Looking at a new T5/T6 Kombi Van to last me till the end of days.
Anyone bought a LWB and regretted it?
Toying with splashing out on a rear heater option for those chillier nights, any recomendations?
Are there any other optional extras i should consider?

Air conditioning. There’s a lot of glass and it just makes so much more sense to have cool air in summer.

Twin captains chairs up front, air con, cruise control, twin sliding doors, tailgate. Alloys should be no smaller than 20″ – fact.

The optional spare drive shafts package?

What are you planning on using it for?
SWB fits in a standard car bay and swallows 5 bikes with the front wheels off, plus loads of room for kit.
If you have parking space at home, don’t park in town and want it as a family camper, LWB gives a good bit more room in the back.

Go Highline spec if you can afford it – cruise, cornering fog lights, air con, multi function steering wheel.

The factory heater looks good, but you can get an aftermarket one fitted with phone control. Text it from the top of the last descent in winter, straight in to a cosy van! When my 6 numbers come up I’m getting that…

Captains seats!
Front parking sensors are good, I would spec them for LWB
Electric folding mirrors are superb on mine, but out gate posts are narrower than unfolded so I use them twice a day.
Twin sliders if you plan on carrying passengers regularly

If you’re not getting one with a bulkhead, get it lined and insulated. Otherwise they are very noisy echo chambers in basic combi spec.

I found the LWB a bit of pain for parking in narrow busy roads / multi-storey car parks and have gone back to SWB now; although that was also as a) bikes fit behind the rear seats fine with just front wheel off and b) windsurf boards are a lot shorter these days.

Not LWB/SWB specific but echo air conditioning. Don’t have on mine, would defo have on the next one.

PS do it.

bikes fit behind the rear seats fine with just front wheel off

2 bikes will easily go in upright without any wheels off

sideways? must admit i haven’t tried too hard as tend to be squeezing them in amongst kids clobber. the road bike goes in fine with wheels on but of course the wheel is skinny enough to slot between the bench and single seats.

actually what i often do is just take out the single seat as we only need 4 in total and you then have a load more space anyway.

My 56cm road bike goes sideways across the back

3 trail bikes go in complete, diagonal, in a SWB with a bit of careful packing

2+1 seats are good, not sure if they are standard?

I soundproofed and insulated the metal, made a big difference to panel boom. Carpet lining next, makes it even better. Also getting some LEDs in the tailgate as downlighters, did it in my Vito and it was great for getting changed in laybys in winter!

I have a LWB and have never found it hard for parking. To be honest I have no idea why you would ever go with a SWB, don’t really understand why VW even make them. If your using it as a camper would you not want as much room as possible.

I have no idea why you would ever go with a SWB, don’t really understand why VW even make them

I’m the opposite. Guess that’s why they make them! 😉

If your using it as a camper would you not want as much room as possible.

Personally no. We’ve been looking at various Wendy houses on wheels and have concluded that the extra length doesn’t add much. In the day you’re in the seating area which is the same SWB or LWB, the extra space is behind the seats. At night you’re in bed. Madame is the leader of the project and is currently sold on a petrol Reimo T6 without a roof. She’s dragging me to Toulouse shortly as that’s where they put them together apparently, no sex if I don’t. I’d rather buy a Trafic but they don’t make a petrol one.

Not mine (I wish…) but I noticed this whilst dreaming the other night. Might be worth keeping an eye on?

Here

curious as to why petrol?

At night you’re in bed. [\quote]

In the morning all the things you need are in the cupboard that is blocked by the folded out beds. The LWB gives you an extra one so this isnt a problem. And yes you take it all out before you go to bed but invariably every so often you do forget.

Practical: I do a low mileage and short journeys so there’s pretty much no difference in running costs. Cold starting isn’t an issue with petrol even in ski resorts in January. I like the way petrol engines drive.

Ideological: I believe that particle filters do nothing to stop the finest particles that are most damaging to health, and diesels produce NOX in the real world.

Pragmatic: someone is going to burn the petrol, it might as well be me rather than it being tankered to another continent and poured into a V8.

