While the Transporter may be fundamentally engineered as a commercial trade vehicle, many within the “van life” community have embraced the ultra-practical Volkswagen as a highly desirable exploration vehicle.

However, while it is undoubtedly one of the more stylish vans on the market and offers a refined and almost car-like driving experience, the Transporter has a far from ideal reputation when it comes to reliability and maintenance.

While available in a host of configurations and receiving a recent mid-life update, is the Transporter a van to be considered at all?

What goes wrong with a used Volkswagen Transporter?

• Head gasket issues
• Diesel and vacuum pump problems
• Turbo failures
• EGR cooler failures
• Timing belt tensioner and idler failures well before service intervals
• DPF issues
• Driveshaft and hub failures
• DSG transmission mechatronic units are riddled with issues and are very expensive to repair
• Various electronic gremlins
• Reports of water leaking into the Transporter via the sliding windows on the crew cab body shell
• Reports of water filling the rear tailgate
• Reports of the door handle either failing or just sticking in place
• Common issues or failures with the central locking
• Water can build in the inner wheel arches potentially leading to rust
• Air conditioning can fail
• A heater fan can become very loud
• An infotainment system can freeze and/or fail
• Lighting behind the gauge cluster can fail
• Button the steering wheel can fail
• Reports of various electronic gremlins

Should you buy a used Volkswagen Transporter?

While the Transporter is a stylish, enjoyable to drive and supremely practical, the chances of things going very wrong are way too high in our opinion and we just don’t think the Transporter it’s worth the risk.

Unless you’re mentally and financially ready for the potential stress that comes with a Transporter, sorry but no, you shouldn’t buy one.