New Beacher

[TheDoc]

Quick intro. Decided to buy a Cali last week, got some sage advice from forum members over the weekend on Ocean or Beach (thanks all), plumed for the latter, and found a Beach, which I’ve just picked up. It‘s a 150 with 3 seats in the back and 5k on the clock. Hopefully get some nice trips in over the next few months and I look forward to contributing to the forum where I can.

Ollie

 

[calicatchers]

Looks lovely...enjoy! Any questions do ask the forum....there is so much knowledge here, we have learnt so much from the members and continue to do after 3 years of beach ownership....like for example getting to the rear of the boot by tilting the backrests of the bench seat forward...new disocvery last summer!!

 

[Borris]

Congratulations Ollie.

That looks like a rare find. Did you get the spec you were after?

From a fellow seven seat Beach owner, I think you've chosen very wisely. You'd be hard pressed to find a better family vehicle. As you will discover, there are very few things that it won't do well. Please let us know how you get on.

 

[Charlotterobin]

We’duuuuuun... loving ours. Great forum for ace information

 

[Perfectos]

To the Beach Club Doc

 

[BeagleMum]

Quick intro. Decided to buy a Cali last week, got some sage advice from forum members over the weekend on Ocean or Beach (thanks all), plumed for the latter, and found a Beach, which I’ve just picked up. It‘s a 150 with 3 seats in the back and 5k on the clock. Hopefully get some nice trips in over the next few months and I look forward to contributing to the forum where I can.

Ollie

View attachment 80869

Congrats, enjoy, it’s a fab vehicle.

 

[TheDoc]

Thanks @calicatchers there Is so much combined knowledge here it’s superb. @Borris my spec was 3 seat bench, awning and sat nav ideally, which I got. It’s mirrors fold which is a bonus. Other than my low priority list was any colour apart from blue - the last two cars I’ve had were blue and there’s nowt wrong with blue but fancied a change. So in summary it seems to hit the spot. Just ordered a fridge - not essential I know but I do like cold strongbow! Can probably cobble together enough camping kit from the loft to get me going. Suspect I’ll get some form of foam mattress in due course but if I down enough bow I’ll sleep on anything…

 

[Graham T]

 

[Kemper-van]

Thanks @calicatchers there Is so much combined knowledge here it’s superb. @Borris my spec was 3 seat bench, awning and sat nav ideally, which I got. It’s mirrors fold which is a bonus. Other than my low priority list was any colour apart from blue - the last two cars I’ve had were blue and there’s nowt wrong with blue but fancied a change. So in summary it seems to hit the spot. Just ordered a fridge - not essential I know but I do like cold strongbow! Can probably cobble together enough camping kit from the loft to get me going. Suspect I’ll get some form of foam mattress in due course but if I down enough bow I’ll sleep on anything…

Try sleeping on the bench first, before buying a mattress. We never felt the need to have an additional bulky thing in the boot. We sleep heads towards the front, the slight tilt in the seats serves a bit as a pillow.

Enjoy your beach!

 

[Borris]

Try sleeping on the bench first, before buying a mattress. We never felt the need to have an additional bulky thing in the boot. We sleep heads towards the front, the slight tilt in the seats serves a bit as a pillow.

Enjoy your beach!

Nooooooo, you may never recover!

The Beach three seat bench is contoured because it's primarily designed as seating for passengers. It's secondary use is that of a bed. To turn it from an instrument of torture into a bed you will need a mattress of some kind. The VW Comfort mattress is the obvious choice as it too has contours on it's underside that mirror those of the bench. The result is that this design produces a perfectly flat sleeping surface. Whether that will be good enough depends on you. The name "Comfort mattress" is IMO, a misnomer. Some people included me, would describe it as very firm so you may need something else on top to make it more comfortable. We use a Zone sleep on top of ours and it's still quite firm but I've always managed a good nights sleep. I've no experience of any alternatives.

 

[Kemper-van]

Nooooooo, you may never recover!

The Beach three seat bench is contoured because it's primarily designed as seating for passengers. It's secondary use is that of a bed. To turn it from an instrument of torture into a bed you will need a mattress of some kind. The VW Comfort mattress is the obvious choice as it too has contours on it's underside that mirror those of the bench. The result is that this design produces a perfectly flat sleeping surface. Whether that will be good enough depends on you. The name "Comfort mattress" is IMO, a misnomer. Some people included me, would describe it as very firm so you may need something else on top to make it more comfortable. We use a Zone sleep on top of ours and it's still quite firm but I've always managed a good nights sleep. I've no experience of any alternatives.

