Is there a safe?

janepage · Jun 9, 2013

Hi everyone

Don't know if I've dreamt this, but does anyone know if there's a safe located somewhere in the Cali?
I've had mine for 6 months now and am still finding new things out!

Thanks

Jane

calikev · Jun 9, 2013

If you have one fitted it will be at the bottom of the wardrobe :thumb

and you shpuld have a key

janepage · Jun 9, 2013

Thanks for the quick reply!

Just had a look but all I can see is a round disc that when I remove it, it has some wiring in it.

Jane

frigorifix · Jun 9, 2013

Yep, well in that case, you don't have the "safe option". You're just seing the top of the clean water tank and the wiring for the water pump. But rest assured : the safe option is pretty useless. If someone is capable of breaking into the van, he will have absolutely no problem breaking into the weak lock they did put on the "so-called" safe.

janepage · Jun 9, 2013

Lol

Thanks again

Don't feel I'm missing out!!

Jane

Andresz · Jun 9, 2013

You can easily retrofit the safe, cost of the door is about 100 Euros. I did it myself too. I think the good in the safe is not the lock, which is rather weak indeed, but the fact how well it is hidden, especially if you keep things in the wardrobe.

http://www.vwcaliforniaclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=219

frigorifix · Jun 9, 2013

100€ seems pretty steep though !
If it's just to use the space as a hidden place, you can also use IKEA boxes (SAMLA). the small ones fits perfectly (you need two boxes). You can put a lid on them.

http://www.ikea.com/fr/fr/catalog/products/70102972/
http://www.ikea.com/fr/fr/catalog/products/10110300/

So 0.99€ per box + 0.50€ per lid ... less than 3€ !

Andresz · Jun 9, 2013

frigorifix said:
100€ seems pretty steep though !
If it's just to use the space as a hidden place, you can also use IKEA boxes (SAMLA). the small ones fits perfectly (you need two boxes). You can put a lid on them.

http://www.ikea.com/fr/fr/catalog/products/70102972/
http://www.ikea.com/fr/fr/catalog/products/10110300/

So 0.99€ per box + 0.50€ per lid ... less than 3€ !

Yes, I guess you are right, I tried to find anything below 3 Euros and did not succeed, even cartoon storage boxes are much more expensive.

And little bit more seriously: The safe does not look like a safe, it makes a flat surface with the other part of the floor, and it is exactly the same color. it rather looks like a technical cover to a water pump ore other installation, if so.

lonsdale13 · Jun 9, 2013

I think the safe is worth the money as you would need to know the inside of a California to know it is there, also opening it is not as easy as you may think as mine did not come with keys and was in the locked position, vw dealer had a real nightmare opening it to replace the lock. Its been handy using it to keep our passports and documents in while travelling, we just cover the top of it with some underwear

Hotel California · Jun 9, 2013

Personal i think there are lots of hidden places in a Cali to hide valubel things in a place hard to find ....however if they take the car you lose it all including the 100 pond safe!
There is also the possibilty to mount a safe unde the passengerseat bolted on where the seat is attacht dont' know the price.

Andresz · Jun 9, 2013

hotel california T5 said:
Personal i think there are lots of hidden places in a Cali to hide valubel things in a place hard to find ....however if they take the car you lose it all including the 100 pond safe!
There is also the possibilty to mount a safe unde the passengerseat bolted on where the seat is attacht dont' know the price.

How would you reach a safe under the passenger seat? I guess it is for LHD still ?

I would not leave things difficult to recover, like passports, in a car, even in the safe, when the car is gone, it is gone with it.

But keeping things like cameras, locking nuts, spare cash (not too much), there in safe, makes a thief's life much more uneasy. Usually these chaps are in hurry and stress. Especially that very few, if not none of them, realize there might be a safe in this place.

Hotel California · Jun 9, 2013

Andresz said:
hotel california T5 said:

Personal i think there are lots of hidden places in a Cali to hide valubel things in a place hard to find ....however if they take the car you lose it all including the 100 pond safe!
There is also the possibilty to mount a safe unde the passengerseat bolted on where the seat is attacht dont' know the price.

Click to expand...

How would you reach a safe under the passenger seat? I guess it is for LHD still ?

I would not leave things difficult to recover, like passports, in a car, even in the safe, when the car is gone, it is gone with it.

But keeping things like cameras, locking nuts, spare cash (not too much), there in safe, makes a thief's life much more uneasy. Usually these chaps are in hurry and stress. Especially that very few, if not none of them, realize there might be a safe in this place.

I guess in a rhd under driversseat than , my mistake ....The plastic cover on the back below replaced by a cut to size one attached with velcro , and a safe behind . Unvisible in normal conditions.
Seen it in holland , at http://www.campercentrumnederland.nl/home.html
Don't know if the link works?
Nice people over there by the way , if you cross the netherlands for some reason , worht to pas along them !
Always hot coffee and frindly people , and i have been told as a client , if you announce your visit you can arrive at the site and spend the night at the parkinglot

Leo K · Jun 10, 2013

hotel california T5 said:
Seen it in Holland .. don't know if the link works .. if you announce your visit you .. can spend the night at the parkinglot

That's what I heard too - used only their webshop though. Here's a direct link to the safes in their webshop: http://www.vwcampershop.nl/beveiliging/kluizen.html - one for the T4, one for the T5.

The T5 model looks more secure than the standard solution. Could take a resolute thief a few extra minutes. Personally I'm not convinced and rather carry the really important things (passport, tooth brush) with me. We have a standard safe, but never took the trouble to use it.

I would be more interested in an affordable solution for the wasted space under the rear seat, next to the kitchen unit (for a moment I thought the T4 safe was just that!).

GeoffB · Jun 10, 2013

We have a safe, and find it quite difficult to get things out when needed. Still, we wouldn't be without one, keep passports and spare cash there. Would hate to leave them in a drawer or lying loose around the van, and certainly don't want to carry them around everywhere. As we're naturists that can be difficult!