After 20 years and 600.000km with a pair of barn doors I am now purchasing a new VW Caddy Maxi to go on camping with, and of course with a pair of barn doors. Very practical. A kid can open it easily and safely, stuff does not fall out when you open it. When you load stuff in you just close one wing of the doors and pile things up behind. Last but the most important - if you want or need to get on the roof of the car (a foof rack or box), you just stand on the rim of the floor and get there easily. You do not have to worry what happens if the support struts fail (and they certainly do after a few years of intensive exercise). To sit in the open door in rain, large enough umbrella put over the barn doors does the trick. Just fantastic. When you load in stuff from Ikea store at a ramp, you just open the barn doors 180 degrees and pull back tight to the ramp. Fantastic. And much more. Have you ever seen a house, especially a good old one with a lift-up door? Cheers, Vlada

Good to see Carl Froch has found a vocation after boxing.

Another thing to add with barn doors is your stuff doesn’t fall out as soon as you open the door like a tailgate…I still bought tailgate though coz there cool as 🤙🏻

I've had barn doors for 3 years on my T4. I recently found someone breaking a T4 in my colour and I can't wait to get rid of these crappy barn doors. They look like utter crap and are no good for camping. Goodbye forever and hello Tailgate 😆

This van belongs to my friends. It looks fantastic, I am very excited for them! I look forward to seeing the real thing when they get back home with it.

Thanks for your clear and concise explanations... enjoyable and informative. Inspires me to enjoy my 2003 2.5 88 Special with tailgate (which just passed its MOT) all the more, despite ULEZ!

I cook from the back with the tailgate open and I have the shelter of the tailgate I also cook inside if cold. My tailgate opens very easily mind you it has been warm which helps. Lack of availability leads to a good price ie I bought mine recently 38k mileage highline kombi 2018 good price but no service history but runs well looks good. Thanks for your videos.

Everything falls out if you open a tail gate. With barn doors all the stuff inside is held back much better. The other thing is you can open up the back much closer to anything parked closer to the back doors.

@user-uy1rg8td1v

11 ай бұрын

I seen cars with nets that you can attach across the width of the vehicle, so things don't all out immediately.

Plenty of 4 bike carriers to fit on a tow bar hitch!

Great video, tailgate does look better, but T4 barn door ftw for me, if its raining i can cope with it or just wait for it to clear. Also have a shower tent we setup quite easily and the other benefits of barn doors just make so much sense. My caddy also has barn doors and its so suited to everything,

Really interesting thank you. Barn doors are fine with me based on what you’ve said 👌

@HighlifeCampersUK

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your comment Martin, glad the video was helpful...

Great video thanks Go for the tailgate it looks better when opened up just go to the gym before buying one then look good with the van and look good in person 😂😂😂

Tailgate makes a good shower area and or a canopy covered toilet area.

I wouldn't fancy trying to lift a tailgate with four bikes on it!

Definitely barn door is the most practical. The only advantage tailgate has is rear vision through window. I have barn doors on my Renault trafic 2019 lwb premier edition. I would definitely have same again. 9 times out of 10.i only need to open 1 door for my folding chair & ramps & wrap around windscreen cover. People say protected from rain. It's not like it's a side door which you're in & out frequently. I would definitely choose barn doors again. Much easier & quicker than tailgate

Cut my head open on tailgate as it dropped slightly….so,prefer,barn doors..ironically the new van has barn doors..also with a Fiamma bike rack on barn door VWT6 you can open the doors which can’t be done with tailgate once bikes are on..fortunately have two light bikes on the bike rack

🤣🤣 trying justify purchasing impractical barn door vans for campers. Seriously we live in the UK and it rains, nothing more practical than a tailgate, and absolute nonsense that the tailgate is too heavy, just fit slightly more powerful gas struts at £23 a pair delivered and about 10 mins to fit. As for issues parking up against a wall with a tailgate being a problem, is like saying doors on cars are a nuisance to open when parking up against a wall, just park a foot futher away form the wall 😳

@cantafordia

Жыл бұрын

........or just simply park nose-in to give you clear access to the rear. BTW has anybody measured the difference in distance from a wall or a car to open a barn door or a tailgate. I don’t believe it is that much unless it’s a high wall.

@Monty-kr7py

10 ай бұрын

Basically , barn doors are for builders , tailgates are for leisure , it's always been the story , tailgates look cleaner and will cost more and sell for more , are more desirable

Be cool with a tailgate if there was some sort of shower screen attachment and shower facility, I would have tailgate if i ever get one, where would a toilet be stored in this van?, Any reason why gas is still used in favour of just induction hob

Tailgate LWB.

What weights the most?

All the Factory converted vans from new that I've ever seen are Tailgate models. Barn Doors Vans are enjoying their 2nd life & are often Privately conversions. Or vans converted by Small Industrial Estate Converters & are not originally registered as a Motorcaravan.

@HighlifeCampersUK

Жыл бұрын

Hi Christopher. Most VW campers on the roads are converted panel vans as a large proportion of the market cannot afford a factory VW camper. Neither the VW California nor a privately converted panel van can be registered as a leisure vehicle by the DVLA as they don't reach their very strict criteria, they are all registered as a commercial vehicle.

Tailgate lwb blue gray gold wheels sola x2 panels wood color work tops water NO gas induction hob mic light color furniture gray floor low miles like simetrical that y tail gate and a w wing on the back looks more sporty what about a single captain seat or a double that's one like barn or tail gate pros and cons ?

Do barn doors open just 90deg or further to 180deg. Thanks

@HighlifeCampersUK

Жыл бұрын

Hi Raul, the doors open 90 degrees

@simonbowlzer9046

Жыл бұрын

They open to 180deg .

Is one more securely locked than the other? i.e less likely to get broken into.

@HighlifeCampersUK

11 ай бұрын

No, they are both as secure as each other

@merllin359

11 ай бұрын

@@HighlifeCampersUK thanks

You need to look directly at the camera

@HighlifeCampersUK

4 ай бұрын

Please send us a link to your YT channel so we can see how it’s done 😂

Completely wrong about bikes with barn doors. A simple tow bar allows you to carry 4 bikes with ease

@HighlifeCampersUK

10 ай бұрын

We’re not wrong as we were referring to bike racks, not tow bar trailers , that’s a completely different topic.

I would imagine from rear door breakin statistics that there would be less breaks in tailgate entries compared with barn doors 🤷🏻‍♂️