Advice needed please!!

[Jackantony]

Hi all, new to group. We are looking to purchase our first ever van after years of camping and need some advice please.

There’s 2 questions, SWB or LWB? We have a large dog so would like them to be with us.

I’ve also found 2 similiar vans - pictures for reference and need to know which one would be better for our first van, but also considering renting it out.

2016 75K miles - VW Transporter 6 white yellow. £30k - Manual, no AC (IS THIS SOMETHING I SHOULD PRIORITISE) no diesel heater (possible heater if on hookup), but does have solar charge for batteries.

2020 56K miles - VW transporter 6.1 white orange. £40K - manual, AC, Appleplay, heater,

Out of the 2 is there one that would have more pros? Or should I be looking for something else? Budget max is around 40K.

Thanks in advance

 

[Skyliner33]

For me, having had an SWB and now a LWB. The LWB feels much more spacious inside, especially when the bed is down.

As you asked I would look for a DSG van. Air con can be retro-fitted.

The 6.1 under the skin is quite a different animal than the 6. I would say look for a 6.1.

Try and test drive a T6 and a T6.1 for comparison.

 

[Bav]

+1 for LWB, especially with a big dog.

 

[Sirrell85]

Personally Air con is a 100% must!! I have and SWB which I use as my daily drive and for camping trips, we find its big enough for the wife, daughter, me and the labrador. The extra 300mm length with a LWB would be handy for more storage for sure. But as its used for everyday driving/parking 95% of the time the fact it fits in a standard parking space is ideal for us. Hire a SWB and a LWB for a few days and see how you find them before parting with £30/40k

 

[Skyliner33]

Personally Air con is a 100% must!! I have and SWB which I use as my daily drive and for camping trips, we find its big enough for the wife, daughter, me and the labrador. The extra 300mm length with a LWB would be handy for more storage for sure. But as its used for everyday driving/parking 95% of the time the fact it fits in a standard parking space is ideal for us. Hire a SWB and a LWB for a few days and see how you find them before parting with £30/40k

400mm. Its quite a lot. Air con can be retro fitted, and extra 400mm can't.

As a LWB driver I have never not been able to park in a parking space.

 

[manfrotto]

Also check which engine is in the van - Avoid the twin turbo models (which my be in the 2016 one), as they are prone to issues.

 

[Srea064]

As already said… if you’re going to be using the van as a daily driver, replacing the family car etc., SWB is easier to manoeuvre in a car park. LWB has a lot bigger feel about it and does offer more space for a larger dog. I would also recommend DSG Auto and air conditioning, with a pop top, they get very warm inside. Manual box would not be a deal breaker for me, but no air conditioning would be. Hold out for the right van for you, there’s plenty out there, aim at a high line model or above, as they come with a lot more standard kit. Then look for a quality conversion. Good luck.

 

[Bav]

Parking isn't really an issue in a LWB if you're a confident/competent driver (especially with rear parking sensors) and it's hard to overstate the benefit of that extra 400mm when camping.

 

[Sasquatch]

The extra 40cm of the LWB nice to have for sure, particularly for loafing about inside the van during the day, and initially that's what I was aiming for.

On the other hand, I'm 6'5" and have no problems at all sleeping in the SWB. The extra 40cm is of no consequence during beddie byes. I also discovered during the test drive thet rhe LWB didn't fit in a standard parking bay, which torpedoed it for me as it's my daily and I have to park in one town or another fairly frequently.

So one isn't better than the other, it depends on your preference and priorities.

Both seem a touch pricy for the mileage to me, albeit not obscenely so.

I'd suggest aircon is likely essential. DSG is very nice, but it didn't give me a semi personally. If you can you want Startline with Business Pack (aircon, autonomous braking, parking sensors, Cat 1 alarm, cruise) or higher. Highline adds colour coded bumpers and handles and a few other gee gaws to that if that is your thing.

6.1 feels a little lighter and more car like to manhandle, but not enough to make a 6 not worth considering if a good one crosses your radar.

Best of luck.

 

[Jackantony]

Thank you for the responses. we wouldn’t be using it daily, more weekends/weeks away. Looking to take it across Europe for holidays etc. there’s so many different styles and it’s definitely feeling overwhelming, they are so expensive as well and I don’t want to overpay too much

 

[DaveD]

So one isn't better than the other, it depends on your preference and priorities.

Wise words. What suits one person won't automatically suit another.

 

[manfrotto]

And then there is garaging (if that is what you will be doing). With LWB you need a pretty long garage. And high. the vans are pretty high (especially with the high roof models or pop top) and wide.
In saying that mine is a LWB and fits OK, and while it took a bit of getting used to re parking, it is ok MOST of the time.

 

[Jackantony]

Can anyone explain simply (for me) the difference between these 2 vans? Is there better performance?

