He Let His Kids Decorate His Van! My Review of a Rusty 2004 Mercedes Vito

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[@JayEmmOnCars]

CarVertical: The History Checking Service Use this link or code "JAYEMM" for a discount! www.carvertical.com/gb/landing/v3?b=1e4c9523&a=JayEmm&voucher=jayemm&chan=jayemm

[@dadcars]

Never thought I’d see the day my rusty old work horse would be on Jayemm and Cars 😂 all the years I was grafting with this van, I was watching this channel and dreaming of owning the sports cars you feature… feels like I’m living in a simulation 🤷‍♂️😅

[@jamescarla26]

And bless the algorithm for bringing me here....fellow Vito family man

[@Dom-sc9ih]

You look the part in that. Love to see more van reviews. Or even camper reviews 😅

[@petersimpson5859]

Sabine Schmitz doing a flying lap of the Nurburgring has to be peak van action. That's how you drive down a back road.

[@stevensarson482]

Back in the early 90s I took a Transit minibus from Manchester to Innsbruck. It was full of students and camping gear and had a roof rack to match. Towing a double decker canoe trailer I felt as if I was leading an overland expedition and enjoyed being waved at all the way down to the channel port. It turned out that people weren’t waving after all and instead were warning me that the welding on the trailer was coming adrift. It was eventually fixed and the Transit performed brilliantly despite the load. When we arrived at the campsite I miscalculated by exactly one field and created several crop circles with the many wheels at my disposal. A Ford Transit turns out to be a handy refuge from an angry farmer, as well as being a very capable vehicle.

[@deaks25]

Whoever wrote “I identify as an Aston Martin” on the side of it is a genius!

[@zijadjasarspahic5275]

And ///MPOWER 😂😂

[@Suprahampton]

Someone's covered their Licence plate with a sign that reads "I identify as ULEZ complient"

[@joe5y]

I can actually take credit for this 😊

[@arslan479]

For me you & Matt from high peak autos filled the void of genuine reviews on cars. Keep it up. You research brands, look at what something is meant to be & are not afraid to go against the grain much like clarkson/hammond/may used to do. Keep it up & please show us a Lexus on channel.

[@richardharrold9736]

High Peak is very dodgy. Shady salesman and residential landlord...

[@arslan479]

@@richardharrold9736I’ve no idea regarding that but the point is I love this straight talking car love we get from James. Would be a huge laugh to see James get into an old rover 416 gti 😆

[@yungboicontigo9278]

@@richardharrold9736Have no clue who that is but wow I would like to know more.

[@NomadJRG]

@@richardharrold9736 some interesting statements there, have you got some information to share to back them up? There is nothing wrong with being a landlord? It's just another business. As far as shady salesman, a lot of used car dealers have a bad reputation, but he does seem to go above and beyond when preparing a car for sale.

[@richardharrold9736]

@@NomadJRG there absolutely is something wrong with being a landlord, it's immoral, it's a form of modern slavery... as for his car sales side, I've seen a ton of bad reviews, stuff to do with him selling cars with hidden safety defects left unaddressed...

[@nelsonclub7722]

A friend of mine had one - when he went through the list of things that were wrong with it he managed to convince himself it wasn't worth repairing - and we hadn't even got to the issues of rust by then - which was horrific

[@markpirateuk]

I owned a Suzuki Supercarry (aka Bedford Rascal) for 14 years, absolutely adored it, always put a smile on my face 😁 The amount of stuff it swallowed up was truly amazing, even moved house with it!

[@simonleach6632]

My tutor at college had a daihatsu van pretty much identical to the Suzuki super carry, I think it was built from 3 different daihatsu vans and he looked hilarious driving it, bearing in mind he was about 6'3" crammed into that little cab!

[@Cloxxki]

Citroën C15 Diesel was such an amazing vehicle. The feel of the steering, the suspension and actually ending up fastest on the motorway. It really seemed faster than the 1.1 Fiesta I also drove at the time.

[@jarokenny]

we called it submarine..two seat tank..F highlander

[@jamesbrett6518]

I still see a red one most days when going to work

[@philipthomas571]

I've got a 2009 vito sport! Couldn't live without it now. It is without doubt the most useful vehicle I've ever owned. It may be battered, it may have done nearly 300k miles! But it's my daily transport, carrys tools, car parts, tows a trailer and last weekend even went camping in it. Much love for vans!

