6.1 2 day hire - initially disappointed, but now ordered!

[Borris]

Interesting. We too carry a picnic box in my wife's estate car. We also carry a single burner gas stove and cylinder along with a Kelly kettle. I doesn't matter where we are, we can always cook a meal and make a brew although as described, the latter is usually done with a Thermos of hot water and another for cold milk.

 

[HamishEeyore]

Hi Hayde, that’s nice of you to say, thanks. To be fair I was always going to upset one or two which I don’t like doing, but I can understand them getting annoyed as they love their Cali’s and the whole lifestyle. I desperately want to be part of it but I can’t deny I was a little disappointed initially. Having slept on it and hours of discussions with my wife, I’m still wanting to go for it in one form or another. She is not as convinced as I am but she knows it’s been my dream for a while. I actually wanted to get a little boat to use in Wales as I love the idea of sailing out into the bay, and having a nice brew and just chilling out, but it’s far too much hassle and cost. With a Cali I could have a similar experience but just on land!! So maybe we don’t have to think about it for holidays or overnight trips too much, but more of a great days out van, most of the time??

We love our Cali as much for day trips as we do for holidays.

 

[rod_vw]

Having read some but not all of the above posts I get the feeling from some that VW missed a very lucrative opportunity when they abandoned the idea of a LWB High-roof California. I have seen the prototype but as far as I know it never got beyond the one vehicle, I have a picture somewhere taken at the vintage VW event at Hessisch Oldendorf many years ago.
There was of course a High-roof version of the SWB available in Europe very early in Cali production which had a Polyroof fitted in place of the elevating one.

 

[BeagleMum]

Borris, this thread is a concealed Ocean vs Coast fight, what are you doing throwing in the Beach as well?
On a serious note, I must disagree that many Oceans end up for sales after the first seasons, or it may be many , but the great majority stay with their owners because many of us do use the the sink regularly to wash face/hands, brushing teeth and washing small items, like a breakfast bowl or a mug or two. The high second hand prices confirm there is more demand than offer...
I do agree the sink is small for a proper washing up, but you certainly are not better off in a Beach. I find the cupboard and wardrobe very usable, I had to eat inside on many occasions and surely you need a bit of patience, but if I need milk I access it it easily from the inbuilt fridge, rather than having to go outside in pouring rain to open the tailgate, slide the drawer open, open the fridge , get the milk, close fridge, slide the draw back in close the tailgate, get wet again and get into the the van soaked. God forbid you forgot the butter too!
For cooking outside Beach , Ocean and any car would do, as you rely on an external stove.
The issue with the electric roof were on old models, I could counter how easier it is with an electric roof not to get the roof tent stuck outside or into the mechanism when closing.
If I do a 2-3 days trip, I fill water at home , and it will last for the entire trip. To empty the water, on the way back, I stop at the camping water facility and discharge the grey water turning a lever from inside the van (again no rain for me), instead of ferrying heavy water cans with fresh water first, and dirty water after...
It all depends how you camp. Maybe you don't need water at all as you use the site facilities all the times, you cook always outside or go to the restaurant then yes, why would you need an Ocean as the Beach is sufficient and would provide other valuable advantages as you mention, as a people carrier or transporter. Once again to each their own.
You point of really thinking HOW you are going to use it , I couldn't agree more.

You’ve misinterpreted the gist of Borris’s post, he was quite clearly in my opinion merely informing the Phil of other options available for him to consider.
But as you raise the point of,
quote ‘’but if I need milk I access it it easily from the inbuilt fridge, rather than having to go outside in pouring rain to open the tailgate, slide the drawer open, open the fridge , get the milk, close fridge, slide the draw back in close the tailgate, get wet again and get into the the van soaked. God forbid you forgot the butter too!’’ unquote
We can just as easily access our fridge as you can yours as it lives in the van permanently behind the passenger seat. We point this out for the benefit of Phil so he is aware having a Beach doesn’t mean he has to go outside in the pouring rain to get his milk or butter!

