Advice Needed On Buying A T6.

[Bart_K]

Hi guys!

Looking for help in buying the right T6 for my needs.
I'm a courier driver - I do long distances mostly. I cover 2-2,5k miles a week. Currently drive Ford Transit Connect L2 powershift - really like it but was always interested in VW Transporters. I'm an ex HGV Class 1 so a bigger size is an only advantage.
Due to my customer needs I have to buy a bigger van. I want to keep the van as long as possible and hopefully cover 400k miles before I change it, mainly because it will loose value very quickly due to high millage.
Version I'm after is 150 6 Speed manual or 7 speed DSG (I consider both SWB and LWB versions). Ideally if its a combi van 5 or 6 seater (this to be confirmed this week, I'm searching for reasonably priced courier insurance for more than 3 seats). Back seats are to be taken out for 98% of the millage covered , only need them occasionally during leisure trips, we also have sold a car as my wife now travels by train to work so even if insurance is more expensive the cost could be similar of having a second car just to sit on a driveway waiting for the occasion to take more than 3 people. I usually transport small pallets totalling of 100-400kg.
My ideal van would be a 5-6 seater, DSG, barn doors, "sportline" look van (lowered, bigger wheels, sportline bumpers), I'm also thinking of converting it into camper van one day).

Right, here are my questions:

1. What gearbox would you recommend? (Is DSG (I love automatics) a reliable gearbox worth the extra money? 85% of my millage are motorways, ,fuel consumption is quite important.

2. Is tailgate removable to install barn doors? (sometimes I get loaded by a fork lift, can you squeeze UK pallet through a side door? , or is it possible to rise tailgate higher to allow fork lift to load it through the back?)

3. Once the back seats are removed is it possible to install temporary bulkhead to be easily removable?

4. Is it possible to upgrade later on wing mirrors to be power folding, replace the seats (front ones) to be heated?

5. Is anyone using Android Auto? (This is very important to me as I use it all the time, all day long, If VW original Sat Nav with Android Auto isn't working properly this will be first thing I change).

6. Would you recommend buying a ready made "sportline" look van or rather buy a standard and converting myself?

7. Can anyone confirm if service period is shorter in DSG models comparing to manual gearboxes? (It is on my Ford Transit Connect which I was not aware of).

Sorry for the long post but would really appreciate any advice.

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

what are are you "milling"?

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

1) I love (decent) auto gearboxes too, but decided to go manual as i intend to keep to vehicle more than 5 years. run it to the ground, or until it gets banned off the road for pollution.
7) not entirely sure, but at least VW asks for very frequent transmission fluid change on their DSG. (which i like) BMW went "lifetime" and I hate it (they just point blank refuse to service it unless it has a problem, in which case, most of the time it is too late, and will cost big money)
i think in both case, it points to less longevity. older style auto transmisions (late 90s mercedes for example) seemed lower tech and more reliable

2) just get the right vehicle for your needs. i've seen conversion barn to tailgate, and probably easier the other way around, but just get what you need from the begining. will save lots of trouble

 

[Bart_K]

what are are you "milling"?

Haha, it took me some time to find out what you mean, I think I'm slight dyslectic and cant't see misspelled word , I've tried to correct it but can't find the option to edit my post? (If you can edit my post, please feel free to correct it) Thanks for the reply.

 

[Bart_K]

1) I love (decent) auto gearboxes too, but decided to go manual as i intend to keep to vehicle more than 5 years. run it to the ground, or until it gets banned off the road for pollution.
7) not entirely sure, but at least VW asks for very frequent transmission fluid change on their DSG. (which i like) BMW went "lifetime" and I hate it (they just point blank refuse to service it unless it has a problem, in which case, most of the time it is too late, and will cost big money)
i think in both case, it points to less longevity. older style auto transmisions (late 90s mercedes for example) seemed lower tech and more reliable

2) just get the right vehicle for your needs. i've seen conversion barn to tailgate, and probably easier the other way around, but just get what you need from the begining. will save lots of trouble

It is quite hard to find the right combi van with barn doors, 85% vans on the market are with tailgate (that's what I think). To be honest for personal needs I'd prefer a tailgate but if you can squeeze UK pallet trough the side door that could help.

