How many here have 4 Motion? Worth it?

[VW Cali]

Interesting question.

Seems many vans ordered without it. But isn't that unusual especially given it's a camper to be used great and scenic outdoors?

So those who didn't get it: are there occasions you have regretted not getting it?

Those who have it: occasions when you were glad you had it, but as well whether you feel it might mostly be superfluous.

Many thanks.

 

[T6 CFO]

You will find lots of discussion on this subject in old threads. An example is below....

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/index.php?posts/124894/


Mike

 

[X28art]

Good to have it but not essential, I have only ever needed to make use of it once on some slippery grass on a campsite!

 

[snowy55]

We don't have 4wd and never had any problems , yet!
A bit of sensible forward planing when off road and on campsites and all should be ok.

 

[campandfly]

We are very happy with our 4motion. IMO it gives us more options, better handling and piece of mind.

 

[GrannyJen]

Delighted.

A few occasions when it has given me peace of mind, probably a couple of occasions when it has been an essential to avoid an enforced overnight stay.

 

[Tommy Gun]

Excellent for joining roundabouts or getting away from junctions in the wet, without the wheelspin drama - especially when your patience is wearing thin & no bu99er wants to let you out!

 

[VW Cali]

Delighted.

A few occasions when it has given me peace of mind, probably a couple of occasions when it has been an essential to avoid an enforced overnight stay.

It reminds me of what Coco Chanel said about perfumes. It was not so much the actual content vit the feeling it evoked:

"I sell hope in a bottle!"

Now I only have 4 wheel drive vehicles at home, but is this largely a psychological benefit, or more?

I even think driving a non mid engined car, and with possible turbo lag, is not desirable. But really, do I need it?

Having said that I would still have preferred a 4 Motion but since it is dealer spec, and I am too impatient, a measly 2 wheel drive with 150bhp onky will do!

Once I have it, I shall find out!

 

[GrannyJen]

I think it's what I said in another thread: having 4motion may not have been imperative to keeping me moving but it has given me the confidence to go where otherwise I would not have gone. For that it has given me many memorable moments.

 

[Sp0_0k]

Don't have this Cali for long but owned 4wd CRV for over 7 years and had lots of situations when I was happy about it. Cali is an adventure car, so pretty worth it.

 

[Hotel California]

Don't got 4motion , i took a showroommodel so had not to chose options , also becose it was the top of my budget anyway.
Have you put an order with all things you want...? Hope you are sitting down!
The extra cost think holds many back , and the fact you can perfect do without it .
How many campervans or/and campers got 4wheel drive? Not that many becose we don't need it when you go camping .

On the other hand under heavy winter contitions or when you are planning many graveltracks( like trips to Iceland) it will be worth . We drive concrete roads 99,99% so why bother.
I drove a LR Defender for 10 y before my Cali i know what i am talking about.

Those having it say it's a must have those who don't have it say they don't need it ( wishing they had it....)
The question is : do you need to go " further" .... 2wd can take me and my Cali far enough.
If i ever should buy again it would be on my list but not on top...

 

[WelshGas]

Firstly do not compare the 4Motion capability with a 4 Wheel Drive SUV like a Range Rover or Defender. The California doesn't have the suspension travel or ground clearance to compete.
If you only use it for high days and holidays and fine weather then the increased cost is probably not worth it.
However, if you use it 24/7 and 365 days a year in all weathers then, I think, the cost benefit is definitely in favour of having it.
It feels more planted on the road when compared with the equivalent 2 wheel drive. More useful, with the correct tyres, during the winter months and useful on greasy grass fields.
Why are there so many 4 wheel drive cars on the road now compared with years ago? It's not because of their off-road capability!

 

[Meoncoast]

We are non 4 motion owners I was a little concerned having owned AWD Subaru's prior to getting the van. Living in the sunny South of the Uk not been an issue. For 1st 3 years did summer tyre / winter tyre swop overs now run all season. we also had a preregistered van but if had the choice between 2 would have gone for 4motion if it was available.I dont loose sleep over not having it. If i get stuck in the snow, bed up, kettle and heater on and wait for spring.