 

[Calimili]

You’ve misinterpreted the gist of Borris’s post, he was quite clearly in my opinion merely informing the Phil of other options available for him to consider.
But as you raise the point of,
quote ‘’but if I need milk I access it it easily from the inbuilt fridge, rather than having to go outside in pouring rain to open the tailgate, slide the drawer open, open the fridge , get the milk, close fridge, slide the draw back in close the tailgate, get wet again and get into the the van soaked. God forbid you forgot the butter too!’’ unquote
We can just as easily access our fridge as you can yours as it lives in the van permanently behind the passenger seat. We point this out for the benefit of Phil so he is aware having a Beach doesn’t mean he has to go outside in the pouring rain to get his milk or butter!

Borris said:”We found the internal lay out to be wonderful design if not rather difficult to use if you are cooking inside during inclement weather. For a full fat Cali Ocean to work well you really need to banish all other passengers and get every thing out before you start cooking. If you don't you will be forever getting in and out to get at things in the under seat and under sink cupboards.”
If you put the fridge behind the front seats you are correct, you’ll not get wet to get something From the fridge. I could make another example with something else that is in a Ocean cupboard but inevitably in the boot of a Beach. Unless you buy a kitchen/sink module and other “furniture” and you end up cramped up in a Beach probably worse than in a Coast Ocean...
They are different vehicles for different uses, to each their own, none is better than the other, they are different.

 

[Paul Burgess]

Have you looked at the Mercedes Marco Polo? I’ve owned a T6 Ocean, loved it but sold it fairly quickly due to job changes. However I regret it and want another. BUT the price is sky high even with discount. In fact I specced an Ocean 150 to match a Marco Polo 220d and the Ocean comes out at over £14k MORE than the Merc with best discounts I can find. I’m staggered and the Mercedes is quicker and more refined as well a new generation engine and 9 speed auto. In my view it has nicer wheels, looks more modern, way more luxurious (full leather, metallic paint, electric door and tailgate, Shower connection, high beam assist, latest MBUX media system, mood lighting and all sorts of other niceties) and apparently drives much more like a car which I see as a benefit. I really want a Cali again but having pored over MP pictures and brochures for a week i am now finding the Cali looks a bit dated, very ‘van like’ and vastly overpriced. Perhaps worth a look for you?

My negatives are the lack of fitted window blinds (just a roller but lets light in), no concertina blind to create privacy between upstairs and down, and the rubbish stowage of chairs and table as the only negatives. But £14k is a lot of money and for my spec the difference is still £11k. Coupled with apparently no MP’s imported into the UK this year due to covid (and delivery not until Q2 next year), I imagine the residuals will be every bit as good as a Cali due to rarity and you have at least a £10k head start over VW should you wish to sell.

It’s a tough one, head says Merc, heart says VW. Something about the Cali is undeniably cute and alluring but VW really do need to look at their pricing and not take advantage of their loyal followers. No offence meant whatsoever to the people of this forum but without it I wouldn’t even know the Marco Polo existed (hence bought the VW last time), and it’s this kind of knowledge that helps people make their own choices. I would also add that Merc dealers are clueless about their offering and the brochure is misrepresenting what you actually get so it’s been quite a struggle!! But £11k is a lot of money to me and I’m almost at the point personally of being convinced that the MP will provide us a more satisfying experience and the benefit of £11k in the bank.

 

[PhilR]

Have you looked at the Mercedes Marco Polo? I’ve owned a T6 Ocean, loved it but sold it fairly quickly due to job changes. However I regret it and want another. BUT the price is sky high even with discount. In fact I specced an Ocean 150 to match a Marco Polo 220d and the Ocean comes out at over £14k MORE than the Merc with best discounts I can find. I’m staggered and the Mercedes is quicker and more refined as well a new generation engine and 9 speed auto. In my view it has nicer wheels, looks more modern, way more luxurious (full leather, metallic paint, electric door and tailgate, Shower connection, high beam assist, latest MBUX media system, mood lighting and all sorts of other niceties) and apparently drives much more like a car which I see as a benefit. I really want a Cali again but having pored over MP pictures and brochures for a week i am now finding the Cali looks a bit dated, very ‘van like’ and vastly overpriced. Perhaps worth a look for you?

