Comparison of Van's in the Australian market

[Sunny43.5]

Thought this might be of interest to some , I was shocked to see that our VW scored second worst out of seven . Some of the blame was aimed at cost's for servicing and accessories , apparently all vans tested are aimed at the tradesman who use their vans as mobile offices and to bring the VW up to a certain standard ment a $4000 plus extra for the audio system with Bluetooth and other functions .Van comparison : Toyota HiAce v Hyundai iLoad v Ford Transit Custom v Renault Trafic v Fiat Scudo v Mercedes-Benz Vito v Volkswagen Transporter | CarAdvice Remember not my opinion .

[Tornado T5]

Thanks for the link, and frankly it is exactly how I see the T5 at the moment, under specced for the money being charged and it's not good enough to live off your "premium" euro image anymore. Bluetooth and reversing camera should not be such expensive options and linking it to satnav is ridiculous. I have a top end Garmin gps and wouldn't bother with a factory unit given the features I get including free map upgrades. The major reason I keep stalling replacing my T5 apart from loosing the smoothness of my auto is hoping for a big jump in standard features for an upgraded T5.

[Sunny43.5]

Yes if you tick those option boxes it gets pretty expensive , I just have problem not only with VW by the way on how much car makers charge for some technology items . I think the price for a reversing camera was $1000 that's insane , I know the VW one turns the distance bars with the wheels when reversing but for $30 for the Chinese one I have works just as good when reversing without that part , and the Chinese head unit has more functions than any VW supplied one and that is a fact for less than $500 with reversing camera for the rear and a DVR for the front . .

[Transporter]

Yeah, but will that Chinese unit and the RVC last as long as the OEM?

[Sunny43.5]

You could look at it this way like I do spend $4000 on a VW model or $500 on a Chinese one , all the ones we have had bar one are still going strong two years plus I had to send one back for a software glitch which prevented the DVD player from working no problem just over 12 months old and they replaced it with a brand new one for the huge price including freight of how much yes $45 including freight to Australia . Even at $500 the GPS software included is much more up to date than the VW ones and updates are free , so at that price if I wanted to I could update to the latest model with all the new functions every 12 months and I would still be in front after even 8 years !! Any way this not about head units so lets leave it at that . Lets hope when the T6 comes out which should be in the next two years based on the normal cycle of each model that they pick up their act a bit and include what should be standard these days . Forgot to mention I have had the Chinese reverse cameras on both our early T5,s for now over six years and they are both still working and they look the same as the original VW one anyway [ VW probably get theirs made in China anyway ] plus the latest head units now have have forward facing DVR camera with GPS logging and recording .

[Transporter]

I wasn't that lucky. I've bought only one Chinese unit (popular brand in the forum). Installed it in the Touareg first and it was the worst unit I've ever seen. I've removed it and installed it in my T5 and in less than 1 week I felt like throwing it out of the window.
As we are all different, everyone has a different degree of perfection, different standards.

The same could be said about the vans compared as in the link in the original post. I don't care what they found out when they've compared them, I'd drive them all first and then decide what I buy. In todays world of the internet, youtube and even the TV, and retard can compare the products.

[Sunny43.5]

I will admit my first foray into Chinese was after the factory Blaupunkt front facia fell off as you had to open the front up to change a CD and the ribbon wire tore off at the same time , strange thing was the Blaupunkt was made in China hmm . The first Chinese was from Eonon and like yours was apiece of crap you could not get a CD out because the cd unit would not eject a cd at the angle of the VW dash , it was fine when it was out and held level , So the next one came from SZ Waywell it is still going today nearly 8 years on although not in our van . I gave it to a friend now I only buy from Erisin they have been really good with service and warranty and their products are very up to date with modern technology . I will admit after the chaos over our older van I was down on VW in a big way , not that I am still convinced that some of their technology is perfect and I believe that with all these new vans coming onto the market I think VW will have to lift their standard a bit higher and also think about stop trying to reinvent the wheel in their own way . I wonder if GM will release the Vauxhall badged van here . I did some research just now with the van configure site in the UK for $50.000 you get the top range engine plus top range optional media system with all the bells and whistles and its only $2k option please {note VW $2k for all the bells and whistles} not the ridiculous $4k they want here . Like I said it would seem VW may have to look over their shoulder with all these new van's coming through .

[Sharkie]

I don't care what they found out when they've compared them, I'd drive them all first and then decide what I buy.

Agree 100% .... I always decide what to buy by extensive research and then a try before you buy scenario. I don't care what anybody else thinks provided I like the product and believe it will do what I want.

And if a brand I particularly like (VW as an example) does not offer me what I want, I am more than happy to buy elsewhere.

RE the radios though, Sunny, RNS510 IMO is miles above anything non OEM ...... and I have had few to date ..... currently wait to give away a EONON SatNav I fitted to a family member's RAV ... its pure and utter rubbish.

[Sunny43.5]

When we bought our T4 new in 2000 I was pretty impressed , I already had 6 months before bought a second hand T4 for my new business so I had reasonable time to get to know them . Then when the T5 came out I had no qualms in buying one and then bought another new one for my business again . I did research other vans at the time but twice the Merc failed once with the auto that crapped itself on our hill and the new version had less head room into the back area for our disabled kids . Other models at the time were just not suitable but today the playing field has expanded so more choices next time we renew our vans . I have seen the RNS units but for the money they are still short on features that my current China one has for a quarter of the price , yes I know for those with upmarket model vans it will integrate with onboard systems but we have to buy a standard model van so we can custom build it for the kids . So an RNS would be sort of wasted when half the stuff would not work on a base model .

