Are they really “the best”?

[kob200_0]

We sold our 2008 SE a couple of years back, the interior was well used and look/worked as good as new.
I'd absolutely say you need to be gentle, as it can be fragile.
But really, to us, the Cali is simply the best

We’ve had our ocean for 3 months and although nothing has broken yet, we both find that the precision living demanded by the storage spaces warning and likely to lead to damage. The sink is virtually useless and the wardrobe irritating. Having previously owned a t25 high top, the driving experience is incomparable but the storage and over design is very irritating. If I were looking again I’d buy a high top conversion.

 

[Sad]

We’ve had our ocean for 3 months and although nothing has broken yet, we both find that the precision living demanded by the storage spaces warning and likely to lead to damage. The sink is virtually useless and the wardrobe irritating. Having previously owned a t25 high top, the driving experience is incomparable but the storage and over design is very irritating. If I were looking again I’d buy a high top conversion.

Sounds like you didn't quite think it through. Life's too short to hate your van. You'll get back what you paid for it when Westfalia have a Club Joker ready for you...

 

[soulstyledevon]

4 years in.
Not a single fault with the habitation area…

 

[Perfectos]

Not just a VW issue apparently

 

[calibeach76]

Sounds like you didn't quite think it through. Life's too short to hate your van. You'll get back what you paid for it when Westfalia have a Club Joker ready for you...

100% SAD.

 

[calibeach76]

We’ve had our ocean for 3 months and although nothing has broken yet, we both find that the precision living demanded by the storage spaces warning and likely to lead to damage. The sink is virtually useless and the wardrobe irritating. Having previously owned a t25 high top, the driving experience is incomparable but the storage and over design is very irritating. If I were looking again I’d buy a high top conversion.

Go buy one then and let a desperate want to be owner buy and love your van in a way you sound like you don't. Good luck with a knocked together big white to make you realise how good and versatile a Cali really is.

 

[Kayleigh]

Go buy one then and let a desperate want to be owner buy and love your van in a way you sound like you don't. Good luck with a knocked together big white to make you realise how good and versatile a Cali really is.

Sounds like a Beach Camper may have been a better option… no sink and no wardrobe to get ‘frustrated’ with

 

[GrannyJen]

I am probably the least mechanically adept person on the planet. Neither am I particularly inclined to be gentle with things.

Two California's, somewhere around 90,000 miles of travelling, over 500 nights of living in it, some of my trips have been wild to say the least ...

Nothing broken that couldn't be easily fixed. A completely trustworthy vehicle that I felt safe, cocooned and cosseted in.

 

[calibeach76]

I am probably the least mechanically adept person on the planet. Neither am I particularly inclined to be gentle with things.

Two California's, somewhere around 90,000 miles of travelling, over 500 nights of living in it, some of my trips have been wild to say the least ...

Nothing broken that couldn't be easily fixed. A completely trustworthy vehicle that I felt safe, cocooned and cosseted in.

Hallelujah

 

[BeeBee]

Almost 3 years in and so far no ‘breakages’ and that’s with a big Labrador and husband in tow. I’m pretty tidy and well organised and in an albeit ‘beautifully put together’ but relatively confined space you need to be mindful of its limitations. If wee things break we’ll get them fixed if big things break at least we know VW will ultimately be around to sort it out !
Looked at conversions and was impressed with Jerba (Nth Berwick) but for us the Cali Ocean ticked all of our boxes.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

They’re not for everyone. I like that mine is made from aluminium and the same tough plastic they use on aircraft. I would never go for something made of mdf and glue. Owned ours 13 years and it’s the best thing I’ve ever bought. A warm place to sleep and a great vehicle to drive.
I certainly don’t expect everyone to feel the same and often suggest people hire first to see if it suits them.
I’m currently driving a Renault hire car and missing my Golf. Occasionally VW just get things right. Shocking garages though.

 

[Niborn]

I can only speak for my own.
Bought new in 2014, now on 107,500+ miles.
Everything works as it should, nothing repaired/replaced regarding habitation area/equipment. We cook in the van, we use the water tank for its intended purpose .
And it's a 180 Biturbo and uses 250 mls of oil between 20,000 mile services. It is also used as a daily driver .
Off to Knordkapp in 4 weeks .

Welsh Gas , are you going back to the North Cape now, could still be snowy …..I know you’ve been before and I’ve stories of your visit to Ollie and Eva …..

 

[Niborn]

I am probably the least mechanically adept person on the planet. Neither am I particularly inclined to be gentle with things.

Two California's, somewhere around 90,000 miles of travelling, over 500 nights of living in it, some of my trips have been wild to say the least ...

Nothing broken that couldn't be easily fixed. A completely trustworthy vehicle that I felt safe, cocooned and cosseted in.

I agree…

 

[WelshGas]

Welsh Gas , are you going back to the North Cape now, could still be snowy …..I know you’ve been before and I’ve stories of your visit to Ollie and Eva …..

Yes. Leaving on Monday 2nd May.
A lot of snow in Northern Norway, but roads open and there are plenty of visitors there. Photos from Today.

https://weathercam.kystnor.no/nordkapp

 

[Niborn]

Lovely the weather looks nice , certainly better than when we were there in October...how long will your trip be this time ?

 

[WelshGas]

Lovely the weather looks nice , certainly better than when we were there in October...how long will your trip be this time ?

3 weeks and I'll be travelling to some places that Motorhomes just cannot get to, or if they do very rarely.
Last time I was at Knordkapp, California sized camper vans made up the majority of RV vehicles.

