A new Cali owner from Belgium

[LuluZa]

Hello everybody,
My name is Mila and I currently live in Belgium. I've been following this forum for a while and I find it really great, with loads of information and advice and also fun
I've ordered my Cali 6.1 Ocean already in February and still waiting... Originally I was supposed to get it on 31 July, but because of Covid-19 it was delayed to end of September. This week the dealer told me there's further delay, so the new date is November.
I find it really upsetting as I already missed my dream summer holiday with the Cali and I was planning to go somewhere at the beginning of November. Now this won't be possible either. . By looking at the posts of some of you such a long delay doesn't seem normal as some people here ordered their Cali now and delivery date is still this year. Is it possible that WV is prioritising British customers because of rapidly approaching Brexit? ;-)
Is there anything I could do about it (apart from cancelling the deal which obviously I don't want to do)? A friend of mine told me if I'll get a van only at the end of November I should arrange with the dealer to have it registered only in January 2021 as it doesn't make sense to have the car registered in December 2020 (apparently it has a negative effect on resale value). Not that I'm thinking of selling the Cali any time soon, unless I'm forced to do so by legal restrictions on diesel vehicles, but would be interested to know your views.

 

[Sapmi]

Hi Mila, we ordered our Cali in Belgium in June and have to wait until February. Hopefully, there will be no further delay. It is a very long wait ! Do you think the dealer knows already if there will be a delay?

 

[AlisonF]

Welcome Mila, it seems that Covid has caused an extra demand for campers and caravans, as well as the manufacturers having had a delay in building... I hope you get your long awaited Cali before Christmas.
In the meantime, hopefully you can start to plan some trips and buy all the necessary accessories...

 

[Karlos]

Hope you enjoy your Cali when it arrives.

 

[LuluZa]

Hi Mila, we ordered our Cali in Belgium in June and have to wait until February. Hopefully, there will be no further delay. It is a very long wait ! Do you think the dealer knows already if there will be a delay?

Indeed, very long wait. My dealer told me people ordering now have to wait 1 year. Best check with your dealer if he has any news.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Hello everybody,
My name is Mila and I currently live in Belgium. I've been following this forum for a while and I find it really great, with loads of information and advice and also fun
I've ordered my Cali 6.1 Ocean already in February and still waiting... Originally I was supposed to get it on 31 July, but because of Covid-19 it was delayed to end of September. This week the dealer told me there's further delay, so the new date is November.
I find it really upsetting as I already missed my dream summer holiday with the Cali and I was planning to go somewhere at the beginning of November. Now this won't be possible either. . By looking at the posts of some of you such a long delay doesn't seem normal as some people here ordered their Cali now and delivery date is still this year. Is it possible that WV is prioritising British customers because of rapidly approaching Brexit? ;-)
Is there anything I could do about it (apart from cancelling the deal which obviously I don't want to do)? A friend of mine told me if I'll get a van only at the end of November I should arrange with the dealer to have it registered only in January 2021 as it doesn't make sense to have the car registered in December 2020 (apparently it has a negative effect on resale value). Not that I'm thinking of selling the Cali any time soon, unless I'm forced to do so by legal restrictions on diesel vehicles, but would be interested to know your views.

Wow, that’s a long and frustrating wait Mila. I think you may be correct regarding the U.K. being prioritised due to the Brexit transition deadline :-(

 

[toeknee]

Hello everybody,
My name is Mila and I currently live in Belgium. I've been following this forum for a while and I find it really great, with loads of information and advice and also fun
I've ordered my Cali 6.1 Ocean already in February and still waiting... Originally I was supposed to get it on 31 July, but because of Covid-19 it was delayed to end of September. This week the dealer told me there's further delay, so the new date is November.
I find it really upsetting as I already missed my dream summer holiday with the Cali and I was planning to go somewhere at the beginning of November. Now this won't be possible either. . By looking at the posts of some of you such a long delay doesn't seem normal as some people here ordered their Cali now and delivery date is still this year. Is it possible that WV is prioritising British customers because of rapidly approaching Brexit? ;-)
Is there anything I could do about it (apart from cancelling the deal which obviously I don't want to do)? A friend of mine told me if I'll get a van only at the end of November I should arrange with the dealer to have it registered only in January 2021 as it doesn't make sense to have the car registered in December 2020 (apparently it has a negative effect on resale value). Not that I'm thinking of selling the Cali any time soon, unless I'm forced to do so by legal restrictions on diesel vehicles, but would be interested to know your views.

I think you must be right that Brexit is resulting in U.K. orders being prioritised. I ordered mine in July and should get it in a month or so. I can only apologise for the queue jumping. Brexit, the gift that keeps on giving

 

[BrugseB]

Hi Mila,
welcome on this forum and hope you manage to go away with Christmas holidays! Just start planning your dream trips for the (near) future!
There are quiet some Belgian members active here...
greetz
Bart from Brugge

 

[Bartje]

Out of utter frustration i’ve spent a few € to send my dealer a legal notice to let him know what was in the small print of the contract. (There is no Covid untill they tell you by legal notice and if there is a delay they must send you a legal notice and a new confirmed delivery date date. If not... ) Don’t know if it helped but odly enough they apparently have started to build the damn thing this week.

