VW barn doors vs tailgate

[Fionafew]

Hello,
We're looking to buy a smaller van, and we're looking at the VWs. Anyone got any thoughts or comments on whether the barn doors are better or worse than a tailgate? Any pros or cons on either?
We currently have a Burstner Ixeo Time it 585, 38000m on a fiat, if anyone interested.
Cheers,
Fiona

 

[Oldrat]

Barn doors are great for tradesmen getting kit out of the van when parked close to other vehicles.

A tailgate is great for campers as it provides extra cover in the rain or at events

You can buy drop down tow bar bike racks which allow both to open.

 

[Brains]

Tailgate:
Advantage: It works as a roof, you can get a curtain wall that can be pegged out so you have a bit more space.
(or a shower and loo)
Disadvantage: The gas struts do not have a long life (5 years max)
If you carry bikes, then they need to be removed to open the door.
Best location for bikes is on a towball mounted rack, some of which tilt to enable a tailgate to be opened without removal of the bikes.

Barn Doors:
Advantage: You only need to open one, which means to can fill the rear to the roof.
Easy to get spares and repairs
Bikes (and a roof ladder or spare tyre) can be mounted on the doors and it may be possible to open one door without the need to remove the bikes
(Still best place for bikes is a towball mounted rack, that way you can have the roof ladder and the spare tyre!)
Disadvantage: No extra little room on the back.

Personally it would not be on my list of important features to have/not have

 

[Bertilak]

As above, doors can be opened a little, a tailgate means you have to show the world whats in the back; and let the weather in if it's rough. Visual and wind protection form the side is more useful than hiding from the rain coming down.
I had a tailgate, it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me next another time.

And unless it's your only vehicle, or do multi-storey carparks, consider that a small Ducato (eg 5.4m) gives something like twice the internal volume of a 5m VW... Not as poseury or quite as dynamic a drive, but can still be chucked about.

 

[Guigsy]

My brother had a LWB Transporter. I had a 5.4m Ducato. They are almost the same footprint. He could get under some car park barriers. But I could stand up inside, had a permanent bed, a bathroom, heated water, loads more storage. They are very different vans. His was a camper, mine was a small motorhome.

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[rod_vw]

Hello,
We're looking to buy a smaller van, and we're looking at the VWs. Anyone got any thoughts or comments on whether the barn doors are better or worse than a tailgate? Any pros or cons on either?
We currently have a Burstner Ixeo Time it 585, 38000m on a fiat, if anyone interested.
Cheers,
Fiona

I am assuming that you are looking at either a VW T5 or T6 and having owned four of these one of which was a barn door type I would not go for another. The factory high roof T5/T6 always has barn doors and from experience they leak at the door join.

Conclusion being always a tailgate, unfortunately now being the owner of a MAN TGE (VW Crafter in disguise) I don't have any choice as they all have barn doors.

 

[Fionafew]

Thanks everyone. That was interesting reading. We've actually done a deal to swap our van for a vw T5. We're happy with the deal. Off for more travels soon. It will defo be used more than the motorhome.

 

[iandsm]

Hello,
We're looking to buy a smaller van, and we're looking at the VWs. Anyone got any thoughts or comments on whether the barn doors are better or worse than a tailgate? Any pros or cons on either?
We currently have a Burstner Ixeo Time it 585, 38000m on a fiat, if anyone interested.
Cheers,
Fiona

I cannot talk about a tailgate but when we went from our A class to our present PVC we hadnt realised how good the barn doors are. To be able to open up the whole of the rear of the camper in decent weather is a big bonus, ours can be folded all the way back so the are not visible from inside. I would imagine that a tailgate would be great as well but one thing would seem to be an advantage over barn doors and that is when the tailgate is open it would act as a sunshade and might even be e ok left open open in light rain, the only disadvantage may be that barn doors would take up a lot less space when open than the open full length bar door.

 

[Outdoors Dad]

This shelter looks useful, many more on tinter web.