Viewing 18 posts - 41 through 58 (of 58 total)
  • VW T5 owners to the forum!
  • Spud
    Full Member

    Went from E250 estate to a Caravelle 180BiTDi. Not got the out and out foot down and hear Ride of the Valkyries playing but it puts a smile on my face whenever I drive it. The wife loves it. We pull a caravan so no need for camper kit and we have 7 seats when we need them. Brilliant vehicle and wished I’d not bothered with the Merc before it. It’s not car like but certainly not van like compared to say a Transit. But that might be as ours is the MPV version and internally finished like a car and not a van like Kombi.

    mark90
    Free Member

    I drove Land Rovers daily for years so my 174 2.5 T5 feels like a sports car to me 😀

    jakehinton
    Free Member

    Ive friends with T4s and T5s. The consensus seems to be that T4s are more reliable/cheaper to run. Guy who works just on VWs agrees that the T4s are better too. Not that I have actually owned either myself!

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    johnnystorm
    Full Member

    My t5 offers a driving experience experience that is closer to a normal car than a normal car is to something like a Lotus Elise. So yes, it’s a van but anything remotely practical isn’t really any more enjoyable. I wouldn’t be without it now for family and bike use.

    xyeti
    Free Member

    Hob Nob, are you talking about a Transporter this is a Van, a California isn’t a Van?

    A 180 T5:5 is different to a 140, I had a 140 so I can make the comparison, mine was the last T5 off the production line For Retail, the last few were saved by VW for storage, museum ? I didn’t order it, it came up for grabs after my Blackberry 140 got nicked,

    Interestingly my other car is also an RS4, 007 do you own a grey one ?

    sparksmcguff
    Full Member

    I love my T5 (cali 4 motion). Only thing to be aware of really is that VW are frankly idiots with their EGR valve/exhaust recoolant whatever its called I can give you the part number as i’m having mine replaced. I mostly do longer trips only and at 4 years old mine is already knackered. They are great to drive on longer journeys and fine in town (basically the size of a ford galaxy). Personally not so keen on the dsg gear box (yep I have driven one for more then a day).

    cakefacesmallblock
    Full Member

    I have a 2010 140ps T5 , a lwb panel van, with a rib seat bed , night heater and a few cupboards fitted.
    I also have a 2012 140ps Skoda Superb estate, which is a firms car.
    Whilst neither are race cars, neither are slow and dull, both are very comfortable places to be .
    Perhaps it’s because I drive the car for work (quite a few motorway miles) and that subconsciously I’m associating it with things which need to be done, as opposed to things I want to do, I don’t know, but I genuinely would rather be driving the van in most instances. That said, under usual company rules my Skoda was due to be changed last year, but I’ve elected to keep it longer, because it’s a very tax efficient car and equally as capable and comfy as some things I’ve had previously, such as Saab 95 or Lexus .
    With regard reliability of VW transporters, I’m convinced that as is usually the case, it’s all down to how they are driven or maintained. Previously I had an 88 ps T4. Both my vans have been bought s/h with about 50k miles on them. The T4 never let me down during the 90k miles I put on it and the T5 , now at about 75k hasn’t either.
    I used my T4 regularly as a daily vehicle with no issues and the T5 would be fine too.

    xyeti
    Free Member

    Sparks, I had a D3 for 7 years and those things eat EGR valves in pairs on a V6 so only buying 1 will be a relief when it does occur, the D3 was a manual and I was up and down that gearbox like a fiddlers elbow so when I bought the T5 it had to be Auto, I quite like the DSG and it just ads to the pleasant environment, I know these arent without fault though but at least if it implodes it’s still got over 2 years warranty on it,

    All the manufacturers are the same with the EGR’s they get gummed up as they bleed the gasses out of the exhaust and re circulate them back into the inlet manifold to burn some of the spent gasses again,
    I used to put 2 Stroke oil on D3 which cured the EGR problem and made it run a lot less clattery, mine was a euro 6 so the valves couldn’t be blocked without it throwing up an error code.

