6.1 2 day hire - initially disappointed, but now ordered!

[Eber123]

Good afternoon,

PhilR I agree to all the points you mentioned - and actually can add a few more. Also what annoys me (and scars me as well) it seems to me that almost all repairs after the warranty are terrible expensive, I mean very expensive...

I see the California series as a compromise between daily drive, day tours and holidays. There aren't a lot of comparable vehicles on the European market similar to the California. The few that are (e.g. Ford Nugget) come with their own issues too - I am sure about that.

I have my reservation against the custom build vehicles (please all owners of a custom build camper forgive me). They come from smaller companies which I am sure build good quality, but certainly do not have the experience and financial power behind research and tests like VW. I might be wrong, but was ever a custom build VW Camper crash tested?

For now I love our camper. It is my daily drive and regardless on short or very long drives I feel very well behind the steering wheel. I have a bit of a back problem at the moment, but the best place with less pain is actually in the van....
Going back to custom build campers. If one has no experience of using such a vehicle I think it is difficult to get it build based on my wishes. We changed and amended our camping routine a few times during the last 2 1/2 years. The California is build long enough to provide a compromise that might work for most of users.

The only alternative would be a bigger camper van like La Strata Regent S or Hymer Grand Canyon S. They are also expensive and we can't get them in Ireland anyway. Also because they are larger they are really not usable as daily drive, meaning I had to buy a small car as well.

For the time being we will keep the California Ocean. Because it can cover a lot of usages with a lot of support like from this forum.

Happy California,
Eberhard

 

[Meoncoast]

Having camped for years sleeping on the ground then having a camper van is pure luxury for us. I have driven vans for years and love the position of the Cali. I would hate not having a camper van but I can see it is not for everyone.

 

[hirsty]

I just don’t think campervans are for everyone. We often get asked by friends about it and I usually don’t think it’s for them. I guess maybe as many as a half of people who get a Cali sell it after a few years. But the other half don’t.

Always fascinated by this type of thread, the effort made to "sell" California's to the unconvinced are always greater than expended by VW themselves.

As @Lambeth Cali says above, I'm absolutely fine either way whether other people want one or not.

I'm also very happy with T6 (and previous T5) seats, but would've chosen black over "don't even look at me!" pale grey upholstery in hindsight.

 

[Jenny H]

Very interesting to read your post - we are hiring a VW campervan next weekend - not a Cali but a 2018 conversion as no Cali's to hire nearby & just wanted to try it for the weekend - since seen there's now a Cali for hire 20 miles away so will definitely hire that before buying.
I really hope Im not disappointed because like you Ive got my heart set on owning one & have for years & agree its an awful lot of money to part with when youre not smitten!
I havent test driven any yet but think I will be opting for the Coast - as others have said its coming at at low £50k & I prefer the cabinet & seat finish plus Im not bothered about all the technical stuff on an Ocean.
I currently drive a VW Polo & Iveco horsebox.
I think theres been some brilliant feedback here & if its your dream then you musnt give up without looking at it from other angles which you seem to be doing.

 

[BeagleMum]

The Cail is not for everyone but is a great compromise. However, that compromise was not good enough for us. We knew exactly what we wanted so decided to get "our vehicle" built. First decide who is going to do the conversion. There are several good/excellent converters, also a lot of poor ones - choose carefully! We went to a converter in Minehead. Three trips to discuss what we wanted, they paid for our first trip including hotel. Then purchased a new T6 Highline 150 DSG but with the bench front seat - this was going to be changed. The converter stripped the van. Replaced both front seats with fully adjustable, swivel, seats upholstered in leather of our choice - very comfortable. We stuck with the 16" tyres as this puts more rubber between you and the road so the ride is better. I am going to change the tyres as and when to slightly fatter ones but staying at 16". We wanted more space so had a LWB - not a Cali option. The converter then gave us exactly the compromise we wanted which included hot water and a built in toilet, high roof - hence the LWB choice. The vehicle came with the full VW warranty, this converter is VW approved, and the conversion is covered by their 3 year warranty. Have had no issues with the vehicle so no need to contact VW. A couple of conversion issues. These were resolved very quickly and again the converter paid for my trip to take the vehicle back to Minehead. Niggles that pop up, very few, a quick phone call to Minehead, talk to the person that did the conversion and problem solved. No waiting about. In cost terms you will not save that much but you will get the compromise you requested. Ours in 2018 was £50k - complete. The Minehead crew also sort out the road tax and make sure you get the best deal. We love our compromise, but it is not a Cali.

