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Help needed – convincing the missus that a T5 multivan is the ideal car
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big_scot_nannyFull Member
Hi Folks,
Current VW Touran at end of life, been fabulous, but now with 3 kids, dog, bikes, etc etc it is just too small.
We rented a van (Scudo 8 seater) by accident last summer in the highlands on holiday, and it was bloody fantastic – we both loved it – just chuck all the kit in and go.
Looking at Vito/Tourneo/T5 as a replacement for the Touran, but I think the missus is a bit hesitant now after a test drive yesterday – fine for weekends, but she fears it too big for a daily driver shuttling kids and doing shopping etc.
So – please post your thoughts here, real life experiences, positive stories around day to day use of a T5, from the point of view of my missus.
She is aware that everything is a comprimise, however, STW, this family needs YOU to swing things back in favour of the van!
Will post Mrs BSNs thoughts as we go along.
Photos also good (lady drivers, kids etc – the current T5 thread is good for me, but pics of 5 bikes stuffed into a pimped 4motion T5 does not, for some reason, emotionally connect with my better half 🙂 )
Crack on, looking forward to the opinions, experiences and photos.
ta muchly!
LekuFree MemberThis type of thing?
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IMG_0492 by 100%of thetime60%ofthetime, on Flickr[/img]We had a Touran (great car). We now have a T5 as our only vehicle. Foot print is small than A6 estate and you can look at the 4 x 4 lot straight in the eyes. We all love it.
qwertyFree MemberSend her round for a test drive of our Berlingo, that should do it!
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Changing our Octavia estate in the next 12 months or so. Now needing to move 4 bikes and 2 kids on a more regular basis, and/or camping trips. MrsMC wary about multi storey carparks and the sheer size of tbe things, as she is only 4’10”. Though we would still have the Fabia as a ru around.
Plus she needs an automatic……
wwaswasFull Memberdoesn’t really reinforce the ‘it’s easy to park in a standard bay at the shops’ message 😉
thesurfbusFree MemberWe chopped in our estate car for a T5 4 months ago, 2011 140bhp SWB.
Just completed a basic Camper Conversion on it.
I drive it everyday, average 37mpg, its easy to park, nice driving position.
Comes into its own at weekends and holidays, when we ram it full of kids and bikes and head for the hills.
My wife finds it easy to drive.
No regrets.rickmeisterFull MemberT5 is:
Same footprint as a Passat
Low enough to go in almost all multi story car parks
Adaptable and practical way beyond what you thought you needed
Secure for bikes and kit inside and relatively unaffected by loading up
Car like to drive, light clutch, gearshift and power steering
Kids love vans, cool at skool
Go with the 2 seats up front, personally, not a bench. 3 Seats in the back (kombi spec)
Never loose it in a car park
Better visibility when driving than the Touran (no silly quarter lights and that big A pillar)pictonroadFull MemberFish and chips on a snowy day overlooking the sea.
Vans are awesome.
mark90Free MemberI recently changed Iveco camper van plus Focus estate for a LWB T5 kombi. No regrets here, it’s been a great chnage for us, ideal for an active / outdoorsy family. The T5 is my ‘car’ although I don’t have to commute daily so it’s mainly a weekend and holiday thing. Missus has a Scenic for her daily use (this not really helping your argument 😕 ). I’d be happy using it everyday, although maybe a SWB would then be preferable due to being that bit easier to park. Most car parks I’ve encountered have been 2.0/2.1m or heigher, just fits under 2.0m barriers.
All loaded up for a family camping trip, there a couple of bikes and an inflatable canoe in there, and all the associated kit. Plus a load of baby paraphernalia including buggy.
Beach side BBQ picnic
willardFull MemberI don’t have kids, but I do have dogs (so almost the same!) and have recently bought a T5 to help with going camping and biking.
It’s great. I love it.
It’s arguably as comfortable as my Passat, almost as fast and not that less economical. Ok, I can’t see out of the back, but a Kombi would not have that problem. It is almost as easy to park and, apart from a few buttock clenching moments in some multi-storey car parks, it’s not been a problem taking it into town. I would argue that it’s actually a more pleasant way to drive than a car, but that my be due to the height and volume of it, rather than the speed/handling.
johnnyFull MemberSorry if this is a bit of a thread hijack- i’m in a similar position, currently have a Passat, but its not really fit for purpose for family days out, when we have two kids, two dogs, bikes, etc to factor in- Last weekend was a camping trip that needed us to take two cars!
