5 seater - California or Marco Polo

[rolvos]

Hi Jeremy

I, too, was very impressed how deep your analysis went. And liked reading this whole discussion.

Reading your first topic, I thought, he already knows the answer. Take the car you like.

But being, probably, more helpful I would like to do some more input:

I can only sign what some of you have already written about the use of the VW as a 5-seater. We had a 5th seat in the basement for 7 years and I hated to mount it. In the back everything out, so that one has enough foot space and the seat itself is damn heavy. But if it was mounted inside, good comfort. I find this 5-person family on youtube sympathetic and exciting how five of them drive and camp all over Europe. Ok, their kids are smaller, but maybe you can see one or the other helpful picture for using the VW with 5th seat: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7NatMA5b1x0KTiR-tS0jqg

The ventilation for me, knowing the MP only from looking in it at fairs, is really good in the VW. If it gets very warm, we use the Brandrup airsafe and, together with open windows in the popup and the kitchen, we have a good breathe inside.

We bought our second Cali as a 2WD again because we never needed 4WD, even in the Use as a towing vehicle for our 1500 kg caravan. But my wife likes to stay on campsites, so we do not go too much offroad. I think your personal use is the key to the answer.

Electric aids like the tailgate and the electric bed are less important to me. I had this last year when we switched from the Passat, which was equipped with all the frills, back to Cali. Become older, a manual tailgate is a chance to do some exercise.

The manual handbrake has never been a problem for us. We have a LHD and never turn the driver's seat over, but push it forward and thus gain so much space that we can hang a board on the side of the kitchen to accommodate the coffee machine. On the seat there is room for a handbag, jackets, clothes (at night) and in front of him in the footwell (shoes and bicycle bags). Maybe I wanted to say with all this is simply: the perfect use for you you will find out only in years of use, but that is also the attraction.

I am curious what the decision will look like in the end.

Herzliche Grüsse aus der Schweiz
Roland

 

[andyinluton]

Thanks Aubisque, this is very useful - how does the 5th seat work for you in practice with all seats occupied? Did you need to push the bench backwards, and if you did - how was the luggage space left?

What do you need the luggage space for if you are not camping?
We used to fit 2nr 5th seats in our SE & had the rear bench slid back until the headrests were under the rear cupboard, ie as far as it would go. in this configuration we still had enough room to squeeze in the boot area 6 small suitcases, cadac BBQ, 2x body boards, beach umbrellas etc. You then still have all the cupboards to put stuff in.

For just five seats you are only looking at moving the bench back about 6 inches to give some additional leg room. The boot you are left with will only be 6 inches depth wise smaller than normal, don't forget that without the rear shelf & mattress in you can stand cases & the like on end rather than having to put them flat.

 

[Toothlessjon]

I have a Lab and analysed the MP v Cali for so long my head hurt. I decided to buy the MP for all the reasons you mentioned but especially the space (100m. Extra) and the leather seats. However I had the most horrendous experience with the MErcedes whilst researching and test driving the the MP, so bad that I decided at the last minute to buy the Cali 4motion, and I am happy as pie. I tried 5MPs and never had one that the rear seats would sit flat. The Mercedes dealerships no little to nothing about the vehicle they are trying to sell. The lack of space at the rear caused by the table and chairs would definitely have been a problem for me. You’ll find you never have enough space. I think the seats on the Cali are far more practical now I have driven it a while. In my mind I would have ruined the white leather seats in the MP. I love the 4motion and was gutted the MP didn’t have this tbh. The main problem I thought with the Cali would be the space when the lower bed was down and out Lab had to sit between the seat and the bed ( my wife has to sleep on the rear bed). However this has turned out to be no problem at all as I have removed the rear metal shelf and replaced it with a two piece plywood shelf. This gives us a extra 360mm at the end of the bed. We can comfortably fit the lab and even the porta potti if required. I don’t believe you could make this mod on the MP because of the frame for the table and chairs.

