Guys,
I have no idea how the Australian delivered T4 Transporters, Caravelles etc compare with what you got over there....but I hope my experiences are of some use to you
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My van was imported as a 2.5L Transporter and then converted by Trakka here to Multivan specs (the Multivan was not delivered into Aus at the time).Cost the same new as an optioned Caravelle (8 seat people mover).
Lots of features including 2 removable seats to increase the load space to enormous
, rear seat converts to a bed, a pullout table etc...
Mine is not standard (never owned a standard car in my life lol)...we've done a few little things along the way.
"Bertha-the-wonder-van" runs Konis and Eibachs all round; sits on 7" x 15" rims with good rubber. I chuck 'Bertha' round a lot...and she handles incredibly well. Changing springs and shocks and using different alignment settings made a world of difference; it handled reasonably well originally anyway but these upgrades mean I can actually entice a bit of power oversteer when pushing hard in a corner; not bad in a front wheel drive
. We have advisory speed limits on most corners of country roads...I can take most corners in 'Bertha' comfortably at well over the suggested limit.
Performance - issues I have. For reference 'Bertha' has an Audi 5 cylinder engine and 5 speed manual gearbox. First is lack of torque at lower revs. Once you're on the cam (about 3200revs) totally different story. Lots of compression (over 210lbs per cylinder), so keeping the revs up if you want to go hard or pull up a big hill is the way to go. Second is the engine gets 'breathless' approaching redline. Once you're pulling over 5000rpm she sometimes drops off the performance a little. Often depends on the weather - cool, crisp, good horsepower weather and she just goes to redline!
Remarkably tractable just driving around though; I can drive around town in 4th at 50-60kph without a problem.
Acceleration - once out of first this thing is pretty amazing. Great on the highway too. For a big heavy brick that is often loaded up she does a great job.
Towing....AMAZING! We have a large tandem trailer that weighs over a ton by itself...then we load that trailer with another ton or two...and stick it behind 'Bertha'...I have had to do this many times...I am kind to the gearbox and just let 'Bertha' build up her speed without too much stress. The whole rig will cruise at 120-130kph on the open road...just have to plan ahead for the hills
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'Bertha' has well over 200,000kms clocked up now....compression is still great; still on the original clutch
and the gearbox is barely noisy. She has a weep from the rear main seal which we will get around to fixing; has never broken down other than a small issue with the transponder for the management system not picking up the electronics in the ignition key ($40 fix). We over-maintain her (gets a service every 5000kms) but we are in the position to do that. It's our family hauler, goods carrier, runaround etc. We are totally dependent on her!
FWIW - I only use the best of fuels - always. I have a 20km each way drive to get BP Ultimate and I do it. Anything else and even with the smart management system the engine complains. We run the best oils and fluids money can buy in her as well. All this has paid big dividends...
Oh yeah....'Bertha' is a wet track hillclimb star too
! Had a lot of fun showing up the lighter, quicker, faster cars a while ago at our local hillclimb track...it was wet, so I had the advantage
...started out as a laugh; but a lot of the guys want me to seriously enter her if we can find a class to suit...I'll do it - as long as it's wet