Bilbo's - Silly Expensive??

[James]

Expensive is not the word. 50k for a silver 180 dsg with reasonable spec....


Lovely part of the country. Completely loved it


James

 

[SimonK]

Expensive is not the word. 50k for a silver 180 dsg with reasonable spec....


Lovely part of the country. Completely loved it


James

I only live about 25 minutes from there

I remember when they used to be a Chrysler Jeep and Subaru main stealer. Certainly moved upmarket a bit! I couldn't believe how expensive some of the stuff is there.

I had a look around a bright orange Hillside conversion (I think) recently. Thought it was pants inside.

 

[YorkshireHeathen]

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

Good insights Ian, thanks. I've noticed a slight pull to the left on my Berg - but not on all roads. Until I saw your comment I wondered if it was something to do with all the camper gubbins on the left side of the van. I'll be booting with Michelins when the original Contis wear out and see if that makes a difference and I'll also watch out for the trolley jacks and my bars. Cheers!

(Sorry off topic - looked at a conversion myself....laugh?)

Paul

 

[BMVS-Camper-Hire]

I've run loads of transporters with 18's both lowered and normal suspension. Never had an issue with pulling to left , only quick tyre wear - common problem. Now running with Good Year F1's - less road noise, and much smoother. Seem to be wearing well too.

Remember the camber will always pull you left and bigger tyres will accentuate this.

HTH

 

[SimonK]

I've run loads of transporters with 18's both lowered and normal suspension. Never had an issue with pulling to left , only quick tyre wear - common problem. Now running with Good Year F1's - less road noise, and much smoother. Seem to be wearing well too.

Remember the camber will always pull you left and bigger tyres will accentuate this.

HTH

Are they the Goodyear Eagle F1 Assymetricals? Fantastic tyres. Used to run them on my old Evo

 

[BMVS-Camper-Hire]

Yes. The latest ones. Pricey at approx £200 each but worth it. My 180 kombi drives better on lowered suspension on F1's than our edition 25 Caravelle on standard suspension on contis - I've never liked contis, always found them quite hard and unforgiving b

 

[GeoffB]

When considering a camper-van last year we looked at both Danbury and Bilbo, and realized that for only a little more we could have a brand-new Cali. Somebody near here has a Danbury T2 made in Brazil which looks lovely though.

 

[Stu]

Somebody near here has a Danbury T2 made in Brazil which looks lovely though.

....... and have you seen how much they are???

 

[beardie]

The current issue of autocar has an article saying that the factory in brazil will stop T2 production at the end of 2013. There is a passing mention of Cali's

 

[James]

The current issue of autocar has an article saying that the factory in brazil will stop T2 production at the end of 2013. There is a passing mention of Cali's

i am really not a fan of the Danbury T2 - but then I've never been a fan of the T2. I just think they are overpriced and over rated.

i don't really want to drive round in a 40 year old + design that despite a modern engine and the possibility of power steering is likely to kill me in an accident.

for me the prospect of death or serious injury has never been on my tickbox of campervan ownership.

I also think they are seriously overpriced.

James

 

[James]

I followed a Sunny Yellow LWB Bilbo around Exeter yesterday lol.

James

 

[Pollychops]

The current issue of autocar has an article saying that the factory in brazil will stop T2 production at the end of 2013. There is a passing mention of Cali's

i am really not a fan of the Danbury T2 - but then I've never been a fan of the T2. I just think they are overpriced and over rated.

i don't really want to drive round in a 40 year old + design that despite a modern engine and the possibility of power steering is likely to kill me in an accident.

for me the prospect of death or serious injury has never been on my tickbox of campervan ownership.

I also think they are seriously overpriced.




We have a Danbury campervan and in 5 years of ownership we have had no problems with rust, safety in driving or any mechanical or electrical failure. You are always going to read about the problem people have but very rarely do you read about the good ones? We choose to buy ours as we had a Bongo conversion and felt there was more room in the Danbury, funny enough it also has more room than our new Cali. It was a lifestyle purchase and one which has given us lots of very good times and created lots of opportunity to meet new people due to the van. It isn't the most modern of designs but it has never been sold on that basis and the reason it has ceased production is due to the new safety laws being introduced in Brazil therefore VW were not prepared to invest into new technology. As for being overpriced it depends on what spec you decide on. We choose the basic spec which compared to the Cali Beach it had the same functions within the campervan area actually it had more as the Beach has no kitchen bits. Albeit then spec on the Beach motor parts there are more i.e power steering, air con etc but these could be extras on the Danbury.