I can honestly say I am 100% gLad I purchased the Cali. The only thing I miss is the speed warning notifications the Mercedes MP had, and the main cupboards and drawers are far better imo. Far better to have the manual seats in the rear, you’ll be surprised how many times you’ll be glad you can move them quickly.

Electric doors would be nice, I am told the Cali electric doors have an alarm on them. But think in hindsight I’d get frustrated waiting for them to close.

Also they make a 3litre version of the MP now, although I don’t see the need tbh.

 

[Toothlessjon]

Two main thoughts

- the dog needing floor space is the clincher for me, I don’t know how much there is in a MP, but there’s nothing usable in a Cali with the bed made up

- I would have had 4WD, but instead specced a fifth seat (as mentioned you can’t have both) and all season tyres. Rationale that I would definitely need the fifth seat a few times a year but would probably never need 4WD. Some traction matts give you peace of mind and they take up no space at all in the boot.

I’ve taken it winter camping and skiing twice (this year to The Lecht at -15 and pretty snowy/icy and it was really good).

Re usable floor space, There is if you modify the rear parcel shelf.

 

[Aubisque]

Hi Jeremy

I find this 5-person family on youtube sympathetic and exciting how five of them drive and camp all over Europe. Ok, their kids are smaller, but maybe you can see one or the other helpful picture for using the VW with 5th seat: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7NatMA5b1x0KTiR-tS0jqg

I have always slightly winced at those videos. Of course it’s possible for five people and use of the fifth seat to do it, but I doubt it’s much fun. For me anyway, the vehicle is just too small to not make unpacking and packing a compete ballache, but we don’t spend too long in one place.

 

[Aubisque]

Re usable floor space, There is if you modify the rear parcel shelf.

How does that work with the mattress ?

 

[Toothlessjon]

How does that work with the mattress ?

I don’t use the Cali mattress, I bought a Duvalay and cut it down with a bread knife. You can pay a bit more a get made to measure, but I thought if ever one of my kids borrowed the Cali they could referent to full size by adding the cut off portion back.

 

[Toothlessjon]

I have always slightly winced at those videos. Of course it’s possible for five people and use of the fifth seat to do it, but I doubt it’s much fun. For me anyway, the vehicle is just too small to not make unpacking and packing a compete ballache, but we don’t spend too long in one place.

I’d agree, I realised almost immediately that they are a lot more confined when you start to use them than when they are in the showroom, but they did try one for two weeks. The family of 5 on YouTube carry an awful lot of kit, but do use their drive away awning to the max.

 

[Amarillo]

I’d agree, I realised almost immediately that they are a lot more confined when you start to use them than when they are in the showroom, but they did try one for two weeks. The family of 5 on YouTube carry an awful lot of kit, but do use their drive away awning to the max.

My immediate impression was that that particular family in the video would have been much better off with a Beach. I didn’t see them use the van’s kitchen, although there was one shot with a kettle on the van’s stove.

And boy! What a lot of packing they had to do after each campsite.

 

[JayBob]

I have a Lab and analysed the MP v Cali for so long my head hurt. I decided to buy the MP for all the reasons you mentioned but especially the space (100m. Extra) and the leather seats. However I had the most horrendous experience with the MErcedes whilst researching and test driving the the MP, so bad that I decided at the last minute to buy the Cali 4motion, and I am happy as pie. I tried 5MPs and never had one that the rear seats would sit flat. The Mercedes dealerships no little to nothing about the vehicle they are trying to sell. The lack of space at the rear caused by the table and chairs would definitely have been a problem for me. You’ll find you never have enough space. I think the seats on the Cali are far more practical now I have driven it a while. In my mind I would have ruined the white leather seats in the MP. I love the 4motion and was gutted the MP didn’t have this tbh. The main problem I thought with the Cali would be the space when the lower bed was down and out Lab had to sit between the seat and the bed ( my wife has to sleep on the rear bed). However this has turned out to be no problem at all as I have removed the rear metal shelf and replaced it with a two piece plywood shelf. This gives us a extra 360mm at the end of the bed. We can comfortably fit the lab and even the porta potti if required. I don’t believe you could make this mod on the MP because of the frame for the table and chairs.

