T6 California Ocean to T6.1 California Ocean

[BickleyFamily]

Hi,

We are new to the forum and this post has most likely been made several times before but I couldn't find any info so posting on here. Would appreciate any help, advice and viewpoints people have.

We have a 2019 T6 Ocean that we purchased last year (Just 20,000 miles on the clock). We wanted a T6.1 but at that time the cost of a T6.1 over a T6 was about £18k - £20k more expensive and we didn't feel that there was enough of a difference in features to pay the difference. We love our van and spend every opportunity we can in it. Despite that we still have a desire to get a T6.1 Ocean.

Last week we came across a T6.1 Ocean , with just 70 miles on the clock,which is priced at £67,500. We have been offered £55,000 trade-in for our current van.

We would like to understand from those who have made the jump from T6 to T6.1, if they felt that paying £12500 would be worth it. Any advice good or bad would be appreciated.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Surely part of that £12.5k would purely be having a newer lower mileage vehicle. What’s the age difference?

 

[BickleyFamily]

The T6 is a 2019, (20,000 mile) the T6.1 is Dec 2022 (just 70 miles)

 

[JohnCalifornia]

I would watch the video on YouTube from Campervan Time where they compare the T6 Ocean to the T6.1 Ocean before I serpent £12.5K on the newer Cali. You may be surprised just how good the T6s are……….(I am biased I know)

 

[BickleyFamily]

I would watch the video on YouTube from Campervan Time where they compare the T6 Ocean to the T6.1 Ocean before I serpent £12.5K on the newer Cali. You may be surprised just how good the T6s are……….(I am biased I know)

Haha, yeah I watched that too and that is probably one of the reasons for the post. Essentially would be spending the money mainly to have a newer van, not necessarily a significantly better van.

 

[66tim99]

I suspect the Euro 6 RDE 2 engine, with its associated lower consumption, emissions and ability to enter ULEZ and Crit’air etc areas, will become an increasingly desirable feature.
The 6.1 you are considering will have the latest engine. You don’t state which one, but I feel the 150 is most appropriate for the way you need to drive a camper. I drove a 199 (now 204) and a 150 and had no desire for more power, finding the 199 a bit scrabbly in 2WD form and alarming when you floor it and your cupboards get rearranged! So I went 150 (particularly as I don’t tow), never feel it underpowered and appreciate the slight mpg betterment. I also love the 6.1 digital dash and driving electronics - ACC being a particular mile munching favourite, but I’m also glad I can see the speed limit (in Kmh if abroad, along with the speedo), and the LED headlights are night and day better.
In terms of the 6.1 as a camper, I’m not convinced the upgrade to 6.1 would be worth it, but the wardrobe doors are a clear improvement, and panoramic roof, and I love the shower I spec’d for washing off bikes, boots, dogs and sea water after a dip (perhaps the 6 also had that option?)

 

[dspuk]

TBH, at 67, really depends on the spec. You could get a DTD new van for something around that and have a brand spanking van as first owner and sell yours privately. Depends if that trade in is inflated to ease the deal or not. Could go either way depending on the math.

 

[andyinluton]

We would like to understand from those who have made the jump from T6 to T6.1, if they felt that paying £12500 would be worth it. Any advice good or bad would be appreciated.

Do you know what the difference in spec is?
If your current van doesn't have LED headlights, sat nav, adaptive cruise, reversing camera, panoramic opening to the front of the roof, 3 zone aircon etc then it could be a step up spec wise.

Do you want to be able to. sit up in bed downstairs, do you want comfier springs up top, fancy sliding doors to the wardrobe & rear cupboards that don't fall apart?

You either like the digital dash or you don't, for me, being able to turn the whole display over to KmH when abroad I think is brilliant, having two concurrent sat nav displays at different levels of zoom is a lovely feature.

There are an awful lot of little changes that add up to quite a difference overall.

Also how much warranty has your current van got left & what tax rate are you paying - does the new van still have a couple of free services left? add up the value of those & it may justify some of the £12k difference.

At the end of the day you would end up with a 3 year newer van which has got to be a good thing.