[@marijnmolenaar2848]

I just came back from the south of Spain, where me and my father drove a slightly overloaded Iveco van without AC all the way from Holland. It wasn't the fastest of most interesting thing to drive, but I learned that vans have one advantage that no car has: The view. The higher seating position really helped when passing the forests of belgium and the endless Mountains on the eastcoast of Spain. Good times

[@WillThePlank]

I absolutely love a van! First thing I drove after I passed my test was the family 1997 VW transporter, went everywhere in it and it taught me everything I needed to know about parking, figuring out the width of your vehicle on the road, and most importantly how to eat chicken nuggets while driving! These days I have my 2008 VW Caddy, which is the only vehicle in my fleet I drive everywhere flat out! Even at 32 it still makes me drive like a teenager.

[@neverthar]

I remembered my early years after passing the driving test not driving the family car but instead a Toyota Liteace workvan. Sure as heck learnt alot including center of gravity and how sketchy 185 cross section tyres, rear wheel drive and an unloaded rear can be in the wet

[@Nils_Martin]

In a former life i worked as a DHL Express courier and a touring heavy metal musician, so i've spent a fear amount of time in vans. The Vito and the Sprint is by far some of my favorite vans for sure. Vans are jolly good fan indeed! 😃

[@robertcroft2905]

Never ever stop to eat your sandwiches is a great tip. Note, I've sat in a van and watched the driver eat a pasta salad with a fork down the motorway. It's a skill.

[@mantarayal]

I'd buy back my Mitsi L300 1st gen from 35-ish years ago I had as a company vehicle selling computer games around NZ (remember Commodore 64s and the Amiga and Atari?). It was the boxy one. It was yellow and had mags and fatter tyres and blacked out windows and I thought it was very cool indeed, fresh back from my OE. I drove it all around the country for work. Used it in the weekends to pack in my scuba gear, sleep in, camp in, test my powers of seduction in, and just generally enjoy driving a cool-looking vehicle (well, I thought so) that everyone seemed to love! Vans rock and I have loved them all my life. Thanks for the memories James!!

[@SiG-Popart]

Bought my Ford Connect secondhand 8 years ago with 75K miles on it (now 135K)...it’s never been cleaned inside or out in that time and I bloody love it 😃

[@zupperm]

Best tribute band name is the ”Death” cover band “Near Death Experience”

[@richardharrold9736]

I remember talking to a woman called Maggie in a metal themed Facebook group about the idea of an all girl Meshuggah cover band called Shemagguh... don't think it ever happened, sadly!

[@simonleach6632]

When my dad was a plumber he had a series 3 Land Rover, the 109" long wheelbase as a van because it was weirdly a LOT cheaper to insure (this was before they stopped making proper defenders and the prices went silly, this particular landy cost £3k) it was pretty rough but low milage, the instrument cluster used to vibrate like mad when it was idling, the clutch pedal squeaked like a startled mouse and the handbrake used to stick so I had to get good at bailing out at traffic lights with the 'release lever' (big hammer) the caress the brake into releasing. It had also been stripped to bare metal at some point then painted with a brush and absolutely no primer. I absolutely loved that old thing and given the chance, I would buy it back in a heartbeat!

[@pedroluzio6250]

Bought a used Fiat Ducato during the pandemic, no service history and a big dent on the side! Did a DIY repair on the bodywork, sanded it on the driveway and painted it blue with a roller. Did a camper conversion, rented it out this year and already got the money I paid for it! Now I'll be going to North Wales on a trip enjoying the good weather. Mountain bike inside and sea kayak on top. Great vehicle!

[@Daz_Stap]

Years ago, (early 1990s) I used to love buy a tatty Escort van and, living in East London, drive it out to one of the many Ford breakers in Dagenham to hunt for a wrecked XR3i or RS Turbo so I could try safer all the running gear. I remember a particular van I had that had scrapes, a massive roof rack and so many empty cigarette packets and copies of the Sun floating around the interior. With RS Turbo running gear it would often shock people and could be left anywhere without worrying about door dings etc.

