Is there some way of hiding hora’s posts? Most forums have that function, I ignore the threads but it’s everywhere.

There’s a reasonable trade in ex airport taxis with galactic mileage, a couple of friends have bought them. 7 seats though so it depends what you want the van for.

Only tradesman, kidnappers, travellers and lifestyle wannabes need a van.

Actually scratch that.

Only tradesmen.

Repressed van need right there. If we start from the assumption that I need expensive bikes and trips away all over the place then I NEED a van.

I’ve had a van for over 5yrs, I regularly ask how people manage without a van..

Aye vans rule. It is a bit of a luxury, but makes the whole biking experience easier and more enjoyable. Especially weekends / weeks away.

Mugboo – No particular history of t5’s being hard on clutches. The one I currently have has just had a new clutch at 130k which is not exactly out of the norm and one I had before was on 170k and still on it’s original clutch.
I’m not saying they do not have problems (like everything they do) but clutches aren’t really one of them.

Made love in the back of my van the other day. Had to test our new folding, memory foam mattress. Then cleaned up, got changed, popped out the stove and had a bacon sarnie. Cars are dead to me.

My 07 Picasso cost 1600. If I was to buy a decent van it’d mean 10k+

Your point? 😉

What grown woman would shag in the back of a bike carrying van?

I make her park her bike first, then I park mine. 😉

My 07 Picasso cost 1600. If I was to buy a decent van it’d mean 10k+

And if you were to buy a decent car what would that cost?

Define ‘decent’.

Its done 13k since November and flew through a recent main dealer mot.
Are you saying I need to buy VAG?

My 07 Picasso cost 1600. If I was to buy a decent van it’d mean 10k+

And if you were to buy a decent car what would that cost?

Yet you dont see what is wrong with a picasso?

Enlighten me.

What do you drive and how much did it cost?

My blingo was 3500 at 3 years old with 35 k on clock.

Been so good im looking to buy snother to replace the jeep.

I’ve had some motors in the past that others have said “ooh you don’t want to touch one of those they always go wrong” etc etc, but these have always been proved to be the most reliable. I’ve had diesels since 2006, and the only reason I’ve had to change them was getting bored and wanting something different. Had a Megan Scenic on 67k for 3 years that I traded in for an Octavia and managed to get up to 153 k in that time without a single issue. Plenty of people questioned thr reliability of the French car, but this one proved them wrong. Didn’t service it much, but it got an oil and filter change every 10k whether it needed it or not.
On that note does anyone have any real-world experience of the Merc Vito 109 CDI comp ?

Trail rat. A 3yr old at 3, 500. Bargain. 1.4 or cat C? Beats my bargain.

Would love to know your secret- divulge as book/autotrader are alot higher.

This one on ebay looks quite good at £4500 got 162k miles on but 1 owner so its probably been reasonably well looked after, probably had a clutch at that mileage too.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volkswagen-transporter-t5-tdi-service-history-very-clean-/291166325609?pt=UK_Commercial_Trucks&hash=item43cadd8b69

It was a gamble hors

I drove round local back street garages .

Found it in a car garage up for 3900 no vat.

Enquired about s test drive, it had a flat battery , so knew he hadbeen sitting on it s while.

Drove fine 1.9d tractor diesel engine (dog slow but no turbo , dpf or dmf to go bad) , no service history bar the first but thought what the hey – its hpi clear and drove fine – what harm can they do missing 1 service. Bought it serviced it and lived happy every after

As i said been so good im looking st another 1.9 d for mrs t-r

Do you really need van, or just big size? Ford Galaxy for £10k would get a great car…..fold down those seats and you have a van…

Sounds like it paid off- I gambled and travelling 200miles for my snotter.

Have you changed the cambelt yet (as a precation)

changed it twice – and a waterpump.

45k is the belt interval on the 1.9D

tend to do it on my cars when i get em straight away anyway – the only time i didnt was when i had a stamp and reciept in the book saying it had been done in the last 10k…. 10k later… . waterpump failure.

just getting back on topic –
yes, it is possible to find a decent t5 for under 6k …it’s just difficult and time consuming. i was looking for over a year!
i’ve had mine for just under 3 years now. bog standard white swb with fsh and one owner (carpet fitter). it was just under 5yrs old and had 49k on the clock when i got it.
saw it on vantrader as a “just arrived/ not yet priced” trade ad. left work immediately, swung by the bank and waived £500 cash under the chaps nose to secure a £5750 cash/ no vat deal. turned up the following day with the balance (in cash) before he had time to change his mind 😀
since then i’ve converted it, nothing flashy mind, but ideal for the 3 of us to camp comfortably for weekends/ festivals, etc.

good luck with the search.

I have a Trafic, its an 02 plate, and Ive had it since 05 when I brought it from my father, who brought it new.

It had done 35k when I brought it and has done 115k now.
Still drives brilliantly
I have used it to camp in, tow my car about, take motorbikes and pushbikes in, and generally as a mobile shed.

My Mrs wants me to change it, but I just cant imagine being without a van.

Its had an expensive start to the year, cambelt went at Christmas, which was £700 ish to fix with the head etc
and I had the gearbox rebuilt (before it failed) with a new Genuine clutch, clutch release bearing and slave cylinder and a few other bits which was about £1300 in total.

So I`ve just done £2k on a van that’s probably worth £2k, but I could go out, spend £6k on a newer one with similar milage and still be facing the same set of bills again !!
And anything I buy will probably have had a much harder life than the one I have got.

The lower limits is a pain, and I got stung twice on the same journey 15 mins apart which was a quick 6 points and £200 🙁 for a speed that would have been passable in a car.

I fancy a T5, but not the “Scene Tax” that goes with them, Caddy Maxi Life is another one on the radar but again you are looking at £23k for a 140hp TDi new 😯

£16k would get me a brand new LWB Trafic, crewcab with tailgate and all the toys…… the same thing in a sportline T5 would be £28-30k 😥

Love both my Trafic Crew (which doesn’t have issues with speed limits) and the Caddy Maxi Life.
Only real difference is in physical size/economy.
Trafic is the LWB which will take 6, 6 bikes and all the kit. but at around 30mpg.
Caddy will take 4 with 4 bikes and ALL kit, front wheel off, 3 with 3 bikes front in with ALL kit, or 5 with 5 all wheels out but not as much kit.

OP, try this site

http://archive.caravansforsale.co.uk/vw-t5-transporter-camper-van-cs758961.aspx

cr500dom tbh it sounds like you’ve got a keeper.

Is it possible to find a half decent VW T5 for under £6k….

Yes.

Is it possible to find a half decent VW T5 for under £6k….

Good luck! 😀

I got my 54 plate T5 SWB for 4.8k and, although it has a couple of dents and 130k on the clock, it’s a good, solid van* that really needed nothing doing to it before it could be used for bike transporting**. It even had a second row of seats installed, so gains points for flexability there.

It did take a while to find though.

* touch wood.

** That’s not stopped me from taking it apart and insulating it, putting side windows in, carpeting it and generally making it look a bit nicer.

*** edit: Damn double posts.

Have a picture of a kitten instead

Only tradesman, kidnappers, travellers and lifestyle wannabes need a van.

Actually scratch that.

Only tradesmen.

And then

My 07 Picasso cost 1600. If I was to buy a decent van it’d mean 10k+

Your point?

You are a monumental weapon…

Matt oitandabout. Tell me more about the galaxy, can you wheel a bike straight in with the back seats down?