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just started to look - for 2 adults and 4 bikes only.
Help appreciated folks !
New or used? Don't think the Beach has been out that long so perhaps not many used about?
probably new - residuals look excellent
As a bike rider, I had a Cali se and have just switched to a beach. The beach is much more suited to our lifestyle. Just been to France with 5 adults and 5 bikes no problem, you would struggle to do that in a se.
It also drives better as it's lighter. And as a final bonus, it's also cheaper!
I'd be keen to know if you find any really good offers PCPs on the Beach, TLR. The standard VW offer is good but I don't want to put a large deposit down (I don't like big deposits on PCPs).
I think the Beach is better for us too. We wouldn't cook in a small van, it has a better seating arrangement for us and it is lighter. Wish it was available with the 180 or 4motion but that's not the end of the world... I can't think of a reason not to buy one.
The Beach roof is raised/lowered manually instead of by a button.
It must be lowered absolutely evenly otherwise the fabric sides to the sleeping area may get pinched by the scissor support and could eventually tear. It uses a strap which instead of being attached centrally can move almost the entire width of the roof.
Last I knew VW weren't honouring any warranty claims, but I saw more than a handful on vans with less than 10k miles on, so their viewpoint may have changed over recent months? Something to look for if you choose a used one.
I've got an SE, the bi tdi 4 motion one. It's my second Cali as I had one in NZ, love them. We prefer the full monty van as there are only 3 of us and it works with nzcoljnr really well. Yes they are expensive and a bit fragile but they are very Germanic in their efficiency. Depends what you want it for.
There's a few tricks and tips, one being a long bungee round the roof fabric which holds it in when the roof goes up and down, makes it a no drama exercise. There is also a well documented problem with paint bubbling on the join between the raised roof and the main van roof. Overall though it's my only vehicle and I still find myself having a brew in some interesting places because I just bloody well can. Oh and I use a atera srada dl3 rack as it lets you open the tailgate while loaded really easily. I'm in edinburgh if you want to see it for real.
Edit: sorry lots of random words in that due to iPad
I like the simplicity if the beach but need a fridge and the awning. Shame the 4wd is limited to the se as it'd be great for skiing trips....any other thoughts folks ?
The beach still comes with the awning. I've bought a waeco CDF 25 cool box for mine as well, it uses the same danfoss compressor as the fridge in the full Cali so will run for days on the leisure battery. Put it in and remove it when you do t need it, perfect!
We got a second hand Cali last yr. we had a self converted t4 before that and wanted to get a newer van. When I looked at the cost of a decent van and converting it with decent (safe) seats etc it was a no brainer to get a Cali as the residuals are so good. We both walk or bike to work so no commuting makes it work for us as we're not putting loads of miles on it. Wife uses it as her daily driver and no probs in car parks/ spaces. It is heavy and it doesn't give brilliant mpg but it has 180hp and goes really well. We make the most out of it and did about 55 nights away in it last yr. even in winter it's cosy to sleep in due to the heater. We use it as a camper and wouldn't be without the storage, cooker, fridge etc so the beach just wasn't what we were after. Good compromise though I guess. You can get a Cali with a fifth seat if you need the room but the bike rack only takes 4 bikes anyways....
thanks folks - looks like a beach for us with awning and fridge.
has anyone used the maxxcamp storage units ?
http://www.maxxcamp.de/en/modules/multimodules-fritz/index.php
Get onto the vwcalifornia forum, heaps of good advice and s/h vans come up as well.
we looked at an SE today - fantastic, still want a beach but can we get privacy glass and an external power socket for charging for a beach ? VW's site is bust and the brochure doesn't tell us much !! ??
To camp in it - or to cart stuff about?
Camp, trips to west Coast Scotland, alps, Summer biking and winter Scottish skiing.....help !
We've got a kombi - use it for tent camping now and again, got a tow bar rack that carries the bikes.
Mostly we rent a cottage when we travel - as it makes life easier (3 kids and a large dog - camping is fun but hard work), so decided not to go down the camper route in the end.
