Our Vans: Volkswagen T5 Transporter Kombi Sportline
8 September 2014: Racking up the miles - and the bikes
The Details
| Current mileage | 3032 |
|---|---|
| Claimed economy | 37.2mpg |
| Actual economy | 35.8mpg |
I've not actually seen our Volkswagen Transporter much this past month. After being borrowed by fellow motoring writer Kyle Fortune it then almost immediately was lent to our new editor of the honestjohn classics, Keith Moody for a couple of weeks. With two young children he was a big fan of the van and its practicality. But finally it's back with me and I must say I've really missed it.
There's something very reassuring about getting behind the wheel of the Transporter and it gets a lot of approval on the road too. I've had plenty of (what I assume are friendly) waves from fellow T5 and T4 drivers and while fuelling up recently, ended up chatting to a guy who owned a modified Volkswagen Caddy. He was a big fan of the black and silver alloy wheels. He also suggested that it needed a black vinyl bonnet which is an idea I've been toying with for a while now. He may just have swayed it for me!
Having the Volkswagen back has also allowed me to get back out on my mountain bike. The Transporter has become quite indispensable, allowing me to easily move the bike around without having to remove wheels and worry about damaging the interior - as is often the case with a car, even something large like the Skoda Superb I ran or the Honda CR-V.
When I ordered the Transporter Kombi, having a bicycle rack was always a priority and there were a few Volkswagen accessory options available. I could have gone all out and had roof bars fitted with a bike holder on top. That means the bikes are out of the way (and safely out of reach of any untoward characters) but I knew it would be a pain to have to get up on the roof every time (and I'd probably have needed a ladder). Plus there's always that potential of forgetting they are there and heading into a car park with a height restriction...
Shiny van and a new bike rack on a sunny day. Perfect!
The other choice was a tailgate bike rack. This sits high up on the back and folds up when not in use. At £455 (without the VAT) it's not cheap but it is very secure and easy to use. You just flip it down and lift the bikes on. However, it does obscure vision out of the rear window (both when it's in use and folded up). For me it looks a bit bulky and messy on the back, but in the event I couldn't choose it anyway as the Sportline has a rear spoiler which means the tailgate rack won't fit.
So that left me with the towbar bike rack. Which I actually prefer out of the three options. It did mean having a removable tow bar with electrics fitted at £570 but that's something that will always be handy on this kind of van. The two-bike rack was £320 (again without the VAT) and comes with its own lights and number plate. You can see the whole range of Transporter accessories here.
It's a really neat system and easy to use. It folds up into a smaller block and comes with its own canvas zip up case, meaning you can store it neatly away. At the moment mine is strapped to the inside of the van. Setting up is pretty straightforward and it's reasonably light, although it's easier if you have someone to help you. You just fold the lights out, lower the slats which secure the bike wheels and then slot it onto the tow bar.
Finally plug in the electrics for the lights and you're away. There's a lock for the handle that attaches it to the tow bar so no one can come up and simple remove the whole thing. The best bit is the two adjustable bars that hold the cross bar of either bike (or whichever part of the bike you can fit them onto). This means the bikes don't rub together on the move and as these also have keys, you can secure both bikes. Even with my Trek and my other half's retro (and quite heavy) Pashley the bike rack coped with both.
« Earlier: The Transporter goes out on loan Later: Most. Infuriating. Stereo. Ever. »