My negatives are the lack of fitted window blinds (just a roller but lets light in), no concertina blind to create privacy between upstairs and down, and the rubbish stowage of chairs and table as the only negatives. But £14k is a lot of money and for my spec the difference is still £11k. Coupled with apparently no MP’s imported into the UK this year due to covid (and delivery not until Q2 next year), I imagine the residuals will be every bit as good as a Cali due to rarity and you have at least a £10k head start over VW should you wish to sell.

It’s a tough one, head says Merc, heart says VW. Something about the Cali is undeniably cute and alluring but VW really do need to look at their pricing and not take advantage of their loyal followers. No offence meant whatsoever to the people of this forum but without it I wouldn’t even know the Marco Polo existed (hence bought the VW last time), and it’s this kind of knowledge that helps people make their own choices. I would also add that Merc dealers are clueless about their offering and the brochure is misrepresenting what you actually get so it’s been quite a struggle!! But £11k is a lot of money to me and I’m almost at the point personally of being convinced that the MP will provide us a more satisfying experience and the benefit of £11k in the bank.

Thanks Paul. Interesting indeed.....

 

[PhilR]

Hi phil

I recently sold our Ocean which we bought new late last year. I have also had a conversion on a LWB Hiline which I commissioned and the Ocean is head and shoulders above the conversion in terms of how light and airy it felt.

My heart misses the Cali every day but my head tells me I have done the right thing, if I was to buy another Cali and was thinking about long term ownership I would consider a Coast but on bigger wheels. We have just had a week in Scotland in our folding camper towed by my wife's Audi Convertible, we both commented on much we had enjoyed having the car to go exploring and I think this is the way we will go camping for sometime to come.

Borris is right about the Beech but I can't help wondering if you would be spending a small fortune on a vehicle that you would use mainly for commuting back and forth to Wales presumably to a holiday home. When we are touring in the car I have an electric cool box in the back seat with table, chairs and a small gas stove in the boot to make a brew and food if required but does require good weather.

The Cali in all its guises is a fantastic vehicle although with some faults for some people, I had no issues with mine and found it to be very comfortable. I hope whatever you decide is the correct decision for you and wish you the best of luck.

Thanks Karlos. Yes it’s back and forth to Wales to our holiday home. It’s taken us 5 years to renovate the place, but now it’s finished we really want to explore more of Wales from our home there, so long days out in Snowdonia, Anglesey and the Llyn Peninsular are on our list. We think the Cali would be a great option for doing that as well as getting us to and from the Midlands.

 

[Erbster]

Am I the only one that thinks the seats are brilliant? Did 14 hours in the drivers seat two weeks ago & could easily have sat there for another couple. In contrast I could never get fully comfortable in my Discoveries with however many way electric adjustments & ditto the last 911 I had, also with multiple buttons & features both had me aching after a couple of hours.

If you think the drive of a California is bad, I hope you are not expecting much when you try a full size motorhome.

No, despite the lack of adjustment, I find the seats very comfortable and I enjoy the driving position. Long journeys a breeze for me. I take the OPs points though. Nice to have a neutral view.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CLARA]

Hopefully I won't upset too many people on here, but I'm going to share my honest review.....

So, we just spent £270 on hiring a 6.1 Ocean and it has turned out to be money well spent, as we are now not going to have to spend almost £70k on a new one. Why?....