If I was going to invest in a camping van, I would look at Bilbo - neighbours lost 3k over 3 years when trading one back in, great reputation, sliding door on the right side etc.
The speed thing (beach not available as a 180) can be sorted with a trip to Pendle Performance.
Tlr- the new my14 Beach has the same split charging and 240v hookup as the SE. You can retrofit though in a few ways. Privacy glass, not sure, download the brochure and it gives the options. The parking heater is useful of you plan to camp, runs on diesel. We used our SE to camp in the snow with it set on 3 all night it was toasty warm. Otter useful options are 4m bit not on the beach, mfsw, Bluetooth and reverse camera, towbar for a rack get it factory otherwise doesn't integrate very well. Using ours now for a cuppa post comm games.
If it's mainly about camping then either will be great. We love the kitchen and setup of the SE but a beach could be equally useful. Buy the awning sides from comfortz leisure as they are awesome and give you an extra room in bad weather.
I've had a Beach for about 18 months now as a daily driver and weekend dossabout for 2 adults and 2 kids (soon to be three). It's a great vehicle and as Col says get on http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/forum/ for the lowdown. The ex-demos are all very low mileage (ours had 60 on it) and available for some great prices but you'll struggle to get them with a parking heater which can be retrofitted for about a grand. Check out http://used.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/ but they're probably thinner on the ground this time of year (we bought in April).
We've just bought a Vango Kela drive away awning to make longer stays more manageable but recently I had a few days in Scotland with a mate and we were able to keep the bikes (wheels off) in the boot, live downstairs and outside (midge pending), and sleep upstairs so for two its easy. I never considered an SE because I couldn't afford it and as a daily driver didn't fancy lugging all that extra stuff around.
We have the three seat bench and an extra seat to fit friends, grandparents etc in. The general consensus is that the three seat has lots more flexibility but then if there's only two of you it mightn't be a big deal. Regarding the manual roof on the Beach lots of SE/electric owners reckon they'd prefer a manual on the basis that with a little bit of practice and caution (always) it's safe and easy to put down. Just make sure you have the door open.
It's a fantastic vehicle and if you've never driven 'up there' before it's loads more pleasurable doing 70 up the M6/74, armrests down, cruise control on, than in a normal car. We have a new word in our family dictionary too - van-nic which is another simple pleasure, seats around, roof up, door open, gourmet lunch either inside or outside dependent on the weather. Happy days.
nzcol, scuttler , thanks - great info - appears the glass in the new SE is double glazed but not in the beach. that may make a difference in winter up glenshee / cairngorm do you think ?
i like the simplicity of the beach, but feel the SE has some very comfortable options as standard ! ? !
can you send a link to the forum you suggest - is it vwcaliforniaclub ?
Yep that's the one, register for the forums as there is a mine of knowledge there. As said they are really two different vehicles - an SE is based on a multivan comfort line and the beach on a more basic multivan from memory. The SE as you say weighs a bit but has better camping potential at the expense of general day to day space, it's a camper van. The Beach is a people carrier you can sleep in with a pop roof. Can you be bothered to rent one of each and try them ? VW can be quite good like that and give you a loaner. As I said, if you want a more detailed look then feel free to get in touch.
I see Californias have rails in the floor. Does that mean you can have the rear bench slid up closer to the front seats and stow bikes in the back? Does it also mean the rear bench can come out for two bikes downstairs and sleeping upstairs?
After lots of research we went nuevo ek, 5.71m, the vws were expensive and a lot smaller 'in use', the nuevo is the 'smallest' we could find that had everything we felt we needed for month and longer jaunts to places where weather can be iffy and facilities limited, after 6 weeks in Scotland we're pretty pleased
I see Californias have rails in the floor. Does that mean you can have the rear bench slid up closer to the front seats and stow bikes in the back? Does it also mean the rear bench can come out for two bikes downstairs and sleeping upstairs?
