Having driven several T5s and owning a Merc Vito.. I'd have the Vito every time I'm afraid.

The Vito is a better drive and nippier IMO. As someone else said, the rust issue seems confined to certain MY builds so easy to avoid them.

The VW will usually have better kit for the money though.

What's up with a transit? Haven't seen one mentioned?

I've driven all 3, and the transits arent comfortable day in and out compared to the transporter or Vito. More expensive to upkeep as well.

It seems that there's an overriding opinion on the VW/Merc thing. I have driven a few Transits and they are okay as a work tool, but I wouldn't want to have one as my only vehicle - especially on long journeys.

I can't believe the price of the VWs either, they seem to hold their value for ever. Also, there's a lot of hacked about rubbish out there that people are passing off as proper conversions. I'd need five belted seats, preferably with the fancy swivel seats in the front. If I had £25k, there's loads of choice. Come down another £10k and there's still a few around, but I'm hovering around the budget end of the spectrum which buys mainly tired old crap.

It's great to get people's opinions though, as it helps steer me in a slightly less rusty direction.

Only have van experience as opposed to people carrier experience, but Vito's are TROUBLE. And usually lots of it.

And mercs do rot like crazy. Wife had a 230SLK on a 2001 plate from new. Kept it 9 years. Garaged every night. Kept clean. Polished and waxed regularly for it's first 6 years, but cleaned regularly for the rest, and by 9 years, the rear wings had rotted from the inside and were just beginning to visibly bubble on the outside. Not sure whether Benz ever changed their metallurgy, but back then it was pure sh!te. There is NO way on earth a well looked after 50,000 mile 9 year old £30,000 car should rot like that.

It seems that there's an overriding opinion on the VW/Merc thing. I have driven a few Transits and they are okay as a work tool, but I wouldn't want to have one as my only vehicle - especially on long journeys.

I can't believe the price of the VWs either, they seem to hold their value for ever. Also, there's a lot of hacked about rubbish out there that people are passing off as proper conversions. I'd need five belted seats, preferably with the fancy swivel seats in the front. If I had £25k, there's loads of choice. Come down another £10k and there's still a few around, but I'm hovering around the budget end of the spectrum which buys mainly tired old crap.

It's great to get people's opinions though, as it helps steer me in a slightly less rusty direction.

A decent transporter for less than 15k are like rocking horse ****, better off buying new lwb pannel van and having it professionally converted.

Been looking for one for ages as I want to combine work and family into one, but probably wont ever get rid of the fabia.

Never been in a vito but have done a few long journeys in a transit which were very uncomfortable.

Thought about Vauhall vivaro / renault traffic /Nissan ****box? Good ride & fairly reliable.

Edited 22 May, 201214 yr by pieman[vrs]

Saw a 2002 (02) silver Mercedes S Class this afternoon.

The car was mint, polished, tyre blacked driven by a suit...

... apart from the rear arches, all along the bottom of the boot lid and all four doors covered in rust - and not just surface rust - well established rot

Sounds about right, you only have to read a few posts on the Mercedes Forums to see how wide spread the old tinworm is on older cars, around 10 years ago was a bad time for build quality as they were trying to cut costs.