Volkswagen Crafter in Australia

[phaeton]

Crafter launch has been delayed till March 1st my source told me, (he has one on order ).

[gen2002]

HI Ben, Have a look at the Crafter double cab, 7 seater, 3.6 metre tray, build a body on the back to suit you needs. 1 vehicle, 1 driver.

Graham

hi guys. All very interesting!

I have a 2004 Daily van, and am looking at getting something newer and better in the future.

I was hoping to get something that is just a bit bigger. The daily van I have was the largest one possible back then.

What do you reckon are the options for larger vans? We custom fit the van to have it seat 7, with a large cargo area for the equipment (we're a touring theatre company).

Any ideas? I was thinking of trying to fit out a small minibus (but larger than a daily), something like a euromidi/maxim or whatever they are called. Don't even know if you can get them here in Australia but it is probably no good because there is no rear door access to unload our sets and equipment.

So a van really is needed but we're running out of room with 7 of us, luggage and bigger sets as we grow, and start touring further afield for longer.

Any comments or help would be greatly appreciated! I'm getting lost on the internet for hours...

[phaeton]

Welcome Graham

[phaeton]

Crafter has been released on VGA Website

from AUD $40,600 RRP.

www.volkswagencrafter.com.au Now Open

http://www.volkswagen.com.au/crafter/default.asp

[Altered Sprinter]

Hello Gentlemen
I thought I'd pop in to say a G'day as I'm on the hunt for another new Van
I'm half way between a Crafter, by witch craft or a Benz by the star of stars, I guess it's who can supply the options! 'I want',
Richard

[phaeton]

Hello Gentlemen
I thought I'd pop in to say a G'day as I'm on the hunt for another new Van
I'm half way between a Crafter, by witch craft or a Benz by the star of stars, I guess it's who can supply the options! 'I want', Richard

LOL witch craft

Both great vans one greater than the other due to witch craft

Welcome again Richard

[Altered Sprinter]

Thanks Ben
My DW said to me this morning are you going to work! or are you on a witch Hunt? I LMAO because she did not know that I sent this thread last night.
When you think about it! "It is a Witch Hunt" If your in the States they can't wait to get inventory off the lot, down under in the land of Tassie the dealers get so attached to thier stock ,it's as if you have to bribe them to even talk to you as for Buying them! Get real, no discounting or even a coffee just show me your Kanga's Then I'll think about how much you can have it for? and in the mean time if your thinking of trading , I'll see how much I can con out the buyer by offering three or four grand less than the red book value, as to options! 'that you paid an arm and leg for'!They don't count.. you throw them in for nix, "Funny when you see a beloved vehicle that was once your pride and joy at the dealers lot for re-sale. The options become part of the inflated re-sale price.
Think I might have to take sailing trip to Vic and play black Jack with the dealers there , odds are the numbers will come up Red, and there's always a Joker in the Pack.
Richard
vwcrafter72 (Custom).jpg

[phaeton]

LOL our SA Dealer is abit like that, we only have one so no competition

So Victoria gets all the Tassie, South Oz VW buyers hunting for the odd $$$ off

[Altered Sprinter]

LOL our SA Dealer is abit like that, we only have one so no competition

So Victoria gets all the Tassie, South Oz VW buyers hunting for the odd $$$ off

Ahr'' South OZ I know that lot, it has one single tree standing in the middle of nowhere land, all on it's lonesome own with no particular place to go, Yeah same dealership too! "must be collusion to collude, to Price fixing, across boarders, bit of a Grey area they get away with it because of low numbers sales, funny though dealers seem to forget! Australians learnt how to communicate on the internet! since who knows when? they fooled me once, and fooled me again, and they nearly did it again . But I learnt how to speak and play the same game, cant fool me four times again.
I think the masses of the forum should revolt and unite as one. to get the power base to negotiate a realistic price, other than that , off with their heads. I might import two or three and sell them at their own game , with colors too cause everything down here. has gone a whiter shade of pale sitting in the lot going nowhere man .
Sort of like what Henry Ford once said " You can have any color you want so long as its black! with Mercedes its white. VW has to sell left over ice cream.
Lets follow the yellow brick road from the land of OZ to the biggest dealership in the World, I know it's in Vic but cant get past MY GPS trying to tell me to turn left! 'and that's putting me into a Ford dealership', G'rrrrr.
Richard.

[phaeton]

I saw the Crafter today at local Motor Show

Great van truly best in class am not just saying that I looked that the competition.

- My only negatives are the interior door handles flimsy plastic and the build quality of the side mirrors with huge gaps looks flimsy as well.

+ Rest is perfecto, they got it so right.

Now all I need is a licence and test it on road

Competition
Ford Transit & New Iveco Daily feel cheap (tactile, door handles, seat positioning etc) on the inside and these two also have flimsy exterior door handles.

Final Quote If your buying for quality you must look at the Crafter it truly is a great German engineered van.

[Altered Sprinter]

Great comment Ben
The handles by the way are not plastic but a carbon fiber composite they look and feel a little cheap I admit, but they are flexible and won't break in a hurry.
Besides you can always tart it up wood grain dash a little chrome or whatever, wall to wall wool carpets and a few trinkets hanging off the mirror, what more could you want where your dragging off a local transit or a Iveco which carries a bigger load, so that's cheating a little.
I'm still waiting for one to front down under, my guess it will have rusted out before I can get my hands on one, I think I spooked the dealer , with too many questions, as I don't know
What is it with dealers, they'll sell you anything except tell you about costs.
Richard

[phaeton]

Great comment Ben
The handles by the way are not plastic but a carbon fiber composite they look and feel a little cheap I admit, but they are flexible and won't break in a hurry.
Besides you can always tart it up wood grain dash a little chrome or whatever, wall to wall wool carpets and a few trinkets hanging off the mirror, what more could you want where your dragging off a local transit or a Iveco which carries a bigger load, so that's cheating a little.
I'm still waiting for one to front down under, my guess it will have rusted out before I can get my hands on one, I think I spooked the dealer , with too many questions, as I don't know
What is it with dealers, they'll sell you anything except tell you about costs.
Richard

Really carbon fiber composite ?

LOL you'll get one soon enough

I just remembered I forgot to look at the new Ducato lol

Also the Salesman told me
-No 4x4 Crafters coming yet market is to small (Can change as VWCV have stated that they will change if market/demand does)

-Kombi version later on is confirmed.

-Shiftmatic is fully designed by VW and is not Mercedes derived apparently.

[Altered Sprinter]

thanks Ben

Quick shift Is still a concern as to costs re placing clutches as time goes by, but it has the advantage of snail crawl on dirt or steep incline from a standing start, so it's not out of the equation yet, Still trying to find out costs on replacement of Particulate filters, as compared to Merc , problem is the VW staff just have no idea as of yet, but I'm in no rush.Richard

[phaeton]

I could ask the dealer for you ?

I may be going to motor show again with relys lol

[Altered Sprinter]

I could ask the dealer for you ?

I may be going to motor show again with relys lol

Thanks Ben not such a silly idea, as I just don't trust dealers full stop they'll sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo and tell you you don't need electricity to keep it cool
The filters will be a cost issue so I'm curious at to VW might charge v Mercedes dam they are not cheap, PS Saw a rare L 45 today, didn't have time to happy snap the beast.
Richard