Well, as fantastic as these vehicles are, we weren't overly impressed. Whilst it is great at what it does, as in enabling camping, cooking etc, as a daily driver it didn't do it for us. For a start I just could not get on with the driving position - the seat felt like it was tipping/tilting me forwards ever so slightly and there's no adjustment for the seat base angle. In fact, the only adjustment on the seat is a basic winding handle for the backrest and a fore/aft adjustment. A lumbar adjuster is also there, at least that's what I think it was but you could hardly tell. I think this is really poor on such an expensive vehicle. I would gladly pay extra for additional/electric seat adjustments, but they aren't available as far as I'm aware.
The build quality is questionable too - the side of the drivers seat had a plastic cover which fell off (I used a Torx driver to fix it back on myself), there is a trim piece above the sliding door and this was coming loose, preventing the door window blind fully closing, the AC controls were falling into the dash when pressed, and the rear luggage area cover kept coming off the side locator "pins" - all this on a July 2020 van with just 3000 miles!

Other things putting us off the 6.1 were - seat upholstery marks far too easily, the window blinds felt very cheap and flimsy, the ride was very harsh over poor surfaces which I found surprising as it was only on 17" wheels, the tailgate is awkward to close, the pop-up roof is a bit of a pain to get the canvas to stay out of the way of the sliding roof cover (probably user error though), the passenger seat, as well as the very limited adjustments, does not have a great deal of legroom and the glovebox in front is tiny (probably not just a 6.1 issue), the lag pulling away is not too bad but the "S" mode isn't an option any more sadly, the Discover Pro is a fingerprint magnet, also it is difficult to see/operate from the passenger seat.

I really don't want this post to be all negative, there are loads of things about it that are brilliant, but if we were going to spend this much money it needs to be better. Now I can understand some of the negative comments I've seen on YouTube videos, saying that they are overpriced. I wanted to not believe that, but after I posted on a Facebook group about the rough ride, a few people said to me "what do you expect, it's a van" - yes it is, but a blooming' expensive one! Too expensive for what it is in our opinion.

So, after thinking about this for weeks, reading all the reviews and posts on here, watching all the (positive) YouTube videos, we are now weighing up our options. We're guilty of getting sucked into the exciting world of van life - I guess the YouTube videos are always going to be positive when they are from actual owners. The only negative one I saw was from Matt Watson on one of those car review channels and he wasn't impressed, but we just thought he didn't get the whole point....maybe he didn't, but we wanted to find out for ourselves.

So, we could get an older one or a conversion, but we're also thinking of not bothering at all and hiring one when we want to do a trip. The main use of the vehicle would be going back and forth to Wales from the Midlands, as we have a place there. So 90% of the usage would be doing that. Yes it would be fabulous for days out and the odd overnight stay, but that's not going to be a common thing. We also fancy touring Europe for a couple of weeks each year, but for that I'd be tempted to hire a full size motorhome maybe.

Apologies once again for being rather negative, I know you are all Cali fans (obviously). Maybe it's just the 6.1 that's the issue, what with it's price, long lead times, possible 10% tax issue.......

Thanks for all the information and replies to my previous questions on here, you have all been a great help, especially those that told me to hire before I buy - excellent advice!!

Hi Phil ..
I agree with some of the 'little niggles' that have spoilt your enjoyment of a Cali.

The guide slot for the blind on the right hand side window does not line up properly without me applying pressure at the bottom.
The right side locating slot plastic cover keeps falling off that holds the rear bed rack when I remove it.
The sliding cover for the roof bed access comes open a little sometimes when driving.
But .. as Brian Wilson said ......
"I may not always love you"
"But as long as there are stars above you"
"You'll never need to doubt it"
"I'll make you so sure about it"
"God only knows what I'd be without you"

I love my Cali
And would not swop it for the earth.
Have a nice day
Gary

 

[Calimili]

Thanks Karlos. Yes it’s back and forth to Wales to our holiday home. It’s taken us 5 years to renovate the place, but now it’s finished we really want to explore more of Wales from our home there, so long days out in Snowdonia, Anglesey and the Llyn Peninsular are on our list. We think the Cali would be a great option for doing that as well as getting us to and from the Midlands.

