I have had a couple of transits, Mk6 90bhp did spend two days welding to get it through it's first MOT with me but my god did that get a spanking from there on in. One of the 90bhp ones and living in porlock gets a damn good flogging starting it's day going either up dunkery or up the infamous porlock hill. Didn't have a tool box on that one so 10ft of bed to cram with oak rings or chip! Sold it for more than I purchased then replaced with a Mk7 100bhp variant which came from some settled travelers in Ipswich who kindly put the number plate on another transit and commited an astonishing amount of traffic violations in multiple boroughs of London. One private plate later and the PCNs have ceased. The van has been fantastic, being lower power version it benefits from a lower gear ratio diff which is perfect for the topography of my a local area. I had a custom body built and it really has been great up until the timing chain slipped. Had that replaced. Slipped again, engine in pieces new pistons etc. had another year out of it and now it is using water after bursting a host of pipes. I really think that the MWB transit is the puppy, comfortable, cheap parts and can get in some tight spots that the longer ones just can't. I think the engine had a hard life prior to my ownership. The oil that came out the engine was so black, the type that stains anything it touches! 2006 Mk7 £140 a year road tax!!! I would put another engine in but they seem to be expensive and everyone advertised has done 70k miles and their is no guarantee it's any better than the one its replacing. I am also running a chipper of the same vintage, been plagued with breakdowns.
I think I am cursed, a chip on my shoulder, didn't have loads of money growing up so we always made do and I have been a firm believer in that with the old kit you can still do the job. I don't really aspire to own new kit, see it more as a liability, to have it all sat there.
I certainly don't despise anyone operating with new kit. Sometimes what your not paying in finance payments your paying to the dealer in repair bills.