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 type82e
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| posted on July 16th, 2006 at 08:23 PM |
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t4 kombi advice needed
Hi
I havnt been active here for quite a while
I'm looking at buying a 2002 t4 kombi transporter
its an ex ambulance so has all the good gear abs twin air con 2.5 ltr turbo diesel auto cruise control etc etc
we have a growing family 4 kids plus one on the way and this has 10 seats so very good
does anyone here have any experience with one so new? anything I should look out for its done 113k km's
marcel
[ Edited on 16-7-2006 by type82e ]
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Kom81y
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| posted on July 16th, 2006 at 10:32 PM |
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Hi Marcel, that would be a T4, not a T5 :blush. Must be LWB with 10 seats. I have a 2003 T4 Kombi. They came as a 9 seater with a bench seat in the
front and 2 rows of 3 seats. Perfect for kids with rubber flooring all the way throughout. I have since replaced the front bench seat with a single
seat for the passengers' comfort. Have a look at one of these if you can (for comparison), you might get a good deal with less Klm's . 
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type82e
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| posted on July 16th, 2006 at 11:09 PM |
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sorry I thought it was a t5
its an 02 ex ambulance so doesnt have factory seats in it so theyre aftermarket
the interior is a bit spartan but has 10 seats so 3 rows of seats plus the high roof and the price is 20k which is attractive
what about reliability, fuel consumption? handling etc
marcel
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hypo-vw
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 posted on July 17th, 2006 at 12:09 AM |
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be sure to get the log books for this vehicle and check that the major service and timing belts and tensioners were replaced when due at 75000k's .it
is costly to do the major service and belts / tensioners ( approx $1100 ) but far more costly if a belt breaks . Good luck .
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Kom81y
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 posted on July 17th, 2006 at 12:37 AM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by type82e
sorry I thought it was a t5
what about reliability, fuel consumption? handling etc
marcel
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Hey, no worries. My T4 hasnt given me any problems (yet) except for niggly things like an aircon button and intermitten power window fault on the
passenger side. I can't give you figures on fuel consumption but I am pretty happy with what I get (although mine is petrol, not deisel). Compared to
the handling of my 85 Vanagon before this, I love driving this car (although I miss the bus steering wheel:P ). I have only done 47,000 kms in just on
3 years this month. I have seen a couple of the same model as mine for sale for $30K and less. If you could pick one up for less than $25K and with
lower k's than your ambulance then I would grab it, but dont let me talk you out of your ambo, if it checks out mechanically (and log book servicing)
wise and you like it, then why not. With 6 seats in the back, my 3 kids still fight over the one seat nearest to the door
Might be more than you want to spend but this will give you an idea;
http://www.drive.com.au/used_cars/volkswagen/kombi/sydney/detail.aspx?id=2834...
and it's only done 15 000kms!
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ragtopp
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| posted on July 17th, 2006 at 08:50 PM |
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I have a T4 and its my daily workhorse and workshop. Running a deisel and weighing in at 2480 kgs kerb weight with tools and gear, i constantly get
650kms to the tank week in week out. I got it at 105000 kms old and had to do all the belts replace the starter motor and belt tensioner, wasnt cheap
to do , about $1400, but 75000kms on i havent had any real dramas, done those kms in 18 months. Had to replace the glow plugs, they seem a little weak
for a car made for the cold of Europe, and two of them are under the deisel pump so that can be a bit major. I love mine its a single cab chassis, i
do work it hard, it never ceases to amaze me.
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_dmb_
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| posted on July 17th, 2006 at 09:21 PM |
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ambulances tend to be regularly serviced, including timing belts. the old problem with ex ambulances was that they tended to be thrashed, but the
transporters can't really be over reved coz of rev limiters and things, so not such an issue. plus they are changed over more regularly now days,
not like the fords with 500 000 kms on them.
the t4s are good. i am told that pre 1997 automatic transmissions are pretty dodgy and better left alone, but the later ones seem ok. i have a petrol
caravelle, but find that the deisels have more power and get better fuel economy. the T5 deisels are amazing!!! they fly, but cost more to buy
atm.
as long as you don't mind the fibreglass roof. they are a bit ugly on that model, imho, but if you somehow filled in the bit at the front where the
light bar went it would look pretty good, though no-one ever seems to do this.