Yes, the bench in the cali slides right up behind the front seats and then there's a massive space behind as you can remove the rear 2 level shelf and mattress part completely in 2 minutes. We use ours slid forward as a daily driver as it's more like a car then, passengers within talking distance. There truly is a massive amount of room there then. I havent put my bike in there as I have the rack and dont want the inside beat up or dirty. I guess you could get/ make a front wheel holder and clip it in the track if you had a bit of engineering knowledge.
you can remove the rear seat completely but its a two person job/ ballache apparently as its very heavy.
we love our cali. luckily we dont commute to work by car so it is our daily driver for everything else apart from my old pikey ford ranger for logs etc.
campervantastic will rent you one for a weekend/ week and they also have good deals on ex rentals IIRC. I'd rent one and try it.
We came to ours via a self converted t4 so we sort of knew what we wanted. I wouldnt have splurged the cash before knowing we were going to use it and that its configuration suited us.
Ours was second hand, still in warranty and cost a lot but they do hold their value, much better than you'd get from any other car. Some people on the cali forum have had one a couple of yrs from new after discounts from drive the deal or similar and than sold them for almost the same as they paid new 2 yrs later due to waiting lists/ demand for calis.
Have a look at this.... Someone on here?
%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.vwcaliforniaclub.com%252Fforum%252Fviewtopic.php%253Ff%253D63%2526t%253D5328%3B1024%3B768
With the absence of wardrobes/cooking etc in the Beach (particularly the three seat version), by sliding the seats or optionally removing them which as was said is a 2 person job, it's really flexible and there is a ton of room in there. If we go out on bikes for the day I can get four bikes wheels on in the boot, with similar space in the rear seats as a mid-sized car.
@OP with some 2 person skiing trips planned I'd be tempted to go all out for a 4-motion SE. Plenty of people use them out in Europe for that. Not sure on the thermal effect of the better glass but by all accounts the parking heater throws out more than enough heat and with an extra 'jacket/cap' over the popup roof its supposed to be well toasty. The blinds when drawn probably also add some insulation as they're quite close fitting.
Have a search for some of the ski threads on the California forum - plenty of experiences there on cold weather camping.
Thanks Burko & Scuttler
No probs. We love our cali SE and have done 30 nights in it in france at a time stopping at Aires and Municipal Campsites. The cooking, water and heater facilities are great and we have a top cover for the pop up roof that we have used to camp in the winter as well. You can leave the heater on 24/7 as its on a thermostat. Its great really and we wouldn't be without it for holidays as you can really explore and find places you just wouldn't chance upon if you were tied to a tent or holiday cottage.
wow - thanks folks - looks like we'd be better going for the SE. splurging on 4motion 180 dsg bi turbo seems nuts, but it would tick all the boxes for years into the future.......
will have to save a wee bit harder i s'pose.......
is it possible to get the thermostatically controlled heater in the beach ?
and what is the jacket/cap for the roof ? i suspect this would also work on a beach ?
i like the idea of the beach in basic form, but as it's a true camping machine, the SE makes better sense.
for the owners , where do you usually sleep ? up or downstairs ?
if we buy an SE it would mean upstairs has a bigger bed. the beach with 3 bench rear seat has a big bed downstairs !
aargh 🙂 nice problem to have !
In the SE you can also take the seat stops out to move it forward more than normal, that's what we do, in can get 4 bikes in the back with front wheels off.
Sleeping wise the upstairs bed is huge and comfy, we stick a couple of therm a rests in underneath as well for mega luxury. Our little one sleeps up there now while we get on with things downstairs.
I know there is a SE 4m manual for sale at the van centre in Bilston, edinburgh. The bloke that ordered mine ordered 2 by accident !
Topper can be made for about 50 quid or buy one and awning from http://www.comfortzleisure.co.uk who are mega helpful. Also budget for Inka seat covers, a bit utility like but waterproof and save your seats. 120 quid for the set.
You can get a parking heater in a Beach now.
