2017/18 Beach Specs?

[Simbolini]

I’m starting to look around at upgrading my T5 (2005 bilbos conversion) to a Dayvan Style ULEZ van, and I’m struggling to find exactly what I want (well I know what I want, I just can’t find them as 2nd hand and affordable they’re as rare as rocking horse poop). So I’m toying with the idea of a California Beach.

What I can’t work out is whether the beach came with any kind of cool box/mini fridge, and what the leisure battery is (capacity, alternator charged, easy to upgrade?). Can anyone shine any light on these Q’s for me? I’ve found YouTube videos but they’re all very cursory glances.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[LRGS253]

Beach came with one leisure battery under passenger seat. No electric roof and rarely had the diesel heater option. There was a VW branded coolbox you could order as well as having a smaller bench seat and something that went alongside, not sure if it was just storage,

 

[stoobthealien]

I’m starting to look around at upgrading my T5 (2005 bilbos conversion) to a Dayvan Style ULEZ van, and I’m struggling to find exactly what I want (well I know what I want, I just can’t find them as 2nd hand and affordable they’re as rare as rocking horse poop). So I’m toying with the idea of a California Beach.

What I can’t work out is whether the beach came with any kind of cool box/mini fridge, and what the leisure battery is (capacity, alternator charged, easy to upgrade?). Can anyone shine any light on these Q’s for me? I’ve found YouTube videos but they’re all very cursory glances.

Any help would be appreciated.

Buying a used beach is a right pain - the base spec is super basic so finding the right one can take a while

 

[Simbolini]

Buying a used beach is a right pain - the base spec is super basic so finding the right one can take a while

I really want the a Reimo Cityvan, the beach is certainly a lot easier to find than that.

Are there any specific good beach dealers around?

My problem is my budget is £35-40k, Californias all seem to be about £40k +, Reimo cityvans just don’t exist as used vehicles

 

[Simbolini]

I really want the a Reimo Cityvan, the beach is certainly a lot easier to find than that.

Are there any specific good beach dealers around?

My problem is my budget is £35-40k, Californias all seem to be about £40k +, Reimo cityvans just don’t exist as used vehicles

* California dealers

 

[Simbolini]

Beach came with one leisure battery under passenger seat. No electric roof and rarely had the diesel heater option. There was a VW branded coolbox you could order as well as having a smaller bench seat and something that went alongside, not sure if it was just storage,

Electric roof doesn’t bother me. Any idea how big the leisure battery was?

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Older beaches tend to have better spec. Our old 2012 had uprated climate control, 7 seats, fog lights, camping heater & vw fridge / warming box (which is rubbish & drains the battery!)

The standard spec dropped off for newer models so VW could fill their pockets..some are even missing fog lights. If you don’t see fog lights it’s unlikely to have additional extras…I think that a later fully spec’d beach was more had a comparable price to an Ocean. (Might be wrong!)

 

[Simbolini]

Older beaches tend to have better spec. Our old 2012 had uprated climate control, 7 seats, fog lights, camping heater & vw fridge / warming box (which is rubbish & drains the battery!)

The standard spec dropped off for newer models so VW could fill their pockets..some are even missing fog lights. If you don’t see fog lights it’s unlikely to have additional extras…I think that a later fully spec’d beach was more had a comparable price to an Ocean. (Might be wrong!)

Sadly the earlier models aren’t ULEZ compliant, and as it’s my daily driver that’s a need as my FIL insists in living in the ULEZ zone

 

[Perfectos]

YouTube videos but they’re all very cursory glances

Search for California Chris, he works for a dealer and did lots of YouTube videos on T6 Cali versions: beach, ocean & coast.

Beach single LB is 80A, located under passenger seat (U.K.) charges via alternator. Powers everything backwards of the a pillar. Can be run off Solar panels.

vw cool box was only a thermo cool box, (ambient temp minus a few degrees at best ) most people run a Compressor fridge / freezer such as Dometic CFX etc. ( freezes down to -20) runs off LB for several days without issues.

T6 Beach had lots of optional equipment, comparable to Ocean T6, the options were quite often left off order sheets to keep cost down.
In theory you can get a very high spec Beach with all bells and whistles that are normally more associated with Ocean model.

There are no specialist dealers selling Beach model, dealers will sell what they can get.

T6 Beach was offered in several seating formats the main ones are the rear seat being two or three seats. The former is an Ocean seat bed with a box alongside , the latter is a Caravelle seat bed , both options have comfort mattress available. 7 seats are possible via two additional passenger seats that are removable (similar to Caravelle)

The search function top right (spy glass) will turn up most if not all queries you have.

Very High spec Beach models do exist, but they are not very common and do not come to the market regularly (unlike full spec Ocean models which are two a penny).

Good ,luck with your search.