I can honestly say I am 100% gLad I purchased the Cali. The only thing I miss is the speed warning notifications the Mercedes MP had, and the main cupboards and drawers are far better imo. Far better to have the manual seats in the rear, you’ll be surprised how many times you’ll be glad you can move them quickly.

Electric doors would be nice, I am told the Cali electric doors have an alarm on them. But think in hindsight I’d get frustrated waiting for them to close.

Also they make a 3litre version of the MP now, although I don’t see the need tbh.

Thank you Toothlessjon, very relevant comments!
- dealer experience - sorry to hear about your experience; in my area it’s the opposite - VW dealer didn’t help much with the Cali, and there were none to try out; the MB has a decent dealership, with several MPs to look at / try out. They let me try everything in the cars extensively and offered sensible advice, sadly didnt have one with the 5th seat...
- white leather - I have this in my current V Class and can only say good things - stood up to the test of time, and extremely easy to clean and maintain with our dog - my wife insisted on this, and I’m surprised how good it looks with 4 years of family use; I would still chose black leather in the MP
- 4wd wasn’t my priority, but if I want to spec it, it’s available here in the MP together with the 5th seat, but not in the Cali ...
- I’m convinced I would enjoy the Cali very much, but the process of putting the cumbersome additional seat in and out and having to add space for the dog by modifying the parcel shelf sounds daunting to me (as they say in my home country, I have “two left hands” when it comes to DIY solutions...
- agree with you both on the cupboards/drawers, and the manual seat

Jeremy

 

[JayBob]

What do you need the luggage space for if you are not camping?
We used to fit 2nr 5th seats in our SE & had the rear bench slid back until the headrests were under the rear cupboard, ie as far as it would go. in this configuration we still had enough room to squeeze in the boot area 6 small suitcases, cadac BBQ, 2x body boards, beach umbrellas etc. You then still have all the cupboards to put stuff in.

For just five seats you are only looking at moving the bench back about 6 inches to give some additional leg room. The boot you are left with will only be 6 inches depth wise smaller than normal, don't forget that without the rear shelf & mattress in you can stand cases & the like on end rather than having to put them flat.

Hi Andyinluton, thanks for the comment! I need the luggage space for long distance travel with the full family (incl. the dog and plenty of luggage) 1-2 times a year (skiing holidays, visiting grandparents, no camping). It will certainly be a downgrade compared to our V Class (which the camper will replace). Daily I’ll take out the 5th seat and enjoy the standard config. Encouraging to hear you’ve been able to pack so much still with additional seats.

Jeremy

 

[JayBob]

Hi Jeremy

I, too, was very impressed how deep your analysis went. And liked reading this whole discussion.

Reading your first topic, I thought, he already knows the answer. Take the car you like.

But being, probably, more helpful I would like to do some more input:

I can only sign what some of you have already written about the use of the VW as a 5-seater. We had a 5th seat in the basement for 7 years and I hated to mount it. In the back everything out, so that one has enough foot space and the seat itself is damn heavy. But if it was mounted inside, good comfort. I find this 5-person family on youtube sympathetic and exciting how five of them drive and camp all over Europe. Ok, their kids are smaller, but maybe you can see one or the other helpful picture for using the VW with 5th seat: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7NatMA5b1x0KTiR-tS0jqg

The ventilation for me, knowing the MP only from looking in it at fairs, is really good in the VW. If it gets very warm, we use the Brandrup airsafe and, together with open windows in the popup and the kitchen, we have a good breathe inside.

We bought our second Cali as a 2WD again because we never needed 4WD, even in the Use as a towing vehicle for our 1500 kg caravan. But my wife likes to stay on campsites, so we do not go too much offroad. I think your personal use is the key to the answer.

Electric aids like the tailgate and the electric bed are less important to me. I had this last year when we switched from the Passat, which was equipped with all the frills, back to Cali. Become older, a manual tailgate is a chance to do some exercise.