We use Sports bags/Curver boxes rather than cupboards and put them on the driver’s seat at night. Our T2 was broken into so many times we’ve learned to leave vans visibly empty. We use campsites and leave stuff in a tent if we want to go out tin the van. Some people spend their whole holiday in and around their van. We like going off walking/biking/running/swimming/sight seeing and don’t enjoy it unless the van is visibly empty with a steering wheel lock on – hopefully the thieves will pick on another vehicle.

Don’t reckon it matters for a Kombi unless you want 5 bikes in the back on a regular basis. Imo the SWB looks better.

In a camper you do notice it. It does not have to be set out with the extra space in the back, mines a self build but there are quite a few conversions I’ve seen with the space in the middle. We would not quite have room for the dog with the bed down in a SWB. Plus being able to open an extra cupboard in the morning. Lie down in the back of a panel van with your head touching the door and see how far your feet go – there is not much spare.

Owned LWB for 8+ years although ours is a camper conversion. Considering posh Kombi replacement in a few more years (Window Van with Caravelle seat/bed/rail conversion and fully lined) as we’ve moved on to a caravan and rarely need the camper aspects. I measured up a Ford Terrier (SWB Transit Custom based campervan) – turned up at dealer with my biggest 29er – and it was far too short to fit the bikes in straight behind the seat. I assume a SWB Kombi would be similar.

Petrol – I’m thinking similar. Loses out on torque and MPG but our daily use involves short journeys and low annual mileage, so might be our way forward too. Current van suffered sticking turbo vanes due to the EGR causing build up of crap in the turbo.

2 sliding rear doors really good.
road bike goes in nicely sideways (as somebody else mentioned).
MTB bikes won’t.

LWB in a city with narrow streets would (I think) be quite hard work. Living in the sticks you don’t notice it.

I presume a SWB handles better??

New t6 loaner seemed quite good on fuel (diesel, stop/start, 100bhp – so slurped fuel if you went faster on the motorway / only had a 5 speed).

Thanks for the posts.
I am thinking of buying a highline version to keep for good and plan on slowly turning it into a camper with Reimo roof etc.
Twin sliding doors/air con are good shouts.
Reckon its worth going for the heater options? If so which option???

Hadn’t considered petrol but have recently had issues with an EGR valve as i do a lot of short journeys in the contract hire SWB Kombi we have for work.

I’m also looking at vans ATM. Fancy a LWB myself. I reckon a sliding window over the stove is a good choice.

I’m staggered but the amount of chavved up shite with VW logos everywhere, massive wheels and one inch ground clearance.

Another vote for LWB – driven mine all over Europe and never had a problem parking, including multi storey car parks. I don’t feel driving LWB down narrow streets is appreciably harder – it’s not that much longer. Obviously others hold differing views, but I’d go for LWB every time.

Only regret with mine was not having the second sliding door. PITA with the toddler in the first seat, but planning on keeping it long term so in a few years it won’t be so much of an issue.
Aircon is a godsend on the odd occasion it’s hot and also have FF sunroof too

I’ve had my LWB T5 for 4 years now. Done about 30,000 miles in it including 3 massive summer Euro trips.

It’s the 5 cylinder 130bhp and goes like a train. Haven’t snapped any driveshafts yet. It’s nice to be able to overtake safely and not be a rolling roadblock like you are in some vans but mostly it cruises in 6th gear at 2000rpm. I’ve driven long and short wheelbase and honestly, from the drivers seat I can’t tell the difference. In car parks I stick it near the edge and walk for an extra ten seconds. I do sleep in it quite a bit loaded with bikes and camera gear and don’t know why you wouldn’t want the extra interior space.

I wouldn’t be without a van now but I would like to switch to a newer model. Air con is a must. Driving around Europe every summer in my boxer shorts, sitting on a towel to absorb the sweat streaming down my body. It’s just as grim as it sounds. The huge black dashboard is like sitting with your face above a radiator.