Thinking of a T5, this would be my ideal spec- Probably similar to what the OP is looking for. Any comments would be useful:
T5 SWB with 2 front seats and 2+1 rear.
Bulkhead to divide the rear, with a dog cage in the back (So I can stack luggage on top)
Rear mounted bike rack for 4x bikes.
A pop-roof bed (for events, and would combine with a driveaway tent for family camping)Spacious enough or would it need to be an LWB? And which model/engine is best?
big_scot_nannyFull MemberLeku – wwaswas’ pick up of your parking photo is pure LOL! But, thanks all for the photos, it helps! More please!
We would only have one car, there would not be another for running about in as you highlight Mark90 – but great to see van being put to family use.
Great to hear relative parking ease comments, more please!
More family/wife driving based stories (and photos) please!
More – “bought a T5 and it changed our lives” stories please.
I think, a bit like having kids or getting a dog, there are lots of rational reasons why it is not a good idea, but the few overwhelming positives outweigh the long list of practical negatives.
I think, at the mo, we are somewhat constrained in our weekend activities as it is just to much hassle to get the roofbox and bikerack on and have everything hanging off the outside of the car just to go for a family bike run.
I have sneaky feeling if we went for it, it might actually be a bit life changing in a positive way (bit like me getting a fatbike! 🙂 )
rickmeisterFull MemberOur T5 / car combo worked really well with the van and a Smart car. Seemed to cover all angles.
I we rated our van so much that I think we should have brought it out to Germany and paid to get it Lhd converted. It would probably have been a lot cheaper than the Touran which I would give a AA rating ..
Average
AdequateTPFree MemberMy parents have had a T4, now a T5, as their primary car since 1997. They initially had a run around but that went long before the T5 arrived.
I would have a T5 if I had the money. As long as you know its height to the cm you’ll be fine. All other parking is easy once you get used to it.
codybrennanFree MemberWish I could afford a T5… 🙁
But!!! good T4 2.5TDIs are starting to get closer to what I can afford- so I’m happy.
OP- sounds like maybe hiring one for a weekend, or getting your missus to get a good look at one would help?
swavisFull MemberI’m currently van hunting as we’re in the same situation. 2 kids, dog, bikes and camping kit makes it an easy choice. Can’t afford the VW tax so its a Vivaro or Trafic for me.
Where my situation is different is that I’m under orders to find one 😀
v666ernFree Membereveryone will think i bet he had an M3 about 5 years ago?
Does it HAVE to be a T5 or is it just the transporter image that you NEED.
Sorry its your money, just make sure you get tinted windows when the fad passes by just like the M3 / scooby / evo / pick up truck etc…MoreCashThanDashFull MemberJust had a quick browse on Autotrader.
😯 followed by 😥 followed by 🙄
VanHalenFull Memberwe have a t4 not as bling as the t5 and not as refined but i bloody love it and the missus finds it fine to drive/park. its was our only car untill we moved out of town.
MoreCashThanDashFull MemberI’d happily look at other vans if they were the same dimensions as a T4/5, but all the alternatives seem taller, wider and/or longer.
At least when I try measuring them wearing my rose tinted VW glasses
v666ernFree MemberWhy not get a boring family car that hasnt got the aerodynamics of a brick then hire something appropriate when your away?
New Touran?
YakFull Membert4/t5 swb type vans are v easy to drive. Barely bigger than a large car, fit perfectly into a standard parking space. High up seat gives great visibility and if you get rear parking sensors, then they are a doddle for anyone to park.
T5, SWB kombi 174ps. I average 33mpg running around with kids and a few longer runs. Mrs Yak averages 31mpg driving it like a rep-mobile.
We were like you – roof box, bikes on the roof, hanging off the back, just hassle every w-e. Now, just lob it all in and off we go!
It’s my daily vehicle, and I can’t really see any practical negatives, bar fuel consumption compared to a modern efficient car. My day to day mileage is low though. I wouldn’t go back to a car now.
MoreCashThanDashFull MemberThough Vivaros seem to be about the same size, shame they don’t have her beloved DSG gearbox.
kristoffFree MemberI’m on my second T5.. Bought brand new this time which was a bit scary but bought and paid for.
I have caravelle rear seats in mine as we have 4 children and a Labrador. They all love the van. Even the wife doesn’t know how we managed before with touran/discovery 3 etc.
Suits biking/family life perfectly, I’ve chosen a LWB this time for my particular needs.
