Beach not very refined?

[Geezso]

Were they Campervans or Motorhomes?

Sounds like the much coveted Lorryhome

 

[BerndRos]

WG...you must have seen them on your travels in Europe. BIG old lorries with Windows cut into the sides. Usually driven by macho young men with a carefree attitude, and young adoring women in flowing patterned skirts. Oh, and a faint aroma of ?..around them. Hippies revisited....

 

[Alan]

WG...you must have seen them on your travels in Europe. BIG old lorries with Windows cut into the sides. Usually driven by macho young men with a carefree attitude, and young adoring women in flowing patterned skirts. Oh, and a faint aroma of ?..around them. Hippies revisited....

I'm envious

 

[BerndRos]

Lol....it passed us 1970s teenagers by. Those before us were drop outs and those after us saw the light re the absurdities of life. We were caught in the middle, the serious generation.

 

[WelshGas]

WG...you must have seen them on your travels in Europe. BIG old lorries with Windows cut into the sides. Usually driven by macho young men with a carefree attitude, and young adoring women in flowing patterned skirts. Oh, and a faint aroma of ?..around them. Hippies revisited....

Never mind Europe there's a few in the UK. Best I've seen was an old Fire Engine. Surfboards and Kyacks replacing the ladders and windows in the sides. Bright red as well.

 

[Life's a beach]

I personally find the beach to be very refined, much more than my last campervan .......

 

[BerndRos]

View attachment 12671 I personally find the beach to be very refined, much more than my last campervan .......

BUT..does it come with young adoring women with patterned flowing skirts as standard ?

 

[Life's a beach]

Of course!

 

[WelshGas]

Don't think it's a VW bike rack.

 

[Alan]

Where do you guys get these photos?
There Fantastic

 

[tetch]

Hi all,

I have owned a 2012 Beach for 2.5 years now and absolutely love it. I was lucky in that whoever spec'd it up at the dealer ( i bought it at 7k miles) chose just about every optional extra (inc remote heater, 3-zone climate, climabox etc) so I was happy. I use this van as a daily runner, weekend picnics, weekend camping and significantly a 4-week euro trip every summer with wife and son. We bought the Kyham Motordome awning to go with it and essentially use it exactly as I would an SE.

My point being, when holidaying in the summer, we BBQ each night and have never really felt the need for the kitchen inside. The kitchen in my opinion is more convenient for a cuppa in a lay-by by the seaside or something (however, for the price difference I am happy to buy coffee from coffee shops / kiosks etc).

I am investing in a proper Waeco fridge for it this year as the climabox is slow (but works) but otherwise the Beach for me is a Campervan that sleeps up to 4 adults or a family of 4.

Every SE owner I see during the summer trips are sitting outside the van, having a BBQ or eating takeaway (OR probably in the campsite restaurant given that they've got stacks of cash!!! ;-))

Save your money, buy a Beach with the right spec and spend the rest on ferries, campsites and beer!

 

[Archie]

Hi all,

I have owned a 2012 Beach for 2.5 years now and absolutely love it. I was lucky in that whoever spec'd it up at the dealer ( i bought it at 7k miles) chose just about every optional extra (inc remote heater, 3-zone climate, climabox etc) so I was happy. I use this van as a daily runner, weekend picnics, weekend camping and significantly a 4-week euro trip every summer with wife and son. We bought the Kyham Motordome awning to go with it and essentially use it exactly as I would an SE.

My point being, when holidaying in the summer, we BBQ each night and have never really felt the need for the kitchen inside. The kitchen in my opinion is more convenient for a cuppa in a lay-by by the seaside or something (however, for the price difference I am happy to buy coffee from coffee shops / kiosks etc).

I am investing in a proper Waeco fridge for it this year as the climabox is slow (but works) but otherwise the Beach for me is a Campervan that sleeps up to 4 adults or a family of 4.

Every SE owner I see during the summer trips are sitting outside the van, having a BBQ or eating takeaway (OR probably in the campsite restaurant given that they've got stacks of cash!!! ;-))

Save your money, buy a Beach with the right spec and spend the rest on ferries, campsites and beer!

