What has stopped you from buying a T6?

[Tornado T5]

Just wondering if anyone here would like to buy a T6 but hasn't because your needs are being met by the local product offering. Let's put aside price because a VW will cost more then any commercial vehicle apart from MB.

For example I wanted a tdiI50 Crewvan 4 motion, would have been happy with a tdi400, would have considered a Caravelle tdi340 if it came with wing doors. None are available here so bought something else as I thought I cannot get want I want, so I'll buy from another brand that gets as close as possible and to be frank I saved a bucket load. When the plan to allow parallel importation was canned I was really disappointed. I mean here I was probably going to spend upto $70K on a van with the specs I wanted and I couldn't. And virtually no dealer holds stock of vans with rear wing doors and a driver side sliding door which were my absolute necessities. So you are stuck with 4-5 months factory order. And then you jump on Carsales and see what a Caravelle sells for and work out an optioned Transporter and sit there confused at the price disparity when you consider the stock spcec a Caravelle provides including full trim, rear aircon 7 rear seats...etc...and you scratch your head.

Maybe I'm having a small winge as I really wanted to buy a T6....it's just I couldn't even get close to what I wanted and yet you can configure anything in Germany (naturally) and even in the UK it's so much better.

[BrianJ]

I'm stopped from buying a T6 because my 2006 kombi beach is in very good condition and no car today is anywhere near it as a short wheelbase camping solution.

[Sunny43.5]

Its a conspiracy theory time , I still hold my opinion that the big car importers and local dealer colluded to lobby the government to stop personal imports without the time and cost restrictions as they did not want their fat healthy bottom line to be eroded . The old excuse about protecting local car manufacuterers is no longer valid but they still got their way , "Ba ***ds ".

[TheKiwi]

so I'll buy from another brand that gets as close as possible and to be frank I saved a bucket load.

Out of interest what did you buy?

I was virtually the opposite to you... I had never heard of the multivan until we stumbled across it at a dealership randomly. We wanted comfort, reliability, good looks, could fit surf boards inside and comfortably take the kids and a few extra people when we needed.

I looked at the iLoad. I use them for work on a daily basis and they're not a bad car. But they're not as roomy or versatile (seats sliding/turning/ lay flat etc) as the multivan and not as refined. Cheap, budget look and feel. Admittedly it probably would have would out$5-8k cheaper...

I looked at the Merc but at the time it was an extra $5k we just couldn't afford.

I loved the Renault. But they only came as a "tradie" setup and we were going to have to fit out the rear with glass, bulk heads, trims, aircon etc. I couldn't be bothered with the hassles etc as overall cost was going to be similar into the multivan in the end.

The Kia Carnival was very nice, but not quite able to cope with a 6ft surfboard inside. Plus it really looked like a soccer mum car

I'm now up too about 65k in the T6 tdi340 and we love it. The only thing I don't love is the pricey servicing and I'm starting to get a couple of really obvious wear marks on the inner door handle where the 'final' coat of plastic appears to be peeling of. I'll speak to the dealer and see what they say but I'm very happy with the multivan.

[Transporter]

Just wondering if anyone here would like to buy a T6 but hasn't because your needs are being met by the local product offering. Let's put aside price because a VW will cost more then any commercial vehicle apart from MB.

as I thought I cannot get want I want, so I'll buy from another brand that gets as close as possible and to be frank I saved a bucket load.

....and I thought that it’s only me, being too picky.

I was put off by DSG only option, unless buying “Runner”.

A few years back I went to replace my 2005 T5 4Mo. Originally, I wanted to get Crafter, but was told “we don’t bring the 4Mo into Australia”. I thought it’s odd, since the MB Sprinter that was made on the same production lane can be ordered with 4x4. Well, it looks like that MB values their customers more and give a few customers in a very small Australian market the 4x4 option, while VW Australia couldn’t be bothered. The T6 4Mo comes DSG only, no manual, so it was the end of VW commercial vehicle for me.
I’ve had 4x4Sprinter for 2years and now driving 2018 Iveco Daily.

