Anyone got one? do you like them, reliable? etc.
I'm looking for one to replace my shogun. Would appreciate any input.
Thanks, aimi.

Not sure of the Van but Christine W has the Doblo car and it seems to be going OK. I was in it once with her and it had 3 great big Munsterlanders in the back all lying down quite comfy no problem. :-)

Ooooooooooooooooooo my little orange Smartie. 

I have the MPV type one and I think it's great.   I get 3 Munsters into the boot space no problem, the all round vision is superb.  It's a bit gutsy on diesel but only insurance Group 3 (My fully comp is £112 a year).  You can get 1.2 unleaded, 1.3 diesel and 1.9 TD.

We have the car vesrion. Brilliant, Air con, lots of room for dogs and we had the back windows tinted. Ideal for dogs :)

I have the 1.9TD MPV (Christine made me buy it :D) with air con etc.

It is 2 years old today :)  I'll resist the urge to sing happy birthday to it :D and, touch wood, Hasn't given us a day's trouble.  It is fairly economical to run, cheap to insure and nice to drive (IMO) :)  Bags of room in the back.  I can get a Newf and (v. large) Rottie X in the boot no problem at all.  We tend to keep the rear seats folded though so the dogs can really stretch out in the back as we don't carry passengers very often.  I've had my two plus a Bernese Mountain Dog in the back like that and I reckon there is still room for at least one more Newf (if not 2) ;) :D

I prefer the colour of Christine's Doblo though.  Mine is black and does slightly resemble a cross between the pope-mobile and a small hearse :rolleyes:  Fine if you happen to be in the funeral business for midget popes (a somewhat niche market, admittedly) but if I had the option to change I'd go for the nice dark metallic red one :)

I have th Citroen Berlingo van not that happy with it although it fits the dogs in great and it's wonderful after a days water training!

You are better off with the MPV versions, cheaper to buy as you don't pay tax and cheaper to insure etc!

I stood twisting Julie's right arm behind her back until she bought a Doblo............honest!   ;)    If I had to have one I was going to make sure someone else on CD was going too!    Now to work on her choice of dogs and the possible feline addition..............

Julie, I had someone come to my house last week asking if my car was for sale - this isn't the first time this has happened, if I sell it I may eBay it to get the most money!  There is someone in Dundee who has the van type Doblo in yellow and it was being driven behind me one day, it was like packet of Opal Fruits (sorrry Starburst!) on a road!

It is 2 years old today   I'll resist the urge to sing happy birthday to it  and, touch wood  That is shocking get right out there and at the top of your voice sing girl sing :-D :-D

It is fairly economical to run, cheap to insure and nice to drive (IMO)   Bags of room in the back.  I can get a Newf and (v. large) Rottie X in the boot CAN anything be more than fairly economical to run with that boot load ;-)

I think Christine is the only one with that colour, I am sure it was made for her. Wherever she goes anyway in Scotland people say, " There's Christine" :-D :-D ;-)

Oooh, I want one now !! Has to be a van though - with sliding doors of course!! Only drawback is that they dont have a lifty-up tail gait they have twin doors on the back. Hubby won't get a white one though so the coloured ones are a bit limited.
Christine, what enginge size have you and is it deisel?
Got to sell my shogun now - anyone want one?!!!

With tinted windows though getting the MPV version and folding the seats gives you the van anyway, and a lot less trouble to insure.

My dad is a real van man, but has had the devils own job to insure a van for private use.

>My dad is a real van man, but has had the devils own job to insure a van for private use.

Why is that, do you know? My son wants a pick-up but it seems no insurance company will touch it.

Because Insurance companies assume you will use the Van for business and the risks for them are higher, so most will only consider commercial Insurance which fewer companies do and you pay a lot more in most cases.

Swift cover will cover as it is a car derived van. Vans have mors space as they have all the shelf supports and other plastics ripped out.

Hi Aimi,

My pride & joy is a 1.9TD.  It was made in 2001 which is the first year the Doblo came on the scene, I think.   The side doors are sliding, the driver & passenger doors are the usual opening ones.  I have the split door at the back as opposed to the up & over one and I prefer it, I never have the little door open as the dogs can all manage to jump through the large door.

