Beach or Ocean

[MattBW]

Beach buying guide.

· Visit dealer. Look at Ocean and fall in love. Sharp intake of breath at price. Dealer suggests cheaper Beach. You’re convinced.

· Return to forum and kick off yet another Ocean/Beach punch up. Beachisti will write pages of self-justification. Oceangoers respond taking the pi** smugly.

· Buy Beach.

· Realise it’s just a van with a bed and start investigating various pods/fridges/stoves/storage solutions to enable some sort of comfortable camping. Start a forum post on kitchen pods and kick off another Ocean/Beach punch up (see above).

· Struggle on in denial for several years until your PCP expires.

· Sell Beach and Buy Ocean.

· Join smug Oceangoers in forum punch ups. (See above).


Disclaimer - No feelings were hurt or damaged during the making of this post.

One of each solves all the problems!

 

[MattBW]

Oh and a heater can be retrofitted quite easily for between £1200 and £1500 depending on if you have factory vents or not.

 

[Sandyvan]

Pays your money take your choice, as said they all have a Cali badge on the back and above all are Vdubs .
Lets all play nicely, with our siblings.

 

[MattBW]

These discussions have been going as long as the two models have been available and it's safe to say none of them are the perfect solution and each has its strengths and weaknesses.

I sometimes ponder an Ocean but I love the extra space too much. I do think I would perhaps like a 2 seat beach instead of the 3.

 

[rippers]

Please note that the "Two seater bench" Beach model offers still the full width lower bed but at the lower (Ocean style) height.

Which is why I specifically stated three seat bench. To be fair the 2 seat beds in the beach and ocean are amazingly easy to make up and are fairly comfortable. I found the three seat bed incredibly uncomfortable and fairly laborious to make, add the mattress topper and not being able to sit up even worse. If I was to get a beach again it’ll be a two seat bench and 5th seat if I needed three seats in the back. If you need a 6/7 seater then you have no choice then to get the 3 seat..
..this said as I now have the benefit of hindsight, if I had only ever experienced the three seat bed I would probably have never complained! It was only after getting my SE and making the bed that I was like.. huh.. is that it.. that was easy

 

[MarkVw2017]

Which is why I specifically stated three seat bench. To be fair the 2 seat beds in the beach and ocean are amazingly easy to make up and are fairly comfortable. I found the three seat bed incredibly uncomfortable and fairly laborious to make, add the mattress topper and not being able to sit up even worse. If I was to get a beach again it’ll be a two seat bench and 5th seat if I needed three seats in the back. If you need a 6/7 seater then you have no choice then to get the 3 seat..
..this said as I now have the benefit of hindsight, if I had only ever experienced the three seat bed I would probably have never complained! It was only after getting my SE and making the bed that I was like.. huh.. is that it.. that was easy

Thats good too hear. I ordered the two seat bench and should be here within 6-7 weeks (ooh xmas has come early) but then i have started having doubts thinking should i have got the 3 seater hearing from alot of pople so its fresh to hear some thumbs up for the 2 seater. . We have two kids and my wife asked "if we get the two seater, what happens if one of them wants to bring a bring a friend" and my polite response was "they wont!" Know i can purchase the extra seat, but seems a faff, heavy, storage, loose space etc, or do what my dad did in the 80s, get in the boot with a cushion (estate), car footwell, 5 squished up on rear seats, sitting on someones knee and just hold on for dear life or was that just my dad?

 

[Jonathan Duke]

What about a Coast? (a RHD one from Rep. of Ireland)

 

[sidepod]

Beach owners tools



Ocean owners

 

[Steve&Bev]

Beach owners tools

View attachment 36105

Ocean owners

View attachment 36106

Bet I know what some Ocean owners would like to do with those mole grips!!

 

[ChrisB]

We had the same problem when we were considering our purchase here in Spain. The upshot is that VW are very clever and include a host of standard features on the Ocean, that make it all but impossible to purchase upgrades for a beach at a price that makes it financially worthwhile. If I had the choice, I would have gone for the Coast, but unfortunately they are not available in Spain and importing one here was a non starter due to taxes etc. The Coast offers a really good compromise if you can get one. Unfortunately, they are as rare as rocking horse poop and stupidly expensive on the second hand market. One poster has suggested a RHD Coast from Ireland, I don't know if that would be possible, but it is certainly an option I would explore.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

One poster has suggested a RHD Coast from Ireland, I don't know if that would be possible, but it is certainly an option I would explore.

