T5 camper buyers guide?

[SwissJonese]

Looking for advice on purchasing a VW T5 camper, can't seem to find any T5 buyers guides?

Considering using a company to buy the van and convert it for me, but there seems to be lots of conversion companies, how to choose a good one from a duffer? Or is it just easier to buy one 2nd hand which has already been converted?

[rufmeister]

Try vwt4forum.co.uk

There is a T5 section on there also.

[egor110]

These are good for conversions http://autohausvw.co.uk/

[eatcustard]

T5s are not that reliable, plenty of people wish they never owned them, Camper and workhorse vans.

[SwissJonese]

eatcustard said:

T5s are not that reliable, plenty of people wish they never owned them, Camper and workhorse vans.

Anything in particular wrong with them? I no to avoid DSG (had it on my Golf R32 and didn't like it), and to check for flywheel issues, but there seems to be a lot of vans out there with lots of miles on them?

[Mr Peel]

I'm not convinced they are any less reliable than Transits, Movanos etc. These VWs have a big following, so every issue gets highlighted on forums etc. The average van driver won't bother doing that.

Tt's fashionable in the VW scene to claim they aren't as well-built or reliable as T4s, but it's not really comparing like with like - particularly the pre-facelift T4s which are simpler buses with less to go wrong electrically.

[eatcustard]

Gearbox problems are the biggest.
If you do get one get the revised model

[westievx]

Hi , check this forum out for everything T5 related,loads of info and advice on buying and building a camper.


http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/index.php

Regards Mark.

[westievx]

Hi , check this forum out for everything T5 related,loads of info and advice on buying and building a camper.


http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/index.php

Regards Mark.

[LeighW]

eatcustard said:

Gearbox problems are the biggest.
If you do get one get the revised model

The 'problem' gearbox is the 5 speed, which was fitted to the 1.9, and is still used on the lower power 85 & 102 facelift models. Mine has over 100k on it and is fine, problems start when people start remapping and putting more power, or rather torque through than it was ever designed to take.

[Chicken Chaser]

Having owned mine for 3 years now, as a daily runner (it's my only vehicle) I have had no issues from my 1.9 85hp T5. Ok it's not fast, and it's a basic model with little to go wrong but I'm happy that it's not given me ££££ bills and I have confidence that it's going to get me where I want to go. I actually booked it in for a remap last year but then cancelled as I worried about reliability.

Looking to do a 2500 mile trip around Europe this summer and have no worries about whether it'll do it.