James

 

[James]

The current issue of autocar has an article saying that the factory in brazil will stop T2 production at the end of 2013. There is a passing mention of Cali's

i am really not a fan of the Danbury T2 - but then I've never been a fan of the T2. I just think they are overpriced and over rated.

i don't really want to drive round in a 40 year old + design that despite a modern engine and the possibility of power steering is likely to kill me in an accident.

for me the prospect of death or serious injury has never been on my tickbox of campervan ownership.

I also think they are seriously overpriced.




We have a Danbury campervan and in 5 years of ownership we have had no problems with rust, safety in driving or any mechanical or electrical failure. You are always going to read about the problem people have but very rarely do you read about the good ones? We choose to buy ours as we had a Bongo conversion and felt there was more room in the Danbury, funny enough it also has more room than our new Cali. It was a lifestyle purchase and one which has given us lots of very good times and created lots of opportunity to meet new people due to the van. It isn't the most modern of designs but it has never been sold on that basis and the reason it has ceased production is due to the new safety laws being introduced in Brazil therefore VW were not prepared to invest into new technology. As for being overpriced it depends on what spec you decide on. We choose the basic spec which compared to the Cali Beach it had the same functions within the campervan area actually it had more as the Beach has no kitchen bits. Albeit then spec on the Beach motor parts there are more i.e power steering, air con etc but these could be extras on the Danbury.

James

I am sure it has,, and I am sure many people have enjoyed them, hence the successful business, they just don't do it for me.

I need my camper to be my everyday vehicle, and there's no way I'd use one everyday. I do need a vehicle that can survive in modern traffic on a daily basis, and a T2 would not be top of my list for that, albeit that is one that's water-cooled and with some modern bits.

If I had the cash and perhaps i wanted something for a bit of retro camping, then yes, maybe.

I don't believe it has more room than a Cali, T2's are quite small inside, I've camped in one. Depending on the fixtures and fittings maybe. The beach is certainly more spacious, though probably not as much as my T3 Vanagon.

It is purely the safety aspect, being that far forward with very little protection.

James

 

[Pollychops]

Don't you sit in your T3 as far front as the T2? there is only a 65mm difference in length between them and if your T3 is watercooled like the Brazilian the radiator is at the front?
With regards to space having both I have measured when the beds are folded down and there is 800mm of floor space in the T2 against 350 mm in the Cali, the bed in the T2 is also 25mm wider. This space is due to the body panels not being as deep as the Cali and all space in the length of the T2 is being used as the engine is at the rear whereas the Cali loses internal length due to the engine being house at the front. Space and the variety of uses in the T2 was it's biggest selling point.

Both models are superb in their own way.

 

[James]

Don't you sit in your T3 as far front as the T2? there is only a 65mm difference in length between them and if your T3 is watercooled like the Brazilian the radiator is at the front?
With regards to space having both I have measured when the beds are folded down and there is 800mm of floor space in the T2 against 350 mm in the Cali, the bed in the T2 is also 25mm wider. This space is due to the body panels not being as deep as the Cali and all space in the length of the T2 is being used as the engine is at the rear whereas the Cali loses internal length due to the engine being house at the front. Space and the variety of uses in the T2 was it's biggest selling point.

Both models are superb in their own way.

I agree all models are superb in their own way, T2's in any form just don't do it for me, though I see the Danbury Appeal.

James

 

[calicasas]

saw the Bilbo, ditched the Bilbo,
saw the Cali, bought the Cali....

Bilbo based on transporter...
Cali based on the Caravelle...

Just cant compare the two...

Cali is much better value for money PLUS they hold their value...

P.S. Did you know they sell a hightop/hardtop version of the Cali in Germany?
I think it was a post manufacture conversion approved by VW from new... cant remember the details though... I saw one on the road in spain once with German plates...

 

[BerndRos]

Yes when I had a tour of the Hanover factory in 2010 there was a couple of the high top Calis tucked away in a corner of the factory.......

Plus lots of Porsche body shells as they are also made at the VW commercial factory at Hanover


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