3 kids - what to do?

[Camperfamily]

We bought our SE last summer (via this forum) and have loved getting away in it pre-COVID with our 4 year old and 2 year old kids, particularly to west coast of Scotland. We now have our third child on the way and I’m wondering whether the Cali SE/Ocean can be enjoyable for a family of 5.

We have a fifth seat although it takes up a lot of space inside and is heavy to move in and out. I’m prepared to buy a small pop up tent to house this overnight. I’m not inclined to go down the drive away awning route (unless staying on a site for a few days) as I like minimal setup, hence buying the Cali in the first place.

I’ve considered selling and buying a 3-seat Beach, which would definitely work better whilst driving, but I’m not convinced the Beach would work for our storage needs as a family of 5. The wardrobe, kitchen shelves and overhead locker are excellent in our SE. Good spec Beaches also seem rare - 3zone, parking heater and LED lights would be my minimum requirements (spec on our SE has spoiled us).

I’ve also considered buying a Multimac, which looks good, however looks bulky and tricky to remove and store come camping time (and it’s £1500!)

So, I think we’re down to (1) keeping the SE and try to make it work for us; or (2) selling the van and return to cottage type breaks and holidays.

(As an aside, we also have two cars which we use as daily drives, neither of which are designed to hold 3 Isofix seats, so will be changing those - probably to a VW Touran which can take 3 Isofix car seats side by side)

All helpful thoughts and advice gratefully accepted, particularly on how we might arrange the seats/ camping arrangements to make the SE work for us.

 

[sapto]

Having one kid I am not much of a help here. Only a suggestion: What about changing to a Beach (sell one/two daily drive) with a roof top box (a lot of members use one) or an Eriba (like [mention]GrannyJen [/mention] ones)?

 

[T6Beach]

The Beach works very well for 5 , can get a bit smelly though

 

[Amarillo]

We bought our SE last summer (via this forum) and have loved getting away in it pre-COVID with our 4 year old and 2 year old kids, particularly to west coast of Scotland. We now have our third child on the way and I’m wondering whether the Cali SE/Ocean can be enjoyable for a family of 5.

We have a fifth seat although it takes up a lot of space inside and is heavy to move in and out. I’m prepared to buy a small pop up tent to house this overnight. I’m not inclined to go down the drive away awning route (unless staying on a site for a few days) as I like minimal setup, hence buying the Cali in the first place.

I’ve considered selling and buying a 3-seat Beach, which would definitely work better whilst driving, but I’m not convinced the Beach would work for our storage needs as a family of 5. The wardrobe, kitchen shelves and overhead locker are excellent in our SE. Good spec Beaches also seem rare - 3zone, parking heater and LED lights would be my minimum requirements (spec on our SE has spoiled us).

I’ve also considered buying a Multimac, which looks good, however looks bulky and tricky to remove and store come camping time (and it’s £1500!)

So, I think we’re down to (1) keeping the SE and try to make it work for us; or (2) selling the van and return to cottage type breaks and holidays.

(As an aside, we also have two cars which we use as daily drives, neither of which are designed to hold 3 Isofix seats, so will be changing those - probably to a VW Touran which can take 3 Isofix car seats side by side)

All helpful thoughts and advice gratefully accepted, particularly on how we might arrange the seats/ camping arrangements to make the SE work for us.

We love our Beach. It's used as a family car as well as a camper.

When camping we set up our kitchen and storage area in the driveaway awning. But as you say, finding a Beach with the right spec will be difficult. I don't think that 3 zone should be a deal breaker, those in the front will have full benefit of the standard air con, and a 4 year old, 2 year old and newborn will have some benefit, (when I think back to touring southern Europe as a child of that age, hot plastic seats with short trousers were uncomfortable in our white Peugeot 404, but I can never remember the ambient heat being anything other other than soporific). A Parking heater can be retrofitted. H4 lights can be upgraded to H7s or even LEDs, the latter at considerable expense.

 

[dleet]

We struggled with two kids and a beach... they come with a LOT of stuff and I spent most of my time moving stuff around, putting up awnings, faffing about making beds, finding stuff..

If you need a second car or if it's your only car, get a front cab bed or a beach.

If you only really use it for day trips and camping, get a bigger van!

 

[Perfectos]

Personally, given your stated circumstances, I would fully explore the three seat Beach option. Sell both of the other cars and replace with a suitable second vehicle with the ability to hold three child seats.

Can you fit a third seat to make the SE five seats (PITA for camping though)

 

[soulstyledevon]

Surely a 3 seat Beach makes sense here...?
But with 3 kids, it would have to be a Beach with suitable trailer, such as Eriba or TAB.
I would use the Beach as a store and use the pop top bed for two and the other 3 in the trailer.