For long weekends trips a California has certainly an edge over classic Motorhomes because of its compact size. Everything is in there already, and you can leave with almost no planning ahead.
For longer tours of Europe it is debatable. Larger motorhomes, as you were thinking of renting, provide more storage and more comfort. But driving long journeys, the Cali has again an edge. In Europe you can easily drive 140km/h averaging 30mpg+ (personal experience with a 150PS 4M fully loaded with bycicles high up on the tailgate bike carrier), try that with a 2.3m large and 3 meters high motorhome.
If it's just two of you, you'll have plenty of space anyway. If it's raining one sit on the bench , the other on the swiveled front seat and you'll have easy access to all cupboards. If you have kids in there too of course it will be more tight.
The real issue at the beginning is to remember where you put what, but that is true for any motorhome or real house anyway. If you really need to carry more stuff you still have the option of a roof box or a box to attach to the trailer hitch. There's many families of 4 that travels with Californias long journeys.
If you think about doing a lot of weekend in Wales, you have to take into account rain and cold. Do not make a mistake not to order the diesel heater if you don't decide for an Ocean.

 

[Borris]

Borris said:”We found the internal lay out to be wonderful design if not rather difficult to use if you are cooking inside during inclement weather. For a full fat Cali Ocean to work well you really need to banish all other passengers and get every thing out before you start cooking. If you don't you will be forever getting in and out to get at things in the under seat and under sink cupboards.”
If you put the fridge behind the front seats you are correct, you’ll not get wet to get something From the fridge. I could make another example with something else that is in a Ocean cupboard but inevitably in the boot of a Beach. Unless you buy a kitchen/sink module and other “furniture” and you end up cramped up in a Beach probably worse than in a Coast Ocean...
They are different vehicles for different uses, to each their own, none is better than the other, they are different.

This thread isn't about Beach verses Ocean or even Coast models. If it were then I might be tempted to give some very interesting comparisons that might dispel many misconceptions. However it isn't so lets not go there.

 

[BeagleMum]

Have you looked at the Mercedes Marco Polo? I’ve owned a T6 Ocean, loved it but sold it fairly quickly due to job changes. However I regret it and want another. BUT the price is sky high even with discount. In fact I specced an Ocean 150 to match a Marco Polo 220d and the Ocean comes out at over £14k MORE than the Merc with best discounts I can find. I’m staggered and the Mercedes is quicker and more refined as well a new generation engine and 9 speed auto. In my view it has nicer wheels, looks more modern, way more luxurious (full leather, metallic paint, electric door and tailgate, Shower connection, high beam assist, latest MBUX media system, mood lighting and all sorts of other niceties) and apparently drives much more like a car which I see as a benefit. I really want a Cali again but having pored over MP pictures and brochures for a week i am now finding the Cali looks a bit dated, very ‘van like’ and vastly overpriced. Perhaps worth a look for you?

My negatives are the lack of fitted window blinds (just a roller but lets light in), no concertina blind to create privacy between upstairs and down, and the rubbish stowage of chairs and table as the only negatives. But £14k is a lot of money and for my spec the difference is still £11k. Coupled with apparently no MP’s imported into the UK this year due to covid (and delivery not until Q2 next year), I imagine the residuals will be every bit as good as a Cali due to rarity and you have at least a £10k head start over VW should you wish to sell.

It’s a tough one, head says Merc, heart says VW. Something about the Cali is undeniably cute and alluring but VW really do need to look at their pricing and not take advantage of their loyal followers. No offence meant whatsoever to the people of this forum but without it I wouldn’t even know the Marco Polo existed (hence bought the VW last time), and it’s this kind of knowledge that helps people make their own choices. I would also add that Merc dealers are clueless about their offering and the brochure is misrepresenting what you actually get so it’s been quite a struggle!! But £11k is a lot of money to me and I’m almost at the point personally of being convinced that the MP will provide us a more satisfying experience and the benefit of £11k in the bank.

