This time next week.......

[Dr-Snickers]

Hi everyone,

I can hardly believe it but we finally put down a deposit on a new 199 DSG Ocean this weekend.....only a lifelong ambition coming to fruition. I'm flipping between levels of childlike Christmas Eve excitement and stomach turning nausea at just how much money we are about to spend . Just keeping everything crossed that it can be registered and the options fitted in time, so that we can collect next weekend, but I'm probably being optimistic!

Just to say a huge thank you for all of your fantastic advice and photos. It has been invaluable so far, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need a lot more of your help in the not too distant future.

Off to gleam some more gems from the forums and stop myself buying things I don't need....yet!

Cheers

Kate

 

[calikev]

Hi kate welcome along what options are you having fitted?

 

[Campingrookie]

Hi everyone,

I can hardly believe it but we finally put down a deposit on a new 199 DSG Ocean this weekend.....only a lifelong ambition coming to fruition. I'm flipping between levels of childlike Christmas Eve excitement and stomach turning nausea at just how much money we are about to spend . Just keeping everything crossed that it can be registered and the options fitted in time, so that we can collect next weekend, but I'm probably being optimistic!

Just to say a huge thank you for all of your fantastic advice and photos. It has been invaluable so far, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need a lot more of your help in the not too distant future.

Off to gleam some more gems from the forums and stop myself buying things I don't need....yet!

Cheers

Kate

so exciting! Huge congrats!!

 

[Dr-Snickers]

Hi

Nothing fancy; detachable tow bar, mud flaps, all-weather tyres and think we've decided to go with the side bars.

We preferred the look of the Cascavel alloys but ours comes with the Devonports. We balked at the cost to buy new from VW and then saw some pictures of the side bars with the Devonports and thought that looked fantastic against the starlight blue. If we change our minds, we might buy some Cascavels from eBay in the future.

Hoping the side bars will protect as well as look good....

 

[Sealey]

Hi Kate, Welcome and well done. Had our Ocean just over a week after wanting one for ages.

 

[Borris]

Congratulations Kate,
The nausea will disappear the instant you get your mitts on it. You have made a great decision.
I hope you make very many wonderful memories in he/she/it.

 

[ThomasHJ]

Congratulations. Best choice ever! You'll surely love it!

 

[Dr-Snickers]

Congratulations Kate,
The nausea will disappear the instant you get your mitts on it. You have made a great decision.
I hope you make very many wonderful memories in he/she/it.

Thank you and I’m sure you’re right. The age old ritual of deciding on a name; not done that with our current car but it’s an absolute must with our camper!

 

[Dr-Snickers]

Had a wobble last night when a second hand Cali came up for sale with nearly everything we would want including the after market options. Am I mad to spend nearly £60k on a new van or better off second hand? Need some encouragement/sage advice....husband wants the reassurance of warranty and it being new but tbh, he also likes the bling!

 

[Borris]

Had a wobble last night when a second hand Cali came up for sale with nearly everything we would want including the after market options. Am I mad to spend nearly £60k on a new van or better off second hand? Need some encouragement/sage advice....husband wants the reassurance of warranty and it being new but tbh, he also likes the bling!

No you're not mad. The choice is yours but remember, you can't take it with you and before that day comes, if you are unlucky, most of your estate could be hovered up in nursing home fees. Sorry to put a sombre note on this but it's true.

IMO there are several advantages to buying new:
1. It's yours from day one. So no damage or ill treatment etc from the previous owner.
2. You have the option to extend the Factory Warranty to five years or 80,000 miles for what is a very reasonable fee. Peace of mind and in my opinion, a no brainer.
3. You can buy a 2 or 4 service pack to cover the first years of owenership. I think they are also reasonable value and also future proof rises in service costs.
4 You end up with exactly the vehicle you want and not a compromise.
5 Dealers can sometimes offer other inducements on new vehicles e.g help with the VED or free insurance etc and throw in goodies such as Monster mats.
6 Dealers can sometimes offer greater discounts on new vehicles.
7 That new car smell with everything to unwrap like a new pressie.