[@DjDolHaus86]

I've got a 2013 Fiat Doblo and it's my first van. I knew it wasn't getting into the peak of driving experiences but I have to say that it's far less rural than I was expecting, decently comfortable once you get used to the high and upright driving position and reasonably quiet in the cabin thanks to a bulkhead. It's got the guts of an asthmatic mouse in the form of a 1.6 turbo diesel but it'll keep up with traffic for the most part once you're moving, won't go much past 70 without a run up but gives a solid 33mpg around town which is better than it sounds (45-55mpg on motorways). My favourite feature is the flashing orange light on the roof rack, I've got no cause to ever really need it but that's not the point. I think everyone should have to drive a proper van (ie. without side/rear windows) at some point in their early driving career just so they can learn to appreciate what a blind spot is and how they should position themselves around other vehicles to avoid being in them. The one thing that caught me out in terms of how bad visibility is from a van is angled junctions, you don't notice how much you rely on looking through the rear passenger windows for those junctions until they're not there anymore.

[@ChuckFickens1972]

Bloody love me a van.... My first experience with one was for work when I was a onsite IT repair tech and my area was "England, Scotland and Wales"... Put 140K miles on a Vauxhall combo van in 10 months (You did not read that wrong!). Loved the fact that I've now seen almost all of the UK, which confirmed that parts of the UK are stunning! (also, an M reg combo will do an indicated 115MPH (eventually) dropping down a hill to a loch in Scotland and will overtake a slightly surprised group of sports bike riders!) 2nd fun experience was delivering newspapers in long wheelbase rear wheel drive transits, If you can't drift one of those then you shouldn't be behind the wheel of anything. used to get called by the transport manager occasionally saying "we can't prove it was you, but we know it was you that was seen going sideways around every roundabout in Colchester last night..... Just stop it!"

[@robstevens6590]

Definitely more vans please Jay. My Nissan NV200 is a grin a minute...200 miles to work on the M6/M5 every few weeks on its 14inch wheels.... Kinda bounces its way down there.... Who doesn't love a van !!!!!!

[@bobbiejoe123]

I also have fond memories of the Astra van. My dad had one for work and my brother and I used to lie in the back when going places. My Grandad had a charity when I was younger and we used to borrow the van so I have many fond memories of being in a van. I love it when I get the opportunity to drive one.

[@GrahamA63]

Hi. I’ve watched but never commented before - a 2010 215k 2.0 Citroen Dispatch is my car. I love the thing. It will easily take 3 of our wheelchair tennis ‘chairs, my bicycles, stuff to the dump etc etc and is my tent for camping - a folding visitor bed and some plastic crates and it’s a camper van. It cost £2000 4 years ago and has just gone through its mot with no advisories after swapping a handbrake cable. It’s easily the best car I’ve ever had and averages 47mpg on Devon roads and long trips. I love the thing.

[@duncanhamilton5841]

After two decades in the corporate rate race, I took a sabbatical. After a few months just for something to do I got a part time job with the local motor factors delivering bits to garages within a 10 mile radius. 3 days a week in a little Ford Connect. The van itself was entirely unremarkable. The job was excellent - just mooch about going to garages, build up really strong relationships with all the local motor trade (which has served me very nicely since then). But I did find myself again, after 20yrs of Corp BS, and bumming about in that little van with steel toe cap boots and a branded polo shirt was a very large part of that.

[@britboy70]

I have fond memories of my old Astra Max van, in white of course, because as pointed out it is the fastest thing on the road except maybe a rental car :-) I do remember trying to do a handbrake turn in it and wondering if I was going to stay the right side up (I did, but it was close)

[@peterfritzphoto]

Lovely work, mate. I learned to drive in my dad’s Mazda 1400 van with a four-speed column shift. I was eight. By the age of 13, I was driving through the Victorian High Country on and off-road, and camping with my dad in the gutless but glorious little van!

[@Mojoe44]

I think my favourite trubute act name has to be the tribute to 'The Band'. They call themselves 'The The Band Band'

[@williamforsyth-ye4rc]

I hired an Astamax to move home from Uni in Hull to Bristol, back in '91, and managed to get it up to the much lauded 120mph on the M5 at 2am on a Monday morning...........it took 10mins to get to reach it, but it sat comfortably at that speed for +50 miles....... Hull to Bristol, door to door in less than 2hrs

[@benwilliams2933]

My workplace has one of these as a work van and has had nothing but issues, always going into limp mode, has had the DPF replaced but still has the DPF light pop up on a regular basis and now the clutch and flywheel has became misaligned and won't go into gear; auxiliary belt seems to shred itself every other week too. Doesn't hold a candle to the sprinter we also have which has double the mileage at around 250,000 miles and has no issues other than wearable items which have been replaced such as wheelbearings etc.

