Craikeybaby's VW T5 Bike Van
Discussion
After putting off the bulb replacement, I got the headlights and replacement sidelights replaced. The bluer Osram bulbs look so much better, especially on my blue van. I've got to do the foglight bulbs now, as they look too yellow.
Other than that, the van keeps on going, bikes get chucked in the back and we go off on family adventures. Cannot imagine not having a van in my life.
Other than that, the van keeps on going, bikes get chucked in the back and we go off on family adventures. Cannot imagine not having a van in my life.
I thought I had updated this post more recently - the van was great over the summer especially for the couple of holidays that we had (to Wales and Essex). For the trip to Wales we had stops to ride bikes on both the way there and back, so I removed the single rear seat to allow the adult bikes to fit in with both wheels fitted, alongside all of our luggage. This worked well, and I would do it again in future.
Unfortuatey the last few weeks have not been so kind ot the van. A BMW drove into the back of me whilst stopped at some traffic lights, then drove off when I pulled over to check the van. There's no major damage, but it is annoying. Especially as I had fitted the bumper protector to avoid the bumper getting damaged.
Then yesterday I managed to put a scratch in the roof - our bin lorry drivers are on strike, and I had made the mistake of leaving the van keys lying around, so my wife loaded all the chrismas rubbish onto the van for me to drop off at the temporary refuse collection site. The sign said that the height restriction was 2.1m, but it clearly wasn't and as I drove in I heard the faintest "dink" on the roof. The worst thing was knowing that I also had to drive back out through the same height restriction. Unfortunately my WFH office window overlooks the van, so I can see the scratches clearly - it looks like it is "just" the paint, rather than denting the roof.
It also has a couple of stonechips on the bonnet, so I think one of my jobs for next year will be either to get some touch up paint and bodge it, or to get a "chips away" type to look at it.
Unfortuatey the last few weeks have not been so kind ot the van. A BMW drove into the back of me whilst stopped at some traffic lights, then drove off when I pulled over to check the van. There's no major damage, but it is annoying. Especially as I had fitted the bumper protector to avoid the bumper getting damaged.
Then yesterday I managed to put a scratch in the roof - our bin lorry drivers are on strike, and I had made the mistake of leaving the van keys lying around, so my wife loaded all the chrismas rubbish onto the van for me to drop off at the temporary refuse collection site. The sign said that the height restriction was 2.1m, but it clearly wasn't and as I drove in I heard the faintest "dink" on the roof. The worst thing was knowing that I also had to drive back out through the same height restriction. Unfortunately my WFH office window overlooks the van, so I can see the scratches clearly - it looks like it is "just" the paint, rather than denting the roof.
It also has a couple of stonechips on the bonnet, so I think one of my jobs for next year will be either to get some touch up paint and bodge it, or to get a "chips away" type to look at it.
The benefit of an 80l diesel tank is that I had not needed to fill the tank since mid-February. The downside was that it was bloody expensive to fill it up this week!
More expense tomorrow, as it is going in for a timing chain/water pump service.
Over the winter I had noticed that the passenger side heated wing mirror was not working, or at least not working as well as the driver's side. This seems to be a fairly common issue. This evening I popped the mirror out to check the connections, they looked a bit corroded and I couldn't disconnect them to check the continuity. So I thought I would see if the driver's side looked the same and managed to crack the mirror when I removed it. I couldn't disconnect that either, so I just put it back together and will have another try when I have the replacement mirror.
More expense tomorrow, as it is going in for a timing chain/water pump service.
Over the winter I had noticed that the passenger side heated wing mirror was not working, or at least not working as well as the driver's side. This seems to be a fairly common issue. This evening I popped the mirror out to check the connections, they looked a bit corroded and I couldn't disconnect them to check the continuity. So I thought I would see if the driver's side looked the same and managed to crack the mirror when I removed it. I couldn't disconnect that either, so I just put it back together and will have another try when I have the replacement mirror.
Craikeybaby said:
The benefit of an 80l diesel tank is that I had not needed to fill the tank since mid-February. The downside was that it was bloody expensive to fill it up this week!
More expense tomorrow, as it is going in for a timing chain/water pump service.
Over the winter I had noticed that the passenger side heated wing mirror was not working, or at least not working as well as the driver's side. This seems to be a fairly common issue. This evening I popped the mirror out to check the connections, they looked a bit corroded and I couldn't disconnect them to check the continuity. So I thought I would see if the driver's side looked the same and managed to crack the mirror when I removed it. I couldn't disconnect that either, so I just put it back together and will have another try when I have the replacement mirror.
Turning the heated mirrors on for a while before disassembly can help things become a bit more pliable meaning they’re more likely to let go of the mounts and less likely to snap.More expense tomorrow, as it is going in for a timing chain/water pump service.
Over the winter I had noticed that the passenger side heated wing mirror was not working, or at least not working as well as the driver's side. This seems to be a fairly common issue. This evening I popped the mirror out to check the connections, they looked a bit corroded and I couldn't disconnect them to check the continuity. So I thought I would see if the driver's side looked the same and managed to crack the mirror when I removed it. I couldn't disconnect that either, so I just put it back together and will have another try when I have the replacement mirror.
