VWVolkswagen Commercial Vehicles

Why I love my Transporter

Charlie Clifford needs to shift lots of heavy equipment for his fitness classes – and the Transporter is more than fit for purpose

For day-to-day getting around, it's a great van - especially in the city, where it's absolutely brilliant. It's very much like a car to drive – like a Golf, in fact, so it suits me for private use as well.

The right look and feel - and reliable, too

I've driven Volkswagen cars in the past and I've always been impressed with their reliability and the easy, comfortable ride quality. That's what attracted me to Volkswagen when I needed to get my first commercial vehicle and I haven't been disappointed.

I've had my T26 Transporter for about a year now and so far it has been completely fault-free. It runs really smoothly, even though I'm carrying fitness equipment such as dumbbells and kettle bells. I've been impressed with the van's fuel economy as well. Diesel prices keep going up these days, so I'm glad that my T26 is better than most in terms of efficiency.

I like the interior, too - I went for the plylining kit for the cargo area and rubber flooring. I've been impressed with the flooring, because it has a sort of memory foam quality to it - the fitness weights and heavy items I carry bed themselves into it, which stops them from rolling around. Overall, the Transporter is very stylish, with its sleek lines. That's good for my company's brand identity. In terms of vans on the market, I think it's the best-looking van out there.

Our favourite features:

1. The dash-mounted gearstick (right)

   It's really easy to use and contributes to it feeling like a car

2. The rubber floor

   Acts like memory foam and allows equipment to 'bed down'

3. Van Centre experience

   Someone damaged my mirror, and the Van Centre fitted a new one in an hour. Great service

Why I love my Transporter

Carl Taylor of commercial cleaners CT Solutions says his heavily accessorised Transporter helps him stand out from the pack

This is my first Volkswagen, but I’ve wanted one ever since I started my company. They have a great reputation for reliability, and the Transporter looks fantastic. It’s probably the best-looking van on the road right now – every other van wants to be one.

Looking good and going good too

I bought mine in March 2010, and it has proved to be ideal for my business. On the cleaning work we do for restaurants, bars, private schools and letting agents, we never know exactly what a job will entail, so it’s key that we have the right tools, some of which are quite bulky. And the Transporter is big enough to ensure we have all our equipment all of the time.

Despite its size, it’s also a great drive. Compared with my last van, it doesn’t feel like a van at all – more like a big car. And the 102PS 2.0-litre TDI engine is easily big enough for the sort of jobs I do.

I specified a lot on accessories such as body-coloured bumpers and spoilers, stainless-steel side bars, 18" Dakar alloys and cream leather because I wanted the same look as the new Transporter Sportline. Image is important – you need to look professional, and my Transporter definitely gets heads turning. People say it’s a bit much for an everyday work van, but it’s my office and needs to be comfortable. The new Sportline looks great – I’ll definitely look at one as my next van. And, as my business expands, I may get a Caddy as well.

My favourite features:

1. Air-conditioning / stereo

   Air-con and a stereo with an MP3 adapter make a real difference on the move

2. Lots of accessory options

   There's a lot of Transporters around – but the accessory range gives you a unique look

3. Storage space

   There's lots of useful places to put things – such as a big compartment below the passenger seat