[@TheQwerty45566]

The first van I drove was a Citroën Luton Van, must have been about 21 foot long and 8 foot wide. We were due to move house and all the removal companies in the area were giving me ridiculous quotes so I decided to DIY it. Went to the hire place and just got chucked the keys, I’d never driven anything so massive! We lived on a main road at the time, and I’d never even reversed onto the drive usually in my own cars because it was so busy, but had to in this case to load the van. Somehow I did it in one smooth manoeuvre, told the wife that “we’re only doing one load, I’m never going to be able to repeat that fluke” 🤣. It did feel great driving it, minding the width and length, always checking the mirrors and being so high up I felt in charge of the road. Maybe that’s why van drivers drive in their ‘particular’ way….

[@andrewpease3688]

Renault 4 van is incredibly special. I have never driven a car/van that is so much fun.It’s inexplicable how rolling sort of takes the place of sliding.Has got to be one of the best communicating chassis ever and also surprisingly good off road.

[@tichwykes]

We need more of this & less flash git motors, simply because to hear you sounding like Mutley made my day!!🤣🤣🤣

[@Fc-cb3tn]

Used to think Van drivers were a bunch of Road terrorists, until I rented one for a house move (a white Vauxhall Vivaro). All of a sudden Van drivers became the nicest people I’ve ever encountered on the road and got a surprising amount of thumbs up from men when they see me, a 21 year old Asian boy behind the wheel of a Vauxhall van…

[@Graham_Shaw]

"I identify as an Aston Martin" 🤣🤣🤣 Brilliant!! Thanks for that, I needed a good laugh! P.S. I loved "Garbage cam" in the back, nice touch!

[@allareasindex7984]

1962 Ford Econoline in NYC with rocker panels completely rusted through. Bought it from a college kid who had painted it with orange marine deck paint. With a brush. Engine between the front seats let you change the plugs ot set the timing while sitting in the driver seat. Front and rear beam axles on leaf springs. That’s right, non-independent front suspension. Bought it for $500 and sold it after one summer for $499. Best $1 I ever spent.

[@richardharrold9736]

Same platform as the Falcon - which means it's practically a Mustang! Mustang II or Crown Vic IFS is a common conversion, at least for the early Mustang...

[@rupertorgan7749]

I spent 2006-14 hassling BMW 3 series/Audi A4 drivers in the outside lane of Britain's motorway network. First in an 02 Merc Vito which dissolved before my eyes, then a Vauxhall Vivaro 2.5 CDTi with single-clutch 6-speed auto, which was seriously quick and could be driven on its door handles. On a trip to Germany I saw an indicated 118mph on the autobahn, whilst the fuel tank rapidly emptied! I always thought Merc missed a trick with the Vito by not having an AMG version, with mid-mounted 5.5 twin turbo V8.....

[@neilhudson7099]

Great video, didn’t expect a van but appreciate the variation! That van was registered local to me in Cornwall being a WK plate, it must have been relocated a few times over it’s interesting life

[@IvanDP1967]

This made me think about the vans I've owned in the past. First car - MK2 Escort van MK1 long wheelbase twin wheel Transit MK2 short wheelbase Transit Talbot Express LWB high roof Early VW T4 (ex fire brigade that put many a 4x4 to shame) Every one of them took us miles, hardly ever let us down and were so much fun. Many thanks for the reminder of how good vans can be.

[@bobhopemaryjane2]

Drove a Transit to work in Germany for a while. Steering could be turned half way before the wheels moved, the gear stick had a habit of assaulting your leg when you let go, gear box was terrible but was better at stopping the van than the brakes, the brakes wailed whenever you were forced to use them and the rear doors flew open while driving home down the Autobahn so were held shut with some blue polyprop rope. I taught the actual drivers son to drive, (his dad was always drunk so even without a license I drove for a few months at the request of the boys), it took us shopping, to the Black Forest, through a vineyard (Double wheel rear axle), can bump start almost anything now, and most importantly since it didn't stop, turn or go well. I learned to read the road ahead, way ahead, no further than that, because at 6pm the traffic lights off the Autobahn at the T-junction turned off and you had to, judge from a far whether you would get through, have to stop or if coming off the Autobahn down the hill, turn as because of the hill, stopping was unlikely. Vans teach Survival!

[@Dino_Dad.]

JAMES great video something really different. My story.. , Scotland 1986 my dad who was a brickie, comes home with a bright yellow ex council Sherpa van with black chevrons on the rear doors which he bought in the pub on a Friday night after pay day for 200 quid. It was like the flintstones car where the door steps were, the road was clearly visible. The rear single working door had a shed type padlock and bolt on the inside and someone had drawn what I was told at the time was 'eyes with eyelashes with candles coming towards them 'on the headlining in Biro. This was our big yellow banana as we eventually called her . Better than any car we owned...

