Upsides?
Downsides?

Thinking of replacing the trusty Kangoo with something bigger later this year (something that can at least take a rock-n-roll type bed and a couple of bikes + gear). This would have to be my commuting etc. vehicle as the car will be used by my wife.

Tranny connect LWB here, about the same size as a vito. Fine as a daily driver, as long as you’re not rushing about and hammering corners. Has its obvious advantages though, I’ll never just have a car again.

I run a 1.9 T5 as a daily. Had it for 3 years. I get on with it fine but then I drove various Landrovers for the preceding 6 years.
Mind is swb so size wise it’s not that huge, although it is a bit high for some car parks.
Being able to just wheel a bike into it and then hop in to get changed is ace. We don’t have a full conversion, just a full width R&R bed, swivel front seat & table plus an Eberspacher heater & split charge setup.
Fuel wise it’s probably mid 30s.
There is definitely a VW tax, not only in cost to buy but also suffering people telling you you should have bought something else. You don’t get that if you drive a Mondeo.
They do polarise opinion, especially on here.

Not my daily driver, but a T5 is our main vehicle. As a cycling family of three we’d never go back. It does work out more expensive, but we do more fun stuff so its worth it.

Vivaro here as main vehicle, but I do work from home so only drive it a few times a week.

As he said, I could never go back.

I’ve got a lwb t5 as my only vehicle.

Upsides- it’s like a mini bedroom in the back. I’ve usually got a change of clothes, folding mattress, comfy chairs and all kinds of junk in the back. I can pull up anywhere and cook a meal or whatever. Plus it’s easy to drive. It’s not a car but it’s a world away from the old Trannys and Sprinters I used to drive. 2.5 130bhp so it goes really well and has a 6 speed box. Gets really good economy on a long run.

Downsides- when I had to commute in it for a few months I felt the sting of the fuel costs. Not an issue anymore. Price of entry was high but vans like mine are still advertised for more than I paid 4 years ago so shouldn’t lose too much in the long run.

Struggling for downsides really. It’s become indispensable. My girlfriend loves it. We’ve been all over Europe in it a few times and we’re looking forward to this year’s trip already. Personally, I’m a bit of a petrol head and there’s zero driving thrills to be had so I’m always looking at cars. I’ll never be without a van though.

2.0tdi Caravelle here as a daily driver here. Much better refinement than a van so other than the obvious MPG issue, there’s no real downside for us

T4 2.5tdi as a daily

It’s ace n not bad on fuel. Best car/transport/holiday tackle ever

My wife has a car and I have a van. Had 4 vans (T4, Vito Mk1, Vito Mk2, T5) in the last 14 years or so and much as I looked at cars at my last swap, couldn’t do it.

I do have access to a car if I need one however…

Prefer the van, even before I fill it with bikes, days out at the bmx track, full it with camping kit, or go and fetxh 8×4 or 3m long material for DIY etc. Nice driving position on motorway. 5 seater fits 5 bikes (front wheels off), people and kit in comfort if needed.

Downsides – bit more expensive to run on VED and fuel. Insurance similar for me. Not as fast, generally but plenty quick enough.
I find parking my van easier than the wife’s estate, wheels right on the corners and big mirrors help lots.
Heigh restriction the only problem I’ve run into.

Commute is a 15 miles, moslty motorway, few times a week plus one or two long motorway drives (expensed mileage for these), not sure it would be as much fun with lots of town driving.

T4 2.5tdi swb caravelle as only car and daily drive here. Its probably quite a lot thirstier than a little car and takes ages to warm up in the winter so probably terrible on fuel if your commute and journeys are short. As long as a biggish estate but easier to park because of the driving position and big mirrors. Nice enough driving position and less like a van to drive than a transit etc. Also suprised to observe that it is actually narrower than the ridiculous honda softroader that usually parks behind me at work. 6 feet tall, but I don’t think there is a single multistorey in plymouth that is too low for that: i think there is one in exeter i can’t get into but thats the only place i wanted to but couldn’t park it in 5 years i have had it.

