How long do they last?

[chris151151]

Hi. My Coast is coming up to four years and 80k miles. I'll own it outright in a week. It's been driven gently, mainly long runs, and VW maintained. I'm hoping not to ever buy another vehicle at my age. Given that many of the base Transporters seem to survive being thrashed by builders fully loaded for a long time, I'm hoping mine will make at least 200k+ miles. Am I being realistic? Any really high mileage examples out there?

 

[WelshGas]

Hi. My Coast is coming up to four years and 80k miles. I'll own it outright in a week. It's been driven gently, mainly long runs, and VW maintained. I'm hoping not to ever buy another vehicle at my age. Given that many of the base Transporters seem to survive being thrashed by builders fully loaded for a long time, I'm hoping mine will make at least 200k+ miles. Am I being realistic? Any really high mileage examples out there?

Yes.
Sold my T5.1 180 at 135,000 miles and 10yrs.
EGR replaced at 900 miles due to an electrical fault. Nil else apart from brake pads and discs + tyres.
Passed every MOT.
Use it or loose it.

 

[IanE]

Yes.
Bought mine new 15 years ago. EGR replaced a couple of years ago - ok that wasn't a great moment as it needed doing when we were on holiday in deepest France! Otherwise nothing of any significance. Now at just over 100,000. I'm 70 and hoping it will outlast me! Then my son's got his eye on it.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Of course it will last to 200k+. Campervans always fetch decent money so even at that mileage it will take something very unlikely like a catastrophic engine failure to give pause and even then probably still worth repairing (even though not using main dealers of course).

The main reason vehicles that are otherwise desirable (like a camper) become un-economic to repair is usually due to bodywork deterioration, not mechanical stuff. The VW vans are galvanised, which helps. But if you really want to give it the best chance, get it up on a lift once a year and have someone poke around with a big ugly screwdriver to find any rust spots early and get them dealt with, by wire brushing and treating with rust killer for surface rust, or judicious welding of anything that's getting bad. On the bodywork, any surface bubbling should be investigated as soon as you see it because it's usually a symptom of water being trapped inside a door, tailgate or whatever. Big stonechips will go rusty but they're very little problem, just whack on some rust killer fluid and a dab of paint.

Although not vans, I own a number of vehicles aged between 40 and 60 years, and two that are in their 80s/90s. Any vehicle can live to old age if you keep on top of things, get to know where to look to head off common problems, and accept that things sometimes break unexpectedly but everything is ultimately repairable.

 

[Tycho]

This was last summer in Galicie, we past the 300.000km milestone. We only filled the last 15000km of this journey. She is from 2006 and seen more of Europe than i have and stil looks very good. Wish i looked like it's 2006!

 

[Lee.Van.Cleef]

We bought our first T5 camper conversion at ten years old & 180k miles. It had been owned from new by a self-employed chap prior to conversion so was very well maintained. It did start to need some age related work (the clutch was £painful), but generally was always reliable. We sold it on at 220k miles and it ws still going strong, though by then (15 years) had a few bits of rust on the wings.

 

[Flower Power]

First thing to do is to ignore the 40k kms oil change interval VW wanted me to follow. Every 10k kms is what I do.... to keep the van running. I will be 71 in a few days time....and (similarly to IanE's situation) my daughter should be able to use this 2023 Coast 4mo with 12k kms now when I no longer can. She was 2 years old when we started travelling in a T4 camper van so she is hooked.

 

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

In its 13th year now with 103k miles.

- EGR replaced with a few k of ownership
- Coil warning light and loss of power 2022 - numerous sensors replaced by VW. Never really solved. VW had it in finally for extended testing and said they couldn't recreate the problem. Somewhat suspiciously when returned the fault never appeared again.
- Clutch assembly replaced Aug 2024
- Propshaft replaced Aug 2024
- Turbo replaced Sept 2024 - deep in France ouch

Things currently not working which will be dealt with in due course:
- Dual climate control - pretty sure there's a leak somewhere
- the heater - had to unhook it cos a fan kept running endlessly

All in all I'm pretty happy with the overall experience but I will still keep doing the Euro millions.

 

[TripleBee]

Mine is from november 2009. Now has 204000km driven with 2 year service interval.
Only real problems were EGR after 3,5 years (replaced myself on a camping in the Dordogne), temperature sensor in the DPF and a broken driveshaft (well, lost teeth of that driveshaft).
Apart from that, only cosmetic things have been done (roof), and a sliding door lock.
The rest is ready for another 15 years.

 

[jts46]

Mine is 2006, 2.5l, AXD engine now coming up to 172000 miles. I am original owner.

 

[caliharry]

Hi. My Coast is coming up to four years and 80k miles. I'll own it outright in a week. It's been driven gently, mainly long runs, and VW maintained. I'm hoping not to ever buy another vehicle at my age. Given that many of the base Transporters seem to survive being thrashed by builders fully loaded for a long time, I'm hoping mine will make at least 200k+ miles. Am I being realistic? Any really high mileage examples out there?

I must be the unluckiest Cali owner on the Planet my 2006 2.5 SE TDI has cost me so far £15K TO KEEP on the road the body has done 88K miles the first engine 10K then developed water leak not uncommon on the early 2.5 TDI engines RECON/ENGINE 3.5K fitted a new engine at the time from VW fitted 11K gearbox failure at 15K miles re-con cost non VW £1,800.00 the vehicle came into the UK in June 2006 at a cost of £35K with extras I purchased in September 2006 2300 miles on the clock the list of faults is endless from major to minor current niggles fridge not working major clutch judder engine not able to pull your hat off i must have ha the Friday afternoon one! 20K MILES TURBO blew up towed home the overall cost to me includes a couple of Rip-offs from non VW garages But on a serious note the faults I have had major and minor are still happening with the new versions of the vehicle they are ridiculously overpriced not good value for money

 

[Deskman]

Mine is a 2006 174HP automatic with 402.000km (250K miles), and apart from a broken gearbox after a week (!) at 275.000 km, there is nothing but normal wear and tear. VW Vans are not cheap, but if you find a good garage (which I found extremely hard—don't get me started on this subject), they are not that expensive. According to my mechanic, nothing will prevent it from running another 100K km, and if something seriously breaks, it will be the engine, which can be replaced.

 

[pjm-84]

Nowt just wear and tear issues.

Heater fan / thermostat at year 7
Suspension bushes around the 65k mark
Front ball joints year 8
ABS sensor year 8
DSG sump pan year 9

Now on year 10

 

[Fish111111111.]

Hi. My Coast is coming up to four years and 80k miles. I'll own it outright in a week. It's been driven gently, mainly long runs, and VW maintained. I'm hoping not to ever buy another vehicle at my age. Given that many of the base Transporters seem to survive being thrashed by builders fully loaded for a long time, I'm hoping mine will make at least 200k+ miles. Am I being realistic? Any really high mileage examples out there?

Biggest and best thing you can do to prolong vehicle/engine life,oil and filter changes at more frequent levels than Manufacturer suggests/recommends. Mines 10 k and on its third lot of oil!

 

[Campervanner]

This is all interesting, Thanks everyone. What is EGR please?

 

[TripleBee]

This is all interesting, Thanks everyone. What is EGR please?

Exhaust gas recuperation.
Something extra to charge you when it breaks, all under the name of environment.

 

[Campervanner]

Exhaust gas recuperation.
Something extra to charge you when it breaks, all under the name of environment.

thanks