I would suggest you go to Fiat dealership & check out the size differences between the van and MPV type, I think you'll find it's very little and I prefer the MPV type as all the windows open, even those in the boot pop open for some ventilation. 

Arnold clark had a few of them cheap as chips so a decent buy for a dog. Not sure they will pull the birds though  ;-)

Christine you may become a legend in your neck of the woods with it.. hey in 10 years time there won't be shows about the old raleigh choppers it will be the doblo owners club ;-)

Is there a club :-)

>I would suggest you go to Fiat dealership & check out the size differences between the van and MPV type, I think you'll find it's very little and I prefer the MPV type as all the windows open, even those in the boot pop open for some ventilation. 

Agree totally with Christine :)  The MPV is more versatile than the van, IMO.  With the rear seats folded forward (really quick and easy to do), you have basically the same load space as the van but with windows & the sliding rear doors.  Mine has the lifty-up type tailgate (that's the technical term :D ) as opposed to the split doors like Christine's.  I can e-mail you photos later when I get home if you like :)  Mine is the 1.9JTD Dynamic which, I think, all come with this type of rear door (and air con, CD player etc).

If you do get one, I can even provide you with a foolproof tip for getting dog drool off the upholstery :rolleyes: :D

Thats odd... no probs insuring my Scudo for private/personal... i wouldnt say it was hugely CHEAP to do so, but it is insured private with budget van insurance (around the £600 mark but then its a young driver with only 2 years no claims...).

Have to say the quotes we got through a broker were flamin ridiculous though!

My Dad is over pension age.  What I meant is that very few companies insure vans and hardly any of thsoe that do for private use.

>That is shocking get right out there and at the top of your voice sing girl sing  

The neighbours can just about get their heads around me having full blown conversations with the dogs as we walk up the street.  I'm not sure they'd be quite so understanding if they found me standing on the driveway singing to the car :D :D

>I think Christine is the only one with that colour, I am sure it was made for her. Wherever she goes anyway in Scotland people say, " There's Christine"   

LOL!! She'd make a rubbish getaway driver then!! :D

The speed of a diesel van makes it a rubbish getaway car anyway!    And plus those lolling Munster dogs & nose making huge snots on the windows!

I have people saying to me "I saw you on 'such & such road' and waved", yeah well fine, you can spot me a mile off as it's the only one of that colour for miles whereas they are sitting in their incognito silver hatchbacks........;)

Not sure they will pull the birds though   

Not really my thing........  ;) Steve Leonard on the other hand I'm sure would appreciate the quirkiness of my car!

Christine you may become a legend in your neck of the woods with it..

Am I not already?     Old spinster that lives in the house in the corner of a cul-de-sac owns an orange car has 3 dogs & 3 cats & you never see a man in her house!!!!   OOOooooeeeeeeerrrrrrrr..........

:-) :-D

Another quick question - as I am being swayed towards the mpv and not a van now.
how do the back seats fold down? does the back then go completely flat? I suppose what I am trying to ask is that when the seats fold down would you be able to put a piece of plywood down like you would a van.
Thank you all x

The rear seats fold down and then fold up against the back of the front seats, so basically they occupy the space just above the rear foot wells. I haven't described that well at all but I can try to get a photo of the mine with the seats folded so you can see what I mean :) Will try to do it this evening if there is still enough daylight when I get home from work :)

thats fab, thank you

Hi aimibobs :)  Can you PM me with your email address, please and I'll send you some pics?

Cheers :)

done it and looking forward to them

Done :)

Thank you so much - had another discussion about now whether to get the car or the van - car slightly in the lead. No doubt we will change our minds again !!!

I will let you all know what we decide to do. Thanks for all your help.
Aimi x

Amibobs, don't mean to pull you away from teh Dolblo :-) BUT have you looked at the ford connect. Some of the vans have air con.

My freind has the car version with the seats etc the head height is excellent.  This would be my choice probably in the van area now.