What to Add

[Dave Coughlan]

Hi All, Have been reading through the various threads throughout the forum and wondering what improvements shall we say i should do to my Van when it arrives (Grey T30 SWB 4Motion Trendline with Davonports). So far i have the following and was wondering if there are some other improvements I should /Could make that are worthwhile ? ( Not looking to lower or change wheels )

-Dust Seal
-Rear Bumper Protector
-Plyline
-Sportline Seat Covers
-H7 Twin Headlight Swap

 

[DaveyB]

The list is endless as to what you could do, and it'll depend entirely upon what you want to use the van for.
If you are ply lining then you may want to consider sound deadening and insulating the panels first. That would be a fairly easy win which fits in with one of the other things you are looking at.

 

[Tombs]

The list is endless as to what you could do, and it'll depend entirely upon what you want to use the van for.
If you are ply lining then you may want to consider sound deadening and insulating the panels first. That would be a fairly easy win which fits in with one of the other things you are looking at.

This^^^^ these 'buses' are noisy on roads and at high speed, bulk head may help slightly.

And LED lights...huge difference over standard, maybe the auto box if not configured? A must have was sat nav for me but maybe not you?

 

[Dave Coughlan]

Thanks,

LED too costly I think so I'm going to go with the H& and upgraded bulbs ( LED is an 1850 Euro extra in Ireland) I had DSG in my previous Caddy Van and was not really sold on it for towing so will stick with Manual although i will miss the DSG... I have a full height Bulkhead and may add carpet to the Cab side of it if still too noisy. Thanks again

 

[former member]

Funny how opinions differ.
I won't ever pay for factory nav again; a decent portable is a million times easier to update and far better specced.
I can't stand DSG.
H7 lights are fine; happy with ours.

I'd look at non VW for the bumper protector. Not sure what VW have used but it looks awful within months; far worse than the T5.1 version.

The rest sound sensible to me.

 

[Chrisfraser05]

I'm the same with factory satnav, huge cost for a limited system.
We're going aftermarket head unit

 

[Tombs]

I wouldn't say it's limited for me, cost wasn't an issue but each to their own, I think it's a good enough system and so far works really well, an easy menu to use and smartly integrated with info also showing up in the drivers dash. Didn't want USB leads and the sucker pad marks plus having to stow it away each time, it's just there when you step in the van.

As for the led lights, sorry, there is no comparison, they should be standard.

 

[ehuplad]

Well just to add to the sat nav debate, I am with @Tombs, although of course it's all about personal choice.
It's all about integration for me, it's always there, I never forget it, kids never harvest the cable for there latest gadget etc, it just works.
The direction showing of the MFD is a very good feature.

LED lights were top of my list, living north of the border I drive a lot of 'A' roads that would be classed as country roads anywhere else.
Often coming home from airports late at night / early morning. Every lumen counts for me.

I work in the software industry, good software is all about knowing your requirements and then prioritising them.
In that regard Transporter seem remarkably similar.

Sorry if sounds like preaching, not meant to.

 

[former member]

Well I have factory nav in one car and had it in the old Cali both at great expense; and I won't pay for nav again.
Some on here have nav but still use a Tom Tom or similar. It's just not very good and wait until it needs updating; total PITA.

I just plug mine into my Mac. No sucker is used, just a Brodit mount.

There is simply no comparison with factory nav and a decent, high end portable in terms of versatility and quality of navigation features and graphics.

And yes, the BM nav which is streets ahead of VW uses the MFD too.

The LED light thing is like a particularly irritating stuck record.

Get H7s if you can, spend the grand you've saved on something useful like a nice record player or a ferry ticket to Santander and back.

 

[Captain Mainwaring]

I'm another one who likes the convenience of the Discover nav, plus the screen which is much bigger than any phone and integration with the MFD

Yeah the light thing is getting repetitive, but as myself and others have said, the Light and Vision Plus pack at £495 last time I looked gives very decent lighting. I live in highland Scotland where we have almost no roads with lights, and they are perfectly good at 1/3rd the price of LED's

 

[Dave Coughlan]

I here ye and I would go for it if it had been offered, not even on the list of options in Ireland. Only the Light and Vision Package without the important "Plus".

