How you feel about Volkswagen Multi VAN for mission and living

I always want to drive an ute or suv like most of you are driving, but I can `t. It `s not because I can `t afford it, just because my situation. The car I am using is a Nissan xtrail 2.0L that I bought as NZ new in 2015, and I love it very much because it never let me down, and we spent over 120,000km on it. Lots of good memories from the tip of north down to the bottom of south island, and that `s why during the covid years I still pay for full insurance and the cost of letting it sitting in a motel for three years.

I am going back soon but I have to face the same issue, the cost of living in a motel. Why motel, not rental? Because I have to move with jobs or any opportunities that could help me rest of fishing and hunting days. To terminate a fixed rental contract is not easy, and I am not that sort of man can make it easy. So, now I am thinking to have this van because it has 4wd capability which is essential to me, and I can live in it on a camp park to save lots of money. Motel cost me too much, $900 a week is the cheapest, before covid in Christchurch is only about $550 PW.

So, anyone has experience with this multi van, 4wd, the cost of owning it, performance, reliability, offroads capability. I watched some videos on Youtube but commercials is not reality. Also, living in a holiday park on it, any thoughts? I have lots of camping experience, but not like this.

Thank you

Good being a single man without mortgage...you have freedom.

Yeah, live in the van.
Some vans are self-contained campervans. However, if you live in a campground you just need a bed and curtains in the van as you use the campground kitchen, laundry, toilet/shower, and TV room.
Cost for a campground site without electricity would be around $120 or around $150 with electricity per week so you save a lot of money.
Some campgrounds let you stay long-term, others you can only stay for a week maximum. Call around to find the long-term ones.

As for the people who live long-term in Campgrounds... well they are usually mostly broke so you might get some asking to borrow money :thumbsup: . Mostly they are down-to-earth good people, but there are always the 'strange ones' haha :D.

My experience with VW is that they are reliable fro new for a few years and then become a money pit. I had two Caravella vans in my company as well as a Polo for a run around.

Toyota Hi-ace is much better.

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Originally Posted by Hermitage

Good being a single man without mortgage...you have freedom.

Yeah, live in the van.
Some vans are self-contained campervans. However, if you live in a campground you just need a bed and curtains in the van as you use the campground kitchen, laundry, toilet/shower, and TV room.
Cost for a campground site without electricity would be around $120 or around $150 with electricity per week so you save a lot of money.
Some campgrounds let you stay long-term, others you can only stay for a week maximum. Call around to find the long-term ones.

As for the people who live long-term in Campgrounds... well they are usually mostly broke so you might get some asking to borrow money :thumbsup: . Mostly they are down-to-earth good people, but there are always the 'strange ones' haha :D.

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Thank you. I have married for over 20 years, just in NZ for now only myself, and I got mortgage too back home but it closed to end. I am not planning to stay in holiday park for long term, once I got stabilized in a place, I will find a rental property. This is a thought, a plan because I am tired with motels, it `s not only because of the cost.

I have driven 2 VW transporters with 4motion for a combined range of around 550,000kms

From new they are fantastic, the 4motion is incredible in icy or snowy conditions and gravel roads.

I was averaging over 1200km a week for a long time and when they have been driving hot you have no problems at all. As soon as you start to retire them and not driving them as often you will start having old age problems with them.

I would buy a near new one but would be very wary of one that's done 250,000+ kms

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Originally Posted by Billbob

I have driven 2 VW transporters with 4motion for a combined range of around 550,000kms

From new they are fantastic, the 4motion is incredible in icy or snowy conditions and gravel roads.

I was averaging over 1200km a week for a long time and when they have been driving hot you have no problems at all. As soon as you start to retire them and not driving them as often you will start having old age problems with them.

I would buy a near new one but would be very wary of one that's done 250,000+ kms

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Thank you Bill, that also is my concerns for European cars, they loose value quickly and the ongoing ownership costs will become bigger and bigger. But, this multivan is quite fit for me, 4wd is a must. It has good space and can carry all my belongings to relocate anywhere, and the back seats is adjustable, removable and comfortable for guests if I continue my adventure tourism biz. So, that `s the reason I ask if anybody has experience with this multivan.
Still like steamed meat buns? :pacman:

First van had an annoying EGR valve problem and that was replaced about 4 times, it blew a turbo hose near Hamner at 11:30 at night and I limped home on no boost and in and out of limp mode. Second van after I had it a colleague who put another 80,000ish km on it and skipped 2 services blew the head gasket...... Both these vans had the 2.0L BI Turbo engine. We have had vertually no problems with the single turbo engines.

