VW Transporter

[Daved and Confused]

Anyone have any experience of these ?
I'll be doing more miles to and from work so the shogun has to go in favour of something a bit more economical.
I do still need a 4x4 but not the towing capacity of the shogun and something like a transporter seems to fit the bill.
So if anyone has any recommendations or things to look out for or just general advice it would be appreciated.

Cheers

Dave

[Bubba]

T4? T5?

[Daved and Confused]

It would be a T5.

[Stuart]

T4 better than T5 ime

[mowgli]

They are not as good as you think...

[Mike]

There ok. A friend of mine bought one brand new (T5 Sportline) but it eats CV joints :S optopnal extras are custy tho, leather, air con, bluetooth etc etc but they hold there price. Goes very well for a big van, but aint cheap to fix when they break.

[Daved and Confused]

So any alternatives to the transporter ?????

[mowgli]

Well, a big diesel 4x4 is never going to run much above high 20's to the gallon...

Why do you need 4x4? Is it for towing or just for the weather?

[John]

They're good vans imho. Sure they have faults, but so do any other van. Hold money well. Parts are not as expensive as you'd think.

[Daved and Confused]

Well, a big diesel 4x4 is never going to run much above high 20's to the gallon...

Why do you need 4x4? Is it for towing or just for the weather?

My 3.2 Shogun does about 26 to the gallon - seriously reduced since I fitted Cooper LTZ's.
I needed that for towing a heavy trailer but I am changing job and will be doing more miles and no heavy towing.
The 4x4 is really just for traction in snow as where I live is up a hill and walking the last 2 miles home is not an entertaining proposition.
I was thinking about the 4x4 van route as vans are so handy to have and we have another 4x4 car for family duties.
I did have an 07 sprinter a while back and would have another but the 4x4 option is cost prohibitive and used examples are thin on the ground.

[mowgli]

Some of the new suv 4x4's are claiming great fuel mileage, but i'm not so sure that they really can do it.. How about an x type jag estate td??

[Stuart]

Defender with the tranny engine will do 25 to the gallon doing *ahem* lots more than the speed limiter would permit (thats on a standard 145ps transit calibration).

[Daved and Confused]

Yeah, I have noticed some of the newer generation suv's and the "claimed" fuel consumption - very interesting.
Since mine has always been a second vehicle and with only 10 mile commute I could live with higher fuel consumption.
My daily commute will be more like 130 mile and then business miles on top of that I really need better fuel consumption.
I never thought of the jag but I've only just found out about the new job today so not had much time to think about all the vehicles out there.
It was the flexibilty of a van type vehicle that has an appeal but it isn't the be all and end all.

[Mike]

Freelander Commercial 2.0D

4x4 2 seater van that amazingly looks like a freelander. Just DONT get the petrol version!

[toymex]

I have got a t5 130 had it from new ,i would say its the best built van out there but not as refined as some getting appx 33 to the gallon around town driven carefully,much better on a run ,they go and tow very well .Mine is up for sale but its not a 4 motion,i think you may struggle to get a 4 motion without buying a new one

[armour88]

i have a t4 and love it put a mk3 golf tdi engine in over summer, as standard 2.4 was rubbish. great performance and realy economical now.
from speaking to other guys t5 bit softer had few teething problems.

[D7AKE]

I have a T4, have a look at the T4/T5 forum if you havent already http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk I tow my track Nova with it but it was a bit underpowered I have a 1.9td, but a decat, wind the boost up and tweak the fueling plus a air filter saw me go from 66BHP to nearly 100BHP.

Don't be fooled into a surf/day van that is 8K plus for a T4 look for a van and do the work yourself.

What about a syncro T4? go for a converted T4 with a TDi Golf engine in it, they are about, otherwise go for the 5 pot 2.5 TDi T4.

A newer T5 will be fine if you got the cash gor for the 100BHP one or the 130BHP both tunable my bro has a T5 running 180BHP.