 

[JohnCalifornia]

Has the T6.1 you are looking at got a better spec than your T6? This would be another deciding factor if I was you. In a couple of years a high spec T6 could be worth more than a low spec T6.1. I’ve already seen a couple of early T6.1s hovering around the £60K mark, and 1 of them dropped below £60K then assume it got sold.

 

[andyinluton]

In a couple of years a high spec T6 could be worth more than a low spec T6.1.

There is no such thing as a low spec T6.1 - a lot of what was options on the T6 come as standard on the T6.1 Oceans

 

[BickleyFamily]

Both vehicles are 150ps 2.0 diesel engine

T6 - has electric side door, alcantara seats and a 5th seat for the back.

T6.1 - is the base spec but has an upgraded entertainment system and metallic paint (bronze copper)

 

[JohnCalifornia]

There is no such thing as a low spec T6.1 - a lot of what was options on the T6 come as standard on the T6.1 Oceans

There are still a lot of options to choose from on the configurator for the T6.1

 

[Calimili]

I have a 2019 T6 Ocean. The wardrobe doors don't fall apart if you use them with a minimum of care. And if they do it is very easy to reassemble them and replacing the tape on the inside. Any strong tape would do.
On the contrary the t6.1 door larches have proved not as strong as the old and tested of the t6.
I re-configure every now and then the specs I have on my t6 on the new t6.1 to see what's the price difference. I still have to select them all, nothing has been added to the t6.1 that wasn't on the t6 other than led lights.
You still have to add the shower at the back, the panoramic roof was standard on 2019 t6.
Upgrades on t6.1 vs 2019 t6 are: useless 300w non pure sine inverter vs useless 150w non pure sine inverter, Froli on the top bed, possibility of ordering drive assistance features at a cost, modern camping unit display.
But there are also downgrades especially the entire dash with less storage, and none of it with lids. Also on t6.1 it is transporter quality of fabric and plastic materials opposed to t6 multivan quality. Wouldn't also like to reduce the boot by giving the mechanism for the reclining parcel shelf....
In the end, I guess, it's personal taste...

 

[andyinluton]

I re-configure every now and then the specs I have on my t6 on the new t6.1 to see what's the price difference. I still have to select them all, nothing has been added to the t6.1 that wasn't on the t6 other than led lights.

Comparing A 2018 T6 (its the only brochure in the archive) with a T6.1 All the following are options that come as standard on the T6.1

A bit more than just a set of LEDs

Discover media £1500
App Connect £ 186
Multimedia display £264
Interior light concept £200
Parking sensors with camera £690
Adjustable steering column £282
Adaptive cruise £396
Side scan £582
Led lights £1560
Awning £450
Privacy glass £330

Hence my earlier post suggesting a well specified T6 is the equivalent of a basic T6.1

 

[Calimili]

Comparing A 2018 T6 (its the only brochure in the archive) with a T6.1 All the following are options that come as standard on the T6.1

A bit more than just a set of LEDs

Discover media £1500
App Connect £ 186
Multimedia display £264
Interior light concept £200
Parking sensors with camera £690
Adjustable steering column £282
Adaptive cruise £396
Side scan £582
Led lights £1560
Awning £450
Privacy glass £330

Hence my earlier post suggesting a well specified T6 is the equivalent of a basic T6.1

Apologies. All these are still not standard on a t6.1 here in Germany.... I take your word in the UK they are. Usually there isn't such a huge difference between markets as there is now....

 

[dspuk]

Both vehicles are 150ps 2.0 diesel engine

T6 - has electric side door, alcantara seats and a 5th seat for the back.

T6.1 - is the base spec but has an upgraded entertainment system and metallic paint (bronze copper)

TBH if it is that basic I’d think about DTD and private sale.

 

[BickleyFamily]

TBH if it is that basic I’d think about DTD and private sale.

Apologies but what is a DTD?

 

[Sheffield10]

Drive the Deal - new vehicle broker - most people who buy via DTD end up purchasing their van from Eurovans in Crawley, with a 9-10% discount on list price.