Volkswagen Transporter Campervan T6.1 2021 — Advanture Leisure Campers

Volkswagen Transporter Campervan T6.1 Euro 6 2021 SWB 110ps 75,000 Miles 12 Months MOT 20” Alloy wheels Apple Car Play Air Con Electric Windows Heated / Electric / Folding Mirrors Full leather Full Colour Coded Bumpers Swivel & Slide Passenger Seat LVT Flooring ⭐️ Fiamma F4

www.advantureleisurecampers.co.uk

Orange van Buy Used Campervans in North Wales

 

[Richard T6.1]

SWB for me, no question.

My converter builds their campers on both SWB and LWB. Before we ordered ours, we tested both for a weekend. I'm 6' and my better half is 5'5" so we don't need the extra length for the bed(s) in the LWB. We also didn't experience that much advantage from the extra length living in the LWB van.

On the road we felt the difference to be bigger. The LWB feels noticeably bigger in handling, steering, parking etc. Not surprisingly 'cos well... it is. We also found the LWB to be less stiff than the SWB. The SWB feels more compact, solid and car-like I guess. The pop top roofs require a large part of the van's roof to be cut out and this obviously doesn't help the structural rigidity of the box. This was (clearly) more noticeable with the LWB van. It also had more squeaks'n noises, possibly for the same reason. We also felt the SWB looks much better but that's personal.

As said, I'd stay away from the high power BiTurbo engines (anything above 150 HP) as they are much more vulnerable and prone to issues in the long(er) run.

As a side note; I've always wondered why VW never build a LWB California?

 

[JumpShip]

We looked for our van to take us trips to europe , we have a dog and love the sun .....A/C is NOT an option ...its a necessity!.
Its a 'leisure vehicle' not a 'sweat box'.
Even if you say wind the windows down it's not a problem the first time you get sat in traffic on a hot day you'll know a/c was the right option .

 

[Bigsidavies]

We have a LWB that we’ve had for 5 years. It’s pretty compact inside with just the 2 of us. I couldn’t imagine having a SWB.
I use the LWB as a daily with no issues and park it on-street. No issues reverse parking it into spaces even with a tow bar mounted bike rack on it. Although I do have a reversing camera.
For me aircon is a must. My aircon is currently poorly and a recent trip to Brugges wasn’t pleasant driving with the windows down or trying to keep cool in the 4hour wait at the tunnel.
Personally I’d try to get a T6.1 or you’re buying into an already dated model with the T6.

 

[Bigsidavies]

We looked for our van to take us trips to europe , we have a dog and love the sun .....A/C is NOT an option ...its a necessity!.
Its a 'leisure vehicle' not a 'sweat box'.
Even if you say wind the windows down it's not a problem the first time you get sat in traffic on a hot day you'll know a/c was the right option .

100% what @JumpShip said.

 

[Bav]

My converter builds their campers on both SWB and LWB. Before we ordered ours, we tested both for a weekend. I'm 6' and my better half is 5'5" so we don't need the extra length for the bed(s) in the LWB. We also didn't experience that much advantage from the extra length living in the LWB van.

On the road we felt the difference to be bigger. The LWB feels noticeably bigger in handling, steering, parking etc. Not surprisingly 'cos well... it is. We also found the LWB to be less stiff than the SWB. The SWB feels more compact, solid and car-like I guess. The pop top roofs require a large part of the van's roof to be cut out and this obviously doesn't help the structural rigidity of the box. This was (clearly) more noticeable with the LWB van. It also had more squeaks'n noises, possibly for the same reason. We also felt the SWB looks much better but that's personal.

IMO, bed-length is a red herring, as the beds are the same length in a RIB/RnR layout. Granted, that's not necessarily true for a u-shaped setup, but that's not a common layout in a daily driver.

The only positive argument for a SWB seems to be that it's easier to park and drive. Whilst acknowledging this is subjective, my experience is that the differences are so marginal as to be irrelevant.

In addition to the obvious benefit of additional loadspace, a LWB gives you...
• More cupboard space - a precious commodity when camping
• More more living space - vital for camping in poor weather or with kids/dogs
• With the bed deployed, enough floorspace to be able to stand up/get dressed/access the fridge - means you can get up without disturbing your partner.

Opinions, eh? We've all got 'em, they're all different and none are wrong!

 

[Richard T6.1]

IMO, bed-length is a red herring, as the beds are the same length in a RIB/RnR layout.

I was referring to the upstairs bed in the pop top. It's the only one we use but I should have pointed that out.
The pop top bed is approx. 30cm longer in a LWB van. At least in an Austops roof.

 

[Jackantony]

That’s one thing I am mindful of is the size, would a LWB be more difficult to drive and park in Europe if we did go abroad. But also in the UK, finding parking spots that would allow us to still see towns etc