So VW just pulled the air heater option - but the water option looks to be also diesel/petrol driven

[amdowney]

So I placed a deposit down last week and today I find the order has been rejected due to the Air Heater no longer being an option

However, the Water heater is still an option which I thought just runs off coolant however according to Webasto (not sure VW fit Webasto) the water heater also runs off diesel/petrol but just fires out of the front vents and maybe not as quickly before warming the engine.

https://www.webasto.com/fileadmin/w.../international/rv/catalogues/rv-catalogue.pdf

Does anyone have experience with these heaters? Not sure whether to retro fit the air heater type one now or whether to in fact consider going down this route if sufficient.

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[Fish]

@StudleyGlass might be able to help with this.. but rather than give VW alot of cash, weigh up if it is more cost effective to retro fit a ebby or web independently.

 

[Deaky]

You can’t have the water heater on constant, it will only run for a couple of hours max. No good for keeping warm overnight.

 

[Loz]

That does seem a bit odd considering they still need to supply it for the California.

As said above the water heater is designed as an engine pre/boost heater that allows for a fast defrost and even if you buy the remote option so that the heater fan runs as well, it only runs for a short while and uses the starter battery so not really practical as a night heater.

 

[carlg]

The auxiliary heater with remote or timer only runs for half an hour and then turns off .

 

[amdowney]

So the water heater is definitely not the RV version that you can run indefinitely with the rocker switch to switch between interior only/interior & engine? https://www.webasto.com/fileadmin/w...international/rv/data-sheet/rv-thermo-top.pdf

https://dealers.webasto.com/service/files_content.aspx?Files_FileId=10867

I'll ask VW but who knows...

Does look like no second battery though - been eyeing up a factory fit air heater for ages a well!

 

[Deaky]

I wouldn't bother with the factory second battery @amdowney . It's a basic relay that you'd want to change anyway. There is already a suitable heavy live cable from the starter battery to under the passenger seat. Basically you'd be paying £189 for a 75ah battery. Are you positive VW have pulled the air heater and not just having supply problems? Might be worth a call to VW customer services. Maybe the dealer is keen for you to go with no heater option so he gets a quicker sale rather than waiting for VW to sort the heater supply?

 

[amdowney]

Have left it out now thanks, sounds like it runs on the main batt, which is not ideal. But with regards to the air heater just in from my dealer contact:

"We are removing 96 Transporter and Caddy derivatives from our range on 8 February 2018; no Crafter or Amarok models will be removed.

In addition, we are removing 232 options across the whole range.

Making sales more straightforward

We want to reduce the complexity of our range and make offers easier to understand – for you and your customers – without affecting overall volumes. This means fewer models on the configurator, smaller price lists and a more efficient customer journey.

It will also speed up our processes, including response times to queries from customers and Van Centres.

All models and options being removed have been chosen because of low sales volumes. For example:

• 147 derivatives account for less than five per cent of all T6 sales

• We currently have more than 3,000 different option combinations across the range

• We have almost double the number of options on T6 compared to the Ford Transit Custom

"

 

[Deaky]

Have left it out now thanks, sounds like it runs on the main batt, which is not ideal. But with regards to the air heater just in from my dealer contact:

"We are removing 96 Transporter and Caddy derivatives from our range on 8 February 2018; no Crafter or Amarok models will be removed.

In addition, we are removing 232 options across the whole range.

Making sales more straightforward

We want to reduce the complexity of our range and make offers easier to understand – for you and your customers – without affecting overall volumes. This means fewer models on the configurator, smaller price lists and a more efficient customer journey.

It will also speed up our processes, including response times to queries from customers and Van Centres.

All models and options being removed have been chosen because of low sales volumes. For example:

• 147 derivatives account for less than five per cent of all T6 sales

• We currently have more than 3,000 different option combinations across the range

• We have almost double the number of options on T6 compared to the Ford Transit Custom

"

Looks like I got in just in time

 

[HootingOwl]

A more efficient customer journey.


I would dearly like to meet the marketing pillock responsible for that phase. What does it mean? Absolutely nothing.

Only VW could dress up having less choice as a good thing for the customer. The truth is likely to be tbat Webasto told them to do one.

Have one fitted by a specialist instead.

 

[DaveyB]

• We have almost double the number of options on T6 compared to the Ford Transit Custom

So does this mean that is why they are reducing the options... they have too many options and are suggesting that a number more akin to those available for a transit is more approprite? If so, how short sighted are those occupying the VW boardroom. The reason we are not driving Transits are because of the options you can spec on a Vdub. It sure as hell isn’t because vw produce such a wonderful euro 6 engine or the way in which they are the most honest and reputable dealer on the market.

 

[HootingOwl]

• We have almost double the number of options on T6 compared to the Ford Transit Custom

It is because the Transit Custom comes with more stuff as standard. Sat Nav? Heated Seats? Included in the price on the Custom Limited.

VW even stopped putting plastic cover caps on the tailgate threshold to save a fraction of a cent on each van. And then there is the additional door seal that costs next to nowt to produce but is an option. I gave VW a miss this time around. They seriously need to raise their game if I am to buy VW again.

 

[Karl]

• The reason we are not driving Transits are because of the options you can spec on a Vdub.

Indeed, I notice on the configuratior the 84ps kombi option has been deleated. I ordered one on the 29th Jan and due to a tight budget this was my only option...chances are without this model I’d be in a transit

 

[amdowney]

Door seal option no more

Want reversing camera? Must have both front and rear sensors now.