Has anyone got one on here? If so what do you think about it for general bike carrying and ocasional camping duties?

I’m going to flog the t4 and get a new van fairly soon and these look good for the money?

Which engine is better the TDi or SDi? Obviously a massive difference in power but do the TDi engines suffer with flywheel / driveshaft issues like the T5’s do?

I have a Caddy Sportline, not a C20. It’s ace, and will be even better once I get firmer springs and a remap 🙂

I’ve got a C20 and it’s been spot on for me. Easily carries two bikes, riders and all their kit. The same for weekends camping, it’ll take camping gear plus bikes easily.
I’ve bad no issues with flywheel or driveshafts but I’ve heard of some owners having problems with the flywheel, no more than other diesels with DMF’s fitted though.

The SDi is horrendous, absolutely gutless, and that was with nothing in the back! The TDi goes fairly well and it’s pretty reliable. It’ll return 50mpg as well which is nice.

Ditto what notmyrealname says.

TDi + remap + whatever you want = cheaper, better sportline 😉

Thought this might be the case with the SDi, but a lot of the ex british gas vans are SDi and they have low miles and are not white!

Will have to see what turns up at the auctions once I’ve got the cash together.

Oh and my other question.. How easy is it to fit the rear bench seat like what some of the ‘crew vans’ have?

Is this a insurance nightmare having extra seats?

I’m at the early stages of looking into something similar. There’s a lot of information about rear seat conversions around via Google.

As a T4 owner I guess you already use vwt4forum.co.uk there is also a decent looking forum at caddy2k.com but they have some of those minimum posting to get access to all areas things going on which is a pin.

In short there are steel plates over the footwells that need to be removed and then some fairly simple loooking welding (if you’re that way inclined) and fixing required to put the seat mounts in.

There seems to be a bit less information regarsding insurance implications but from what I have seen people just advise thei insurers that their van is a 5 seater. Dunno about V5 implications though.

It’s enough to make me want to spend a bit more time looking for a van that’s come 5 seated from the factory.

It seems to be that it’s the next van down the line after the T4/T5 in terms of nichdesirabilityness

Got a TDi. Absolutely love it, never regret getting rid of my car for it. No issues with lack of oomph so never bothered in getting it remapped.
If you want seats then you could look at the Maxi version, has the bonus of counting as a car on insurance. But then it’s a van with windows in it…

depending on typical usage the SDI isnt that bad.

if your planning to drive to france in it or do 50 miles a day commuting – get a TDI

if you do 20 miles a day to work and back and the occasional biking trip away on british roads then the SDI is adaquate – servicing costs peanuts and minimal to go wrong with them – cheap motoring :d

the only time i have wished for more than an SDI is on the french toll roads as 85 is their limit.

bonus being is that the cool kids dont want them so you can pick them up for peanuts and haggle on them – they can shift TDI’s all day long.

sok –

If you want seats then you could look at the Maxi version, has the bonus of counting as a car on insurance. But then it’s a van with windows in it…

Maxi only refers to the Long wheelbase version

Maxi Life is LWB with windows and 7 (Rear 2 rows removable) seats

Its next on my list for when I replace my Trafic, they did an awesome 170tdi 30th anniversary edition with Leather and all the toys, but its £30k+ fully specced 😥

Thats interesting to hear about your experience with the SDi trail rat.

There’s one local so I might have a test drive.

they are not for everyone calum it does depends on usage. if your happy to just cruise along at 65/70 and have no aspirations to overtake in a hurry then they are grand – esp for the premium you pay to get a TDI in the second hand market.

it was down to an SDI and a pug partner 1.9D for me – i just got a much better deal on a newer cleaner pug than the SDI caddy – which was ex forresty – drove fine but i was sceptical about it being hashed on forest tracks.

same power engine similar size vehicle.

I left my previous job this month, I used to sell the Volkwagen commercial vehicles.
Definitely wouldn’t recommend an SDI, all the ex British gas vans had a limiter in the accelerator pedal with a special harness, and they were horribly slow to drive and generally weren’t looked after at all. however the Tdi’s aslong as they’ve been serviced and had a Cambelt changed every 60k ish, they should last forever.

Well I bought a C20 maxi in the end with a bluemotion engine.

Very pleased so far. 😀

What rkearsky said. I’ve got an 05 TDI – lots of poke for overtaking, economical if you take it steady, up to 120k on the clock now and just routine stuff (cambelt every 60k etc) to keep it running sweet. Love it. 🙂

Missing my T5 and a Caddy is in the mix for the bike van.

We have the full range here in Germany from SDi to TDi 170 4motion….

Caddy Cross would do me just fine…

TDi 170 4 motion would be ace !!
I really want one in the Tobacco Brown colour, lowered over a big fat set of Bronze Rota Grids 😀

I would love a caddy, especially the 4motion. I can’t afford one with sensible miles and Aircon though. The Skoda will have to keep going a bit longer

I wouldn’t pay extra for the aircon, climatic? Is crap.

Been driving a Caddy SDI for the last two years and yes it is slow to 60mph but its top end is ok for UK roads.Loads of space in the back and very reliable.Good mpg.Had a Citroen Berlingo van before and the Caddy feels like a much safer place to be than the old french bean can !!