[Closed] What's the point of a T5 type van?

That's a thing of beauty

Toyota Previa

Get a Moto-X bike in it (with the front forks compressed) .
Fast cruiser, totally reliable.
Plenty of companies doing camper (and LPG)conversions.

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i had to sell the five and I'm quite happy drinking instant coffee...

reported. 😉

My interest in VW vans principally stemmed from finding an S Max a bit too small when loaded for camping with the toys, and the fact that they are galvanised so as long as you keep on top of maintenance you can run one for as close to forever as makes no difference (going by mileage of some on sale). Was actually looking for Vito's but they are a bit rarer in a reasonably comfy Dualiner spec (round here anyway, Braunton was swarming with them).

[quote=molgrips ]And other people have referred to it too, people approaching them to talk about their vans. That tends not to happen with Fiestas?

I've now made a note to approach other Mondeo owners to talk to them about their cars.

I have to say I like my T5 Cali but the bloody rattles after 3 months of ownership are annoying me.

Ok but I've never heard of anyone making references to the Fiesta 'scene', or 'getting' Fiestas, both of which have cropped up here relating to T5s. And other people have referred to it too, people approaching them to talk about their vans. That tends not to happen with Fiestas?

Or maybe we're the wrong demographic to find that sort of thing in.

VW's tend to command a higher resale value than other equivalent models meaning they tend to be owned by people with more money to burn at a particular price point. For this function, we're talking serious money which, all said and done, is the kind of money Mr Average STW can fling about. Mr Average STW will tend to be middle aged and not really into the hot-hatch scene and a Fiesta driver most likely would be late teens/ early 20's and into that sort of 'scene'. There are plenty of scenes out there, you just need to have a browse along the car magazines in Smiths to see. Fords, VW's, Hondas, Jap Cars, French Cars, Italian cars, [s]Traction Engines[/s] diesel cars etc.

I heard Alfa drivers get particularly delighted when they pass each other, probably because they realised that double the number of Alfas previously thought are working on that particular day.

Mol grips, caravans cost money to run don't they?...insurance, servicing a loan, paying to park it in a field somewhere etc. not as expensive as a van, but an additional cost over running another vehicle, which for a large family caravan needs to be a substantial car with a high enough towing weight. Then you've got the faff of getting ready to go somewhere...picking up the van from the farmers field, loading it up etc. when you want to use it, so not quite as 'ready to go' as a van. And after all that you're stuck at 60mph on the motorway.

1) Such a substantial car is no more than a 2.0 diesel for the monster my folks own. Weight matters more than power in that things case. Hardly defying convention.

2) What field? Some folk might do that but not all, most seem to keep it on their drive.

3) The exact same speed restrictions also apply to vans despite what some may think.

Under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, a "car derived van" is defined as:- "A goods vehicle which is constructed or adapted as a derivative of a passenger vehicle and which has a maximum laden weight not exceeding 2 tonnes."

We're done with all these pocket-sized vans 😉

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It just smacks of rank materialism, that's all.

Says the man with many bikes, a wife, a Passat, two kids (if that is not excessive I don't know what is 🙂 ) a caravan, a prius, a house......

Back to speed limit school dave.

Where I live I am not allowed to keep a caravan on my drive - it's written in my deeds, so if we got a caravan - or indeed a proper motorhome that wasn't being used as a daily drive, then it would need to be stored off my drive. So that is where a T5-like van would come in handy, for work commute and weekend family fun as well as more conveinient biking vehicle. It is a lifestyle thing - but isn't that what cars are basically, in that you buy one to suit your life? Are those with their sports cars, 4x4's etc. not buying them for a lifestyle - or at least an attempt to project to others an image of a lifestyle?

I have to say I like my T5 Cali but the bloody rattles after 3 months of ownership are annoying me.

My 85,000mile Subaru is squeak free because I hunt down any sound (usually window glass against rubber seal- so use lubricant or the seat back steel hoop mount. Anything else- abit of thick cut foam placed will help.

Oiled and greased everything poss? Fitted anything aftermarket? Open and a couple of good retightens with the screwdriver works wonders. Tyre pressures right? No aftermarket wheels? It shouldn't squeak unless you rag it over speedbumps and potholes IMO!

wobbliscott - Member

It is a lifestyle thing - but isn't that...

...almost the point of being alive?

Sort of OT- but read an article this week about a woman who was suffering from depression. She came to realise that she was existing and not actually living.

Maybe we all need a lifestyle vehicle in our life and then USE IT to the nth degree.

never driven a camper then hora.

they all rattle like **** from factory.

every one ive hired (ok admittedly fullsize fibreglass body ones) sound like a cuttlery drawer strapped to an orange 5 falling down the stairs

id expect a cali to be no different.

its the nature of moving parts - doors , fold out beds stuff flexing and twisting ...... i now know i wouldnt want an "actual" camper for any length of holiday unless it was my own and i could take steps to as you say hunt down thenoise and remedy the cause.

every one ive hired (ok admittedly fullsize fibreglass body ones) sound like a cuttlery drawer strapped to an orange 5 falling down the stairs

The interior of my car looks grim, like a mud-pit but its silent to drive. I HATE rattles!! Whenever I travel in a old minicab I grit my teeth.

Toyota Previa

GOOD CALL.

i agree on previa.

we batter them round the middle east through the desert.

they take a royal beating and come back for more.

400k km on the last one i got from the office there, drove tight like it was new.

It had had the carpet changed out for someones kitchen lino though.

