I’m after a new van and the caddy maxi seems to be the best option for what I’m looking for as it meets most of my criteria. Is there anything I should be looking out for? What’s the major differences between the 1.6tdi and the 1.9tdi other than power? Is one more reliable than the other?

Thanks

Barry

I have the 1.9tdi and it drives reasonably, can’t say I’d be happy with a 1.6, imagine it wouldn’t be well powered for a vehicle that size. Other than the usual stuff they have the ECU in a crappy place (along with other models of VW’s), right under the windscreen, so can have ECU issues when it rains/you wash it if your buying one a few years old. Had this first week I bought mine, we have since mummified the damn thing to damp proof it and no trouble since. Biggest issue I’ve really had is fighting years of neglect from the previous owner doing dodgy repairs. If you are buying second hand, as most of them have been work vehicles people don’t always care for very well, this seems to be something to take into account when buying. Otherwise absolutely love it, chuck bikes and dogs in happily, and can sleep in it comfortably with the bike in too 🙂

Can’t say I agree on the 1.6 engine – gives over 45mpg happily in my Maxi Life constantly.
Thats will all the seats in. No issues fully loaded up either pulling away or overtaking.
Take the rear bench out and just me and it goes up again.
They do suffer if its the commercial version though as above it will have been used with little care unless it was privately owned.
Look out though as the likes of Coca Cola use them and they are kept in very good condition.
They often come up on eBay/Autotrader for reasonable money as they move them on at “low” mileages (think 50’ishK)
They’ll take a double mattress easily with room to spare 😉

remember – they are not car derrived vans – so are subject to lower speed limits.

like the transit connect – most of the downsides of a big van coupled with most of the downsides of a little van.

has good mpg for the load length though thanks to the low height , if all you want to do is throw a couple bikes in – its your man.

1.9 here. Love it, as above, dogs and bikes in, can sleep in it comfortably (built a raised bed). I drive 40k a year, couldn’t imagine doing that in the 1.6, but guess it depends on what you want.

Mine was new (work vehicle) Worth noting if you’re moving from a car, they are vans and spec’d as such in the cab. I moved from A3 / Yeti to the Caddy maxi, love the van, but it is basic in comparison, sorry if you already know this.

Just so its clear – the 1.6l has 102ps – more than the 1.9 they put in the T5 (85!).

My caddy Maxi is a car derived van – on V5 – and is great. Of course, people will have their own opinion but I love it and can see me getting another if/when this one does. Easy to drive, good mpg (1.9 tdi) and loads of room.

Never driven one but I like the practicality of it and it is nice looking too.

whats the GVW noted on your V5 ? all the GVWs listed on the Vw site are too heavy to be CdVs.

If they are coming out as CdV then i may consider one – it doesnt have any of the electronic TAT that post 2000 Vws seem to be plagued with …. electric handbrakes and such pish. my nearest motorway being about 100 miles away – its a pain in the hoop to been restricted … if i wanted to travel slow i would have taken the landy.

Look out though as the likes of Coca Cola use them and they are kept in very good condition

I used to be a merchandiser for Coke and had a Vauxhall Combi van, it was thrashed to within an inch of its life every single day. It was serviced in a main dealer and all that nice stuff but it took a serious hammering. My colleagues were all the same. Every day I expected it to fall apart like in the cartoons where every panel falls of at the same time.

I loved that van.

Maybe go down to VW TR and have a look at them and ask – we’ve had this argument already.
VW obviously know what they are doing as the logbooks, excise duty, etc don’t lie.

This is the only VW car/van I would consider other than my Toyota.

The Ford Transit connect is also very nice but how does it compare to VW Caddy Maxi I don’t know.

Ha! Proper mine field it turns out. Taxed as a ‘Diesel car’ on V5, over 2000 on max weight on V5 but car derived van on insurance (all details, reg etc fine).

Who knows. Even if I have to travel 10 miles an hour slower, it’s still ace.just means it will take a little bit longer to get to Cornwall.

They can be car derived, but as the GWV is over 2000kg, its largely meaningless as they are still bound by the lower speed limits for goods vehicles.

Sometimes there will be lighter variants but it looks like the current range, even the ‘not’ maxi variants, are a smidge over 2000kg.

However, as the unladen weight would be under 3050kg, get it fitted out as a camper and the V5 amended, back to car speed limits 🙂 (a lot of effort for 10mph though!)

turns out VW didnt know.

a letter was issued in 2012 to all known owners highlighting the car derived misnomer and that they were subject to the lower speeds due to the over 2t GVW despite the fact its based on a touran/golf.