Tuesday 13th December 2011

PH Blog: why vans rock

Fleet shake-up means bidding farewell to a faithful if not especially PH long-termer

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'My' VW Caddy long-termer doesn't even really belong on PH. But I couldn't say goodbye without giving it a bit of a send off. You see, the Caddy was carried over from my last job but the guys at VW kindly let me see out the remaining time on its long-term loan balance sheet while I sorted out more PH-worthy transport.

More on this shortly.

Bike and van colour co-ordinated ... yes, tragic!

But it was only ever really an excuse. Because I really didn't want to send the Caddy home.

Getting all misty-eyed about a bright orange van with a beating heart of, er, a 102hp 1.6-litre diesel engine probably isn't the thing the editor of PistonHeads should really admit to. But bear with me.

There's always something rather fun about tooling about in a van and, employing a slightly perverse logic, one with minimal power. I took the Caddy on to explore life as a 'civilian' commercial vehicle user, my love of mountain biking meaning I always have use of a vehicle with decent luggage capacity. And, let's face it, if you're going to drive a van a VW van is a good place to start.

M25 commuting has gotten a bit hardcore

Orange paint matched that of my Orange mountain bike, both being ordered around the same time. Seven-speed DSG and digital radio were among the unexpected creature comforts though, to be honest, I missed the fact air-con wasn't standard. Basic spec on a van means basic. But by the time I'd done on the options this one had hit nearly £18K though.

Moving swiftly on... An unladen van is always a bit of a hoot to drive, even one with only 102hp. And the Caddy was just that, the DSG banging through manual shifts with near PDK crispness and - let me run with this - a bit of a touring car vibe what with the long shifter sprouting from the floor. I've actually driven VW's race Caddy in the past and, ahem, may have reckoned I was still in it on occasion in the orange mean machine, as my contact at VW referred to it.

Dan on a typical drive into PH towers

It was even half decent on my new, somewhat longer commute. 6Music echoing around the interior, little diesel motor humming away I could easily score 50mpg on the mainly motorway run and in the 'who blinks first' lane changes you're always playing a winning hand being in a van, bright orange or not.

So farewell Caddy, it's been a right laugh. Your replacement will probably be quite a bit faster and prestigious. But there'll always be a place in my heart for a faithful little van!

 

 

[loudlashadjuster]

Bung in the 140ps 2.0 TDI engine and a Bluefin.

Fun with a capital F.

[Vixpy1]

Harry never really got over the events at Hogwarts, after a time Battleing a drink problem he ended up working at a motoring website

[GarryA]

Is that shed of the week in the background?

[PeXy]

You can't wear a scarf like that and not expect Harry Potter jokes.

[forzaminardi]

Moving house recently, I was given a reminder of the fun of hustling an unladen Transit around the ringroads of England, commuters seeing your copy of the sun and Gregg's wrappers on the dashboard and nevously moving aside to make way for the charging white diesel-fuelled beast.

Happy days.

[eddieantifreeze]

vans do rock - a very simple fact.

All blokes love to get the excuse to rag a van around and be that person everyone hates on the road, if only for a few hours.

i regularly pick a transit over a freelander at work to do some donkey work - its just more fun!

[GarryA]

That just reminded me, when I was a young apprentice I was sent back to the yard in a Transit (now empty of staff and equipment) to fetch some more gear, the roads were soaking wet and I found that round town it drifted beautifully and I was getting more and more daring with each corner / roundabout, as I pulled out a T junction and went sideways I had to pull up at the lights following behind a Skoda Octavia, as I was high up I could see inside the car, I thought wow that car's got a telly inside, must be high spec.

It was an unmarked police car, I got well and truly bked.

Cool story eh, bro.....

[Dan Trent]

PeXy said:

You can't wear a scarf like that and not expect Harry Potter jokes.

Hm, I thought it was Garlick's job to take the grenade when it comes to sartorial critiques from the PH masses. <goes off to check job description>

[redgriff500]

PeXy said:

You can't wear a scarf like that and not expect Harry Potter jokes.

Forget the scarf look at his shoes.

And then he colour codes his laces to his van !

[TAHodgson]

Thank god. I honestly thought I was the only weirdo that loved driving vans!! Your caddy is the successor to my old one!

[Graham]

chop the van in for a car, nah mate you want a 7.5 tonner next they are a real hoot to drive...

g

[Riggers]

PeXy said:

You can't wear a scarf like that and not expect Harry Potter jokes.

I wear a scarf like that. But I don't think anybody would ever mistake me for Harry Potter...

[Changedmyname]

I love my caddy mk3 cheap as chips to run and own.

[v8will]

Graham said:

chop the van in for a car, nah mate you want a 7.5 tonner next they are a real hoot to drive...

g

Not much different to drive than a Sprinter or so on, get into an 18 tonner. Much bigger, much more...Manly!

[Rickyy]

Personally, I can't wait to get out of my van and drive a car! They are ok for a while! But the lack of pace, body roll, vague steering and st driving position becomes tiresome after a while!

[The Wookie]

I've just realised the lack of something orange in my garage. I might have to consider it for my future vehicles...

[moanthebairns]

yip! I hated my works van when I had it, but now I changed jobs and dont have it by christ I miss it!

You can punnish and punnish them and they still start every morning whilst getting you from A to B with a st load of stuff in the back.

They are even fun on a good road.

You can mount curbs without worrying about your alloys and leave it parked in the middle of no where without a care in the world. If someone parks too close you dont need to worry about your door getting dinged. no zig zaging to avoid pot holes, the suspension is that soft you dont even feel them.
You never need to wash them and nothing goes wrong with them as they have nothing in them to start with.

[beasto]

Vans rock, not least because you just chuck stuff in without a care in the world.

My Connect swallows bikes, boards, et al with ease, and looks the part with black-out windows and a decent set of wheels.

Goes like the clappers with just a 'civilian' load to haul too, plus a niiice sound system for Mozart or Disco, depending on mood!

[Chris71]

I bet the Five is still more fun...

[Johnspex]

"Gotten"! Oh how standards have fallen.