We are around the north west of Scotland in ours next week so keep an eye out
nice one nzcol - i've checked drivethedeal and it looks like a good deal can be had on a 180 dsg full spec SE..............
A parking heater can be factory fitted on an ordered Beach or put on afterwards - http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=104&t=4183 - the same components, fitting kit, controls etc.
The three seat bench in bed format is not particularly comfy and needs some inflatable mats or a topper over it to make it better. Upstairs is slatted + matress so very comfy but the kids get that most of the time.
Sounds like you've made your mind up though
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We sleep upstairs, nice comfy slatted bed plenty side for 2. We don't use any other mattresses up there other than the std one fitted.
I have slept downstairs and still loads of room but not as comfy as upstairs. We usually have the dog cage on the back shelf so sleep upstairs and leave the seats up so we can come down in the morning and get the coffee on easily.
We have one of these for winter/ autumn camping. Just keeps the heat in better and stops the rain completely if torrential. The guy who makes them is very helpful.
We have the 180 but 2 wheel drive. The guy in VW Edinburgh billston who was excellent when we bought ours said that the traction control on the 2 wd was so good that it was hardly worth having the 4wd. We haven't missed 4wd to be honest. I have a 4 wd ford ranger that I can go off road in! The 180 engine is a bi-turbo and revs right through the range, it really is a beast despite hauling round 2.5 tonnes it accelerates amazingly up slip roads etc
The California forum seems to be the place to buy and sell second hand models. There are usually a good few on there but they sell pretty quickly especially this time of yr.
We got the VW bike rack for ours, it looks cool and works uber well. Good for ferrying dirty bikes to trail centres etc and bungeeing other stuff on when travelling. I take an old orange clockwork single speed with a basket with me when were on trips and just lock it to the tow hitch and back right up into a hedge if leaving it.
sounds like the SE then. 180 dsgh 4motion in candy white with some nice black 18" alloys.
now options.......
privacy / awning / parking sensors f&r / creta cloth interior / vw bike rack / std aircon / DAB / MDI + USB / Safe Box / xenons / tailgate trim / reversing cam / bluetooth
what else is recommended ?
Anthracite interior
Wouldn't recommend vw rack personally as you can't secure them that well but your call
Xenons
Privacy
Climatronic
We have 4m with diff lock, much better than the 2wd if you need to get up and down anything slick
S and m tyres from factory
Dab plus
Media in note aux in is just a headphone socket
Ambivalent about safe
Black awning
Delete electric door, pain in the arse, prone to problems and for us the beep was a pita with a small kid asleep.
Reverse camera needs rcd510 , spec the travel pack I think as it's cheaper and gives privacy glass etc
Towbar towbar towbar - nightmare to retrofit so get it std
Lowering kit -30mm
Timaru alloys
Will be lovely and you won't regret it. We love ours. Not cheap but on that spec we got about 10 pc off list but long lead time circa 5-6 months normally. There's a guy selling complete sets of steel wheels with winter tyres cheap as well, I got a set and will stick them on in Oct/nov to save my nice wheels
Get the Bluetooth, dab as its easier to get at new than retrofit. F&r parking sensors a must. Normal
Aircon fine. The awning is a must and we use ours loads, even when keeping the side door open when raining.
Colour wise, just think it's a vehicle that has a longer life than your std family car so stay away from fashionable colours etc we got the met grey colour and it looks mean but classy and understated in that VW/ Audi way.
The bike rack is good and looks better than any other rack. The door struts will hold the boot up with my genesis latitude on it still. Like I said, I tend to chain the bike up to the wheel overnight or cable lock to the towbar for short in view stops. The towbar is useful and as above get it specked to start off with.
The rear bumper guard is good for stopping scuffs and the mudflaps keep the van clean.
The ride suffers if you get bigger alloys too, might be worth bearing that in mind. It's a heavy van and the suspension isn't as refined as your average VW!
I think the se comes with privacy glass in the uk. I don't think I've seen one without it.