[@michaelcordes]

I do love a van. I passed my driving test the very same day I was given a brand-new vauxhall astra van by my employer. A few hours later I hit a small bridge at the national speed limit. The gearbox stayed on the bridge! The next day they gave me a 10 year old combo. I learnt to drive in vans I even lived in one. It was a van that literally saved my life and got me on the very bumpy and twisted road leading to where I am now, safe and happy.

[@bendoyle5023]

I drive a 2001 Toyota Hiace with 200,000 miles on, its extremely rusty, faded and slow but I absolutely bloody adore it! And I want you to drive it Jay so that you can too!

[@plaubelmakina8916]

My youth, custom Chevy Van + Debi, made for many great memories.

[@hopefultraveller1]

What a refreshing video! We have a Vito minibus, but it's the 3-litre V6 diesel automatic, and - what a truly great vehicle! True, there's loads of hard plastic inside, the engine compartment is horribly over-stuffed, tax is on the high side, and the seats aren't exactly Recaros, but it holds the road very well, it's less noisy, less tinny-feeling, and more reliable than competitors such as Renault(!), and the performance is genuinely surprising. The huge waves of torque bring a gleeful smile on every drive, so it's at least as much fun as any van, and even a great many cars. At 170,000 miles ours has needed a few bits like window regulators, a starter motor, belts and tensioners, a radiator, a rear wiper motor, etc., but it still feels bulletproof and is always a blast - we reckon it'll easily surpass 250,000 miles before the engine needs anything major. Ours is finished in metallic silver and is from 2008 and it has literally no rust, so Mercedes must have improved the paintwork by this stage of the model's lifetime. Mercedes really did well with this model, so, as James said, everyone considering a VW Transporter should definitely look at these. Thanks for the 'thinking-out-of-the-box' video, James!

[@KnowPorcelain1]

Currently own a 2015 113 Vito, great little van, which you forgot to mention the twin side loading doors as standard, and faster than most family estates (when I drive it at least), before that, my favourite van that I would have again was a Mercedes 1999 T plate 312D Luton, the 2.9, 5 cylinder turbo, that was a beast of a van, it would go north of 110mph loaded or unloaded, drank more than me, and when I sold it (because of rust) it had over 740K miles on the clock, pretty sure it went to Lithuania or somewhere, didn't care because I sold it for pretty much what I bought it for.

[@davidanderson391]

I have a 2010 converted camper Vito - it’s done 134k and not a single bit of rust. It’s been hassle free and everything works as it did, the day it was built. Proof that when looked after, these vans are bullet proof.

[@EwanEnsor]

When I was about 10, so 8 years ago, my dad beat the latest 911 at the time in a drag race on the dual carriage way. His Vauxhall Combi's little diesel engine gave all it could! That was a triumphant morning. (Although I don't think the Porsche driver even noticed...)

[@antghale]

How about a Ford Thames van, I was in between cars, and bought it as a stop gap, great fun, I put the mattress in the back, (great idea but never used), did not keep it to long, because the roof was not attached to the body, so used to get quite wet inside. Tony

[@johnsimun6533]

There is actually a van scene here in the US. It has been going on for almost a half a century

[@tallblokesam]

Despite the reputation not all Transits are able to be driven quickly.. A couple of years ago I found a 1985 mk2 Transit 100L powered by a low compression 2.0 Pinto sitting in a yard looking scruffy but solid. A few enquiries later I bought it as project and got it back on the road. Turns out it was an ex-BBC Radio Derby Outside Broadcast Van, used for going to village fetes and sports events and as such had been fitted with some really heavy cabinets, seats along one side and lots of sound proofing. It came with its original BBC paperwork including a typed letter from the BBC to the local Ford dealer making them aware of an issue "the van isn't able to maintain speed or accelerate uphill", there was a reply from the dealer stating "no fault found, vehicle mobile and roadworthy". Made me chuckle 😂

[@ifanbates4113]

I’m currently driving a Vito lent to me by my lovely neighbour while my Golf is being repaired. It’s an ex London cab with 275000 miles on the clock and I LOVE it. My first experience of it was going from Cardiff to London and back to help my brother move flat. The rear window fell out. Rust wise there is none I can see as it was very well cared for due to its job. I will miss it when I get me car back to be honest….

