Would you buy a T5 with a more powerful engine if available?

[Tornado T5]

I was browsing the Merc Vito website and noticed that the V6 Tdi now has 165kW/440nm @1400-2800 rpm although still only a convetentional 5 speed auto. I know that my own 128Kw T5 is good enough but as Tim the Toolman used to say "you can never have enough power".

Considering the power gap has opened up so much between the T5GP 132kw/400nm and the new Vito I was wondering if any here would seriously consider a higher powered version of a future T5. They even sell a crewcab with wing doors..(yes I sound like a broken record). I still feel the Transporter is the better vehicle but a few extra kW would be nice while I'm not sold just yet on the smoothness of the DSG in city stop-start traffic. Maybe I'm getting itchy buying hands as my beloved T5 will be 4y.o. in July and I've got one year after that before balloon payment is due and extended warranty ends.....

[Sharkie]

T5 overseas have just been released with the 150kw/350NM TSI (petrol) engine. This can be easily (and quite cheaply) upgraded (chipped) through the main brand tuners to at least 175kw/450NM from 1700-5000rpm.... is that enough power ? Is so, hang on a bit for it .....

That said, considering it is a van I find the 103kw/340NM TDI on ours to be sufficient .... and thats coming from someone who drives a 200+kw Tiguan regularly .....

EDIT: and the new 7spd DSG is actually pretty good around town .... and thats coming from someone who has had manuals in everything all his life ....

[IN2VWS]

Having owned a MB car and a Smart, I will never buy anything from the MB stable again. The cars (and vans) are expensive to start with, but the servicing and parts will tear you a new a**hole.
I know someone that works at MB, and he advised me to stay away from the Vitos. Yes they have a warranty, but the inconvenience of having to get things repaired, is just that, inconvenient.

The 132kw van has heaps of power. Stick with the VW.
If you really want to be convinced to buy a Vito, then maybe a MB forum will do that for you.

[Tornado T5]

I don't need convincing to by a Vito as I won't be leaving VW having now had them for nearly 14 years, my point was that the engine power gap has opened up a fair bit and I was wondering if anyone here would consider a higher output tdi if it was available. In my case our van can go from empty to an internal load of about 800kg and a trailer carring a load of 1200kg+, so gross nearing 4500kg and up and down hills.

As to the DSG, my loan van last service was the 103/dsg as soon as I got back into my auto I noticed the much smoother stop start running, granted the dsg gearchanges on the move are superb and very fast and the hill hold was useful.

[Tornado T5]

We would need to keep it stock until warranty ended hence my question of a more powerful factory model and frankly for our working situation I would assume a tdi would be better. We often have to pull out of farm driveways onto busy roads with 100km/hr speed limits so extra care needs to be taken when pulling out not to cause a vehicle behind from having to brake. I tend to just be patient and let them go. I guess also having a G6ET means I'm spoilt for breathtaking acceleration.

[Transporter]

I was browsing the Merc Vito website and noticed that the V6 Tdi now has 165kW/440nm @1400-2800 rpm although still only a conventional 5 speed auto. I know that my own 128Kw T5 is good enough but as Tim the Toolman used to say "you can never have enough power".

Considering the power gap has opened up so much between the T5GP 132kw/400nm and the new Vito I was wondering if any here would seriously consider a higher powered version of a future T5. They even sell a crewcab with wing doors..(yes I sound like a broken record). I still feel the Transporter is the better vehicle but a few extra kW would be nice while I'm not sold just yet on the smoothness of the DSG in city stop-start traffic. Maybe I'm getting itchy buying hands as my beloved T5 will be 4y.o. in July and I've got one year after that before balloon payment is due and extended warranty ends.....

Yes, I definitely would as I can't see myself buying a current T5, because I feel that upgrading to the new 4 cyl. TDI is still downgrading for me. I think that I will keep what I have and hope that VW will come up with something better with more power.

How many km have you done and did you have many problems with yours? If not, why not to keep it longer, even if it would brake down and you'd have to fix it before you trade it in you would still be ahead, unless it happens too soon after your extended warranty ends.

[PeDiES]

didn't fifth gear put the t5 against a v6 vito and the t5 dominated

[PeDiES]

YouTube - Fifth Gear SHOOT-OUT! VW TRANSPORTER v MERCEDES VITO X

[question?]

That was good!

[T5Pete]

I'm glad i got the 132 over the 103. I too wasn't sold on the DSG but when i drove it in the van on the 132 engine it was quick as, didn't like it's low speed pre select tho and i bought a manual as i didn't see the cost worth it. I drove a tsi polo with dsg, it sucked with no go from stop but when moving was great, My only bad point was not being able to pre rev the engine before dumping the clutch to say bolt a right turn through traffic but i didn't try left foot braking and right foot on the gas to get the revs up, I'm guessing the clutch engages when you let the brakes off as it will try to pull it off the handbrake. anyway, I race bikes and like to mash gears when appropriate. I'll prob chip the 132 too when a good bunch o chips come out..

[Transporter]

didn't fifth gear put the t5 against a v6 vito and the t5 dominated

Wasn't it only because Vito's traction control was coming on and there was no way of turning TC off.

[Tornado T5]

I've now done 108,000km since July '07. Problems have been the replacement of the auto (iirc ~65K km, recall on the oil cooler, O2 sensor and some trim replacment for inside door grabs (I think tint installer broke them on pre-delivery) all under warranty. I still love driving it and "it's as tight" as the day I brought it home. As to keeping it longer after warranty I still feel ill when I remember the near $3000 I spent in the last 3.5 months of my T4 ownership (including hire trucks etc) although that was at about 290K+ km... I understand your point on updating to T5GP. Frankly it doesn't offer enough to make me want to buy it. Not the way a T5 did over the T4.

[Tornado T5]

Wasn't it only because Vito's traction control was coming on and there was no way of turning TC off.

Exactly, everytime you turned it off it comes back on and dropped power as well.

[Seano]

Frankly....no. There's more than sufficient herbs available now in the current range. But the real reason.....price. Power cost money.

With respect to the Vito TDi V6......is it a Euro 5 compliant engine? Or for that matter, Euro 6? If not then it has death hanging over it.

[Ivo]

YES! Provided the rest of the mechanical's could handle the power and the economy was as good.