VW Caddy owners - a question

[RiverInTheRoad]

We had a 2015 Caddy Maxi Crew Bus. The Maxi is only available in diesel.

We loved the car. I would try and get a 2.0 TDi, the engine is great. The short one is big enough, but the Maxi is nice.

Some notes on our ownership experience:

• Great fuel economy (1000 km on 60 litres, easily)
• You can sleep fully stretched out in the Caddy Maxi, with the 2nd row of seats folded, I am 1.86 m.
• I have an XL 29er trail bike, it fit, fully assembled in the boot with all 5 seats in place (2 rows of seats)
• Really nice to drive - good handling
•  The servicing and parts are expensive, services ranged from R4k to R15k (timing belt and waterpump is replaced at 120000km - expensive job!!)
• We never had a breakdown
• The bodywork is thin and dents easily, we used to joke that the car has cellulite
• Extremely high cabin noise when empty
• The car feels flimsy
• The car is low and you feel sorry for it on gravel roads

I wish Toyota made the Caddy, it would then have been perfect.

 

[DJuice]

27 minutes ago, RiverInTheRoad said:

I wish Toyota made the Caddy, it would then have been perfect.

 

New Caddy share its gene`s with a Ford.

Perhaps a Toyota VW in its next life cycle.

After 10 successful years of ownership with both Mitsubishi and Hyundai, a Toyota is on the horizon due to value for money.

[miasvdm@icloud.com]

we have bought the standard Caddy 1.0 tsi and we are happy with it. Get easy 3 Mtb’s in with tyres with luggage after we remove the 2/3 seat. For 3 people its a winner.

[travisza]

2 hours ago, RiverInTheRoad said:

We had a 2015 Caddy Maxi Crew Bus. The Maxi is only available in diesel.

We loved the car. I would try and get a 2.0 TDi, the engine is great. The short one is big enough, but the Maxi is nice.

Some notes on our ownership experience:

• Great fuel economy (1000 km on 60 litres, easily)
• You can sleep fully stretched out in the Caddy Maxi, with the 2nd row of seats folded, I am 1.86 m.
• I have an XL 29er trail bike, it fit, fully assembled in the boot with all 5 seats in place (2 rows of seats)
• Really nice to drive - good handling
•  The servicing and parts are expensive, services ranged from R4k to R15k (timing belt and waterpump is replaced at 120000km - expensive job!!)
• We never had a breakdown
• The bodywork is thin and dents easily, we used to joke that the car has cellulite
• Extremely high cabin noise when empty
• The car feels flimsy
• The car is low and you feel sorry for it on gravel roads

I wish Toyota made the Caddy, it would then have been perfect.

 

Thanks for all the info. The low ride height is something I didn't realise and given how most weekends away involve some stretch of gravel roads that isn't great to hear (but very good to know).

Yeah I've realised the maxi only comes in the diesel version. Will just have to keep looking

 

[Trashy]

I've driven on some terrible gravel roads and it's been completely fine.

As @RiverInTheRoadsays, very noisy as standard, I covered the vehicle in sound deadening material and it is as quiet as my hatch now.

I get 6l/100km and I drive it like I stole it.

As you will be buying used, get it serviced at a good Indie and your costs will decrease dramatically.

[PhilipV]

On 1/14/2022 at 4:16 PM, RiverInTheRoad said:

 

I wish Toyota made the Caddy, it would then have been perfect.

 

The closest Toyota came to the Caddy is the Avanza. Totally worth a skip pass. So now they asked Suzuki to make a replacement, and they rebadged the Ertiga as a Toyota Rumion. I would still give it a skip pass and rather buy an Ertiga. 

 

 

Edited January 16, 2022 by PhilipV

[ChrisF]

4 minutes ago, PhilipV said:

The is est Toyota came to the Caddy is the Avanza. Totally worth a skip pass. So now they asked Suzuki to make a replacement, and they rebadged the Ertiga as a Toyota Rumion. I would still give it a skip pass and rather buy an Ertiga. 

 

 

R4k more for the Ertiga with a Toyota badge ....

 

Suzuki gives a 200 000km and 7 year waranty, with a 4 year 60 000km service plan.

 

Toyota gives a 100 000km and 3 year waranty .... same service plan

 

 

Only reason to buy Toyota .... if there is no Suzuki dealer in the area.

