Heart v head dilemma – 1st world problem

I’ve posted a few questions over the last couple of months about T5 Transporters. In my heart I really want one. I’ve come close to pulling the trigger a few times.

In my head my struggling to justify it as it’s a luxury item and not needed.
It’s for weeks/weekends to sleep in and carry bikes inside.
The wife’s car is going to have to make way for it – she says she’ll get used to it but her only vehicle will be the T5. 2 adults having 3 vehicles is ridiculous. Her on my Golf insurance is not an option as she doesn’t like it and it costs a fortune with her on it…had a van quote which was very reasonable. She’s all for getting a van (has to be a T5 as far as she’s concerned) but understandably has reservations about just driving a van – especially having never driven one. As a result she’ll probably only use it out of necessity and infrequently.

In my head it will open up a utopia of amazing, impulsive outdoor adventures, but I’m worried it will be an expensive pretty toy sat on the drive not being used as much as it should.
If it costs less it will be older and possibly be more prone to borking on me – ie a money pit which I def don’t want.
Newer equals more money and I’ll be too precious over it – especially if the wife ever finds herself in a supermarket car park without me (which will happen).

Thinking of putting the idea on the back-burner for a few months and see if my anxieties ease

The sensible part of me is thinking of making big mortgage overpayments to bring that down instead which is dull is safe (my mum’s hard earned inheritance is funding the van and it is not a bottomless pit). I think I’ll regret not owning one at some point – I’m mid 40’s, married without kids, relatively fit(ish) and still able to enjoy the outdoors/biking but how long will that be the case?

To further muddy the waters I’ve been reading of plenty of ‘I wouldn’t but a VW van again’-type threads of late which even make me question whether a T5 is the Holy Grail many claim it to be…

It’s a real head v heart thing which is doing my head in!

Simultaneously posted on a T5 forum for a VW love-fest perspective too 😉

HIre one first to try?

Wife wants it. You want it. You’ll have great times together in it.

Just get one; life’s short etc. 🙂

If you both want one, just do it. They are very easy to drive, fit easily into parking bays. Not a problem as a daily driver. Your wife will get used to it in minutes.

As for holy grail? Nah, just a van. Test drive a few then decide for yourself.

The T5 caravelle in our near family has been a hideous money pit. Same for my work mates T3 (I think or might be an early T4).

For balance I also know one person who has had an ultra reliable T5.

From my fairly limited experience of driving them (Caravelle and rented vans) … Easy to drive in van terms when you get your head round the height/bulk which doesn’t take too long.

They do not drive like a car (anyone who tells you they do has clearly not driven any vaguely modern car). The panel van ones I’ve driven as rentals are like any other panel van (bounce when empty, best with a load). The Caravelle does the same but not as badly.

Really wouldn’t be my choice for an occasional driver/nervous parker unless they are prepared to learn to park them properly and adjust how they drive.

I’d love a crew cab van for summer family adventures but there is only one way it could be viable for us…Three vehicles. If I didn’t have to drive for work then I could have one as a daily runabout and do without a car but no chance of that in my job.

And what TJ said.

I’d say just hire any of a T5, Vivaro, SWB Transit to start see how you get on with a supermarket shop, trip into town, going out biking over a three day weekend rental. Should give a taste of van life but really make sure you give all the things it might be crap at a go.

It’s a sensible, practical vehicle. A T5 isn’t even that big – about the same size (near as makes no difference) as an SMax/Galaxy/Mondeo estate in terms of overall length and width so not as if you’re compromising much in terms of where you can park or take the van.

I’ve lost my mojo regarding cars. I just find cars pretty bland these days and I can’t afford the cars I really want, and even if I could there is nowhere I can or should drive them properly, so what’s the point? May as well go the other end of the scale and go for practicality and something you can weave into your hobbies (carrying bikes and leisure stuff about) and even giving you an excuse to get out and about.

I’m doing the same, the only problem i’ve got is that when I first suggested swapping the SMax for a van I envisaged a biking van that we could use for camping duties. Initially she was not up for it, but now she’s got into full on T5 campers, so that is the route we’re going which compromises my practical bike mule idea. I’m envisaging using my Thule 591’s on a frame that rests at an angle with one end on the rock and roll seat and he other on the floor behind the driver and passenger seats – there should be enough space to mount the bikes inside the van. When we’re out as a family with out bikes it’ll be a tow bar rack or tailgate mounted rack.

