HELP/ADVICE Going back to t5.1 from our t6…what to do??

[cossie]

As above, I currently run a 1 owner 2012 trendline 4motion manual 140(remapped to 160) with heated seats,diff lock towbar etc for work. (Panel van with tailgate) 87k van is owned outright. Paint and bodywork is rough and tatty. Salsa red

We then last year bought 2017 highline kombi 2017 dsg 204 twin sliders, sunroof nice spec etc fitted towbar to pull caravan with and use as a day van.
64k financed from Vw still got another 3-5years to pay.
Paint is in great condition oryx white.

after a recent trip we have again had issues with the kombi, engine management lights etc, really crashy ride and all round just does not feel as well put together as the t5.1. The T6 is my missus Daily and she drove the t5.1 the other day and said she would prefer to drive the t5.1!!! So trying to cut it short!! I am seriously considering selling the t6 back to Vw and chucking the monthly finance we pay at the t6 towards the t5.1 to get it how we want.

So if we go back to the t5.1I feel we only really are missing these which we have on the t6
a extra slider (we will convert the t5.1 at some point, so that’s no big issue.
No CarPlay or touch screen (how easy to retrofit?)
No sunroof which we aren’t fussed as one day we will poptop
Heated windscreen can this be retro fitted?
Auto box (we have found the t6 dsg to be thirsty especially when towing (but is to be expected)
Led lights which again can they be retro fitted to the t5.1?
The 3 seats in the rear (how easy is this to do?
Single captain seat in the front, how easy to convert bench to single?

But we gain the 4motion and no adblue issues with the t5.1.

Thanks for reading any help or advice is much appreciated and any converters you recommend to chat to would be great.

Thanks

 

[david173]

87K is still very young for the T5.1 if well looked after should have loads of life left. Its all down to personal preference and i'm sure you will get a real split on here!

If you were going to keep it long term and not bothered on resale value I would be tempted to sell the T6 and upgrade the T5.1 to how you want it, im a big fan of the not broken don't fix it philosophy. Just bear in mind any money you spend on the T5.1 will be less seen back on any resale. The paintwork can be sorted its just going to cost but all perfectly fixable. I would be tempted to price up the T5.1 with all the options and extra you have listed and them see if it stacks up.

If you are keeping the T6 the suspension is an easy fix, visit @CRS Performance , you only need to check the reviews on here as they speak for themselves very common to retrofit better suspension. The EML is a right pain but remember there a 1000's of happy customers running that spec with plenty more miles its just luck of the drawer and again can be sorted, if you only got it last year what warranty did VW give? might be worth hounding them as your first port of call

No CarPlay or touch screen (how easy to retrofit?)

you would just need a new headunit fitted that has car play, should be straight forward I would suggest a chat with @Absolut5

No sunroof which we aren’t fussed as one day we will poptop

Sounds like no issue

Heated windscreen can this be retro fitted?
Auto box (we have found the t6 dsg to be thirsty especially when towing (but is to be expected)

I would think this would be mega £££ not to say It couldnt be done just probably not financially friendly!

Led lights which again can they be retro fitted to the t5.1?

Check out Transporter HQ, link below. You wont get full LED as dont think it was option on the T5.1 but the H7 projectors will be a good upgrade (search the forum for more info the topic has been done to death)

T5.1 Lights - T5.1 Headlights - T5.1 Rear Lights | Transporter HQ

T5.1 lights provide far better visibility to your van. Whether it is for seeing in front or behind, or even inside the van, we have every type of light!

transporterhq.co.uk

The 3 seats in the rear (how easy is this to do?

Which seats do you want? Kombi? if so its pretty simply simply and done to panel vans all the time. Most convertors should be able to do this easily for you.

Single captain seat in the front, how easy to convert bench to single?

really easy just a little pricey, will probably cost around the £1000 mark. The bench has 6 bolts in the floor and the single bolts straight in using only 4. You will need both the passenger seat and the seat base.
If you haven't got armrests on the drivers you can often get them in matching sets, look at ebay or for sale section here. will be more but could be a great upgrade.
Personally I would try and source a set of factory swivel seats (thats what I did) as I really like the OEM look and find the swivel mechanism fantastic.

But we gain the 4motion and no adblue issues with the t5.1.

Thanks for reading any help or advice is much appreciated and any converters you recommend to chat to would be great.

Thanks

 

[cossie]

Thanks for this @david173 really appreciated.
I am doing a pro and cons list this week.
I don’t think I will miss the 4motion if I stick with the t6.
My biggest issue with the t5.1 is the salsa red colour and it needs respraying!!

 

[z1ts]

My biggest issue with the t5.1 is the salsa red colour and it needs respraying!!

I sense a colour-change on the cards!

 

[cossie]

I sense a colour-change on the cards!

Yes! But really don’t know how door shuts etc get done? I’ve always been the mindset colour and doors is one thing you really can’t change and don’t want it look Mickey Mouse!

 

[WillWillWill]

It depends how much of the red you want to cover up - if you can live with 50% of it, go for a two tone paint job. That way all of your door shuts, interior panelling that’s on show, etc remains red, and doesn’t look odd. Paint either the bottom (my preferred) or the top with a new colour, get the red tidied up, and it will look great.

Otherwise you are right for a full colour change. It is either extremely involved to get it done properly, or a quick blow over which doesn’t sound at all like what you want.

This is based on exactly my thoughts. I had a rough looking silver t5.1 and it is now blue bottom and silver top. I am really happy with it.

 

[WillWillWill]

In the interests of pics or it didn't happen:

 

[david173]

@F2JON has a full respray so might be worth PM'ing to ask more details

 

[cossie]

In the interests of pics or it didn't happen:

View attachment 201478
View attachment 201479

Looks really well that does! Question is what goes with salsa red!!!!

 

[F2JON]

Yes! But really don’t know how door shuts etc get done? I’ve always been the mindset colour and doors is one thing you really can’t change and don’t want it look Mickey Mouse!

I had mine done by Paintworx Loughborough, complete glass out panels, doors everything removed it was quite scary on such a new low mileage van at the time lol message me if you want a rough idea of cost obviously mine was done over 18months ago but I can pass Steve’s details on if you want them .

 

[Bigsidavies]

Looks really well that does! Question is what goes with salsa red!!!!

A silver top half maybe?

 

[z1ts]

Question is what goes with salsa red!!!!

Pearlescent White... Wasn't red n white a factory option at one stage on a T6 model of some kind once?

 

[T6WOLF]

Hello Cossie - You seem pretty sure that you don't like the T6 and want to change back to the previous model. However as we move forward in time it's clear that that more and more urban areas are introducing Low Emission Zones - Glasgow introduced one at the beginning of the month with £60 fines. With each breach the fine doubles ! Diesels have to be Euro 6 compliant.
All the other Scottish cities will follow suit next year. I'm sure other British cities will add to the ones
already in existence. In addition many European urban areas have LEZ's.
Just a thought Cossie. Good luck ...Wolfie .

 

[cossie]

Hello Cossie - You seem pretty sure that you don't like the T6 and want to change back to the previous model. However as we move forward in time it's clear that that more and more urban areas are introducing Low Emission Zones - Glasgow introduced one at the beginning of the month with £60 fines. With each breach the fine doubles ! Diesels have to be Euro 6 compliant.
All the other Scottish cities will follow suit next year. I'm sure other British cities will add to the ones
already in existence. In addition many European urban areas have LEZ's.
Just a thought Cossie. Good luck ...Wolfie .

Thanks for this, it is looking more likely we will be keeping the T6 as it stands. I think the spec is something we would never have the chance to own in the future so may stick with it and get the suspension done as first job.