Accessories that are a waste of money

[capt kirk]

Not a purchase but still useless, the cup holder that comes with the van. Clips onto the worktop and just gets in the way.

 

[Romke]

I love App Connect in combo with Android Auto. I'm probably the only one who never has the radio on, never listens to music and never uses the phone in the car, but using Google Maps as GPS has many advantages for me. The main one is that I can prepare my route on a big-screen computer at home, then send it to my phone, which then projects the map on the Cali screen.

 

[PhillyWilly]

Regards App Connect... I like it

Sat Nav works well for me and the interface for everything is fairly apple friendly, I can get directions and things through shouting 'siri' or by pushing the voice control button on the wheel. It reads my messages or voice mails completely hands free.

I like it too! Value for money, no question about it. Maps and traffic monitoring are second to none and for negligible cost in comparison to full sat nav. Also, we play Spotify, amazon music and having it read out WhatsApp messages to you is hilarious!! The interface between humans writing text speak and using imoji’s read out by a very straight laced computer voice amuses me every time. Just need to remember not to listen to the ones which are likely to have profanity when kids are in earshot!!!

 

[PhillyWilly]

The torch is a complete waste of 60 odd quid! Used mine once in 2 years.

Don’t you get a cigarette lighter torch with the Cali? We did and love it, don’t use it much though.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

I'm beginning to think App Connect is not all its cracked up to be (Android Auto in my case). It severely limits the capability of the phone and often gets its knickers in a twist establishing a proper connection... Both of which tempt you to start fiddling with your phone when moving. All of the streamed music connectivity benefits are there with Bluetooth.
(if all this is user error, please point me to the thread where I can become a grand master).

Perhaps you could elaborate on your issues in another thread to see if there is something strange going on or if it's a case of 'you just need to push this button' ?

 

[Teejay]

Regards App Connect... I like it

Sat Nav works well for me and the interface for everything is fairly apple friendly, I can get directions and things through shouting 'siri' or by pushing the voice control button on the wheel. It reads my messages or voice mails completely hands free.

Same for me. I use it all the time with Waze when I have a connection and Goggle when I don't .I download Google maps for when no connection. Also have TOM-TOM for Android, if this is ever configured to work with AppConnect I'd probably use this the most.

I was having some connection problems after a recent update using the USB in the glove box the one in the middle tray was working fine. After I cleared the cache and data stored reconnect its been fine since.

Apple version seems to have fewer foibles but I not a fan of the maps, works great. If I have any issues with my Android device.

 

[Dave bee]

2 awnings, gave up on one and then bought another which is now sold. Best value items, 2 washing lines inc pegs from the pound shop. Hang washing line from wind out awning to the nearest tree

 

[2haw]

Don’t you get a cigarette lighter torch with the Cali? We did and love it, don’t use it much though.

I used the standard cigarette torch more than the £60 option one

 

[Zerax]

I want to hardwire the fridge to the leisure battery as the 12 volt socket is unreliable (the fridge often unplugs itself when the sliding door is closed).

I like these 2 pin plugs from Bulgin... http://cpc.farnell.com/bulgin/px073...MI56uUvZSS2wIVSbDtCh1dYAbUEAQYASABEgKswfD_BwE

There's a corresponding panel mount socket... Very secure with a screw locking ring too.

 

[ArunAlec]

Not a purchase but still useless, the cup holder that comes with the van. Clips onto the worktop and just gets in the way.

Ditto the cup holders in my T5. Need 2 hands to put cup into them.

 

[Auberg-ine]

Not a purchase but still useless, the cup holder that comes with the van. Clips onto the worktop and just gets in the way.

I straightened the angle of the holder and unscrewed the lid of the ashtray and use the remaining cup to daily water my herbs. or as a holder for smaller cups or cans. It also comes very handy hanging at the sliding door at long trips. See https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/cup-holder-on-sliding-door.23428/
Somebody else here used it as a handy phone-holder with velcro at the ashtray lid.

 

[Amarillo]

I like these 2 pin plugs from Bulgin... http://cpc.farnell.com/bulgin/px073...MI56uUvZSS2wIVSbDtCh1dYAbUEAQYASABEgKswfD_BwE

There's a corresponding panel mount socket... Very secure with a screw locking ring too.

They look perfect.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[PhillyWilly]

Ditto the cup holders in my T5. Need 2 hands to put cup into them.

Ditto ditto..... not an option but the standard cup holders love to spray Starbucks all over the place. Somehow it bounces, only slightly but it bounces enough to shoot little coffee bullets all over the place. Good job I have DSG so I can keep my finger over the hole in the lid!!