[Bryn23]

While i have a T6, id most like look at a MB sprinter next time

MB seem to be more flexible with their options, like factory swivel seats on the low bases, while VW Au refuses to offer it to the retail market.

I can't make sense of it, as most of the VW van range is order in, so if i'm going to have to wait 4-5 months for a new van, i might as well be able to order in what is available over in Europe.

Its not hard to add an option number to the build

[Transporter]

Its not hard to add an option number to the build

It is, if you’re lazy, incapable and just want to take it easy at work.
Considering MB Sprinter?
I’d really have to see some visible improvements in the MB vans beforre I even think about getting one.
Here is what I don’t like in the MB;
Body panels don’t match very well (just look at the gaps), water leaks inside, too many electrical and mechanical issues, waiting too long for the spare parts and repairs. If you’re getting 4x4 option, be aware of front diff noise it’s a very expensive part, failing repeatedly, mine was delivered with the noise so bad I got headache in just 20minutes, it was replaced at 800km and it was noisy like hell again in 20,000km. It was the reason why I didn’t want to keep mine out of warranty. Otherwise the ride was much like car quality.

Now I’m driving Iveco Daily for 6 month only and so far so good, though the navigation unit is dreadful, the worst I ever used,it’s unresponsive, intrusive and bad image quality from reverse camera. The ride quality is a truck like, so don’t believe what the dealer says or is in the advertising material, they all lie. If your stomach is weaker you could start throwing out when drive shortly after eating breakfast or lunch.

I’ll only get the Crafter or T6 if there’s manual version in 4motion variants, though I will see in 4 years how well is the small 2.0TDI doing with some 200,000km on the clock.

[Sunny43.5]

These days there seems to be issues with a lot of new cars , and the sad part is the commercial fleet type people are not considered to be high priority . The old Aussie saying she'l be right seems to be the norm , our new T5 was deliverd with blemishes in the bumpers . The front doors were worse than a Geely from China , no wait that would be an insult to the Chinese . There used to be an ad on TV where a couple were shopping for a car and at each dealership the salesman would use the tag line "just like a Golf "to describe other brands . The thing they showed was shutting of the doors to compare with the Golf's doors which shut with a nice thud , now ours sounded more like a rattly barn door and would bounce back on the striker . VW's answer ? spray some lube on the latch striker what a joke ! Along with a faulty seat belt that pinned you into the seat better than Hulk Hogan in wrestling match , and a DSG that decided to let us roll down a hill backwards twice with no drive . The weirdest part was VW actually had a name for that fault "false neutral " Last one lack of engine transmission options here is a joke , even a German reviewer said one model would be hard pressed to carry a decent load .

[Bryn23]

It is, if you’re lazy, incapable and just want to take it easy at work.
Considering MB Sprinter?
I’d really have to see some visible improvements in the MB vans beforre I even think about getting one.
Here is what I don’t like in the MB;
Body panels don’t match very well (just look at the gaps), water leaks inside, too many electrical and mechanical issues, waiting too long for the spare parts and repairs. If you’re getting 4x4 option, be aware of front diff noise it’s a very expensive part, failing repeatedly, mine was delivered with the noise so bad I got headache in just 20minutes, it was replaced at 800km and it was noisy like hell again in 20,000km. It was the reason why I didn’t want to keep mine out of warranty. Otherwise the ride was much like car quality.

Now I’m driving Iveco Daily for 6 month only and so far so good, though the navigation unit is dreadful, the worst I ever used,it’s unresponsive, intrusive and bad image quality from reverse camera. The ride quality is a truck like, so don’t believe what the dealer says or is in the advertising material, they all lie. If your stomach is weaker you could start throwing out when drive shortly after eating breakfast or lunch.

I’ll only get the Crafter or T6 if there’s manual version in 4motion variants, though I will see in 4 years how well is the small 2.0TDI doing with some 200,000km on the clock.

Thanks for the heads up on the MB, thats quite a few issues.