[OVERDRIVE]

All the advice here is actually sound-DO NOT but the standard, Maxi must be he only choice. Better to have and not need. 

Maintainance advice is also great nothing to add there. The 2.0TDI motor is a peach, too. 

[Sid the Sloth]

 I have commandeered my GF's regular length caddy 1.9 TDI and I love it, and I have seriously considered getting my own. But I would definitely go for the Maxi if I had the choice. I don't think you will regret the extra length with bikes but for regular people the normal length one is very spacious. 

[justinafrika]

10 minutes ago, Sid the Sloth said:

 I have commandeered my GF's regular length caddy 1.9 TDI and I love it, and I have seriously considered getting my own. But I would definitely go for the Maxi if I had the choice. I don't think you will regret the extra length with bikes but for regular people the normal length one is very spacious. 

A varsity student/prospective cycling pro and his GF swanning slothing about in a Caddy claiming "and I love it”?  M’na?  At your age I admired and much later got them sleek Italian beasts and I still rather bike EVERYWHERE, slower than a sloth.  Trust a ciclista to get tingly about a Caddy.  

 

[travisza]

Thanks for the advice everyone, appreciate it 

[W@nted]

Also note that the maxi crew bus is the noisy one. I managed to find a low mileage maxi comfortline. Not noisy inside at all.

like mentioned, great to have the maxi space when needed. We managed to fit 7 adults with their luggage in the maxi and drove from George to JHB… Still very comfortable, even the adults in the rear seats were fine.

Just keep on looking, one will pop up😁
 

 

Edited January 15, 2022 by W@nted

[MORNE]

11 hours ago, ChrisF said:

R4k more for the Ertiga with a Toyota badge ....

 

Suzuki gives a 200 000km and 7 year waranty, with a 4 year 60 000km service plan.

 

Toyota gives a 100 000km and 3 year waranty .... same service plan

 

 

Only reason to buy Toyota .... if there is no Suzuki dealer in the area.

Say what you must about ‘toyota tax’ and brand loyalty, but when the day comes that you have to sell the two identical cars, the one with the toyota badge will sell faster and probably for more. Same reason you cant find toyota urban cruisers anywhere in stock, but you can buy a suzuki brezza like yesterday. It was proven with the toyota86 vs sabaru version, the first aygo vs the citroen version,  all the other ‘toyotas’ that suzuki build, the Supra vs the Z4 etc etc etc lol

 

ps, i’m a big proponent for the big japanese brands.(Toyota,honda,mazda,suzuki)

They know how to build stuff that will outlast the cockroaches after the apocalypse. 

 

Edited January 15, 2022 by MORNE

[MORNE]

I wouldnt call the avanza the closest toyota to the caddy. Probably more the Rush. (Also ugly imo). But then if you look at new caddy prices you are shopping in Rav4 territory too.   

Edited January 15, 2022 by MORNE

[warick_wrx]

14 minutes ago, MORNE said:

Say what you must about ‘toyota tax’ and brand loyalty, but when the day comes that you have to sell the two identical cars, the one with the toyota badge will sell faster and probably for more. Same reason you cant find toyota urban cruisers anywhere in stock, but you can buy a suzuki brezza like yesterday. It was proven with the toyota86 vs sabaru version, the first aygo vs the citroen version,  all the other ‘toyotas’ that suzuki build, the Supra vs the Z4 etc etc etc lol

 

ps, i’m a big proponent for the big japanese brands.(Toyota,honda,mazda,suzuki)

They know how to build stuff that will outlast the cockroaches after the apocalypse. 

 

In terms of resale you shouldn't struggle to sell a Caddy second hand. They are popular vehicles. Should also easily get your money back.

[The Ouzo]

As a vehicle smous I'm intrigued at the comments about wanting toyota to rather make the caddy ? Other than resale because South Africans will buy anything with a toyota badge on it, what makes you want Toyota to build it ?

 

B.T.W. Ertiga, Roommy thing, BR-V, Xpander, these are all very much basic people movers, whilst you can get your bike in on its side, they dont offer the height to put it in upright. 

If Hyundai still made the H1 Multicab, that would be the vehicle I would choose.

 

Regarding the long warranties offered, ask for the fine print. You'll find most are not worth the paper they are written on.