Should be fun, i’m looking forward to it. What’s the worst that can happen. If we don’t take to it i’ll just get rid and get a Mondeo and rejoin the masses in their bland euro-boxes.

Transporters are very expensive for what you get.

Experts and Dispatches are great, until they fall apart.

The smart money is in Transits.

I own two vans, a VW Caddy and Ford Transit Mk7. Best value for money…. The Transit. Half the money, and when new drove much better than the caddy. It’s a bit rattly now, but it’s done 120k.

I drove a T5 very nicely done out, and it felt like a slightly worse drive than my caddy. I was very disappointed, I was expecting something way better than my Transit, but it was worse.

Money does not equal quality or value.

Get a test drive in different vehicles. Be honest with yourself, will you actually use it how you fantasize you will?

Why don’t you swap your Golf for it, and you use it as the daily driver?

Oh yeah, and are you planning on buying a van, (something you could put a tonne bulk bag of gravel in or go and rescue your mate with a broken down motorbike) or are you getting an aspirational lifestyle chariot? (pretty impractical as it’s already full of bed and furniture)

If you really want it, get rid of your Golf and you use it as your daily driver. Your wife sounds like she is keen on the idea but not keen on the practicalities of driving it.
There is a thread on the realities of VW van ownership…reading it all, I’m still convinced they are completely overpriced and although practical, there are far more practical vans with more space and ‘kit’ that don’t cost that price.
I’m having a similar dilemma as I fancy a van but the day-to-day costs and practicalities of one appear to be high for me (not based on real-term figures though) and I suspect it wouldn’t get used as often as it should and I’d then start regretting it – so I’m not doing anything about it, however, I’m certain it won’t be a VW as it appears ‘small’ inside and everything is an expensive extra.
Get one on hire and both drive it over a weekend and see how it feels…your wife may be surprised and really enjoy it, or you may decide you don’t and you can’t be without your Golf…
Sounds like the issue is it still seems like an expensive toy – that is where I’m at as the costs and frequency of use aren’t agreeable enough for me to go and do it.

Why don’t you swap your Golf for it, and you use it as the daily driver?

😯

Thanks all.
I’d be looking to buy used – whatever van it happens to be.
Driven a few used T5s – they’re alright but hardly exciting – they’ve all been 102ps – would be looking to get a 140ps – or at least remap a 102 to that sort of figure.
Good idea test driving/hiring a few but they’d be very new so hardly a direct comparison to what I’d be getting….at least in terms of what the drive feels like if not space. Not driven any other vans.

I drive 250 miles a week on the temperamental M1 – fine one day, nose to tail stop start the next. My Bluemotion Golf 2.0 TDI GT is very economical in this – no way a van could match it – averages 550 miles per 45 litres of diesel. Plus – and this may sound daft – I wanted a white car and I wanted a Golf and I bought the car I wanted (more than I was going to spend) just over 2 years ago with my mum’s money so it feels sentimental. It’s only got 52k on it and plan on having it for a while yet.It still makes me smile – when it doesn’t then maybe that’s the time.

i’ve a T5. had it for a few years now. pop top, kitted out the inside with self built furniture.

it’s good for what it is.

usually just the GF and I for trips away.

spent 3 weeks over Xmas on Sicily/Puglia and covered over 5000km with bikes wild camping. was good.

can use it on a commute and it’ll return ~40mpg.

use it for weekends away quite often, bike either on the back or inside. can park it in town and kip inside. perfect for stealthy nights in random towns.

but… it is an expensive initial purchase. if i were doing it again id be looking at a Sprinter/Ducato/Iveco and converting it into a super camper.

the T5 works. despite ours being a LWB spce is always an issue. it works well for the two of us with just the front seats. it works “OK” when the 2nd row of seats are in place when going away with friends, but i wouldn’t go away for more than 4-5 days with friends unless the weather is going to be good/warm as it is too cramped.

i like my van…. i’ve spent a lot of time on it and consequently travelling in it, but a T5 is not the only option out there.