Oh yes, I'd get a dsg next time as well.
I had a dsg one to test and really disliked it but different strokes etc. the manual box is pretty good anyway.
4m dsg are like the proverbial rocking horse ...
ive a new DSG S3 and we like it as it's simple - a joy to use. DSG is a no-brainer for us.
shame the Cali doesn't offer adaptive cruise control to match with the DSG.
I do actually think dsg is the right box for the van in many ways. Let us know how you get on, will keep eyes and ears peeled for anything that comes up. Recommend posting a request on the vw forum anyway as somebody may want to sell.
nzcol - tbh, i'll be buying a new one as residuals are crackers and i like shiny new things......... !
I got mine from bilston VW through the VW vehicle search on tinternet. It's on the VW commercial website and look at used vans or something.
i'm only 200m from my local VW commercial centre at work - i can see that i'm going to be a nightmare customer.......
One of our guests had the edition 25 style california, fully loaded, beautiful bus. BUT it still rattled and squeaked like any other van....... I would have one in a shot if i could afford it, but more tha n happy with my T5 shuttle
As Col said think about the detachable towbar as it gives you an option to put the Atera Strada on which pivots out of the way enough to open the boot. And as we know all too well on here, you have the option to remove it quickly when not in use so as to avoid shouting BIKE to the local scumbags if you have them in the vicinity. The problem with the VW towel rails is they're generally permanent fixtures. The steel wheel bloke on the forum is your man for winter activities - I paid about 450 quid for 4 x new VW steels + Mud+Snow tyres 😮
scuttler - thanks - assume the towbar is a no-brainer then ?
It's a no brainer from the POV that if I was ordering from the factory I'd get one put on. I don't have a bike rack currently as circumstances currently allow them to be carried inside but in the next year or so I'll need a proper bike rack and I'd much prefer the towbar + Strada if budget permits. A towbar can obviously be added after market but it can cause complications with wiring, reversing sensors etc, which you don't have with the standard bike rack.
Quick question. We're on the verge of going for a T5 albeit getting a custom conversion rather than a cali. Need to rent one for a weekend first but are they really the best things ever for outdoorsy people? Only thing is it'd mean getting rid of our bmw but it sounds like the missus is ok with my suggestion of a clio 182 as a runabout 😉
Tlr-agree, I got mine within 3k of a used one with 8,000 miles so was a no brainier for me. Do expect a long wait though, it's usually quoted as 16-20 weeks for a build, they give you a build date and it's pretty accurate. Second getting a set of wheels off Benn as well, happy to put you in touch as he has 10 sets of winter wheels to sell.
but are they really the best things ever for outdoorsy people?
I associated outdoorsy with flexible and nimble, generally organised and with a broad range of obsessions (climbing, walking, skiing, bikes, canoes). You can do all of this in T5 land with some minor concessions to comfort but it's a vehicle that will fit down any road, most campsites and that is great for stealth camping (in late, out early). There's also a wide range of experience, accessories and modifications so you'll never be the first to try something.
I think that's a yes but I'm only on my first. Just wish I'd had one ten years ago.
• California SE 180hp BiTurbo DSG 4Motion
• Privacy Glass
• Black Awning integrated.
• Parking sensors F&R + Reversing Camera.
• Creta cloth interior.
• VW bike rack OR Towing Bar.
• Standard aircon
• DAB
• MDI + USB
• Safe box.
• Xenons.
• Tailgate trim.
• Bluetooth.
what have I missed ?
Is there a multi-function steering wheel in all that?
VW Monster Mats to seal the deal
I nearly bought a beach when they came out. I'd specced a fairly loaded 140 that was coming out at something like 38k. I've just tried it again and the same van is ~44k.
Both these prices were on autoebid. Basically there are far fewer deals around today it would seem which is a shame as I was thinking about swapping this summer. A few VW leisure dealers have closed in the last 2 years as well so there are far fewer vans available.
OP, DSG is fantastic.