You can certainly buy a RHD "Coast" from Rep. of Ireland, and it worked out very well priced also. I very much considered this, as I live in Northern Ireland (UK) but ROI is only a 45mins drive away (with a seamless border, for now.)

However, the reason I pulled-back on the idea was due to concerns about insurance cover in the UK etc, as it's not a "UK" model I worried about any potential savings being evaporated in additional insurance premium over the years. So, I went for a UK Beach, and have no regrets..... I added over £10k or extras to my Beach, and it ended up costing not much less than an Ocean with same engine spec etc. However, this was the right choice for us, and would make same purchase again in hindsight also.

 

[Borris]

We had the same problem when we were considering our purchase here in Spain. The upshot is that VW are very clever and include a host of standard features on the Ocean, that make it all but impossible to purchase upgrades for a beach at a price that makes it financially worthwhile. If I had the choice, I would have gone for the Coast, but unfortunately they are not available in Spain and importing one here was a non starter due to taxes etc. The Coast offers a really good compromise if you can get one. Unfortunately, they are as rare as rocking horse poop and stupidly expensive on the second hand market. One poster has suggested a RHD Coast from Ireland, I don't know if that would be possible, but it is certainly an option I would explore.

I'd like to see the rationale behind VW's sales policy for different countries. It's obviously profit driven but I'd love to know why British buyers can only get two models, one with lots of options as standard and the other that you have to specify the same options at silly prices. Also why in some EU countries buyers can order a Coast but not in others. Further more it seems that in some areas you can specify pretty much anything and get it, e.g a Beach with 4motion. I understand that certain options on a particular chassis aren't possible e.g fifth seat on a 4Motion Ocean, but that isn't the case with the majority of combinations. As far as I can see, it's purely down to marketing in order to sqeeze the maximum from the punters.

 

[2into1]

I'd like to see the rationale behind VW's sales policy for different countries. It's obviously profit driven but I'd love to know why British buyers can only get two models, one with lots of options as standard and the other that you have to specify the same options at silly prices. Also why in some EU countries buyers can order a Coast but not in others. Further more it seems that in some areas you can specify pretty much anything and get it, e.g a Beach with 4motion. I understand that certain options on a particular chassis aren't possible e.g fifth seat on a 4Motion Ocean, but that isn't the case with the majority of combinations. As far as I can see, it's purely be down to marketing in order to sqeeze the maximum from the punters.

Perhaps given the increased competition from the MarcoPolo and Westfalia Keplers, they (vw) may see sense and release the Coast in the UK. There can’t be any manufacturing issues as it’s available in Ireland.

Perhaps they are worried the dealers won’t understand it.....oh, hang on, scrub that thought!

 

[Borris]

VW could certainly learn a few things from that new Westfalia Kepler. Hot water, leather seat coverings, six seats.........perhaps it's time the California upped it's game! I not sure about the MP though. Very glitzy but not much different in terms of the basic design.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

On another note...... the mighty Beach isn’t available in the Rep. of Ireland.... They just get the Coast and Ocean

I queried it.... and was told the Country “distributors” select/agree what will be offered within the region. VW are more than happy to supply, but the disties select what they think they be able to sell most of, and don’t put the “effort in” to import/list the full catalog.

 

[Borris]

On another note...... the mighty Beach isn’t available in the Rep. of Ireland.... They just get the Coast and Ocean

I queried it.... and was told the Country “distributors” select/agree what will be offered within the region. VW are more than happy to supply, but the disties select what they think they be able to sell most of, and don’t put the “effort in” to import/list the full catalog.

I wonder why they didn't want to offer the Beach in the R of I? I would have thought they'd have sold like hot cakes there. I suspect the answer lies in the pricing strategy of the Ocean and Coast models and their not being able to gain a big enough profit margin on the Beach.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Beach buying guide.

· Visit dealer. Look at Ocean and fall in love. Sharp intake of breath at price. Dealer suggests cheaper Beach. You’re convinced.

· Return to forum and kick off yet another Ocean/Beach punch up. Beachisti will write pages of self-justification. Oceangoers respond taking the pi** smugly.

· Buy Beach.

· Realise it’s just a van with a bed and start investigating various pods/fridges/stoves/storage solutions to enable some sort of comfortable camping. Start a forum post on kitchen pods and kick off another Ocean/Beach punch up (see above).

· Struggle on in denial for several years until your PCP expires.

· Sell Beach and Buy Ocean.

· Join smug Oceangoers in forum punch ups. (See above).


Disclaimer - No feelings were hurt or damaged during the making of this post.

