Hi all, I will be in the market at some point to change my main family vehicle. I would like a van that I can get the 916 in the back of. This is a simple enough task However there are a couple of caveats. 1. I have 4 children so it will need at least 6 seats. 2. It will need to be able to tow around 2 tonne as we are getting a new caravan in March with a mtplm of 1800kg. 3. I would like to be able to get the 916 in it with all of the seats in use so when I go away in the caravan I can take the 916 with me to enjoy some of the amazing roads where the campsites tend to be. is there such a machine and if so what is is. I would be looking new ish but second hand if that makes sense as I unfortunately am not made of cash. I don’t mind a higher roof however would want to avoid a really high roof or one of the xxxl sprinters as I could fit my whole house in the back of one of them. last but not least my wife is disabled and at the age of 32 (even though 5 years ago she used to run 5 miles a day without thinking about it) and she uses a wheelchair if she has to walk further than about 6 feet and she would prefer an auto box as she can have problems with her left side on occasion also it is less exertion than using a manual (she has a very rare airway disease) I know it’s a complex list but all help is great fully received thanks Jon
Transporter Kombi would be my go to LWB The biturbo 4motion dsg could tow a small planet. Especially with a remap
Hmmm you ruled out the Xxl sprinter, but that would be a great one, great autobox in them too. And honestly with your plans, 4 kids motorbike and wheel chair, do you ever have too much space ? Keep the caravan light and put some more weight in the van?
Yep, Transporter Kombi, long wheel base. Lots and lots of options out there to make it seriously cool and good fun. With the DSG auto box, it will manage the kids/bike/auto conundrum you mention. Ive had mine for 3 years from new and absolutely love it! I seriously would t want another car after this. So much fun, so versatile and can carry so much stuff around in relative luxury. Drives just like a car and has all the mod cons. You can use it as daily commuter, easy to park etc, works van, school run and bike mover all rolled into one, it’s mega!! I got the 4WD jobbie and it’s incredible in the snow too Only downside is that whenever you read/hear almost anything to do with VW Kombi, the price gets 30% added on! Cheap they’re not!! That being said, there are lots of different websites and there’s another good forum to read through for owner advice. Since I got mine, 4 of my mates have bought them, I really can’t recommend them enough. can’t see me ever flogging this one unless I get another. Mart
Will the lwb transporter fit a motorbike in at the same time as all of the seats. Would a lwb transit do the same?
I highly doubt either of those will that. You’re looking at Sprinter size but without the high roof which I should think will be rare.
Can’t answer the space thing although I think you’ll get a bike in as well albeit poss at a slight angle? But the transits don’t drive anywhere near as nicely as the Transporters. the transporter drives like a car. the transit is very much a van. anything more and you’ll be looking at a large van like a sprinter or a crafter. Big old buses.
he said he was looking for not a new van, so one to avoid, also DSG boxes need oil change at 40,000 miles or five years, the boxes really need this done especially if it has been towing or had harder use because the oil gets too hot and varnishes which causes the solonoids to sieze , had to change o few of these.
I’ve got a SWB T6.1 Kombi, I can get a bike in but have to remove the single seat from the back which then makes the near side passenger sliding door unusable. As said the DSG auto 204 brake van will pull anything, get a decent remap and you’ll have 245 brake and over 500 nm of torque. Awesome bit of kit but be prepared to pay for the pleasure.
Avoid anything that's been re-mapped for a long time also, shocking results in crapped up DPF failures, EGr problems and swirl flap failures. Great if you have a new van and can pass it on after 3 years and 60.70K miles later but that is when the failures happen. Current swirl flap replacement manifolds changes can be near £1K, and excessive wear on the high pressure injectors can be an issue to. People forget that with higher boost pressures from the Turbo and higher flow rates means servicing frequencies become a lot more often than standard book times. Turbo wear is now a bigger issue for re-mapped cars as the turbo was not built for such boost and longevity in these cases
seen this on quite a few vehicles recently and the warranty covers didly squat if it's been mapped. You cannot hide a re-map. FACT
My transit kombi LWB could fit my RSV4 in the back at a slight angle so that the front wheel was tight in one corner against the bulkhead. I've had a brand new VW T5 Kombi and brand new Ford Custom Kombi and I preferred the Transit to drive. My transit was 170bhp auto. I've not driven a T6 so can't comment on that.
At work I have access to a transit (albeit a low power one) and they are putting me through my D1 licence so will be able to drive the xlwb sprinter and crafters that we have. I quite like the transit and to be fair if it doesn’t drive like a car I’m not that fussed. I just would like something that can meet the requirements. I have looked at the trafic lwb crew cab (the older shape and they look like a bike should fit. auto is preferable however if it was manual it isn’t a big issue as I do all of the towing and she will have the other car 98% of the time.