As a big fan of campervans for adventures and stuff I can see the point of them as a spare vehicle. Extra vehicles are a luxury and if you're chucking money then why not get something "cool" (if a van can be cool) and that fits your lifestyle? I've driven almost every van going and can say the T5 is the nicest- best to drive and a nicer place to be. If it were my own money I'd not pay that much, I'd get a Vivaro which is almost as nice to drive, doesn't fall to bits and is much cheaper. But if money were no object I'd get a T5. But it'd have to be a camper. A normal van? You may as well just use your main car. I do pretty much all my adventures in a Fabia hatchback with a towbar bike rack...

Having one to use every day sounds awful. It might be a nice van but it's still a van- thirstier than a car, noisier, less refined, less comfortable, bigger etc.

Where I live I am not allowed to keep a caravan on my drive - it's written in my deeds

Mine too - but it was made clear to me that such things might not be terribly enforcable. Certainly not had complaints yet, in 6 years.

hora - the T5 Cali has a whole house inside it so the areas where it rattles are numerous and varied.

pjm84 - I hear you. Key culprits - folding table not being secured at bottom, stick your hand on it when you push it to get the bottom anchor, bench seat drawer is essentially full of rattles! - ours went away when i put carpets in the back, drivers window when down is a T5 fault, mine also has like a really really really irritating noise in the dash which isn't the moo valve but sounds like a bit of plastic tickign against something. Drives me potty.

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This thread seems to have created quite a stir on here! What would happen if we attacked the STW favourite, the Skoda Octavia? Would we bring down the internet?

This thread seems to have created quite a stir on here!

Well if you enjoyed this one there'll be another one along in about 6 weeks.

The T6 comes out at the end of this year. Heaven help us.

My experiences mean that I reckon most of these vans fit the mash's view on it.

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/camper-van-gives-illusion-of-freedom-2012061430501

Of course, that's very much unfair to those who get rather more use out of them (several on this thread) but I think it's fair to say that a large number do match up to the mash article.

Back to speed limit school dave.

Nope, quite aware of them. Simply sticking a window on the side doth not a dual purpose vehicle make though, as I already pointed out is must be under 2040kg unladen, depending on the model you go for you can easily breach that limit.

https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/car-derived-vans-and-dual-purpose-vehicles/car-derived-vans-and-dual-purpose-vehicles

https://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/range/transporter/transporter-kombi/specification

EDIT: Hmm, I see your point, vans can still do 70 if not towing, the police link I was quoting from said 60. Helpful.

Whilst my van has been reclassified as a motorhome, so does it come under the 70mph for motor home or the 60 for LGV. A very grey area.

From SK's first link above

Motorhomes or motor caravans (not more than 3.05 tonnes maximum [b]unladen[/b] weight) 60/70/70 single/dual/motorway

Assumed my medium wheelbase Sprinter campervan was 50/60/70. How do I find the unladen weight for the vehicle please ?

So long as it's also re registered as a campervan, nit just banging a window in the side.

Andy - check your V5 to see what it's registered as and what it weighs.

Thanks Mikewsmith, will do

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Will be getting a new van shortly due to a dealer ordering cock up. .

I suspect the same rattles will occur with the new vehicle. The dash rattle seems to be related to the VIN area / sticky foam rubber that has fallen behind the dash. The rattle above my head is annoying. I cant seem to trace it. The drinks holder rattles when extracted from the dash.

However the "camper" part is pretty good and rattle free apart from the occasional clunk typically originating from items in the fridge.

The rattle above my head is annoying

Well, had a look at a couple of large estates and a couple of vans today...

Mondeo - old model seems like it's larger (or at least, boot aperture looks larger...) but rare as RHS 2nd hand around here
- new model looks nice, but all fittings felt plasticky and it didn't look as big as I expected

Audi A6 - As huge as I had expected, nicely built, but pricey and high CQ.

VW vans - boot much larger than I'd previously thought and second row seating area similarly spacious. Impressed, but need to get my head around running costs vs purchase costs vs depreciation

Also need to understand the various spec options. TD130 Highline looked nice

Looking out the window at our Galaxy with two canoes on roof, four bikes on the back and another in the boot, I can see the benefit of a van today. 🙁

Whereas our swb T5 just swallowed two bikes whole plus all our camping and biking kit for a week away, still leaving enough room in the back for us to sit on the rear seat/R&R bed and brew up. When we get there, quick bit of shuffling stuff about and the bed will fold out. Can be done with bikes inside if I take the wheels off and slot them under the bed, but for ease we'll probably just lock them to a chassis member overnight with a cover over them as usual.

Fitted myself, colleague, personal kit, bike and 15 x 65 litre rucsacs for a D of E expedition this weekend into the SWB T5. 8)

😆

I fit a family of four into a VW Passat this weekend and towed a caravan.

What game are we playing again?

I fitted a family of 4 plus a buggy into my LWB T5 this weekend and went to Asda to pick up a couple of stair gates 😀

We're playing 'justify my lifestyle vehicle choice' Mol...

On the other hand a good few years ago now my 205 3dr took my wife and I with 2 mtbs and a tandem (pretty much dismantled fully mind you) along with our luggage for a trip to the south of Grance and we didn't need confined space training.

4 people vauxhall vectra, 2 massive tents, climbing gear and loads more
4 people mazda 6. 4 bikes, paraglider and more

2 people LWB med high transit 4 bikes double bed, room to hide, climbing gear and enough room to live for 2 weeks.

The T5 is bigger than a estate car, it's smaller than lots of other vans.

Folk running t5 vans should get a proper wee van in a transit and enjoy some genuine space! Save the extra 5 grand on purchase and spend it on a shiny bike instead

What game are we playing again?

Well, believe it or not, I didn't start this thread as a troll against van owners (or estate owners...)

Current estate car is too small, and goes back to the lease company within the next 6 months. Company has pulled the plug on company car scheme, so I am genuinely looking at my options...

The T5 is bigger than a estate car, it's smaller than lots of other vans.

QED. Thread Closed.