Hmmm, Beach to Oceanliner here.
After 6 years of Beach ownership, I jumped over to an Ocean.
Was it the right choice...? Not sure yet. The Ocean has its woes too.

After 5/6 weeks of ownership & 2 camping trips I haven’t used the stove or sink. In fact, still haven’t filled the freshwater tank yet.
I am finding the cupboard space more useful and I seem to be keeping organised.

The Ocean roof is annoying me. Slow to open and slow to close. I would take a manual roof over this electric rubbish, every time.
The integrated Ocean front blinds are good, will help when doing some “wild” camping.
I like the top opening fridge, the sliding internal table and the fact the doors on the units slide open. Most conversions I’ve come across they open out.

Ok the 2 seater bed is better than the 3 seater. I like the big draw under the 2 seater.

Is it a better vehicle to camp than the Beach. Possibly, but there isn’t much in it.
Yes, the Beach you have to adapt to camping. But once adapted, it really does do a fine job. I absolutely miss the Beach wider bed downstairs.
I do miss the 5 seat too. But so far it’s only been an issue for us once.

Years ago, I had a simple ex builders T4 which I converted myself. The van and build cost me £7k
I had as much fun in that, as I do my current vehicle at many pounds more.
Don’t listen to the people branding the £££ argument. Try both vans and buy what you find suits you best

 

[flying banana]

I have a beach. it's been the best thing I ever bought. but looking at the ocean now. I'm torn. I love them both. it's a tough one ....think I'll ask the dog. ......the dog says the cool boxes are annoying him so buy an ocean.good luck

 

[MarkVw2017]

Hmmm, Beach to Oceanliner here.
After 6 years of Beach ownership, I jumped over to an Ocean.
Was it the right choice...? Not sure yet. The Ocean has its woes too.

After 5/6 weeks of ownership & 2 camping trips I haven’t used the stove or sink. In fact, still haven’t filled the freshwater tank yet.
I am finding the cupboard space more useful and I seem to be keeping organised.

The Ocean roof is annoying me. Slow to open and slow to close. I would take a manual roof over this electric rubbish, every time.
The integrated Ocean front blinds are good, will help when doing some “wild” camping.
I like the top opening fridge, the sliding internal table and the fact the doors on the units slide open. Most conversions I’ve come across they open out.

Ok the 2 seater bed is better than the 3 seater. I like the big draw under the 2 seater.

Is it a better vehicle to camp than the Beach. Possibly, but there isn’t much in it.
Yes, the Beach you have to adapt to camping. But once adapted, it really does do a fine job. I absolutely miss the Beach wider bed downstairs.
I do miss the 5 seat too. But so far it’s only been an issue for us once.

Years ago, I had a simple ex builders T4 which I converted myself. The van and build cost me £7k
I had as much fun in that, as I do my current vehicle at many pounds more.
Don’t listen to the people branding the £££ argument. Try both vans and buy what you find suits you best

Thanks for that, thats a great reply and nice to hear an imparial review with you having owned both!

Im not getting the Kitchen and will want that when camping, but will love the wide bed at night. So Ocean for Daytime, beach for Nighttime, hmm, im not joiner or magician, but anyone able to design a folding kitchen for beach owners who want the best of both worlds, if only hey?

 

[WelshGas]

Beach owners tools

View attachment 36105

Ocean owners

View attachment 36106

Both are for the T4. Normally on a trailer behind.

 

[sidepod]

Both are for the T4. Normally on a trailer behind.

Well it’s kind of saying that a Beach is a one size fits all, does a lot of things kind of ok-ish, not perfect. Whereas the Ocean does everything perfectly

 

[MarkVw2017]

Well it’s kind of saying that a Beach is a one size fits all, does a lot of things kind of ok-ish, not perfect. Whereas the Ocean does everything perfectly

...if only an ocean could have a lovely sized king size bed.

 

[Borris]

Beach owners tools

View attachment 36105

Ocean owners

View attachment 36106

Always use the correct tool for the job.

Beach owners tools


Ocean owners


Moral - There's no need to fix what's not there.

 

[WelshGas]

...if only an ocean could have a lovely sized king size bed.

No problem for " Normal " sized people and you can make a cup of tea without getting out of bed. Maybe not a problem in summer, but in the depths of winter with it lashing down - nothing better.

 

[WelshGas]

Always use the correct tool for the job.

Beach owners tools
View attachment 36165

Ocean owners
View attachment 36166

Moral - There's no need to fix what's not there.

Ah I see now. The red thing carries all the Gas cartridges, gas burners, water container, fridge, cooking utensils and clothes etc: Do you tow it behind?