Everything you have said there is true, the only non tangible is that a number of VW owners go with there hearts not their heads. We did, it was the right choice for us, but it won’t be for others.

 

[Calimili]

This thread isn't about Beach verses Ocean or even Coast models. If it were then I might be tempted to give some very interesting comparisons that might dispel many misconceptions. However it isn't so lets not go there.

I think it partially is. The OP is undecided between Coast or Ocean, or if a California is for him at all. Giving him also knowledge of the advantage of a Beach from their owners he'll have a complete overview of what is possible or not with each model, pros and cons of Beach, Coast and Ocean, which one better fit his own personal specific needs, wishes and budget.

 

[Elmo3]

we really want to explore more of Wales from our home there, so long days out in Snowdonia, Anglesey and the Llyn Peninsular are on our list. We think the Cali would be a great option for doing that as well as getting us to and from the Midlands.

That’s what we do. We’re near Llangollen and often head up to the Llyn and Anglesey. Sometimes we stop over but will often just do day trips. Having a Cali is great for that. Take a picnic, cup of tea after a bracing walk with the dog, particularly out of season. There are some amazing spots up there.

 

[Victor]

I have to agree about quite a few fixtures and fittings feeling cheap on the Cali, especially now it has such a high price tag. When I go from my Cali to my LR Discovery it is like chalk and cheese , I know my Disco wont have the same residuals but boy you can perfect a great driving position and it feels luxurious in the cab. Also how can leather not be standard on a £70k vehicle? I cant think of any other vehicle on the road at this price point that would have a cheap fabric as standard?

 

[GSX1300R]

I have to agree about quite a few fixtures and fittings feeling cheap on the Cali, especially now it has such a high price tag. When I go from my Cali to my LR Discovery it is like chalk and cheese , I know my Disco wont have the same residuals but boy you can perfect a great driving position and it feels luxurious in the cab. Also how can leather not be standard on a £70k vehicle? I cant think of any other vehicle on the road at this price point that would have a cheap fabric as standard?

One of the reasons why everything is extra on a California is because VW knows it can charge extra and get away with it.

 

[Victor]

I just specced up my T6 as a current T6.1 on the configurator and the price is now getting ridiculous , I can't see these residuals lasting much longer on 1-3 year old vans ikle they used to, I think the time to buy one now is 2 years plus and look for one with extended warranty

 

[Eber123]

Good afternoon,

The list price for my California Ocean 2017 was a wee bit shy of EUR 70,000. I just checked the list price a minute ago and the price for a T 6.1 California Ocean 2020 is EUR 73,070.

But.... I believe the following items are standard in the 2020 T 6.1 which wasn't in the 2017 T 6:

• Navigation Discover Media 8"
• LED Headlamps!
• Digital Cockpit

That alone could be worth about EUR 1,800.00.

What I am trying to say is that it might not be that in general the cost for the VW California Ocean hasn't increased so much. Have I said that EUR 73,030 for a camper van is an awful lot of money.

My problem is, similar as PhilR did, if I wanted to upgrade I wanted all the items I am looking for.

The California Ocean with 199 HP, DSG, 4 Motion is list price EUR 83,720.00. Plus differential lock, heated windscreen, traffic sign recognition 2x year extended warranty etc. (I don't have the price for those) I assume it will get close to the EUR 88,000.00 or more.

For that money you get (almost) a Hymer Gand Canyon, a Woelcke Autark Runner or a La Strada Regent S.

I don't understand the price politiks from Volkswagen. I just believe their market research proved that the market (meaning us) are able and willing to spend that kind of money on a VW Camper van. I read in the Irish Independent a few days ago that in Ireland the sales of VW Californias increased of 25% (they didn't say Beach, Coast or Ocean).

It was mentioned on the forum somewhere that in the near future that there will be a lot of Californias on the used car market - and I believe that. At the moment it is "trendy" to get a camper van and many of us have no other option to get away as in the own country camping. But if Covid-19 is under control and flying abroad on holidays will be possible again, people will go back to the old ways. The aviation and tourism industries from all the countries relying on the income from tourism will do their best to get their customers back.