[@apachehelicopterah64]

Your laugh is priceless!!! You’re a great KZbin treasure!!!

[@stuartclague3914]

My Dad had a Morry thou (Morris1000) van back in the late 60’s for his business. It would oversteer everywhere and at really low speeds in the wet - something to do with the Dunlop cross-plies on 3.5” rims😁 Hilarious fun….

[@jjjnout6778]

Mate had one of those, 1997 model. We put an electric clay trap on a pallet in the side door and used to head into the bog clay pigeon shooting. Good times. Easy to lift in and out. 👍

[@josephkelly4893]

Love the review, I just purchased a 2005 SWB low roof Mercedes Sprinter with 375000 kms on it, cost me the equivalent of 1400 pounds. It has the five cyl diesel and pulls nicely, bought it to replace my old box trailer and I find myself driving it more often than I thought. Might even turn it into a budget camper. Peace from Australia

[@psircos]

You looked like you had so much fun. FYI, I've always wanted a Bedford Rascal Camper 👍

[@busternineshoes]

My best mate is called Mutley for the very same reason. I don't think I've seen you laugh so much. Must be a good drive.

[@mat0hig]

About 13 years ago I worked for a company delivering sandwiches down to Milton Keynes from North Staffordshire. I was in a 2006 Renault traffic coming back up the a5 when the rear os wheel locks coming off an large island at around 50mph. Went on two wheels and nearly emptied my backside. As I was only 4 miles from the depot I crawled it back there only for the whole wheel (including brake disc) to come off around 500yd from depot. Apparently the wheel bearing had desintergrated and sheared the hub completely off. I have fond memories of all the vans even the one that tried to kill me

[@NH00531]

Whilst at university I had a part time job delivering pies around town, the pie shop had a Bedford Rascal. I loved that job, as much for the van as meeting the various shop owners. As a grown up with a profession I’ve always fancied getting a van for the care free driving sensation it affords.

[@FunLovingCriminal_JB]

Now THERE'S the relatability 😊 You are human 😂❤ Its all well and good reviewing vehicles we'd love to own, but, the real entertaining prowess is in reviewing vehicles we "do" own 😉😇🤗😘 🤣🤣🤣 brilliant 😊

[@joeroche552]

Had a mate with an astravan we used for mountain biking man I loved that thing

[@PenryMMJ]

There is no high powered autobahn stormer, no supercar, and no hyper car, that has ever beaten a Bedford Astramax away from the lights.

[@thedetailingdoctor5746]

You need to drive my sprinter that Vito isn’t a patch on mine 😂😂

[@chrisslater3174]

Ah, the Vito...fond memories of weld-repairing the tin rot on my father in law's, prior to MOT. Every year. 😭 However, when it wasn't suffering undiagnosable faults, he loved it!

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

So... He never loved it I'm assuming? 😂

[@CarSoul]

Very agreeable sentiment written on the van at 0:56 ;)

[@katzicael]

My dad after a couple of ruddy awful Bedford vans, woke up and bought a 4th Gen Toyota HiAce 4WD Diesel. 2.8L manual, MidRear, with locking diffs, front, rear *and centre* he's a builder, but we also live on a farm. *I* spent many hours driving said van during Hay season from high school age till just recently. Toyota HiAce is ICONIC in New Zealand, JDM grey imports or NZDM. We got all the weird and wonderful specs Ex-Japan, including the 1UZ-FE powered ex-ambo ones!

[@Beer_Dad1975]

Brave man! Hope you have had all your shots!

[@Daz_Stap]

I had a W638 V Class until a few months ago. It was brilliant! 7 comfy leather seats, cruise control, climate control, and every period extra you can imagine. Sold it to a friend on the understanding that I'll buy it back when he wants to sell. It was great for taking to classic car shows too!

[@taxus750]

I cut my teeth in the transport game in the late 70s driving Mk1 and Mk2 Transits and VW LT28/ LT 35 vans, and I know for a fact that a Merc 307D will out-handle any twin-wheel Transit. Vans are good things to learn on.

