Quality issues

[Sunny43.5]

Okay I was wondering on what T5 owners think of their vans overall ie quality issues , we have had ours for 5 days and the first thing I noticed was and yes I got this from the TV ad "Just Like a Golf " the front doors are just way out of adjustment for my liking when they close they bounce back on the strikers not like a Golf as the ad says . I will have it sorted at first service so how do you rate yours ?? Not the doors obviously but any other issues .

[Transporter]

Mine is just plain van and also 2005 model, but I rate it very high when compared to other brands, even 2012 MB Vito Crewcab I've looked several weeks ago.

[Tewbacca]

I own a 2005 model T5 thats done 96000 ks so far. Apart for normal services I've never had a thing wrong with it. I've been reading this forum for a well over a year now and I when I read all the problems and quality issues others are having, it makes me a tad nervous, to the point I think I should sell it now whilst its going. However,I'm thinking the vast majority of T5 owners have never heard of this site and the people that come here are the ones looking for answers to niggles and problems they unluckily have had, giving the impression that the van is a pile of horse dung. I'm sure if you looked at a forum for Toyota Corolla or Samsung TV, the same skewed impression would be given. Incidentally I haven't had problems with either of the said products, owning both of them.

PS Thinking back I did have an issue with the gearbox at one stage and after resetting it with advice received from this site. , its worked perfectly ever since.

[Sunny43.5]

Manual or auto ?? Tewbacca . We have had 2 previous T5,s plus the current new one and as all would know and more than ever I think our first one was a Monday van .!!!

[Sharkie]

2011 Multivan 103TDI(340) with DSG .... no problems at all. It has seen VW once for a service in 22 months/25000km. Nothing broke, everything still solid and no complaints from a reliability perspective.

Issues I did have was that VW service was overpriced and poorly done. Got charged for tyre rotation which never happened, now I have to replace 2xfronts. Fluids were not topped up as clearly stated on the VW invoice. My tip, stay as far away from VW Norris Motor Group's service centre as you can, Brisbane North Side.

[BrianJ]

My tip, stay as far away from VW Norris Motor Group's service centre as you can, Brisbane North Side.

I second that, it is the last place I would take mine after a couple of experiences I had there.

Brian

[Sunny43.5]

Yes there are service departments and then there are some who should not have the first part of that name advertised . I know with our T5 with the auto problems they happily charged me $600 odd dollars for an auto service which contributed to the eventual death of the auto and would not even consider that they were responsible in part for its demise . I will be trying the dealer where I bought the van from and see how they handle things . As for Norris if you go to Volkswagen Australia on Facebook there has been some people here in Brisbane who are most definetley not impressed with their service dept .

[Jmac]

2011 Multivan 103TDI(340) with DSG .... no problems at all. It has seen VW once for a service in 22 months/25000km. Nothing broke, everything still solid and no complaints from a reliability perspective.

Issues I did have was that VW service was overpriced and poorly done. Got charged for tyre rotation which never happened, now I have to replace 2xfronts. Fluids were not topped up as clearly stated on the VW invoice. My tip, stay as far away from VW Norris Motor Group's service centre as you can, Brisbane North Side.

i got a huge problem with topping up fluids, i cringe when i hear the adds on TV " we top up your fluids". Ok you can top up engine oil, it will be using it or if it were a service you will be changing it. Top up brake fluid?? why??? if its down then the pads are down, if its 24 mnths you are changing it, if the pads are not too low otherwise you will push out good fluid when changing new pads. Next pwr steering or coolant, ok you topped it up, why??? its leaking if you topped it up. or has it magically just permeated through the hoses. See where the problem is?? Only true top ups in my opinion will be oil, but if its in for a service forget that, and windscreen washer fluid. thats it. If you are topping anything else up there is issues, not with VW any car. Happy to debate
Cheers
Jmac

[duaned]

Mine is a 2012 T5 Transporter and I must admit I don't like the hard, scratchy plastics in the cabin. They scratch way to easy. Other than that nothing else so far.

[Sunny43.5]

I have to agree with you Duaned the plastics in most new cars today are so fragile I work in new cars most days of the week installing sunroofs , and without fail its the most important thing on my mind when working in the cars , I do fit heavy duty vinyl covers over all the seats and across the floors and a separate cover over the dash at crucial parts of the job . Plus I wear rubber sole shoes which upsets some dealer workshops as they don,t comply with WPHS . I tell them if I wear the sort of shoes they like then I will not do the job as I am in an out of the car front and back inumerable times during the install and hard tipped shoes will decimate the trims .

