Beach collection next week

[GraemeP]

Just got the nod to say my Beach arrived at SMG today - great timing as I’ve got next week off.

So, I’ve joined as a VIP and grabbed the check list, I’ll ring round and sort my insurance, and I’ll ensure proof of my extended warranty is in my hands before I leave!

I may take my wife and daughter, is it worth them being there for the handover to see operation of stuff - or leave them at home and show them when I get back?

I guess as a commercial centre primarily, it won’t be like my BMW experience at Elms Cambridge with sofas, decent coffee and mini fridges with drinks and lots of free sweets!

 

[Borris]

Definitely take them with you. Treat it as an adventure and I'm sure your family will enjoy the pick up experience. Buy a slap up picnic to christen your new Beach on they way home.

If you are picking it up from SMG at Tonbridge their showroom is a typical commercial showroom on an industrial estate. What it lacks in sofistication is more than made up for by their very friendly team. They do have armchairs and coffee although I can't comment on whether it's on a par with BMW. My only experience of a BMW showroom wasn't a good one. Lots of stuffed shirts and condescension. I didn't hang about for the coffee! Evidently I wasn't the type of customer they were looking for. At least we both agreed on that point. Got the same reaction from Audi so their loss again.

Coincidently, we are also picking up our new Beach from them next week.

Anyway I hope it all goes well. You have many happy adventures ahead.

 

[Perfectos]

First family outing with the Cali, all there

 

[GraemeP]

Thanks for the advice - just found out my wife has some work on Tuesday, so I’ll likely go up with my daughter. It’s quite the outing for us, living on the Isle of Wight!

 

[GraemeP]

Collection day tomorrow - sorted train tickets and insurance, told the bank not to. Lock the payment when it comes through. Got my printed collection sheet from this great site!

Anything else new buyers would recommend I need for collection day?

Anybody fitted Bilstein coilovers whilst in warranty? Matt at SMG said it shouldn’t be an issue, I’ll clarify whilst there, but if it’s going to be a problem I’ll go with the VW H&R kit in their catalogue - just that it’s almost twice the price!!

 

[Borris]

I think you have covered everything Graeme. Just make sure you take you cover note with you as they may need to see it.

Can I ask which insurance company did you insure with? We collect our Beach on Thursday but I have chosen to take VW's complimentary 5 day fully comprehensive insurance to give me more time to get quotes.

I have insured through the Caravan and Motorhome Club for both of our previous vans. However, they have been difficult this time due the the DVLA V5 MPV issue. They want photographs of the new van!!!!! I have reminded them that they insured our last Beach for the last three and a half years without issue but they're not budging. So photos they will get.

Anyway have a great day and I hope all goes well.

 

[GraemeP]

Cheers Borris - I’ve had a very manic few months, and I’m sat with a coffee and a bit of TV at the start of a week on leave - and now finally able to look forward to getting the Beach.

I’ve been a bit lazy, phoned Comfort for a quote that came in at £275, and I can fit coilovers with no cost impact. I’m happy with that, not worth ringing around for a few quid here and there.

I’m debating getting them to fit a bike rack if they’ve got one in stock - how much should I be able to wangle off the price?

 

[GraemeP]

What are you collecting Borris - Beach or Ocean? Mind sharing spec?

Mine’s a 3 seat bench Mojave Beach with:
DSG
LED lights
Comfort Dash with triple zone climate
Black alcantara
6th seat
Folding mirrors
Power latching tailgate and slider
Privacy glass
Speed sensing cruise
MFSW
Light & vision
Front and rear PDC with camera
Interior light concept
Extra sliding window

Think that’s it - then fitting 18” steels with spacers and B14 coilovers.

Need to sort bike rack and a mattress - mattress seems harder than choosing a house!!

 

[Borris]

Cheers Borris - I’ve had a very manic few months, and I’m sat with a coffee and a bit of TV at the start of a week on leave - and now finally able to look forward to getting the Beach.

I’ve been a bit lazy, phoned Comfort for a quote that came in at £275, and I can fit coilovers with no cost impact. I’m happy with that, not worth ringing around for a few quid here and there.

I’m debating getting them to fit a bike rack if they’ve got one in stock - how much should I be able to wangle off the price?

You should get 10% off by speaking to Chris in the parts department, however try your salesman first. I'd give them a ring straight away so that they can get one in by tomorrow. They may not have one in stock. SMG have in the past given discount to VW California Club members. However, I did buy a whole lot of items for our new van and got 10% off everything. I tried to squeeze a little more but that seemed to be the ceiling.

Who dealt with your purchase? We've always had Laine with our vans.

 

[GraemeP]

You should get 10% off by speaking to Chris in the parts department, however try your salesman first. I'd give them a ring straight away so that they can get one in by tomorrow. They may not have one in stock. SMG have in the past given discount to VW California Club members. However, I did buy a whole lot of items for our new van and got 10% off everything. I tried to squeeze a little more but that seemed to be the ceiling.

Who dealt with your purchase? We've always had Laine with our vans.