 

[stew]

4motion but mainly because we tow a trailer on slippy or muddy fields and there is quite a bit of snow here in Winter. If I still lived in the UK and was mostly on-road only summering in Europe, I would get more value out of the DSG (and I'm not just getting old ) . Would be much more pleasant than the 6 speed diesel box which is not well geared for the limits here...town 50Kmph (30mph) & country 80Kmph (50mph )

 

[Bellesca]

As @GrannyJen says it gives you the confidence to venture down roads/places you would normally refuse in your daily drive e.g. Fontainebleau forestry tracks with potholes in the rain; grassy muddy sloping campsites in the Alps. It all depends on how and where you intend to use your van.

 

[Borris]

As our Cali was an ex demonstrator with 4 Motion and dif lock already fitted we didn't have to make that choice. If we had, it probably wouldn't have been on our spec list. I drive like an old man basically because I am an old man. I don't see myself going off roading anytime soon and if that was on the agenda I wouldn't do it in a Cali. However as we intend to use our van all year round sometimes on slippery roads and wet and boggy campsites it is reasuring to know that it is there. There will come a time when every one else is struggling to move and yours truely will have his smug face on.

 

[sapto]

Hi VW Cali
Mine was a lucky punch (decent price and kilometer on the clock) however no FWD and until now I am okay with that. I do not want to go off road (too afraid of damaging anything) and as @WelshGas said: it isn't a Defender.
I'm using the Cali only from spring till autumn and for Winter I have a 4WD Octavia.
Although I guess parking on slippery wet campsite pitches of gras would be more fun with 4WD and that is one situation I'm regretting not having it (pssst please do not tell my Cali )

 

[soulstyledevon]

Ive had a few scares with wheels spinning on wet grass and a trip up the Alps where I parked slightly off the beaten track in snow. Thankfully I carry a set of auto-snow socks and managed to get myself out with them. I have since changed my tyres from summer to all weather and had vastly improved traction on slippery surfaces. Not sure I have any need for 4 motion...?

It's something I would try and check exactly how much it would cost to option onto a new vehicle. Price would be a deciding factor. As I'm sure it would be a benefit on the very odd occasion.

 

[CYCLOPATH]

Well I didn't get 4WD because I thaught I would not take the van onto rough ground.
Last month we were on a perfectly flat campsite by a river in France. Looked fine.
And I got stuck
If I had checked the ground first I would have felt how soft it was, but as it looked fine, I didn't. The site manager said it had been unusually wet
He got a local digger driver to pop over and pull me out.
I now am even more cautious where I go......but I am not sure I would buy 4WD, as I am worried I would be tempted to try and use it to its full potential!!

 

[Nottledim]

We don't intend to off road other than on campsites but our experience shows you should not underestimate the capability of 2wd.
The picture on the left is us parked and slowly sinking into a very wet field in Kettlewell North Yorkshire. Just after this pic we were in a severe thunderstorm too. Tyres were about 4 cm into the mud but, moving very slowly, our 2 wheel drive got us out.
But respect to the 4wd owners. It's like everything on a Cali - a matter of choice

 

[WelshGas]

4 Wheel Drive is not just for Off Road. Many cars nowadays have 4 Wheel Drive and not for Off Road use but for the driving benefits it brings.

 

[soulstyledevon]

4 Wheel Drive is not just for Off Road. Many cars nowadays have 4 Wheel Drive and not for Off Road use but for the driving benefits it brings.

Yes, but they are normally high performance vehicles with lots of power. Cali would be better suited to bigger suspension travel and decent 4wd.
Volkswagen were thinking about releasing a variant called Rocktron or something a couple of years ago, with this sort of setup and more robust body mountings.
Would be good to see something like that released

 

[Ian66]

Having crunched the numbers using the current UK road tax Bands and average mileages etc, it seems the 150PS 4Motion 6 Speed, would cost about £150 more to run annually than the 150PS DSG. I've no idea on Insurance costs for either model option though - that might skew the whole cost-dynamic completely of course!

 

[bvddobb]

Cali would be better suited to bigger suspension travel and decent 4wd.
Volkswagen were thinking about releasing a variant called Rocktron or something a couple of years ago, with this sort of setup and more robust body mountings. Would be good to see something like that released

It's there... And here are some campers based on it.

 

[bvddobb]

If you don't know why you would want it, you probably don't need it.