Hi all - looking to spend between £2-3,500 on a diesel Doblo in the next month or so, but undecided on engine size and spec. Seems from background reading the 105 offers slightly better mpg and is still surprisingly nippy. Also read that the 120 has had an engine issue or two? At the 2k end, a low-mileage pre-facelift model would also be an option. So, just wondered what views were on the 105v120, and the old v new version? (reliability, driving, space). It's going to be used for dogs, bikes and maybe some overnight camps in the Lakes, so if there's a interior size difference between the two versions, that might also influence our decision. One final question - is the removal of the rear seats really just a 10-minute job? ;-)

Many thanks - views and advice would be much appreciated.
Andy

I've had the 2006 120hp for 2.5 years. I have also driven the 105 plus my colleague also has the 105. The big thing you need to know is that the 120 has a DPF and the 105 doesn't. This alone makes the decision to pick the 105 a no-brainer (why oh why didn't I take my own advice...)

I kick myself nearly every day that I gave up waiting for a 105 to come along and bought a 120. Yes, the turbo spools up a bit more smoothly on mine, but this minor advantage is dwarfed by endless DPF issues once the car hit 60k miles. The whole DPF system is reliant on so many factors (EGR, MAF, MAP, injectors, pressure sensors, etc) that any issues at all spell trouble.

I now have the car working well again, but cars with a DPF seem intolerant of problems that older cars could live with. There are just too many critical sensors and any of them can put you into limp mode.

Do not believe those that say only town-drivers get DPF issues. I get a bit cheesed off reading stuff like 'you don't drive 300 miles a day to work so it's your fault because you were dumb enough to buy a diesel'. I drive the same as I always did and none of my old cars gave me this much trouble!

I drive everywhere with my phone showing diagnostic information so I can keep on top of it. If you are not confident you can fix it yourself then don't buy any car with a DPF. A Fiat main dealer wanted to immediately start replacing components until he got lucky - EGR valve plus DPF pressure sensor plus DPF is the best part of two grand!!!

(Note none of this is unique to Fiat - all modern diesels are afflicted).

Even worse, my friends 105 always gets more MPG. 47-50 mpg on the 105 versus 41 on the 120 on a good day.

The 120 and it's DPF are the reason that I will NEVER buy another modern diesel. Even though my car now runs great, you just feel you are driving a time bomb of expense. My old-tech diesels (Citroen and Volvo) were quieter, more economical and more reliable.

Buy the 105 - at least you won't have a DPF to worry about. I would trade my 120 for a 105 in a heartbeat.

RANT OVER.

On the plus side, Doblo is a brilliant car and I still love the design. It is also quite fun to drive with direct steering, nice gearbox and good brakes. My 3 greyhounds love the space in the back and it carries masses of windsurfing, surfing and mountain biking kit. You just throw bikes straight in.

Once you have had a square car with sliding doors, no other car makes sense.

Note that the boot is not long enough to sleep in with the seats folded up(at 5'11"). The boot floor is also not flat if you remove the seats for more room, but I am sure you could rig up a bed of some kind. The seats are heavy, but it looks dead simple to unbolt them.

When the seats fold up they have lots of nasty sharp bits of metal exposed so I made a padded cover to keep my dogs from hitting them. They also take a fair bit of space even when folded. Taking them out is probably a smarter option.

Good luck.

Thanks Martin - that's really useful advice - I appreciate you taking the time. Confirms too what I was thinking re the two engine options, and if the 105 is likely to cause less grief, then it's got to be worth it. See what you mean about the folded seat issue - a bit of padding should sort that, and I reckon with the seats taken out, and the passenger seat pushed right forward, I might just manage to kip in it.
Thanks again

hi bud what phone set up do you have please ?

No worries Andy - I think the Doblo will really grow on you.

For diagnostics on your phone I recommend one of the cheap bluetooth ELM dongles from Ebay plus the app called AlfaOBD (the free version is limited to 15 minutes before disconnecting). The Torque app is cheap at only a few quid and also good (but doesn't show DPF info like AlfaOBD). You can find both in the Android market.

This is the dongle I bought:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-OBD2-...d-Torque-Auto-Scan-Tool-OBD-II-/331206015268?

This setup on my 120hp it would only connect to the Engine computer until I hacked out a resistor on the dongle's circuit board (as described on the Multiecuscan website). It then allowed me to connect to everything. (I use Multiecuscan on my laptop as it's great!)

Cheers!

andyjh said:

Hi all - looking to spend between £2-3,500 on a diesel Doblo in the next month or so, but undecided on engine size and spec. Seems from background reading the 105 offers slightly better mpg and is still surprisingly nippy. Also read that the 120 has had an engine issue or two? At the 2k end, a low-mileage pre-facelift model would also be an option. So, just wondered what views were on the 105v120, and the old v new version? (reliability, driving, space). It's going to be used for dogs, bikes and maybe some overnight camps in the Lakes, so if there's a interior size difference between the two versions, that might also influence our decision. One final question - is the removal of the rear seats really just a 10-minute job? ;-)



Many thanks - views and advice would be much appreciated.

Andy

Click to expand...

Andy,

I'm intending to buy a new Doblo in January. If you are still looking for a Doblo I am selling mine.
Contact me for details if you are interested. It's in excellent condition, six years old, low mileage private use only. You won't find a better one!

Bill ([email protected].

Hi Andy,

I've owned a 2006 55 plate facelift 105bhp model for the last 3 years.