Who in their right mind would not like steamed buns....!!! Templeton dairy sells them. Had one the other day :thumbsup:

Like anything, look after it and service them and you will have no problems.

A mate of mine has had a non 4x4 for years and it has been going strong.
On the flip side we have an Amarok and when you need to replace the front break pads you have to pay 3k to replace the whole rotating assembly. Pads, calipers and discs are one unit. I imagine the van will be the same.

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Originally Posted by Gkp

A mate of mine has had a non 4x4 for years and it has been going strong.
On the flip side we have an Amarok and when you need to replace the front break pads you have to pay 3k to replace the whole rotating assembly. Pads, calipers and discs are one unit. I imagine the van will be the same.

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Pads, calipers and discs one unit? Ahhh, the one I had to fix wasn't... Calipers were fine - discs and pads were both shot as one side had been chewed out due to a bit of steel FOD getting caught in the works and cutting a nice little groove into the disc taking it below minimum thickness. As per, you can't just replace one side as rotors are a pair and pads come in sets as well.

I second the comment about avoiding 2L bi-turbo engines, they seem to have a high maintenance requirement and not just engines. They are getting a good rep for eating brakes especially if always loaded and running trailers over hills with long downhill sections as very free spinning and not much braking assistance from the gearbox to help the brakes out. On the horsepower and pulling side of the coin, the 2L engines are fine if driven within the limitations one being all the power and torque is at a higher RPM than you would expect from a traditional diesel. Again if heavy loaded and needing to move a heavy trailer at slow speed, you can have issues with the high RPM requirement and getting enough power to get the combination rolling before the engine stalls. It's very hard to slip a clutch in an auto!

I'm just going off what my mechanic told me and the invoice I had to pay. Have also heard the same thing from others

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Originally Posted by Gkp

A mate of mine has had a non 4x4 for years and it has been going strong.
On the flip side we have an Amarok and when you need to replace the front break pads you have to pay 3k to replace the whole rotating assembly. Pads, calipers and discs are one unit. I imagine the van will be the same.

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Thank you for the input. Costs have gone up in everywhere, my 2.0L xtrail when I got back after 3 years, a wof cost me $650 plus a new battery $280, oil change $130 as new customer I got discount in oil changer, and $165 in the other day for transmission fluid change. My friend in Auckland have a land cruiser, he came to the shop for service and his truck will need a major service and parts replacement and the cost is 8k :P

Just had a look around at 4x4 vans - only listed option is the VW but it's AWD (4-Motion) not "4x4". Slim pickings it seems, I knew a few forestry boys who used to swear by the old Toyotas and Mitsi vans for carting the workgangs into the sites. Wonder what they are using now?

Ford was bringing out a AWD Transit Trail version last year. Don't know if they have got to NZ yet

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Originally Posted by Billbob

Ford was bringing out a AWD Transit Trail version last year. Don't know if they have got to NZ yet

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I saw that, it's not listed on the site yet. But it is "AWD" which is not "4x4" as we know it. No clearance under the front or rear bumpers for the first issue. Similar to the VW offering in that respect.

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Originally Posted by No.3

Just had a look around at 4x4 vans - only listed option is the VW but it's AWD (4-Motion) not "4x4". Slim pickings it seems, I knew a few forestry boys who used to swear by the old Toyotas and Mitsi vans for carting the workgangs into the sites. Wonder what they are using now?

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Yeah. The Volkswagen Multiman is unique, almost get no competition, just like Suzuki DR400SM supper moto. I noticed this van in new year holiday after I got crashed on the last day of 2023, nothing serious just costly, $7,000:omg: But, I find this van is really suit me, all wheel drive is enough since I will not do off road extreme. My xtrail is AWD, except climbing steep sand dunes, or crossing deep mud it can take me everywhere.

Buy a cheap caravan and a decent 4x4

i would avoid any euro made van 2nd hand in nz. they work damn well for a few years then become a money pit

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Originally Posted by Sharki

Buy a cheap caravan and a decent 4x4

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Ha. :pacman:If I can do this way, then certainly I can rent a house for live. You do `t know my situation, bro. But, thanks for the input