AT6 OYEH! Reflex Silver T6 SWB Kombi with added ABT

[John A]

Now then

I’ve lurked for a while as Facebook groups have generally taken over forum activity, but thought I’d start a thread on the van, as I expect it will go through some small, continued transformations….

We bought our 2016 SWB Highline Kombi in March last year when then littlest one came along, and we discovered that there wasn’t the room in either our Qashqai or A4 Avant for three kids to travel comfortably.
I do a bit on VDub Radio, so it was a foregone conclusion really that we would get a T6. I’d have like a T6.1 but was out of budget.

I found this one on eBay within 10 miles and it ticked the boxes for mileage (50k), price, 2 front seats and a rear bench, twin slider and tailgate, and had already been carpeted in the back and fitted with Vibe speakers in the rear. It’s a EU5 140 6 speed manual, previously owned by a tuner, so has a map and feels like it is about 180bhp/330 ish lb ft.




Usual Highline kit (heated screen, air con, electric windows and mirrors, auto lights/wipers/dipping mirror, rear OPS).
It also has high beam assist, headlight washers and heated washer jets (don’t know if they were standard). It also had some ABT treatment, so has LLL supplied “ABT” embroidered leather (or probably pleather, but can’t have been cheap), a removable tow hitch and tow prep, ABT front skirt, ABT CR 20s, plus side bars, a generic rear spoiler and rear LEDs (these might have been ticked on the options list from new).

I’ve fitted Vanstyle headlights with Philips LEDs (they call them ‘V4’ but they’re remarkably similar to THQ V3s) and then, after we went to VW Bus Festival in Hanover, I sourced and fitted some ‘Bulli’ badges (when I say “source”, I found them on Amazon….) and then some chrome trimmed (Caravelle?) side repeaters and Silvervision bulbs to get rid of the fried egg look.



I’m not a massive fan of shiny chrome but I think these look ok



I fitted a new gearknob and gaiter (from VW) as the old ones were a bit tired, and the usual stuff like the wiper blades have been done, it’s had a timing belt and water pump because I believe they were due (regardless of whether VW now recommend 15+ years and 130k)

I put a Discover Media MIB2 in, for CarPlay and aome LV carpet mats. I managed to code in the mirrors to fold on the key (eventually).

I have some fancy brakes to fit, I’d like some coilovers too - it was on Eibach ‘Raceline’ springs until one was discovered to have snapped. I swapped them out for a set of H&R 50mm, but I’d like some coilovers. I’ve messaged @CRS Performance on Facebook and hoping for a reply.

I am getting ‘insufficient flow’ on the EGR, so it might be time to swap it. I really don’t want to blank or map it out as I believe, like the DPF, it’s there for a reason and I want to keep it that way.

It also has to support the odd camping trip at the VW festivals we go to with VDub Radio, so I bought a second hand Infinity Customs bed and a SIM, which is fine for the 3-4 weekends per year it’s actually used.

 

[Chippie1]

Loving the plate

 

[Sackmycook]

Asking for a fine with the plate unfortunately but nice van

 

[CAB]

Don't rely on FB, give Steve at CRS a call tomorrow, he's better on the phone!

 

[John A]

Asking for a fine with the plate unfortunately but nice van

That's just a show plate - I've got proper plates

 

[John A]

Without question, the best money I've spent is on having this van ceramic coated
It makes it so easy to clean and means that the pre wash stage remove 90% of the dirt before the contact wash.





I also finally got around to fitting the brake kit that I'd put together, but not without making sure I carelessly put them back in the box first to scratch the finish and the logo before I'd got around to fitting them.

I bought some DB9 calipers from a chap breaking a DB9 on his drive, I bought the (Vagbremtechnic) brackets, pads, lines and bolts from Alex at AKS Tuning in Bedford, the EBC discs were from eBay and then took the calipers to Dave Baird in Northampton to have them rebuilt and repainted, including a set of fully refurbished rears to match, rear Brembo discs and pads, and some new rear flexis (just to make them easier to bolt up) came to something like £1204 and meant that I could buy a bit each month.