 

[Seaview]

I suspect the Euro 6 RDE 2 engine, with its associated lower consumption, emissions and ability to enter ULEZ and Crit’air etc areas, will become an increasingly desirable feature.
The 6.1 you are considering will have the latest engine. You don’t state which one, but I feel the 150 is most appropriate for the way you need to drive a camper. I drove a 199 (now 204) and a 150 and had no desire for more power, finding the 199 a bit scrabbly in 2WD form and alarming when you floor it and your cupboards get rearranged! So I went 150 (particularly as I don’t tow), never feel it underpowered and appreciate the slight mpg betterment. I also love the 6.1 digital dash and driving electronics - ACC being a particular mile munching favourite, but I’m also glad I can see the speed limit (in Kmh if abroad, along with the speedo), and the LED headlights are night and day better.
In terms of the 6.1 as a camper, I’m not convinced the upgrade to 6.1 would be worth it, but the wardrobe doors are a clear improvement, and panoramic roof, and I love the shower I spec’d for washing off bikes, boots, dogs and sea water after a dip (perhaps the 6 also had that option?)

The T6 had the shower as an option as we have one. We also have the panoramic roof, LED lights, ACC, parking camera and heated front windscreen. I guess the OP will have to look at their current spec T6 vs the T6.1 they are considering.

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Apologies but what is a DTD?

I’ve got a new Ocean on order for about the same price as the used one you’re looking at. Lots of options added and they’ve also got this offer on at the moment:

Volkswagen are also offering 3 free services and 1 free MOT when you purchase a new California model between 4th July and 2nd October 2023.

If you can wait ~3 months for delivery it’s a no-brainer over a used one.

Discounted VOLKSWAGEN CALIFORNIA ESTATE

The discount new car broker service that shows you the best discounts on new cars on the web visit us now - www.drivethedeal.com

www.drivethedeal.com

 

[BickleyFamily]

Thanks for all of your responses everyone. It is very much appreciated

 

[BickleyFamily]

Hi everyone, thought we would share the outcome following your feedback yesterday.

I assumed (wrongly) that T6's in 2019 had a number of the features that are standard on the T6.1's. As a result I gave incorrect information when asked around spec between the two vans. Our T6 has the following: Cruise control, electric side door, front and rear parking sensors (with camera), side bars, Alcantara seats plus extra 5th seat, panoramic roof and possibly others we do not know of.

As a result, with the exception of led lights and some of the improvements around the sliding elements I would say our T6 is probably on or around on par feature wise with the T6.1 we are looking at (which has very few additional features).

As a result, and taking onboard all your comments, we feel the £12500 uplift is probably too much and will likely look at either the DTD approach or something else. Thank again for your input, it is very much appreciated.

 

[Kenisted]

Stick with the 6. They’ve ruined the whole thing making it 6.1, the 6.1 I have had has nothing but problems and my biggest bugbear as small as it may be is there’s no foot rest

 

[flying banana]

12.5k . Is it worth it? No

 

[Alan Andrews]

Hi everyone, thought we would share the outcome following your feedback yesterday.

I assumed (wrongly) that T6's in 2019 had a number of the features that are standard on the T6.1's. As a result I gave incorrect information when asked around spec between the two vans. Our T6 has the following: Cruise control, electric side door, front and rear parking sensors (with camera), side bars, Alcantara seats plus extra 5th seat, panoramic roof and possibly others we do not know of.

As a result, with the exception of led lights and some of the improvements around the sliding elements I would say our T6 is probably on or around on par feature wise with the T6.1 we are looking at (which has very few additional features).

As a result, and taking onboard all your comments, we feel the £12500 uplift is probably too much and will likely look at either the DTD approach or something else. Thank again for your input, it is very much appreciated.

I'd let the dealer know that the T6.1 price is simply too much of a difference with your part exchange value. Walk away and see if they come back with a much improved deal. At the end of the day they can play with your part exchange value and the T6.1 price. But decide what you are prepared to pay over and above and stick with it. They also have things like servicing etc that they could bundle in. The dealer just might surprise you!