Everything in life is a choice, everyone’s needs are different. We absolutely love our California but it’s not the vehicle for everyone, we respect other people’s choices. The world would be a boring place if we all liked the same things.

 

[LRGS253]

I've had my Cali since June and love it.

I spent a lot of time investigating conversions vs Cali and was put off by the poor quality of some conversions and the was some of the fit and finish was completed always looked like an add on. The continual investigation to see what it was registered as and if the BHP actually started off as that or was a lower HP version with a map was ding my head in. The stupid prices they were asking for some conversions also put me off. You know exactly what you are getting with a Cali and that it will have excellent residuals if you buy wisely.

I still prefer the look of the T6 to the T6.1 and think the dash storage is better. Not sure that the T6.1 has moved on far enough to justify the upgrade IMHO.

The tailgate is heavy and difficult to close, but if you put your EHU cable if the seat it helps to counteract the force of the rams.

Mine is a bit soft, but this is an unfair comparison as I sold my Lotus to live the Cali dream.

Trying to offset the cost of a B&B with magical journey's in your Cali will never work as there is only one winner.

TBH was probably expecting nearer to 40MPG then 33ish, but I have loaded it up with a load of camping stuff, including and awning that I use all the time and can't be bothered to take out.

The forum on here is amazing.

 

[Wogga]

I didn’t say it was bad, it was just crashier over rough surfaces. I loved the high up position, that is one of the reasons I wanted one, but the seat has to be comfortable and for me it wasn’t, I can’t get away from that. The overall drive was very good - the size of the van is fantastic - roomy enough inside but easy to manoeuvre outside. Visibility excellent too. I also enjoyed the power of the 199bhp.
Oh and I never intend to buy a motorhome. Too restricting on UK roads. I’d hire one in Europe though.

Cheers Phil for your candid review. We have a Cali on order and are actually “downgrading “ from a Ford based coach built. Our rationale is although there is plenty of room including a shithouse and shower in a coach built we decided with a driveway that becomes less importan. Advantages for us of a smaller van are:
1. store at home on our small drive
2. Single vehicle no need for a car
3. We do not flit nightly so can set up our base camp and get out about in the van
4. Parking when out and about
5. Currently Low Depreciation on the van

The Ford was a great drive however I thing you will find it hard to get a van that has captains chairs and the seat adjustment, Fiat and Ford don’t . Ford have solved the handbrake dilemma easily surprised VW haven’t copied it.

Good luck with whatever you choose, your cash your van and UK made vans leak and rot.

 

[Legin]

From what you have said I would do one of two things. Either forget the whole idea OR if you really havent landed it buy a free California. Free. Well of course I mean depreciation proof. Get a late T5.1 se 140 or an early T6 150 ocean give it a run then twist or stick.
I think the T6.1 is suffering a little under VAG groups "value engineering' evidenced in recent newly released products like Golf 8. Cali is still a van though and thats that
Unfortunately for you its a sellers market so i would wait for the pain to set in later in the year and buy then. I suspect lots of folk who just bought into the dream will find the reality somewhat different and sell up in winter.

 

[GSX1300R]

I read this review with interest.. compare it with say a motorbike which we used to travel round France Spain and Portugal for nearly 16 years..Yes in a VW California you don’t tend to get wet..Compare it with a very early split screen 1200 combi which we travelled around Australia for months and not enough fingers to count how many times it broke down. Neither are a comparison but that’s all I have to compare with. We bought our California 5 years ago new for £42k and done around 21k miles. problems yes but fixed under warranty.
It’s still worth pretty much what we paid for it from new, unlike a new Mercedes SLK that haemorrhaged £50 notes every time I took it out..And cost me more than my California. And after 5 years worth less than a third what I paid for it..
If you are looking for a camper without faults or problems I’m sorry they haven’t made one yet. But with ours we don’t get soaking wet any longer or brakes down in the middle of nowhere..Also on the whole the VW California owners are a decent bunch and will help you out with any problems you might have....As a daily driver if we didn’t have other vehicles I would use it no problem..

