Hi chaps,

Looking to buy a 13 plate VW Caddy, the 1.6 102ps model. Does anyone have one? Ive had a look at the local dealership and the Alpine Five looks to fit with the front wheel off, end to end.

Ive had lots of vans for thr last 10 years, but not a caddy. Looks good, mpg looks spot on, size is good.

Whats your expereince of TCO and service from the dealership?

Cheers

Ricks

I had a 1.9 TDi for a while, great van. Unfortunately didn’t use the dealer for anything other than the purchase so cant help there.

Good to drive (for a van), comfy for the driver, horrendous for a passenger (if over 5’9″ anyway), rear suspension is less complex than what Charlton Heston had in Ben Hurr, tail gate ftw as it lifts to a really good height to use for shelter, fuel economy is good, had 6 bikes (mix of dh and trail) in mine + kit with no more than front wheels off. Would have again.

With the bikes at a slight angle I could easily get a couple of fully built DH bikes in, so make sure to have a bit of a play around if/when you get it. Take the bike to the dealer if you haven’t yet

Go for a drive in one. We have an 08 non turbo 1.9 and its obviously a bit sluggish, but the handling isn’t exactly “performance” either.. My bike fits in without taking any wheels off. Overall its well built and hasn’t given us any trouble to speak of yet.

Owned an 11 plate Caddy with the same engine until recently and have nothing but praise for it. With ply lining it is really quite refined and drives well with a pokey engine. Even long motorway journeys were comfortable and it has a decent soundsystm tokeep you entertained. Not a single issue in the time I owned mine, I would buy another without hesitation in the future but would see if I could find one with a lift back instead of the split doors.

FWIW I previously owned a Vauxhall Combo, which was horribly underpowered and unrefined in comparison. I sold my Caddy to a friend who owns a garage; he maintains they are the best small van on the market.

I’ve an 06 plate 1.9 – bigger engine is better with these vans. It has overtaking poke and cruises happily on the motorway. Mine is set up to carry two bikes fully built (back wheel in bulkhead corners, clamps on side panels hold the frames solid and the front wheels bungee together at the tailgate. The angle makes the bike length fine (have happily fitted a mates XL 650b bike in no worries). Kit just goes in the space between/ around the bikes. You could obviously fit 4-5 bikes in happily if you take the wheels off.

I bought it as a VW ‘used assured’ but have always had it independently serviced so can’t comment on dealership really, although the local dealship was helpful when I had a minor tailgate niggle – turns out the answer is slam it hard!

It’s my everyday drive and I really love it… probably a little too much if the truth be told 😉

Have a 51 plate 1.6 Bluemotion for work and it’s fine, nice to drive, not bad on fuel. Our work fleet are constantly having the check straps on the rear doors replaced, but that’s down to the doors being opened and closed 130+ times a day.

Can’t comment on how well bikes fit, as the back of mine is fitted with metal racking and stuffed full of teabags and biscuits.