The manual handbrake has never been a problem for us. We have a LHD and never turn the driver's seat over, but push it forward and thus gain so much space that we can hang a board on the side of the kitchen to accommodate the coffee machine. On the seat there is room for a handbag, jackets, clothes (at night) and in front of him in the footwell (shoes and bicycle bags). Maybe I wanted to say with all this is simply: the perfect use for you you will find out only in years of use, but that is also the attraction.

I am curious what the decision will look like in the end.

Herzliche Grüsse aus der Schweiz
Roland

Thanks Roland, very helpful input. Wise words on discovering the perfect setup over time - I agree very much. The Youtube channel mentioned is very useful. It also reminds me of the days when packing our three little kids into a car for longer holidays was an exercise in advanced logistics ;-) It seems like with 3 fully grown teenagers, a large dog, and a set of Christmas holiday luggage we might not be very comfortable in the 5 seater Ocean - but it’d be doable.

Jeremy

 

[Toothlessjon]

Thank you Toothlessjon, very relevant comments!
- dealer experience - sorry to hear about your experience; in my area it’s the opposite - VW dealer didn’t help much with the Cali, and there were none to try out; the MB has a decent dealership, with several MPs to look at / try out. They let me try everything in the cars extensively and offered sensible advice, sadly didnt have one with the 5th seat...
- white leather - I have this in my current V Class and can only say good things - stood up to the test of time, and extremely easy to clean and maintain with our dog - my wife insisted on this, and I’m surprised how good it looks with 4 years of family use; I would still chose black leather in the MP
- 4wd wasn’t my priority, but if I want to spec it, it’s available here in the MP together with the 5th seat, but not in the Cali ...
- I’m convinced I would enjoy the Cali very much, but the process of putting the cumbersome additional seat in and out and having to add space for the dog by modifying the parcel shelf sounds daunting to me (as they say in my home country, I have “two left hands” when it comes to DIY solutions...
- agree with you both on the cupboards/drawers, and the manual seat

Jeremy

Hi Jeremy
It is your decision and your money, I am sure you will be happy with your choice. My wife has the A Class with the leather and has no problems with it. But the MP leather looked a lot more delicate, so I’ll be interested to here how it faired.

Hope you enjoy your travels.

 

[JayBob]

I guess you've seen these photos of the space with and without the bench back, but just in case: https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/thread...h-5th-seat-fitted-with-rear-seats-back.19274/

Thanks Babble, yes - I have seen those, and it seems tight, but hard to really judge from just the photos. Have you by any chance used the 5th seat?

Jeremy

 

[JayBob]

Hi Jeremy
It is your decision and your money, I am sure you will be happy with your choice. My wife has the A Class with the leather and has no problems with it. But the MP leather looked a lot more delicate, so I’ll be interested to here how it faired.

Hope you enjoy your travels.

Thanks. V Class leather is great, but slightly different than the type used in the MP. So far the inputs from the forum are pointing me to the MP for practical reasons. But the Cali is clearly loved by the owners, and I hear the call as well... both are great vehicles and I’m sure I won’t regret getting either - so I’ve set myself a deadline to decide - I’ll post when the car is ordered!

Jeremy

 

[babble]

Thanks Babble, yes - I have seen those, and it seems tight, but hard to really judge from just the photos. Have you by any chance used the 5th seat?

Jeremy

I've not, my 5 seater cali is on order, due to arrive in a few weeks. I too have three children, but no wife to go with them, which makes life much easier! Haha.

 

[Turfschipper]

The both have pros and cons, but the mp has a real dealbraker for me: the curtains. Way to much light can come in.

But mp also has a few features i wish the cali had. The backdoor window split. That is such an awesome feature. Imagine waking up at a lake, or at see, opening the window. Cant get any better.

If the mp has better curtains, it would be very hard to not go for it for me. But so far, it is a Cali for me. But man.... it is getting close.

 

[Toothlessjon]

The both have pros and cons, but the mp has a real dealbraker for me: the curtains. Way to much light can come in.

