Used Grand Cali 2020 or 2022? Any spec upgrades?

studioTUNGSTEN

studioTUNGSTEN

Lifetime VIP Member
Messages
154
Location
Kingston-Upon-Thames
Vehicle
Grand California 600
Just returned from 7 days of Exmoor touring.

Now I am sitting comfortably and looking at a Used Grand Cali 600. ;-)

Wonder if there are any factory spec differences on 2020~2022 models and more importantly MUST Checkpoints from your experiences before purchasing a Used grand Cali.

I have been owning California Ocean T5.1 ~ T6.1 for the last 8 years and fully reckon I will live with small faults as they are a house on the road.

Any tips would be appreciated and made you a great happy new year. ;-)
 
Having just sold one:
Heated seats - were standard, became optional at some point.

Awning - expensive to retrofit & involves cupboards being taken off, its a far more substantial item than the Ocean one.

Solar - well worth having, battery life is about 24 hours without.

Diesel heater - weight on a 3.5tnne cali is marginal, diesel heating means you can
get away with using a 907 gas bottle & save 40kg or so.

Electric heating / hot water - whether you go gas or electric boiler there is an option for electric, if you camp with hookup it gives near silent well distributed heating & unlimited hot water (well until the tank empties)

Remote controlled Diesel heating - well worth having, this is an additional heater that has a remote control & uses two additional floor vents between the front seats. The standard cab heater in my opinion is marginal in cold weather, it's the same as the ocean one in a van with a lot more volume & no rear outlets. This heater gives you a fighting chance of getting the van warm in less than 20 miles!

LED headlights - fantastic & expensive retrofit.

SOG/toilet vent - absolutely brilliant, open the toilet flap & smells are sucked in, wife would like this fitting at home....

Tow bar - get factory fit if you want one - has a detachable hitch. Retro fit is about £900 but to remove hitch you need spanners!

Rear aircon - roof mounted, your choice - only works on hookup, you loose the roof light.
 
Andy’s review is spot on; we have a 2020 600, check older models have had the sink tap changed; fridge door latch modification, cupboard catches upgraded. Look behind the rear roof lining for any damage from a leaking third brake light.
The newer models have gaps on the vinyl wrap at the A post due to the original wrap bubbling up. Check there are no dents in the side panels around the windows.
Hope this helps
 
Just remembered the most important option - heated screen.
 
Welcome Gc micro-home!. Is really wunderbar sunshine holiday machine long distance travel and for sure nice picnic day beach seaside.

Most very important number 1 check is - is buy GC haves VW own long 5 years warranty - then is not for you must pay fix troubles which coming.

New tap silver shine mirror alike - not leaking and breakings pump.

i am not delight roof air - is your head 60cm beside high and noise machine makes you sleeping not possible. Better is floor machine air variant - cannot hear.

Must be solar keep energy battery - useful can flooshing wc anytime and handwashing of course.

i am led lampings - they not so bright than good auto-car - only is very white light but not is powerful strong or far away makes light i am not next time choosings led lampings. vw led is rubbishing (- toyota/lexus led much stronger lightings. are you many night time drivings you camper need dim led lightings?

Towing hooker is wrong writings Vw make. Is not can Lock! - Vw is tells can locking, but cannot.
bad peoples can walking and take you hooker off. Regulier California is yes can locking hooker - GC cannot locking.

Hot front window not very good - waiting very long time it works. better switchings on GC and heater make window clean ice and fog.

Self park automat is a nice when is it can finding 8m long parking place. small parking place and automat cannot make parking. New spa can only parkings same long ways than is GC drive. Old spa can is also finding and parking 90 degree, new cannot.

Hot chair driving side my keep electric cable falling many times and not chair comes hot. Service centre informs VW make cables very short ( is cheaper than make long cables ) and is when spinning around to rear direction chair is pull cable outside plug. Can is now fixing self when is Vw service center show how.

Heating is easy choosing diesel and electric - is anywhere europe can buying diesel and is heatings operate. Gas must each country choosing connection and not is always holiday timings can you buying gas bottles, but can be buying diesel ok no troubles. Electric plus - giving you are save you diesel when is camping organistion place.

I am enjopy 4motion if is deterioration bad road condtions, snow/ice and camping organisation having soft grass. Also can be help other camper. Summertime last, i am pulling helping 4 regulier campers soft grasscamping place. 1 gives me bottle wine say thankyou and other 2 nice beer. If choosing 4m making sure complete system and is Locking Button make maximum traction.

last make good plan visiting chemist and buying ear pluggings. GC very noisy machine - every article back of driving chair is singing and talkings to you squeek rattle and bangings all way end destination.
I make radio more extra loudings but is give head sore after many hours all such noise.
Better is ear pluggings or music headphone what is encapsulate all ear and is not such sounds penetrate you head many hours. - California Ocean is not make such noises - is luxury camping machine but GC can make bad headache - so i am keep box paracetamol my knee box always.

