Hey fellas ,I have been Van hunting and seeking best advice,and reviews also asking people about Vitos,T4s/T5??,Transits and Toyotas Any useful info on any of these vehicles if you've owned one from around 2000 and up to a 6000 price range or are selling one or know of one please fill me in ???Cheers Reviews and research is conflicting a bit ?:(

Once had a 2004 T4, turbo diesel auto. Great van until the turbo gasget blew. Key broke, mirror got swiped.
it ended up costing heaps.

have also had experience with Hiaces. Nice but are made for a Japanese guy. So unless your under 5"5, then you won't have much leg room.

by far the best van is the one I drive now, a H1 iload turbo diesel.
it has the go of the VW, the feel of a hiace but with more room and a cheaper service cost.
with a bed it easily fits a full 2 wave board quiver and weekend away kit.
They also are rear wheel drive, so they go ok off the bitumen.
they also have some cool extras like double sliding doors etc.

youd be stupid not too get one.
everyones doing it.

The paint job could cost a bit?

Luck of the draw with vw t5,s.
1.9 motor maybe less of a problem than the 2,5.if you could take the risk..


Dont buy an automatic as a gearbox could be $12,000 (2.5) and they do go!!

i just broke a second gear syncro and that cost $3900 in overhaul later. ( 1.9)
Wreckers wanted $3000 for a gearbox that had done 200,000 km--- could only find 4 in the country as they all have different codes!

two mates both bought 2.5 t5,3 at 150,000kms new / secondhand motor needed $5000 plus fitting.

Then some have had vans that have done 400,000

you want get one for $6000 , expect $12,000 with lower kms.

vw mechanic told me bigger the badge bigger the problem.


i would not buy another myself, would go Toyota of the Hiace.

Ive had a t5 4motion now for 8 years and just on 150000K.

Have to say its the best van i've ever had. One electric window motor has been the only unscheduled repair.

Expensive services at VW but offset by very low running costs.

I had the back sprayed with Rhinolining and it has a second battery set up with a queen size mattress level.

It'll be for sale later in the year when I turn it over for the new model but might be a bit out of your 6K price range i'm afraid!

I've heard of others with a bad experience with them but have to chip in and say mine has been universally positive.

Are you looking for a van specifically for wavesailing?

How would this differ from a general windsurfing van or a GPS Speed van?

A bit more rocker I'm guessing?

I'm strongly considering a Toyota Tarago (or imported Estima) to remove the back seats and make what I think would be a pretty handy van. Could easily fit all my gear, and still drive pretty much like a car. Some of the imports are available in 4wd and V6. Hope I'm not hijacking the thread, but anyone with any good reason not to go that way? Ahem, apart from the soccer mum look.

I also have a VW transporter. I did look at the Hyundai but didn't come in a long wheel base so wouldn't fit my paddle board in. I recently hired an IMax in Cairns and was really disappointed the seats only tilted a little and they couldn't be flattened at all and hence the van felt very full with one slalom board and a rig bag with only one sail in it. My VW is a manual 1.9 turbo diesel and by my calcs I would get about 1050km if I ran the 80L tank dry. It overtakes many cars on large hills without a complaint doing 120.

Hold on, we're still talking $6000 here, right?

Just get a Hiace!!!!

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TerryA said..
Just get a Hiace!!!!

Temporary bi-ped

Yeah, thanks boyz! now i am more confused than ever ??? haha,just kidding you all failed to mention the best ,most reliable and great value for money van the Transit maybe ?vaManual ,rear wheel ,lwb/mid top ?

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waveboy1 said..
Yeah, thanks boyz! now i am more confused than ever ??? haha,just kidding you all failed to mention the best ,most reliable and great value for money van the Transit maybe ?vaManual ,rear wheel ,lwb/mid top ? Risk Diesel or not that is the question /Gas preferred maybe Its for teaching ?

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batstonem said..
Ive had a t5 4motion now for 8 years and just on 150000K.

Have to say its the best van i've ever had. One electric window motor has been the only unscheduled repair.

Expensive services at VW but offset by very low running costs.

I had the back sprayed with Rhinolining and it has a second battery set up with a queen size mattress level.

It'll be for sale later in the year when I turn it over for the new model but might be a bit out of your 6K price range i'm afraid!

I've heard of others with a bad experience with them but have to chip in and say mine has been universally positive.

YEAH, i was in happy mode when i bought my t5 lwb 1.9 at 150,000 km.
new clutch at 160,000km $ 2-500, now g box $4000
other than that all good

i get it back this week after box rebuild so hopefully she will keep on truckin.

I'm in the same boat looking at vans. Not interested in the standard hiace, just don't like the design.

I'm looking at these options around the 2005-2009 year range:
- Caddy Maxi - Look pretty good but expensive and Maxi's are hard to find.
- Fiat Escudo LWB - Reviews seem good but polarising (love or hate them). Parts expensive.
- Ford Transit LWB - Reviews not so good, lots of people having transmission problem.s
- Hyandai iLoad/iMax - Look good, but high resale. LWB harder to find.
- VW T4/T5 - Expensive! But a proven option.
- Renault Trafic LWB - Look like a pretty good bet. Tom Radis (awesome mechanic) reckons they're good value.
- Older Toyota Hiace SWB - Look pretty good for the price, but they're getting old.

For $6k maybe look toward the Hiace SWB?

Buy a Delica then you can spend as much time on the Delica site as you do on Seabreeze