Staying with the van

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

My van is 3 years old this month.

Sure it's got a few niggles, but nothing that I'm that worried about.

It looks nearly as good as the day I collected it, and the engine runs like a dream. The T6 seems to be a way off yet, and doesn't seem to be too different in looks to me.

My plan is to run the current van for many more happy years. Am I deluding myself? What are other people's experiences? I guess it will ultimately depend on reliability and future maintenance costs?

 

[Meoncoast]

In the same boat - we plan to keep our.

 

[barry]

My van is 3 years old this month.

Sure it's got a few niggles, but nothing that I'm that worried about.

It looks nearly as good as the day I collected it, and the engine runs like a dream. The T6 seems to be a way off yet, and doesn't seem to be too different in looks to me.

My plan is to run the current van for many more happy years. Am I deluding myself? What are other people's experiences? I guess it will ultimately depend on reliability and future maintenance costs?

Depends whether you want to go roaming or just buy more recent gadgets.

 

[motacyclist]

We decided to keep ours for a long time and were happy with it. Then, one day, for some reason we went and bought another

I guess we wanted the security of warranty; plus I always hankered after a 180 and DSG; then I watched some Youtube videos of the T5 4motion. All silly little things but they turned into a compulsion ...

 

[AlanC]

We bought ours on the basis of keeping if for around 10 years.
Nothing I have read has changed that view.
So here's to 2023

Alan

 

[GrannyJen]

I will change mine in 2017 probably.

I could not be more happy with what I have now. It has broadened my horizons. What I bought for a two year project has exceeded my expectations, opened up so many new vista's, my 2 year horizon of cali ownership has now been extended to "must have until I pop my clogs".

Therefore, with that astounding piece of feminine logic, chopping a 4 year old cali in for a new cali and at least 3 years of the manufacturer picking up the bill for anything that goes wrong is just, well, "simples" .... and excuse me whilst I kill a meercat ....

 

[stevieb]

The plan is to keep ours.

 

[pjm-84]

3 years and replace. We will finally receive ours this Wednesday so maybe that should be 3year and 2 months to correspond with Sept 2018 ..... or should I wait for the T7?

 

[cayman57]

Ours is also 3yrs this month and apart from the roof issue it has been a reliable and wonderful vehicle to own. I have owned many vw campers in the last 35 yrs and as a daily transport this has been my favorite so long may it continue. See you all at COTF next weekend
Simon

 

[Freeley]

Ours has just turned 6 years old and we have no plans to change anytime soon. Quite a few issues under warranty but since then nothing but the dreaded control panel which cost us £430 after vw chipped in.
So owning a cali out of warranty doesn't bother us and I've got an ever growing list of people that want to buy it if we change our minds!

 

[pjm-84]

Roof on the dealers van is now starting to drop on the nearside. Hmmm 4 months old.

 

[wasted]

A cali outside of warranty is a



tick tock, tick tock ..

 

[marshian70]

Disagree. Of course it's great to have a Cali in warranty. Who wouldn't, but good as the depreciation on a Cali is, it still depreciates, and new ones in warranty will depreciate quicker than those 3 years old and older. So if you're lucky running a 3 year old + van will cost less. OK you might have a few repair bills to deal with but the lower depreciation compared to new helps to make up for this IMO

 

[dannosail]

Our Cali is 2006 model with 90k on clock. The only big repair has been overhaul of the tiptronic gearbox otherwise 3 years of trouble free motoring. I could afford to have a new Cali and it would be nice to chose the spec exactly as I want it, but the figures don't add up for me. Buying a decent used vehicle where the initial (larger) depreciation has been paid by the first owner more than makes up for 3 years of Warranty servicing and a big repair like the one we had to do.

 

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

Just wanted to say thanks for all of the responses on this thread.

 

[wasted]

Wow, four disagrees and counting lol

Look back and some of the threads on here and all the people that have had EGR valves go a few weeks afer the warranty expires, how about the countless people with corrosion looking at a bill of £4,000 plus. Not to mention dozens of control panels losing the screen or knob breaking. Fair enough you may save long term due to depreciation but I don't want to be worring about all these problems when travelling half way across Europe on my summer hols.

There is a reason VW charge £1,300 for an extended warranty now!

 

[marshian70]

if I had a problem half way across Europe on my summer hols would have thought it would be a PITA whether I had a warranty or not

 

[Kirk]

More things start to go wrong with age and higher mileage unfortunately

 

[WelshGas]

Very, very few owners who have had NO problems post on Forums. In fact if you compared the number of posts ABOUT problems to the number sold in any given period of time that have had NO problems then the T5 does very well.
Obviously people get upset when their pride and joy has a problem, but what do they do when they don't have a problem. Nothing!

 

[Simspurejuice]

I also bought mine as a "keeper", i have heard, and i accept it might be wrong, but was informed that come 2020 there will be a a huge industry change in motor vehicles across the board, which might indicate why the generation 6 is not a massive departure from the T5, possibly to coincide with a completely new vehicle in 2020?...perhaps?...just saying

 

[Jonney]

Ours will be 3 years old in November. We are keeping it, and will probably invest in having the seats done in leather, kiddy number 2 is on the way, so they are going to get more trashed, and leather is much easier to keep clean.

We have 20k miles on the clock, and plan to run it for a lot longer. I am thinking that when we do get a new one, we'll sell this one for a solar price we paid for it....

 

[Speedbird]

3 years old and definitely a keeper too. Lower depreciation easily outweighs the warranty. I run a classic car and honestly it is not like the van isn't well built in the first place. A Few bills here and there but it's not like it will fall apart after 3 years. Above all I'm emotionally attached to it and a new one can't replace that!

 

[WelshGas]

I'm sure you are probably correct. The biggest changes will be in the overall drivetrain and the electronics. Materials used will probably change but, if the California is to continue based on the T7, then use will constrain overall design.
eg:, if you want maximum volume in a vehicle 5m long that will fit in present car park spaces and covered car parks then you are limited as shown by the gross similarities between the T1-T2-T3-T4-T5 and finally the T6. But with hybrid drivetrains you could design out the bonnet / nose.
A big step forward in drivetrain technology is what is needed to drive forward design!

 

[WelshGas]

20,000 miles in 3 years!!!!

Mine has 13,640 miles in 7 months.

 

[jts46]

121950 miles in 8.5 years and love it.

John