I'd also get the parking heater from the factory.
I'd ditch the reversing camera as a factory option. Get an aftermarket one fitted to the base of the rear spoiler rather than in the numberplate. This is better if you go for a towbar & atera rather than the VW rack.
I do like my climatronic, so would probably spec it but not tried the std aircon.
Cruise is great on the Motorway.
If you're going to colder climes the the laminated glass and double glazing are also worth considering (they're options on the beach, may be std on the SE)
the edition 25 style california
That was a Caravelle only model IIRC, though I've seen beach models with the same white / black paintwork. Dealer specials I believe.
It's a personal thing, but I prefer the flexibility of a beach over the SE. I always saw it as a halfway house between the Caravelle and the SE...basically a Caravelle with a poptop which is my ideal van.
NOT SURE WHY I'D TAKE THE TOWBAR RACK OPTION INSTEAD OF THE VW BIKE CARRIER ?
Try it but get the towbar from factory anyway. Many reasons.
mrs tlr is now veering back to the beach - bigger sleep area downstairs ! she's also concerned that we'd not use the cooking facilities often enough in the SE......... this is a nightmare ! 😆
Having had a fully fitted camper van (admittedly an Iveco so a bit bigger), and now have a lwb T5 kombi with a removable bed behind the second row seats I think a beach would be my choice. With a removable compressor fridge like below
[img] https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTCdR9LkPG8-Suof_142yCx4nmBSl7PIUSW8oFQbRe_XRv4JxO4ZA [/img]
And something like the Maxxcamp unit linked on page one, either just as a storage cupboard/work surface on which I could use a camping stove (inside or out). Or with a small smev single burner / sink fitted, but then with gas, fresh and waste water there would be little storage left.
Of course what suits me won't suit others. Maybe rent if you can to try out one or the other, or even both.
Tell Mrs TLR that there's plenty of comfortable room upstairs for two normal sized adults and that the three seat bench in the Beach is huge but uncomfy as a bed without mats or a topper. Besides it's far more pleasurable sleeping upstairs and living downstairs - when you get out of bed you just push the base of the bed up into the pop top and get on with getting dressed/breakfast.
^what he said. Upstairs is super comfy and huge. Downstairs is ok but you do need a topper for it. If you genuinely want a camper then the SE, if you want flexibility and or carry more than 4 peeps then Beach. Rent an SE , there is a place in Edinburgh has one.
back onto the SE. wild camping possibilities easier, aye ?
Stealth campers don't attract attention, worth considering if you want to wild camp. Also, recent Transporters have a very angry face, as do other recent German cars. The idea of a happy lifestyle vehicle having black masked/DRL, I want to bum you eyes-Doesn't sit well.
We wild camp all the time, pull up, lax out, cook dinner, kid in roof, shut hatch, whisky and chocs. Lovely. Easy to do in the SE. For two people I reckon it's spot on.
Yep, we're back agreeing it's the SE.
Residuals - you can almost afford to make a mistake. However I'm convinced the SE is for you.
Yes, me too. We will wild camp, we will have a van go awning, BBQ, etc but need heating for winter trips to cairngorm, etc. the 4motion should work too. SE it must be.
Get the elec diff then, that plus winter s and m wheels will work well. We get up stuff some 4wds can't !
it comes with an electric diff, the mechanical diff lock is the option to go for 🙂 another £500 😯
Ah yes sorry was thinking back to front. It's worth it, we have deployed ours a few times already and got out of a steep grass field then towed a couple of 4x out afterwards. It's a heavy van. I would also strongly recommend the -30mm springs , they dramatically change the way the van drives with no negative effect on the ride or entry exit angles. I couldn't get them in NZ so we drove that van for 15000kms as standard , our new one has them and it's like night and day, esp for passengers. 100 quid I think as an option, it also helps you get into 2m car parks
Yep, lowered springs good option. Tidies up the look of the van but seems a bit odd on a 4m.