This was exactly our thought process when we recently replaced our 3 year old SE with a new high spec beach. We had hardly used the gas rings and sink, saw the electric roof as just something flashy to go wrong when the warranty ran out, couldn't take any of the kids friends in the SE as they are getting older, and cook outside all the time (under the awning if it's raining) as a big part of getting the van was to be in the outdoors as much as possible. We have bought a Waeco CFX 40, which other than being a bit of a pain to transport, actually performs better than the internal fridge (doesn't seem to kill the salad like the old fridge did and is slightly bigger). We throw it in the awning on an extension lead when we are around the van to make more space and just put it back in if we go out for the day. The only downside to having the beach that we see at the moment is only having 1 leisure battery, but I know solar panels will soon sort that if it becomes an issue.

 

[Sp0_0k]

Dealer confirmed today that Beach and Ocean have exactly same platform. And both are a level of a multivan.

 

[T6 CFO]

Some want an Ocean/SE some want a Beach.
Some who want an Ocean/SE want different options for different reasons than others who want an Ocean/SE.
Some who want a Beach want different options for different reasons than others who want a Beach.
Of all the discussions on here this is the one that that boomerangs back.

I can see the value in the discussion in helping people to decide which suits them but neither is better than any other whatever the model or the spec.



Mike

 

[WelshGas]

We each have different priorities. Mine is an all year round camper for 2 without the fuss of standalone awnings, removable pods and water containers. Apart from filling the water tank I'm ready to go at 30 mins notice. It's not about money it's lifestyle choice.

 

[GrannyJen]

My decision was marginal. There was a lot in the SE that when I bought it I felt I did not need. I am now glad that I did. I need all that is in the SE.

At the end of the day it is the lifestyle that brings us all together, not the tin box that we achieve our lifestyle aims with.

 

[Batmobile]

Considering that the T1, T2 etc basically are considered the archetypal 'campervan' in pretty well every country on earth, that's an odd statement! Those vehicles with more facilities are heading into 'motorhome' territory I would think. The odd one is the Beach, which is as close to a Caravelle/Multivan as a full fat SE/Ocean in base spec form, but can be made as much like an SE/Ocean as the owner wishes.

Guy at Preston said that with the T5 most Beaches were kept close to base spec; however, he noted that 'almost everyone is heavily speccing their Beaches with the T6'.

Won't call any of VW T series a camper van. There is no shower and WC and hot water.
All those are compact travel vans with different type of extra features.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Considering that the T1, T2 etc basically are considered the archetypal 'campervan' in pretty well every country on earth, that's an odd statement! Those vehicles with more facilities are heading into 'motorhome' territory I would think. The odd one is the Beach, which is as close to a Caravelle/Multivan as a full fat SE/Ocean in base spec form, but can be made as much like an SE/Ocean as the owner wishes.

Guy at Preston said that with the T5 most Beaches were kept close to base spec; however, he noted that 'almost everyone is heavily speccing their Beaches with the T6'.

I must admit, if I were buying another I would tick more boxes on the options list.
So far I have retro-fitted diesel heater and removable towbar, therefore I would add these two options plus 3zone climatic instead of just air con. Would like to see 4 motion on a Beach too another item I would add

 

[Borris]

I must admit, if I were buying another I would tick more boxes on the options list.
So far I have retro-fitted diesel heater and removable towbar, therefore I would add these two options plus 3zone climatic instead of just air con. Would like to see 4 motion on a Beach too another item I would add

Hello soulstyledevon,
I think your experience in retro fitting the heater would be very interesting to some owners on the forum. Any chance of a brief resume'?

 

[Sp0_0k]

Would like to see 4 motion on a Beach too another item I would add

No prob with a steering wheel on the proper left side )

 

[soulstyledevon]

Hello soulstyledevon,
I think your experience in retro fitting the heater would be very interesting to some owners on the forum. Any chance of a brief resume'?

I had Dirty Weekender in Worcester fit a Webasto.
There is loads of information on another thread. When I'm at my PC I will find a link

 

[Borris]

I had Dirty Weekender in Worcester fit a Webasto.
There is loads of information on another thread. When I'm at my PC I will find a link

Thanks,
Your post suggested that you might have fitted it yourself. I have a factory fitted heater myself but there are owners that haven't and might like to try and fit one themselves, (if you are allowed to).