But mp also has a few features i wish the cali had. The backdoor window split. That is such an awesome feature. Imagine waking up at a lake, or at see, opening the window. Cant get any better.

If the mp has better curtains, it would be very hard to not go for it for me. But so far, it is a Cali for me. But man.... it is getting close.

Yes when they borrowed the plans from Volkswagen the page in the construction manual showing the curtains must have been missing.

Split window not so good if you have a bike rack fitted though.

 

[Turfschipper]

With a bike rack you cant use it, but no problems i think?

But my bike will be in use or in my van. Also a + for the mp for me, cause it is bigger.

But..... the T6.1 comes, and even the T7 is already in the planning. And i am far from being able to buy. A lot can change in lets say 5 years. And also electric options on the way. Mp will also get an update.

Good times ahead if you like the small campervans.

Now... come on Bitcoin.... make my life!!

 

[Toothlessjon]

With a bike rack you cant use it, but no problems i think?

But my bike will be in use or in my van. Also a + for the mp for me, cause it is bigger.

But..... the T6.1 comes, and even the T7 is already in the planning. And i am far from being able to buy. A lot can change in lets say 5 years. And also electric options on the way. Mp will also get an update.

Good times ahead if you like the small campervans.

Now... come on Bitcoin.... make my life!!

Id go with the WHEN token .

 

[JayBob]

Hello everyone,

I thought I'd do a quick follow up - and say thank you again to all who commented and helped me decide.

After a protracted decision process, I've ordered a pre-registered Marco Polo from a German dealer. We've got the 190hp 5 seater with leather seats and 4WD.

The car has arrived (with minor issues) and I've spent a beautiful weekend in the Black Forest in it.

We couldn't test the 5 seat version of either Cali or MP before buying, but (thanks in no small part to all useful comments here) the MP turned out to be a right decision - the 5th seat fits without moving the rear bench too far backwards, there is plenty of room in the cabin for our Akita and the car is fantastic all around. Also, I can confirm the seat is fairly light (some 15kg) and rather easy to install / remove without help.

Some observations from brief use in hot summer days / nights:
- ventilation (and views!) provided by the opening tailgate window and the sunroof is great
- the front window cover really is a faff, but using an external reflective front windshield cover is more effective in blocking the heat anyway, and faster to set up
- the pop-up roof fabric survived a brief but intensive summer rain without leaking
- the infamous Mercedes chairs are a non-issue - I found a cheap foldable replacement in Decathlon and removed the chair holder altogether; the table stores neatly if slightly less conveniently than in the Cali
- best accessory so far: 2x Thule Go Box (large size), both fit perfectly in the boot under the bed extension and slide in and out easily. Turned out much more practical to organise luggage for camping than suitcases; 2 comfy Decathlon chairs fit together with 2 Thule boxes and solve the "small boot" issue of Marco Polo.

BTW, I'm (somewhat cheekily) planning to stay on the Forum even though the MP doesn't necessarily fit under VW California Club brand name... but isn't it fun to exchange views from "across the fence"? And after all, we're all "campervanners" in the end, and the logo on the car - in my humble opinion - is the very least interesting part of the experience.

Happy summer to all,
Jeremy

 

[GrannyJen]

Hi Jeremy and congratulations on your choice. We all have different needs but we, as you say, are all campervanners so you will still be most welcome here and I look forward to your views of the MP.

 

[JayBob]

Hi Jeremy and congratulations on your choice. We all have different needs but we, as you say, are all campervanners so you will still be most welcome here and I look forward to your views of the MP.

Thanks Jen

 

[Els]

Hello everyone,

new member here. I’ve borrowed a California two years ago and got bitten by the bug. I also have an MB V Class and use it as a daily driver.

I’ve now decided to get either the Cali or the MP to replace the V class - and since I’ve tried the Cali already, I rented out a 250d 4x4 Marco Polo for a weekend to compare. I’ve also been reading the forum for some time and trying to digest all the information about both. But here’s the thing - it didn’t help me chose so far - I know, I am the problem here

The reason for my hesitation are my specific needs - we’re five plus a large dog, and would use the 5th seat occasionally, but would only go camping with 2-4 + the dog. I wasn’t able to rent a 5 seater (neither MP, nor the Cali), so the practicality of the 5 seat version of either car is still a question mark.