LekuFree MemberSorry its your money, just make sure you get tinted windows when the fad passes by just like the M3 / scooby / evo / pick up truck etc…
Yes thanks – already tinted.
I have my own company so once you have claimed back the VAT and put the cost against income it worked out cheaper than a large estate car. We intend to keep ours for ages and have in converted to a camper at some point.
jonnoukFree MemberJust had a quick browse on Autotrader.
😯 followed by 🙁 followed by 🙄
That’ll be the scene tax.
@big_scot_nanny – If the Scudo was ace, why a T5? I’m assuming that’s a new-body, i’ve got the old-type.
troutFree MemberWhen you do persuade the missus.
make sure you get the tailgate version. invaluable for sheltering under when cooking on that rainy campsite.cloudnineFree MemberT5 is the perfect size van for 3 kids, bikes, dogs and all the crap you need for a day out.
People driving people carrier type cars always look miserable and wife beaten… When you go out in a van everything is more of an adventure.MoreCashThanDashFull MemberI think you’ll find I look miserable and wife beaten even when I’m driving the Ferrari 😕
big_scot_nannyFull MemberShould be clear – having a van with 7+ seats and space was ace, the scudo itself was just OK. Sadly, they don’t come with auto, are not that cheap, with hiedous (!!) depreciation.
Keep me coming folks, great stuff!
mark90Free MemberMore family/wife driving based stories (and photos) please!
A mates missus has had a SWB T4 Caravelle for quite a few years as her only car. She was a childminder and needed something with plenty of seats. It was used for everything from shopping trips to holidays (not school run as that’s walkable). He’s recently bought a LWB T5 kombi as his biking van.
YakFull MemberOne really great thing for parking and kids is the sliding door. Can go much closer to columns, walls etc and they can still get out. This more than outweighs the slight increase in width compared to a car.
DaveyBoyWonderFree MemberWhen me and the wife got together 17 years ago, I was on the verge of getting an old Beetle but never did. Always retained a keen interest in the aircooled VW scene with the view of getting either an old Beetle or bus one day.
Anyway, fast forward 10 years and we start talking about getting a T5 with the imminent birth of mini-DBW#1. Never did it although it never really out of our minds and kept on coming back up in conversations up until the present time. We’ve finally decided to stop talking about it and actually try one (never even sat in a T5!). We’re off to look at one tomorrow night (a fully loaded camper conversion) but I think we’re going to want to try and rent one for a weekend first to make sure it ‘works’ with two little kids.
Plus points for us which have led us to this:
– size: as mentioned, the SWB vans are barely bigger than a normal car (think they’re about 30cm longer than our 3-series)
– driveability: its not as van like as other vans. A bloke we got chatting to in Tesco car park about his said its as easy as his Golf to drive and was the best thing he ever did (used for his business but said it was ace for karting wife and 3 kids around in).
– the ‘scene’: oh dear. The VW scene. Well fk it, because we like it. They’re a good bunch of people from all sorts of backgrounds who are into their cars. We like that. We like the events they put on, especially the camper fraternity who focus on having a good time with music, food, stuff for the kids etc whilst living out your van for the weekend.
– value: they hold it stupidly well it seems.
– weekends away: this is the key thing for us. We’ve finished all the major jobs on our house and we want to spend as much time as possible exploring that big outdoors thing you can see out the window with our kids. The van will easily allow self sustained walking/biking/surf trips at a moments notice vs fixing roof bars, carefully packing stuff into the boot of the car. By the time we’ve sorted our car out I could have chucked a load of stuff in/on a van and be in Wales/the Lakes. And when I get there I’ll have the ability to turn my seat around and make a brew. You can’t do that in a normal car. And when I get back from a wet ride, I’ll have somewhere warm and dry to get changed in. No more naked Dave stood in rural car parks up and down the country.Bad points?
– they’re not cheap whichever way you look at it. Yes you can get a Vauxhall etc cheaper but from what I’ve seen you do get what you pay for. Loads of T5s on 150k+ miles still commanding well into 5 figure prices.I think thats just about the only bad point I can see.
As for the daily driven bit, I think we’re going to fulfill another ‘dream’ at the same time as buying our modern equivalent to an old VW camper… buy a modern Beetle as well to knock about in for little more than shed money.
jonnoukFree MemberYou can get an auto Pug Expert or Cit Dispatch (same as the Scudo).
MoreCashThanDashFull MemberNo more naked Dave stood in rural car parks up and down the country.
*Countryside Alliance breathes sigh of relief*
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