GOOD BITS

Cheap to buy when I bought it compared with Peugeot and Citroen competitors.
It has been 100% reliable, has great fuel consumption (51 MPG average if you believe the computer, but it is cheap to run so I suppose it's about right).
Build quality seems reasonable, nothing has fallen off, it feels safe to drive, you can accelerate and stop with confidence and it corners reasonable well for a converted van, although my Transit Connect feels like a rally car in comparison.
Air conditioning is very good - it does need it or the windows steam up very quickly - I wouldn't buy another without aircon.
Has acres of storage space, you'll always be collecting things from shops for neighbours friends etc

BAD BITS

Suffers from the dreaded airbag intermittent light issue, luckily its always been off at MOT time.
Rear suspension is rediculously noisy on slow uneven roads, I know it needs new ARB bushes but fiat insist on selling the whole bar complete and as far as I know you can't get split bushes - I think this is very common.
By far the worst thing of all is the styling - my kids hate it and will crouch down when driving through town in case they see anybody they know. I have to admit I think it's ugly but the sheer practicality of owning one far outweighs this for me.
Fiat supplied fuel cap is rubbish and a nightmare to use, chuck it away and get a decent replacement. I haven't done this and it's the same on my Seicento so I'm used to it but no one else can use it and they leave it hanging off when they have borrowed the car and put fuel in.

OVERALL

all cars have their achilles heels, you can buy a Mercedes for £75k and have a list of problems in the first few years, and Fiats are no different, but sadly the legacy of rustbuckets exported from Italy during the 70's and 80's has tainted Fiat more than other manufacturers.
The Doblo I own has to be regarded as good value for money when I look at its reliability and purchase price.
Pick the right one and you should have a great car.
Good luck!

i've got a 2006 1.9 8v 105 Cargo. I've had it 3 years & in that time i've covered 70k miles in it. The van has covered 165k in total. I can honestly say I can't fault it at all. I've done 700 mile round trips in a day to Scotland & back with work & it's never missed a beat. It does 400-500 mile trips in a day a few times each month.

Other than wear & tear stuff like discs, pads & tyres all it's ever needed is a £30 auxiliary belt tensioner that the bearing started to make not very pleasant noises. I've fitted a few things myself like rear parking sensors & cruise control which is fantastic for those long motorway trip.

The only thing i wish it did have was climate control. Having a bulkhead maks the cabin get quite hot very easily when the sun is shining through the windscreen.

I get bored of cars/vans quite quickly unless i really like something & after 3 years even though i am a little bored of the Doblo I can't bring myself to get rid of it. I work on a lot of Transporter T5's & Caddys which really do sometimes make me thing about getting shut of it but i just can't bring myself to do it. T5's are a really nice van, but at the end of the day they're just a van & i can justify spending that kind of money on a metal work box with wheels. Also from what owners have said they're a money pit, especially the 2.5 which seems to eat driveshafts etc.

When i do eventually get another van I will probably go for a Caddy. May even have a look at the new Connect.

Anyways, all in all my Doblo has been a brilliant van & i'm 200% glad i decided to go for the 1.9 8v as it's definitely the most robust engine in the range

Thanks v much metalguru and actionman - all good reassuring info and more pointers towards the 105. I'm trying to find reasons to love the look of the Doblo and still struggling a bit, but the practicality and economy is winning me over and I'm 90% sure we'll be getting one in the New Year, so thanks for all the advice. Good to know re the aircon too

i don't mind the look of the facelift Doblo! I certainly wouldn't have bought the older model with those hideous headlights! lol!

I think mine looks a bit better with the alloys i've fitted. 16" Fiat Stillo alloys with 10mm hubcentric spacers all round





Pics don't really show how the spacers make it look. Need to get a pic from the front, makes it look wider

oh & forgot i have had to replace 1 other part. The rear bump stops. Don't even think they were £40 for the pair & very very easy to fit.

I will say with winter tyres on i've never once got into any difficulty in the snow. Even with it being remapped & running about an extra 30bhp

actionman37 said:

oh & forgot i have had to replace 1 other part. The rear bump stops. Don't even think they were £40 for the pair & very very easy to fit.

I will say with winter tyres on i've never once got into any difficulty in the snow. Even with it being remapped & running about an extra 30bhp

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looks good, are you based somewhere with much snow..??,
Charlie

i'm in Huddersfield, but right on the outskirts. Only 20mins from peak district national park & 30mins from highest motorway point in the UK!

It's quite hilly & rural here & we've had snow when hardly anywhere else has got it. I'm self employed so if i don't work i don't get paid. So i put winter tyres on. They're not just for snow. They have better grip in cold conditions than normal tyres & most of the roads around here don't get gritted

actionman37 said:

i'm in Huddersfield, but right on the outskirts. Only 20mins from peak district national park & 30mins from highest motorway point in the UK

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I assumed that was "Shap summit"..so where is the highest..?

Charlie

Nope, the highest official motorway point is on the M62

Looks good - I think the facelift design suits the van more than the car, and agree about the old model Could have done with a set of those winter tyres here this morning - we're just over the Peak District from you outside Matlock, so pretty much snowed in today.

I put winter tyres on every year. Usually put them on in Dec & take them off in April.

We had a big dumping of snow last night as well. Bought a BMW in May & still had winter tyres on. Thought I'd give it a test run last night while roads were covered. Reversed off the drive ok but only managed to get about 10 ft up the street! It is quite steep. The winter tyres are quite worn so would probably be better with new ones on & some weight in the boot