T6 Trasnporter LWB Crewvan reviews wanted

[Zaskar]

Im considering buy a new van. I have a 2012 Crewvan. Ive enjoyed a quality drive and quality fittings, but have had (like many others) issues with EGR itself as well as issues that are seperate but related to the EGR. DPF, and more recently stripped a gearbox and drive shaft.
Ive only done 160K so i'm disappointed about all these issues on low mileage.

I'm considering a Traffic but wanted thoughts from you guys on the T6. Is it worth the extra $? Are they still having issues with the EGR and DPF? Is the T6 notably improved to the T5 - how so?

Am I likely to suffer the same high cost repairs with a T6?

Would you buy another one if you have one now?

I will need a Crewvan with the rear air-con vents as a special order from Germany. Thoughts on cheaper or local alternatives?

[Sunny43.5]

It is such a shame we dont get the engine options they get in the UK or Europe , we are still being saddled with diesels where as overseas they get the TSI petrol model in two power outputs . Seems VW Australia can't work out how to get the petrol ones here at a reasonable price , seems diesels in Europe are falling out of flavour with the public . I suppose all the emmision problems and asscociated component failures seen with the Euro 6 engines are being kept quiet here . Read this from the UK https://scontent-syd2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...05&oe=5B14E11D

[aSimpleLife]

If you haven't found it yet, this is the best thread here on the subject;
T6 Transporter/Multivan/Caravelle

I've still got my 2010 T5.
While I love it - it's exactly what I need - great to drive - and very economical.
I also hate it - for the models unreliability (not only what has happened - but what might happen) - and how expensive it is to repair.
While I might still end up keeping this forever - if I can afford to.
I would never buy another Transporter (except as spare parts for this one) - nor a VW - nor a euro vehicle - and probably not a common rail diesel.

The problem is though - what do you get?
The best suggestion I think I have seen was a passing comment by one of the respected contributors on this site who in a discussion about the T6 I thought had said they would give serious consideration to the Renault Trafic instead (Euro I know)
But do you think I can find that post now - maybe I dreamed it?

For a long time I was focused on the Hiace - despite all the critics - until I hired one for a day to drive - they were right
No amount of reliability (maybe) and lower cost servicing was worth that ride and reduced fuel economy and less safety and less towing ability - oh...and banging your head every time you get in.
The new Toyota ProAce van in Europe may be a possibility if it ever gets here - they've got the second generation now - but it is a Peugeot/Citroen - so more euro - not sure about the engine and gearbox if Toyota? - and will we even get the long wheel base?

Not that it's what you need, but it was suggested here to look at V6 Tarago's and those Nissan imports.
I've even looked at petrol rwd Territories and Falcon wagons for long term reliability and lower maintenance costs - but the later is too old now and both are far smaller - and not only is the fuel economy less but then there's E10 and what that may do to your engine so then up goes the fuel and maintenance costs etc.

I think I will try and save my money and when (if) something DECENT becomes available buy an electric van.
It makes the most sense to me - and it's what I have always wanted - and I am talking for like 20 or 30 years.
Still may never happen in my lifetime though

[Transporter]

Wow, long term reliability of Ford Territory and Falcon? Give me the worst model from VW range any day.

As for the Renault Traffic, the new ones are all 1.6L engines, you want to reconsider that unless you keep it only for the warranty period and maybe +1 year.

The new T6 with TDI450 should hopefully be better.

As for other brands, if I wouldn’t buy a T6, I’d have more faith in Fiat van with 2.3L CRD than enything else out there, (very reliable engine in long run).

[aSimpleLife]

Yes...reliability becomes a matter of perspective and your experience...so I could be completely misleading about that.
I am not a mechanic - not even a half reasonable home one.
The cost of Ford parts and availability would have to be better over time though....off topic though I am.

I had forgotten that about the Trafic - but remember noticing it a while back and thinking that 1.6L can't be better than 2.0L - as I said maybe I was dreaming about that comment.

The Fiat is the Ducato? - I didn't know their engine was reliable - I just keep remembering the reverse gear issue - it was my first choice before I changed to a Transporter.

