Comparison of Van's in the Australian market

[Gold Coaster]

and they wanted $800 to replace the aircon fan because it only works on speed 3 & 4 now

That's what I love about the T4! I had to replace my air con fan switch also and it cost around $80 including installation.

I've had my 96 2.0L for over 4 years, clocked up over 70,000 km and besides the basics such as oil/filter, brakes, etc (which I try to do as much as possible myself). Besides tyres, rego and insurance have been my only major costs.

[Tornado T5]

Obviously a review in the media can only be used as one "guide" in the buying process, and any subjective criteria should be treated as such. It does allow you to read a comparison made hoepefully on vehicles tested together and when it comes to pricing and specification comparisons there isn't a subjective component to consider. The road test highlights VW is seriously out of the ballpark for both options pricing and basic spec levels. To be frank a Lwb Transit Custom embarasses a T5 except for the lack of a power train to match the VW's tdi400/ auto and I believe an auto is coming next year.

200,000km on and I still love my T5, so much so I twice decided to keep it over upgrading to a T5gp. However major repairs are expensive, my last starter motor replacement for a new one and scheduled service cost half what the starter replacement alone would have cost at my dealer.

[Transporter]

Not even as a guide, only as an opinion of one (or couple) person. Just like other opinions in the media.

[Tornado T5]

Not even as a guide, only as an opinion of one (or couple) person. Just like other opinions in the media.

Any subjective criteria is the opinion of the author and as you said not a guide however you cannot deny things like specs/pricing are objective and not based on opinions and come in very handy in such write-ups where a large number of vehicles are compared.

It's been a while since I've read any recent comparison of multiple vans, I usually visit What Van.

Lol, just visited it now and there is a story on pricing for the new Trafic and Vauxhall twin.
Prices released for Renault Trafic and Vauxhall Vivaro siblings
This caught my eye and wallet... and greatly improved looks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFrSQ-YY7W0

The new Renault Trafic panel van will cost from £18,245 when it goes on sale in September.

From launch the Trafic will be available in low-roofed mode in two body lengths. High-roofed and platform cab variants will join the line-up in 2015. Three trim levels are up for grabs – Business, Business+ and Sport.

The entry point for the range, and the projected best-seller, is the Business. It features a height adjustable driver’s seat with armrest, near side loading door, reach and rake adjustable steering wheel, electric front windows, electric heated door mirrors, full steel bulkhead, spare wheel, remote central locking and deadlocking, plus 16 anchorage points (18 on long-wheelbase). A new standard addition to the Trafic is ESC with HSA (Hill Start Assist) and the Grip Xtend traction control system to cope with loose surfaces. It also gets DAB radio with USB connectivity as standard.

Customers opting for Business+, which has a £1100 step up in price on corresponding engines and bodystyles, get a fold down centre passenger seat with removable A4 clipboard, laptop storage, and smartphone dock as well as air-conditioning full steel bulkhead with load-through facility (up to 4.15m in the long wheelbase version), and Renault’s new Wide View Mirror. Set in the passenger side sun visor, the brand claimed it more than doubles the line of sight to the rear.

On the exterior the Business+ boasts a body-coloured front bumper, door rail and tail light column and rear parking sensors.

The flagship Sport comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, auto lights and wipers, Bluetooth, leather steering wheel, lidded upper dashboard storage, metallic paint and body coloured door mirrors and chrome grille, seven-inch touchscreen MediaNav multimedia and navigation system, cruise control, speed limiter and front fog lights.

Prices for the Sport van, which is only offered in low-roofed guise, range from £21,045 for the SWB SL27 dCi 115 to £23,445 for the LWB LL29 Energy dCi 140.

Meanwhile Vauxhall has announced that its version of the Trafic, the Luton-built Vivaro, will have a starting price of £17,995 for the panel van, which undercuts the outgoing model by £450.

The new Vivaro is available in two trim levels: Vivaro and Vivaro Sportive.

Top price for the entry-level panel van in double cab mode is £21,795. Prices for the panel van in Sportive trim go from £19,765 to £23,145.

The Vivaro also comes as a nine-seater combi and platform cab.

The combi ranges from £25,699 to £27,749 including VAT while the platform cab starts at £20,658.33 and rises to £21,858.33 excluding VAT. All prices listed here exclude VAT bar those for combi models.

The flagship Sport comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, auto lights and wipers, Bluetooth, leather steering wheel, lidded upper dashboard storage, metallic paint and body coloured door mirrors and chrome grille, seven-inch touchscreen MediaNav multimedia and navigation system, cruise control, speed limiter and front fog lights.

Prices for the Sport van, which is only offered in low-roofed guise, range from £21,045 for the SWB SL27 dCi 115 to £23,445 for the LWB LL29 Energy dCi 140.

[Transporter]

Yes, the price comparison is good, but easily obtained in minutes these days thanks to the internet.
I don't know if I'd go for anything from Renault or Ford because of the reliability plaque and it doesn't matter what the reviews are saying. It's better to stick with the devil I know.
In 9.5 years of ownership the T5 never left me stranded and only the extra part that it needed was 1 water pump.

[The_Hawk]

Our T5 has it's lease up next year... Buying a Multivan means you get a few of those extras anyway but adding in Nav, Camera and the media options starts to add up very quickly. It is based on a 4 year old model (on an almost 10 year old chassis) now.

It would be really nice if the T6 is released soon and it comes with a similar tech compliment to the Mk7 Golf as standard. I can dream right?

As for everything else, it drive beautifully, we've only had a couple of issues and while the DSG TDI combo can be a little laggy, it's something you quickly get used to and adjust your driving style to suit. Talking to a mate with a similar Merc Van (don't recall the model) he complains about how laggy that is too, so I don't know that it's all that much better elsewhere.

[Tornado T5]

Yes, the price comparison is good, but easily obtained in minutes these days thanks to the internet.
I don't know if I'd go for anything from Renault or Ford because of the reliability plaque and it doesn't matter what the reviews are saying. It's better to stick with the devil I know.
In 9.5 years of ownership the T5 never left me stranded and only the extra part that it needed was 1 water pump.

I agree, just on engine power/torque and auto there really isn't much apart from the Vito atm. What I'm really hoping for is that VW get a big kick up the backside sales wise forcing their hand into matching specifications and option pricing. Unfortunately in my case, I've needed a tow twice for 2 related problems but I think I have driven more kay's then you and tow a lot more, often over gravel roads. Having read most your posts, knowing your profession and the feeling I have that you take very good care of your van including preventative maintenance I'd be mightily peeved off if it wasn't trouble-free to date.

[Tornado T5]

Well things just got interesting
Caradvice article on 2015 MB Vito.
2015 Mercedes-Benz Vito revealed | CarAdvice

[Sunny43.5]

Based on the expected release date late 2015 we can expect a new T series sometime after that , that's if VW do what they did with the T5 release .

[Tornado T5]

I'm hoping the much increased competition puts more pressure onto VW, not to mention MB in Australia is sharpening it's pricing lately. The new Vito offers 2 wheelbases, 3 body lengths, fwd, rwd and awd and although no mention of carrying over the current V6 tdi, the new 140kW diesel with a conventional 7 speed auto, in a crewvan called Mixto, with wing doors, lwb, awd is something I would definitely look at. VW Aust doesn't bring in a 4motion, lwb, Crewvan with the tdi400 engine and rear wing doors.