Height of VW Transporter T6 with Airholder roof rack and roof tent

When you mount a rooftop tent on your vehicle, it's crucial to know how high the tent sits on the car. This affects:

• public roads (height restrictions, parking garages, bridges),

• ferries (vehicle categories by height/length, possible surcharges for incorrect information).

Below you will find a clear formula, a table with examples (closed + open), and a practical FAQ.

1) Basis for calculation: VW T6 + Airholder + rooftop tent mounting kit (33 mm)

We use our existing reference values for the VW T6 (standard roof):

• T6 without roof rack: approx. 1990 mm

• T6 with Airholder roof rack: approx. 2045 mm (Airholder ≈ +55 mm)

Why an additional 33 mm?

In practice, we often recommend our Airholder rooftop tent mounting kit, where the rooftop tent sits "on top" of a bracket. This makes mounting (access, tightening, servicing) significantly more convenient and reproducible.
The mounting height of this kit is 33 mm.

Basis "before the tent":

• 2045 mm + 33 mm = 2078 mm

2) Formulas (all in mm)

For driving (tent closed)

Height T6 with closed rooftop tent = 2078 + (tent height closed)

As a reference at the pitch (tent open)

Height T6 with open rooftop tent = 2078 + (tent height open)

Important: For road traffic, height restrictions, and ferries, the closed height practically always counts. "Open" is only a comfort/pitch reference.

3) Table: Examples (closed + open) and resulting T6 height

Note on interpreting "open":
Depending on the manufacturer, "open" can mean either interior height or exterior height. Therefore, the "T6 height open" should only be understood as a rough reference (for pitch/awning/comfort), not as a binding total exterior value.

4) Public road: Why "actual height" counts (Sign 265)

For height restrictions (Germany: Sign 265), the actual vehicle height applies – i.e., measured in reality:
Car + roof rack + rooftop tent (and everything protruding upwards).

Practical tip: After mounting, measure from the ground to the highest point of the closed tent once with a tape measure/laser meter – and save the value (e.g., "2400 mm") on your phone.

5) Ferries: typical height issues (Germany–Denmark/Sweden & Mediterranean)

On ferries, height is relevant because:

• the vehicle category is often calculated by height (and/or length),

• many shipping companies understand the dimensions as "overall" (including roof attachments),

• incorrect information can lead to surcharges or reclassification at the terminal.

Common examples

• Stena Line: often clear categories, e.g., "Low car" up to 2.0 m – above that "High car"/Van categories.

• DFDS: points out that dimensions including attachments (e.g., roof racks/roof attachments) must be provided; otherwise, surcharges may apply.

• Corsica Linea (Mediterranean): conditions refer to special regulations/coordination for vehicles exceeding certain heights (sometimes from ~1.80 m due to roof attachments).

• Grimaldi Lines (Mediterranean): uses categories and specifies, among others, motorhomes and minibuses up to 9 m length and up to 4.20 m height.

Practical conclusion: A T6 with a rooftop tent in the examples typically measures ~2318–2421 mm and thus very often does not fall into "up to 2.0 m", but into the next higher category.

6) Mini checklist before road & ferry

1. Measure the actual height (closed) and note it in mm.

2. For ferries, always choose the category based on actual dimensions (not "normal car" if you are >2.0 m).

3. If the shipping company means "overall": Rooftop tent + roof rack + mounting always count.

4. It's better to state "too high" correctly than too low – that prevents stress at the terminal.