Is wunderbar camping machine but not is perfect yet.
May it be soon when is electric variant comes can be at peace and harmony with nature really.
 
Holidaymaker said:
last make good plan visiting chemist and buying ear pluggings. GC very noisy machine - every article back of driving chair is singing and talkings to you squeek rattle and bangings all way end destination.
I make radio more extra loudings but is give head sore after many hours all such noise.
Better is ear pluggings or music headphone what is encapsulate all ear and is not such sounds penetrate you head many hours. - California Ocean is not make such noises - is luxury camping machine but GC can make bad headache - so i am keep box paracetamol my knee box always.
Click to expand...
Thats not what I wanted. Possible to make things Quiet even if well stored?
 
Another one I’ve remembered, the electric folding mirrors. Both for parking and an emergency pull in on narrow lanes.
 
studioTUNGSTEN said:
Thats not what I wanted. Possible to make things Quiet even if well stored?
Click to expand...
i am not knowing how is make quiet this GC - is singing machine - rittle rattle singine tatle all way to camping home place!. loud radio make more noise and more big headache. good wine is most important after vw warranty! .

is may someowhere be who is have solution to big noises, - if is you can forgive such sounds - you are to love this holiday maschine!,
 
studioTUNGSTEN said:
Thats not what I wanted. Possible to make things Quiet even if well stored?
Click to expand...
We use 'house packing' blankets from Amazon - allows you to fill all of the space in the cupboards and drawers.
Nothing moves now and we can happily listen to podcasts or music whilst on the move without maxing the volume

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk
 
mpill990 said:
We use 'house packing' blankets from Amazon - allows you to fill all of the space in the cupboards and drawers.
Nothing moves now and we can happily listen to podcasts or music whilst on the move without maxing the volume

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
My wife has a PhD in packing things. If the Noises are not from the mechanical parts, I am not allowed to worry. :)
 
studioTUNGSTEN said:
Just returned from 7 days of Exmoor touring.

Now I am sitting comfortably and looking at a Used Grand Cali 600. ;-)

Wonder if there are any factory spec differences on 2020~2022 models and more importantly MUST Checkpoints from your experiences before purchasing a Used grand Cali.

I have been owning California Ocean T5.1 ~ T6.1 for the last 8 years and fully reckon I will live with small faults as they are a house on the road.

Any tips would be appreciated and made you a great happy new year. ;-)
Click to expand...
Minor in the scheme of things but the satnav/radio unit is different in models from 2021 onwards. In newer versions the main buttons are integral to the glass screen panel. Perhaps just a cosmetic change.
 
The Yorkshireman said:
Andy’s review is spot on; we have a 2020 600, check older models have had the sink tap changed; fridge door latch modification, cupboard catches upgraded. Look behind the rear roof lining for any damage from a leaking third brake light.
The newer models have gaps on the vinyl wrap at the A post due to the original wrap bubbling up. Check there are no dents in the side panels around the windows.
Hope this help
Click to expand...
Just out of curiosity you mention upgraded cupboard catches is this for the overhead ones? what was changed please as have lots of rattling from mine and haven’t seen any info on upgrades so might look at getting VW to change?
 
Im unaware of any upgrade to the cupboard catches. My van was a November 2021 build, to stop the rattles there are adjustment screw on all the cupboard hinges & you can make them shut firmer, combine with rubber dots or the like on the edges & you can stop the rattles.
 
andyinluton said:
Im unaware of any upgrade to the cupboard catches. My van was a November 2021 build, to stop the rattles there are adjustment screw on all the cupboard hinges & you can make them shut firmer, combine with rubber dots or the like on the edges & you can stop the rattles.
Click to expand...
Yes i resorted to rubber dots too and adjusted doors but certainly not 100% cured.
 
andyinluton said:
Im unaware of any upgrade to the cupboard catches. My van was a November 2021 build, to stop the rattles there are adjustment screw on all the cupboard hinges & you can make them shut firmer, combine with rubber dots or the like on the edges & you can stop the rattles.
Click to expand...
A few of mine were replaced due to the overhead door springing open think this applies to GC before July 21.
 
Holidaymaker said:
i am not knowing how is make quiet this GC - is singing machine - rittle rattle singine tatle all way to camping home place!. loud radio make more noise and more big headache. good wine is most important after vw warranty! .

is may someowhere be who is have solution to big noises, - if is you can forgive such sounds - you are to love this holiday maschine!,
Click to expand...

Pick up a roll of this for the cupboards.
Really helps with noise from the storage area

 
Hammer said:
Just out of curiosity you mention upgraded cupboard catches is this for the overhead ones? what was changed please as have lots of rattling from mine and haven’t seen any info on upgrades so might look at getting VW to change?
Click to expand...
Hi our van is March 2020, it had all the rear overhead locker catches changed and the seal on the bottom of the shower door replaced.
 
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