 

[Jodalo]

Having camped for years sleeping on the ground the having a camper van is pure luxury for us. I have driven vans for years and love the position of the Cali. I would hate not having a camper van but I can see it is not for everyone.

I think you’ve ‘hit the nail on the head’ here. I’m not sure if the OP is an experienced camper or not. I get the impression it’s the latter. I have spent years doing most forms of camping and have owned several-non Cali-camper vans, I can honestly say that the Cali is the best. Every form of camping is a compromise of some sort but the Cali as a package in my opinion is the best option. We know it’s not perfect, I don’t believe perfection exists in the camping world but I am prepared to put up with a few niggles as it certainly suits my lifestyle and I think that is why I bought one. So @PhilR thanks for the honest feedback and good luck with your search for your camper van/
motorhome/tent/trailer tent/bivvy that suits you but you could do a lot worse than owning a Cali.

 

[PhilR]

This is turning into an interesting thread

It certainly is, I've started something here haven't I?!!

Once again, thanks for all the replies. It certainly makes interesting reading. Can I just say one thing though - I "do" get the whole campervan thing and my expectations were purely based on all the positive things I'd read and heard about the Cali 6.1 - I am just being honest in saying that it didn't live up to those expectations, at that price. That certainly doesn't mean we are put off completely. My original post said that we may just forget it altogether, but having slept on it I still really want to live the campervan life, so I will explore all options.

I'm not going to reply/quote to all of the posts, that would just fill up this thread, so I've read through them all and made notes.....

Kallista - the £55k BMW analogy is interesting and very true!

Sidepod - with respect, I don't think I'm being "naive" - I also don't fully agree when you say I should "manage my expectations" - I fully understand they are what they are and are essentially a big van, I just don't think the one we hired justified such a high price tag, for a big, albeit very nice van! I respect your views though and apologise to any Cali fans that I may have upset!

Wildcamper - Thanks for your replies. Yes my wife is very involved and has been for a few weeks now, she was very excited about the whole thing too, planning what to call our van and having some great "upgrade" ideas. She's also watched all the ABAB videos on YouTube! She is just having second thoughts about it all now, so I need to convince her it's still a great option if we get the right van. To be honest, the fact that our one and only night at a campsite in the hired Cali was the windiest of the year didn't help either - we couldn't sleep up top so that made it feel cramped downstairs. A real shame that was.
(I would definitely be interested in your van spec yes, if you want to PM me that would be great, thanks).

Elmo3 - The £50k Coast option is an interesting one indeed.....

andyinluton - Yes I understand a conversion or older Cali will have similar issues, but these are much easier to "accept" if we haven't spent anywhere near £70K!

B J G - Really interesting to hear about your usage to your holiday home - that is going to be the bulk of our usage, albeit only 130 miles to Wales. We too have transported bikes, mowers, tools, dogs, rubbish and goodness knows what else between the two places. I would be quite concerned about doing all that in an expensive new Cali. Silly things like going to the tip - they just become awkward. I do a lot of cycling so throwing my bike in the back would have to be done very carefully. Again, a lot of these concerns are diminished with an older, less expensive van.

Borris - thanks for your nice words, that's nice coming from someone who is obviously very much a Cali fan. The hire van was only registered in July this year and had just 3k miles on it, so I don't think it has been abused. I reckon it's just new vehicle teething issues, but being a hire van nobody has bothered to report it. We certainly did though.
The dash is not great on the 6.1, that is certain. It looks flash but practicality isn't it's forte. Is the T6 dash much better then? You mentioned two different T6 dashboards - what is the difference? Is the glovebox bigger in the T6 too?

Calimili - Comfort seats on a 6.1 aren't an option as far as I can make out. Interesting what you say about the tyres - they were 215's on the hire vehicle.

Phew.....that was a long post. Once again, we really appreciate all of the responses, it is helping tremendously.
My wife is working today, I'm supposed to be as well actually! We are going to read through all of this thread later today. Hopefully it will change her mind and she will still help me to realise the campervan dream.....

