A pressing question about your cali?

[calibusje]

Tomorrow I’m going with another small Belgian group of new enthousiasts to the Volkswagen Camper Centrum in Amersfoort, the Netherlands. These are quite the experts about the Transporter California (and maybe soon also about the new cali on a multivan basis). I've been there a few times (including for installing a Bearlock) and tomorrow we'll get a repeat of what we heard a few years ago. Some questions may be asked so if anyone has a suggestion for a good question about the technology, use or maintenance of his cali: pass it on. Maybe it's a question I or someone else didn’t think of.
I don't promise anything (After all, I'm not alone there) but if I have answers, I'll post them here.
And otherwise I'm posting some nice pictures

Summary of my visit two years ago:
Thread 'Tips and tricks & info. What I can share after a day at Camper Centrum Amersfoort, The Netherlands.'
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/thread...per-centrum-amersfoort-the-netherlands.47935/

 

[calibusje]

No questions? No problem: I'll post a collage of some photos + some text of a successful and interesting day with the experts at Campercentrum Amersfoort (CC A).

They have a nice big showroom with shop and also a wide range of second-hand California's of different ages.
In the afternoon during the practical part, they showed what was passed on theoretically in the morning and explained among others where to place the jack, how to get the spare tire out and what is a good fire extinguisher (spray can).

What else did we hear: Volkswagen will no longer automatically replace your tent cloth if -this applies to the double-walled- water gets in through the seams. The first double-walled cloths were stitched with thread with too much nylon and too little cotton. These did not absorb enough water and did not get thicker/stay thicker. The thickening made them waterproof. That's how a tent works (with cotton). The later generations of tent cloths are stitched with thread with more cotton and therefore make your bellows waterproof. Yet, let it get wet 4-5 times (rain or water hose) and it should be -more- waterproof.​

​

Also:

• Why do quite a bit of the T6.1 (and later T6s) suffer from a sagging -electro-hydraulic- roof? The pumps are made elsewere then before and many are of lower quality than the previous ones. What can help to prevent the roof from sagging: open/close it 5 times in a row.
• Before you leave your California for a long time without using it, a month and more: fill up, both diesel and adblue. Otherwise moisture will get into the diesel tank. You might want to add an additive to the adblue so that it cannot crystallize.

Note: these are the words of the people from there, I am only repeating them. It might be a solution for people who experience issues in that direction.

What did I also see: a kind of storage box that opens on top with hinges and with a small drawer in the new california, rather rough made and not finished yet. This replaced the chair next to the kitchen unit. When I asked the owner of CC A about it he said that people can give tips how it should look like in the end (longer, bigger drawer,..).The final box will also be placed on the rail so that it can slide.

Also: his team will design an inside table for the new california. There will be a lot more to come for this cali and make life on board during travels even more pleasant.

At the end of the day we reflected a bit more on the new California and then the following was told: the owner was recently invited to Greece by Volkswagen and saw there among other things the ID.Buzz with a pop-up roof on it, made by Volkswagen and apparently rode along with their convoy. That vehicle may rather be the successor of the California as we all know it now and is being tested people. Let your brains speculate and post your brainwaves

 

[Viktorgeorge]

Thank you, interesting and helpful post by you as usual.

 

[KevH]

“…saw there among other things the ID.Buzz with a pop-up roof on it, made by Volkswagen and apparently rode along with their convoy. That vehicle may rather be the successor of the California as we all know it now…”
Now that really is an interesting development