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Bilbo's - Silly Expensive??

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Stu

Guest User
Like most I looked at conversions before buying the Cali and decided they weren't for us. An advert in the latest edition of the C&CC magazine drew my attention back to the conversion market and really highlighted to me that despite its frankly outrageous price tag the Cali is still good value for money when compared to other options based on the T5 chassis.

Bilbo currently have an 'SE-35' special edition to celebrate 35 years of building Campers. Conveniently priced at £35k!!! :shocked

Ok, so what do you get for your £35k??

A brand new T5 fitted with an awesome 2.0TDi 84PS engine and 5 speed manual gearbox.
Very basic VW radio (RCD210 and not the RCD310 in the Cali)
Choice of 3 base colours (including putrid Stone Blue)
Grey Bumpers & Mirrors
Steel Wheels

Putrid Blue SE-35

So -

No side airbags
No roof bed
Puny engine
No front fogs
No Air Con
No lumber support
Only 1 leisure battery
Manual roof
No deck chairs & outside table
No blinds
No carpet
No floor mats
No illumination on the entry steps
No double glazing
No tinted cab windows
No electric folding mirrors
No heated washer jets
No heater
No power latching on side door and tailgate
No first aid kit
No anti dazzle rear mirror
No sunglass holder
No A pillar handles
No vanity mirrors
Under rated alternator so extended charging for batteries
T26 or T28 Chassis so less suitable as a fully loaded camper.

and I'm sure there is more.

Ok, so I'm biased but trying to remain objective and taking account of the apparent 'quality' of the Bilbo furniture I really cannot see why you wouldn't pay the extra £8k (less any negotiated discount) for a new base model California
 
I totally agree stu ... I looked at bilbo's twice in my campervan lifetime and each time went elsewhere ,as they confirmed what I thought
 
Even funnier is this one http://www.bilbos.com/new-and-used-stock/details/?detail=8194
A demonstrator at £43K! you do get aircon, diesel heater and metalic paint
but a 102bhp engine and no alloys and all the other Cali features

For £43K you would easily walk away with 180 Cali pretty much loaded from any VW dealer. Come to think of it you could get a 180 Cali pretty much loaded for £37K in the spring (I know .....)

Makes you wonder what they really sell at, perhaps they have £10K of discount already worked into the price
 
I briefly looked too and the finish inside is good but they use base Transporters and are clearly vans made into campers. The Cali is so much more...
 
Now how about Danbury ....... what a rip off ..... sounds like a cross between an Damsel and a blackberry
 
I looked at these and just though mechano kit! That and the fact, as had been said above, non painted bumpers, basic engines etc and very expensive
 
We were looking at these last week at the show.

While sitting in a version costing about £47k, a lady came over and said "what do you think guys?"

My wife replied without even thinking, "I think its awful".

We didn't realise immediately, but this lady was working on the stand and so we spent the next 15 minutes tormenting her. It seemed the main selling point was that it was long wheelbase.

I really don't understand why people buy these conversions for California money.
 
They do use LWB as a big selling point,but it makes it less practical in my eyes with my t5 arse hanging out in carparks etc ....I know it's not that much longer ,but it does make the T5 slightly less user friendly as a daily driver and jump in and go bus .....
( or am I talking crap again) lol lol ?
 
Thoroughly agree with all comments regarding value for money on conversions versus a Cali. Simply no contest. Just wish I didn't have ripped bellows and a kinked roof! (But that's another thread!)
 
choplee said:
They do use LWB as a big selling point,but it makes it less practical in my eyes with my t5 arse hanging out in carparks etc ....I know it's not that much longer ,but it does make the T5 slightly less user friendly as a daily driver and jump in and go bus .....
( or am I talking crap again) lol lol ?
Click to expand...

We did look seriously at the Bilbo.....until we got into a California. I think they do have some advantages and if they are important to you I could see why you would go for one. You can have an oven with a grill, Hot water on tap and a front loading fridge. For some these things are important but not for me and I guess everyone on this forum. I think also it is a conversion I would trust from a safety point of view while there were cheaper ones I would not. The LWB did feel like it made a different when we sat in one. Like you Choplee I did think it affected the practicality as a dalily driver which we needed to make a Camper a realistic option.

