Martin T5.1
New Member
Hi, can I do this and still get through the dreaded MOT??
Is The 102 Bhp Really Powerful Enough
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Martin T5.1
New Member
I did tow with the T5.1 and a much larger caravan with no issues, obviously used more on fuel efficiency no different if not the same as the Defender but never worried me about overtaking wagons
Just fondly remembering my first camper, a 1967 Austin ambulance conversion.
BMC 2.2 Litre petrol engine produced around the same 110 bhp.
Top speed not much over 40mph, on steep hills it hardly got out of first but strong as an ox !
I currently have a LWB 110 bhp Kombi as a work van, copes easily fully laden with tools etc.
I've never thought it underpowered, certainly not enough to consider a remap and the strain it could put on the 5 speed gearbox.
BMC 2.2 Litre petrol engine produced around the same 110 bhp.
Top speed not much over 40mph, on steep hills it hardly got out of first but strong as an ox !
I currently have a LWB 110 bhp Kombi as a work van, copes easily fully laden with tools etc.
I've never thought it underpowered, certainly not enough to consider a remap and the strain it could put on the 5 speed gearbox.
I didn’t test drive my 102bhp t6, I had driven one before converted as a camper so it was more of a case of trying to find one with the spec I wanted versus what money I had in the budget, chose a delivery mileage van rather than others higher specs and higher mileage. As a converted van it travels well over long distances but around town I guess it’s a lot of weight to pull round so uses more fuel. It’s still fairly enjoyable to drive though
It’s definitely not pokey but the upside of that is when I drive the wife’s 1L Skoda it feels like a rocket ship
It’s definitely not pokey but the upside of that is when I drive the wife’s 1L Skoda it feels like a rocket ship
Yeah , they don't check software in the Mot , as long as the physical item is still intact.
Yet. Like all environmental standards they get tighter.
Martin T5.1
New Member
A test drive barely lasts above 15 minutes if you’re lucky and all your doing is checking if the vehicle is mechanically sound ,no knocking, banging ect , not long to fully appreciate the vehicle, and why should I ever consider the horse power? The T 5.1 had a 2.0 litre 140,bhp makes no sense to stack the van up fully loaded all the time and expect a weak engine to pull it around.Doesn’t seem everyone does this anymore.
A vehicle is usually the second most expensive purchase people make… I really don’t understand how people spend so much cash without checking what they’re buying.
Maybe they ask chat gpt?
Martin T5.1
New Member
I’ll definitely look into that, wonder if it’s something Pendle tuning could sort out??
Martin T5.1
New Member
Did think about converting an army Land Rover ambulance
Like most things in life… there’s a choice involved. If you like your way that’s cool.
I prefer my way and, for me at least, I find it adds value to the decision making.
The last vehicle I bought was my motorbike. Some dealers said ‘yes, we have one in the showroom you can sit on’. I declined. I bought one from a dealer that let me actually ride different bikes on various roads - in fact his suggestion was an hour (which I ran over by an extra 15 minutes each time). He was very gracious when the bike with just delivery miles came back with quite a few more on the clock and I tried to factor that into the haggling
Same with the camper - if I couldn’t drive it or drive it where I wanted it was crossed off the list. Simple.
Call me odd but I’m not spending tens of thousands without being happy.
maybe so you don’t buy a vehicle and only then ask if it’s powerful enough?
This may or may not help. I spent ages looking & test driving vans before I bought my 150. I never got to drive a 102bhp, but I did drive a chipped and none chipped manual 110bhp T6.1. Strangely I could not detect a significant difference in power between the chipped & non chipped van. In lower speed everyday A & B road driving the 110bhp (non camper) vans felt nippy, and perfectly acceptable. But what I did notice is how buzzy and higher revving the 5 speed manual vans are at higher motorway speeds. I found a significant difference in the 5 to 6 speed ratios. For the record I drove a 150bhp 6 speed manual straight after to get a back to back comparison.
Martin T5.1
New Member
Should be fit for purposeLike most things in life… there’s a choice involved. If you like your way that’s cool.
I prefer my way and, for me at least, I find it adds value to the decision making.
The last vehicle I bought was my motorbike. Some dealers said ‘yes, we have one in the showroom you can sit on’. I declined. I bought one from a dealer that let me actually ride different bikes on various roads - in fact his suggestion was an hour (which I ran over by an extra 15 minutes each time). He was very gracious when the bike with just delivery miles came back with quite a few more on the clock and I tried to factor that into the haggling
Same with the camper - if I couldn’t drive it or drive it where I wanted it was crossed off the list. Simple.
Call me odd but I’m not spending tens of thousands without being happy.
maybe so you don’t buy a vehicle and only then ask if it’s powerful enough?
I’m with you there.
And I appreciate there is quite often compromise when buying a vehicle, especially second hand.
The van we bought was as close to our desired spec as we would get without having one built, good colours, quality etc. and a great price, so the five speed box was accepted even after the test drives add!
Bang on !
We also compromised in some things, but I decided I couldnt live with anything less than the 150bhp. But in doing so got the best highest spec panel van I could find. Its horses for courses.
Martin T5.1
New Member
Exactly, the van’s spec is spot on , colour grey
off grid mileage 57,000, full VW service history T28 ok so we are fine with , weight , ish , 2.0 litre great 
had one before so no problems, back in my day a 2.0 litre was well a 2.0. Litre , 1.3 . 1.6 ect . Not for one minute did I assume VW where playing about with horses, Sport line bi turbo says 180 on the badge due to its twin turbo or is that me getting it wrong again 
. All I’m saying here is the van has been loaded up from its original spec, I’ve added Tow bar , swamper wheels , not even used the camper for well camping yet so she is bare and now the Mrs wants to pull a (small ) caravan as well. If there’s mega hold ups on the M5 next year you know who it will be , she says we can’t afford a remap as we have spent too much 
At the end of the day you can always move on your van if it turns out not to be as fantastic as your evaluation process indicated it should be, we've had our wheezy, bought with the heart, 102 hp camper for six years now though.
Inspired by others on the forum I reckon we're going to try the eastern side of France next summer too, big white tipped hills and all.
What I do find surprising is the store put in having a van that's as quick as possible from one set of lights to the next but then require it to cruise at 1500 rpm in 6th on the motorway doing a great job of gumming up the engine.
Inspired by others on the forum I reckon we're going to try the eastern side of France next summer too, big white tipped hills and all.
What I do find surprising is the store put in having a van that's as quick as possible from one set of lights to the next but then require it to cruise at 1500 rpm in 6th on the motorway doing a great job of gumming up the engine.
Soon be Christmas!
Martin T5.1
New Member
Martin T5.1
New Member
At the end of the day you can always move on your van if it turns out not to be as fantastic as your evaluation process indicated it should be, we've had our wheezy, bought with the heart, 102 hp camper for six years now though.
Inspired by others on the forum I reckon we're going to try the eastern side of France next summer too, big white tipped hills and all.
What I do find surprising is the store put in having a van that's as quick as possible from one set of lights to the next but then require it to cruise at 1500 rpm in 6th on the motorway doing a great job of gumming up the engine.