[@seinsmeld13]

My best van story involves my older brother. He was out drinking with his friends. They retuned to their van and were quickly pulled over by a cop. The cop got them to open all the doors to the van. He saw they had 48 beers. The cop took the beer from them and drove away without giving them a ticket., They were very pissed off however they didn't receive any fines. All the men in the van were under age. Anyway it is what it is.🥶

[@WhiteMouse77]

...btw the reason Mercedes called Oberaigner company to bring 4x4/4-matic + automatic version was @ 1. competitor VW Caravelle 4-motion and @ 2. the rocky belt between western and southern Europe called the Alps....but this special version could but wasn't supposed to travel long distaces in top speed over continent because front differential was constructed to slowly climb mountain hills at first....and be avare the Dangel 4x4 versions of French vans, they are the same case! Never push them high over highway limit to avoid front differential overheating...

[@ManxAndy]

My daily is a modded VW caddy….she’s nearly 12 yrs old, I’ve had her 7, , mini camper, secondary electrics , remapped, few led lights in and out, tv / soundbar Alexa and mobile 4G router….compact and bejuie ….👍👌🇮🇲😜

[@chestnut01111]

I've driven your test route many times in the company Transit Custom and it is fun. Because you are going slower, the best five miles in the area lasts longer.

[@DC3Refom]

( its more a minibus than a van )I used to work for Groundworks Dearne valley in Elsecar ,Barnsley , the gaffer foxy , ( can not remmber his real name ) drove to the job in a 3.5 litre transit minibus 07 model ( it was raoid for a minibus ) when we finished the job he would spin the minibus around and boot down the country lames I strugglimg to stay in my seat the speed he did and how corner was scary but fun at the same time , while 4x4 bassline tunes were blasting ,memories ,

[@richardsloway7444]

New to the channel. I drive a merc vito taxi 111 auto W639 its mint! I am a taxi driver no way haha in Blackpool. The one car though I miss and would purchase again today (if I had the money / skint taxi driver here) would be my first car a mk11 vauxhall astra it had the 1.4 petrol 8v over head cam!! It was absolutely bombproof impossible to destroy! It went 25,000 miles without an oil change and still went as it should !!

[@gary2632]

Loved vans since I started driving, had the old shaped Vito - 7 seater or van not a problem. Drive a Nissan Elgrand now, awesome luxury “van” with a bit of go 👍

[@NEILB1989]

Many good motoring memories in a van. As a bricklayer I’ve owned many vans. Proper back to basics practical vehicles that get the job done. Try fitting as much as I can in a pick up truck or SUV as you can in my Citroen berlingo van.

[@davidmwood560]

Now that I've stopped laughing...sort of; I'm right there with you on vans. Many years ago, I spent a lot of time customising my CF Bedford lwb ex-delivery van into a "street-sleeper". 350 cu in V8, auto box and an interior like a velvet lined brothel with an bed across the back, accessed via a polished wood arch. Captain's seats front and back with the obligatory round table on a pedestal plugged into the floor. An outrageous metalflake paint job outside, complete with silver Dragon artwork gave me a van that took me everywhere and won prizes at shows. People then wanted thier own vans doing, and I made some very good money during the following few years. Big, fast and outrageous was the name of the game. Then, I discovered trucks. American pick-up trucks to be precise; the bigger the better! They could be bought ex-US Forces, (USAF were best), for very little money and in perfect shape. Currently, the goal is to find a mid-'90s Ford F350 crew-cab with the 9 foot bed, it makes the truck nearly 25ft long, 6ft 6in high and 6ft 6in wide! In short, MASSIVE! A 7·3 litre V8 diesel with 4 speed automatic transmission and selectable 4 wheel drive puts them in the "Absolute Beast" category. Literally King of the Road... Nothing - I mean NOTHING gets in the way! And with that unfettered engine churning out enough power to pull a house down; who's going to argue? Here's the good news; these monsters can be bought with a panel-van body! Paint it black and you've got yourself a VAN!! I'll keep you posted James. Brliant video bud.

[@mjsee08]

I had a 2006 Vito Traveliner with the 3.0 diesel (automatic) and that absolutely flew. It had 276k on it by the time I got rid of it and I thought it was a bag of shit but turns out was a good example compared to this! I do remember driving along, turning on the wipers in torrential rain and the wiper blade literally flying off into oncoming traffic where it was wiped out by Eddie Stobart. I then had to get to the nearest Halfords in rain from the new testament with...no drivers side wiper.

[@piuthemagicman]

I drove my licence in my dads '00 Toyota Hiace van 2,4 n/a diesel 5speed. I loved that thing. It had a locking diff and my dad let me drift on snow 🤪 Also the first car I drove at 12 years old was an '87 Hiace van, 2,4D but 5 on the tree 😏 manual 😏

[@MattBlue]

Not caring about the look and cleanliness of any vehicle is one thing (nothing wrong with that), but have stuff stored in the back unsecured is dangerous, because this stuff will fly as missiles to the front of the vehicle in case of an accident. That is grossly negligent.