In the end of the day it’s a Van! If you get a SWB it’s no bigger than a Galaxy or other big people carrier as has been mentioned before! Yes they cost more than other brands there’s a brand tax on them with out question. Reliability wise you can find horror stories about any vehicle, we has a new S-Max that would turn the lights off, of its own volition when you were driving at night….fun on the motorway I tell you! So you’ll find a pup anywhere you care to look! Kampers ( #fanboi term!) are lush but do you want to be hauling around the literal kitchen sink to Sainsbury’s? Another option is to go with a Kombi, it’s a huge estate car, you can sleep in the back if you want it’s easy to pack a stove to cook under the tail gate, or just take a tent,but you maintain the practicality of a bike, boat, kit transporter

Plus sides if you get parking sensors it’s as easy to park as a big car, (if it’s a tight space, you can exit through the sliding door!) if you go away a lot it’s a dream to pack, SWB Kombi you’ll need to lose a wheel to get bikes in. Unless you lose the single seat then four bikes is easy to do with riders!, It’s not bad to drive as is made out, a 140 on the motorway will sit a 80 happily, it will take longer to warm up inside in winter with the heaters, if you line it inside it does dampen down the road noise, but it’s a good drive if you wanted a sporty performance you won’t be choosing a Van of any kind.

In the end it comes down to choice, like buying a car, you could get a Ford, Vauxhall, VW BMW, Merc, you choose with your heart as much as your head! I’d wanted aVW van for abut 20 years I’d walk past one on he way to school! the stars aligned and I was able to pull the trigger on one last spring, within six weeks it had been to Cornwall, Wales and the northeast, northwest, all with two kids a massive dog, bikes and a tent that wouldn’t seem out of place on a scene from MASH! I know lots of people who push the button on a big Audi, or BWW one couple who tightened their belt massively so they could get a MERC A class sport thing. It’s what you fancy really.

Yes it’s an expensive toy, but it does the job brilliantly for us as a family, it makes me smile and I’d always wanted one, it’s great to be able to sweep the boot clean after a muddy sandy weekend! Could I have got something else or cheaper yeah I’m certain I could but in the end I’ll keep it forever now, unless it gets killed in a crash, and our seven year old is already talking about reprinting it red when it’s his! 😆

I think it’s a great bit of kit, I definitely bought a badge, but I in noway think it’s a 1960’s bay window bus either!

See if you can test one let the OH drive it especially if it’s going to be her main run about. I’ve not regretted swapping a car to a Van at all.

Forgive me if I’m reading this wrong and my input is not appreciated but it appears that the van is your indulgence vehicle (your wife says she “will get used to it” so it doesn’t sound like she’s too excited at the prospect) but yet the VW Golf you bought is an indulgence purchase that you really wanted, already.
It seems to me (apologies for this but it does) to be really quite selfish of you to be indulging yourself again if your wife isn’t happy to go with it, especially if your wife is the person who will be making the compromise. I think it’d be really selfish to keep your indulgence car and then ask your wife to compromise her car for Your van.

For me it comes down to how much you will actually use it.

I was considering getting a camper for spontaneous weekends away and liked the idea of being able to head off on Friday afternoon after work and enjoy the countryside. I also figured it would be a way to get some cheaper holidays for a young family.

Then I thought about the reality, we very rarely have a weekend with nothing planned. Kids football, swimming, parties, visiting relatives, DIY, work etc.

I also considered the state of the roads and traffic after work on a Friday and decided we would spend the first 3 or 4 hours of every weekend stuck on a motorway trying to get somewhere.

Add in the costs of buying, maintaining, fueling, insuring etc and I decided I was better off driving an estate to carry stuff and when I felt like a weekend away, use air bnb or travel lodge or go camping. We did this 3 or 4 times in the spring but then things got busy and we haven’t been since – I suspect this would have been the same with the camper.

Obviously this is for me and it will work for others, especially if you don’t have kids and are not stuck with Mon to Fri 9 to 5.

Driven a few used T5s – they’re alright but hardly exciting

It’s a van, wtf did you expect ?

Question: is your wife equally into the outdoors, the thought of being parked in Torridon in the pissing rain in July in a cold van thats no bigger than a Q5. Does she aspire to be towelling down bent over with her kebab in your face (perhaps).

Buy a 100 quid tent and go camping in your golf, you’ll get the same experience, then overpay your mortgage, do less work and enjoy your life more.

Col (I’ve had a few vans and a couple of Californias)

You both need to be into the idea of a van, and then commit to using it to it’s strengths. If one of you is merely tolerating it, then the downsides will seem more apparent.