We were at Stourhead at the weekend and parked next to two high top Bilbos. We did wince when we had a nose inside and remembered why the Cali was the right option for us.
 
Another thing I like about the Cali - it looks fairly un-camper-like from the outside - just like a nice van.

Most other conversions have silly roof sections and are covered in stickers - why?! Seen a few real shockers, even brand new.

a448649.jpg
 
Looked in one of the van conversions (Bilbo or Danbury, cant remember which) where you good sit on the 'throne' and cook your breakfast without moving.

This was an immeadiate no for my Mrs !
 
Reference the "un-camper" like look. This was an important factor for me! As a daily drive I did not want loads of graphics, various ventilation grilles and, most certainly, NOT swinging curtains! For the same reason I passed on the awning although I'm sure many will disagree. Elsewhere on the forum I recently read about the difficulty of recognising other "California's" on the road - for me that is Q.E.D. (I must point out I am no Victor Meldrew and pleased to acknowledge Cali owners - it's just a question of your daily drive - you know what I mean!)
 
Being over 6 foot 3, I couldn't find a conversion which I could sit in comfortably in the driving position due to the fact that their kitchens are always nearly directly behind the drivers seat. The Cali is one of the few which allow you to recline the drivers seat. The other big plus was the more powerful engines. I can garage my Cali....no chance with a LWB.
 
Calimark said:
Being over 6 foot 3, I couldn't find a conversion which I could sit in comfortably in the driving position due to the fact that their kitchens are always nearly directly behind the drivers seat. The Cali is one of the few which allow you to recline the drivers seat. The other big plus was the more powerful engines. I can garage my Cali....no chance with a LWB.
Click to expand...

Nice one ... :thumb ....the cali just gets more and more versatile & practical :smile
 
I have a Vanworx converted van here at the moment, which I will get some pictures and do a reveiw on later. It is so much nicer than a Bilbo's in so many ways
 
I stopped off a dealer yesterday - somewhere in the Lakes not too far from Kendal - not a VW Dealer but deals in California's and conversions - they deal in something called a Hillside Conversion. I guess there are two advantages of a conversion, you can possibly get a layout which suits you and you have the choice of LWB. The Hillside had none of these and plus, as already mentioned, the van is so basic. Just that, a van steel wheels, a stereo which would have shamed Alba and some seats that look like they were removed from the 1980's.

He did have some lovely Calis though :)

James
 
I agree with the previous comments 100%. My 180 Cali feels a bit sluggish with the whole family & kit on board, so I can't imagine what an 84hp base engine would feel like. We had a good look at the caravan show last week, and the Bilbo just didn't add up for us either. I did like the oven & grill, but the fit & finish just wasn't good enough, and it didn't look like the driver's seat would swivel with the flared kitchen unit in the way.

I should mention though, that the VW prescence at the show was pitiful. You would think it would be a good chance to showcase the vehicles, and a full range of accessories, but no - they had one Cali, and a load of Golfs and Passats. The one salesman on the stand admitted that it was a feeble effort, and said that the California was actually a last minute thought - they had planned just to put the cars on the stand! Come on VW, buck your ideas up - I could easily have been tempted by a nice set of 18" wheels and some side rails in the heat of the moment ...

Simon
 
My advise would be to avoid the wider 18" VW wheels. My first Cali had these and was prone to pulling to the left. Despite multiple allignment checks it still did it, it may well have been it following the camber in the road.

The new Cali with 17" wheels is much better, dont know if the brand of tyres have an impact as well.

Side bars do look nice, just watch them when you get tyres etc replaced because it makes positioning of the trolley jacks harder and if they are rushing there looked like a risk of damage

Ian
 
Custard said:
I stopped off a dealer yesterday - somewhere in the Lakes not too far from Kendal - not a VW Dealer but deals in California's and conversions - they deal in something called a Hillside Conversion. I guess there are two advantages of a conversion, you can possibly get a layout which suits you and you have the choice of LWB. The Hillside had none of these and plus, as already mentioned, the van is so basic. Just that, a van steel wheels, a stereo which would have shamed Alba and some seats that look like they were removed from the 1980's.

He did have some lovely Calis though :)

James
Click to expand...

That'll be E.S Hartley at Ings? Very expensive!

(next time you're passing there, pop into the Watermill Inn around the corner. Cracking food, and awesome beers :cool: )
 
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