Ownership Verified: Optimus "T?mus" Prime | '13 VW T5 180 BiTDI 4motion DSG

[Adrian]

The 850 probably is half a ton lighter, and considerably less brick-shaped :lol:

It's funny, you can feel the wind correct the back end when it steps out :lol:

Looks great! I love the beautiful bi-xenons contrasting to the pressed-steel wheels.

It's really a small detail, but I love the hubcaps. Seeing that sort of larger VW logo there seems to add a little sense of lightheartedness.

Those are getting thrown out as soon as the tires are worn down - then i'll put winter tires on the summer rims and get some nicer summer wheels.

Taking it round the ring?

If the 8 decides to break down week before ringmeet, maybe.

Rick hasn't posted because he's too busy swooning, methinks :lol:

Sweet van, Adrian.

Thanks stiggie

And you're also one of not many people calling a 180 PS / 400 Nm Turbodiesel "underpowered"..... well, considering what you're used to...

It's not slow per se, it's a very quick van. But it's not fast.. I'm used to slightly more oomph.

Man, I love those things! In my opinion the coolest van available over here in the north. Congrats!

edit: Just realized that the lift thingie isn't based inside the car but under it. How much does that lower the ground clearance? How about the winter, how is it protected?

As said before on IRC, sweet van! How's the ground clearance on this thing, because it looks like there's not much left with the lift under the car like that, looks like you'll be scraping speedbumps.

The ground clearance is OK, i haven't hit anything yet. The lift is not protected by anything.

But as far as vans go, it's probably second only to the Vito with the big V6 CDI.

Indeed. Some day i might regret not getting the TSI though, but oh well..

 

[narf]

Well, it's probably got a worse power to weight ratio than your Focus even before the accessibility addons. But as far as vans go, it's probably second only to the Vito with the big V6 CDI.

our tiny TSIs give more power to weight :lol:

 

[DanRoM]

Also, DanRoM: A 180hp diesel is nothing overpowered, thats like a BMW 20d, your totally average engine, but for cars in the 1400-1700kg range.

Relax, thomas. Not overpowered is not the same as underpowered. Of course it's not a racecar. I consider 180 PS and 400 Nm adequate for that - it's a van, not a sportscar.
As Adrian himself put it:

It's not slow per se, it's a very quick van. But it's not fast.. I'm used to slightly more oomph.

 

[Perc]

I am wondering why people are surprised about the Xenon-option. If I have the choice, that is not something arguable, it will go in.

Sometimes I picture these people, the ones who buy 50k eur mercs with halogen headlights. Their first car was a beetle with a 6V electrical system and those headlights were perfectly fine, so why waste money on frivolous crap like upgraded lighting now?

But I have honestly never seen a single Transporter with xenons, and I quite frequently see tricked out ones with 4Motion, DSG, stainless steel bars and the like. For carpenters and whatnot that want a workhorse AND a presentable off-duty daily driver without having to keep two cars. But no, crappy halogens it is. Maybe it isn't available on the panel van, or something. I don't know.

Meanwhile, for every 10 Octavias I see about 4-5 of them have xenons. And the base price of these is like a third as much as a specced-up Transporter.

Oh well, let's not crap the thread even more. I'm waiting for pictures of a stainless lightbar with xenon driving lights being installed. This car needs it!

 

[Jens]

Congratulations Adrian! Great looking van with the right colour and options in my opinion.
I drove one last year and was pleasantly surprised by how good it was to drive (FWD model).

 

[Bobele23]

The doors are way too slow mate, you gonna need moar power !

*ho ho ho*

 

[thomas]

Sometimes I picture these people, the ones who buy 50k eur mercs with halogen headlights. Their first car was a beetle with a 6V electrical system and those headlights were perfectly fine, so why waste money on frivolous crap like upgraded lighting now?

But I have honestly never seen a single Transporter with xenons, and I quite frequently see tricked out ones with 4Motion, DSG, stainless steel bars and the like. For carpenters and whatnot that want a workhorse AND a presentable off-duty daily driver without having to keep two cars. But no, crappy halogens it is. Maybe it isn't available on the panel van, or something. I don't know.