 

[Kernowboy]

Ah, there’s your opportunity. Get the order in whilst Mrs Phil’s at work; she’ll get over it.....Eventually.
And if not, it’ll still be worth much the same as you paid for it at the divorce settlement.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

It’s not often mentioned but there is one quite large difference between a California and a conversion. The Cali is based on the Caravelle which is quite a sophisticated vehicle with independent suspension. I think conversions will based on a Transporter van with van suspension. If you’re not happy with the quality or ride in a Cali I can’t see you being happy in a conversion.

I like the ride in our 2008 California and think the suspension is possibly as good an average 2008 SUV. I don’t expect it to ‘handle’ around corners. We do a lot of miles on French motorways.

The interior cupboards and roof are built from aluminium, a conversion would be made of wood and fibre glass I think.

Another thread recommended Knaus as a good conversion company but I bet there is still a lot of wood in it.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

It certainly is, I've started something here haven't I?!!

Once again, thanks for all the replies. It certainly makes interesting reading. Can I just say one thing though - I "do" get the whole campervan thing and my expectations were purely based on all the positive things I'd read and heard about the Cali 6.1 - I am just being honest in saying that it didn't live up to those expectations, at that price. That certainly doesn't mean we are put off completely. My original post said that we may just forget it altogether, but having slept on it I still really want to live the campervan life, so I will explore all options.

I'm not going to reply/quote to all of the posts, that would just fill up this thread, so I've read through them all and made notes.....

Kallista - the £55k BMW analogy is interesting and very true!

Sidepod - with respect, I don't think I'm being "naive" - I also don't fully agree when you say I should "manage my expectations" - I fully understand they are what they are and are essentially a big van, I just don't think the one we hired justified such a high price tag, for a big, albeit very nice van! I respect your views though and apologise to any Cali fans that I may have upset!

Wildcamper - Thanks for your replies. Yes my wife is very involved and has been for a few weeks now, she was very excited about the whole thing too, planning what to call our van and having some great "upgrade" ideas. She's also watched all the ABAB videos on YouTube! She is just having second thoughts about it all now, so I need to convince her it's still a great option if we get the right van. To be honest, the fact that our one and only night at a campsite in the hired Cali was the windiest of the year didn't help either - we couldn't sleep up top so that made it feel cramped downstairs. A real shame that was.
(I would definitely be interested in your van spec yes, if you want to PM me that would be great, thanks).

Elmo3 - The £50k Coast option is an interesting one indeed.....

andyinluton - Yes I understand a conversion or older Cali will have similar issues, but these are much easier to "accept" if we haven't spent anywhere near £70K!

B J G - Really interesting to hear about your usage to your holiday home - that is going to be the bulk of our usage, albeit only 130 miles to Wales. We too have transported bikes, mowers, tools, dogs, rubbish and goodness knows what else between the two places. I would be quite concerned about doing all that in an expensive new Cali. Silly things like going to the tip - they just become awkward. I do a lot of cycling so throwing my bike in the back would have to be done very carefully. Again, a lot of these concerns are diminished with an older, less expensive van.

Borris - thanks for your nice words, that's nice coming from someone who is obviously very much a Cali fan. The hire van was only registered in July this year and had just 3k miles on it, so I don't think it has been abused. I reckon it's just new vehicle teething issues, but being a hire van nobody has bothered to report it. We certainly did though.
The dash is not great on the 6.1, that is certain. It looks flash but practicality isn't it's forte. Is the T6 dash much better then? You mentioned two different T6 dashboards - what is the difference? Is the glovebox bigger in the T6 too?

Calimili - Comfort seats on a 6.1 aren't an option as far as I can make out. Interesting what you say about the tyres - they were 215's on the hire vehicle.

Phew.....that was a long post. Once again, we really appreciate all of the responses, it is helping tremendously.
My wife is working today, I'm supposed to be as well actually! We are going to read through all of this thread later today. Hopefully it will change her mind and she will still help me to realise the campervan dream.....

Wildcamper is totally correct about the importance of ‘buy in’ from wives. I mentioned that I think quite a few owners sell Calis after a couple of years and I suspect wives are a significant reason for this (as they should be). Our van was 20 months old when we got it and the previous owner said his wife didn’t like it. I think my wife likes ours more than I do. I would self identify as a camping geek who actually likes the packing and some of the compromises and even hassle. I know our kids will remember all these holidays and not just because I make an album every year. 11 so far.

