Moving on from a T6

[cgtmiles]

We have now confirmed the collection date for our new van after we decided we needed more space and more facilities.

It seems like there are a lot of people going through this process, in fact it seems the market is flooded with vans from people doing just this, either sizing up following buying a van after lockdown or flogging the van they purchased in lockdown that no longer suits their needs.

We got a van before lockdown, just, but still we have decided we want more.

The problem is there is nothing bigger
like a transporter.
Say campervan and what people think is VW transporter, the vans the customisation options and community, there is nothing like it and I’m writing this on a site in the he north of Spain opposite a marco polo and a transit van conversion. They are just vans!

So our hope was to find something that in some way would equal VW T ownership. And so I thought I’d record the options and decisions taken here for information to others on this journey (and in the hope I won’t to be kicked out any time soon!)

 

[Dellmassive]

keep us posted.

 

[Sackmycook]

On that journey (again) so watching with interest

 

[JumpShip]

We've been on this quest for a while now (since release after lockdown) and think the only thing that gets anywhere near the same sort of feel to a vdub bus is indeed a bigger vdub bus .
You are making the right decision and I cant help but be ever so slightly envious.

 

[monkeybusiness]

Same here. I love the look of the Transporter and you that you can use it as a daily if needed.
Prices of Crafter/MAN are eyewatering.

(saw some lovely modded Ducatos this weekend )

 

[Badjamin]

I openly say it whilst in the presence of the van... I need more space. It's gonna be a crafter/MAN one day. However, I back it up with the FACT that we will never sell Jolene

 

[cgtmiles]

Ok first thing, bigger but how big?
T6 SWB is 5m

Generally bigger van can be had in
5.4m
6m
6.4m
7m

And more

We decided that this should Be governed by our requirements, must haves for new van:

Facilities (bog/shower)
Fixed bed
No poptop

But you can get this in 5.4M and upwards so I decided that 40cm was not worth new van and anything bigger than 6m was limiting in where we can take it so 6m it is!

 

[Sackmycook]

Me and the Chief Finance Officer (Elect) employed a less scientific buying process. Went into the first van we came across at the show and went 'oooooo'. Every other van we subsequently went in had too many compromises, mainly on space and quality. Ruled out PVC's as too narrow for us, would mean employing a contraflow to get from back to front.
Just fell in love with the new one.

 

[cgtmiles]

Me and the Chief Finance Officer (Elect) employed a less scientific buying process. Went into the first van we came across at the show and went 'oooooo'. Every other van we subsequently went in had too many compromises, mainly on space and quality. Ruled out PVC's as too narrow for us, would mean employing a contraflow to get from back to front.
Just fell in love with the new one.

Nice and easy, I would say we did something similar but we weren’t in a position to impulse buy our selected option, instead we need to discuss finance etc and because the result would impact us and our retirement plans amongst other things we wanted to ensure the choice was right

 

[cgtmiles]

So the big issue was any new bigger van was not a T6 and did not come with the support, camaraderie, massive aftermarket parts and options support. We want to continue to be part of something (and acknowledgement here that we haven’t actually attended a T6 meet since one of the first in 2020 but it’s always an option) and this seems to be virtually non existent on the bigger vans.

So I lieu of this I decided on heritage instead and so looked into the westfalia brand options. This is a brand I recognise as being part of the VW campervan story from the early days but to be honest my initial interest was in the James cook edition based on the sprinter but this proved to be a bit costly )and OTT) so we start to look into the Sven Hedin.

 

[cgtmiles]

So we wanted a Sven Hedin then. But ok what are the other options?

 

[cgtmiles]

Big obvious contender is the California grand 600

This ticks pretty much every box except…
… that roof line. The 680 is basically the same so why not copy that with slightly less space. But no so ruled out despite VW credentials

 

[cgtmiles]

Some other also ransthis (or similar) could have been worth a closer look in 2wd form and non poptop obv but not the 4wd version which is super cool
So then I’d have to fake it, lift the suspension and then I’d be having to confess all the time it’s not what it is seems

Next to rule out is anything fiat. Some very nice vans out there but just a long way from VW ownership plus the crazies, Malibu is a crazy van but actually a little too on the motorhome side for us (plus it looks like a bus from the back)


Finally the hillside range. Really nice vans but just not in the config we want. If they did then this would be near or at the top of the list

 

[cgtmiles]

Also worth a mention is the eriba car 600, great van, need speccing up and they can’t fit the windows but basically a very nice van for a very good price

 

[cgtmiles]

So this left (amongst others) the westfalia sven hedin.

This actually ticks another box for us, it is factory built, there are basically no options but it does come as a manufactured product which is also something we wanted this time round. It’s sort of the opposite of what I wanted and liked about our t6 and the conversion, I never wanted a California and now that seems quite appealing

 

[cgtmiles]

The group chats are not quite the same for the westfalia, basic Facebook group and one more techy one which is mostly for 3d printing but all seem very nice

The craftertge forum does not seem to be taking off.

This said there is some community around the svens and to demonstrate this there is a 30+ contingent turning up for the Warner show in the westfalia club area.

 

[roadtripper]

I openly say it whilst in the presence of the van... I need more space. It's gonna be a crafter/MAN one day. However, I back it up with the FACT that we will never sell Jolene

You could always get a whispers caravan?

 

[cgtmiles]

You could always get a whispers caravan?

That should be considered as it does answer a lot of the problems especially as the new van would still, in theory at least, be my daily driver. 6m is a long van to be driving to the shops but currently I will take the t6 only if I can park away from the standard parking spaces. At worst I’d put it in an end spot.

We also already mostly park the van up and then leave it on a site. Only very rarely do we move it or go out in it, actually I can see this being easier to do in a bigger van as there is less to pack up/away

 

[John A]

Unless money is no object, can you get what you want without any compromise?

I think I would have to go Coachbuilt but then it stops being a van and becomes, as you say, a motorhome, but that's the only way I think I can get a bed above the cab for the little 'un and a bed at the back that then doesn't need to be assembled from dining room furniture every night.
It would have to have a shower and the ability to power itself and a small compressor fridge/freezer for at least three days.

The compromise then becomes the cost, because I guess having something like that will mean it is used more often, but I wouldn't want to use it every day and I don't want to compromise on owning a van - as much as I actually would prefer to have a car to daily, I cannot walk away from the practicality and the space that having even a SWB van affords.

 

[cgtmiles]

Unless money is no object, can you get what you want without any compromise?

I think I would have to go Coachbuilt but then it stops being a van and becomes, as you say, a motorhome, but that's the only way I think I can get a bed above the cab for the little 'un and a bed at the back that then doesn't need to be assembled from dining room furniture every night.
It would have to have a shower and the ability to power itself and a small compressor fridge/freezer for at least three days.

The compromise then becomes the cost, because I guess having something like that will mean it is used more often, but I wouldn't want to use it every day and I don't want to compromise on owning a van - as much as I actually would prefer to have a car to daily, I cannot walk away from the practicality and the space that having even a SWB van affords.

I think there are always compromises and money (or lack of) is definitely one!

We are looking for a strictly only 2 berth so a larger panel van is suitable for us.

The SWB T van is such a perfect middle road to all of the compromises though that it makes this such a challenge. It is the Swiss Army knife of vehicles!