It’s had a few new parts like a starter motor, oil cooler, thermostat. But it’s never broken down and left us stranded. I’m planning to drive some other models when it’s time to trade in but like you I want something that’s mine forever so I’m not going to deny a bit of desire. It’s hard to justify a lot of purchases but I’d rather have a posh T5 than a Porsche or something.

Yes! I’m halfway to Vorlichs wish list 😆

Here’s mine

I went from swb to this, haven’t had any more issues with roads/parking than I did in my old Swb.

Options wise, mines a highline, extra sliding door, xenon lights.

Inside I’ve fitted a caravelle seat setup which folds out into a rather comfy full width bed. Also provides safe travel for the kids in the back when we go out.

That’s low.

I’ve got riding mates who have SWB’s and LWB’s – the LWB’s seem like perfect biking vans, whereas the SWB’s seem like a big compromise when putting bikes in/going on biking weekends.

I’d 100% go LWB

Would love a 4-Motion DSG, top spec model, but you are looking at luxury car money for low mileage/new examples

I have just swapped my 3yr old swb T5 for a T6 lwb, no regrets. Extras; rear heater, folding mirrors, removable tow bar, rear seats are a 2 and 1 so easily removable. And is a highline. I use this every day and don’t bother with a car, it drives well fits the bikes in and as above would rather be driving this than a flash car.

Check that the extra heater doesn’t bump you up a road fund category…

if so, go retrofit with a badly spelt Herbysmasher..

Having lived with a lwb transit for about 5 years the size is in your head, it parked in normal spaces in the supermarket, was fine in town and only a real pain when parallel parking in the dark into tight spaces.

have a LWB. live in the middle of Munich and manouvering has never been a problem.

the only time i notice the extra 40cm is when i can’t fit into a space (paralell parking) or need to do a U-turn (turning circle is ~13m).

the extra 40cm means i can/could wheel a whole bike into the back behind the 2nd row (a null point since i have a rack).

If you are a bit of a shortarse you can lay down behind the 2nd row (think you have ~180cm).

i find now the SWB versions look stumpy compared to a LWB. the proprtions are better for LWB.

“Must-Haves”

Air-con is nice.

reversing sensors.

don’t go for a weedy engine… torque is nice…. i prefer the torque of my 132bhp 2.5ltr 5-pot over my friends 140bhp 2ltr 4-pot. his feels more like a small hatchback as he is constantly revving the tits off it.

That’s low.

Its on air.

We have a SWB. For us, I don’t think the little bit of extra space of a LWB would be hugely beneficial.

Regarding heaters, we’re going to get one of the Eberspachers fitted at the end of the summer – all signing all dancing version as someone has mentioned which you can text your van when you’re at the top of the final descent and by the time you’re back, you’ve got a toasty warm van to climb into.

i prefer the torque of my 132bhp 2.5ltr 5-pot over my friends 140bhp 2ltr 4-pot

That’s what I’ll miss if I upgrade. The 5 cylinder feels great and you can keep up with traffic without revving redlining it everywhere.

Looking at the catalogue it looks like they only make the combi van with the new Euro6 engine in a crappy 102bhp rather than the shuttle which gets the two more powerful engines.

…two more powerful engines.

All of the new engines are exactly the same. The power level is set with software. Nothing that can’t be fixed with a trip to Pendle for a live remap. Next door to Hope Technology.

The majority of the combi vans are still being sold with the old engines. The shuttles and caravelles only available with the new ones.

I know you can get a remap but if your buying new then you have to wait 3 years till the warranty runs out otherwise a remap voids it (or you have to piss about with going back and forth between remap settings before and after a service)

Well we’ve been through configurating the thing and got the quote through. They want a deposit of 29000e! With a delivery of 6-12 months (no problem it’s for next Summer). I’ve checked their company info on the Web and it isn’t brilliant, and they’re investing in new premises.

I think that’s the end of that idea, thoughts?

I borrowed a swb t6 kombi for a weekend and was surprised what a struggle it was to get all of the gear in for taking three track bikes, rollers and a whole load of other gear.

Ended up getting a Vito Dualiner long, really pleased with it.