[SnowMotion]

I have to agree with that review. Certainly the best to drive but not the best to live with or on the wallet.
Just done the 120'000km on a 5 year old T5 and the service costs are just not realistic. $950 for a service, $850 for rear brakes plus $750 for front suspension bushes and they wanted $800 to replace the aircon fan because it only works on speed 3 & 4 now. I would not feel so bad about this if I had not had another van serviced for it's 60'000km and it cost $2000.
These service cost are way too high, I need to find a good alternate service location in Sydney.

[Gold Coaster]

and they wanted $800 to replace the aircon fan because it only works on speed 3 & 4 now

That's what I love about the T4! I had to replace my air con fan switch also and it cost around $80 including installation.

I've had my 96 2.0L for over 4 years, clocked up over 70,000 km and besides the basics such as oil/filter, brakes, etc (which I try to do as much as possible myself). Besides tyres, rego and insurance have been my only major costs.

[Tornado T5]

Obviously a review in the media can only be used as one "guide" in the buying process, and any subjective criteria should be treated as such. It does allow you to read a comparison made hoepefully on vehicles tested together and when it comes to pricing and specification comparisons there isn't a subjective component to consider. The road test highlights VW is seriously out of the ballpark for both options pricing and basic spec levels. To be frank a Lwb Transit Custom embarasses a T5 except for the lack of a power train to match the VW's tdi400/ auto and I believe an auto is coming next year.

200,000km on and I still love my T5, so much so I twice decided to keep it over upgrading to a T5gp. However major repairs are expensive, my last starter motor replacement for a new one and scheduled service cost half what the starter replacement alone would have cost at my dealer.

[Transporter]

Not even as a guide, only as an opinion of one (or couple) person. Just like other opinions in the media.

[Tornado T5]

Not even as a guide, only as an opinion of one (or couple) person. Just like other opinions in the media.

Any subjective criteria is the opinion of the author and as you said not a guide however you cannot deny things like specs/pricing are objective and not based on opinions and come in very handy in such write-ups where a large number of vehicles are compared.

It's been a while since I've read any recent comparison of multiple vans, I usually visit What Van.

Lol, just visited it now and there is a story on pricing for the new Trafic and Vauxhall twin.
Prices released for Renault Trafic and Vauxhall Vivaro siblings
This caught my eye and wallet... and greatly improved looks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFrSQ-YY7W0

The new Renault Trafic panel van will cost from £18,245 when it goes on sale in September.

From launch the Trafic will be available in low-roofed mode in two body lengths. High-roofed and platform cab variants will join the line-up in 2015. Three trim levels are up for grabs – Business, Business+ and Sport.

The entry point for the range, and the projected best-seller, is the Business. It features a height adjustable driver’s seat with armrest, near side loading door, reach and rake adjustable steering wheel, electric front windows, electric heated door mirrors, full steel bulkhead, spare wheel, remote central locking and deadlocking, plus 16 anchorage points (18 on long-wheelbase). A new standard addition to the Trafic is ESC with HSA (Hill Start Assist) and the Grip Xtend traction control system to cope with loose surfaces. It also gets DAB radio with USB connectivity as standard.

Customers opting for Business+, which has a £1100 step up in price on corresponding engines and bodystyles, get a fold down centre passenger seat with removable A4 clipboard, laptop storage, and smartphone dock as well as air-conditioning full steel bulkhead with load-through facility (up to 4.15m in the long wheelbase version), and Renault’s new Wide View Mirror. Set in the passenger side sun visor, the brand claimed it more than doubles the line of sight to the rear.

On the exterior the Business+ boasts a body-coloured front bumper, door rail and tail light column and rear parking sensors.

The flagship Sport comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, auto lights and wipers, Bluetooth, leather steering wheel, lidded upper dashboard storage, metallic paint and body coloured door mirrors and chrome grille, seven-inch touchscreen MediaNav multimedia and navigation system, cruise control, speed limiter and front fog lights.

Prices for the Sport van, which is only offered in low-roofed guise, range from £21,045 for the SWB SL27 dCi 115 to £23,445 for the LWB LL29 Energy dCi 140.

Meanwhile Vauxhall has announced that its version of the Trafic, the Luton-built Vivaro, will have a starting price of £17,995 for the panel van, which undercuts the outgoing model by £450.

The new Vivaro is available in two trim levels: Vivaro and Vivaro Sportive.

Top price for the entry-level panel van in double cab mode is £21,795. Prices for the panel van in Sportive trim go from £19,765 to £23,145.

The Vivaro also comes as a nine-seater combi and platform cab.

The combi ranges from £25,699 to £27,749 including VAT while the platform cab starts at £20,658.33 and rises to £21,858.33 excluding VAT. All prices listed here exclude VAT bar those for combi models.

The flagship Sport comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, auto lights and wipers, Bluetooth, leather steering wheel, lidded upper dashboard storage, metallic paint and body coloured door mirrors and chrome grille, seven-inch touchscreen MediaNav multimedia and navigation system, cruise control, speed limiter and front fog lights.

Prices for the Sport van, which is only offered in low-roofed guise, range from £21,045 for the SWB SL27 dCi 115 to £23,445 for the LWB LL29 Energy dCi 140.

[Transporter]

Yes, the price comparison is good, but easily obtained in minutes these days thanks to the internet.
I don't know if I'd go for anything from Renault or Ford because of the reliability plaque and it doesn't matter what the reviews are saying. It's better to stick with the devil I know.
In 9.5 years of ownership the T5 never left me stranded and only the extra part that it needed was 1 water pump.