How's my new van ?

[Hubert]

Given our new faclift California a good workout on our annual 5 week holiday in Europe and now able to compare it to our previous 174ps cali (YY09 EJF - any forum member now the owner?).
Would be interested to hear from other forum members who have updated, my views on the changes, :-
What I miss
I miss being able to lift both wipers off the screen for cleaning without having to put them in the service position.
The new "car style" mirrors improve the looks and whilst the folding mechanism is a work of art it doesn't reduce the vehicle width (they were easily knocked on the ferries) as much as the old fold flat mirrors did.
Not sure about a few,
The additional window in the front of the bellows gives more light and ventilation but is harder to fold on lowering as the canvas can billow away from the strengthening. The old windowless, folded down automatically very easily without any manual help. The mesh also holds rainwater.
I think I preferred the old screen for the windscreen with the tent rods. May surprise a few but I developed a knack for installing and found it quick and easy and it fitted close to the windscreen. I don't like continually have to deatch the sunblinds to attach the new version as I have had sun blinds snapping or detaching themselves.
I like
The new metal bed base in the boot, the previous board was very heavy to lift out.
The speedometer according to my sat nav is very accurate and hope the computer is likewise as it indicated average fuel consumption figures on many occasions well into the 40's, not bad for a 180 DSG
I particularly like my choice of colour (Sand Beige) having had the opportunity to see it differring light conditions. Depending on the light, it changes from grey to gold to silver. When I first collected the van, the salesman said he had to park a silver one next to it to show a customer the difference.

Only minor comments so obviously pleased with the new van, ran faultlessly for over 2000 miles on the trip and returned very good mpg figures.

Hubert

 

[MickyBlue]

Nice to hear you got on OK.

I think I saw your old cali with its new owners.

They looked like a 30 something couple, they parked in Monks Cross cark park about half a dozen cars down from us on the Saturday just after I saw your old Cali on the forecourt + JCT.

They stopped wandered round it, nipped to get a take-out & flew off. They didn't say hello, maybe too polite as we were eating lunch in ours at the time...dunno.

 

[ROB]

any of you guys coming to scarborough , where i live !

 

[Hubert]

Rob,
Live in Filey, and visit Scarborough regularly. I normally park on South Cliff.

MickyBlue
We go to Monks Cross quite frequently as it's the nearest decent shopping centre.

Did you have any joy regarding the rivet washers on the upper bed base ? .Good quality double sided tape, you suggested, may be thhe best solution.

Hubert

 

[MickyBlue]

Hubert,

Didn't get any further with the washers as have been too busy with work. Even had to cancel workshop appt due to lack of time. So its still hels with 3M numberplate tape.

However will need to re book soon as Climatronic temp control has gone haywire, blowing freezing cold air unless set above 24 deg when its 15 inside...doh

 

[MickyBlue]

P.S.
We live just outside Scarborough!

 

[joeaguilar]

Given our new faclift California a good workout on our annual 5 week holiday in Europe and now able to compare it to our previous 174ps cali (YY09 EJF - any forum member now the owner?).
Would be interested to hear from other forum members who have updated, my views on the changes, :-
What I miss
I miss being able to lift both wipers off the screen for cleaning without having to put them in the service position.
The new "car style" mirrors improve the looks and whilst the folding mechanism is a work of art it doesn't reduce the vehicle width (they were easily knocked on the ferries) as much as the old fold flat mirrors did.
Not sure about a few,
The additional window in the front of the bellows gives more light and ventilation but is harder to fold on lowering as the canvas can billow away from the strengthening. The old windowless, folded down automatically very easily without any manual help. The mesh also holds rainwater.
I think I preferred the old screen for the windscreen with the tent rods. May surprise a few but I developed a knack for installing and found it quick and easy and it fitted close to the windscreen. I don't like continually have to deatch the sunblinds to attach the new version as I have had sun blinds snapping or detaching themselves.
I like
The new metal bed base in the boot, the previous board was very heavy to lift out.
The speedometer according to my sat nav is very accurate and hope the computer is likewise as it indicated average fuel consumption figures on many occasions well into the 40's, not bad for a 180 DSG
I particularly like my choice of colour (Sand Beige) having had the opportunity to see it differring light conditions. Depending on the light, it changes from grey to gold to silver. When I first collected the van, the salesman said he had to park a silver one next to it to show a customer the difference.

Only minor comments so obviously pleased with the new van, ran faultlessly for over 2000 miles on the trip and returned very good mpg figures.

