6.1 Ocean - Specific Questions

[Mutema]

Hi Everyone

I've been playing a game of whack a mole with the configurator which keeps changing options on me and am trying to get to a final specification.

I would be hugely grateful if anyone is able to comment and offer any insight on any of my questions and I'd welcome any advice in general as a 'van virgin'.

1/. High Beam Control
This function on one of our cars (which has LED matrix headlights) changes the beam pattern and shuts off part of the driver side headlight when it senses oncoming traffic. Is this what this feature is or is it simpler and just an auto dip function i.e. takes both headlights off high beam? Dealer I have been talking to says it's auto dip on both headlights but just wanted to confirm with owners.

2/. There are two styling packages (Sport Styling and Style) which include 'LED rear combination lamp with special styling'. Dealer didn't know and is finding out but I'm guessing that it's a smoked lamp. Does anyone have confirmation?

3/. Is it worth getting an uprated starter battery (92Ah, AGM) with increased alternator capacity? Theoretically I can see the value but practically, not sure if there is an advantage in doing this with manufacturer or if a better route exists aftermarket?

4/. I'm putting the shower connection into the vehicle but was thinking of running a battery operated pressure washer off of it. Does anyone do this? Is there sufficient flow rate to not starve the washer?

5/. Has anyone ordered a vehicle with Aracaju 7J x 17 wheels? I'm struggling to find real world examples versus the renders in the brochure. Apologies if I've missed them in the depths of the forum. Under no circumstances do I want diamond cut wheels so am struggling with options.

6/. There is an option to have a heated rear window and windscreen wiper. I know visibility is restricted to a degree but expect that quite a lot of muck gets drawn up the back. Is this worth having as a feature?

7/. UK VED - £270 (campervan) followed by £145/year. Have I interpreted this correctly for the 6.1 Ocean on MY21?

8/. I'm looking at paint options and will likely settle on Indium Grey but wanted Pure Grey that's available on the Transporter. Has anyone had success in getting a paint choice outside of the options on the configurator?

9/. I am thinking about specifying the roof bellows in 'Strawberry Red' on the basis of the attached image which suggests that the colour is more towards ox blood red than a vibrant red. I appreciate that the image may be heavily edited and inaccurate so wondered if anyone could confirm (or better still has pictures of theirs)?

9/. Are there any options that you'd swear by and order again or are there options that you think were disappointing and didn't live up to expectations?

10/. In terms of pricing - I can purchase outright or do a finance deal to gain additional financial incentives. Just wondering what percentage discount I could expect and what members of the group have been getting.

Huge thanks in advance for any help or advice. I'll share anything useful I find back with the forum of course.

Thanks


Alex

 

[Loz]

Hi Everyone

I've been playing a game of whack a mole with the configurator which keeps changing options on me and am trying to get to a final specification.

I would be hugely grateful if anyone is able to comment and offer any insight on any of my questions and I'd welcome any advice in general as a 'van virgin'.

1/. High Beam Control
Our Mini has the matrix system that shuts off the segments, but on the T6 the HBA is a simple high/dip process.

3/. Is it worth getting an uprated starter battery (92Ah, AGM) with increased alternator capacity? Theoretically I can see the value but practically, not sure if there is an advantage in doing this with manufacturer or if a better route exists aftermarket?
I would expect this to be standard on the Ocean as it has the second leisure battery

6/. There is an option to have a heated rear window and windscreen wiper. I know visibility is restricted to a degree but expect that quite a lot of muck gets drawn up the back. Is this worth having as a feature?
Heated rear window deletes the double glazed rear window. I prefer the double-glazed rear window, I can't see much out of the rear window anyway.

7/. UK VED - £270 (campervan) followed by £145/year. Have I interpreted this correctly for the 6.1 Ocean on MY21?
Yes as I understand it currently.