 

[Newf]

@Bart_K you will find all the info you need in the VW Transporter brochure at "https://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/c...enditions/original./transporters-brochure.pdf ". This gives you all dimensions of load area door sizes etc which you can compare with the loads you normally carry, up to 3 Euro pallets if says are possible, must have to pull to middle one out I guess.

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

It is quite hard to find the right combi van with barn doors, 85% vans on the market are with tailgate (that's what I think). To be honest for personal needs I'd prefer a tailgate but if you can squeeze UK pallet trough the side door that could help.

most people using them as camper vans prefer tailgates.
personal taste, but i suspect many companies order them like that because they might get slightly higher resale value/ quicker to sell once they switch vehicle
both tailgate and barn will carry / accept same size, but tailgate might prevent a tall forklift to get close enough to put the pallet in

i bought mine to be a camper van, from new, but went barndoors. i prefer the ecstatics, and also easier to open in small areas

 

[Bart_K]

@Bart_K you will find all the info you need in the VW Transporter brochure at "https://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/c...enditions/original./transporters-brochure.pdf ". This gives you all dimensions of load area door sizes etc which you can compare with the loads you normally carry, up to 3 Euro pallets if says are possible, must have to pull to middle one out I guess.

Thanks for that, it will help me a lot.

 

[Bart_K]

most people using them as camper vans prefer tailgates.
personal taste, but i suspect many companies order them like that because they might get slightly higher resale value/ quicker to sell once they switch vehicle
both tailgate and barn will carry / accept same size, but tailgate might prevent a tall forklift to get close enough to put the pallet in

i bought mine to be a camper van, from new, but went barndoors. i prefer the ecstatics, and also easier to open in small areas

I think, I gonna have to take your advice and look for a barn door model instead of converting a tailgate.

 

[Bryan1971]

Hi & welcome Bart_K

Another alternative is to get a panel van with barn doors then convert that to a Kombi van.

 

[Beejay]

A van with a DSG gearbox plus ACC (automatic cruise control) is ideal for long runs as the ACC keeps a safe distance from vehicles in front and the DSG selects the correct gear. Standard cruise needs you to switch it off and on for speed changes.
I'm not aware of any DSG long term reliability problems.

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

A van with a DSG gearbox plus ACC (automatic cruise control) is ideal for long runs as the ACC keeps a safe distance from vehicles in front and the DSG selects the correct gear. Standard cruise needs you to switch it off and on for speed changes.
I'm not aware of any DSG long term reliability problems.

depends what you call long term:
original DSGs were only launched in 2003.
and considerable changes since. Changes can be good or bad long term (performance/economy/comfort != reliability, mileage != age)
most were for sport-ish/luxur-ish cars. not necessarily for vehicles in the 3tonnes area when loaded

some of us here will keep the vehicle 15 years +
i've got a BMW1 series auto E87 from 2004. still great vehicle, but some issues with the auto gear box (hiccup on reverse, occasional stall on slowing to a stop)
that might be its nail in the coffin if I can't get it sorted
shame it's a still running fine otherwise. trying to have it sorted out right now

if you want comfort go DSG
if you want lower maintenance costs, during early years and when your vehicle is old, go manual
also, would you trust anyone other than some VW garage to maintain a DSG? (much higher chances that most local garages can service a plain manual box)

(PS, i wanted DSG, but with 4 motion i would have to go for 204BHP, higher insurance, higher consumption, 2 turbos -> twice the risk of failure, and obviously all the above)

 

[Sabre]

i prefer the ecstatics

From barn doors? That's a kink I don't wanna hear about!

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

bloody auto correct lol

 

[Bart_K]

Hi & welcome Bart_K

Another alternative is to get a panel van with barn doors then convert that to a Kombi van.