Vw ‘tax’ is worse in the surfy south west in my experience. Some servicing on t4 is easy and cheap to do but some is pretty huge and definitely a garage not d.i.y. job (cam belt and steering rack for example. Galvanised, which means t4’s are far less rotten (if rotting at all) compared to vans of similar age and the 2.5 diesel is good for 250k+ easily if looked after properly, which also partly explains the silly prices compared to similar age/mileage vans. These days lots more vans are galvanised and better engines so i don’t see the same difference in reliabiility and rot in t5’s versus similar age vito, vivaro etc though.

you will struggle to sleep in the van with any kind of living area and store bikes at the same time, fairly cramped if you’re not alone. I found my 2.5 t4 too much of a compromise, not great as a car, but not great for fully loaded camping either. Good for day trips though. i dont think there is a perfect compromise unless you can afford two vehicles.

I’m using a 54 plate t5 with 172000 miles on it as my daily driver and doing 600 miles a week some weeks just for work it’s well services and drives really well also really really good on fuel

Vivaro here, best thing ever. Two kids and a big dog, driven every where in it. I use a couple of times a week to get to work, usually has at least one bike in it. The inside can be mopped/ hosed down if need be. Similar length to an estate bit wider, only downside is fuel, at 40+ mpg it’s not terrible

Not looking to go back to car for the foreseeable.

Drive a lot vans have nothing against the VWs just think they feel very heavy to drive compared to panel vans had a vivaro for 9years LWB but wanted something bigger so got a Citroen relay now.The new shape vivaros are smaller now and feel heavier to drive.
My work van is a Boxer LWB high top drives very well.

We can fit a double air bed on the floor with 2 or 3 bikes against the front seats. Better than a tent in a pinch. It makes travelling around and spontaneous missions so easy.

The versatility is the best thing about it, we’ve experimented with loads of layouts.

What sort of distances are you guys doing daily? I do a 70 mile round trip and have often though a van may be more practical than my Golf, but I’d lose out on the fuel economy.

Got a 64 plate T5 kombi as my daily driver, it’s great, swallows pretty much anything. High driving position is a revelation compared to my previous BMW 1 series. Commute about 10 miles each way on fast-ish country roads and get 35mpg, on the 50mph section of the M3 I can get 42/43mpg which is brilliant for a box with the aerodynamics of a brick.
Not surprisingly its great for bikes and baby trailers and being able to wheel out full bikes is great. It is unnerving driving under barriers which “say” they are 2m/6ft6″ clearance, I have a distinct lack of trust in these signs as I know it will be an expensive fix – oddly there are some angled ones around here and I’m not sure which bit has the clearance.

T5 KOMBI SWB here,every day for work and recreation, all the convenience of a van but the same wheel base as a large estate. Drives much like a car too with decent size mirrors. As said above there are the haterz but its just personal choice. I have owned and driven many different vans and many perform adequately but the T5 ticked more boxes for me personally.

Try it and if you don’t like it flog it and do something else. Vans don’t depreciate as hideously as cars unless it is a pup.

In the last ten years, I have driven a 2.5 SWB T4 and a 2.5 LWB T4 (both W-regs) as daily drivers.

Both were superb; neither gave me a moment’s worry; both got pretty decent mileage; neither showed many limitations compared to my cars past and present.

I would almost certainly stick with the 2.5 TDI by way of engine, but would otherwise just go for the first nice one I could find. Once you get one, just don’t drive it like an a*****e, and you will do very well.

Anyone tow with one ?
We have a 1500kg caravan, that we tow with a Galaxy.
The Galaxy is my daily run around also.
Always fancied a van & the T4 / T5 look a bit less “van” like.

Thanks all.

Drove a riding mate’s Vito back from Sherwood the other day and really quite liked it. The awkward but of me shies away from the VWs as ‘everyone’ has one so the Merc appeals – still good to drive and reasonable performance but a bit less ‘obvious’ for a biker.

My commute’s about 15 miles either way on country roads.

We tow a 1250kg caravan. Ours is the 1.9 with a 5 speed box. Was 96hp now 130 after a Pendle remap.
Tows fine. Added bonus of being higher so can see through caravan Windows with rear view mirror.

