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Ford transit ‘nugget’ vs VW Cali

The high-top Custom Nugget looks like someone has negligently parked another Custom Nugget on the roof. It doesn't even look like a Smurf.
 
Looks like an awfully big waste of space on the inside.
 
Good afternoon,

I think it is brilliant to have other manufacturers offering camper vans e.g. Ford or Nissan. I think VW need a bit more of competition. If not the prices will really go through the roof.

I believe the California is a wonderful vehicle, but for that amount of money some solutions could be better (e.g. rattling awning, seat covers).

Regards,
Eberhard
 
Eber123 said:
Good afternoon,

I think it is brilliant to have other manufacturers offering camper vans e.g. Ford or Nissan. I think VW need a bit more of competition. If not the prices will really go through the roof.

I believe the California is a wonderful vehicle, but for that amount of money some solutions could be better (e.g. rattling awning, seat covers).

Regards,
Eberhard
Click to expand...
dont forget the roof rot @Eber123 :embarrased
 
Keep the roof issue in perspective, most transit vans are riddled with body rust after 2 - 3 years. My son was looking for a replacement work van recently and we could not find a rust free 3 year old transit van. Ended up with a spotless Vivaro which also has a galvanised body, like the T5.
 
At a starting price of £35.000.- it's a lot cheaper than the Cali but I could never buy one. Height is just above 2 metres preventing you from entering many car parks. No night heater, no stowaway picnic chairs or table and no space to store bulky items.
 
it's a great design in some ways. better kitchen and five seats permanently. don't like them very much though.
 
tomartinh said:
Looks like Ford UK are about to open up the order books with a base cost of 56k

Ford Transit Custom Nugget Camper van | Ford UK

Ford Transit Custom Nugget is a Camper van from Ford & Westfalia, designed to be a home away from home. Explore the Transit Custom Nugget here.
www.ford.co.uk
Click to expand...
My wife cracked her head on the hard edge over the front turned seats at the NEC, interesting layout and not a bad effort but compared with a 6.1 nah.
 
It looks like you would have to raise the roof to make a brew or be on your knees
or get someone small to do it.
 
If I am correct, and peeps more knowledgeable than I will correct me, it is longer than a LWB transporter and considerably higher.

Yet again it confirms for me why I drive a Cali. If it can't shuffle under a 2m height barrier and fit into a 5m parking bay then I might just as well opt for a motorhome rather than a camper.

ALFIE! You're safe ...... (for the time being).... A cali rather than a Nuggi anytime.
 
westfalia said:
It looks like you would have to raise the roof to make a brew or be on your knees
or get someone small to do it.
Click to expand...

I agree that rear kitchen layout (which I have also seen on may VW conversions) would be a no-no for us we use the van all year just spent the afternoon watching the sea in the pouring rain kettle on from the comfort of the bench seat
 
Saw the nugget and thought wow, looks Amazong, so watched a review on you tube, but unlike our VW Cali's that are built by VW the nugget is built by a 3rd party so a conversion really. Also, it's a ford, so will be ok, but not vw quality.and that pull down bed on clips rather than on hydraulics, oh dear, and them cloth pull curtains, oh dear two and a ford badge, on dear three #vwsnobbery
 
MarkVw2017 said:
Saw the nugget and thought wow, looks Amazong, so watched a review on you tube, but unlike our VW Cali's that are built by VW the nugget is built by a 3rd party so a conversion really. Also, it's a ford, so will be ok, but not vw quality.and that pull down bed on clips rather than on hydraulics, oh dear, and them cloth pull curtains, oh dear two and a ford badge, on dear three #vwsnobbery
Click to expand...
I believe the conversion is done by Westfalia who are probably the oldest and most respected "converter", who (if my memory serves me correctly) created the original Cali conversion, which was then brought in-house by VW.
Not sure about the layout, from my perspective it solves some problems with the Cali layout but creates others e.g. access to kitchen facilities when the roof is down.
As to quality, that depends how you measure it and from my subjective personal experience, having owned 7 VWs (3 campers) the last two of which (Passat and T5, under warranty), I had a number of quality issues and to compound them was effectively shafted by a combination of VW and their dealerships lack of response to the point where vehicle safety meant they could not be deemed roadworthy. So since then I no longer buy VW, so have been looking for Cali alternatives.
 
Westfalia now part of Rapido and mass market convertors now. I looked at their vans but they are not the vans of old. Everything now seems to be built to lesser standards ( including house builders) so I no longer look through rose tinted specs but am more realistic. Transits drive nice but long term no way.
As for complaints and dissatisfaction with VW and the California some people are never happy or content. Sorry but true. I'll get my coat.
 
tomartinh said:
I believe the conversion is done by Westfalia who are probably the oldest and most respected "converter", who (if my memory serves me correctly) created the original Cali conversion, which was then brought in-house by VW.
Not sure about the layout, from my perspective it solves some problems with the Cali layout but creates others e.g. access to kitchen facilities when the roof is down.
As to quality, that depends how you measure it and from my subjective personal experience, having owned 7 VWs (3 campers) the last two of which (Passat and T5, under warranty), I had a number of quality issues and to compound them was effectively shafted by a combination of VW and their dealerships lack of response to the point where vehicle safety meant they could not be deemed roadworthy. So since then I no longer buy VW, so have been looking for Cali alternatives.
Click to expand...
Don't bother with Mercedes Marco Polo then. Also built/converted by Westfalia who are busy replacing fibre glass roofs and other metal items to do with the roof that are subject to corrosion.

Westfalia of the Past and Westfalia of the Now are two very different companies.
 
tomartinh said:
Not sure about the layout, from my perspective it solves some problems with the Cali layout but creates others e.g. access to kitchen facilities when the roof is down.
Click to expand...
Yep! The design layout of the nugget is copied from the California Club and Cali Exclusive (both lwb T4 transporters) and both obviously had fixed high tops so the kitchen was always available, even for a cuppa at a service station rest stop.
Having to shuffle around with the roof down (I'm 6'4) to access the kitchen on my knees to save popping the roof.... Doesn't sound so great, but having those separate spaces in the high top worked a dream.

In the Westy City Joker, the loo seat has a cover so you can sit 'on' the loo whilst making a brew with the roof down.
 
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