Introduction from Leeds

[Brykal]

Good morning to all members. I am writing from Leeds. I am going to order my first Cali before the end of November 2016. Mark (from West Yorkshire Volkswagen Van Centre - very friendly) told if I would do this before the end of November 2016 I will get it in June or May 2017. This kind of car was one of my life dreams, so I am ready to wait. I am quite old person (66) and I hope that if I get my 1st Cali I will be still alive.

I need to study every detail before I make orders. It is difficult for me because I am Polish immigrant and my spoken English is getting worse due to that I am getting older (I suppose). The written English gives me possibility to get support from uncle Google. I will not be offended if somebody would try to correct my language. I hope that I get at least a little help from colleagues in this forum.

My first question is about Awning. What is difference between:
-Awning (housing and rail in black) for 396.00, and
-Awning rail black + tent adapter. Is it a slot (tent adapter)? If it is a slot, is it available for both sides?

Can I have a tent attached to the right or left hand side? If I would choose to have a tent possibility from both sides what option should I choose?

I am using VW California configurator from http://app.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/ihdcc/en/configurator.html#options

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

Mario

 

[Amarillo]

Good morning to all members. I am writing from Leeds. I am going to order my first Cali before the end of November 2016. Mark (from West Yorkshire Volkswagen Van Centre - very friendly) told if I would do this before the end of November 2016 I will get it in June or May 2017. This kind of car was one of my life dreams, so I am ready to wait. I am quite old person (66) and I hope that if I get my 1st Cali I will be still alive.

Welcome, Mario. You will find a lot of older California owners here, and you will also find a lot of friendly advice.

Unfortunately, I cannot answer your question with complete certainty.

The £396 option is for an awning, and the free option is for the ability to have an awning or attached tent. My understanding is that you can have one on each side, but I do not know how you would achieve that.

 

[GrannyJen]

A warm welcome Mario and all I can say is that so far your English is better than my Polish

Please ask all the questions you wish and I am sure you will find us all friendly and helpful.

 

[Jabberwocky]

A warm welcome Mario. Another new Cali owner? Excellent! Don't worry about your age. Think of it as being 66 years young. I am 63 next month and do not worry about that.

About your question. As far as I know the £396 option is for an awning with housing and rail in black, you can have a silver option if you want. The awning rail black + tent adapter allows you to install an after market awning and/or a tent. The tent option is achieved via a slot using a Kador connector strip. These options are available on the drivers (UK) side of the Cali.

I am not sure if the awning rail black + tent adapter is available on both sides of the Cali. I hope someone else can make a statement on this point.

 

[WelshGas]

To add to @Jabberwocky answer.

The Awning Rail and Tent Adapter is fitted to the same side as the Sliding Door.

There is an Awning rail on the other side as standard, for aesthetics, but NO Tent adapter. This adapter is a rubber insert. It can be bought separately and just slides in. Costs about £92 per side, but you would just need the insert if you wanted to fix an awning to the other side.

 

[Brykal]

Many thanks for your help especially for WelshGas for his kind response concerning my problem.

 

[Brykal]

A warm welcome Mario. Another new Cali owner? Excellent! Don't worry about your age. Think of it as being 66 years young. I am 63 next month and do not worry about that.

About your question. As far as I know the £396 option is for an awning with housing and rail in black, you can have a silver option if you want. The awning rail black + tent adapter allows you to install an after market awning and/or a tent. The tent option is achieved via a slot using a Kador connector strip. These options are available on the drivers (UK) side of the Cali.

I am not sure if the awning rail black + tent adapter is available on both sides of the Cali. I hope someone else can make a statement on this point.

Thanks you for your answer. It was very helpful for me. I like your optimistic view on age

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks you for your answer. It was very helpful for me. I like your optimistic view on age

I've had my California for almost 2 years, bar 3 weeks and have clocked up 40,000 miles in that time and just celebrated 67 years. Have lined up at least 11,000 miles of European travelling for next year. Nothing like being out of the rat race after all those years. You'll have a great time.

 

[Brykal]

A warm welcome Mario and all I can say is that so far your English is better than my Polish

Please ask all the questions you wish and I am sure you will find us all friendly and helpful.

Thanks you for the warm welcome and praise of my English. I am trying hard but for now it's result of Google support

 

[Brykal]

I've had my California for almost 2 years, bar 3 weeks and have clocked up 40,000 miles in that time and just celebrated 67 years. Have lined up at least 11,000 miles of European travelling for next year. Nothing like being out of the rat race after all those years. You'll have a great time.

I 'm very happy to see your optimistic answers, Could you tell me what do you think about Comfort sleeping mat is it worth to spend 234 GBP for this? I think of my old bones?

 

[WelshGas]

I 'm very happy to see your optimistic answers, Could you tell me what do you think about Comfort sleeping mat is it worth to spend 234 GBP for this? I think of my old bones?

That is a mattress, made up of 3 sections within 1 cover that folds up to fit on the rear shelf. When the rear bench is placed in bed mode you unfold it to cover the rear shelf and the seat to provide a flat surface. That is what we use. It is quit firm but that suits us. We use a Double duvet, a thick and thin duvet, each in a cover and sleep on one with the other on top. Usually thin on the bottom in winter and the opposite in spring or autumn or a sheet over us in summer. Suits us. Others use a Topper as well as the Comfort Mattress to give a softer bed.

