Overdue introduction

[Nand0]

Hello all

I registered a few days ago, but it's time for a proper introduction. We are a family of two, a man and his Labrador, based in Zurich, Switzerland.

I often do (long) weekend camping trips into the mountains during the warmest part of the year, as a means to go on epic cycling rides (both mountain and road) and the occasional hike. When it's not-so-warm and camping stops being a realistic prospect, I have to resort to either day trips or hotel/hostel, and usually do snow related activities (or autumn/winter hikes). I much prefer the spontaneous nature of camping, as I can literally decide on a whim on Friday, if I see the weather is good.

I've been wanting to get a camper van for "yonks" to make my trips more "year round", but life didn't make it possible. In the last few years the wind has started blowing in the right direction, and I'm inching ever closer towards making this a reality.

I'm still at early stages, but I have found a major blocker during my research. My garage is "vertically" challenged, and none of the current pop-top campers on offer would fit. Citroen Campster comes closest, but it's 1cm to 2cm too high. I had pretty much settled for either a self converted camper without a pop top, or digging behind the sofa for spare change and get a California with VB Air suspension. That last option sounds awesome, but the total price is a serious downer.

So here I am, currently waiting impatiently for news of the incoming T7 with it's alleged lower stance, and really hoping it's available soon and that it will fit in my garage. And in the meantime I'm scouring these forums for all the information I can get to satisfy my cravings until I can get my mittens on one of those.

Thanks all for the valuable information in here! so much to get through

 

[Swiss Cheese]

Hey welcome from Zurich too!

 

[GrannyJen]

Try knocking your house down and rebuilding it Nothing should stand in the way of owning a Cali!


Hello and welcome

 

[Nand0]

Try knocking your house down and rebuilding it Nothing should stand in the way of owning a Cali!


Hello and welcome

haha, I've considered several options... altering the garage is one of them. Unfortunately I leave in an apartment block, and this modification may well blow up my Cali budget

Hey welcome from Zurich too!

Hey, thanks!!! Feel so lucky to have these ginormous mountains right here, I want to enjoy them more! I see you ride a 4Motion. Being here, would you say this is a must have? Can't say I miss 4wd on my current car. Would be nice, sometimes... but have been fine without for 10yrs (except winter last year in Davos when I had to get the shovel out to go up an icy ramp). Cali though... that's bound to see more 'adventure'

 

[Swiss Cheese]

Hey, thanks!!! Feel so lucky to have these ginormous mountains right here, I want to enjoy them more! I see you ride a 4Motion. Being here, would you say this is a must have? Can't say I miss 4wd on my current car. Would be nice, sometimes... but have been fine without for 10yrs (except winter last year in Davos when I had to get the shovel out to go up an icy ramp). Cali though... that's bound to see more 'adventure'

I've driven a Land Rover since forever, so for me not having 4x4 is like going out with no shoes on. I also have a Porsche 4S - see what I mean? Hard to tell if really needed since the roads are all well looked after in winter as you know, but if you're off the beaten track in winter or caught at the wrong time in heavy snowfall, then I'm not sure I'd be too comfortable without it... I've seen 2wd cars not make it up to Flumserberg in the snow. The other thing is you'll be on wet grass sometimes, and 4x4 plus good tyres is a help.

And, yep, we're lucky to have such a great countryside on our doorsteps. Whenever we go anywhere it just feels like going on holiday! I drove Zurich to Liechtenstein for a couple years nearly every day, and the scenery was beautiful and always made me smile.

 

[Nand0]

I've driven a Land Rover since forever, so for me not having 4x4 is like going out with no shoes on. I also have a Porsche 4S - see what I mean? Hard to tell if really needed since the roads are all well looked after in winter as you know, but if you're off the beaten track in winter or caught at the wrong time in heavy snowfall, then I'm not sure I'd be too comfortable without it... I've seen 2wd cars not make it up to Flumserberg in the snow. The other thing is you'll be on wet grass sometimes, and 4x4 plus good tyres is a help.

And, yep, we're lucky to have such a great countryside on our doorsteps. Whenever we go anywhere it just feels like going on holiday! I drove Zurich to Liechtenstein for a couple years nearly every day, and the scenery was beautiful and always made me smile.

How "off the beaten track" can you go though? You aren't really allowed off the beaten track anywhere here... unless you cross the border into Italy, then anything goes .