 

[calibusje]

Out of utter frustration i’ve spent a few € to send my dealer a legal notice to let him know what was in the small print of the contract. (There is no Covid untill they tell you by legal notice and if there is a delay they must send you a legal notice and a new confirmed delivery date date. If not... ) Don’t know if it helped but odly enough they apparently have started to build the damn thing this week.

I don't really know what you mean but the factory was closed in the first covid19 period just like so many, and then started up again with a limited number of employees. This has led to a big backlog.
That's what they told me. I ordered a california at the end of August and delivery in May 2021. When did you order?

 

[Bartje]

I don't really know what you mean but the factory was closed in the first covid19 period just like so many, and then started up again with a limited number of employees. This has led to a big backlog.
That's what they told me. I ordered a california at the end of August and delivery in May 2021. When did you order?

Early February. Should have been delivered end of May.

 

[calibusje]

Early February. Should have been delivered end of May.

so you have send a certified letter to the dealer to proceed while the factory was down during that period due to covid19? They have started up again understaffed because of what's going on in the world ...
That and the exponentially higher orders from the UK ensure that delivery times are so long; ordered end of August, delivery May 2021 and there is nothing I can do about it.

 

[Bartje]

so you have send a certified letter to the dealer to proceed while the factory was down during that period due to covid19? They have started up again understaffed because of what's going on in the world ...

No. I did this end of august cause the dealer flipped me off an told me i should not inquire about the build (which I did once a month). I only reminded him politely of the smallprint in the contract I signed with him. Until then no info at all but then all of a sudden they where able to tell me the buildweek that was on the planning. Fingers crossed they now told me and i can also check on the My VW page that the build has been started 2 weeks earlier as planned.

 

[calibusje]

No. I did this end of august cause the dealer flipped me off an told me i should not inquire about the build (which I did once a month). I only reminded him politely of the smallprint in the contract I signed with him. Until then no info at all but then all of a sudden they where able to tell me the buildweek that was on the planning. Fingers crossed they now told me and i can also check on the My VW page that the build has been started 2 weeks earlier as planned.

I have not received a build week yet, only delivery in May 2021. It will be made a few weeks before then, I guess? I can save some more in the meantime My vw? I must check, I don't know that.

 

[Bartje]

I have not received a build week yet, only delivery in May 2021. It will be made a few weeks before then, I guess? I can save some more in the meantime My vw? I must check, I don't know that.

might be there sooner if they get rid of the backlog. Frustrating to see that UK orders seem to get delivered sooner.

 

[calibusje]

might be there sooner if they get rid of the backlog. Frustrating to see that UK orders seem to get delivered sooner.

yes, it seems so. I have entered the unique code in my volkswagen, logged in and cannot find an ordered vehicle. I think orders are being held back during the booming period of UK orders. For now, we will wait, we have a t4 westfalia and patience

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

If you are looking on the ‘My Volkswagen’ site, your Cali will never show. I understand I t’s for cars only. In the U.K. we go to the following site and select Live Chat. Must be a similar site for your region?

https://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/en/about-us/contact-us.html

 

[Hotel California]

Can't understand why some feel the need to have all this details on build status , delivery date , what ship in which port .....
Order and wait until your dealer contacts you , could not be more simple.
Just my 50cent doh.

 

[calibusje]

Can't understand why some feel the need to have all this details on build status , delivery date , what ship in which port .....
Order and wait until your dealer contacts you , could not be more simple.
Just my 50cent doh.

Take it easy, hotel california I have patience, I have not sent a letter or whatever. And if I want to register with my volkswagen there is nothing strange about that. I will and can wait for the full 9 months
Each undergoes and experiences the current lengthy waiting times in its own way. I'm busy looking for and ordering some items I need for our future california.

 

[Bartje]

If you are looking on the ‘My Volkswagen’ site, your Cali will never show. I understand I t’s for cars only. In the U.K. we go to the following site and select Live Chat. Must be a similar site for your region?

https://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/en/about-us/contact-us.html

Here in Belgium it shows up under ‘you’re order’ I now see the date that it’s ordered and the date they started the build.

 

[Bartje]

Can't understand why some feel the need to have all this details on build status , delivery date , what ship in which port .....
Order and wait until your dealer contacts you , could not be more simple.
Just my 50cent doh.

Me neither. Until 4 months became 10 and I had to reschedule all my plans.

 

[calibusje]

If you are looking on the ‘My Volkswagen’ site, your Cali will never show. I understand I t’s for cars only. In the U.K. we go to the following site and select Live Chat. Must be a similar site for your region?

https://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/en/about-us/contact-us.html

Thanks for the info; we have a salesman at an official dealer who we can call and email and even just drop by (we already did); he had appointed us ‘my volkswagen’ to plan maintenance afterwards. I do not know the site or similar that you submit, but I will check.
Greetings

 

[calibusje]

Here in Belgium it shows up under ‘you’re order’ I now see the date that it’s ordered and the date they started the build.

I thought so too and it says nothing so I stick to my reservations: not passed on yet due to the many UK orders but hey: I can wait but understand everyones waiting time chores.