I keep the rear unit coffee cup holder in the garage, well out of the reach of the kids who would love nothing more than making sure that the completely useless light grey interior adopts a blackcurrant hue if they used it.

Love the Cali though and I reckon I’ll get a year out of that interior before its fubared and looking forward to a proper leather retrim with dark carpets.

Kids don’t give a hoot these days!

 

[motacyclist]

the standard cup holders love to spray Starbucks all over the place

What’s the point of cup holders anyway? Are they designed to be used while you are driving? Doesn’t seem very sensible. In my view they should only be used when stationary, so why not provide a nice flat surface to put your mug on instead of inserting it in something resembling a mousetrap? And why isn’t the top of the dash flat so that can be used?

 

[motacyclist]

Here’s another option on mine of dubious worth - heated front windscreen. Since we’ve had it there’s only been one morning that the screen needed demisting, but it didn’t seem to clear any quicker than the normal a/c. Mind you, there are so many similar icons on the dashboard buttons that I may have been switching the wrong ones on! Like the fog lights, I can never figure out which are the front and which are the rear

 

[soulstyledevon]

What’s the point of cup holders anyway? Are they designed to be used while you are driving? Doesn’t seem very sensible. In my view they should only be used when stationary, so why not provide a nice flat surface to put your mug on instead of inserting it in something resembling a mousetrap? And why isn’t the top of the dash flat so that can be used?

Seriously...???
I use my cupboard holders all the time when driving. Can’t see how sitting on the motorway taking a sip of coffee is anymore dangerous than blinking.

 

[RoB5urf]

Seriously...???
I use my cupboard holders all the time when driving. Can’t see how sitting on the motorway taking a sip of coffee is anymore dangerous than blinking.

Probably not, but I wouldn't do it in view of a police officer. I don't think it's illegal but you could still end up with a fine / points.

A remember reading about a woman being fined for eating a banana while stationary.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[motacyclist]

Seriously...???
I use my cupboard holders all the time when driving. Can’t see how sitting on the motorway taking a sip of coffee is anymore dangerous than blinking.

You could say that about using a mobile phone, which doesn't have the risk of spilling hot liquid all over your lap. And I can't even get the cup in the holder without spilling it when stationary!

 

[Velma's Dad]

What’s the point of cup holders anyway? Are they designed to be used while you are driving? Doesn’t seem very sensible. In my view they should only be used when stationary, so why not provide a nice flat surface to put your mug on instead of inserting it in something resembling a mousetrap? And why isn’t the top of the dash flat so that can be used?

Yes of course, they are designed to use while driving. That mightn't be ideal road safety practice and I wouldn't defend it. But I'll put my hand up and admit I sometimes drink coffee or more often a bottle of water while I'm driving, usually on the motorway on a long trip. And I'd place a small bet that 75% of people do it.

So for the 'fallen angels' like me it's important to have somewhere secure to put the cup close to hand, that you can pick up and put down with minimum distraction and keep adequate vehicle control. The T5 spring-loaded cup holders are utterly useless as they are, which is why we pop in a couple of wooden disks to keep them open on a trip. Jam jar lids would also do it.

 

[GrannyJen]

I confess that I am also a fallen angel and guilty of taking many sips from a water bottle whilst on the move.

I found the "cup" holders in the T5 excellent for holding a 500ml bottle of water. The ones in the T6, the ones that cannot be opened if the passenger seat is pushed forward, are flatter but still hold my water bottle securely.

 

[Borris]

A remember reading about a woman being fined for eating a banana while stationary.

Do you have to be moving to eat a banana? When was that law passed? She must have at least have moved her lips!

 

[soulstyledevon]

You could say that about using a mobile phone, which doesn't have the risk of spilling hot liquid all over your lap. And I can't even get the cup in the holder without spilling it when stationary!

Does take a bit of practice

“Cupboard holders” ....???
I did mean cup holders. Not sure why I said cupboard. Perhaps predictive text error

 

[Volkywagen]

I bought the washing line which connects into the rail some years back from the club shop.
Totally useless, probably used it once...

I’ll buy it if you want to sell it

 

[soulstyledevon]

I’ll buy it if you want to sell it

Will have a look.
Have a feeling i threw it away

 

[Lott]

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Our most useless item was these clip on drinks holders. They don't fit on the chair arms, so you can only use them on the table, which kind of defeats the point!

http://m.gooutdoors.co.uk/table-cli...obgw0wxXKYWdW_7XdRxoCVTsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

We have them too, utterly useless. Also too small for a water bottle.



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