Is the GC a fail?

[Corradobrit]

On the other hand I’m kinda fine with it, funny old world hey View attachment 115151

Where do you stow the planters?

 

[oliver100]

Where do you stow the planters?

In the giant forehead at the front everyone is so offended by

 

[andyinluton]

I actually liked the 600, to me it looked better than a 680.

I think the colour makes a big difference, ours was grey lower & silver upper.

At the end of the day you don't buy one to win a beauty contest, it's a functional vehicle.

 

[Barry Chuckle]

In the giant forehead at the front everyone is so offended by

To be fair most would class the original split screen VW a thing of real beauty, but it's not particularly practical by todays standards. And most motorhomes today are different sized white boxes on wheels. So looks aren't that important it's what works for the individual I guess.

 

[Borris]

Sounds like MAN are listening to you! They have just announced that you can buy basically an empty GC600/Knaus View attachment 115144 - with a the factory fitted high roof & the bulging rear side panels to make a transverse bed work.
Further options include 4 wheel drive, 4 wheel air suspension, and engine upgrades

Sounds like a good basis for self conversion.

Yes, I agree. I love the basic van "blank canvas" concept. Hopefully, someone on this forum will go for one of these and document the build. If they were to share their design, it would be interesting to see what they have done.

I think "A bus and beyond" did or are doing something similar with a basic brand new Crafter 680 Van without the high top but I don't know how far that project has gone. I haven't continued following their channel. Here's a link I've just found:

If I were younger and had the funds, I think I might be tempted to give it a go. However, these days we would much prefer to get into something that's ready to go.

 

[SpuffingtonMe]

Getting it back on track, what alternatives are really out there for a sub 6m van on a Crafter/Man TGE/Sprinter base that can sleep two adults and two kids and has two separate ISOFIX points on the bench seat? I’m struggling with that search to be honest. There’s certainly nothing within £10k that I’ve managed to find.

I bought a Knaus BoxDrive 600XL to fill that particular brief. Had it since May now and love it. The MAN TGE is so impressive as a base vehicle and can easily drive big distances feeling comfy at the end of it.

In addition to the ISOFIX on the rear bench, the bench base itself can be extended 20cm, which doesn’t sound like much but great if you have bulky car seats or an adult next to a child etc.

The upstairs bed is much longer than the GC600 and would easily see our pre teen through to adulthood.

Sadly, although fortunately in another way, we now find ourselves looking to sell the BoxDrive in Spring as we’re expecting our 3rd child.

Although I have looked into having a double swivel bench fitted on the passenger side due to it already being a 5 berth, it’s already quite tight and I think I have to be honest with myself that Campervanning (or at least my preference for Motorhoming) is off the radar for a while and I’m probably heading back to an 8-9m A class when the new born is a toddler.

For what it’s worth, the BoxDrive is currently my second car and in common with the poster with the Club Joker, ive had no issues with parking / there always being an alternative to any height barriers or underground car parks. It’s been a lovely second car to drive and I’m never disappointed when I have to get behind the wheel.

 

[Bobby D]

OK, I geddit……….. this thread is mostly dominated by owners and ex owners of the 600 so I should not expect agreement from the majority here……. It’s just a personal view but I could never really love a van that looks the way it does. Clearly this is a ‘Marmite’ van and a definite case of function over form

Previously I have owned a 6m Globecar but I could never have owned this version……
View attachment 115150
VW are not the only ones ……..

Oi, VW have been at the Elvis look for a long time...or Westfalia should I say. I still love my LWB California with a fixed toilet and 6ft 7" headroom, espcially being able to make a cuppa whilst standing and everyone else in bed...no matter how it looks lol

 

[CamperFam]

Interestingly enough, a load of offers on a GC600, including 0% interest on hire purchase if you have a deposit greater than 50%. 5 years warranty, 5 services, MOTs and finance contribution + 2.5k to optional extras (reduced from last month at 4.5k)

 

[Barry Chuckle]

Interestingly enough, a load of offers on a GC600, including 0% interest on hire purchase if you have a deposit greater than 50%. 5 years warranty, 5 services, MOTs and finance contribution + 2.5k to optional extras (reduced from last month at 4.5k)

Money is a lot more expensive than it was a year ago due to interest rates, as I've said dealers have 30% margin with including VW support. As I've said this is likely to feed into much weaker residuals, the near term.

 

[Barry Chuckle]

My point being that to offer 0% on half the value of a GC will cost VW thousands and indicates flat demand.