 

[PhilR]

...Unfortunately for you its a sellers market so i would wait for the pain to set in later in the year and buy then. I suspect lots of folk who just bought into the dream will find the reality somewhat different and sell up in winter.

Not so "unfortunately" as it happens.....our company car is going back at the end of April so the only reason I was looking now (well apart from the fact that any excuse to look at cars/vans/motorbikes/bikes online and I'm there!) is that with the long lead times on new ones, we'd have to order fairly soon so as not to be without a vehicle in May. But, if we go the used route, then I've got loads of time and can keep my eye out for a good one

 

[PhilR]

I’m not sure if the OP is an experienced camper or not. I get the impression it’s the latter....
So @PhilR thanks for the honest feedback and good luck with your search for your camper van/
motorhome/tent/trailer tent/bivvy that suits you but you could do a lot worse than owning a Cali.

Hi, I'm not an experienced campervanner (is that a word?!) but have camped loads in the past, 99% of the time under canvas, 1% in the back of our estate car! We hired a motorhome in Canada for 3 weeks 25 years ago - it was a 29' beast - great fun, but massive!
Thanks for your message

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Not so "unfortunately" as it happens.....our company car is going back at the end of April so the only reason I was looking now (well apart from the fact that any excuse to look at cars/vans/motorbikes/bikes online and I'm there!) is that with the long lead times on new ones, we'd have to order fairly soon so as not to be without a vehicle in May. But, if we go the used route, then I've got loads of time and can keep my eye out for a good one

I know I would say this but if you go used, remember they are all T5s really. The engines have improved quite a bit and the dash changes every couple of years but they are all really the same van with the same cupboards, bed, gas rings, fridge... The engines should last forever, and they should never rust so if you find a loved one it doesn’t really matter which one or how old it is.

 

[Eber123]

Good afternoon,

When the T6.1 was announced I was impressed with the dashboard. In the pictures and videos it looked great. A few month ago I managed to had a look at the T6.1 at a dealer. PhilR I agree, the new dashboard layout is not practical and a step backward compared to the T6 (at least in my opinion). After I saw the T6.1 dashboard I am so happy with mine now. The glove boxes and all storage areas are great, we never had an issue with those.

PhilR you are completely right about the suspension of the California. Normal roads are fine, motorways are fine. On those roads the vehicle is rather quite insite. But bumpier roads or traffic calming speed bumps are a nightmare. We live in the country and even on our little road (getting to the main road) it could be uncomfortable. Driving the same road in my wifes Toyota Corolla I wouldn't even notice all those bumps.

This is a bit annoying because when I am out and about on day tours I manage to get onto very small country lanes (the width of the van and grass in the middle and lots and lots of holes). The only way around this is to take my time. But isn't it all about that? And when I reach my destination it is super to sit in the camper (or in front of it, depending on the weather) with my freshly brewed coffee or tea.

You mentioned in you earlier post you want to transport things. With the bike you can get a bike rack, that shouldn't be a problem. But to transport garden waste, transport mowers etc. Why don't you consider to get a small trailer? Before the California I had a Tiguan. It was a nice car and I used it as a "tractor" to get all those things done (and more) with a little trailer. So the car was always ok, the trailer not, but that was ok because that was the plan.

Happy California,
Eberhard

 

[Calimili]

On those roads the vehicle is rather quite insite. But bumpier roads or traffic calming speed bumps are a nightmare. We live in the country and even on our little road (getting to the main road) it could be uncomfortable. Driving the same road in my wifes Toyota Corolla I wouldn't even notice all those bumps.

do you have 215/60 17" tires by any chance?

 

[PhilR]

Good afternoon,

When the T6.1 was announced I was impressed with the dashboard. In the pictures and videos it looked great. A few month ago I managed to had a look at the T6.1 at a dealer. PhilR I agree, the new dashboard layout is not practical and a step backward compared to the T6 (at least in my opinion). After I saw the T6.1 dashboard I am so happy with mine now. The glove boxes and all storage areas are great, we never had an issue with those.