 

[Stuart]

@NZCol was selling his high spec Beach - might be worth giving him a shout if it's still available. Although lockdown obviously makes viewing tricky.

I upgraded our standard H4 lights to Transporter HQ lights which are a decent improvement. But I still wish i had spec'd LEDs from new. Heater can easily be retrofitted. And a plug in USB fan in the back will do the kids

I do think the main strength of a Beach is as a daily driver and camper combined. If you plan to keep both your daily driver cars, and are really looking for a dedicated camper then maybe a bigger van makes sense if you have space for it.

 

[Perfectos]

I have camped with six : four teens age kids and two adults ( additional mid seat installed to facilitate the Sixth Bod during transit

2 kids up top
2 kids in the mahoosive down stair bed, (could fit three Bods if required)
2 adults in a Driveaway awning, attached to a fully wound out van awning ( tarp sheets added to either side to create additional living / storage area. (Tarps attached with Bungee balls for easy removal when required to open up the whole area immediately outside the sliding door.
+
Party tent with zip off sides, for main storage and chill out area , cooking set up etc

The additional seat(s) be removed at the campsite if required and placed in the party tent. ( or left in the van for days out)


The party tent was essential for de cluttering the van for sleeping but very very effective

Vanessa window bags for additional storage
Clear Plastic boxes for everything ( decant into party tent)

Similar to this set up with the addition of a stand alone party tent

IMO camping in a three seater beach for 5: 3 kids + 2 big kids is highly doable with a little planning and without the need for a party tent

 

[tuono001]

Been there with you predicament. We sold our se and bought a beach. It's worked well so far. Though now the youngest is nearly 3 I'm thinking a re shuffle of who sleeps where. Might try a cab bed for 1 night stops.
Window bags help and planning your packing makes it work.
One recommendation is awning side panels, probably 1 of the best things I bought. Somewhere to put the pram and car seats etc and leaves you room inside.
Fifth seat in the se proved tricky for us.

 

[Perfectos]

Look at some of Amarillo’s post for further inspiration regarding set up with young kids

 

[2haw]

As a family of 5, (14, 8 & 6) I don’t think you will find a more versatile vehicle. Perfectly fine for you all to camp in. I’ve loved having one for the last 4 years whilst the kids are young.

Now my eldest is 14, I can’t see us all camping in it much in the years to come, will probably just get a Kombi next.

We did have a Touran about 5 years ago but I don’t think it would be big enough for us now.

 

[2haw]

In our Beach, we sleep 2 up and 3 down, except overnight stops through France.

To save removing every thing during these stop overs, we sleep 3 up and 2 down. I pack all of the bedding and luggage on the multiflex and fold the seat back forward, meaning i sleep downstairs diagonally with my daughter. We all slept in it fully loaded with two 16” kids bikes, and one 27” mountain bike in the centre of Paris on our way back from the Dordogne last year! My two girls were asleep within 40 mins of leaving the Eiffel Tower. It really is an amazing vehicle.

 

[Dave bee]

Three seat beach and a second car should be fine. We camp with three kids and have a pop up tent. On one night stays 2 upstairs 3 downstairs, longer stays you can use the tent for kit or for sleeping. Window bags for some clothes, take your time going through what you take but don’t use. We have far less with us than when we first started and lots of ideas on the forum for handy things to take

 

[Borris]

"3 KIDS - WHAT TO DO?"

We had four before we discovered what was doing it. Shortly afterwards I was booked in to be remapped.

 

[WelshGas]

We bought our SE last summer (via this forum) and have loved getting away in it pre-COVID with our 4 year old and 2 year old kids, particularly to west coast of Scotland. We now have our third child on the way and I’m wondering whether the Cali SE/Ocean can be enjoyable for a family of 5.

We have a fifth seat although it takes up a lot of space inside and is heavy to move in and out. I’m prepared to buy a small pop up tent to house this overnight. I’m not inclined to go down the drive away awning route (unless staying on a site for a few days) as I like minimal setup, hence buying the Cali in the first place.

I’ve considered selling and buying a 3-seat Beach, which would definitely work better whilst driving, but I’m not convinced the Beach would work for our storage needs as a family of 5. The wardrobe, kitchen shelves and overhead locker are excellent in our SE. Good spec Beaches also seem rare - 3zone, parking heater and LED lights would be my minimum requirements (spec on our SE has spoiled us).

I’ve also considered buying a Multimac, which looks good, however looks bulky and tricky to remove and store come camping time (and it’s £1500!)

So, I think we’re down to (1) keeping the SE and try to make it work for us; or (2) selling the van and return to cottage type breaks and holidays.

