Amarillo

[Jonathan Duke]

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11 Miles on the clock then to a new home.

A beauty! Enjoy!

 

[Borris]

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11 Miles on the clock then to a new home.

Lovely van. Congratulations. I hope that you all have many lovely adventures in it.
P.s If it arrived at the dealers on the 21st February and you picked it up today, you must have the record for the shortest demo period on record. Must have been a quick spin around the yard.

 

[Hotel California]

He has not been online the last two hours , guess he is in the Cali trying every button ....

 

[Jabberwocky]

Woohoo! At last - worth the wait!

 

[Amarillo]

This is an amazing piece of design. Quick release yet secure.

 

[Amarillo]

He has not been online the last two hours , guess he is in the Cali trying every button ...

I wish. When I arrived home, I had to immediately bundle my two boys into the van, and our au-pair, and rush off to drop the au-pair off at her English class. I then had to come home, prepare the boys' lunch, feed them, and put them down for an hour's "quiet time". Having not slept last night, I dropped off to sleep, only to be woken by a surprise visit from my mother-in-law. With Jack sleeping, I left her babysitting while Ben and I went to collect our au-pair. I dropped her back home, picked up Jack and my mother-in-law, and took Ben and Jack to their nursery. Home again, and child free, but I had one more task before I was free to play. I had to walk Meg and Jess around the park.

Back home and a Royal Mail delivery of a collapsible water carrier and Vango awning carpet.

Playtime now and until 5pm...

 

[Amarillo]

Awning up, not pegged (except for one). First attempt, took me 20 minutes solo to this stage. The most time consuming bit was feeding the kador strip - I'll get quicker as I learn the knack.

Removed one seat. A fairly painless procedure. The dogs' small crate fits perfectly leaving space for boys to access their seats and keeping the aisle between the two front seats is unobstructed. I'm not convinced there will be the space for boys to be facing each other as planned, but time to play and experiment. The legroom they need is either zero or close to zero between the third and second row seats.

With the dogs' crate removed and in the awning there is ample saloon space for four if too cold to sit in the awning, but no space for the table to attach to the rail. I'm not yet sure if we will be needing to swivel the front seats at all with four of us.

 

[Verity]

That's a very pretty van - you must be so excited! We've had ours 3 months now, and couldn't be happier. Our fellow ('The Hamster - still awaiting attachment of his Hamster decal when the weather is a bit warmer) is parked on my front garden hiding behind a huge hedge, and I sometimes just go and sit in him 'just because'. I'm already on my second colour scheme inside - the VW grey was so dull. My first set of girly furnishings had to go because the lovely wool throw I found at a Christmas fair just shed fluff everywhere and drove us nuts! I've now got warm yellow/red scheme which makes it feel much more homely - it would match your Beach beautifully!

Your little man looks adorable. Mine is now 17 and for some strange reason refuses to go in the van (apparently it's just not cool - NOT COOL? WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CHILD?). His loss! Anyway, he's got to study for his A levels this year, so it gives his dad and I an excuse to slope off at weekends and plan our life once he's left us in the Autumn (muffled sob).

Enjoy your beautiful van and make wonderful memories with your boys.

 

[2haw]

View attachment 19494
Awning up, not pegged (except for one). First attempt, took me 20 minutes solo to this stage. The most time consuming bit was feeding the kador strip - I'll get quicker as I learn the knack.
View attachment 19495
Removed one seat. A fairly painless procedure. The dogs' small crate fits perfectly leaving space for boys to access their seats and keeping the aisle between the two front seats is unobstructed. I'm not convinced there will be the space for boys to be facing each other as planned, but time to play and experiment. The legroom they need is either zero or close to zero between the third and second row seats.

With the dogs' crate removed and in the awning there is ample saloon space for four if too cold to sit in the awning, but no space for the table to attach to the rail. I'm not yet sure if we will be needing to swivel the front seats at all with four of us.

The rear bench is not in the fully back position in this photo. If you drop the multiplex board, the seat will slide fully back to give enough legroom when the 2nd and 3rd rows face each other.

With the rear seat fully back, you should be able to access the additional cup holders.

 

[Amarillo]

The rear bench is not in the fully back position in this photo. If you drop the multiplex board, the seat will slide fully back to give enough legroom when the 2nd and 3rd rows face each other.

I played around with various configurations to see how we can make best use of available space when we tour as a family of four. It seemed to me that having the 2nd row seat turned to face the bench, in its furthest forward position, the back was too perpendicular - that was until I thought to move the 1st row passenger seat forward, then it fitted perfectly. The 3rd row bench can then be moved forward so that it nearly touches the 2nd row seat, and the boot is enormous. Happy, happy, happy!

 

[Borris]

I played around with various configurations to see how we can make best use of available space when we tour as a family of four. It seemed to me that having the 2nd row seat turned to face the bench, in its furthest forward position, the back was too perpendicular - that was until I thought to move the 1st row passenger seat forward, then it fitted perfectly. The 3rd row bench can then be moved forward so that it nearly touches the 2nd row seat, and the boot is enormous. Happy, happy, happy!