Get the towbar and bike rack, it's a pita to fit a towbar afterwards. If you don't like the vow rack it'll be easy to sell afterwards. Plenty of bikey t5 people on here!
Mfsw and cruise is a must. I wouldn't worry ref reverse camera as the rear/ front sensors give you a radar style pic of what's happening on the radio display.
Bluetooth a must as well, did I miss that?
Sounds like for you guys se is a must over the beach. Cooking in the van is easy, we end up doing it all the time and only BBQ if wet. It just extends the usefulness and hence vfm of the van.
ffs....will you lot stop it!!
i cant afford to look at VWs
This thread has been really useful for me as I'm just starting out on the dream of a california. Our needs are a bit different as we have 3 kids to run around day today and fit in for camping trips. The Beach is the obvious option and we should all squeeze in for the odd night while they are small. Probably need to get a drive away tent for longer trips to keep things comfortable.
It is dangerous drawing up an options list as the price gets out of control very quickly :D.
i'm not getting a T5 conversion, but wonder if other have or have not and their reasons why ! ???? !
We looked into it
Rail system
Germanic efficiency to hide an outdoor table, seats, gas and water
Pop roof is bigger that we saw on conversions
Integrated blinds
5 year factory warranty (we negotiated it as part of the deal)
On the other side the Cali is better in lhd as the passenger seat rotates into space then. But not so flash for Uk driving. Sme of the conversions are really nice but for total package
mrchrispy +1 🙁
@riofer - I'm in W Yorkshire if you're local and want to come and have a gander at a 3 seat Beach and understand what its like to live with/in.
whats the road fund licence on the 180 DSG ?
It's looking increasingly like we'll be selling up our caravan and getting a again in the not too distant future. 😀 should never have sold the old one really.
Can't remember what we pay for our 180 Cali. Not massive, about £260/ yr perhaps? Think it might be £285 now? Haven't been outside to look.
We looked into a conversion as we had done a t4 conversion 6 yrs ago ourselves but wanted a more modern van with a pop top and hence the t5. We looked at a number of conversions and had thought about getting the roof done and riemo seats on a rail and doing the rest ourselves. We looked at conversions by a decent company in Portland and a guy called uberbus in Bournemouth. Thing was to get the car like spec of a Cali you needed to get hold of a decent van to start with, even a shuttle or caravelle.
When I odd a spreadsheet and factored in a van/ shuttle, roof, seat/ bed and everything we had in out t4 but to a high std we were pretty close to a second hand Cali anyway. When you factor in the rock solid residuals and look at the build quality of a Cali vs a conversion it really is a no brainer. We looked at a Cali in Guildford and spent an hour or more with the sales guy going through the whole van and it just worked for us. Storage, flexibility, comfort, safety etc. it just all works.
As above the roof bed is the best I've seen/ been in.
The seat bed downstairs on the rail is amazing. It just works and makes the vehicle really flexible.
The table/ chairs are genius.
Blinds are a work of art.
Cupboards/ storage is also cavernous and just works.
Incidentally, my mother in law is down at the mo. She said she was in a shop this morning, got talking to some woman at the checkout and within 5 mins told her she has a Cali that she's just sold today to get a big motor home with a toilet. The woman said they have had it 2 yrs from new, done 10k miles in it and put it on the market yesterday, a guy phoned, came round this morning offering the asking price with half of the 20k in cash as a deposit and bank transferred the rest straight away. She bought it new a couple of yrs ago and sold it for £5k less than she paid for it within 24 hrs of putting it on the market. She might have underpriced it even!
Base van is a good point, Cali is actually a multivan comfort line so has the multivan suspension which is v different to transporter suspension. Getting a decent base van isn't cheap.
for those with 4motion, do you have the diff lock and if so is it a must ?
Not a must but useful as they are heavy and it's got me out of places I was surprised to get out of.
This written as I recline with a whisky gazing at a stormy isle of mull in my Cali. Wife and daughter upstairs sleeping, I'm supping and surfing - excellent !