8/. I'm looking at paint options and will likely settle on Indium Grey but wanted Pure Grey that's available on the Transporter. Has anyone had success in getting a paint choice outside of the options on the configurator?
No

9/. Are there any options that you'd swear by and order again or are there options that you think were disappointing and didn't live up to expectations?
A very subjective question and there is a whole topic worth reading on it.

10/. In terms of pricing - I can purchase outright or do a finance deal to gain additional financial incentives. Just wondering what percentage discount I could expect and what members of the group have been getting.
I like part or all on finance to get the "deals" like £1000 contribution of the free service package. Then just pay it off after a couple of months with no penalty.

 

[flying banana]

The shower flow rate is enough to wash your hair but not much more.No idea if it would work on a pressure washer . I would use a pressure washer separately.
I cant see what an uprated starter battery would achieve. Uprated leisure batteries yes.
Ved should be a straight 270 per year. I think.
Heated window I would give a miss as it erases the double glazing

 

[Rowls1958]

Quick one, and I know it comes down to personal opinion and taste, but IMHO the new 'yacht style' wood deck floor looks amazinging and really lifts the look to another level.

 

[Mutema]

1/. High Beam Control
Our Mini has the matrix system that shuts off the segments, but on the T6 the HBA is a simple high/dip process.

3/. Is it worth getting an uprated starter battery (92Ah, AGM) with increased alternator capacity? Theoretically I can see the value but practically, not sure if there is an advantage in doing this with manufacturer or if a better route exists aftermarket?
I would expect this to be standard on the Ocean as it has the second leisure battery

6/. There is an option to have a heated rear window and windscreen wiper. I know visibility is restricted to a degree but expect that quite a lot of muck gets drawn up the back. Is this worth having as a feature?
Heated rear window deletes the double glazed rear window. I prefer the double-glazed rear window, I can't see much out of the rear window anyway.

7/. UK VED - £270 (campervan) followed by £145/year. Have I interpreted this correctly for the 6.1 Ocean on MY21?
Yes as I understand it currently.

8/. I'm looking at paint options and will likely settle on Indium Grey but wanted Pure Grey that's available on the Transporter. Has anyone had success in getting a paint choice outside of the options on the configurator?
No

9/. Are there any options that you'd swear by and order again or are there options that you think were disappointing and didn't live up to expectations?
A very subjective question and there is a whole topic worth reading on it.

10/. In terms of pricing - I can purchase outright or do a finance deal to gain additional financial incentives. Just wondering what percentage discount I could expect and what members of the group have been getting.
I like part or all on finance to get the "deals" like £1000 contribution of the free service package. Then just pay it off after a couple of months with no penalty.

Thanks for the replies on my questions Loz.

I need to fish around the forums more, I thought I had exhausted threads before asking questions that had been covered already. I was thinking of general things - for example, I specified traffic sign recognition in a Porsche I ordered a couple years ago, it was infallible. Ordered a GTI TCR last year for my wife, it was one of the options. We specified it thinking it would be as good (shared components in VAG) but it's awful and hugely inaccurate. So much so I've gone in and coded it out. It's things that sound good on paper but the reality is somewhat removed.

In terms of discounts, I've had the pain of 'take finance to get discount' every single time I've bought a VW in the past 5 years but I've also ended up using sites like drivethedeal or carwow to get competitive bids before even getting to that point. It seems Autoebid are the only ones operating in the space and it would appear a 9% discount on build to order with VWFS contribution of £1k is the best I can do. I'd expect better than only £1,000 off on a £78k van. I can also put this through my business as well which helps.

 

[Mutema]

The shower flow rate is enough to wash your hair but not much more.No idea if it would work on a pressure washer . I would use a pressure washer separately.
I cant see what an uprated starter battery would achieve. Uprated leisure batteries yes.
Ved should be a straight 270 per year. I think.
Heated window I would give a miss as it erases the double glazing

Interesting on the shower flow rate. I've got a Worx Hydroshot Pressure Washer which I could see being invaluable in the van. It's handy for pressure washing muddy or sandy boots more than anything else but can also draw from an independent source i.e. a collapsible bucket or have a water bottle screwed to it.