The downsides imo:
Less mpg
Longer to warm-up on a cold day
Bloody intrusive dpf regen

But for us as a family the positives far outweigh the above. We are regularly shifting bikes about on a weekly basis. We camp and race a lot. I wouldn’t want to be without a van. But i’m not wedded to vw and when the time comes for a change I will look and test whatever is around and pick the one best suited. Ours is kombi btw and in my mind, is just a big estate car with a decent boot.

I’m mid 40’s, married without kids, relatively fit(ish) and still able to enjoy the outdoors/biking

Get one already!

We LOVED our vans when it was just us, kids ruined the whole experience. Heading off to the snow, waking up to a frozen world all toasty in the van. Double shift the driving to wake up on a sunny Biarritz beach 24hrs after leaving work. 8)

Do it, it’s a lot of fun.

Try hiring one.[/url]

Also, at the moment a mortgage is a relatively cheap way of borrowing money. The pleasure of creating good memories is invaluable. FWIW.

Similar story to the OP in the lead up to buying mine.

Loved the look and the thoughts of practicality and endless weekends away, getting to meet loads of like minded people etc etc so I spunked the best part of £20k on a van and some conversion work, Caravelle seats, sound proofing carpet lining all the usual stuff. Bought a second hand driveaway awning and a load of comaping kit.

Our first VW experience was at Big Bash at Santa Pod in 2014, ironically we had to take the car as the van hadn’t been converted at that point, we went for a look around. Well that put us off the “scene” completely, over run with chavvy types, can’t imagine having to share a camp site with them!

So we ploughed our own furrow a bit and have done a couple of eurotrips in in and a couple of weekends away in the UK.
The reality being that we don’t use it for camping anywhere near ough to justify the cost, but I can’t really bring myself to sell it. I wish I had a bit more spare cash to lower it and stick some nicer wheels on it but that’s just vanity (see what I did there!!)
I use it to carry my bikes around all the time and it’s great post ride to have a warm dry private space to get changed.
The kids love the space and would rather travel in the van than the brand new Qashqai we have.

I went for the 140bhp as it has the 6 speed box and makes a great motorway cruiser, reasonable economy, elec window and air con are must haves I think.
Relaibility has been good although the EGR did fail after a year but was sorted with some goodwill from VW as it was outside warranty but a known issue.
I enjoyed the time I’ve spent working on it, I did a fair bit of the conversion from Panel to Caravelle style myself althought the rails and floor were done by a pro.

Agree with the comment about driving like a car, no it doesn’t! For a van it’s a nice place to be especially when swapped to a twin single seat set up and some soundproofing done! Lots of plus points for sure, great high up driving position being one.

So, would I buy another, probably not, do I regret it, no. Would I sell it for the right price, probably but have no idea what I would replace it with that wouldn’t leave me regretting the sale!

Hope that helps a bit

I agree with a few of the previous replies. IMO you need to either:

1) Make the T5 your daily and get rid of the Golf.
or
2) Accept running three cars (which is probably not vastly different in cost to option #1).

You want a Golf, and you want a T5. Your wife doesn’t, but nonetheless is trying to be supportive. However she will get very fed up with having to drive a van every day just to satisfy your van fantasies.

1) Make the T5 your daily and get rid of the Golf.
or
2) Accept running three cars (which is probably not vastly different in cost to option #1).

or 3 – give the Golf to the wife. That way she gets to keep driving a normal car and it stays in the family, and OP can still drive it sometimes.

on costs though – I suspect that the depreciation, tax and insurance on a nice newish Golf would more than outweigh any fuel savings…

if you can afford it, do it. if you can’t, don’t

if you don’t like it, sell it. you are unlikely to lose any money.

Sorry fella – if you want a camper you’ll have to drive it! Suck up the fuel costs. 250 miles a week is sod-all really. And if you’ve got the spendies for a T5 you can afford the extra fuel.

My wife would tell me where to get off if I said she’d be driving a van because I wanted one.

I’m mid 40’s, married without kids, relatively fit(ish)

If I were in this situation, I’d buy the van and not look back..

I often toy with the van idea, because I like the ‘potential’ lifestyle a van would offer.
However, one look in the family/work calendar makes me realise that being a van owner doesn’t always = van owner lifestyle..
Meh, I’m happy with that as that’s my life…

DrP

Camper van creates illusion of freedom

“doris5000 – Member
or 3 – give the Golf to the wife. That way she gets to keep driving a normal car and it stays in the family, and OP can still drive it sometimes.“

That option has already been dismissed:

“rascal – Member
Her on my Golf insurance is not an option as she doesn’t like it and it costs a fortune with her on it.“

Although I’m curious what’s in her history to make her insurance on a Golf so unaffordable ! I hope the OP never has intentions of buying a sports car.