When you "tour as a family of four" why will you need the swivel seats?

Ditch the swivels for touring and hey presto you have a much more flexible vehicle. The rear bench is more than big enough for two youngsters with Isofix on the two outer seat positions. You can then slide the bench to any position on the rails. Way back = massive space inside or way forward with massive space in the boot. When parked you can swivel the front seats and get the table out. Also whilst you can make up the bed with the swivel seats in place you don't really want to do that with kids and dogs in the van as it leaves next to no floor space.

 

[Amarillo]

When you "tour as a family of four" why will you need the swivel seats?

Because we will be away first for 3 months, and then for 9 months, and grandparents are joining us for a week in Lithuania in July/August, then 2 weeks over birthdays, Christmas and New Year in Sicily.

We will leave one swivel seat behind to make room for the dogs.

 

[El Greco]

I need to find a bumper sticker to match the name:

Should this not be an Armadillo? Perhaps I am missing something?

 

[bigmac77]

Because we will be away first for 3 months, and then for 9 months, and grandparents are joining us for a week in Lithuania in July/August, then 2 weeks over birthdays, Christmas and New Year in Sicily.

We will leave one swivel seat behind to make room for the dogs.

Total of 52 weeks away, parents visiting for 3 leaving you to live with less space and what I would consider to be a pretty awkward setup when they aren't there for 49 weeks. I think I'd make them hire a car or follow you in a taxi.

 

[Amarillo]

Total of 52 weeks away, parents visiting for 3 leaving you to live with less space and what I would consider to be a pretty awkward setup when they aren't there for 49 weeks. I think I'd make them hire a car or follow you in a taxi.

I am not yet ready to rule anything out, I've only had the van for 15 hours, but if possible I'd like to travel with six seats - there are other's coming out and meeting us en-route.

I'll have a much firmer idea of how things will work after this weekend. We are spending three nights away with 3 adults and 2 toddlers sleeping in the van.

 

[GillianC]

Good luck Tom and have fun...
Sure you will sort out the arrangement that suits you.
Exciting times!

 

[Amarillo]

Good luck Tom and have fun...
Sure you will sort out the arrangement that suits you.
Exciting times!

Thanks Gillian.

I spent about three hours this afternoon playing with possible arrangements. I'm really thrilled with the seeming endless variety of ways the van can be configured. Ben went to nursery this afternoon facing forwards, with his brother Jack behind on the bench. They came home facing one another and were delighted: so much nicer than side by side.

 

[GillianC]

Thanks Gillian.

I spent about three hours this afternoon playing with possible arrangements. I'm really thrilled with the seeming endless variety of ways the van can be configured. Ben went to nursery this afternoon facing forwards, with his brother Jack behind on the bench. They came home facing one another and were delighted: so much nicer than side by side.

You will have so much fun with your boys in Amarillo!
My sons are now 25 and 22 and they are insured to drive the Cali. The eldest has used it to move his possessions to the flat he has just bought and
the youngest is planning some cycling holidays in it with his mate.
Truly a versatile, cross generation vehicle.
Enjoy every moment of your trip with your family. Fabulous memories for you all.

 

[DM]

You will have so much fun with your boys in Amarillo!
My sons are now 25 and 22 and they are insured to drive the Cali. The eldest has used it to move his possessions to the flat he has just bought and
the youngest is planning some cycling holidays in it with his mate.
Truly a versatile, cross generation vehicle.
Enjoy every moment of your trip with your family. Fabulous memories for you all.

You've insured a 22 year old? Don't tell my daughter! Dare I ask what the additional cost was?

 

[GillianC]

You've insured a 22 year old? Don't tell my daughter! Dare I ask what the additional cost was?

Very good question...
I'm not sure because they have a number of classic vehicles (buses and cars) they are insured on a group policy to include the camper and both boys are included. My eldest did his bus driving licence when he was 18 and used to drive commercially to earn money whilst at uni. It doesn't cost too much though or we wouldn't have done it. Bizarrely they couldnt get insurance to drive either my husbands or my car (an old X trail)!

 

[Seaside Sussex]

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You got the bunting out for Amarillo!
Wishing you all great adventures

Jayne

 

[Velma's Dad]

Should this not be an Armadillo? Perhaps I am missing something?

You say Armadillo. He says Amarillo.

Let's call the whole thing off.

 

[Amarillo]

You got the bunting out for Amarillo!
Wishing you all great adventures

I am a remoaner - and proud of it! The bunting has been there since early June last year, and will remain until it is in tatters or we set off on our farewell tour of the EU in Amarillo, and rent out our home - quite possibly to a German banker's family, living in the UK for a year to relocate key financial services from London to Frankfurt.

 

[El Greco]

You say Armadillo. He says Amarillo.

Let's call the whole thing off.

One is a place in Texas and the other is the animal pictured I believe

 

[Velma's Dad]

One is a place in Texas and the other is the animal pictured I believe

Maybe they could name the Armadillo 'Sedaka'. Then he could show them the way?

Sorry, prob all too cryptic for a Thursday morning.