To buy a T6.1 or not??

[Stu007]

Finally in the market for a new van and after seeing the new T7 Transit I'm looking at the T6.1 kombi LWB and been a while since I last looked but what has happened to some of the prices?? The likes of Leighton Vans / Van Haven etc some with similar spec to my current van after vat are knock on the door of 100k for a van!!!! They are not even campers... Are people really stumping up the money as they are showing as deposit taken etc!!! even garages like Salops and Bognor motors similar case of 55-60k before vat... I like adding mods and having it the way I like for camping/ mtb / off grid and have a health pot but even a health put is struggling with these kind of prices.. is it just me?? Anyone bought recently and what deals have you had / recommendations?

 

[Sasquatch]

I just dropped 50k on a 3000 mile swamper camper and compared to others of comparable age and mileage thought that was very competitive, with some similar vans costing 15k more.

They cost what they cost, sadly.

I was also finding many were selling before I could even get to them to have a look - demand is high, which keeps those prides buoyant. I was phoning at 10am and by 1pm I was getting apologetic phone calls from dealers telling me they'd taken a deposit.

Comparable Transit based jobs aren't much less expensive new but the prices dont bear up as well as the T6 with age/mileage. That low depreciation that the keen enthusiast market brings is intangible but very worth considering if you want to minimise the pain at sale time.

Another weird quirk I spotted. Highline are £5k more than a Startline when new, but by the time they'd been converted and advertised that differential had almost doubled, otherwise identical vehicles being 8 or 10k apart on the basis of that alone. That struck me as a bit cynical, sellers simply bending over buyers a bit because they know demand is high. But that's business I guess.

As a point of order the new Transitsporter is just designated as Transporter. The bloodline has split and only the new Multivan based models will carry the T7 moniker. New 6.1s can still be had starting at £29k and upwards if you preferred to start from scratch and don't want a Ford based model.

 

[Stu007]

I just dropped 50k on a 3000 mile swamper camper and compared to others of comparable age and mileage thought that was very competitive, with some similar vans costing 15k more.

They cost what they cost, sadly.

I was also finding many were selling before I could even get to them to have a look - demand is high, which keeps those prides buoyant. I was phoning at 10am and by 1pm I was getting apologetic phone calls from dealers telling me they'd taken a deposit.

Comparable Transit based jobs aren't much less expensive new but the prices dont bear up as well as the T6 with age/mileage. That low depreciation that the keen enthusiast market brings is intangible but very worth considering if you want to minimise the pain at sale time.

Another weird quirk I spotted. Highline are £5k more than a Startline when new, but by the time they'd been converted and advertised that differential had almost doubled, otherwise identical vehicles being 8 or 10k apart on the basis of that alone. That struck me as a bit cynical, sellers simply bending over buyers a bit because they know demand is high. But that's business I guess.

As a point of order the new Transitsporter is just designated as Transporter. The bloodline has split and only the new Multivan based models will carry the T7 moniker. New 6.1s can still be had starting at £29k and upwards if you preferred to start from scratch and don't want a Ford based model.

Where abouts did you go to buy? They definitely seem to be selling very quick and decided I fancied a LWB which has very much halved the search as a lot less of them :-/ also wondering if the latest T7 has people looking more at the last true vw transporter? I have found with my highline they put more sound deadening around the dash and come with a lot more features but after jazzing them up seems crazy they bump the price but demand means they can get away with?

 

[Sasquatch]

I looked at quite a few locally in the East mids, and some in East Anglia as I get to Essex a lot.

In the end I bought from a local dealer, Venture Caravans (Redline.) They knew I'd been looking and had missed out on one of theirs by less than half an hour. Their salesman was as good as his word and phoned me in advance to tip me off about two vans going out on display on their pitch the next day. I was there at 9am the following morning with my piggy bank...

I was torn between LWB and SWB and looked at both. I'd sort of erred towards SWB as it'd be a 'daily' but wouldn't have let that get in the way of a LWB if it were nice and the price was right. In the end SWB got it, but it could so easily have been the other way...

The Highline spec was nice but none of it really excited me so I wasn't dead set on that spec. In the end I found a Startline with Business Pack (so aircon, alarm, reverse sensors, etc) came in nearly £10k less than a near identical spec conversion on a Highline with 6000 more miles so that spec seemed a nice workable compromise for me with a nice saving. Others might desperately want a heated screen and painted bumpers and if that's their thing then fair play, but neither get me to the campsite any quicker so I was happy to pass.

 

[Lubrown]

The likes of Leighton Vans / Van Haven etc some with similar spec to my current van after vat are knock on the door of 100k for a van!!!

This blows my mind as a ‘proper’ California will be cheaper. Surely higher quality too? Less tarty but that’s no bad thing in my view.
Each to their own.
Leighton and the like clearly know the customer base exists though and they seem to do well out of it so fair play to them.

 

[Lubrown]

Comparable Transit based jobs aren't much less expensive new but the prices dont bear up as well as the T6 with age/mileage.

You can say that again…

Take a look at this one, 9k miles and apparently never slept in. Link

Ironically it’s advertised on the California Owners club forum, lol. The boundaries blur more with every day.

 

[Dayoster]

i picked up a new 6.1 sportline black edition last week, the salesman said it would be a good investment because of the t7/transit collab.

He confirmed it will have the the ford wet belt engine. With all the bed reviews on the new transit custom, if the t7 runs all the same electronics, itll be a disaster for VW. i really dont understand why they have gone to the ford transit chassis?

i hope it doesnt take off, then my 6.1 should hold great value

 

[Stu007]

i picked up a new 6.1 sportline black edition last week, the salesman said it would be a good investment because of the t7/transit collab.

