Do you like to change gears yourself, or do you want it done for you?

Give us a bit more info - what age range of van are you looking at? There were two types of auto box fitted during production, and they are very different in design (though not actually ~that~ different to drive).

 

Well I’m not fussed on what type, I’m thinking along the lines or what’s more reliable, durable etc? been looking at around an 08 reg?

 

It's hard to be sure, but the post 2010 DSG autos are ~probably~ the more reliable. They are certainly better in terms of MPG.

Prior to that they were all 6-speed conventional autos, Japanese- made. Either way, if they go wrong they are expensive to fix!

BTW, plenty of dealers will tell you that pre-2010 van you're looking at has a DSG box. They lie!

 

I highly recommend the DSG. Got a 14 plate 180 and love it! The wife lives it too. Still get my manual fix in the run around, but for the van dsg all day long.

 

Dsg believer here too and you have the option of changing gears yourself without the hassle of the clutch never been a fan of autos before but great in the van!

 

Auto or manual seems such a personal driving preference. I prefer manual, changing gear doesnt see a chore, becomes 2nd nature (automatic in another sense) & allows picking right gear for difficult conditions. I'll never forget driving a friend's vehicle (not VW) heavily loaded up steep Alpine minor roads & switchbacks with the frustration of the auto box hunting for the right gear. Also drove a VW with DSG & couldnt get used to it. With a 6speed manual on a T5 you've got a lot of flexibility, can't be bettered in my opinion.
What I never understand is why anyone would specify automatic on a 4Motion (I know you're not looking for a 4Mo)
Reliability-wise, the simpler the better is usually what's best to go for. Having said that, I havent noticed people on this forum reporting many problems with the DSG.
Comes back to your driving preference!

 

at 08 you are looking at autobox, as said dsg s post 10. now i prefer auto all day long, traffic driving - you cant beat auto, super long motorway cruises + cruise control, again u cant beat auto. reliability vise for both auto and dsg, as long as you keep oil changes quite frequent, you should be ok - nothing sure in life, right? people tent to buy into oil for life in gearboxes or astronomically high miles, it bull. on auto you can select gears manually too, so not sure why some have issues driving in mud or snow?
auto and dsg, two different animals, you need to ask yourself what driving you do. auto is brilliant for slow traffic, crawling, towing, towing uphill, mud, snow etc, there is no clutch, so all very smooth motion and you wont burn clutch, dsg for general driving but not very good for anything mentioned earlier, you clutch will suffer big time, manual for both but need to use clutch and shifting to control.

again, what you want from your car?
i love my auto and would not change for anything else

 

Personally I prefer autos, but only proper torque converter autos not the DSG version which are just twin clutches and fancy mechatronics.

I have had DSG in my old Golf R32 which was brilliant as it suited the car but only in manual mode as the auto mode was a joke as always jumping up to high gears for economy. I have DSG in my 2017 Tiguan and it is a bit rubbish, doesn't really suit a low powered diesel. My worry is when DSG goes wrong it is a couple of grand minimum to fix.

However the proper torque converter auto in my Merc was stunning, so fast, always in the right gear, no jerkiness, perfect.

As my 2013 T5 only came with either manual or DSG I went for manual, if it had a torque converter auto I would have had that no question.

 

The pre-2010 automatic box will expire at around 120k miles unless a previous owner has had the sense to have the transmission fluid flushed and replaced.

It isn't part of the vw service plan but should be done. Like the haldex filter on the post 2010 4motion. VW don't list a filter and say it has a lifetime filter. There is a filter and it does need to be changed.

 

Agreed - we had ours done at 60k miles, as soon as we bought the van.

However, I believe that the filter is a "wire gauze" type - so if yours has shrapnel in it, your box is already shagged!

I'm not sure that they replace the filter - it may simply be designed to be removed and washed clean. The fluid change on ours did not itemise a filter on the invoice - and it would be a bit unusual for a VW main dealer to change something and not charge for it!

 

The auto box is a lazy one, which probably suits a heavy van.

I did the same as triffic, replaced at 60k when I bought the bus. I had it done at a VW dealer, as they were cheaper Filter was replaced (it looks like some kind of baffle plate). I think it cost £200 all in.

 

We've had various auto boxes in cars - the one in our bmw was brilliant and yo be honest I'm slightly disappointed with the DSG in our golf gti in comparuson. Weirdly though, I prefer the manual over auto when it comes to the van - seems to suit it's driving characteristics more.

 

Thanks guys, I’ll give the auto box a go then, I’ve had auto Mercedes c220i and I loved the ride,.... like being on a magic carpet.
As Del Boy says “he who dares rodders”. Just hopefully the van I pick has been looked after and regularly serviced with fresh oil.

 

Just make sure you're aware of the VED as I presume you're looking at a Shuttle or Caravelle (auto panel vans are quite rare). T5 Passenger carrying autos (incl Kombis) are all in the big tax bracket. I only say that as you've stated you're looking at circ 2008 so I guess you've set yourself a budget. The auto box will increase fuel consumption, servicing is slightly more complex too (i.e. it's just another thing to go wrong, although manuals have DMFs which are prone to fail at high miles too)

Only you can answer the auto vs manual argument. Personally I think the T5 manual box is one of the nicest transmissions (incl the clutch action) I've driven. I did have a ride in a 2.5 auto a while back. I dont think the engine has enough grunt to feel like the auto box gives the whole van that effortless "waft" you get in say an Audi A6 3.0TDI V6 auto (which I regularly borrow of a mate and I do love driving it).

 

Just make sure you're aware of the VED as I presume you're looking at a Shuttle or Caravelle (auto panel vans are quite rare). T5 Passenger carrying autos (incl Kombis) are all in the big tax bracket. I only say that as you've stated you're looking at circ 2008 so I guess you've set yourself a budget. The auto box will increase fuel consumption, servicing is slightly more complex too (i.e. it's just another thing to go wrong, although manuals have DMFs which are prone to fail at high miles.

Not quite - just to clarify: T5 autos prior to March 23rd 2006 are in the lower tax bracket at around £300 p.a.

 

My new T5.1 DSG Gearbox lasted 3000 miles, the noise from the clutches was so loud that windows had to be shut, sounded like chains rattling all the time.

Dealers were useless, they said that its a normal noise, it was so loud we could not put up with it anymore.

Even so I kept persevering, the dealers had the car back in, "updated software uploaded" and then it was basically undrivable and they could not upload the original software.

We had the gearbox remapped privately (warranty now voided) so we could drive it, sold it with less than 5000 miles on it for a new manual gearbox model, 3 years on and its perfect.

But then my friend has 150,000 miles on his DSG and no problems......

 

I don't mind either but I am aware that the auto boxes and DSGs can be mega expensive to fix, if they ever go wrong...

Plus, if you are not used to an auto, be careful of where you put your feet.. Lots of you tube videos out there of people putting the foot on the accelerator instead of the brake.. It wouldn't matter in a manual as you would stop it with the clutch.. But an auto just takes off like a rocket..

My van is manual but I sometimes drive my friend's DSG Caddy

 

Plus, if you are not used to an auto, be careful of where you put your feet.. Lots of you tube videos out there of people putting the foot on the accelerator instead of the brake.. It wouldn't matter in a manual as you would stop it with the clutch.. But an auto just takes off like a rocket.

Never done that one, but for me the first few miles of driving an auto always has at least one point where my left leg naturally tries to put the clutch down. Of course there's no clutch pedal but rather a much wider brake pedal instead. Cue the emergency stop!