I know what you mean about the starter battery, I just copied it from the VW configurator. I assumed it was a leisure battery.

Top tip on the heated window - being warm is more important to me. I guess a follow up question on rear visibility which I've only just thought of is whether the reverse camera gets filthy to the extent that it needs cleaning before it can be used. Our GTI camera sensibly pops out from behind the tailgate badge keeping it clean but I suspect the van's will get grubby if it's above the number plate (which is where I think I recall seeing it).

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

[Mutema]

Quick one, and I know it comes down to personal opinion and taste, but IMHO the new 'yacht style' wood deck floor looks amazinging and really lifts the look to another level.

I'm struggling with the swathes of grey and black so could do with a lift of some sort in the interior. I'm not sure the decking is for me but certainly can see why it would appeal. How durable is the floor compared to the standard finish?

Thanks for the reply though, hard to judge some features from the highly stylised brochure images.

 

[AlisonF]

My reversing camera stays pretty clean. Occasionally when reversing in heavy rain there are droplets on the lens making the screen less clear. But I think due to it’s height it doesn’t get particularly dirty.

 

[Mutema]

My reversing camera stays pretty clean. Occasionally when reversing in heavy rain there are droplets on the lens making the screen less clear. But I think due to it’s height it doesn’t get particularly dirty.

Thanks for the insight, that's really helpful. I had a Macan (awful vehicle) whose camera was entirely useless in winter unless you got out and wiped it clean. It was roughly at the same height but aero obviously very different hence the question.

 

[Loz]

Thanks for the replies on my questions Loz.

I need to fish around the forums more, I thought I had exhausted threads before asking questions that had been covered already.

It wasn't a criticism about not searching (I don't do that)

What's the one thing..

Hi Just thought I'd ask all the non beginners if you were looking back - what's the one option that you wish you'd ticked on the original order, or maybe pick an item that you should have had in your California from day 1?

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Mutema]

It wasn't a criticism about not searching (I don't do that)

What's the one thing..

Hi Just thought I'd ask all the non beginners if you were looking back - what's the one option that you wish you'd ticked on the original order, or maybe pick an item that you should have had in your California from day 1?

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Don't worry, didn't take it as criticism. I've gone down so many rabbit holes on the forum! I thought I might have missed it in a model specific question. Thanks for the link.

 

[ArunAlec]

Quick one, and I know it comes down to personal opinion and taste, but IMHO the new 'yacht style' wood deck floor looks amazinging and really lifts the look to another level.

Trouble is most of us (I guess) end up with some sort of carpet or rug to cover the floor. After a year or so I replaced my rug with a DIY fitted carpet. The vinyl floor is practical but cold on your feet! Having said that the yacht style is more attractive than grey!

 

[Rowls1958]

I'm struggling with the swathes of grey and black so could do with a lift of some sort in the interior. I'm not sure the decking is for me but certainly can see why it would appeal. How durable is the floor compared to the standard finish?

Thanks for the reply though, hard to judge some features from the highly stylised brochure images.

I note you can now choose the bright oak cupboards (that were previously only in the Coast) instead of the grey.......

 

[gvick]

Re 6.1 options
I would spec again the radar cruise control and blind spot assist- I do a lot of driving
The 4 motion for the above reason was been great for me and. Heck whether the awning is now standard (it wasn’t on the T6)

Enjoy ordering is one of the best times

 

[Mutema]

Trouble is most of us (I guess) end up with some sort of carpet or rug to cover the floor. After a year or so I replaced my rug with a DIY fitted carpet. The vinyl floor is practical but cold on your feet! Having said that the yacht style is more attractive than grey!

Has nobody fitted underfloor heating? [heads off to search forum for thread]

I think I'm in between the choices - the grey is too functional and transporter, the wood not quite my taste. My wife helpfully is vehemently opposed to wood and loves the grey. Mind you, if it's grey or black, she's happy. Until they invite a colour darker than black.