I think the whole lot has come in around £250 cheaper than SF-Tuning charge for just the fronts - granted they have to take into account their overheads and stuff like VAT, etc., but I think the whole kit of 4x calipers, 4x discs, 2 pairs of pads, a refurb and all the hardware to put them together is pretty good. Of course, now I want some Akebono 6 pots on 380mm discs....



The wheels are knackered with a lot of the powder coat now failed, so that will need to be addressed PDQ.

Lastly, with OYEH being pressed into service for the thrice-yearly festival appearances, some extra space was needed and an Olpro Snug Breeze ("Breeze" being the airbeam version) orderd. Olpro do some pretty good discounts at various points of the year, this coming in around 30% cheaper than buying the same item from Decathlon or another reseller. Never mind that I also bought a ground sheet, carpet, 12v inflator pump, 2 new chairs, etc.
I feel like I have achieved total camping w-anchor nirvana.




Sailed through the MOT yesterday (15 July) and was serviced as a reward....
Next on the list (other than the bigger Akebono brakes and some bigger rears) would be a wheel refurb, front OPS retrofit and a reverse camera. I'd also like to upgrade the speakers, but generally this isn't essential and I reckon sorting the EGR is probably bit more important.

 

[John A]

EGR done - was clearly mucky and had a reached a stage where the spray cleaner would no longer do anything.
I bought a Wahler version from GSF, which came in a Borg and Beck emissions system box and cost £360 - less 15% discount and less £108 surcharge for sending the old one back so it topped out at £250 ish. I paid £120 to have it replaced including the antifreeze.
My tech said it was a pain in the arse of a job and it had clearly been done before, because it was missing the two inside bolts. It was also Valeo branded, which indicated to me that it was also aftermarket.
Didn't take any detailed photos or split the cooler from the valve unit.



I'm also trying out some carbon mirror caps as I think they suit a silver van.
The original RH mirror had clearly been whacked or had been removed and refitted in the past, as all of the internal clips had broken. Add to that a couple of clips on the base cover were broken as well.
I order the latter from Vanstyle (genuine OE for about £15 delivered) and have now tried three sets of carbon covers. The first ones I ordered from a well know retailer didn't fit (they reckon it was operator error and it may have been, but I could not line up the clips), the second set from Amazon were nearly 40 quid and look like they had been cut out in a year 7 design and tech class with a blunt scalpel blade. The third set - pictured - just don't line up properly. They don't fit around the inside edge, next to the side window and there is a sharp edge along the front where it meets the lower casing.

I have looked at hydro dipping and it's getting on for £100 (plus the price of a pair of plain mirrors to be dipped) and I just don't think I'm that into it.





Next on the list is some of CRS's own H&R coilovers and some narrower tyres.
I am tempted to sell one of the bikes to fund, seeing as I haven't done any cycling for at least 2 years...

There are lots of things I could take photos of, but probably can't be bothered.
I tried a couple of replacement gear knobs and gaiters, but didn't like any of them until I bought OE Sportline items from LLL Parts.

The Leighton carpets have gone - I didn't like that the rear bench's mat didn't go under the seats and the heel pad on the driver's side was in the wrong place.
I bought a full replacement set from Harrison's Trim Supplies, as you can spec the rear seat mat to go under the seat (+£20). The heel pad is in the right place, but they are in the van getting on at least 6 weeks now and the rear mat won't lay flat. There is a slight overlap between rear and middle mat and the rear mat is not cut out for the lashing points, which is a bit of a pain as I like to strap the bed down when I am using it (on the three occasions per year).

I've also developed a rattle (not me, the van), which is definitely coming from the back and seems (IMO) to be brake related, as it goes away under braking. I reckon it's the pads rattling in the caliper. EBC, in their infinite wisdom, don't supply replacement pad anti rattle springs or caliper bolts in a set of rear pads, which every single other pad maker seems to do. I've got some new springs/shims and will get these fitted, except I didn't order any caliper bolts (and don't seem to be able to find them as a standalone product).

