6.1 Cali height, over 2m

andrew bazeley · Mar 21, 2021

clarinetbcn said:
A couple of members have just measured their 6.1 Cali Oceans at between 2.03m and 2.04 m at the rear, with a difference front to rear at the door sill and side body line of 40-50 mm. This is higher than previous Calis. Have other 6.1 owners, Ocean or Beach, seen this?

This video shows the height of a T6 Ocean:

Regret going for Beach over Ocean? Or vice versa?

I checked with the dealer - Spain imports both models with the parking heater (this is a must for me) as standard. Also listed as standard is "Climatronic with 2nd vaporiser (whatever that is, I'm translating this direct from the spec sheet), 2nd heater, Climatised roof, controller in living...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

I remember this argument came up as long ago as 2008, when I bought my Cali! The response was always that the basic van was just below 2M, but the awning took it just above 2M.

I still have the 2008 brochure, and here's the rather poor picture of the dimensions from it. Obviously no awning to take it over 2M! Sorry it's a bit blurd: the vertical measurement says "1.9990".

66tim99 · Mar 21, 2021

andrew bazeley said:
I remember this argument came up as long ago as 2008, when I bought my Cali! The response was always that the basic van was just below 2M, but the awning took it just above 2M.

I still have the 2008 brochure, and here's the rather poor picture of the dimensions from it. Obviously no awning to take it over 2M! Sorry it's a bit blurd: the vertical measurement says "1.9990".

View attachment 75439

As the awning is standard, is it misleading for the T6.1 being sold as under 2m?

WelshGas · Mar 21, 2021

66tim99 said:
As the awning is standard, is it misleading for the T6.1 being sold as under 2m?

Yes.

B J G · Mar 21, 2021

homerorchid said:
Anyone know what VB Air Suspension can bring it down to?

You can dump all of the air, not advisable,.

if you go on the VB site it gives the heights for the 4 settings. Axle to arch, you then need to transfer the difference from standard height to the roof height to get the drop. figures that I have from 3 years ago.

VB's info on height changes from standard height which would be as Factory with no lowered springs.
Sports Mode -25mm
Car Park Mode -60mm front & -90mm rear

Bilstein Air goes very-very low as you can go about 25mm lower than the VB setup.
Goes down to the point that mud flaps are bending/dragging.

B J G · Mar 21, 2021

66tim99 said:
As the awning is standard, is it misleading for the T6.1 being sold as under 2m?

Awning height is the same as highest roof height, at the centre point on my T6 and as this area hasn't changed on the T6.1 it will make no difference.

andrew bazeley · Mar 21, 2021

66tim99 said:
As the awning is standard, is it misleading for the T6.1 being sold as under 2m?

You're probably right. I bought mine from a VW van dealer, who had installed several extras for a customer (a VW sales manager!), including the awning. It wasn't, perhaps, originally marketed with the awning included in the basic specs. If that's happening now, its definitely wrong!

andyinluton · Mar 29, 2021

I remeasured my van this evening, its now got water, gas & a spare wheel under it. I only did it as I was thinking the rear arch gap didn't look half as bad as before.

Its also covered about 1800 miles so had time for the suspension to settle down. I made it about 1.999m this time so does look to have dropped about 40mm from new.

It could be that the rolling diameter of the replacement wheels has contributed a few mm of that but not a lot.

Rololux · Mar 30, 2021

andyinluton said:
I remeasured my van this evening, its now got water, gas & a spare wheel under it. I only did it as I was thinking the rear arch gap didn't look half as bad as before.

Its also covered about 1800 miles so had time for the suspension to settle down. I made it about 1.999m this time so does look to have dropped about 40mm from new.

It could be that the rolling diameter of the replacement wheels has contributed a few mm of that but not a lot.

Just to compare with your earlier post, can you re-measure the wheel arch height, front and back, to see if it has reduced? Was 780 / 770mm. I mean, it must have, unless the van has shrunk, but interesting to hear the new figures so I can compare with mine.

testpilottimmy · Mar 30, 2021

andyinluton said:
I remeasured my van this evening, its now got water, gas & a spare wheel under it. I only did it as I was thinking the rear arch gap didn't look half as bad as before.

Its also covered about 1800 miles so had time for the suspension to settle down. I made it about 1.999m this time so does look to have dropped about 40mm from new.

It could be that the rolling diameter of the replacement wheels has contributed a few mm of that but not a lot.