Drove a riding mate’s Vito back from Sherwood the other day and really quite liked it. The awkward but of me shies away from the VWs as ‘everyone’ has one so the Merc appeals – still good to drive and reasonable performance but a bit less ‘obvious’ for a biker.

I assumed that the Merc built between 1998 and 2008 were actually just Chryslers, and so of lesser quality than a true Merc and not as good – in terms of trim, finish, and reliability – as VWs.

Then again, I could be wrong.

I have a LWB Renault Trafic with the115ps engine. Mainly use it for my job as a plasterer, but decided to have a rear seat conversion with 2 side windows so I can tow our 6 berth caravan & get 4 bikes in the back. My wife & kids find it comfortable enough, you just have to choose carpark spaces carefully as its bit long for some. I’m happy with fuel economy, get 800 mile out of £100 worth. Only downside is it’s bit underpowered when fully loaded/towing when you come to hills. I might look at getting it re-mapped or trade it in for a 155ps Transit Custom.

Try driving a Vito in the snow. The traction control in my mates would barely let it move in ice and snow and you can’t switch it off. If you pull the TC fuse you’ve got yourself an interesting drift car. Also the prop shaft means a high floor and less internal space.

Don’t deprive yourself of something you want just because, shock horror, you might see something similar in the trail centre car park. STW is not representative of the real world. People won’t snub you in public because you have a VW.

I’ve just driven my RWD 220bhp Vito up the snow covered hill to our apartment, Winter tyres work fine.

Can you fit complete bikes in the bank of a SWB kombi?

Double post

baddddad – Member
Can you fit complete bikes in the bank of a SWB kombi?

2 DH bikes with relative ease (all three rear seats in place). More will need a wheel off

Yup, full bikes fit in a Kombi easily, depending on how many.

I put them sideways but larger bikes have to go on a diagonal. Tuck the back wheel in first right behind the seat and bungee on to the headrest posts.

Couple of DH bikes easy.

3 fully built trail bikes will go. I’ve had a full sus 29er, my 26″ 150mm trail bike and a 150mm forked long hartail in there.

5 with front wheels off.

I have the 2+1 rear seat which also makes it very flexible, unclick unwanted seats for more space.

My 56cm road bike goes across the way, no bar turning. very neat. I just hang the bar over the seatback, job done!

You can in a sub vivaro dual cab, two will go in if you don’t mind then getting intimate. Family trips consist of two adults bikes and two kids bikes, kids bikes are 20″ wheels.all without dismantling.

I’m upgrading to one of these when I buy a Nicolai Geometron

sharkattack – Member
Don’t deprive yourself of something you want just because, shock horror, you might see something similar in the trail centre car park. STW is not representative of the real world. People won’t snub you in public because you have a VW.

It’s not just that. If I can avoid paying the VW tax and get something similar then I’d rather.

What I’d really quite like is a Mitsubishi Delicia (just for the jacked up look of the older ones), but I imagine that would be a hugely heart over head decision as they don’t really look big enough.

Always had a van of some kind. Can look a bit pikey for weddings and stuff 😆 wife’s Fabia takes car of the posh outing.

Vans are ace just leave the lifestyle stickers for the youngsters

What I’d really quite like is a Mitsubishi Delicia (just for the jacked up look of the older ones), but I imagine that would be a hugely heart over head decision as they don’t really look big enough.

I too loved those… for a while. Then I learnt that they were some of the most unstable and undrivable things on the planet.

You could always look for a Syncro, or get a normal T4 and make it look like one…

Crew cab syncro is on my list only in dove blue

We’re entering the realm of style over substance. Might as well buy a Defender with a snorkel.

Love my T5 even though it’s a lowly 1.9tdi. When I get in swmbo’s car it feels so cramped and the gear knob seems on the floor. I find the van easier to park because of the big mirrors. I get 40mpg on a run which I can live with. Whatever the downsides are the upsides outweigh them significantly. Get a nice van and try it out, I doubt you’d lose much on resale.

What, if any of these vans are decent in snow and ice. Like , proper snow and ice?

Transporter 4motion. If you can find one, afford it and stomach £480 a year road tax