PhilR you are completely right about the suspension of the California. Normal roads are fine, motorways are fine. On those roads the vehicle is rather quite insite. But bumpier roads or traffic calming speed bumps are a nightmare. We live in the country and even on our little road (getting to the main road) it could be uncomfortable. Driving the same road in my wifes Toyota Corolla I wouldn't even notice all those bumps.

This is a bit annoying because when I am out and about on day tours I manage to get onto very small country lanes (the width of the van and grass in the middle and lots and lots of holes). The only way around this is to take my time. But isn't it all about that? And when I reach my destination it is super to sit in the camper (or in front of it, depending on the weather) with my freshly brewed coffee or tea.

You mentioned in you earlier post you want to transport things. With the bike you can get a bike rack, that shouldn't be a problem. But to transport garden waste, transport mowers etc. Why don't you consider to get a small trailer? Before the California I had a Tiguan. It was a nice car and I used it as a "tractor" to get all those things done (and more) with a little trailer. So the car was always ok, the trailer not, but that was ok because that was the plan.

Happy California,
Eberhard

Trailer = nice idea, cheers

 

[Eber123]

Dear Calimili,

Nope, at the moment Michelin CrossClimate 235/55 17 103V. I always used the same size of tyre, but moved on from the original tyres to Michelin. The original tyres caused to much front wheel spin and I managed to get stuck on wet grass in the first year.

Happy California,
Eberhard

 

[GSX1300R]

If you don’t like the California go for the Grand California.You need deep pockets whichever one you go for..

 

[Wildcamper]

It certainly is, I've started something here haven't I?!!

Once again, thanks for all the replies. It certainly makes interesting reading. Can I just say one thing though - I "do" get the whole campervan thing and my expectations were purely based on all the positive things I'd read and heard about the Cali 6.1 - I am just being honest in saying that it didn't live up to those expectations, at that price. That certainly doesn't mean we are put off completely. My original post said that we may just forget it altogether, but having slept on it I still really want to live the campervan life, so I will explore all options.

I'm not going to reply/quote to all of the posts, that would just fill up this thread, so I've read through them all and made notes.....

Kallista - the £55k BMW analogy is interesting and very true!

Sidepod - with respect, I don't think I'm being "naive" - I also don't fully agree when you say I should "manage my expectations" - I fully understand they are what they are and are essentially a big van, I just don't think the one we hired justified such a high price tag, for a big, albeit very nice van! I respect your views though and apologise to any Cali fans that I may have upset!

Wildcamper - Thanks for your replies. Yes my wife is very involved and has been for a few weeks now, she was very excited about the whole thing too, planning what to call our van and having some great "upgrade" ideas. She's also watched all the ABAB videos on YouTube! She is just having second thoughts about it all now, so I need to convince her it's still a great option if we get the right van. To be honest, the fact that our one and only night at a campsite in the hired Cali was the windiest of the year didn't help either - we couldn't sleep up top so that made it feel cramped downstairs. A real shame that was.
(I would definitely be interested in your van spec yes, if you want to PM me that would be great, thanks).

Elmo3 - The £50k Coast option is an interesting one indeed.....

andyinluton - Yes I understand a conversion or older Cali will have similar issues, but these are much easier to "accept" if we haven't spent anywhere near £70K!

B J G - Really interesting to hear about your usage to your holiday home - that is going to be the bulk of our usage, albeit only 130 miles to Wales. We too have transported bikes, mowers, tools, dogs, rubbish and goodness knows what else between the two places. I would be quite concerned about doing all that in an expensive new Cali. Silly things like going to the tip - they just become awkward. I do a lot of cycling so throwing my bike in the back would have to be done very carefully. Again, a lot of these concerns are diminished with an older, less expensive van.

Borris - thanks for your nice words, that's nice coming from someone who is obviously very much a Cali fan. The hire van was only registered in July this year and had just 3k miles on it, so I don't think it has been abused. I reckon it's just new vehicle teething issues, but being a hire van nobody has bothered to report it. We certainly did though.
The dash is not great on the 6.1, that is certain. It looks flash but practicality isn't it's forte. Is the T6 dash much better then? You mentioned two different T6 dashboards - what is the difference? Is the glovebox bigger in the T6 too?