Sure, 2wd cars would get in a bit of bother going up inclines when it snows. But that's what chains are for! I always carry them in my car in winter... mind you, they are still as new as the day I bought them, eons ago. I do get nervous sometimes when there is snow, but so far so good, never gotten stuck. I'll make my mind up if/when the T7 Calis are announced.

Yeah, no kidding, seems like once you go south beyond Chur/Glarus, every corner rewards you with ever more breathtaking views!

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Whilst we might see the T7 in the next year or so, I think the wait for a T7 based California might be a long one? In your shoes I think i’d go for a current (or past) model and bite the bullet on the cost of air suspension. If you look graphic in the original post, the T7 does not look lower.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Here’s the ‘graphic’ I referred to. T7 far right.

 

[Nand0]

Whilst we might see the T7 in the next year or so, I think the wait for a T7 based California might be a long one? In your shoes I think i’d go for a current (or past) model and bite the bullet on the cost of air suspension. If you look graphic in the original post, the T7 does not look lower.

The T7 is reported to be 6cm lower than the T6. That would make it 193cm, which would fit in my garage. The current T6 California doesn't add any extra height for the pop top roof, so this is assuming that a T7 California wouldn't either.

The VB Air suspension adds 8,000 francs to the price (that's 6,300 Sterling). That's a very tough pill to swallow just to be able to park in the garage. Sure, it does have other benefits, but I don't really care for those anyway. So given the T7 announcement is around the corner, I'm taking a wait-and-see approach for now.

Source for lower height:

VW T7 - AUTO BILD

Alles neu beim VW Multivan. Der T7 kommt mit Einzelsitzen, MQB-Unterbau und viel mehr Komfort als bisher. Alle Infos und die ersten Fahreindrücke.

www.autobild.de

"Die Karosserie wird etwas länger und das Dach circa sechs Zentimeter gesenkt"

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

The T7 is reported to be 6cm lower than the T6. That would make it 193cm, which would fit in my garage. The current T6 California doesn't add any extra height for the pop top roof, so this is assuming that a T7 California wouldn't either.

The VB Air suspension adds 8,000 francs to the price (that's 6,300 Sterling). That's a very tough pill to swallow just to be able to park in the garage. Sure, it does have other benefits, but I don't really care for those anyway. So given the T7 announcement is around the corner, I'm taking a wait-and-see approach for now.

Source for lower height:

VW T7 - AUTO BILD

Alles neu beim VW Multivan. Der T7 kommt mit Einzelsitzen, MQB-Unterbau und viel mehr Komfort als bisher. Alle Infos und die ersten Fahreindrücke.

www.autobild.de

"Die Karosserie wird etwas länger und das Dach circa sechs Zentimeter gesenkt"

Completely understand your thinking @upacs but since the T6.1 and T7 are likely to be produced in parallel until 2025 a T7 Cali is unlikely to be at the top of VW’s priority list IMHO.

 

[Nand0]

Completely understand your thinking @upacs but since the T6.1 and T7 are likely to be produced in parallel until 2025 a T7 Cali is unlikely to be at the top of VW’s priority list IMHO.

indeed, you are right. Even if a T7 California will actually be a reality, and it will meet my criteria, I suspect I'll be waiting a while. Heck, current Californias have a 1yr lead time between ordering and delivery .

For now I've decided to invest a little extra in my camping setup, and accept the fact I'll be on that this year and probably next year too. But I figured I'dcome here, and at least fantasize until I make it real.

 

[Swiss Cheese]

How "off the beaten track" can you go though? You aren't really allowed off the beaten track anywhere here... unless you cross the border into Italy, then anything goes .

Yeah, agreed - not very far! However, I mean in winter those roads that are relatively narrow, high and lots of hairpins!
Take a look from ///hamsters.unhappy.kinks to ///shortens.tall.seeing on google street view and imagine that with 1 inch of ice... I think I would have died if I had 2wd and just chains. We did that in the LR but it was one of the most hairiest drives I've done, all in low-2. The wife was NOT impressed with my decision to take that route down!!!

 

[Nand0]

Yeah, agreed - not very far! However, I mean in winter those roads that are relatively narrow, high and lots of hairpins!
Take a look from ///hamsters.unhappy.kinks to ///shortens.tall.seeing on google street view and imagine that with 1 inch of ice... I think I would have died if I had 2wd and just chains. We did that in the LR but it was one of the most hairiest drives I've done, all in low-2. The wife was NOT impressed with my decision to take that route down!!!