I think we will have to agree that we disagree on this. No issues or “torture” experienced here. Nor comments from the kids who usually sleep downstairs (3, side by side).

And for me a very big bonus: no big lump in the boot needed!

 

[TheDoc]

Thanks @Kemper-van and @Borris - I’ll certainly be giving it a whirl without one for my first trip and will share my thoughts. That said they may differ from those of the misses and my view will likely be irrelevant;-)

 

[Perfectos]

Comfort is subjective

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Try sleeping on the bench first, before buying a mattress. We never felt the need to have an additional bulky thing in the boot. We sleep heads towards the front, the slight tilt in the seats serves a bit as a pillow.

Enjoy your beach!

Is yours the 2 or 3 seat bench?

 

[Borris]

Actually, all of our young Princesses will sleep just about anywhere, peas or no peas. Personally, I don't possess any princess like similarities except that I too draw the line when it comes to sharing my bed with small edible legumes or lumpy seat belt buckles etc.

 

[Kemper-van]

Is yours the 2 or 3 seat bench?

3-seater bench

 

[Perfectos]

+1 for the Factory three seat comfort mattress.

I had a Velle, tried sleeping in it without the comfort mattress = IMO no sleep.

no experience of the two seat bench / mattress

 

[TheDoc]

Is yours the 2 or 3 seat bench?

It’s the 3 seater.

 

[Perfectos]

It’s the 3 seater.

Are you a kid ? ( as in Kempers post)

I would wager that you’ll have a terrible nights sleep without some sort of mattress on the three seater

 

[Ch1pbutty]

It’s the 3 seater.

We have the 3 seater + thick mattress which came with the van when we purchased 2nd hand.

I would say its necessary on the 3 seater, as the seats have alot of odd bumps (whereas the 2 seater bench is flatter)

 

[Kemper-van]

Are you a kid ? ( as in Kempers post)

I would wager that you’ll have a terrible nights sleep without some sort of mattress on the three seater

Nope, i’m not a kid, but have 3 kids myself. No issues in sleeping on the bench

Maybe i’m very easy going & not demanding wrt to beds? When tent camping though, had NO sleep at all on what they call comfort mats. In my 3 seater van: no problem.
Probably depends on your reference, too?

Just as a side note: anyone ever slept on the bench-seat of a Nugget? Bottom bed is hard as a rock, but no factory option for comfort mattress offered by Ford or Westfalia. 3 seater bench is softer than the bench of the nugget.

 

[Kemper-van]

Actually, all of our young Princesses will sleep just about anywhere, peas or no peas. Personally, I don't possess any princess like similarities except that I too draw the line when it comes to sharing my bed with small edible legumes or lumpy seat belt buckles etc.

The buckles disappear below the bench when folded. The seatbelts can be tucked away as well, so you don’t feel them.

I’m happy with my bench as it is, and it still allows me to sit upright because no extra height due to mattress, even when bed is much higher than in coast/ocean.

 

[TheDoc]

The buckles disappear below the bench when folded. The seatbelts can be tucked away as well, so you don’t feel them.

I’m happy with my bench as it is, and it still allows me to sit upright because no extra height due to mattress, even when bed is much higher than in coast/ocean.

Do you use a fitted or loose sheet - presume it’s king size?

 

[Borris]

The buckles disappear below the bench when folded. The seatbelts can be tucked away as well, so you don’t feel them.

I’m happy with my bench as it is, and it still allows me to sit upright because no extra height due to mattress, even when bed is much higher than in coast/ocean.

I know they should but but even so they still have the potential to provide some discomfort. They are covered altogether with the mattress so not a problem.

To be fair I've never tried sleeping on the bench without the VW Comfort mattress but I wouldn't want to. I once tried lying down on it without the mattress but decided there and then that it wasn't for me.

If you find it ok then that's all that matters.

 

[Kemper-van]

Do you use a fitted or loose sheet - presume it’s king size?

Not sure what difference between fitted & loose sheet is? (Not native english speaker)
We use sheets with an elastic band at the bottom, so they stay in place once fitted. That means ‘fitted’, I presume?