Visited the dealer...

[Seano]

...and I think I've owned my first and last new VW. Or perhaps any marquee.

Thought I'd take advantage of a bit of time to collect a brochure and have a squiz at a new Transporter. I was interested in a dual cab 4Motion version just like the T4 we have. The local dealer had one on the lot for some time but it turned out they'd moved it on just last week. It also turned out to be a 2010 build that they'd been stuck with for over a year. Was an auto with alloy tray and shifted for mid $40K.

Anyway...the upshot appears to be that to get a new version of what I have...I'd be looking at an approximately $52K changeover drive away. Which is sadly just too rich for me - I wasn't smart enough to put away $5K per annum for a replacement when i bought the T4 a decade ago. Besides that sort of money will cover the cost of many many T4 service points, replacement parts and the like for the next who knows how many years!

The other problem is that VW commercial vans continue to come with rear passenger seating that does not have child seat mounting of any kind. So that puts paid to any such vehicle upgrade for another five years at least. The new cab chassis T5 have even less room for engineered aftermarket mounts behind the seats than the old T4...

Dreams...profoundly squashed.

[Transporter]

Maybe the T6 then huh?

I'm not sure about the 2.0L TDI in the commercial vehicles, and VW is even pushing it into the Crafters. The Crafter with 2.0L TDI, what will be next? The 3cyl. TDI ?
I need at least 5 years of prove that the 2.0LTDI from Golf range vehicles is reliable in the commercial range. I mean, when the van is carrying full load 24/7.

[Seano]

T6? I don't know. At what point does it become uneconomic to repair a T4 when you take into account the purchase price of its most modern counterpart? Probably never.

I don't have a problem with the engine size - I think that's a perception problem rather than an engineering one. The new engine is capable of whacking out 132 kW/400Nm (although not at the same time) and its curves suggest that it outperforms the 2.5Tdi that it replaced at lower revs for the equivalent kW or Nm. For example, at 110km/h my engine is doing 2900rpm in 5th....the new 2.0L is running at around 2000rpm whilst doing the same speed. If engine revolutions were heartbeats then the 2.0L is winning...

But then again...new Land Rover 3.0L V6 TDi only chose slightly more diesel per 100 km but thumps out considerably more power and torque (180kW/600Nm). Of course, it weighs an extra 600kg over the T5 dual cab...

In the end...we have to live with Euro5 and 6. And they virtually dictate smaller forced induction engines...especially in diesels.

[team_v]

Solution, buy a Hyundai!

[Transporter]

T6? I don't know. At what point does it become uneconomic to repair a T4 when you take into account the purchase price of its most modern counterpart? Probably never.

I don't have a problem with the engine size - I think that's a perception problem rather than an engineering one. The new engine is capable of whacking out 132 kW/400Nm (although not at the same time) and its curves suggest that it outperforms the 2.5Tdi that it replaced at lower revs for the equivalent kW or Nm. For example, at 110km/h my engine is doing 2900rpm in 5th....the new 2.0L is running at around 2000rpm whilst doing the same speed. If engine revolutions were heartbeats then the 2.0L is winning...

But then again...new Land Rover 3.0L V6 TDi only chose slightly more diesel per 100 km but thumps out considerably more power and torque (180kW/600Nm). Of course, it weighs an extra 600kg over the T5 dual cab...

In the end...we have to live with Euro5 and 6. And they virtually dictate smaller forced induction engines...especially in diesels.

Yeah, but for how long and how reliable it will be with that bi-turbo and 4 cylinders?

You're right about the repairing the van you have rather than paying off the new one. I use my van for business, so as long as it looks good I don't mind keeping it going. Not in rush for the new old T5 with the new headlights.

[Transporter]

Solution, buy a Hyundai!

Hey, be nice!

[Tornado T5]

In my case my old petrol/lpg T4 cost me nearly $4,000 in 3 months plus time lost being towed back and then add replacement hire vehicle's etc nearly another $1,000 so I figured at 298,000km it was time to update, lol. Must say once you've towed with a good diesel it would be hard to go anywhere else.

Regarding T6 any ideas on when it's due?. My 5 years are up in July next year and it seems the Transporters current upgrade cycle occurs around August and then add a 4 month wait (if still the case) from order to delivery.

[Transporter]

I don't know when the T6 is coming, but it better have more impressive hardware under the hood then the current offering, when it comes.
I normally don't like to keep any vehicle for longer than 180,000km. I agree the brake down times could be very disruptive and cost you business, plus one day you would have to update anyway.

[Sunny43.5]

Maybe its just me but I am a bit old school the old saying was there is no substitute for cubes . Look at the US market up until Mercedes got hold of Chrysler most vans sold in the US were either six cylinders or a good old fashioned thumping V8,s which could be relied upon to deliver a huge smile . I know the purists will now say oh but a good turbo diesel will do the same but again there is no substitute for cubic inches especialy when towing a load etc, my T5 which is the 2.o litre petrol would be hard pressed to pull the skin off a rice pudding.
I just spent some time looking at the Fords and Chevy vans on the net you can pick up a new Ford van with choice of 4.6 lt 5.4 lt or a gut renching 6.8lt starting at $29000 ranging up to $36000 all with autos plus a long list of standard equipment and 5 year 100.000 kay warranty. Sadly Chrysler /Dodge no longer make a US built van only offering rebadged Sprinters etc. Howard

[Seano]

Solution, buy a Hyundai!

Ha! I don't want no plain Jane van. It's dual cab chassis with full tray or nothing. If they made a dual cab chassis iLoad then I'd consider it...otherwise, no.

Only other options are Ford, M-B and Iveco. The first is larger and yet cheaper than a T5 but no AWD locally while the last two are much bigger and much more pricey