New TGE

[TonyL]

Having had no van for couple of months I am on the hunt for another. I am looking at a Knaus Boxdrive on a TGE chassis (latest model). It is a 6.4m van with 163bhp engine.

A few questions:

Never had a 6.4m TGE only 6.0m, how do you get on with ground clearance on the longer van? It looks like it would be easy to ground the ran.

Always had 180bhp engines, seems the 163bhp is now the norm, how are they on the road (the Knaus is plated at 4.0t)

Thanks

 

[rod_vw]

I would double check the vehicle length, panel van TGE's used by Knaus are either 6.0m or 6.8m as far as I know they don't convert on the extra long.

If you are looking at a Box Van then they are coach built on a TGE chassis.

 

[TonyL]

Thanks Rod, my mistake, it is 6.8m. No wonder it looks low in the centre.

 

[TonyL]

This is the van.

Knaus Boxdrive 680ME

The clue was in the 680

 

[rod_vw]

We don't find the 6.8m van any problem to drive and use although we have had to buy a daily driver in the form of an R Line T-Roc as the TGE is a bit too large for that type of use. We came from a long history of LWB Transporters...
2023 LWB MAN TGE now.
Previously...
2016 LWB Hightop Selfbuild VW T6
2014 LWB Hightop Selfbuild VW T5
2011 LWB Hightop Selfbuild VW T5
2006 LWB Hightop Selfbuild VW T5
2002 LWB Hightop Selfbuild VW T4
1999 LWB Hightop Awaydays VW T4
1993 LWB Hightop VW T4
1980 Devon Moonraker VW Type 25
1973 Selfbuild VW Type 2
1969 Devon VW Type 2

The LWB Transporters were nominally all 5m vans.

This is our current TGE pictured in France earlier this year.

 

[TonyL]

Cheers Rod, I have had 2 6.0m TGEs followed by a 7.0 Sprinter, however it was 4x4 with increased ground clearance. I didn’t have a problem with the length.

 

[Tim the trim]

Hi
I have a late 24 model boxdrive 680 with the 177 bhp (or 180) and it is more than adequate, so I’m guessing 163 will be pretty good as well. Not forgetting that on most roads your speed will be limited to commercial speeds, motorways excepted.

I have had no issue with ground clearance, the only issue I have is the steering circle it takes a bit of getting used to. The wheel base is pretty long! I guess on the flip side it makes it a very stable unit.

Love the Boxdrive, the unit you are looking at has a great spec.

Any info you require, give me a shout.

Regards

 

[TonyL]

Thanks for your input Tim

 

[rod_vw]

Deleted

 

[Archie H]

If the van you tagged is the van you are considering is it not a little odd that the awning is located on the wrong side of the van? Not being picky but thought it odd.

I have the Knaus 650 Van TI Meg Platinum and is LHD @ 6.997L and have no problems with length or ground clearance. Previous van was 2024 Sprinter LWB at almost identical length and loved the basic van and over 4 years of ownership there was not 1 year that we didn't have snagging issues with it. Hence the change. IMO Premium are a good dealership and had dealings with Gary Brown. Good luck with your choice.

 

[TonyL]

Cheers Archie

It is a European van so side door and awning are on drivers side. All of my vans have been like this.

 

[Archie H]

Cheers Archie

It is a European van so side door and awning are on drivers side. All of my vans have been like this.

I understood that Tony from the photo's and being Knaus. It would be more convenient for the owners if it was on the same side as the side door and providing there are no obstacles already mounted on the other side it should not be beyond the capabilities of Knaus or Premium to swop it over as the mountings are in the rain roof rack rail on either side. The van picture is RHD with side door on left as expected. Therefore the awning should be on the left side and not as shown. Merely an observation.

 

[rod_vw]

Read the specification of the Box Drive at Premier linked above! Anomalies ---

Does it have Climatronic or Climatic? both quoted a few lines apart.

Pictures show a double bed, text says fixed single beds??

The double bed may or may not be the Knaus hinged lift arrangement but the pictures give the impression that it may be an electric lift as webbing straps seem to be visible.

Are we looking at stock brochure photos or the actual van?

Never the less a new Box Drive 680 with a decent spec looks a good deal at that price. I am well aware of the cost of building a camper to a top spec on a new base vehicle won't give much change from a similar figure, maybe even more!

 

[TonyL]

Rod, totally agree and I have raised this with Premier who have kindly sent me the actual specification. I am looking at a few vans at the moment and it is frustrating to say the least. Two dealers have vans advertised with inflated prices!! I priced one van via the manufacturers configurator and with every extra was £5k short of advertised price, queries with dealer who sent the spec with each item priced, still £2.5k above manufacturers price. I asked the dealer to confirm actual specification and price - silence!!

I have seriously thought about building my own or getting one built, but as you say the saving is not great, if any.

 

[rod_vw]

Rod, totally agree and I have raised this with Premier who have kindly sent me the actual specification. I am looking at a few vans at the moment and it is frustrating to say the least. Two dealers have vans advertised with inflated prices!! I priced one van via the manufacturers configurator and with every extra was £5k short of advertised price, queries with dealer who sent the spec with each item priced, still £2.5k above manufacturers price. I asked the dealer to confirm actual specification and price - silence!!

I have seriously thought about building my own or getting one built, but as you say the saving is not great, if any.

I was in the same situation back in 2004 before I retired from full time work. At that time I had a new VW stock order LWB T4 ready to convert and was looking for someone to do it for me. Then my employer made me an offer I couldn't refuse so I decided to do the conversion myself. I soon discovered that there wasn't much to be saved by self-building except the satisfaction of getting exactly what I wanted and of course the kudos of being able to say that I had done just that. Since then I have done four more as per the list above but at the age of 74 I decided that both a completely new design and getting older the TGE would be done by someone else. Here are the last three that I have done in that period and purely by coincidence they were all back at my home on the same day!