Thinking about getting a van for bike and camping trips. VW Caddy diesel is favourite (and perhaps a Max version).

Anyone got one? Are there any issues I should be looking for?

Thinking of spending up to £6000 for a decent one.

Any places that are good to purchase from?

Cheers.

I’ve got a Caddy Sportline, but only had it for a few months.

So far, very happy with it. The 2.0TDI engine has plenty of power, cruises at 80-90 on the motorway very nicely. Doesn’t feel like a van, drives more like a car.

Only negative I have about it is the suspension feeling bouncy/wallowy compared to a car (no shit Sherlock!), but I’ll get that rectified eventually.

Seem to remember the SDi one was shocking on fuel consumption and the performance was dreadful!

SDI one does 40mpg and performance is prety woeful – 0-60 of about 15-18 seconds BUT its a bomb proof engine with few electrical gizmos nor turbo

if you want to avoid potential expensive bills its a goodun

I drove one a couple of years ago and really liked it, can’t remember which version.
Drove like a car, brakes were very good too.
However, in the meantime I’ve bought a Transit and now my mate has got a Caddy and it looks tiny! Not that much smaller outside but loads less space in the back (too short for sleeping for example)
I had a large MPV before the Tranny and bigger is definately better.
.
So I would say, yes the Caddy is very good, but you’ll soon be wishing you’d had something bigger.

Uh love mine!
Owned it for two years, drives like a car and if your short big enough to sleep in. I’ve insulated and carpeted the back to keep it quieter when driving. I was lucky and found one with metalic paint, elecrtics, a/c and alloys 😀

Stay away from the SDi, underpowered and heavy fuel consumption. The TDi is the usual 1.9 VW / Audi engine so servicing is pretty reasonable and 40 / 45 mpg out of it!

If your interested mine might be up for sale as were toying with the idea of getting a T5…

I’ve also looked at the Mercedes Vito but may be a bit out of my price range for a decent one.

SDi one was shocking on fuel consumption and the performance was dreadful!

100%

I had an SDi for a few weeks while I was waiting for a lease vehicle to be ready.

Wouldn’t want to ever drive one again. Bloody horrible.

TDi or don’t bother I would say.

No problems with my Vauxhall Vivario

Whatever you buy make sure it either has good service history.or/and you understand the full costs of running. Don’t know about caddy, but lots of diesels require expensive work – £1000 plus for clutch and dmf, 3300 for a cam belt. And people tend to flog on when this stuff is due.

3300 for a cam belt

😯

3300 for a cam belt

I’ll do one for you for £2k including everything else that needs done at that stage.

you need to use the shift key, then you’ll get a ‘£’

Caddy’s are pretty awesome, I owned a TDi (the one to get) for a while. It does drive well, it does not drive like a car – unless you’re used to really, really shit cars with incredibly soft suspension. The front is very wallowy, the rear is soft, leaf sprung and hits a bump stop around 1/3 of the way through its travel. Still absolutely fine for general bike hauling duties, was comfortable enough for a 2,500 mile alps trip. Managed to get 6 bikes in the back on that trip, iirc 4 fully built (3 of them being DH bikes) and 2 with front wheels off, with a pile of other kit too.

Normal TDi is grunty enough for most work. Want a Sportline? Buy a TDi and take it to a conversion place and save thousands.

A Maxi will be better if you want to sleep in the back of it, they are more ££ though.

Another point, how tall are you? I’m around 5’9″ and had the seat almost all the way back, much taller and you’ll need the bulkhead out (which will make things a lot noisier)

Lots of good info to be had on this forum http://caddy2k.com

Got a Caddy Max 09 and have no complaints at all drives like a car runs reasonably quiet but hey its a van (may soundproof sometime)
I have had 1 DH bike and my Marin in it and still had room to sleep, got it racked out with small boxes and hooks to keep stuff from sliding around the floor. Good on fuel and servicing and as £1000 for a clutch utter tosh and £3300 for a cam belt WTF!!!
Everyone whos been in it love and its actually converted a couple to go out and get one
I have the Indian blue with alloys and it looks sweet…

… I obviously meant £300 for a cam belt fitted, and if a van has a dual mass flywheel you will be lucky to get clutch and flywheel fitted for a grand.

But the general point is you need to do the research before you buy and be concious that people offload when there are big costs in the offing.

… and, btw, I think vans are ace, best way to lug your gear around, with kipping in the back as an option.

Vans rule. And hot girls driving vans are just the hottest girls ever!

What legend said 😀 I’ve had my 05 caddy, bought second hand in fab condition, for about 5 years now. It does commute and bike duties and I probably love it just a little to much 😉 It does kind of drive like a car if you are new to vans, with all the caveats above re. suspension & visibility. Also ‘van weight’ speed limits apply so don’t go driving it as fast as it wants to go … TDis all the way obviously – I get perfectly acceptable mph out of mine and it’s got plenty of punch if you need to get round stuff. No nasty issues, cam belt done at 80K and it always romps through the MOT .. although trade prices help things along nicely 🙂

I really like mine … did I say that already, although no one has ever called me ‘hot’ when I’m driving it … I guess there’s time … 🙂

We have a Vivaro on order, was looking for some of the threads which showed people’s customisations (just for ideas), but struggled to find them. Not planning to do too much, just insulate and make it a bit harder wearing, add in a bit of storage and ability to keep bikes upright when on the move.

You’re hot ART especially when you’re driving the van!

Tee hee! 🙂

I’ve also looked at the Mercedes Vito

decent one.

is confused