Meanwhile, for every 10 Octavias I see about 4-5 of them have xenons. And the base price of these is like a third as much as a specced-up Transporter.

Oh well, let's not crap the thread even more. I'm waiting for pictures of a stainless lightbar with xenon driving lights being installed. This car needs it!

Seriously.. I keep seeing all those latest gen Mercs around here, AMG and all that shit... and then Halogen.. I know someone who got the latest gen A6 sedan, but just for the "having an A6"-sake, because it is litereally bone stock and has only 1 or 2 options (I think bigger AC and metallic paint) and proper lights is not one of them. When I started speccing my car, or even when I started to consider getting a car built-to-order, there was no fucking doubt it will have Xenon. I mean.. its not just the better light, it also is a huge part of the cars looks.

Back on topic: I have to agree with Bobele, all those things like door and lift need to be powered up and move at least twice as fast

 

[Tcdoe]

But I have honestly never seen a single Transporter with xenons, and I quite frequently see tricked out ones with 4Motion, DSG, stainless steel bars and the like. For carpenters and whatnot that want a workhorse AND a presentable off-duty daily driver without having to keep two cars. But no, crappy halogens it is. Maybe it isn't available on the panel van, or something. I don't know.

The reason you haven't seen them is because they indeed weren't available as OEM until 2012. Some minibus conversions like Carsport had xenons retrofitted before that, but not with original parts.

Adrian: This is about as nice as vans get, congrats. Like the color too.

 

[public]

How much is swapping a Xenon lamp compared to swapping a Halogen light bulb?

 

[Adrian]

3-5 times the price, but they last 3-5 times as long.

 

[Davetouch]

I are disappoint that you didn't invest in the clearly superior in every respect Kangoo or Dacia Kangoo or whatever it's called these days :lol:

 

[Perc]

How much is swapping a Xenon lamp compared to swapping a Halogen light bulb?

I charge around ~55? for a standard Philips D2S/D2R bulb and I've been told several times recently that it's a really good price. D1S are more complicated so they're a bit more expensive. We have some off-brand ones too, they cost about ~20 less. Not sure yet how the quality/longevity compares, we just got them in the other day.

For comparison, a pair of extra bright Philips halogens are around 20-25? depending on type.

You will most likely want to swap both xenon bulbs at once because color temp and light output both degrade over time.

 

[narf]

I bought a pair of Osram H7 Halogens for 10? when rough Danish roads killed one bulb http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0043MO6XS

 

[Perc]

I bought a pair of Osram H7 Halogens for 10? when rough Danish roads killed one bulb http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0043MO6XS

Yes, but the uprated ones (Osram Nightbreaker Plus, Philips ExtremeVision) are about twice that, and these things in general are more expensive up here than in Germany.

So 20-25 euros is common for a pair of fancier H7's. A normal H7 is 5-6? or so.

 

[thomas]

Still, the benefit of Xenons in terms of more relaxed and safer driving because you just see way more, is worth the relatively small extra that it'll cost you if you replace a set of xenonburners in 3 years instead of a set of 90+ halogens each year. I have seen Osrams D1S which were tested 2nd best in several tests in germany for 150? for a set last year (have to look up the name). Looking at 25? for a set of Bosch 90+ which I used in my E87 which lasted mostly 1yr until at least 1 died, that is in 3yrs at least assumed lifecycle of the xenons double the price, or ~75? more. And that money over that timespan is totally worth the way better light.

 

[Perc]

Agreed. Xenons is totally worth it. I feel sorry for people driving shiny new Audis, MBs, BMWs and the like with halogens. 50k? car and 1970's lighting technology.

 

[Adrian]

So! It's had it's first breakdown. Electric handbrake stopped working, of course in the engaged position...

 

[IceBone]

Might want to add it's part of the hand controls that broke. Don't want to bring out the VAG haters in here. They have enough of the forums to spew their bile.

 

[Adrian]

Yes, it's an aftermarket addition. But still, one of the parking sensors have fallen inside it's hole already

 

[IceBone]

I wonder what plumber's crack suffering sausage fingered aftermarket wanker did that, then.