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A powerful addiction
Page 48
Page 49
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PEUGEOT BOXER 3.0HDI
Price: £23,450 Engine: Three-litre, 157hp Payload: 1,475kg Mileage: 9,668 Expenses: None Faults: None Average mpg: 31.7 There is a time and a place for high-powered 3.5-tonne panel vans and it isn't in the hands of unsuspecting multi-drop urban delivery drivers. From the outset, the specification of the three-litrc, four-cylinder common-rail engine, producing 157hp and a whopping 400Nm torque, provided far too much oomph.
This Boxer is keen to punch its weight and has a tendency to want to be in places well before the driver does. Some vans, such as the VW Transporter and its 174hp, are designed to cater for the extra horsepower, but CM fears that the Peugeot Boxer isn't one of them, well, not with this specification anyway.
The long wheelbase and high roof mean that if you are tempted to venture past 70mph on the motorway into the three-point zone and beyond, side and headwinds deflected from the army of vehicles that you'll be overtaking will hamper forward momentum.
The vehicle is prone to being pushed sideways in these situations, especially passing larger road-going vehicles, With the steering wheel virtually over the front axle, the sense of being pushed sideways by errant headwind from slower vehicles is significant. The potential for error when trying to adjust direction and fast speeds is a bit greater.
Where the driving position is further back, like the VW Crafter, sideways movement seem less noticeable. This Boxer lacks the finesse for the driver to feel confident with such power. When it's empty, any quick acceleration loses traction easily, not helped by the fierce clutch take-up.
As an engine in its own right, it has more than enough power, response, and grunt for the emergency services and breakdown recovery outfits where speed is important and carrying weight is more constant.
When it is fully freighted its acceleration and fondness for speed are dulled and it is here that its plus points, impeccable handling at lower speeds and braking, stand out.
Storage features heavily with two fold-out drawers, and a shelf on the dash. They were well used during its time with CM but compared to VW and Mercedes-Benz models it struggles to offer half as many compartments in and around the width of the dash.
If you choose to purchase the three-litre version, you'll be shelling out approximately £800 more than the 2.2-litre alternative at 120hp.Three years down the line, that three-litre will only be worth about £250 more, according to CAP future valuations, and after five years, the gap will narrow to £175. For once, power is not beneficial when remarketing. u
Kevin Swallow