Having owned both an '01 and an '05 Troll 540 in the past and looking to get back into a Touring van again I can't decide what I should opt for.

Our current car sort of knocks another Troll out of consideration. Though I'm reminded that I dragged both 540's with a Kia Cee'd SW and that had a 1200kg towing limit but was a 1.6 diesel with 117PS and 192lb/ft of torque. Our Scala is but 999cc and petrol but with 116PS and 148lb/ft.

So a Triton is a better option, as it starts off with an empty weight of between 110kg and 150kg less than an equivalent year Troll. Then, as we liked the 540's single beds, we'll opt for the 420 Triton, although I'll miss the seats in the nose for those early morning cuppa's whilst Mrs SDA purrs on in her pit.

But here's the nub of the problem, the very horns of a dilemma, which year?

Do we go for new, where we can specify what we want, run the gauntlet of bits falling off and the looooong wait for delivery or do we go used with the risk of never finding the spec we want and the loooooong search for the right 420, or these days, any 420.

If we go used, my preference would be post 2013MY with the current washroom, I mean that's 8 years of sales, there must be some around for sale that haven't been snaffled by the silly pricing merchants on the south coast. And, if you're going to have a nice washroom you really do need hot water. I mean, at just under £300 as a cost option why would you not fit it? Sadly, all the original owners of all the 420's at the over priced dealership on the south coast seemed to have not twigged that relative bargain.

I've never owned a 2010 to 2013 washroomed Eriba but the swivel toilet and tambour cupboard has never appealed, there again beggars can't be choosers.

Before 2010 we're into Cernay produced vans with the grey worktop bathroom that's got the cupboard where your right knee should go and all the lighting above the mirror, so at night gentlemen perform in the darkness of their own shadow, plus the room itself is a few inches smaller and in such a tiny space, a few inches makes a difference.

Go back even earlier pre 2005 and there's the era of the all white plastic washroom, with the same cupboard and lighting issues of its successor.

So new, nearly new, used, well used, classic, vintage, veteran, which should I go for and probably more importantly where's that ideal van hiding?

Tough choices for sure.

Anyone you know with a Troll who you could ask (nicely) to hitch up to your car and test it's pulling capabilities?

The power output is similar to your previous vehicle so once you're rolling it shouldn't be a problem, even towing up hills. However, the significantly lower torque figure could mean problems pulling away from standstill, even more so if you're stopped on an uphill gradient. It could be worth checking out though since this would increase the chances of finding a suitable second hand van as well as the added benefit of the extra space in a Troll. I guess it could only be the 540/542 because of the long beds but there have been a few for sale recently. Like everything else though, getting snapped up quickly.

The alternative is to upgrade your car...

Sadly, all the original owners of all the 420's at the over priced dealership on the south coast seemed to have not twigged that relative bargain.

But it's only a bargain if you want it, otherwise it's a waste of £300
Dave

Quote: rs540 wrote in post #2

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Tough choices for sure.

Anyone you know with a Troll who you could ask (nicely) to hitch up to your car and test it's pulling capabilities?

The power output is similar to your previous vehicle so once you're rolling it shouldn't be a problem, even towing up hills. However, the significantly lower torque figure could mean problems pulling away from standstill, even more so if you're stopped on an uphill gradient. It could be worth checking out though since this would increase the chances of finding a suitable second hand van as well as the added benefit of the extra space in a Troll. I guess it could only be the 540/542 because of the long beds but there have been a few for sale recently. Like everything else though, getting snapped up quickly.

The alternative is to upgrade your car...

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Quote: eribanaut wrote in post #3

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Sadly, all the original owners of all the 420's at the over priced dealership on the south coast seemed to have not twigged that relative bargain.

But it's only a bargain if you want it, otherwise it's a waste of £300
Dave

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Quote: Steamdrivenandy wrote in post #4

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Apparently the generally accepted minimum lb/ft per tonne is 60. With our car and normal van payload Tritons come in between 55 and 60lb/ft, whilst Trolls are around 54 to 57. On the PS side the minimum suggested is 40PS/tonne and Tritons range between 43 to 46, Trolls 42 to 44.

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