Calimili - Comfort seats on a 6.1 aren't an option as far as I can make out. Interesting what you say about the tyres - they were 215's on the hire vehicle.

Phew.....that was a long post. Once again, we really appreciate all of the responses, it is helping tremendously.
My wife is working today, I'm supposed to be as well actually! We are going to read through all of this thread later today. Hopefully it will change her mind and she will still help me to realise the campervan dream.....

Full spec below as requested.

Base vehicle from new
LWB, T30, DSG 150 engine TDI Highline Panel van
Acapulco Blue
All weather tyres - 215-65-R16 C 106-104T
Front and rear parking sensors.
Heated rear window with wiper and wash
Swivel seat for driver and passenger with armrest and lumber support
Wing mirrors - Heater - power adjustable and power folding
Heated front windscreen
Single passenger seat
Without bulkhead
Declined the Discovery Media - later added Pioneer AVIC - Z820DAC-C. Camper version to avoid low bridges etc. Cheaper and better than VW option. LED lights added later at lower cost than VW option.

Conversion Spec.

Van as received on complete conversion.

High top. No messing with roof up roof down no problems with hydraulics - there are none. Height barriers only been an issue once. Top fully insulated, warm winter camping with high roof.
2x Leather captin seats, fully adjustable (including lumbar) in cream and blue leather.
Twin hob, oven, 50l refrigerator.
Built in Thetford cassette toilet with modesty screen.
Hot water, heated via electric on hook up or gas when off grid. This has been one of the best options!!
Shower point - this is at the rear of the van, also hooked up to hot water. One has to shower outside with the tail gate open - great for off grid with no one about. Can shower in swim suit if public or can construct curtain from sheets and strong fridge magnets.
BBQ point.
Full blackout curtains.
Opening windows for both passengers.
Opening roof vent.
Twin individual beds, rear seats fold down to form bed in combination with front seats. The individual beds can be slid together to form a double.
Internal LED lighting, dimmable. Reading lights by each rear seat.
More USB ports than one can ever want ~10 !
Two double 13 amp sockets.
2x 12V sockets
Full in cabin WiFi with aerial so can pick up long distance signals. The longest was from 12 miles away - across water and in line of sight.
Central heating from gas, not a diesel heater.
LPG gas tank underslung, no CampinGaz issues. Refill tank from any LPG station.The gas tank can contain about 12 kilos of gas so even with heavy use it lasts well. Sensor tells you when to refill. Expensive option but very useful.
120Ah leisure battery.
150W solar panel
Side awning.
Full washable carpets.
No holes in the side of the vehicle. Hookup plug under rear bumper, water refill at rear of vehicle.
Reversing camera.

Rear view. Toilet on right. water filler, water level, gas on/off and water heater control and shower point.can just see LPG filler point (red spot under bumper). Hook up connection under bumper on left side.
We wanted a bright clean interior. At first the converters were not keen, when they saw the finished product there were impressed.
,
View down cabin, fridge in cupboard on right. Cabin electrics in cupboard under fridge - full fuse plan.

View towards the back. Full black out curtains. Hob and oven, emergency exit button on tailgate. Part of cabin control panel, next to that is the gas central heating control panel. Can also heat electrically on hook up. The two little cupboards underneath the oven are where the gas bottles would normally be. These are empty as the fixed gas cylinder is underneath the van just behind the spare wheel. A master switch isolates the gas supply so ferries and the Channel tunnel are not a problem.

Rear seating. Front seats match. Seats fully crash tested and approved. Can now see central heating control. Have been out when the outside temperature is -5C, inside toasty warm. No need to have "roof down" to stay warm. High roof means one can move about without any issues and layout allows one to move the full length of the van.


Rear seats converted to bed.

Cooking and hot water. You will notice all the cupboard space, we have yet to fill it all, only 2 of us.
Not visible, have added extra door and cabin sound proofing. Fire extinguisher and fire blanket, smoke and CO detector. Magnetic fly screens for windows.
Conversion was done by Autohaus in Minehead. No issues with DVLA vehicle tax, all sorted by the converter. If you want to look we are in Gloucestershire.
I hope you start to get the idea. It is not a California but it is exactly what we requested and we love it. Don't know about resale value but on our second trip out I was asked if I would sell it at cost + £1500. Declined.