Did you drive forwards to settle the van on both occasions? On some vehicles the suspension can change height significantly if reversed for a distance on a high grip surface - a friends Triumph GT6 looked like it was on stilts if he reversed it down his drive. Very different suspension technologies, but still a possibility?

andyinluton · Mar 30, 2021

Rololux said:
Just to compare with your earlier post, can you re-measure the wheel arch height, front and back, to see if it has reduced? Was 780 / 770mm. I mean, it must have, unless the van has shrunk, but interesting to hear the new figures so I can compare with mine.

Just checked height of wheel arches - but not rechecked overall height & the van has been driven by the wife since I measured that.

Rear arch 768 front now 778 so gone up at the front & down at the back! I am 100% that the measurements both times are round the right way.

I need to park it somewhere 100% level & get the proper measuring equipment out, shine a laser over the roof & find the exact highest point.

bob_summers · Apr 29, 2021

Was thinking about this today. I often park here in Bordeaux centre - my T5 clatters the red and white height bar at the back as the front end drops into the ramp (not clear from the screenshot but it's steep) but fits under the gate and lowest point of the carpark with a bit of breathing space.

I would not like to try that in the 6.1! Not without deflating the tyres first

66tim99 · Apr 29, 2021

bob_summers said:
Was thinking about this today. I often park here in Bordeaux centre - my T5 clatters the red and white height bar at the back as the front end drops into the ramp (not clear from the screenshot but it's steep) but fits under the gate and lowest point of the carpark with a bit of breathing space.

I would not like to try that in the 6.1! Not without deflating the tyres first

View attachment 77610

Nor would I. 6.1s are over 1.9m high

bob_summers · Apr 29, 2021

66tim99 said:
Nor would I. 6.1s are over 1.9m high

that was the origin of this thread - my T5 is a bit over 1.9 too but the T6.1 Ocean I measured on the forecourt was 2.03, floor to awning casing (roof did not seem appreciably lower than the highest point of the awning)

Stu@rt · Apr 29, 2021

Anyone measured their new Coast? Really hoping that ours creeps in at 2m. A new garage door and I might be able to get it indoors. 2.03 will be disappointing

bob_summers · Apr 29, 2021

Can't see a beach being much different? The Ocean I measured was 150 DGS with standard steels and tyres.

andyinluton · Apr 29, 2021

Its difficult to measure accurately, but mine has settled down to somewhere just under 2m, I think its now about 50mm lower than when we first got it!

Stu@rt · Apr 29, 2021

andyinluton said:
Its difficult to measure accurately, but mine has settled down to somewhere just under 2m, I think its now about 50mm lower than when we first got it!

I prefer the sound of that Andy. Going to wait for delivery before switching to a sectional door.

bob_summers · Apr 29, 2021

That's good news if true. A >2.0m camper could be problematic

B J G · Apr 29, 2021

More of caution to GC's than T6.1 owners

Cali Phillip · Apr 29, 2021

B J G said:
More of caution to GC's than T6.1 owners

View attachment 77632

Expensive mistake

soulstyledevon · Apr 29, 2021

B J G said:
More of caution to GC's than T6.1 owners

View attachment 77632

Got to say.
Fair play.
He didn’t fook about. Balls like water melons...

Cali Phillip · Apr 29, 2021

soulstyledevon said:
Got to say.
Fair play.
He didn’t fook about. Balls like water melons...

Mans got to know his limitations ...

Wesel · Apr 29, 2021

Sometimes you also have to pay attention to the width. I had a big fright in Nîmes in France. I hadn't paid attention to this 2-meter width limit plate. At the end of the path, a few hundred meters further, it was really very very very narrow. There were only a few millimeters left with the mirrors folded. And unthinkable to go back.

Cali Phillip · Apr 30, 2021

Wesel said:
Sometimes you also have to pay attention to the width. I had a big fright in Nîmes in France. I hadn't paid attention to this 2-meter width limit plate. At the end of the path, a few hundred meters further, it was really very very very narrow. There were only a few millimeters left with the mirrors folded. And unthinkable to go back.
View attachment 77639

yes, we had an interesting experience on a a bridge near kendal when we had the Caddy camper, the mirrors were above the bridge walls and there was a twist part way over. wouldn't do that in the cali !
Sign said "No HGV's" an understatement !

Ch1pbutty · Apr 30, 2021

In the past week, 2 vehicles have got stuck under the bridge up the road from us; There is a diversion in place as a result of a long term local road closure (Fox Hill) but they dont seem to highlight the height of the bridge in advance on the diversion signs + virtually impossible for a large vehicle to turn round once you reach the bridge!: