2 or 3 sit bench?

[Sp0_0k]

Considering it is just 2 of us and a dog we thought it is logical to go for 2 sit bench.
More space for other stuff. Any huge advantages of 3 sit one we don't know about?

 

[Batmobile]

I'm fairly new to this and others may correct me, but I understand advantages for the 3 seater are:

• Bigger downstairs bed, albeit a slightly less flat one. Can incorporate second row seats into super long bed.
• Extra floor rail means you can add two rather than one additional second row seats, making 7 seats. The double bench configuration means it maxes out at 5 seats (like the SE/Ocean).
• The multiflex board for the 3 seater hinges, so the 3 seat bench goes back further if you want it to.
• Probably mode demand for the 3 seat bench variant (due to being able to make a 7 seater) which may help resale. I may be wrong but it seems the majority of UK Beach owners go for the 3 seat bench.
• I noted that the lack of a storage box on the 3 seater meant less in the way under foot, when using the interior table i.e. a less cluttered living room. The storage box on the two seater seems to keep you from sitting as close to the side of the vehicle. It was important for me to have the largest possible 'living room' (2nd row seats removed of course).

I thought about this and did my reading, recently ordering a Beach with 3 seat bench. 2 seater gives a flatter bed, with the second rail being positioned well for use of rail-based storage boxes or pod based utilities i.e. kitchens.

Hope this helps and if I got any of this wrong, someone with more experience will correct me!

Considering it is just 2 of us and a dog we thought it is logical to go for 2 sit bench.
More space for other stuff. Any huge advantages of 3 sit one we don't know about?

 

[Bramco]

If it's just two of you then yes the 2 seat will give you more room. The box down the side is very useful and makes up part of the bed.

Beach is a great choice!!

@Tom - not sure why you think the bed is narrower in the 2 seat as the box down the side becomes part of the bed, so 2 seat or 3 seat you have the same size double bed downstairs. Stand to be corrected of course and I guess if the box is optional on the T6, then you need to spec this for the wide bed

 

[Batmobile]

I agree! I had my heart set on an Ocean/SE, but then the more I thought about it, the more the Beach made sense, up to the point that it wasn't even close. Kids, photography equipment, daily use, possible future use for commercial stuff.... I needed the space, better rolling refinement etc. If it hadn't been the 3 seat bench, I'd still have gone for the 2 seat over the SE/Ocean. We all have different needs!

If it's just two of you then yes the 2 seat will give you more room. The box down the side is very useful and makes up part of the bed.

Beach is a great choice!!

@Tom - not sure why you think the bed is narrower in the 2 seat as the box down the side becomes part of the bed, so 2 seat or 3 seat you have the same size double bed downstairs. Stand to be corrected of course and I guess if the box is optional on the T6, then you need to spec this for the wide bed

 

[2into1]

I think the 2 seater will have demand from those wanting to fit a Maxxcamp 'Cali' layout down the side and turn it into a conventional campervan layout.
Manual roof and strong yet removable units will be a nice solution as these vans age. I think the 3 seater are massively outselling the 2 seater so going for a 2 is a gamble, that may pay off.
(hopeless vw dealers don't even state which bench is fitted on their ads, and don't include a photo to show)

 

[Sp0_0k]

My dealers says there is a 2 sit by default. 3-sit option is free of course. What worries me that multiflex board isn't mentioned with a 2 sitter. Also is board's height always standard?
Also are you sure guys 2sitter has a different number of rail? Was sure it is always 4 rails for beach and 2 for kitchen ocean builds.

 

[Bramco]

Our 2 seat Beach has 4 rails. The bench runs on 3 of them and the box down the side is fastened into the other one. Van is from November 2014.

The board is not the mutiflex type it is a fixed board which runs across the whole width of the van. It is removable and fits onto the outside 2 rails. The height is obviously designed to make a flat bed with the back of the seat, the seat and the box down the side.

I'm guessing all Beaches come with 4 rails?

 

[Sp0_0k]

 

[Sp0_0k]

What worries me that board is lower in 2 sitter

 

[Bramco]

The flip side of that is that there's more room above it!

 

[Sp0_0k]

Is it possible to get that high board from 3 sitter with 2 one?

 

[daveyboydanger]

Is it possible to get that high board from 3 sitter with 2 one?

I suppose you could but you wouldn't want to sleep on it!

 

[Sp0_0k]

I plan to sleep 90% up. But I need to fit pretty high fridge under the board. Why 2 sit is lower when extended though? 3sit moves up.

 

[Sp0_0k]

What is the length of flattened 2sit. There is no chance to sleep on that sit alone with elevated board,right?

 

[daveyboydanger]

What is the length of flattened 2sit. There is no chance to sleep on that sit alone with elevated board,right?

Don't know the lengths exactly but I know that the seat alone will not be long enough or wide enough to let the average height adult to lie on it full stretch. That's why the multi-flex board is there for both 2and3 seaters.

 

[kave]

Any pictures on how much space behind three seater bench and between driver seat?
What configuration is mostly user when camping?

 

[Sp0_0k]

 

[Sp0_0k]

What I liked about 2 sitter, there seems way bigger single box underneath. 3 seather has some small ones if I recall right.

 

[Bramco]

That's right. You get one big drawer underneath the seat.

 

[Sp0_0k]

Anybody has pictures or even better videos of that container box in 2 sitter? Is it top loading?
I see lots of people mount a fridge above it which is very practical, but how to access that box then?

 

[Bramco]

It's top loading and the hinge is about half way along the seat, so it lifts at the front. We put a dual voltage cool box in front of the box, behind the passenger seat (rhd of course). To do this you might have to have the back board right at the back end of it's fixing range and also the box as far back as possible. It can't go any further back than the front of the back board of course. This gives you maximum space between the passenger seat and the box.

 

[BeachyBird]

We have the beach with a 2 seat bench and the bed is huge as the above picture and I believe a lot more comfy than the 3 seat. The side box is great to carry all your clothes and toiletries and the large draw under the seat holds cooker, pots and pans washing bowl food etc. There are 4 floor rails and the seat runs on 2 of them. You can get a decent size fridge/ cool box between the side box and the rear of the passenger seat.
The only possible negatives are the seat does not go quite as far back as the 3 seater and the flexiboard is not hinged.
Which ever you decide on I am sure you will have loads of fun.

 

[daveyboydanger]

Anybody has pictures or even better videos of that container box in 2 sitter? Is it top loading?
I see lots of people mount a fridge above it which is very practical, but how to access that box then?

It is top loading.

 

[Sp0_0k]

The only possible negatives are the seat does not go quite as far back as the 3 seater and the flexiboard is not hinged.
Which ever you decide on I am sure you will have loads of fun.

I want 2 sit with proper flex board )

 

[Bramco]

The board in the 2 seat is proper. It's the proper board for this configuration And IMO does the job it's intended to do very well. I mean it's a board when all said and done.