Was thinking about that this is one of the options, I only wander how much would that be to convert it?

 

[Bart_K]

A van with a DSG gearbox plus ACC (automatic cruise control) is ideal for long runs as the ACC keeps a safe distance from vehicles in front and the DSG selects the correct gear. Standard cruise needs you to switch it off and on for speed changes.
I'm not aware of any DSG long term reliability problems.

I used to love it! I think it's called Adaptive Cruise Control ACC, we had that in Scania's, great for congested British motorways, especially when traffic is slowing down and speeding up again frequently. It's almost impossible to hit a vehicle in front, had a demo in Millbrook Proving Ground last year with fully laden MB Actros (44t) full speed to a stand still, stopped just before the car! What an experience!

 

[Steve H]

I used to love it! I think it's called Adaptive Cruise Control ACC, we had that in Scania's, great for congested British motorways, especially when traffic is slowing down and speeding up again frequently. It's almost impossible to hit a vehicle in front, had a demo in Millbrook Proving Ground last year with fully laden MB Actros (44t) full speed to a stand still, stopped just before the car! What an experience!

It's a technical tool for poor drivers..! It won't stop someone from twatting you up the rear if you drive on/of the brakes.

 

[Bart_K]

depends what you call long term:
original DSGs were only launched in 2003.
and considerable changes since. Changes can be good or bad long term (performance/economy/comfort != reliability, mileage != age)
most were for sport-ish/luxur-ish cars. not necessarily for vehicles in the 3tonnes area when loaded

some of us here will keep the vehicle 15 years +
i've got a BMW1 series auto E87 from 2004. still great vehicle, but some issues with the auto gear box (hiccup on reverse, occasional stall on slowing to a stop)
that might be its nail in the coffin if I can't get it sorted
shame it's a still running fine otherwise. trying to have it sorted out right now

if you want comfort go DSG
if you want lower maintenance costs, during early years and when your vehicle is old, go manual
also, would you trust anyone other than some VW garage to maintain a DSG? (much higher chances that most local garages can service a plain manual box)

(PS, i wanted DSG, but with 4 motion i would have to go for 204BHP, higher insurance, higher consumption, 2 turbos -> twice the risk of failure, and obviously all the above)

I really like comfort! We all do don't we? I buy a van for myself in which sometimes gonna have to spend 12-15h , long days. Been driving manual automatic HGV's for the last 5 years and love them! (especially Volvo's latest I-Shift). The reason companies started to buy automatic lorries was that the price was the same as for manual. Clutch life is twice as long as on manual, fuel consumption is comparable or lower, lorries use GPS map and for example switch of to neutral just before the top of the hill so vehicle uses kinetic power (correct me if I'm wrong) to get over the hill, even chooses (reduces ) lower gear just before a steep hill to maintain the power and speed correctly, all thanks to GPS and computers on board. Volvo's I-Shift gearbox is the most precise I have come across! Its a piece of cake manoeuvring fully laden. Although most lorries I was driving were not older than 3 years, I've driven high mileage DAF's and they were horrible! So for the long therm 6 Speed manual could be better as I don't indent to sell it before it hits 400k+ (which is gonna be worth peanuts anyway). Van is gonna be owned by my company not myself so all the maintenance costs to be paid by company (which I will include in costs, lowering profit but also less taxes to pay because of that).

 

[andys]

It's a technical tool for poor drivers..! It won't stop someone from twatting you up the rear if you drive on/of the brakes.

I remember our next door neighbour making that argument about seatbelts in 70s.

 

[Bart_K]

It's a technical tool for poor drivers..! It won't stop someone from twatting you up the rear if you drive on/of the brakes.

It's being implemented in all modern lorries now, so it's more sort of for professional drivers too, It has significantly lowered insurance premium I was told, wander if it's gonna be any lower on cars/vans, and remember if someone hits your back is their fault (unless proven otherwise for braking without a reason for example). It's also a good habit maintaining a safe gap at all times.