Gunz…. too true!!!

DrP

That Daily Mash article nearly made me spit tea over the keyboard!

I’ll own up to owning a T5, formerly panel van, and partially converted to something that allows me to camp in [relative] luxury comfort dryness. It gets used for a lot of things other than camping, but mainly dog and bike hauling when I go long distances and the occasional bit of garden waste disposal. It’s a solid, decent van that, amazingly, passed its MoT this year.

It’s relatively economical, will cruise at 70 and does a lot of miles on a tank. It’s dry when I need to change out of filthy cycling clothing and I have made a bed platform and table that allows me to sit down and enjoy a cuppa after a run or a ride in something approaching comfort.

I quite like it, but it is what you make of it.

FWIW, mine is a 54 plate SWB with 173k on the clock. It was not the cheapest thing I have ever bought, but it’s not the worst vehicle I have ever owned by a long chalk (Rover 620SLDi, I’m looking at you!)

I’m mid 40’s, married without kids, relatively fit(ish)

I almost bought a van when I was early 30’s, dating without kids, relatively fit(ish) to help facilitate the outdoor lifestyle (riding, climbing, mountain walking, camping, etc). I didn’t and always had the itch.

After marriage and kid(s) we went through an Iveco camper van and now a T5 kombi that I can chuck kit (bikes, camping, etc) in the back and sleep in on my odd activity weekend away if required.

The family, and ability to go camping and take stuff, was the driver to get the van. In reality I should have done it 15 years ago, and I’m sure it would have taken me on many more adventures.

Get a van? Yes.
Get a VW? Depends.

Some valid and interesting point there.
She assures me I’m not being selfish but I can see the other side of that too.
The Golf was bought because it made financial sense with all the miles I’m doing with work – economical.
The wife works 2 miles away and even in the same town, and on a bus route.
If the Golf was only doing 2 miles a day I wouldn’t have bought it in the first place.
She admits she doesn’t NEED a car for work but the van will not be as favourable to drive outside of work for her…I want her to enjoy it and it not be a burden.

Reading these replies is making me sway to ‘yes’ then back to ‘no’…I think we’ll hire one for a week/weekend and see how we get on an take it from there.

How often will your wife have to drive it?

She definitely needs to have a spin in something similar, simulating her usual kind of driving, before you splash out.

Vans are not exciting at all. Where you go and what you do using them can be.

Does she aspire to be towelling down bent over with her kebab in your face (perhaps).

*buys autotrader*

We are your demographic, and for what it’s worth are a two van outfit! We are far more likely to be carrying bikes than passengers so always had one van but when it came to say goodbye (very sadly) to my Mk2 GTI it made sense to have a van. So I have a caddy and the other van is a Vito (bought from a STWer!).

Before we bought the Vito we looked long and hard at T5s/ conversions and borrowed one from a trade friend who does conversions. This was useful as it made us look at whether we actually really wanted a sink/ cupboards/ bed etc in a van. And for us the answer was no – the main point for us of having a van is that the bikes & all the crap go inside and we use our van to go places/ get changed in out of the weather/ lug wood etc and for the money we didn’t spend on something bling/ converted we can stay in lots of lovely cottages/ B&Bs along the way – or whip out a tent if necessary.

Vans drive like vans! Get your wife out in one to see if she likes it. I personally love the higher driving position of the bigger van but if you’ve never driven something bigger & with a bulkhead like ours then you do need to get used to using the side mirrors more and parking. It’s not difficult but if she’s never driven one you really should try before you buy …. including parking, reversing up narrow lanes and hills/ round bends etc cause for some reason other drivers still seem to think vans will miraculously shrink when they get up alongside you … 😉

Any idea where the best place to hire a T5 is? With a tailgate – even better!

A full-on camper will be almost too luxurious and therefore not an accurate reflection of the van I’d want – found one that’s £90 a day.
A bog standard SWB might do with some type or camp beds in the back with bikes – it’s as much about parking it, visibility etc. We have a week off in April so a Lakes camp/bike trip might be in order.

If we like we’ll pursue it…if we don’t then at least we’ve tried it and I won’t be left wondering 🙂