    Marin
    Free Member

    The welcome return of what van drives like a car thread.
    Kicks tyre and sucks teeth…….

    ianpv
    Free Member

    I’ve got a T4 hightop camper. It drives nothing like a car, but more importantly, despite having loads more storage room than a pop-top camper it is still very much on the small side as a camper for a family of 4, let alone 5. Great for weekends, less good for long trips.

    However, it did just pass it’s MOT with no advisories yesterday – 17 yrs old and 160K, and we all love it.

    Sundayjumper
    Full Member

    If you have it converted or buy it converted, can you get the designation changed at the DVLA?

    Avoid all the hassle by buying a Caravelle instead of a Transporter – legally it’s the same as a car regarding tax, speed limits.

    bob_summers
    Full Member

    Been looking at these recently and remembered this thread. Still not sure it makes sense based on the little we’d give it, but was wondering if there’s a consensus on the motor to go for. Saw two today with little to choose between them other than one was 2008 1.9 105cv with 100k, other was 2004 2.5 130(?)cv with 136k. Both 7-seater Caravelles with the (factory) rock and roll bed. Common sense leans toward the lower mileage more ‘economical’ one, but if I had any of that I’d be looking at Berlingos…

    Interestingly, we looked at a 2010 Primastar too – same price but 25k miles – but it did absolutely nothing for me.

    notmyrealname
    Free Member

    I’ve had the 1.9 engine in my previous Caddy and now in my T5. Both the 104version.

    The 1.9 in the T5 can be a little underpowered if it’s lugging around a lot of weight but I found it’d still return 40mpg on a run and they are pretty reliable motors.
    I had a Pendle remap on the T5 which took it up to about 135bhp and it’s far nicer to drive for it. Obviously it’s not fast by any stretch but it’s much nicer to drive on dual carriageways and motorways even with a bit of weight in it. The fuel economy seems to be pretty much identical to before the remap.

    From what I’ve read the 2.5 seems to suffer with more engine related problems which put me off looking for one and sticking with the 1.9. Personally I’m more than happy with the 1.9.

    bob_summers
    Full Member

    From what I’ve read, the 2.5 does seem to have more of a reputation for going expensively wrong. Speed isn’t of much importance, previous van being an aircooled camper, but would like to avoid expensive bills where possible (somewhat unrealistic on a ~10yo van). Both vans have had the DMF and clutch done.

    bob_summers
    Full Member

    I asked google and turns out this is one of the first hits:

    http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/volkswagon-transporter-which-engine-19-or-25

    vongassit
    Free Member

    I have a 2006 T5 1.9 86hp 75k miler I bought when I started my own buisness 5 year ago , it also has 19″ wheels so glaciers move faster.

    I’ve had to rebuild the gearbox when a layshft bearing collapsed & also had to replace the turbo when the shaft snapped. It’s also gotten through a couple of sets of disc’s in around 10,000 miles , steering wheel clock spring thingy & the clutch judders like a alky on a withdrawl.

    I do like driving it though , gonna respray it soon & let pendle breath some life into it (poor clutch r.i.p methinks) , it’s only been used for firewood collecting the last couple of years & is long overdue some pimpin inside & out

    johnnystorm
    Full Member

    bob_summers – Member
    I asked google and turns out this is one of the first hits:

    http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/volkswagon-transporter-which-engine-19-or-25

    Because Google will promote results that match your browsing habits. 😀

    i_like_food
    Full Member

    OP – we’ve got a 1.9 SWB 57 plate T5 that we bought with 50K miles as a white panel van. We had windows and seats in the back and a bit of carpet and all is good. Wouldn’t go back.

    A remap completely changed driving it from ‘I’ll never get past this tractor’ to ‘overtaking is actually possible on occasion’ – from 90 ish HP to 130ish HP.

    It drives like it drives. If you’re really bothered about how something drives then I would do lots of test drives. If you want a van that you can sort-of use like a car then I wouldn’t worry about it and just get one.

    Lastly – T5’s do keep their value but don’t discount a newer Transit or Vivaro etc, I’d suggest some tyre kicking and price comparing as ultimately they’re just boxes with wheels.

Viewing 18 posts - 41 through 58 (of 58 total)

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