 

[Tombs]

As I said each to their own, try and look at the options in the flesh and go with what you want. Im extremely pleased with what options I choose for me

 

[former member]

That's a REALLY annoying thing about options - you can't try most of them.
You can test a van no problem but you struggle to try out nav, lights, whatever.

Not many £500++ things you buy without trying them (reviews on individual options are scarce too); we tend to go light on them partly because they depreciate far harder than the base vehicle but a few options on our last Cali (which had almost everything - it was a pre-reg and the only 180 4motion in the whole UK at the time!) but also they are such a leap in the dark.

Take our last van's nav - £1000 option and seemed okay. Then I started to notice how long it took to boot up. Ages - so turning on the radio took about a minute. Then I tried to update it - both firmware and software/maps - an absolute PITA (the BM is slightly better but expensive and takes over an hour - the car has to be on the whole time). It got to the point where it drove me up the wall. I JUST WANT TO LISTEN TO SOME MUSIC NOT BOOT UP A ZX81!!

Then the mudflaps - really badly designed. And the rain deflector thing - scratched to bits in months. And the VW sidebars - also scratched easily and a total PITA to clean.

But what it allowed us to do when we ordered (to our spec) this Cali was choose what we used and needed and that list was actually quite small. Awning, parking sensors, chav glass, cruise, BT and climate were now standard (REALLY expensive options on the T5.1 Cali).

Manufacturers make FAR larger margins on options than base vehicles so push them hard; but you sell that vehicle back to them and suddenly they aren't interested.

Choose the right base vehicle (bare van, Kombi, whatever), engine and 4motion or not but I'd always say be extremely careful going bonkers on the options list. Even if (like some) you can "easily afford it."

 

[Tombs]

Had a local dealer (Croydon) who had quite a good choice spec wise to look at and allowed me to 'play'. If you're near someone like Swiss Vans then there's even a greater choice to view, take your time and buy what 'you' want.

 

[former member]

What you want isn't always what you need.

Otherwise we'd all be driving a £60k Caravelle or a £70k California.

And everyone has a budget no matter how much money they have.

The OP has stated that LEDs are too expensive; so the usuals witter on about how essential they are. He doesn't mention satnav yet the usuals say how great it is.

Let's look at people's requirements and respond to them not bang on about stuff people haven't asked for and don't need.

Notice how I haven't blathered on about how great full double glazing, or an electric roof, or a decent heater, etc is? And don't on every thread that asks about possible options?

Please: Let's avoid strolling into Billy Big Bol*** territory. That's for BMW forums.

 

[Tombs]

Again, get over yourself. I said for me what I choose was a must have as I'd seen before purchasing and played with the other options, its what I wanted and I needed and preferred. He has asked others what they thought was worthwhile and an improvement. LED lights and Sat Nav are a good if not a great improvement over none at all so I don't understand your comment about replying with 'stuff' they don't need or have asked for, read his post. It's my reply, you don't like it, that's 'tough' billy big bol***

 

[former member]

Fine, your posts have been getting on my nerves for some time so it's ignore button time.

 

[ehuplad]

While I am not going to post any thing more on the main subject.

@pozeylad please leave my beloved ZX81 out of the discussion .
81's booted up super quick and amongst other things started my career.
Take a look at

Anyway just trying to get the forum back to its normal fun atmosphere.

 

[former member]

While I am not going to post any thing more on the main subject.

@pozeylad please leave my beloved ZX81 out of the discussion .
81's booted up super quick and amongst other things started my career.
Take a look at

Anyway just trying to get the forum back to its normal fun atmosphere.

I was late to that party and started with an Amiga 500, aged 14.

 

[Loz]

I was late to that party and started with an Amiga 500, aged 14.

I used to run an Amiga bulletin board..