 

[GSX1300R]

Full spec below as requested.

Base vehicle from new
LWB, T30, DSG 150 engine TDI Highline Panel van
Acapulco Blue
All weather tyres - 215-65-R16 C 106-104T
Front and rear parking sensors.
Heated rear window with wiper and wash
Swivel seat for driver and passenger with armrest and lumber support
Wing mirrors - Heater - power adjustable and power folding
Heated front windscreen
Single passenger seat
Without bulkhead
Declined the Discovery Media - later added Pioneer AVIC - Z820DAC-C. Camper version to avoid low bridges etc. Cheaper and better than VW option. LED lights added later at lower cost than VW option.

Conversion Spec.
View attachment 65157
Van as received on complete conversion.

High top. No messing with roof up roof down no problems with hydraulics - there are none. Height barriers only been an issue once. Top fully insulated, warm winter camping with high roof.
2x Leather captin seats, fully adjustable (including lumbar) in cream and blue leather.
Twin hob, oven, 50l refrigerator.
Built in Thetford cassette toilet with modesty screen.
Hot water, heated via electric on hook up or gas when off grid. This has been one of the best options!!
Shower point - this is at the rear of the van, also hooked up to hot water. One has to shower outside with the tail gate open - great for off grid with no one about. Can shower in swim suit if public or can construct curtain from sheets and strong fridge magnets.
BBQ point.
Full blackout curtains.
Opening windows for both passengers.
Opening roof vent.
Twin individual beds, rear seats fold down to form bed in combination with front seats. The individual beds can be slid together to form a double.
Internal LED lighting, dimmable. Reading lights by each rear seat.
More USB ports than one can ever want ~10 !
Two double 13 amp sockets.
2x 12V sockets
Full in cabin WiFi with aerial so can pick up long distance signals. The longest was from 12 miles away - across water and in line of sight.
Central heating from gas, not a diesel heater.
LPG gas tank underslung, no CampinGaz issues. Refill tank from any LPG station.The gas tank can contain about 12 kilos of gas so even with heavy use it lasts well. Sensor tells you when to refill. Expensive option but very useful.
120Ah leisure battery.
150W solar panel
Side awning.
Full washable carpets.
No holes in the side of the vehicle. Hookup plug under rear bumper, water refill at rear of vehicle.
Reversing camera.
View attachment 65158
Rear view. Toilet on right. water filler, water level, gas on/off and water heater control and shower point.can just see LPG filler point (red spot under bumper). Hook up connection under bumper on left side.
We wanted a bright clean interior. At first the converters were not keen, when they saw the finished product there were impressed.
View attachment 65159,
View down cabin, fridge in cupboard on right. Cabin electrics in cupboard under fridge - full fuse plan.
View attachment 65160
View towards the back. Full black out curtains. Hob and oven, emergency exit button on tailgate. Part of cabin control panel, next to that is the gas central heating control panel. Can also heat electrically on hook up. The two little cupboards underneath the oven are where the gas bottles would normally be. These are empty as the fixed gas cylinder is underneath the van just behind the spare wheel. A master switch isolates the gas supply so ferries and the Channel tunnel are not a problem.
View attachment 65162
Rear seating. Front seats match. Seats fully crash tested and approved. Can now see central heating control. Have been out when the outside temperature is -5C, inside toasty warm. No need to have "roof down" to stay warm. High roof means one can move about without any issues and layout allows one to move the full length of the van.
View attachment 65163
View attachment 65164
Rear seats converted to bed.
View attachment 65165
Cooking and hot water. You will notice all the cupboard space, we have yet to fill it all, only 2 of us.
Not visible, have added extra door and cabin sound proofing. Fire extinguisher and fire blanket, smoke and CO detector. Magnetic fly screens for windows.
Conversion was done by Autohaus in Minehead. No issues with DVLA vehicle tax, all sorted by the converter. If you want to look we are in Gloucestershire.
I hope you start to get the idea. It is not a California but it is exactly what we requested and we love it. Don't know about resale value but on our second trip out I was asked if I would sell it at cost + £1500. Declined.

And the price ?

 

[Wildcamper]

In 2018 just over £50k. Not cheap!

That is total cost van + conversion.