cheers
dave |
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type82e
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| posted on July 18th, 2006 at 10:23 PM |
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I spoke to the previous owner today and he sold it because of the high cost of maintaining it. the brakes needed to be done and he was quoted over a
thousand dollars, it still needs it mayor service which is over $1100 and every time he went to have something fixed the parts were very expensive
he only bought it last year and has done 30 thousand k's and bought a new toyota commuter 14 seater?
marcel
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johny rotten
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| posted on July 18th, 2006 at 10:34 PM |
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Ex Ambo + t4 + Auto = Lemon Beware
[ Edited on 18-7-2006 by johny rotten ]
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h
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| posted on July 18th, 2006 at 10:51 PM |
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hey man ive got a 98 T4 SWB 2.4 diesel non-turbo manual bus.. and its great
just got the 120,000 belt service last week for about the 1k mark at leons motors - BNE
top bus, had plenty of aircooled buses but this is the 1st water cooled ride ive had and im wrapped..
it had 104,000km when i brought it oct 05, listen for dodgy gearbox noises if none it should be a gooden..
good luck with your purchase..
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Kom81y
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| posted on July 19th, 2006 at 12:16 AM |
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I forgot to say that my T4 is a manual. I purposely bought a manual as I had been told by my VW mechanic who looked after our 85 that the autos went
thru brakes pretty quickly and because of the sensors on the pads, you HAD to use that specific brake pad, you couldnt upgrade to a better pad as in
earlier models. I prefer manuals anyway so this was not an issue...I think all Caravelles come in Auto only , don't they?
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_dmb_
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| posted on July 19th, 2006 at 10:11 AM |
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my t4 caravelle is manual, but i think the t5 caravelles only come in the auto. but if he is looking at a high roof ex ambo it isnt a caravelle
anyway, or a kombi. it is a transporter.
funny you say "better" pads, I think you mean a pad that lasts longer, but doesnt work as well. european car manufacturers are generally less
inclined to offer longer lasting brake rotors and pads at the cost of brake performance. personally i would be quite happy to do so, but alas,
expensive and frequent brake repairs it is. |
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byronbus
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| posted on July 19th, 2006 at 09:30 PM |
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t4 + auto + ambo = 2.5tdi and most are double door, know of 3 and they have been fantastic...looking for one myself.
As dave has said, always looked after...and get the goods, pity about the roof, although one i know of has had a roof put back in, wouldnt know it
used to have a high roof, love the huge reversing light on the rear...
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johny rotten
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| posted on July 19th, 2006 at 09:52 PM |
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Most Ambos are Autos
T4 Autos are shit
simple really
(just put away an extra 7K for replacment tranny every 100,00k)
[ Edited on 19-7-2006 by johny rotten ]
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type82e
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| posted on July 19th, 2006 at 10:36 PM |
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my neighbours father actually had the same thing and he had the auto serviced somewhere and they used the wrong oil and shat itself it was something
like 6k to fix an the shop would only pay 2/3 rds of it he aslo mentioned the high cost of parts
marcel
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ragtopp
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| posted on July 19th, 2006 at 11:31 PM |
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As mentioned by "h" the major service is at 120000 not 75000. The brakes on my manual T4 have done 175000 and are still on original pads and rotors.
200000 on original brakes isnt uncommon in t4's so not sure what all the brake problem talk is. The diesels have a brake vacumn pump that gets noisey
early on and is expensive to replace, but many tap along quite contented for years. Mine has been tapping for the two years ive had it, the fella
thought the head was stuffed, saved me 3 grand off the price. Gearboxs can be a bit weak, but remember most of the people that drive them from new
have thrashed the shit out of them, they never check gear oil levels, mine at 115000 was almost out of oil, thankfully it was saved. As for t4's are
shit and keep money aside for repairs, try getting the work a t4 will do out of an air cooled kombi these days, might aswell keep a spare 3 grand for
a new donk every 100000 kms.
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Kom81y
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| posted on July 20th, 2006 at 12:18 AM |
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I mentioned earlier that the brake pad replacement cost ($1000est) was warned to me before I bought my T4. My mechanic had said the autos go through
brake pads quicker (naturally cause you aren't using your gears to slow yourself) but it wasnt an issue cause I was buying a manual anyway. Got her
first pink slip today, she will be 3 next week. Gee I hope I get 175000k's out of my brake pads
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