Looking at upgrading our camper van to a Timberland Destiny XI based on the 2009 2.3 120 multijet.

Any glaring problems to look out for? Have the gearbox issues which plagued my old 1999 model been sorted? Clutch? Mystery electronic problems?

Any experiences of this vehicle would be appreciated

[FONT=&quot]Hi Tidewatcher
I have a 2009 Ducato panel van conversion. These are strong vehicles which are good to drive. Some things to check for when buying:
The instrument cluster can show very dim "phantom" warning lights due to a commonplace fault in the cluster. Often only visible at night and not serious enough to be worth spending money on, but could be a bargaining item when buying.
The engine to body earth braided strap (RHS under air cleaner canister) can go high resistance due to corrosion inside the crimped ends, whilst still looking OK. This causes starting and charging funnies. Reverse gear is a bit high, so reversing up a steep hill can cause judder.
The windscreen scuttle trough and drain holes/hoses are a poor design which dumps rainwater on the engine and electrics. The top of the engine should have a plastic cover to deflect this. If you are white van man any stray water gets sloshed around next day and evaporates off with engine heat, but if you have a motorhome parked up for weeks in the open the water can eventually create mischief with electrical items.
Check that under-bonnet wiring looms are strapped tight and haven't been rubbing on any supports.
The cambelt is supposed to be changed every 5 years regardless of mileage. This is about a £350 job.
Cheers, John.[/FONT]

Thanks, just the sort of information I was looking for. I have an old 1999 1.9 Ducato TD and live in slight trepidation of the move to electronics.. however if I wish to upgrade the van there is no alternative. Interesting the scuttle drain which used to empty onto the top of the gearbox and cause problems is still there in a slightly different form.

Thanks again.

mate ive got the 2011 2.3 multijet the motor is pretty well bulletproof i got 750000kms out of mine and spun a big end bearing ,the clutch is the weak link the torsional springs are too large and do break out at the 2000000km mark, the gearbox despite what fiat says should be drained yearly it only takes 3 litre so its not a big cost,cover any and all electric terminals with silicon/electrical grease despite what people say that engine cover causes as many problems as it solves as it creates a warm humid environment underneath it which adds to the water ingress and seizing of components ,spray the injectors regularly with wd40 or equivalent to help prevent this but then again i got 720000kms out of mine and id keep on using them,on top of the engine is a long plastic trough with an exposed wiring loom passing through it keep the trough clean the lid just pops off and you can wrap the loom in electrical tape to help with any further issues,fuel filters can be a pain to change and you will find a plethora of posts on how to change them here,cooling fans can be an issue an easy way to check is when you get a check engine light the remaining fan will keep running after the engine is stopped for 10 seconds or so ive run mine through necessity with both fans not working at 90km/hour in 45 c degree heat and it doesnt over heat ,im still running the original drive shafts and front wheel bearings with over 900000kms on them,turbos are good for at least 600000kms,front struts are good for 350000kms,and lower ball joints around 300000kms ,brake pads last me around the 300000km mark on the front and 400000 on the rear,
mind you i am in Australia and i dont have the same winters and salt that you have but i have buldust and mud my vans been all over Australia including the Tanami and Strezleki tracks fror the heat and humidity of the gulf country to the snows of tasmania its been the most reliable vehicle ive ever owned after we sorted out the teething problems but thats another story drive it hard its a comercial vehicle and enjoy it
Cheers Adam

Great advice, I have taken the plunge and it really is a jump forward in refinement.

thanks again for taking the time to reply.

From Adlerplant's extensive post you can learn the 120 multijet X250 is an excellent and reliable vehicle for everyday use.
BUT... as a recreational vehicle it behaves differently. Standing in the sun it sheds its skin (water based paint) like a snake. After heavy rainfall the headlamp units turn into fish bowls with corroded reflectors and stuck adjustment motors.
The materials used for wiring and sound proofing attract small and large rodents and there are gaps everywhere allowing animals access to the interior where they party and create offspring.
If the engine is not driven hard (many camper van owners are in no hurry) the EGR parts and MAP/MAF sensors accumulate a lot of soot and sooner or later stop working.
And water ingress is a serious issue, not just for the electrical circuits but also for the fuel injectors that stand in a pool of water.

Oooerr, not so good. At least my van will be garaged so not exposed 24/7. Not sue about the water based pain as haven't all vehicles had water based finishing for some time?

That is correct Tidewatcher, water based paint is very common nowadays. But with the X250 Ducatos there is something peculiar. Under the topcoat there is a thin brownish yellow primer with excellent anti-corrosion properties where the paint doesn't adhere to, so it comes off in flakes. That probably does not happen in colder climates, but here all X250 Ducatos suffer from the same problem, especially those with white paint.
On my van this started on the bonnet, then above the windscreen and the roof. And now after 10 years the whole vehicle looks like it was poorly painted with wall paint. Some patches I repaired with a spray can, but new ones appear within a few months. A complete respray might be a solution but because of the many factory decorations that is a very expensive job.

Point taken regarding the paint. Seems an odd fault to happen fairly well down the line with the paint technology. Maybe I will not go south of the Loire..

The one I am looking at is a grey and at the moment the paint seems sound.

Thanks for the other tips, appreciated.