Started out with Laine agreeing the discounts, Matt did the final deal while Laine was out, so have dealt with Matt.

If they only go 10% I’ll hold on for a used one I think.

 

[Borris]

What are you collecting Borris - Beach or Ocean? Mind sharing spec?

Mine’s a 3 seat bench Mojave Beach with:
DSG
LED lights
Comfort Dash with triple zone climate
Black alcantara
6th seat
Folding mirrors
Power latching tailgate and slider
Privacy glass
Speed sensing cruise
MFSW
Light & vision
Front and rear PDC with camera
Interior light concept
Extra sliding window

Think that’s it - then fitting 18” steels with spacers and B14 coilovers.

Need to sort bike rack and a mattress - mattress seems harder than choosing a house!!

Not at all.

We had a lovely seven seat Beach that we had owned for three and a half years from new. We had no intentions of selling it until the Factory Extended Warranty was up in March 2021. However the following issues pursueded us to change:
1. The possibility of a +10% import duty in the event of a hard B####t.
2. The T.6 production was coming to an end and I don't like several aspects of the new T.6-1.
3. Discounts are always better on an outgoing model.
4. There would be a price hike on the T.6-1.
5. The strong possibility of either meagre or no discounts at all on the T.6-1.
6. An old model is usually pretty well sorted by the end of a production run.

As it turned out there were two further reasons but we didn't know that when we ordered in early August. The first is that VW don't appear to importing the Beach to the UK any more and the second was that they stopped our chosen duo colour paint scheme only a week after we ordered! They stopped taking T.6 orders three weeks later. So without knowing it we ordered at just the right time.

As for spec, well after having owned one Beach we knew what we wanted on the next one. However, we involved our grandchildren in the speccing process to give them some ownership of the vehicle they would be spending a lot of time in. So this is what we ended up with:

There is also:
DSG,
VW Media Control and App Connect and
Electric adjustable, heated and folding mirrors.

Yours looks like a very nice spec. Not too different from ours.

I'm intreaged, why the coil overs?

Good luck with the collection.

 

[Borris]

Started out with Laine agreeing the discounts, Matt did the final deal while Laine was out, so have dealt with Matt.

If they only go 10% I’ll hold on for a used one I think.

Well it'll do no harm to ask.

 

[GraemeP]

Not at all.

We had a lovely seven seat Beach that we had owned for three and a half years from new. We had no intentions of selling it until the Factory Extended Warranty was up in March 2021. However the following issues pursueded us to change:
1. The possibility of a +10% import duty in the event of a hard B####t.
2. The T.6 production was coming to an end and I don't like several aspects of the new T.6-1.
3. Discounts are always better on an outgoing model.
4. There would be a price hike on the T.6-1.
5. The strong possibility of either meagre or no discounts at all on the T.6-1.
6. An old model is usually pretty well sorted by the end of a production run.

As it turned out there were two further reasons but we didn't know that when we ordered in early August. The first is that VW don't appear to importing the Beach to the UK any more and the second was that they stopped our chosen duo colour paint scheme only a week after we ordered! They stopped taking T.6 orders three weeks later. So without knowing it we ordered at just the right time.

As for spec, well after having owned one Beach we knew what we wanted on the next one. However, we involved our grandchildren in the speccing process to give them some ownership of the vehicle they would be spending a lot of time in. So this is what we ended up with:
View attachment 51683
There is also:
DSG,
VW Media Control and App Connect and
Electric adjustable, heated and folding mirrors.

Yours looks like a very nice spec. Not too different from ours.

I'm intreaged, why the coil overs?

Good luck with the collection.

Borris

Yours looks good! I’ve got standard wheels coming in mine to switch when it arrives. Have I dipped out on uprated brakes by not having 17” wheels? I’ll be gutted if I have!

The way the van looks is important to me, last T5.1 had coilovers and banded steels, they look so much better lowered. I’ll not be camping that much so ground clearance not an issue.

 

[Borris]

Borris

Yours looks good! I’ve got standard wheels coming in mine to switch when it arrives. Have I dipped out on uprated brakes by not having 17” wheels? I’ll be gutted if I have!

The way the van looks is important to me, last T5.1 had coilovers and banded steels, they look so much better lowered. I’ll not be camping that much so ground clearance not an issue.

What ever suits an individual owner's taste should be done. I suppose that's one of the reasons that VW campers and vans have always been so popular. They lend themselves to being personalised.

Re the wheels, I agree it's important what the vehicle looks like. Accordingly I am still undecided on the matter of wheels. I wanted the 17" brakes so had to order 17" wheels. The trouble is I don't really like the Cascavals offered on the Beach. I would have preferred the Devonports that are available on every other Transporter vehicle but for some reason not the Beach at time of ordering.
So do I fit my steels with winter tyres straight away and sell the new Cascavals and buy some Devonports instead? Or do I use them until the tyres are shot then sell them for what ever I can get for them. Then look for suitable replacements? I don't know what I'll yet. "If in doubt, do nought!"