[t5dude]

I'll bite
I've been lurking around here for a while and couldn't resist any longer!

I've recently purchased a 2012 TDI400 to replace a 2005 TDI400. I think the 2005 is finished better. Nothing major, just a bunch of little things...

- Left hand windscreen wiper cannot be lifted. It hits the bonnet. No problem on the 2005.
- Rear trim panels are cut short. Perfect on the 2005.
- Plastic trim plug on the sliding door panel is omitted. Installed on the 2005.
- Plastic trim plugs on the tailgate trim to stop crap from filling the holes are omitted. Installed on the 2005.
- Engine taps on cold start until the oil gets to the top end. Sounds like a Mitsubushi Sigma! The 2005 with 140,000kms is quiet as a mouse when started after sitting for a week
- Right hand number plate lamp dull compared to left. Dud globe, no biggie.
- Dealer used 1 inch long M5 bolts to mount the rear number plate and scratched the crap out of the tailgate in the process

Pics

2012


2005


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2005


2012


2005


2012


2005


2012

[Sunny43.5]

Whilst I can,t remember what out first T5 was finished like as its has now been retrimmed etc , I have noticed some of the items you have listed also I noticed the loss of the side pockets from the seat bases or are they only on the top end models now as both our older T5,s have them on . As usual the standard radio is destined for the recycle bin its just not good enough for our taste . The new one has DVD / CD/ Mp4 /WMV play .Built in GPS/ Bluetooth / Digital TV/ reverse camera / AMFM radio/ Dual can bus for dash read out on screen Wi Fi / 3g internet via dongle and Sim card .External mic and Ipod connection . Looking forward to installing then adding the extra amps and speakers sub woofer etc .

[Ivo]

Whilst I can,t remember what out first T5 was finished like as its has now been retrimmed etc , I have noticed some of the items you have listed also I noticed the loss of the side pockets from the seat bases or are they only on the top end models now as both our older T5,s have them on . As usual the standard radio is destined for the recycle bin its just not good enough for our taste . The new one has DVD / CD/ Mp4 /WMV play .Built in GPS/ Bluetooth / Digital TV/ reverse camera / AMFM radio/ Dual can bus for dash read out on screen Wi Fi / 3g internet via dongle and Sim card .External mic and Ipod connection . Looking forward to installing then adding the extra amps and speakers sub woofer etc .

What radio are you fitting Sunny? Another Erisin?

[Sunny43.5]

Yep guilty but its a newer version than previous ones which are working fine still , this is the one for the new beast ES1268AU 8" HD Car DVD Player GPS WiFi 3G DVB-T IPOD VW PASSAT SKODA SEAT | eBay Plus these for our daughter who rides in her wheelchair in the back .ES301AU 9 inch HD Touch Screen Plug-in Car Headrest Mounted Monitor DVD Player | eBay . Also rear camera and parking sensors {wife asked for them }

[Umai Naa!!]

I'll bite
I've been lurking around here for a while and couldn't resist any longer!

I've recently purchased a 2012 TDI400 to replace a 2005 TDI400. I think the 2005 is finished better. Nothing major, just a bunch of little things...

- Left hand windscreen wiper cannot be lifted. It hits the bonnet. No problem on the 2005.
- Rear trim panels are cut short. Perfect on the 2005.
- Plastic trim plug on the sliding door panel is omitted. Installed on the 2005.
- Plastic trim plugs on the tailgate trim to stop crap from filling the holes are omitted. Installed on the 2005.
- Engine taps on cold start until the oil gets to the top end. Sounds like a Mitsubushi Sigma! The 2005 with 140,000kms is quiet as a mouse when started after sitting for a week
- Right hand number plate lamp dull compared to left. Dud globe, no biggie.
- Dealer used 1 inch long M5 bolts to mount the rear number plate and scratched the crap out of the tailgate in the process

Pics

2012


2005


2012


2005


2012


2005


2012


2005


2012

Yeah, one of the things they did with the T5GP was pull a lot of the neat little trims and covers out, to keep the price down.

Sort of makes the bus a little incomplete, but in my opinion, it's still a bloody good vehicle.