From where to where?!?!

 

[Swiss Cheese]

Use what3words - near Klontalersee, GL

///hamsters.unhappy.kinks

This is the what3words address for a 3 metre square location near Glarus.

w3w.co

///shortens.tall.seeing

This is the what3words address for a 3 metre square location near Glarus.

w3w.co

 

[Nand0]

Hahahaha, at least you can still say "wife" and not "ex-wife"! but I wouldn't even think of going down that way, even with 4motion. Heck, not sure I'd go up there in Winter unless it was for ski touring, and then I'd just stop when I found snow and continue on skis anyway.

But I may find myself there this weekend, as it's looking rather glorious

 

[Nand0]

Well, one year after my introduction, and about three years after I started seriously looking into vans (yeah, I know, I like to take my time ) it has finally happened.

I have just purchased a 2018 T6 DSG 4Motion 150kw (204ps), and right know I have a feeling somewhere between incredulity that I actually have it, and being overwhelmed with just how much I still need to figure out .

I was in contact with the VW dealer, and I was planning to put an order through just after the summer. However, the right used van just jumped at me, at a good price (I've been following the market for a while) and it came with VB Air. The van went on the market on Friday, I phoned the dealer, was there on Saturday promptly at 8am. Checked it out, took it for a drive, had a chat with the dealer who was interrupted twice with calls from other interested people (allegedly). Then I realized the van had some extras that they failed to put in the description, like a CaliSideBoard (very expensive for what it is), drawers in the kitchen cabinet, shelves in the wardrobe and a Bearlock. I promptly signed on the dotted line.

When I took delivery over the weekend, he told me on that day he realized he had undervalued the vehicle, and that he had other ten calls/emails about it that day, even though he took it off the site promptly after I signed. I don't know if any of that is true, but now it doesn't matter.

Not my preferred colour scheme mind you, I would have preferred a darker van that is a bit more stealthy. And I've never been so keen on the bi tone. But beggars can't be choosers and all that.

And I was after a 110kw. I'm going to be the slowest cali driver with a BiTurbo . Yeah, I'm the one on the slow lane doing 110km/h chillin' with my tunes and playing the "lets see what's the best L/100km figure I can get today" game

 

[Webbah_in_Switzerland]

Welcome aboard and congrats! Greets from Luzern!

 

[Perfectos]

But beggars can't be choosers and all that.

That’s some Begging you’ve been doing !

congrat, great looking Van

 

[Nand0]

oh, the begging starts now, judging by the current state of my bank balance

Thanks for the warm welcome... scheduled my first trip for this coming weekend, and scrambling to get everything I can think of ready . I'm sure I'll end up forgetting something obviously essential, like toilet paper...

 

[66tim99]

Well done! Nice to hear the customer winning the sales game for a change.
You could always wrap the top a dark colour (even starlight blue) if you have any money left!

 

[Nand0]

@66tim99 Yes, it's an option I'm considering. I don't have a quote yet, but just some browsing around I think I'm looking at at least 2k chf for that. But there's a bunch of other stuff I want to do first... may be next year.

The blue (is that starlight blue?) on the bottom half is stunning up close though. I wouldn't mind if the whole van was that colour, but I don't suppose a wrap will replicate the full metallic effect.

 

[66tim99]

@66tim99 Yes, it's an option I'm considering. I don't have a quote yet, but just some browsing around I think I'm looking at at least 2k chf for that. But there's a bunch of other stuff I want to do first... may be next year.

The blue (is that starlight blue?) on the bottom half is stunning up close though. I wouldn't mind if the whole van was that colour, but I don't suppose a wrap will replicate the full metallic effect.

Looks like starlight to me - I'm sure it is if its original paint. Starlight not a 2-tone option in the uk (now anyway) but I understand there are more colours available on the continent.
And funny how it goes. We pay about £800 for metallic paint, or £2800 for 2-tone... and you are considering a hefty payment to make it single tone...
I have seen fantastic looking metallic wraps - I expect the colour and metallic depth would match precisely, but it would be interesting to see if it matched. I guess if the van has been parked outside all its life the wrap may look even plusher.