(As an aside, we also have two cars which we use as daily drives, neither of which are designed to hold 3 Isofix seats, so will be changing those - probably to a VW Touran which can take 3 Isofix car seats side by side)

All helpful thoughts and advice gratefully accepted, particularly on how we might arrange the seats/ camping arrangements to make the SE work for us.

Whatever you do don't rush. Sort out your other transport first.
Get a cab bed./hammock for the baby, you've sorted seats and until they are walking babies tend to stay where they are put. I have some experience as we took 5 kids camping with tents and a caravan eventually. Nos; 1&2 were more difficult than 3,4 & 5.
Take your time deciding. With the Beach you will have to have an awning room of some sort but you could have an awning with the SE.
You have at least 1 to 2 years to decide.

 

[tuono001]

Think long term. We had to swap car and van when number 3 came along. Hardest part was finding a car that we liked that would take all 3 of the kids car seats. After many test drives and thinking long term we settled on a Ford Galaxy and then swapped our se for the beach.
I preferred our se but it just didn't work with the extra seat in place.

 

[Borris]

Seriously, you should explore the Beach option further. It will solve your problem. There are plenty of storage solutions so there is no need to be any less organised than you are at present. We have had two seven seat Beaches to date and they make the most flexible of family vehicles. My advice would be try ditching one of your cars and running a Beach as an every day vehicle. I'm pretty sure that you will find a Beach perfect for your needs.

Your only problem would be finding one that meets your spec list.

 

[andyinluton]

Depends on how you use the van & where you camp.

Our SE used to have the 5th seat in all the time & was used as daily transport, remove the rear shelf & it works well as a five seater. For days out its perfect having all the facilities with you. A Thetford 335 under the sink is brilliant with little ones. Cold drinks from the fridge, sink to wash your hands etc.

For camping, we used to favour sites where you could just park up & walk / ride bikes. This meant taking the 5th seat out on arrival & putting it back at the end of the break - thats easy enough, just a pain if you have to do it daily, but easy enough if you do want to have a day trip.

You can also make a shorter bed downstairs by leaving the rear shelf at home. If you do this you can leave the 5th seat in place. Fold the back of it down to make a table. Sleep the kids on the short bed & adults upstairs.

We took the view that if we had a beach we would spend half the break loading & unloading the van - go out for the day - do you load up the fridge, stove, water etc. In an Ocean you just take it with you.

As a van in daily us for 5 occasionally used to go camping a SE / Ocean is a good compromise, if you don't use it as a main car & only for camping its not the best, but if that was all I used ours for I wouldn't choose a beach either.

PS. Theres nothing to stop you still renting cottages etc & turning up in a Cali.

 

[soulstyledevon]

This just popped up on my feed...
Interesting with a pop up roof tent attached.

Life Style Camper

Life Style Camper is a young company, lead by enthusiasts, who are ready to develop a completely new approach to the comfort and style of your holidays.We produce compact campers for active recreation, fishing, hunting and tourism.

lifestylecamper.co.uk

I wouldn’t entertain an Ocean or SE with more than 4 people. Would be a total nightmare...

 

[Borris]

We took the view that if we had a beach we would spend half the break loading & unloading the van - go out for the day - do you load up the fridge, stove, water etc. In an Ocean you just take it with you.

You make some excellent points.

I think it's fair to say that everyone uses their vehicles differently and factors such as how many of you are using the van, are any of them very young children and how organised you are as a person and group play a big part in just how successful anyone may find the vehicle. Whilst there is no doubt that the SE/Ocean has an "off the peg" design that lends itself to order, it also helps to have borderline OCD tendancies. If the user happens to be a disorganised type it won't make much difference if they have an SE/Ocean or a Beach. On the other hand with the right approach and a thoughtful well planned stowage scheme there's no reason why a Beach should be any less convenient to use, e.g we could jump in ours right now and apart from clothes and bedding which we have never left in the van, SE or Beach, we have everything we need loaded and ready for use. It's all easy to access and whilst staying in the vehicle all of the time it doesn't hinder its use as an everyday work horse.

 

[Wondering Star]

5 seater Beach, slidepod kitchen and vanessa window bags for extra storage.
Massive lower bed, even when touring Europe one night stopovers are easy.
Two kids and one adult up top and one adult transverse across back seat.
Brilliant family car when not holidaying.

 

[sidepod]

Sell the kids?

 

[Loz]

Sell the kids?

When I saw you were the last to post on this thread I thought, I bet he suggested selling one, I scrolled down, and you didn’t disappoint.

 

[kurienp]

Sell the kids?

Why all? He still got two seats.