[@SquidgyPickle]

Why don’t you call the Police on him then? 😂 god get a life

[@autofocusalan]

Hi i used to tail gate hgvs on the motorway to hold 60mph in a luton transit

[@Dunkelzeitgeist]

Brian the million mile Volvo is a cult legend round here!

[@davidbaker7246]

It's 12am, back from the pub and watching jayemm on vans

[@Steven-p4j]

I equally enjoy driving vans, and indeed trucks up to 3.5 tonnes. You can hang the rear out on dirt roads so easily, and also recover them even easier. The gearboxes on both became noticeably more refined in the 90s, which increased the pleasure, and even the manual three on the tree gearboxes were a lot of fun. Nice for a change if you get the chance.

[@stevenspizick9341]

I borrowed an uncle's old manual van to move house. It had a terrible shake, so when you went faster than 30km/h, and the battery wouldn't start it, so you had to jump it to get it started. Unfortunately, I stalled it at the traffic lights on the first trip (got help to jump it), and we found out what the shaking was on the second trip. The drive shaft broke out of the gearbox and nearly killed us as it tried to dig into the road. Fortunately, I was leaving a stop sign intersection, so I was not travelling particularly fast...

[@WhiteMouse77]

....welcome to new road comedy show presented by no one else than big mighty Mutley JayEmm.....fasten your seatbelts!!!

[@michaelcole3998]

Please more vans, that was great 😂

[@BebeMischa]

This was so much fun! I laughed hard with you. And also memories on my first gen Vito CDI, 100 000 km on the counter, and I could see the road surface from the inside. But it never failed. Started on each atempt and drove so smooth... I loved and hated it all together. I had to get rid of it because of Greta. I was no more welcome with it in the city. This episode was very funny, you should use this kind of humor more often, Jay ;-)

[@iancharlton678]

VIMTO !! Post apocalyptic survivor…….. probably. They usually shut down in degrees…….. clocks, clock back lights, doors, winders, locks….. wipers…… blah blah….. But ! Still start, still run……. roadworthy……. not really, but it will get there and back…….. 🤩 A works van was my first post driving test drive……… 1981 Transit custom, petrol, manual, SHARP APSS stereo tape player………. LWB High top, single rear wheel, rear drive……… owned by a bakery, painted to resemble a loaf of bread 🥳 I’ve had Transits, short, long, petrol straight four, V4, diesels……. A series V6, Freight Rover ex postal, LDV, T4’s, Ducato……… Currently an MAN 3180 4x4 - camper project (rebadged VW Crafter) Vans rule 🙂🇬🇧

[@scottbuchele4814]

I had a van at one point. It was a 1977 Chevrolet G20. Big 5.7 liter V8, 3 speed automatic and 9 mpg on leaded premium. Sat 8 people. If it weren't for it and it's unreliability I would never have met my wife.

[@cornishrider]

Try the current Peugeot Expert, I've daily'd them for the past 5 years (instead of a car and I'm not a tradesman) very impressive van for ride and handling, fits my bike and surfboard in perfectly.

[@TYAC_TPE_SF-Bay]

I very much have enjoyed my work place's Chevy Astro, Nissan NV200, and Ford E350

[@BazzyPredPop]

Just bought a 09 Vito clean low miles I love it Prefer vans to cars any day

[@Spheredalai]

alright, here's my van relared story.. someone might find this odd, because im currently 19 years old and instead of choosing hatchbacks or whatever boys of my age drive these days, i chose a van as my officially, first car that i legitimately owned. specifically, it is a silver 2013 r70 toyota noah and no it's not a small quirky van like a berlingo, it's not a blindvan, it's a literal 7 seater van. i agree, that is the most unorthodox car to start one's driving life, and frankly i cannot give a perfectly ideal reason of why i chose it. "to look different" "cause it has big room" "fits many people", they're not good enough reasons aren't they? so, what's my impression of the car? well, it's super comfortable really, i work as a driver and i drive rougher vans, cars and trucks than it. i had many road trips with it already, some easily involve over 1000 km, in fact double that. and no i dont regret having that van at all.

[@michaelbolt4530]

Most pleasant and exciting to drive, I driven a Mercedes sprinter auto diesel 6cyl..which was nice