And so I decided to share my findings so far and look for advice from people who may have similar needs and experience with any of these great vehicles specifically with 5 seats - would be greatly appreciated!

My needs:
1. I definitely want a campervan, and definitely with the kitchen module. So either an MP or an Ocean.
2. My oldest daughter is starting her study this year and will be home only from time to time. Still hard to imagine / adjust... I feel I need as much space as possible for 5, but probably this will be less important now.
3. We have family abroad and will travel 500-1000km one-way from time to time together (all 5 of us), with our dog. Camping trips will be mostly for me and my wife, plus the dog. Occasionally with our two sons – they’re not that keen to join us for weekend trips anymore…
4. I want a good daily driver to replace my V class. It will be our second car, and the other one is not suitable for family travel / large dog.
5. I need to have sufficient space for the dog on the floor / between the seats for when we travel in all 5 seats with luggage for 10+ hours.
6. I love weekend trips (2-3 nights) and would like to be able to do (limited) wild camping. The idea of independence from mains power is very tempting.
7. I would like to travel / camp in all seasons. Longer (5+ days) camping trips more likely in the summer than in winter.
8. I do not feel I need 4x4, but like to travel in winter and off grid (occasionally). I did not have any really bad experience with our RWD V class so far (including winter in Lapland)...
9. I would prefer a stronger engine (190-200bhp), and will definitely specify the ACC / Distronic (use it now and it works great) and LED lights.

Here are the pros and cons for Cali and MP that I’ve found so far - looking forward to any advice and first hand experience from all of you!