 

[Carryon Cali Camping]

Interestingly enough, a load of offers on a GC600, including 0% interest on hire purchase if you have a deposit greater than 50%. 5 years warranty, 5 services, MOTs and finance contribution + 2.5k to optional extras (reduced from last month at 4.5k)

just to add balance VW are also offering 5yrs servicing, 2 MOT’s, 5yrs warranty, £1.5k of extras and finance contribution on the T6.1 California‘s, it’s part of the Happy Campers offer across Caddy, T6.1 and GC offers, granted more deposit contribution on the GC. I couldn’t see 0% finance, but happy to be stood corrected.

 

[oliver100]

it’s on the whole California range

My point being that to offer 0% on half the value of a GC will cost VW thousands and indicates flat demand.

 

[Jester]

Oh know the whole California range must be a fail

 

[andyinluton]

My point being that to offer 0% on half the value of a GC will cost VW thousands and indicates flat demand.

It's actually good for cashflow, most vans if financed are with VW financial services so all VW Group get on the day of sale is whatever the customer has put down as a deposit. The rest is paid over up to 10 years.

Using the 0% offer means Vw get 50% of the money up front & the rest trickles through in at most 5 years.

The cost of providing that 0% deal would be about £5k on a £90k van

It also may skew buyers towards HP as there isn't a PCP interest free deal. So VW will be lessening the risk of being left with a large amount of returned vans at the end of a PCP deal if secondhand values do crash.

 

[sidepod]

Interesting to see appetite for self-build here, something that has always been scoffed at with regards to the Cali.
Is the Man a different beast to the Crafter?
Deffo something I’d do.

 

[andyinluton]

Is the Man a different beast to the Crafter?

Very different - there's a different badge on the rear, the one on the steering wheel and of course the one on the front grill.

 

[Carryon Cali Camping]

Interesting to see appetite for self-build here, something that has always been scoffed at with regards to the Cali.
Is the Man a different beast to the Crafter?
Deffo something I’d do.

My understanding is that the only difference is after sales. The vehicles are essentially the same apart from the badges and a bit of trim. VW Group owns a majority stake in MAN….I think they are also built in the same factory as the Crafter.

 

[Borris]

Interesting to see appetite for self-build here, something that has always been scoffed at with regards to the Cali.
Is the Man a different beast to the Crafter?
Deffo something I’d do.

Here's a link that describes the differences which appear to be merely cosmetic:

MAN TGE van review 2024 | Auto Express

The MAN TGE is the first large van to come from commercial vehicle maker MAN Truck & Bus

www.autoexpress.co.uk

As has already been said above, the main differences are in the servicing package MAN (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG) offers.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Interesting to see appetite for self-build here, something that has always been scoffed at with regards to the Cali.
Is the Man a different beast to the Crafter?
Deffo something I’d do.

Same van mechanically. We looked at Knaus Boxdrive 600xl which is Man (Crafter).

 

[sidepod]

Here's a link that describes the differences which appear to be merely cosmetic:

MAN TGE van review 2024 | Auto Express

The MAN TGE is the first large van to come from commercial vehicle maker MAN Truck & Bus

www.autoexpress.co.uk

As has already been said above, the main differences are in the servicing package MAN (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG) offers.

“The TGE may seem familiar as it is essentially a rebadged Volkswagen Crafter. The two vans are built in the same factory in Poland, and the differences between the two largely centre around the front end and the badging.”

 

[larrylamb]

I believe MAN service centres are excellent and open 24 hrs for servicing and MOT etc.

 

[gordienbrighton]

View attachment 114632
They do exist!

Where was this Mr T?

 

[Mr T]

Where was this Mr T?

Busfest - Malvern

 

[soulstyledevon]

Interesting to see appetite for self-build here, something that has always been scoffed at with regards to the Cali.
Is the Man a different beast to the Crafter?
Deffo something I’d do.

I’m off to the Brum show in a couple of weeks. If nothing takes my fancy, I’m highly lightly to convert a MWB crafter or MAN.
It’s the sweet spot.
Once you go any bigger, you may as well opt for a proper motahome.
I personally think the MWB still falls within the “campervan“ spectrum .

 

[GrannyJen]

I’m off to the Brum show in a couple of weeks. If nothing takes my fancy, I’m highly lightly to convert a MWB crafter or MAN.
It’s the sweet spot.
Once you go any bigger, you may as well opt for a proper motahome.
I personally think the MWB still falls within the “campervan“ spectrum .

I totally agree with you.

I love my camper, I'm happy with the Ducato, but I could drool at something on the Crafter platform. I'm also looking at the Knaus Boxdrive. My attraction there is with the raising bed I could carry my bike inside without basically dismantling and reassembling the bed each time.