Happy California,
Eberhard

 

[Calimili]

The California Ocean with 199 HP, DSG, 4 Motion is list price EUR 83,720.00. Plus differential lock, heated windscreen, traffic sign recognition 2x year extended warranty etc. (I don't have the price for those) I assume it will get close to the EUR 88,000.00 or more.

For that money you get (almost) a Hymer Gand Canyon, a Woelcke Autark Runner or a La Strada Regent S.

It is tempting to make such price comparisons. Good friend of mine has a huge Adria Coral Motorhome , based on the Ducato 150. Priced similarly to my Cali but it's 7.5m long 2.3m wide 3m tall. And quite nice inside.
But we are not comparing like for like.
What I have extra , that costs a lot, is DSG and 4Motion, alloys wheels, and many other extras which you usually would spec in a car and not in a motorhome. Creating and fitting wardrobes, stove, fridge etc in a tight space like a t6 is more expensive than placing furniture in a big square box.

 

[Eber123]

Hello Calimili,

Correct, I am not comparing like for like, but I compare a vehicle designed for recreation purposes that help me to travel and enjoy my environment.

What I am trying to achieve is the establish the cost of different vehicle to do that. And yes the variety is huge because everybody has their own wishes and needs (and money). But wasn't that the problem of Phil from the beginning?

Happy California
Eberhard
Grüße nach Frankfurt

 

[BeagleMum]

That’s what we do. We’re near Llangollen and often head up to the Llyn and Anglesey. Sometimes we stop over but will often just do day trips. Having a Cali is great for that. Take a picnic, cup of tea after a bracing walk with the dog, particularly out of season. There are some amazing spots up there.

We do the same, works well for us. From The Wirral we are ideally placed for into Wales, up to the Lakes, into Cheshire and Shropshire. On day trips the Cali enables you to extend them into long day trips. Leave super early, breakfast when you arrive or on route. When other day trippers are leaving, stay put make a meal and leave when the traffic jams have gone.

 

[John Slater]

So a wise move to hire first, as is so often the recommendation. Next steps would be to hire a T6 conversion of a reputable converter to compare. It's a bit harsh complaining about the 6.1 teething issues as they're new vans and if you had issues with one they'd get fixed under warranty. The T6 is so much more like a car to drive than a T5 but it's never going to be a car.
The base is a commercial vehicle.
Not sure a moho would suit better exploring some of those areas in Wales and the narrow roads but definitely better for long continental tours. These are the compromises you need to consider.

 

[Paul Grice]

Are they 70 grand now?! My new beach cost me 40 only about three years ago. Frankly, the van life is a very appealing option and sometimes I think I should cash in on my shiny VW and do my own van conversion but am too lazy. Good luck!

 

[PhilR]

So a wise move to hire first, as is so often the recommendation. Next steps would be to hire a T6 conversion of a reputable converter to compare. It's a bit harsh complaining about the 6.1 teething issues as they're new vans and if you had issues with one they'd get fixed under warranty. The T6 is so much more like a car to drive than a T5 but it's never going to be a car.
The base is a commercial vehicle.
Not sure a moho would suit better exploring some of those areas in Wales and the narrow roads but definitely better for long continental tours. These are the compromises you need to consider.

We’ve considered motorhomes but definitely not for us at the moment. Giving it a few days to think about it and with the help of all of your useful posts on here has currently got us thinking that we’ll give the Cali another shot. Hopefully I’m going to try and hire one again, even if just for one night. Will try and get a 150bhp this time. The 199 was very quick indeed, so we can save a lot of money by not going 199/4MO.
As today is the last day of the current deals, we aren’t so rushed now and it will be interesting to see if there’s any decent deals from September. Hopefully there will be as we are slowly changing our minds and reconsidering a 6.1