 

[John A]

BusFest tomorrow, I've just had a week off and not even had time to get the van clean since we came back from Ireland (gratuitous ferry shot...)



I've ordered a new Reflex Silver mirror cover for the driver side (as all the tabs were broken), but it is 2 weeks and counting now since it was ordered, so god knows if it'll turn up.

I am sad enough to keep a record of every penny spent on our vehicles, because...well I don't really know either, but anyway I do.
So far in our ownership, I've done £6k
At least £3,500 went on "vanity projects", £700 on fixing stuff I broke and £1k went on fixing stuff that went wrong (new springs, pair of shocks and an EGR valve).
A service, timing belt and a couple of MOTs make up the rest. I'd have preferred to not have spent money on replacing a set of springs for one broken one and a pair of shocks for one blown one, especially because I would like to do a set of coilovers, but it is what it is.

I can see another couple of grand being spent on a decent set of coilovers, a set of 245/45 tyres and a wheel refurb.
I'd also like to swap out the DB9/340mm brake setup for an Akebono setup from an Audi and a bigger rear setup.

I'm sure there was a point when I started writing this, but I can't remember what it was now, as I've been interrupted three times.

 

[John A]

Not much to report
After months of deliberation, the van is booked to go to @CRS Performance on Wednesday for some MOAR LOWERR. In preparation for a coilover kit, I have had some narrower tyres fitted. Nexens again as I though the Nexen SU1s that were on it already were very good, especially at the price point compared to a Conti or a Michelin (I ran exclusively Michelin Pilot Sport 4 or 5 on my previous car and the current car has Bridgestone S001s on it, which wear out very quickly and seem to offer little in the way of wet grip currently).

And some pictures if you like that sort of thing



The "I'm glad we've got a van because this would have been a squeeze in the car"


The "I stole this from BusFest....."

The only think I bought at BusFest (other than an ice cream and a couple of pints, and the most expensive tent pegs in Malvern) was some Van-X lower dash mats. I already had the door pocket rubbers, but bought the dash mats to finish off the set. I was surprised there wasn't a show offer on as they were priced the same as they were online, but it's not the end of the world. I may go for the top dash mat just for completion

The "why do I need this much stuff for two nights?" (Note the unnecessarily professional shotgun microphones)



The "this is the tidiest I've ever had it so I might as well make the use of it"



The "where did all this water come from?"


And finally, the "I suppose I should probably take a photo before I completely pack away"



Those bubbles went absolutely everywhere and I'm surprised they weren't really slippery when it chucked it down.
That angle makes it look quite low on 50mm springs, but there's more arch gap than that to delete

 

[John A]

Arch gap deleted




After a trip to @CRS Performance on Wednesday last week, OYEH is now wearing one of their H&R kits.
Am amazed at a) the speed the work at b) James’s knowledge and c) how different the ride is. I reckon if the van ever carried any weight it would be even better but a 70mm drop and it has some of the driving characteristics is a car. Its remarkable.

I’ve also fixed the pesky bonnet switch - the plunger looks like it had got stuck under the rubber sleeve.
I have tried to do the same to the towbar electrics as it thinks a trailer is attached til I press the brake (to make the OPS system work). I need to take the connector apart but the screw head has gone rusty and Won’t separate from the bolt. Specialist needed…

 

[John A]

And those who enjoy a game of spot the ball may have noticed that I've put an original matching mirror cap back on.




The original silver cap didn't fit properly and it was only when I took it apart the first time did I notice that all of the clips had been snapped, as well as some of the clips on the base of the mirror.

I had been running with one of the carbon mirror caps fitted, because after fitting them and deciding I didn't like the fit, I only bothered doing one until the replacement silver item arrived. It came from eBay, is advertised as (and appears to be OE) and arrived in the VW packaging. The painting has been done by the seller as it's not finished on the inside of the cap the same as factory, but whatever. £63 for the mirror cap and £15 for the base from Vanstyle (I think).

I keep a record of every penny spent on the van and it's the stuff of nightmares (even if only 1/3 of it was strictly necessary spending....)