 

[Hotel California]

Welcome , age is irelevant when owning a Cali , once having a Cali you stay young in the mind......
Englisch isn't my native language either and got some comments in the early stages also but don't bother .
The optionlist is so big and unclear even dealers don't have a clue .
The most questions wil get solved here on the forum!

 

[SprintGT]

Good morning to all members. I am writing from Leeds. I am going to order my first Cali before the end of November 2016. Mark (from West Yorkshire Volkswagen Van Centre - very friendly) told if I would do this before the end of November 2016 I will get it in June or May 2017. This kind of car was one of my life dreams, so I am ready to wait. I am quite old person (66) and I hope that if I get my 1st Cali I will be still alive.

I need to study every detail before I make orders. It is difficult for me because I am Polish immigrant and my spoken English is getting worse due to that I am getting older (I suppose). The written English gives me possibility to get support from uncle Google. I will not be offended if somebody would try to correct my language. I hope that I get at least a little help from colleagues in this forum.

My first question is about Awning. What is difference between:
-Awning (housing and rail in black) for 396.00, and
-Awning rail black + tent adapter. Is it a slot (tent adapter)? If it is a slot, is it available for both sides?

Can I have a tent attached to the right or left hand side? If I would choose to have a tent possibility from both sides what option should I choose?

I am using VW California configurator from http://app.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/ihdcc/en/configurator.html#options

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

Mario

Hello Mario and welcome.
I am glad I am not the first to reply on this thread as I wouldn't have been able to answer your question with any confidence. Like you I am a more mature person (although this is not the opinion of my wife, she says I have never grown up) and I have not yet got my Cali. Praying that it arrives before my 69th birthday next year. I congratulate you on your polished English. That was a sort of joke by the way and is why my wife say I have not grown up.

 

[GrannyJen]

I 'm very happy to see your optimistic answers, Could you tell me what do you think about Comfort sleeping mat is it worth to spend 234 GBP for this? I think of my old bones?

I have a comfort sleeping mattress. My only complaint with it is that it requires the rear parcel shelf to be on a lower setting and therefore makes the boot space smaller.

I now use an alternative mattress from a VIP partner of this forum, Comfortz, which folds neatly at the rear without needing the parcel shelf to be on a lower setting. The disadvantage of it though is that it is thinner and therefore makes for a firmer bed.

I can cope with a thinner mattress, and I am ancient, and have a blanket topper on it which gives me a little bit more comfort.

 

[Joker 1299]

Good morning to all members. I am writing from Leeds. I am going to order my first Cali before the end of November 2016. Mark (from West Yorkshire Volkswagen Van Centre - very friendly) told if I would do this before the end of November 2016 I will get it in June or May 2017.
Mario

Hi Mario and welcome. I too am in Leeds and we ordered our Cali from Mark in September (hoping for March delivery). He's a good guy, I bought my current Caravelle from him in 2012. Good luck, I hope you get your order in!

 

[Days out]

I 'm very happy to see your optimistic answers, Could you tell me what do you think about Comfort sleeping mat is it worth to spend 234 GBP for this? I think of my old bones?

For your information I bought a double bed "mattress topper" from Home and Bargain for £35.00. It's about 40mm thick made of memory foam and makes the standard bed more comfy. It's never going to be a comfy as a really thick topper but it does fold up into a soft bag and I can get this plus 6 pillows (2x me 2x wife 2x for kids) into the wardrobe so I keep my boot are empty for other things. So it's a balance between comfort and space in my opinion. Personally I would buy the California then later try the cheap option and if you want more comfort and can live with less boot space buy the thicker topper.

Welcome to the California and some great adventures next year!

 

[Glamper Gladys]

Hi Mario and welcome. I too am in Leeds and we ordered our Cali from Mark in September (hoping for March delivery). He's a good guy, I bought my current Caravelle from him in 2012. Good luck, I hope you get your order in!

Hi joker! We've been told today that ours has been built and is on its way to a german port!!! Any news on yours yet?

Hello Mario! Welcome! We're also from leeds and ordered our cali ocean on the same day as joker from Mark!

 

[Joker 1299]

Hi joker! We've been told today that ours has been built and is on its way to a german port!!! Any news on yours yet?!

Hi CG, great news! No, not yet. We didn't confirm our order until a couple of weeks after you and, consequently, we are much further into the backlog! No confirmed build date yet.

 

[Bobbybus]

Welcome to you Mario. Looks like there is a small group of us in Leeds!

 

[larrylamb]

Hi Mario, welcome to the club.

 

[Glamper Gladys]

Hi CG, great news! No, not yet. We didn't confirm our order until a couple of weeks after you and, consequently, we are much further into the backlog! No confirmed build date yet.

Oh blimey! I hope you get a date soon!

 

[Cali4nia-Dream]

Hi Mario, Joker, Glamper Gladys, Bobbybus

It looks like there is a stronger West Yorkshire contingent than I thought. We're just outside Leeds.
We have just nicely taken delivery of our Cali, ordered from Mark at West Yorks VW Van centre. We found him very helpful.

Mario, as several people have said the members of the forum are very friendly and helpful.