T6 VW California Delays

[AlisonF]

Have talked about ordering a VW camper for 2.5 years, ever since I started doing dog agility and was immediately hooked. Ordered Cali Ocean (4WM / DSG) on 2nd Sept and asked for delivery early March. A couple of weeks later the dealer informed me build would be week commencing 11th Jan 2016. Part way through the week in question I got a message to say it's built and will be en route with expected arrival mid February, ready for 1st March...

 

[Batmobile]

my dealer said the same thing when I changed one option on my order. He said that if one teensy little component is not available, it would hold the whole order up. Thankfully that did not happen!

 

[Neilgbj]

If it's any consolation when we ordered our T5 in November 2014 there was quite a bit of 'uncertainty' about build/delivery dates but it eventually came early in March last year....worth the wait! Looking forward to seeing all of these T6s on the road in 2016

 

[CALI FATE]

Have talked about ordering a VW camper for 2.5 years, ever since I started doing dog agility and was immediately hooked. Ordered Cali Ocean (4WM / DSG) on 2nd Sept and asked for delivery early March. A couple of weeks later the dealer informed me build would be week commencing 11th Jan 2016. Part way through the week in question I got a message to say it's built and will be en route with expected arrival mid February, ready for 1st March...

I reckon i need to do a bit of dog agility - getting in and out of the roof bed can be a struggle.

 

[Rhyddin]

I was about to say the same thing. We ordered our high spec beach on 23 Nov and we were initially given build week 8 which then subsequently changed to confirmed week 4, so hopefully being built right now. SMG told my wife yesterday that there is a shortage of certain parts, so maybe this is kitchens and electric roofs!

Much like yourself, by the sounds of things, I added pretty much every option that is standard on an Ocean but not a Beach. The kitchen/wardrobe unit has a lot of components so it must be that.
Incidentally, I hope you're going to post lots of photos of your van when it arrives! What options did you add?

 

[sampsonr]

Ordered a Reflex Silver Ocean fully specced - 204 4Mot/Difflock DSG - mid December through VW Birmingham, and just given build date for week 8 which seems pretty quick. Will wait and see if this changes but better get my 2006 cali 174 4Mot prepared for sale earlier than I was expecting to!

 

[SusiBus]

Presumably because you mention that it may change it is an unconfirmed build date.

 

[AlisonF]

I reckon i need to do a bit of dog agility - getting in and out of the roof bed can be a struggle.

If I struggle to get up to the roof bed then I guess I'll have to train the dogs to jump up there instead ;-)

 

[Batmobile]

That's great news, especially with it being loaded. I ordered my Beach thru Preson about the same time and I have week 9, so similar...

Ordered a Reflex Silver Ocean fully specced - 204 4Mot/Difflock DSG - mid December through VW Birmingham, and just given build date for week 8 which seems pretty quick. Will wait and see if this changes but better get my 2006 cali 174 4Mot prepared for sale earlier than I was expecting to!

 

[Sp0_0k]

Just got info from local dealer that some delays are due to engine version.
I am struggling to order 110kw 4 motion DSG Beach almost for a month now with estimated dates of 7 months delivery.
He recently ordered a 150kw version for another customer that is going to be delivered in like 3 months.
So I might try a 150kw version Beach
Anyway had the longest testdrive in my life on 150k Multivan (about an hour) and tried to test controversial features.
Well I've noticed some difference in DCC action on 18' wheels and it doesn't look good )
The most difference was not about comfort but about vehicle steadiness. In comfort mode on some wavy road the van started to swing back and force like crazy. Cured it by switching to normal.
I was mainly looking for that feature to add more comfort compared to a standard ride. So it is not comfortable.
I think you might have way more use of sport mode stiffening the suspension but again I didn't notice much difference between standard and sport.
So for that huge budget difference I just made it 100% clear for myself not to go for DCC.

Another thing I've noticed that 150kw isn't that overpowered so just added doubts to myself I might be better with that bi-turbo version.

 

[Batmobile]

You're lucky to have the option of the biturbo engine on the Beach. In the UK, it is only available on the Ocean for some daft reason. After all, the Ocean is not an 'upgrade' its a completely different vehicle.

 

[kave]

Well, the 205HP Beach takes over 10 seconds from 0-100kmh so I would not say it is over powered

 

[CoboCali]

just to add to the picture; we ordered an Ocean 204 DSG the first week of Jan and had an unconfirmed build date of week 12 given us within the first few days. That has just moved to be week 14 - though Guy at Preston says that movement in dates is not uncommon and we should still expect delivery in early May as we had originally discussed. He checks on these dates frequently.

