and had to drive them 120 miles crouched over like fuckin' Quasimodo.

[Cavcraft]

@Garbaldy #garbaldy

[dollywobbler]

I dislike them. But oddly I really love the LDV 200 that preceded it. There are even still a few in use around here in mid-Wales. Remarkable given the climate!

[Squire_Dawson]

Much obliged for all the info. My heart is saying 'Pilot'.

 

Just need to get an insurance quote now that isn't half my yearly earnings.

[binboy]

I like the old LDV Pilots with the good old Peugeot 1.9 diesel engine. Ok there very old fashioned to drive compared to a Modern Van like a Transit. But don't have all the electrical nightmares that you get with modern diesels. I am in the car trade and every LDV I have had in the last year has gone to Africa. They like them as they can repair them with normal tools. So grab old while there still about as we all know what happened to the old Ladas and Peugeot 504 pick ups.

[Mr Lobster]

When you say 'earn its keep' how hard is it likely to be worked? If you actually need it to be doing much in the way of mileage or semi reliable in order that you might have an income then personally an LDV wouldn't be my choice.

 

Maxus' are (in general) a special kind of shit. TV-home-made-bank-manager/unofficial-king-of-burnley/minibus-salesman David Fishwick appears to have a couple of '05 platers in his yard which are very much deceased and appear to exist only as parts donors now.

[Doctormop]

Drove one briefly for Royal Mail in 2003, an S reg example that had suffered terribly every day of its working life but refused to give up, wouldn't want to be carrying a lot of weight any distance regularly, a full load makes the front end a bit frisky especially on wet roads.

[dollywobbler]

I had an LDV 400 Beavertail with the 2.5 Pug Turbo engine. Pissed oil out like the sump plug was missing but never let me down. Even when the exhaust fell off - which appeared to make absolutely no difference at all. Have to concede though that if I needed a dependable, everyday van, I'd be looking for a 'smiley' Transit - though finding a rot-free one might be hard.

[rml2345]

I wouldn't discount an ex postie van as although it'll have been thrashed to within an inch of it's life every day, it'll also have been maintained quite well.
Sort of.
LDV Pilots have a sort of ghoulish appeal to me too. You know it's going to be utterly dreadful but there's a desire to find out just how bad they really are. 

[oman5]

I like 'em. I had the 200 predecessor but I've driven the Pilot.  Kingpins is in theory an easy enough job...if I can do it anyone can. just depends how wedged in they are. and don't forget to grease them pretty much every 1000 miles or so, the steering is shit enough when in good condition. 

 

Not the sort of van you want to regularly pound up and down motorways with any weight on....there really isn't adequate power and they struggle to drag themselves up hills when empty let alone with a load on. check everywhere underneath for rust, especially around the spring hangers.

 

I agree with rml. you know damn well its going to be shit but there is a perverse pleasure in driving one anyway.

 

If you are going to be doing lots of miles, a 90's Transit is a far superior vehicle in every single respect. For reliability, mechanical simplicity and longevity I would even say that its one of the best vans ever.

[wuvvum]

  On 10/12/2013 at 22:41, dollywobbler said:

Even when the exhaust fell off - which appeared to make absolutely no difference at all.

 

Funny you should say that - when the exhaust on my 2.5 turbo 400 van started to blow right near the front, it made almost no discernible difference to the noise levels - the first I noticed was when fumes started coming up through the holes in the gear lever gaiter.  Even when the exhaust snapped clean in two, it really wasn't that loud.

 

To echo what some have said above - if I were looking to purchase one of the smaller LDV vans, I'd go for the older 200 with the Perkins Prima engine - more economical than the XUD and, for some reason, they seem to go better too.  Better still, get one with a Montego TD engine fitted and go out looking for Sprinter drivers to wind up.  Or find a petrol-engined one and transplant in a turbocharged T-series for maximum LOLs / death.

[Squire_Dawson]

  On 10/12/2013 at 22:51, rml2345 said:

.

LDV Pilots have a sort of ghoulish appeal to me too. You know it's going to be utterly dreadful but there's a desire to find out just how bad they really are. 

 

Great minds think alike.

 

The van will be delivering parcels and occasionally taking other junk to try and sell at flea markets. The plan is to become one of those Collect Plus or Yodel owner/driver delivery men. I'm seriously weighing it all up as I'm sick of the dead-end job I've been doing for the last few years.

 

I won't really be thrashing it on the motorway, and only once in a blue moon I expect it to be on the bump-stops with a load of heavy shit.

[wackywacerwill]

Get one with sliding drivers door, It's the law.

[Doctormop]

I'm probably about to show my ignorance yet again but don't Yodel and other large firms have an age limit for owner driver's vehicles?

Please tell me they have or I'll be chucking my job In and taking to the road in a Standard Atlas de luxe!

[warren t claim]

I had one and they're not as slow as you'd think. Mine was ok until it caught fire and needed total rewire.

[sierraman]

I'd especially look for one that's not minutes from expiring. The place I used to work at used to pension their old transit chiller vans off litterally moments before they were due to pack in.

[Wilko220]

A Pilot is merely a poor man's 200 Series.

 

The good news is that THIS bad boy is still for sale...

 

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/14500-wilko’s-mega-fleet-clear-out/?p=479975

[Mr Lobster]

I'd be pretty sure that most of the parcel delivery companies will have age limits and the like on any vehicles used on their services so that could be an issue. I'd imagine multi drop stuff could be pretty hard on a van in the first place and one thats getting on a bit even more so.

[Cavcraft]

You really do need a Transit for this job. The only answer (that I can see) is a 2.5Di with long MOT. Bodywork can soon be tarted up to look at least reasonable from a distance then just export it or something when you're done with it. They are the best pullers/most reliable older van out there but by God can they rust. 

[The Moog]

I do have an ex cavcarcraft one available just waiting on v5 before I advertise it to the masses.

[Guest freqeist1]

  On 10/12/2013 at 20:55, Squire_Dawson said:

If my latest life/get-my-arse-in-gear-plan I'm putting together comes to fruition, I will be needing a van that has to earn its keep. Now, I've got my mind set on the above LDV model for several reasons:

 

1. They are fantastically shite, in the most venerable sense.

2. They have a true blue-blooded lineage.

3. They are firmly in shitter's territory.

 

There are still a lot of these knocking about, and I can see them as one of those vehicles that disappear almost overnight. So I'd quite like one before they do.

 

There have been a few on ebay with knackered king-pins, and of course a lot are ex-Royal Mail with all the attendant potential pitfalls.

 

So, what do you all think?

Definitely I bought one today 50, 000 miles on an 02 plate, the bloke has spent loads on it then just gave up..I`m sort of like a goal hanger in football or a Vulture, ha ha it has no tax nor MOT but for a monkey I dont care.

[Wilko220]

Let's see some pictures then...