( see, I cleverly bought the thread back on topic so as to not upset @Sad . )

 

[Niborn]

Yes back on thread . Are they the best ? I do agree that the sliding doors are not robust , it was probably during my North Cape trip I pulled the handle on the cupboard door and it came in two , I know its just taped together with gorilla tape. Probably it tapes back together, but I haven't bothered . I'm not worried about the door at all , it doesn't make a jot of difference on a trip like the North Cape. What matters is the drivability and accessibility / reliability up there, especially if you have a 4wd . I did see one other mini white motorhome on my last trip there, before conditions got really bad . But later conditions were appalling, I doubt any other type of camper could of made it through. The Cali is the best for trips like this

 

[Kayleigh]

Yes back on thread . Are they the best ? I do agree that the sliding doors are not robust , it was probably during my North Cape trip I pulled the handle on the cupboard door and it came in two , I know its just taped together with gorilla tape. Probably it tapes back together, but I haven't bothered . I'm not worried about the door at all , it doesn't make a jot of difference on a trip like the North Cape. What matters is the drivability and accessibility / reliability up there, especially if you have a 4wd . I did see one other mini white motorhome on my last trip there, before conditions got really bad . But later conditions were appalling, I doubt any other type of camper could of made it through. The Cali is the best for trips like this

View attachment 91554

Is that what you call a ‘polar cali’?

Looking ahead to the future, how would you feel doing that kind of trip in a Buzz?

 

[andrew bazeley]

Like a previous responder, my Cali was a "promotion" (14 years ago!) from a huge clumsy cotton tent, which took about two hours to set up. So I can only compare with that. But I just love it: within 10 minutes of arriving, you can have the seats around the table inside (with the kettle on), and the bed ready up in the roof. Also that huge sliding door can stay wide open on a sunny day. The awning is good too. Yes, I've had a few interior breakages: the leg attachment on the pull-out table worked loose, and I had to put a new screw in. Then the "wardrobe" door broke, but was easily fixed (as someone else has said) with gaffer tape on the inside. Oh - and the pull-down blind in the sliding door was proving dodgy and hard to level-up. But then one of the side cords snapped, and it's much better now! I'm sure a higher-spec van conversion would be great, but I just love the combination of a reasonably good super-tent, and a terrific day-to-day vehicle. And then there's the fact that I can probably get back now what I paid for it!

It's perfect if you play gigs, by the way!

 

[WelshGas]

Is that what you call a ‘polar cali’?

Looking ahead to the future, how would you feel doing that kind of trip in a Buzz?

I wouldn't. Outside southern Norway I didn't see many chargers except in some of the larger coastal towns.

 

[chockswahay]

Oh dear, (staying off topic) I don’t like reading these threads that refer to Norway …. It just reminds me how MUCH I love Norway and wish to go again

A few piccies ( the road piccie was taken around midnight!)

 

[kob200_0]

California club









Oh dear, I seem to have prodded a wasps nest, I wasn’t aware just how much to some, the California badge is a fetish rather than the emblem of the campervan version of a high specked Transporter and just how high the passions run. For me critique, although always subjective, is not about loving or hating something, it’s about appraising its good and bad points and weighing them in the balance with a view to improve them or to enable rational decisions to be made without being blinded by a brand or the prejudices of an ownership cult. I’ve owned a split screen and a T25, both were great vehicles with their own cult associations and despite their unreliability they had many adventures to their name but I wouldn’t want them back. I have no desire to own a ‘big white’ but nor am I likely to buy another Ocean because its many habitation restrictions are like living in a jigsaw puzzle and for £70k+ it seems a pity not to be given any options in the configuration or the finish other than grey and plastic. Nothing is perfect and I’ll no doubt learn to live with it and work around its limitations and its ‘delicate’ internal fittings. As I’m not a cult a member, I don’t have to love it, I visit this forum not to worship but for the good technical info and I thank those who post all the useful stuff.
“the best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity”
WB Yeats

 

[WelshGas]

Oh dear, (staying off topic) I don’t like reading these threads that refer to Norway …. It just reminds me how MUCH I love Norway and wish to go again

A few piccies ( the road piccie was taken around midnight!)

View attachment 91583

View attachment 91584

View attachment 91585

View attachment 91586

Or this:

 

[chockswahay]

Stop….. STOP already! (We quite liked the drive down the other side too)

 

[Alistair Hardy]

Hi all, I have been looking at buying a Cali now for the last few months and have been out to see a fair few.
I can honestly say I’ve not looked at one that hasn’t got something broken, be it tears to the roof, broken cupboard doors and that tambour door thing seems to be a terrible design as most are broken or won’t open properly.

The vans I look at are well looked after vehicles, regularly serviced and maintained but the camper interior seems to be the weak link.
Factor in the possible issues with the Bitdi engines (of which there seems to be many for sale and not shifting), the higher cost of buying one and the older van for your money I’m now starting to look at other converted vans.

Do people tend to find the interior a bit on the fragile side?

Anyway, apologies for the rant, maybe I just need reassurance that my Cali hunt is not in vain.

Well have a lookout, andnmore importantly talk to converted owners. Thing do go wrong.
BUT for your information I would never buy another Clai, everything that you have mentioned plus sat nav radio problems has gone SOUTH ON MY 2015 180 PS wee wee POT VAN. SO DON'T CONSIDER ONE IN MY OPINION. GOOD LUCK