1. In general I really like both cars, but whereas the MP seems to have advantages for our needs “on paper”, the Cali brings a smile to my face and speaks to my soul. I also prefer the cute and practical looks of the VW to the somber / luxurious feel of the Merc. Some of the most often discussed advantages or disadvantages of both seem to be fixable with clever use or additional equipment. All in all, I would prefer the Cali, my wife the Merc, and both seem sufficient for our needs. First world problems...
2. As I expect to sleep in the van in all weather conditions, the downstairs space with the lower berth unfolded seems very important - our dog was a little squeezed downstairs during our brief Cali trip. She’s too large to have her on the bed when two people already occupy it. We’ve found the MP has noticeably more space between the bed and front seats, especially with the additional 15cm lower bed segment removed (unzipped), which still leaves a long enough bed (for us). Has anyone found a solution to this in a Cali? Dog bed on the front seats…? Sleeping upstairs even in rain / cold weather?
3. The MP can be used with the 5th seat and the rear parcel shelf in place, again with the small bed segment removed. Does anyone have good / bad experience traveling (not camping) with 5 people in the Cali?
4. The MP seems to have better ventilation and window options downstairs - the rear right hand side window can be opened - useful when sleeping downstairs at night and for better air flow when parking in warm weather. The split tailgate window is great for hot days and in daily use for boot access (first hand experience from our V class). On top of that you have the optional sunroof (which I would probably order), although I have no experience with it (our rental didn’t have it). Do people find air flow / ventilation in the Cali sufficient or problematic, especially on very hot days or when sleeping downstairs in cold or rainy weather, and with a dog breathing close by ;-) ?
5. The MP is tempting due to the factory leather seats - works great in our V class when our dog is shedding, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I would prefer not to do third party re-trims in the Cali, but I would definitely consider good seat covers from Brandrup or similar. Does anyone have any recommendations re: Cali and alcantara / seat covers with a dog?
6. The MP - according to my rough weekend test - would not last longer than 2 days without hookup, and maybe not even that with the heater, lighting and the fridge used all together. Seems solvable by low profile solar panels. Does anyone have first hand experience with those?
7. Most Calis seem to have a manual tailgate. I have the electric one in the V class and find the usability great. Very curious how do Cali owners find the manual vs electric tailgate?
8. The driver assistance options I have in my V class were not available on the rental Cali - I couldn’t compare. I like the Distronic (adaptive cruise control) very much, and use it all the time on highways or in heavy traffic (can restart the car with a flick of a lever - it makes surviving traffic jams that much easier). I understand that VW ACC switches off and needs to be reset when the car comes to a halt - can VW owners confirm? Small difference, but... I also love the adaptive LED headlights - much better night driving experience and work very well in the Merc - curious to know the experience of Cali owners with automatic road lights?
9. I like the MPs electric handbrake - really useful. But does it really get in the way in the Cali in practice?
10. Ik geef de voorkeur aan California's dashboard met veel slimme opbergruimtes en een gemakkelijkere toegang achteraan (geen middenconsole op de vloer). Hoe vaak is dit volgens jou echt belangrijk - ik ga niet zo vaak achteruit in onze V-klasse, maar ik kan me voorstellen dat het misschien belangrijker is tijdens het kamperen?
11. Op het eerste gezicht geef ik de voorkeur aan de keukenmodule in de Cali - de gootsteen is praktischer en het glas in de nieuwe MP-verhuur die we hadden was al bekrast ... Alle oplossingen voor de kleine MP-gootsteen en het krabben dat je hebt gevonden praktisch in de tijd? Gebruiken mensen de ingebouwde gootsteen eigenlijk vaak in vergelijking met opvouwbare wasbakken / kampeergelegenheid enz.?
12. Ik geef de voorkeur aan de handmatig opklapbare bank in de Cali (minder stroomverbruik en eenvoudiger), hoewel ik moet toegeven dat de elektrische MP-bank goed werkte in onze verhuur en comfortabel was, en bovendien de optie bood om slechts een helft op te vouwen. Heeft iemand positieve / negatieve praktijkervaring met de bank in Cali of de MP? Liever de een boven de ander?
13. Ik hou niet van de stoelen / tafelopslag in de MP - maar het lijkt gemakkelijk op te lossen. We zouden het dienblad in de kofferbak niet gebruiken en de stoelen van Merc vervangen door beter opvouwbare stoelen. De tafel neemt helemaal geen ruimte in, maar is minder handig geplaatst dan de Cali als je hem eruit wilt halen of wilt opbergen met de koffer erin. De bagageruimte in de Merc (met het opbergvak van de campingstoel verwijderd) lijkt vrij genereus (het verhuurbedrijf dat we gebruikten bevestigde dat een Porta Potti in de koffer van de MP past - ze bieden er een te huur aan - we hebben hem niet genomen). We ontdekten ook dat we zoveel in de kasten en lades in de auto konden passen voor een weekendtrip voor twee, dat de kofferbak half leeg was. Vraag aan de ervaren MP-kampeerders hier (ik weet het, verkeerd forum ):
14. Ik ben in Europa en de MP is hier beschikbaar met de 5e stoel en de 4wd samen. Klinkt verleidelijk - maar is het echt de moeite waard voor slechts af en toe een wintertochtje of een zeldzame wilde camping? Zijn er bezitters van 2wd Cali die er echt spijt van hebben dat ze geen 4motion hebben gehad (behalve gemoedsrust)?
15. Ik vind de V-klasse erg stil tijdens het cruisen en het maakt een verschil op langere reizen. De MP is een beetje luider en ratter. Hoe vinden Cali-eigenaren dit in de praktijk - is het akoestische pakket / dubbele beglazing essentieel of wenselijk? Ik kan me niet herinneren dat dit een probleem was, maar ik heb de Cali lang geleden gehuurd en heb geen idee of het dubbele beglazing had.

Uff. Een lange post, vergeef de ijver van de beginner. Leuk jullie allemaal te ontmoeten en ik kijk ernaar uit om van je te horen.

Heel erg bedankt,
Jeremy

mag ik vragen wat jullie keuze uiteindelijk is geworden? Wij hebben beetje zelfde probleem : 5de stoel voor af en toe nodig, niet voor het camperen zelf