thinking of getting one, to use as a race weekend waggon, not sure which one, how much they cost etc…..

no photos online, sorry. I’ve got a 2000 T4 to which we have added rear seats from a T5 and side windows (which open- bonus!)

it is without doubt the best vehicle I’ve ever owned…bikes and boards in the back, kids in the middle. 500 miles on a tank. reliable. big, but fits in carparks and normal spaces.

just need an awning for the side door, a pop top, swivel mounts for the front seats, dvd player, engine remap for abit more power, curtains, bigger speakers and a respray. 😉

“respray”

You got a breakdown truck ? 😀

Have a serious look at the renault trafic/vauxhall vivaro (same van bar the badge) as well. Less cred than a transporter so you get much more for your money.

A little hard to reccomend without a budget really but T5 transporters (the new shape from 53 plate) start at around £4k now for 85bhp ones with about 100k on. These are pretty comfy use the same 1.9tdi engine block as loads of vag stuff so easy to get parts for.

T4 transporters ran from about 92 I think to 2003, hold their value ridiculously well. 02/03 ones can be up to 4/5k. I saw an 02 with 200k on up at £3k the other day. 2.5 tdi is the best engine to get 88 or ideally 102 bhp (this ads an intercooler), also available with 1.9 engine but only about 70bhp so very slow, especially when loaded.

Most t4 or t5 will have 3 front seats, you can get a couple of extras retro fitted properly for about £500 if you fancy but they impact bike stashing ease quite a bit.

If you want to know anything specific post it up or drop me a line. When you’ve had a van you won’t go back!

Here you go.

Two seats in the front three in the back with bulkhead.

Space for bikes and gear in the back, so I have a dirty area and a clean area.

I have the special x 2.5tdi with electric windows,mirrors cruise cont captins chairs, it took six months of looking at sheds before this one came up.
The kids love it and even me mrs prefers to go in the van if we have long distances to cover.
I have owned it a year now and can say I will not go back to a car.

robidoo, roughly how much would something like yours cost?

Here’s mine:

Still in the process of converting it. The rear seat folds down into a bed and there is enough room behind it for the two bikes, across the van with the front wheels out. Van cost about 4.5k, 53 plate with 80K miles. Spent a far bit on it since. Best thing I have ever bought. My wife’s never been so enthusiastic to camp, ever.

Van cost about 4.5k, 53 plate with 80K miles.

blimey they’re expensive.
just had to re insure my trafic so had to check out price which came in at 3k, 04 plate and 53k miles. i made sure that everything was right on it when it’s warranty finished and nothings gone wrong since.

i’ll defo get a renault before a vw anyday

Don’t crash a T3 😯

OMG – must be loaded

erm, not getting a T3 then!

Mine – still a work in progress (need to install fridge etc)

Echo what else has been said : best thing i’ve ever bought. Recently bought a bike rack and came in very useful for mayhem.

Manchester Trev I payed 5k a year ago but they have come down quite a bit,
mine was one owner with full VW history.
Have you looked on VWT4 FORUM it’s great for info you name it someone has done it.
There is a classified section (where I found mine)to.
Rob.

Mine also from t4forum. 1 owner form new Full VW service history and 53k on the clock!

I’ve just returned a T5 174bhp and am about to buy a replacement. The T5 did about 33mpg on average, dipping under 30 on a brisk run. Front tyres lasted 20k. Servicing was on the company, but the light came on every 14k miles (so ignore the claims of 20k intervals, even on synthetic oil).

It was amazingly fast, but I’m going to try a Trafic before buying my next wheels.

cheesr for that, will look at a traffic, but i used tarnsporters for years when i was on the tools ( company vans, not mine ) so i know what they drive like.. will check out the T4 forum

trev,
whilst working for somebody else i've had vw transporters, ford transits, renault kangoos, citreon berlingos, renault masters, merc sprinters and vitos and of course trafics.

of them all i liked the veedubs and the trafics but when i went self employed i had to choose, the vw was just far more expensive for what you got(same plate, similar mileage) so a trafic was duly bought.

i've had a few very minor issues with it(radio mainly) but it was all resolved fairly quickly, renault dealers aren't the best so i use my local independent garage now who are a damn sight cheaper.

i'd defo reccomend you test drive a trafic at least.

i get about 35/40mpg from my trafic

My company car. I was told that if sales figures drop i should expect a C Class to turn up which i really wouldnt want 🙂

Best motor i have used. 5 people and 5 bikes in total comfort. Due the the bulkhead you can carry what the hell you like in the back and its still car like in the cab area. It has a removable towbar and i have a thule rack as well so i could take 7 bikes (Once i get the rack sorted – dont ask). 150bhp, cruise, captain seats, air con etc etc. 37mpg going to fort william and back with 1000mls on clocks so still tight. Service intervals have never dropped below 20k on the last couple i have used.

hi-jacking the thread somewhat, does anyone know about reliability issues on the t5?

one garage told me not too touch a 2.5 and another told me the opposite – to get a 2.5 and not to touch the 1.9?

manchester trev – have a look on ebay, there's a dealer with loads of white T5 at reasonable cost.

T5

i seen to remember that my mate wishes he'd got the 2.5 instead of the 1.9 and recently he wrecked his enginge costing him about 1500 quid

According to the boys on the T4 Forum they had some 'issues' with the early T5's but I couldn't tell you what or which ones. I believe they're all sorted now though.

P.S. The T4 Forum has ruined me. It WAS going to be a very basic camper conversion. Oh well.

No major issues with the 2.5tdi engine. The fact that everything runs off the one cambelt can be an issue but as long as you change the water pump at the same time as the cambelt, its a reliable engine.

Heres my 94 T4 camper, after owning a bay camper and restoring it myself, loved it to bits, and using it, went for a new conversion this time around.
To many nights spent welding the bay past midnight!
Got made redundant in Feb this year, used this van for weekends away, usually based around bike races or trail riding.
Probably the best thing I have ever bought.