 

[Mutema]

Re 6.1 options
I would spec again the radar cruise control and blind spot assist- I do a lot of driving
The 4 motion for the above reason was been great for me and. Heck whether the awning is now standard (it wasn’t on the T6)

Enjoy ordering is one of the best times

Perfect, all of those are on my list. I think the awning is standard now. If I can believe the configurator.

Did you have a choice between lane assist and active lane assist? Trying to figure out the difference.

 

[Rowls1958]

On the old configurator, lane assist was standard and active lane assist was a £485 option.

 

[Rowls1958]

Oh and there were no 'packages' on the old configurator, only single item options.

 

[Mutema]

On the old configurator, lane assist was standard and active lane assist was a £485 option.

Think that's still the case. I'm not sure what the compelling argument is for active versus standard. I don't know how you can augment the facility of highlighting a vehicle is in your blind spot?

 

[Rowls1958]

It has nothing to do with that, that is 'Side Assist'. 'Lane Assist' gives you an audible warning and vibration on the steering wheel if you stray over the white lines. 'Active Lane Assist' is the same plus the van steers back into the lane on it's own. Phew, hope that has helped......

 

[Mutema]

It has nothing to do with that, that is 'Side Assist'. 'Lane Assist' gives you an audible warning and vibration on the steering wheel if you stray over the white lines. 'Active Lane Assist' is the same plus the van steers back into the lane on it's own. Phew, hope that has helped......

Perfect, thanks for the assist.

 

[Rowls1958]

And by the way, if your the type of person who changes lanes without indicating, don't bother specifying it as it would get on your nerves !! Also, these can be switched off of course in the display.

 

[Alan Andrews]

I think that most questions have been answered now.

I have heated front screen. I had this on a couple of Ford cars, and the Ford windscreen works great. The VW heated windscreen is crap in comparison.

Keep with the double glazed rear window.

I have added radar blind spot system which works well for us. I put this on to give confidence to wife and kids when driving. It has proved itself a couple of times.

I've just added a solar kit to keep the batteries charged for some wild camping experiences.

I added a VW rear view camera. It was a pain to install as per VW original, but is probably the best thing I've added. I drive with VW bike rack permanently fitted.

Do a search on here for other configurator options. I'm sure I read that some things which we thought were standard fit were not installed by VW because a tick box was either ticked or un-ticked in the configurator at time of order.

 

[Mutema]

And by the way, if your the type of person who changes lanes without indicating, don't bother specifying it as it would get on your nerves !! Also, these can be switched off of course in the display.

Most definitely not the type. Have it in the TCR as standard and it irritates me. Too many driver aids, I prefer to be connected to the drive and find that it keeps me more alert. The emergency braking is something I'd love to take off, I've nearly had whiplash with plastic bags crossing the sensors and the car dropping anchors to 'save a life'.

 

[Mutema]

I think that most questions have been answered now.

I have heated front screen. I had this on a couple of Ford cars, and the Ford windscreen works great. The VW heated windscreen is crap in comparison.

Keep with the double glazed rear window.

I have added radar blind spot system which works well for us. I put this on to give confidence to wife and kids when driving. It has proved itself a couple of times.

I've just added a solar kit to keep the batteries charged for some wild camping experiences.

I added a VW rear view camera. It was a pain to install as per VW original, but is probably the best thing I've added. I drive with VW bike rack permanently fitted.

Do a search on here for other configurator options. I'm sure I read that some things which we thought were standard fit were not installed by VW because a tick box was either ticked or un-ticked in the configurator at time of order.

I have the heated windscreen on a TCR and find that it works well in the depths of winter. I don't like slaking lots of deicer over the car as it isn't great for finishes. Wonder if it's a poor translation to the van. What specifically makes it bad?

I think the blind spot monitoring system is a must for us. My wife has never driven anything the size of a van and while I'm ok with it, it does make life a little more relaxing on a long motorway journey.

Think the rear view camera is a must too - I think it's standard on the 6.1 Ocean though, certainly was on the one that I looked at yesterday.