If you are thinking of buying a new’un

Met a Thames valley van centre sales manager last night and had an interesting chat. Apparently the T5 face-lift was scheduled for late last year but was put-back for some reason, he didn't really know why but guessed the front grill will be the major new look and will be along the Eos/Passat lines that we all guessed it would be. Just a word of warning if you are buying now make sure you squeeze for a mega discount or you'll suffer even larger residual losses than normal if you don't. Or better still, wait for the face-lift, it really can't be much longer. Also interesting to have it confirmed that T5's lose quite abit more than T4's which have if anything benefitted from T5 price hikes. trendline continue to be the best value over a three year period however, and air-con is the best most cost effective residual option to spec even if you have nothing else!

Don't worry dogsbreath. This is more of the same returning again. Refer to my earlier posts and you'll KNOW, that there is no imminent facelift, includes 2009 model year.

As for residual, I'd agree with Aircon if you're selling in the summer, but surely a strong metallic would benefit all year round.

As for residuals, these are bound to be getting hit a bit harder, because a decent spec T5 costs half as much again as a decent spec T4, and hasn't got improved durability over the old model.

Pushing for a mega discount isn't going to make much difference, as people having getting pretty well the whole margin on T5's for years now, and after that there's nothing left for the dealer to give away.

Don't enrtirely agree with you Stumpy on the discount approach, but also didn't want to put you on the down Dogs... however it is worth keeping an eye on residuals and the facelift....according to at least one van centre bloke anyway. Also, over-specced T5's lose huge amounts of cash very very quickly, hence a mid spec 'off the peg' Trendline seems to have been the best bet over the last three years according to the trade. Still wonderful vans but all this stuff is worth careful thought if like me you're on a budget and not easily taken in by the stealers.

ps...

104 you probably won't want to divulge but was it Cordwallis you got the info from? Always struck me as a decent lot, bought one of the very last rear engined transporters from them many years ago before we moved area.