 

[kave]

I ordered a Beach in early january, no build week yet, estimated delivery june or july.

 

[Batmobile]

Do you remember the Mk IV Golf GTI 2.0L 8v that took 10.2 seconds to reach 60mph? It was on Top Gear that Clarkson raced it against a bog standard Toyota Corolla 1.6 and the GTI was shamed

So this is rambling way of saying that if a 204bhp Beach is slower than a 20 year old 1.6 Corolla, I agree that it isn't overpowered!!

Well, the 205HP Beach takes over 10 seconds from 0-100kmh so I would not say it is over powered

 

[kave]

Yeah, that time the GTI just meant a sticker on the rear, it's much better the latest generations.

 

[Dan]

Do you remember the Mk IV Golf GTI 2.0L 8v that took 10.2 seconds to reach 60mph? It was on Top Gear that Clarkson raced it against a bog standard Toyota Corolla 1.6 and the GTI was shamed

So this is rambling way of saying that if a 204bhp Beach is slower than a 20 year old 1.6 Corolla, I agree that it isn't overpowered!!

I think you're forgetting that the van probably weighs double what the old Corolla does. My Daughter's Fiat 500 twinair only has 85bhp but that will do 0-60 in 11 seconds as it weighs so little.

 

[Sp0_0k]

Local dealer got info that some eastern country has a huge order that was put on priority. And most Californias are now pushed back over 7 months for new orders. Slovakian dealer gave me an estimate of 9-10 month today ))))

 

[Batmobile]

It all comes down to power to weight ratios, doesn't it? While 204bhp might sound a lot, for a vehicle weighing so much, it certainly isn't excessive in power to weight terms. The bottom line is that the most powerful Cali engine gives no greater power to weight ratio than the average 1.6L family hatchback.

I think you're forgetting that the van probably weighs double what the old Corolla does. My Daughter's Fiat 500 twinair only has 85bhp but that will do 0-60 in 11 seconds as it weighs so little.

 

[Sp0_0k]

So easy to start a flame.
By overpowered I meant for it to have a decent power to calculate if weaker 110kw would be enough for me.
While in a city where most test drives are it was a plenty, though I had an opportunity to play with it around 140-150kmh. So on a highway and driving in Germany a lot it is a huge bonus
At lower speeds and rpms there is almost no difference, you can see that on graphs as well. Both turbines shine with pedal to the metal.

 

[Batmobile]

So a 3.0L diesel twin turbo with 300 bhp and 4Motion would be rather nice, wouldn't it? BMW are doing remarkable things with their 6 cylinder diesels.

I had a 200 bhp V70 D5 Volvo and that felt swift at slow speeds but was no more than fair when you put your foot down to overtake above about 60mph.

 

[DPS74]

Ordered our Cali Ocean on the 9th September. Originally given a build week (2016) 02 which then moved to 01 and then just before Christmas went to 11.

Really frustrated and the dealer has no idea.

Just an update on my order. Dealer has confirmed that van is built and on its way, expected 2nd or 3rd week in Feb. Still saying build week 11 on the VW ordering system!

Can't wait, my first camper.

 

[Borris]

So a 3.0L diesel twin turbo with 300 bhp and 4Motion would be rather nice, wouldn't it? BMW are doing remarkable things with their 6 cylinder diesels.

I had a 200 bhp V70 D5 Volvo and that felt swift at slow speeds but was no more than fair when you put your foot down to overtake above about 60mph.

Why the need for so much power? Aren't they designed mainly for leisure? Anyway much of the time, in the UK at least, we all spend much of our time either moving slowly in heavy traffic or stationary in a traffic jam!

 

[WolfPack]

Just an update on my order. Dealer has confirmed that van is built and on its way, expected 2nd or 3rd week in Feb. Still saying build week 11 on the VW ordering system!

Can't wait, my first camper.

My new T6 Ocean 150 4Motion 6-Speed Manual was ordered 9 September and still said build week 48 long after that week had come and gone. It was shipped to Skegness and reached the dealer 25 January.

It would be good to know how ofter the ordering system is updated (e.g. every Friday night or the first Monday in the month?)

 

[bigmac77]

So a 3.0L diesel twin turbo with 300 bhp and 4Motion would be rather nice, wouldn't it? BMW are doing remarkable things with their 6 cylinder diesels.

I had a 200 bhp V70 D5 Volvo and that felt swift at slow speeds but was no more than fair when you put your foot down to overtake above about 60mph.

The VAG group already have such an engine in the Audi SQ5, V6 diesel 340 ps and 700 Nm of torque. It carries the 2 tonne Q5 to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds. However IMO the Cali is no place for this amount of power.