However there are certain dissadvantages:
a. Larger first years VED payment.
b. Initial depreciation. Although that is negligable on a Cali. Second hand T6's can offer a considerable saving over a new one.

I'm sure there are more pros and cons but I can't think of anymore at present.

It's your choice but my advise is not to worry, buy it, enjoy it, and forget about the money. It is only money. Memories are far more important and a Cali will create many of those.

 

[Dr-Snickers]

Thank you and pretty much exactly what my husband says...so he’ll be happy it’s not just about the bling factor!

 

[Sunstoner]

Oh brilliant Kate! So exciting

We're still weighing things up, leaving it till 1st quarter of next year for our first California but it hasnt stopped the feelings of excitement one bit. Dare I say a few sleepless night too!

 

[B J G]

Hi

Nothing fancy; detachable tow bar, mud flaps, all-weather tyres and think we've decided to go with the side bars.

We preferred the look of the Cascavel alloys but ours comes with the Devonports. We balked at the cost to buy new from VW and then saw some pictures of the side bars with the Devonports and thought that looked fantastic against the starlight blue. If we change our minds, we might buy some Cascavels from eBay in the future.

Hoping the side bars will protect as well as look good....

Cascavel Alloys have Diamond Cut edges which are notorious for corrosion. All Diamond cut alloys have this problem, they are a specialist job to repair and can only be done once.

Although not currently on trend it is more economical in the long term to have fully primed, painted and laquered wheels. Some new alloys come as having a 'Winter' paint rating.

 

[Dr-Snickers]

Cascavel Alloys have Diamond Cut edges which are notorious for corrosion. All Diamond cut alloys have this problem, they are a specialist job to repair and can only be done once.

Although not currently on trend it is more economical in the long term to have fully primed, painted and laquered wheels. Some new alloys come as having a 'Winter' paint rating.

I read about that on the forum as well (what would I do without it!) and it’s another reason why we have stuck with the Devonports. Husbands happy now he has the side bars, so all is good.

 

[Anthony1]

Buyer's remorse soon disipates.

 

[Dr-Snickers]

Buyer's remorse soon disipates.

Thanks.....Once it was paid for, the jitters went and now I'm just left with nervous excitement. Christmas is coming early in our house

 

[Stuart1963]

Well done Kate,

We pick up our new Starlight Blue Ocean next Saturday - also a dream come true. Keep pitching myself.

Just joined this club too,

All the best.

 

[Dr-Snickers]

Well done Kate,

We pick up our new Starlight Blue Ocean next Saturday - also a dream come true. Keep pitching myself.

Just joined this club too,

All the best.

It's so exciting, isn't it?! Starlight Blue wasn't even on my radar at all; I was convinced I would go for the Indium Grey or black but when I saw it, and how it sparkled, I did a double take. It's just iridescent and makes me smile

Have you been waiting long?

 

[LunaLovegood]

Hi

Nothing fancy; detachable tow bar, mud flaps, all-weather tyres and think we've decided to go with the side bars.

We preferred the look of the Cascavel alloys but ours comes with the Devonports. We balked at the cost to buy new from VW and then saw some pictures of the side bars with the Devonports and thought that looked fantastic against the starlight blue. If we change our minds, we might buy some Cascavels from eBay in the future.

Hoping the side bars will protect as well as look good....

Congratulations. We went for starlight blue with the sidebars. I think the bars really bring out the starlight in the blue

 

[Stuart1963]

It's so exciting, isn't it?! Starlight Blue wasn't even on my radar at all; I was convinced I would go for the Indium Grey or black but when I saw it, and how it sparkled, I did a double take. It's just iridescent and makes me smile

Have you been waiting long?

To be honest had always loved the Blackberry deep purple colour, but that was discontinued, and had never considered a new Cali but prices seemed really reasonable for the T6 as the 6.1 was released. So we chose from remaining stock and the Starlight blue was close run thing with the Bamboo green.. But really happy now that we have seen a Starlight blue close up. Thinking my wife will be covering it in stars anyway!... need to be careful!