Hubert

Hi Hubert,
really interested in your MPG figures - I really don't know what i'm doing wrong? I have a 180 manual (Sand Beige also - Great colour choice!) I'm not heavy footed - have an awning & bike rack (no bikes on) and I return about 28 - 30 MPG - Year old now and have covered some 10k miles - Any ideas? In theory the manual should be more efficient than the DSG... Thanks
Joe

 

[Hubert]

Joe

I have to confess that being an early retiree, I don't have to use the van for commuting so most of my journeys are similar to holiday travel. At home the van "indicates" an average consumption of 38 on shortish journeys say 8 -10 miles (not a lot of town traffic) and 40 on longish journeys 40 miles +
I've always got good mpg from all my vehicles, diesel and petrol. I believe in "running in" an engine for the first 1000 miles. I too have an awning fitted. I change into the highest gear asap. VW diesels develop torque at low revs so it is pointless revving the engine if you are interested in fuel economy, ride the torque.
The modern diesels are now so refined and rev easily that it is tempting to use the full rev band of the engine. I am not interested in getting away from the lights first or travelling at speed, I have a motorbike for that. I try to read the road to avoid using the brakes, other than a slight pressure to warn following drivers, by lifting off the accelerator early and using the vehicles weight to maintain momemtum. I used to use the gears on my old manual California 174ps to finally come to a stop. I expected to get slightly worse mpg with my new DSG model but on checking the tech data it should be and is more economical. the old one was 2.5 and 5 cylinders though. The DSG is very fuel efficient for an "automatic". I use Drive rather than Sport mode, which holds on to the gears too long for me. I don't use cruise control. Try easing the pressure on the accelerator pedal whilst crusing, you will be surprised how much you can lift off without losing speed.
I cuise at 60-70 on motorways as I'm not interested in saving minutes of a journey. The sat nav showed a highest speed of 78mph on my holiday in Germany. It gives me great pleasure to arrive only cars behind the driver at the next junction/lights who has used gallons overtaking everything in sight.
I haven't done a brim to brim to check the mpg, but just going by the distance between fills it is about right. Interestingly, MMM the motorcaravan magazine did a mpg check on a Bilbo demonstrator and found it to be very accurate.
I only half fill the tank, pointless carrying all that extra weight (20 gallons of diesel is a lot to carry around) I filled the tank with the cheap diesel abroad prior to catching the ferry back and was surprised how much this affected the mpg readout. It took further than usual to reach 40 mpg.
I don't suppose I've told you anything new other than I must be a boring old fart. All I can really suggest is to try easing the pressure on the accelerator pedal.

Hubert

 

[joeaguilar]

Joe

I have to confess that being an early retiree, I don't have to use the van for commuting so most of my journeys are similar to holiday travel. At home the van "indicates" an average consumption of 38 on shortish journeys say 8 -10 miles (not a lot of town traffic) and 40 on longish journeys 40 miles +
I've always got good mpg from all my vehicles, diesel and petrol. I believe in "running in" an engine for the first 1000 miles. I too have an awning fitted. I change into the highest gear asap. VW diesels develop torque at low revs so it is pointless revving the engine if you are interested in fuel economy, ride the torque.
The modern diesels are now so refined and rev easily that it is tempting to use the full rev band of the engine. I am not interested in getting away from the lights first or travelling at speed, I have a motorbike for that. I try to read the road to avoid using the brakes, other than a slight pressure to warn following drivers, by lifting off the accelerator early and using the vehicles weight to maintain momemtum. I used to use the gears on my old manual California 174ps to finally come to a stop. I expected to get slightly worse mpg with my new DSG model but on checking the tech data it should be and is more economical. the old one was 2.5 and 5 cylinders though. The DSG is very fuel efficient for an "automatic". I use Drive rather than Sport mode, which holds on to the gears too long for me. I don't use cruise control. Try easing the pressure on the accelerator pedal whilst crusing, you will be surprised how much you can lift off without losing speed.
I cuise at 60-70 on motorways as I'm not interested in saving minutes of a journey. The sat nav showed a highest speed of 78mph on my holiday in Germany. It gives me great pleasure to arrive only cars behind the driver at the next junction/lights who has used gallons overtaking everything in sight.
I haven't done a brim to brim to check the mpg, but just going by the distance between fills it is about right. Interestingly, MMM the motorcaravan magazine did a mpg check on a Bilbo demonstrator and found it to be very accurate.
I only half fill the tank, pointless carrying all that extra weight (20 gallons of diesel is a lot to carry around) I filled the tank with the cheap diesel abroad prior to catching the ferry back and was surprised how much this affected the mpg readout. It took further than usual to reach 40 mpg.
I don't suppose I've told you anything new other than I must be a boring old fart. All I can really suggest is to try easing the pressure on the accelerator pedal.

Hubert

Hi Hubert,
Firstly, thank you for taking the time to produce such a detailed explanation. It gives a good insight into the driving style which leads to a good consumption figure.
I do believe though that I may know where I am going wrong! You see, I have a VW Caddy (69PS) and a VW Transporter (84PS) which I run as part of my business. Once laden, these vehicles are seriously underpowered. As such one has to apply some revs in order to get moving through the gears - when I analysed my driving in the Cali, I realised that I don't change gear quickly enough. In other words, the revs go higher than they should between gear changes - this is historical since if I drove either of the commercial vehicles like that I would be 'stalling' every other traffic light. I am going to make a concerted effort to change gear when (or before) the Cali on screen display advises on gear change. Thank you once again. Joe