I'm about 2 years away from deciding which MWB High roof platform to build my next camper on, both the new VW model Crafter and new model Sprinter will have been out for 18 months, so ideally that will give them time to sort out the new model issues.


Ducato were looking at releasing a 4x4 version into there range, although there is not firm date on that.

The T6 i have with the Seikel suspension drives great, i know that the next van won't be as comfortable, as the rear is leaf springs.

[Transporter]

The 4x4 Sprinter ride was very good, very comfortable. The Ducato will be probably available with 2.3L engine only, which is a pity, because the 3L engine is a areal powerhouse with150kW 470Nm from 1500rpm. Also the Iveco Daily 4x4 should come later with the 8sp ZF auto, if you can stretch your budget and don’t mind the harsh ride. With more than 2.2t load carrying capability, it’s an ideal chassis to built on.

[Tornado T5]

Out of interest what did you buy?

I was virtually the opposite to you... I had never heard of the multivan until we stumbled across it at a dealership randomly. We wanted comfort, reliability, good looks, could fit surf boards inside and comfortably take the kids and a few extra people when we needed.

I looked at the iLoad. I use them for work on a daily basis and they're not a bad car. But they're not as roomy or versatile (seats sliding/turning/ lay flat etc) as the multivan and not as refined. Cheap, budget look and feel. Admittedly it probably would have would out$5-8k cheaper...

I looked at the Merc but at the time it was an extra $5k we just couldn't afford.

I loved the Renault. But they only came as a "tradie" setup and we were going to have to fit out the rear with glass, bulk heads, trims, aircon etc. I couldn't be bothered with the hassles etc as overall cost was going to be similar into the multivan in the end.

The Kia Carnival was very nice, but not quite able to cope with a 6ft surfboard inside. Plus it really looked like a soccer mum car

I'm now up too about 65k in the T6 tdi340 and we love it. The only thing I don't love is the pricey servicing and I'm starting to get a couple of really obvious wear marks on the inner door handle where the 'final' coat of plastic appears to be peeling of. I'll speak to the dealer and see what they say but I'm very happy with the multivan.

Bought 2 vans...in July 2017 a 2/2017 Ford Transit Custom auto and in Feb 2018 a 11/2017 Renault Trafic Crewvan with Lifestyle pack.

[Tornado T5]

[QUOTE=Transporter;1272205]....and I thought that it’s only me, being too picky.

When it's our money and we know want we need then we have every right to be picky.

[Tornado T5]

While i have a T6, id most like look at a MB sprinter next time

MB seem to be more flexible with their options, like factory swivel seats on the low bases, while VW Au refuses to offer it to the retail market.

I can't make sense of it, as most of the VW van range is order in, so if i'm going to have to wait 4-5 months for a new van, i might as well be able to order in what is available over in Europe.

Its not hard to add an option number to the build

You almost repeated my statement word for word to the VW rep.

And when I bought my T4 in 1998 Southern Automobiles had yard full of vans on the lot with options like wing doors ready to go, I bought a petrol with LPG and had it in 5 days...next in 2007 Burwins had a yard full ready to go except I chose Tornado red and waited 4 months (no issue from me) and today Brighton VW have ....so little it's not funny.

[LogicprObe]

Yeah......I have to have wing doors and they are only coming in as autos.
Since I carry a lot of heavy stuff, I don't trust an auto to last the over 400k I have on the T5.
It's still going strong but I'm looking at a Crafter now.........and even.....gulp.......other brands!

[Tornado T5]

To rub salt in my wound I just configured my dream van on the VW UK website...a Combi Highline, lwb/tdi450/dsg/4 motion wing doors, and a few other things rounding out to 47K Pounds, yes expensive but I got everything I needed plus everything I wanted...

On top of the top spec Highline van I added:
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
LED headlamps with LED daytime running lights (Wing doors)
Rear wing doors with heated windows
Composition Media Radio with 6.33" touch screen
Fuel tank with a volume of 80L
Front and rear parking sensors
Heated driver and front passenger seats
Headlamp washer system with heated front washer nozzles and washer fluid level indicator