It's so exciting, isn't it?! Starlight Blue wasn't even on my radar at all; I was convinced I would go for the Indium Grey or black but when I saw it, and how it sparkled, I did a double take. It's just iridescent and makes me smile

Have you been waiting long?

We only ordered it 2 weeks ago, but have been looking at VW campers for years...

To be honest had always loved the Blackberry deep purple colour, but that was discontinued, and had never considered a new Cali but prices seemed really reasonable for the T6 as the 6.1 was released. So we chose from remaining stock and the Starlight blue was close run thing with the Bamboo green.. But really happy now that we have seen a Starlight blue close up. Thinking my wife will be covering it in stars anyway!... need to be careful!

 

[The Quills]

Starlight blue here too. We thought about if for a while, minute we picked it up we couldn’t think why we waited. 50k plus Well Invested....

new or second hand? Buy the best you can, depreciation so low it doesn’t matter....

Keswick last Monday in minus temps, fantastic....

 

[Dr-Snickers]

Congratulations. We went for starlight blue with the sidebars. I think the bars really bring out the starlight in the blue

Have you posted photos of your van? If so it may well have been your pictures that clinched the deal! My husband was really not feeling the Devonports until he saw them with the side bars and then he was convinced. If so, I owe you a huge thank you!

Starlight blue here too. We thought about if for a while, minute we picked it up we couldn’t think why we waited. 50k plus Well Invested....

new or second hand? Buy the best you can, depreciation so low it doesn’t matter....

Keswick last Monday in minus temps, fantastic....

Keswick sounds fantastic! We can’t get away overnight for a few weeks, due to our eldest’s birthday party, but are already working out where we can go and what we might need to keep us warm. Did you sleep up top and if so did you need roof insulation? Our kids will be up there, and we are planning on using it to visit friends in NYE, so want to make sure they’re cosy. So many options and not enough time/money to check them all out!

 

[clarinetbcn]

Several Forum members have found that upstairs can be cold even with the parking heater on, and have posted about making a mod consisting in a tube, sometimes a clothes dryer exhaust tube, to fit to the lower B pillar parking heater outlet to take heat to the upstairs. Forum search function would get you there. I sleep upstairs with a down sleeping bag which I can't use unless it's -0 or less, so no personal experience with this mod.

 

[Dr-Snickers]

Several Forum members have found that upstairs can be cold even with the parking heater on, and have posted about making a mod consisting in a tube, sometimes a clothes dryer exhaust tube, to fit to the lower B pillar parking heater outlet to take heat to the upstairs. Forum search function would get you there. I sleep upstairs with a down sleeping bag which I can't use unless it's -0 or less, so no personal experience with this mod.

I’ve seen photos of those and thought they looked good. I’ll probably have a play, as I love a good hack, but I’m keen to insulate first and foremost, to retain what heat I can and also reduce the light levels in the summer months, as the new canvas is so much brighter.

I like the look of the isotop extreme and preferr something that doesn’t need to be put up every time or require additional storage, but I also don’t want anything that could foul the roof closure or increase the chance of the canvas being damaged.

None if the options are cheap and I don’t want to get it wrong but don’t think we’ll get the chance to catch up with anyone to see options in person before we need it. Another dilemma to add to the list!

 

[The Quills]

Have you posted photos of your van? If so it may well have been your pictures that clinched the deal! My husband was really not feeling the Devonports until he saw them with the side bars and then he was convinced. If so, I owe you a huge thank you!

Keswick sounds fantastic! We can’t get away overnight for a few weeks, due to our eldest’s birthday party, but are already working out where we can go and what we might need to keep us warm. Did you sleep up top and if so did you need roof insulation? Our kids will be up there, and we are planning on using it to visit friends in NYE, so want to make sure they’re cosy. So many options and not enough time/money to check them all out!

Only 2 if us and We used downstairs to avoid the cold. Heater and quilts kept us cosy.
Castlerigg site is nice, a bit of a walk to the centre but great facilities.