which multivan, auto or 4 motion etc

[BobD]

[QUOTE=wandaria;81231].

Bob if you don't mind me asking, what sort of deal did you get on the multivan, I will be buying the comfortline and probably the 4 motion, not sure what extras I will get but I want a towball and stuff which I am not prepared to pay vw their exhoribant price so it will be a salary sacrifice after market fitting.

[QUOTE]

Wandaria,

My dealer arranged for a Haymen Reese towbar that I paid for myself rather than including it in the deal. It has 2500kg capacity and cost around $540. The only problem is that the recommended receiver is very low, way too low for my caravan, and I got the supplier to swap it for a higher one. They did this at no cost for me but said I was the only T5 owner to query the towbar height and they have supplied lots to other people.

The deal I got was free on road costs (rego and stamp duty). Stamp duty is pretty high in WA, around $3000 for the Multivan if my memory is correct. I got them to give me an equivalent discount on the price instead, which reduced the luxury car tax to almost zero. They did this for me although they don't usually do it. It also works better for the Novated Lease / salary sacrifice paper work.

[Seano]

Wandaria, if you play on dirt I can guarantee that your fuel economy will suffer......not spectacularily mind you but enough to be noticed. The T4 syncro tends to chew an extra 10% per 100km when doing open dirt roads despite the adjustment in driving style for safety reasons....

[shogun2]

Wandaria,

My dealer arranged for a Haymen Reese towbar that I paid for myself rather than including it in the deal. It has 2500kg capacity and cost around $540. The only problem is that the recommended receiver is very low, way too low for my caravan, and I got the supplier to swap it for a higher one. They did this at no cost for me but said I was the only T5 owner to query the towbar height and they have supplied lots to other people.

Just be careful doing this if you have the reverse parking sensors. I've been quoted the $1,400 to retrofit a removable tow hitch to my T5. They justify the high cost as they need to modify the CAN buss to turn the sensors off when the standard tow hitch is fitted.

[BobD]

Just be careful doing this if you have the reverse parking sensors. I've been quoted the $1,400 to retrofit a removable tow hitch to my T5. They justify the high cost as they need to modify the CAN buss to turn the sensors off when the standard tow hitch is fitted.

Who needs the VW automatic system? All you do is push the button on the dash to turn the sensors off when you reverse with a trailer. No big deal at all. Otherwise it beeps continuously. I wouldn't pay extra money for this when the fix is so simple for the few times you actually reverse with a trailer.

I don't know how they have wired things up though as they probably know nothing about the CANBUS system. It all seems to work OK though.

[Tornado T5]

Just be careful doing this if you have the reverse parking sensors. I've been quoted the $1,400 to retrofit a removable tow hitch to my T5. They justify the high cost as they need to modify the CAN buss to turn the sensors off when the standard tow hitch is fitted.

Mine is a HR manufactured and dealer fitted option with the rear protection bar and the supposed extra wiring loom to de-activate the factory fitted reversing senors when reversing with a trailer and guess what?...beep, beep beep...I have a sneaking suspicion they fitted the hitch without the correct wiring loom, only problem so far and minor at that, the dealer will look at it as I think I'll do a mid-point oil change service at 7500km.

[otzi]

If I had the choice again I think i would go the extra $1k and get the four motion but the auto for all my little issues is great and cruise control is brilliant.

Wandaria, I didn't know the 4 motion was 1K more, than which model?
I as yet haven't bought a T5 but a good test drive on pot hole and ridged road showed an extraordinary ability to grip compared to other vans even rear drive. The diff lock performed really well and smoothly, but for how long? Even parking it on wash ways and fire trails with one or two wheels off or just touching the ground enabled uphill (slope) smooth starts. Being an old bushy I would have no hesitation in using this van on dirt roads.

Any way thought I would put in my .02c