Following with interest - My work has a T5 that may be repalced later this year/ early next year and i've eyes on it as a bike wagon.
Started racing this year, i'm at the Welsh Enduro this weekend and it would be awesome to be able to use a van as a base for this as i've got the bug :-)
As an aside, is that an FKD jersey you have on in the photo woith your lad on the previous page?
Started racing this year, i'm at the Welsh Enduro this weekend and it would be awesome to be able to use a van as a base for this as i've got the bug :-)
As an aside, is that an FKD jersey you have on in the photo woith your lad on the previous page?
They are Little Rider jerseys, although I think they use the same supplier.
The van has let me down for the first time - we have a day booked at the bike park, but it won't start. I expect a flat battery. Unfortunately, my jumpstart pack also has a flat battery...
Why doesn't this happen when we are going to see the in-laws, or taking my son to a swimming lesson etc?
I guess it is karma for not driving it for 10 days, as I have been putting the miles on my MR2 Roadster instead.
Why doesn't this happen when we are going to see the in-laws, or taking my son to a swimming lesson etc?
I guess it is karma for not driving it for 10 days, as I have been putting the miles on my MR2 Roadster instead.
I think the battery is definitely shot. I managed to jump-start it, once my jump start pack had charged up. And I left it on the battery conditioner all day and that seemed to cure it for a while.
Then another few days of not driving and the battery was flat again. Time for a new battery.
I still also need to fix the wing mirrors - the heating element is broken on the nearside mirror, then whilst diagnosing that, I managed to break the offside mirror, so now both need replacing
Then another few days of not driving and the battery was flat again. Time for a new battery.
I still also need to fix the wing mirrors - the heating element is broken on the nearside mirror, then whilst diagnosing that, I managed to break the offside mirror, so now both need replacing
We have a T6 Caravelle, it's been the most useful car we've owned, it gets used for all sorts, lugging bikes about,going on holiday, pulling trailers etc. We wouldn't be without it. My two boys love it. Have enjoyed reading your posts I have barely been using the van these last few weeks, but am looking forward to a holiday in North Yorkshire in a few weeks, where the van will be filled with bikes etc. However, when I drove it this evening, there was an ABS warning light on the dash, and further investigation shows fault codes for the left rear wheel speed sensor:
This could either be the sensor, or a wiring issue.
If it was on my MR2, I would not hesitate in jacking it up and investigating further, but my garage is too low for the van, and my drive is on a slope. I had a quick look underneath, and found the sensor, but couldn't easily get both hands on it to remove the connector, so I'll take it to a garage. Hopefully it is just the sensor, rather than the wiring.
This could either be the sensor, or a wiring issue.
If it was on my MR2, I would not hesitate in jacking it up and investigating further, but my garage is too low for the van, and my drive is on a slope. I had a quick look underneath, and found the sensor, but couldn't easily get both hands on it to remove the connector, so I'll take it to a garage. Hopefully it is just the sensor, rather than the wiring.
This thread is overdue for an update...
I got the wheel speed sensor sorted at a local VW specialist. And we had a good trip to Yorkshire. We stayed in Staithes, so we could only drive down to the village to unload the van.
On the way there we drove across the North York Moors, between Hutton-le-Hole and Castleton, the fully loaded van was surprisingly fun to hustle along there, but I couldn't help but wish I was in my MR2 Roadster. Especially as my only previous drive on that road had been in the MR2, but in such thick fog that I could barely see the end of the bonnet.
Unfortunately, my reason for coming back to this thread today is that I went to run some errands in the van this afternoon, but it wouldn't start. It was cranking over OK, but not catching. I read the fault codes, but none were present, so I am a bit stumped really. I drove it yesterday and it was fine. The especially annoying thing is that once again, the van let me down on a day off work. As I was heading out on my own, and not needing the loadspace, I was able to take the MR2, the van has been left on the drive in disgrace, and hopefully it will start later in the week.
I got the wheel speed sensor sorted at a local VW specialist. And we had a good trip to Yorkshire. We stayed in Staithes, so we could only drive down to the village to unload the van.
On the way there we drove across the North York Moors, between Hutton-le-Hole and Castleton, the fully loaded van was surprisingly fun to hustle along there, but I couldn't help but wish I was in my MR2 Roadster. Especially as my only previous drive on that road had been in the MR2, but in such thick fog that I could barely see the end of the bonnet.
Unfortunately, my reason for coming back to this thread today is that I went to run some errands in the van this afternoon, but it wouldn't start. It was cranking over OK, but not catching. I read the fault codes, but none were present, so I am a bit stumped really. I drove it yesterday and it was fine. The especially annoying thing is that once again, the van let me down on a day off work. As I was heading out on my own, and not needing the loadspace, I was able to take the MR2, the van has been left on the drive in disgrace, and hopefully it will start later in the week.
My "cheap" Autoaid breakdown policy worked again, after I tried all sorts to get it started, I filled out the form on the app, asking them to recover it to my local(ish) VW specialist. The recovery truck was here within 20 minutes, and he managed to get the van started, by flicking the ignition on and off a load of times, then cranking it. He still recommended that I took it to a garage, so I drove it over to the specialist, where of course it starts every time. It has been at the garage all week, with no fault found. Annoying.
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