The TDI450 is the bi-turbo - has the reliability of those really improved - there are so many horror stories just on this site - as I think you have mentioned - I have always been so glad I chose the FWD TDI340 in a manual and kept things as simple and reliable as they can be.
There won't be any more new vehicles for me anyway - the T5 was my one shot.
I must admit that I feel better about it over the last 12 months since changing to a decent vw mechanic rather than vw dealers and family mechanics.

[Sunny43.5]

Well for what its worth I am more and more leaning towards petrol power for reliability , lets look back at the last decade and beyond . T4 2.5 petrol engine a goddam hero engine in my opinion , based on half of the Audi V10 . Great performer ran rings around my T5,s engine , then the T5 2.5 Turbo diesel hmm great power oh hell did it go ! BUT unreliable manifolds water pumps turbo failures and a few others I can,t quite remember . Then the T5.1 2.0 turbo diesel with more associated problems EGR DPF you know the ones I mean . NOW lets look at my work van 2004 T5 a miserable pissy little 2.0 litre Petrol manual . So far one set of plugs and leads yes its got 320000km on the clock yes the cat converter got partially blocked but someone belted a lenght of steel through that and gave it back its life , other than the timing belt and pump every 100000 kays it is still going . No emission issues no EGRs no DPF no limp modes and all the other stupid diesel maladys that plague them , what I am saying is for a few extra kays of economy give me a petrol engine anyday . If VW would bring back the petrol versions I would consider one in a heartbeat .

[Tornado T5]

Well I just took delivery of a Trafic Crewvan with Lifestyle pack and let me say straight out it shames all brands for value.

Yes it's a 1.6L manual-only but it is far more lively then the “figures” suggest, came with ¾ tank of diesel and still has 500km of range after having driven 200km, all suburban Melb. driving. I’ve been stuck at work so it hasn’t been driven much in the last 10 days.

My Trafic has climate air-con, 8” screen/dab radio, sat-nav, 6 seater with full bulk-head behind second row, 2 sliding doors with sliding windows in each side door, privacy screens in each sliding door, 17” alloys, colour coded body-work, metallic paint, rear camera with wing doors (do you hear that VW), rear parking sensors, 2 tonne hitch and much, much more, got $3500 for my dying T5 (auto crapped itself) and change over was $42K.

It highlights how over-priced Vito, Transporter and Transit Custom (which I also own) are or in the case of Transit, lacking in options or VW’s case too limiting in options. I would have loved a tdi450 Crewvan but it’s not available in that engine so a Transporter would have cost me $12K+ more and that’s for the base model, add 2nd sliding door, glass for those doors, alloys, colour coding paintwork, rear camera (local install), before I then have to add an aftermarket 2nd row seat and cargo barrier before I match the Trafic Crew lifestyle.

The Transit Custom has the better cabin storage, the 6 speed auto highlights the lack of low-speed smoothness of a DSG, let's not even discuss reverse parking in cbd loading zones,, lol, the T6 has the best build quality, feels very solid while the Trafic rides the best and the Vito, is a great drive with it’s 7 speed auto and excellent Crewvan rear seat setup however it’s massively let down by some of it’s build quality with such things as it’s exposed wiring in the rear which looks like a newly built house awaiting the plasterers the come in and start. It doesn’t justify it’s price and sadly lags behind the passenger car range for fit and finish.

And as to Ford’s, my passenger cars have only been Territory’s and G6ET’s and they have been faultless, whereas my T5 had it’s transmission replaced under warranty at 80K km, new camshaft at 180K km, 3 O2 sensors, new turbo and DPF last year and the transmission was dying again this year.

My ultimate van would be a VW crewvan 4motion with Merc rear seating, VW Tdi 450 with Vito transmission (or Amarok/Crafter 8 speed auto), the Ford cabin storage and the Trafic's ride quality and pricing.

[Transporter]

Congratulations on your Traffic. You’re right, it’s hard to choose and to me it’s always a compromise and I agree the Mercedes vans built quality IMO is not there.

As for the Renault vans, watch out for noise from the wheel bearings and the transmission, which is their weakness for more than a decade.

...and feel free to post some pictures of your Traffic.

[Tornado T5]

Cheers and I will post some photos.