He confirmed it will have the the ford wet belt engine. With all the bed reviews on the new transit custom, if the t7 runs all the same electronics, itll be a disaster for VW. i really dont understand why they have gone to the ford transit chassis?

i hope it doesnt take off, then my 6.1 should hold great value

Where abouts did you get your t6.1? Ya watching the THQ video on the T7 why would anyone in their right mind buy the VW version.. it’s clearly a transit with just panel and interior changes.. so lazy and both built at the same factory in turkey!! What next the VW golf built and designed by Ford!! I think with all this the prices are very strong for the T6.1.. it’s just how much diesel is going to get it in the next 10years is my worry and ev is a country mile off working

 

[RobertO2023]

To state the obvious…….. The Ford manufactured , badged Transporter is no match for VW Transporter customers who have a loyal and cult following built up over many years. I guess only company purchasers will be buying the majority of the new Transporter which is why VW will sell plenty- hopefully meeting their sales targets - though the current VW financial crisis does not make good reading.
A Transit will always be a Transit no matter how you badge it. My T6.1 van ticks every box and more, so I’ll look after it and it will become a classic!!

 

[Stu007]

To state the obvious…….. The Ford manufactured , badged Transporter is no match for VW Transporter customers who have a loyal and cult following built up over many years. I guess only company purchasers will be buying the majority of the new Transporter which is why VW will sell plenty- hopefully meeting their sales targets - though the current VW financial crisis does not make good reading.
A Transit will always be a Transit no matter how you badge it. My T6.1 van ticks every box and more, so I’ll look after it and it will become a classic!!

Ya still scratching my head over the collaboration.. anyone with a business would generally pick a vehicle on value for money and I can only suspect the transporter will be sold for more than the transit so its going to be a very hard sell.. only time will tell?? I understand many companies do this and a classic is Rolls Royce is mostly parts from a bmw but the package is still Rolls Royce design.. never seen such a lazy attempt to con the public this new transporter is anything but a transit.. My search for the right T6.1 continues haha

 

[RobertO2023]

Also don’t overlook the fact VW has pumped several billion € into the Ford facility in Turkey. Cost sharing is common in modern vehicle production. Whatever future sales of the Ford Transporter the plant itself will make plenty of money from the Transit alone.

 

[Bav]

never seen such a lazy attempt to con the public

Ford and VW have form in this regard. The Galaxy and Sharan shared the same design and underpinnings when launched (though I don't believe they shared the same engines, which, IMO, is the real killer with the T7).

 

[BuilderJay]

In two years my Sportline will be mine.
After that I’ll retire it an maybe lease either a Buzz or TranVW?
Time will tell…

 

[bubbadubba]

I just had a look at a T6.1 for sale. I was very tempted but it needed at least 2k on paint and body repairs. It was still a fair price to be fair looking at the market value.
I was very impressed like others have said on how "car like" the drive was compared to my T6. The new dash looks great and is much more modern but I had couple of observations that also put me off.....The lack of cabin storage would be an issue for me.....the glove box is I think actually made for one pair of childs gloves the rest is open storage and not very practical....a bit of a let down. Also the dials for the heating etc are behind the gearstick. What a stupid design? Not sure if it's differs on a dsg. I had to reach round or over the gearstick to turn on the fan.....that would irritate me. It also felt cramped compared to the T6? Maybe partly because of the footrest delete or the more upright dash?
I really really wanted to like it, and I did but not enough. I am not ready to give up my T6 yet obviously......although it did feel like a tractor when I set off home

 

[RobertO2023]

I can understand some of your observations and comparisons with the T6. However I can tell you that the points you made are really insignificant in terms of the fact the T6.1 is a much improved vehicle. The major difference is the electric steering which allows more driver assist systems to be added and a better feel. I really like the T6.1 and the way it drives - as good as most cars. If you get the chance to borrow one for a day you will be more convinced . Good luck.

 

[Kind of Blue]

I can understand some of your observations and comparisons with the T6. However I can tell you that the points you made are really insignificant in terms of the fact the T6.1 is a much improved vehicle. The major difference is the electric steering which allows more driver assist systems to be added and a better feel. I really like the T6.1 and the way it drives - as good as most cars. If you get the chance to borrow one for a day you will be more convinced . Good luck.

It also has a spy in the cab constantly relaying where you are and what your doing I believe. Still that is most vehicles these days and most have their mobile phones giving out the rest.

 

[Kind of Blue]

sorry pressed more than once??

 

[bubbadubba]

I can understand some of your observations and comparisons with the T6. However I can tell you that the points you made are really insignificant in terms of the fact the T6.1 is a much improved vehicle. The major difference is the electric steering which allows more driver assist systems to be added and a better feel. I really like the T6.1 and the way it drives - as good as most cars. If you get the chance to borrow one for a day you will be more convinced . Good luck.

Yep, totally agree on the steering. Night and day difference. Feels light yet responsive. Tech wise it's a modern vehicle. That side of things are spot on. It's a shame on the other silly issues that let it down. I was expecting the dash to feel cheap as I had read others saying so. I didn't think so, yes it's plastic, it could have been more premium but it didn't bother me. I was more worried about turning the fan down and not looking where i was going while trying to do it. It could have been great, a bit more thought on the day to day comfort for the user I think is what they missed in the design.
Like you say maybe a longer test period I would have seen past the niggles, maybe I am just being fussy

 

[Sasquatch]

The 6.1 dash is made of the same grade 7 acrylonitrile butadiene styrene material as the 6.

Bits of snazzy trim carpet might look nice, but being a little more interesting to look at isn't the same as 'premium.'

 

[Drive Wayne]

The 6.1 dash is made of the same grade 7 acrylonitrile butadiene styrene material as the 6.

That's easy for you to say...!