Booked a rental for the first time

[edocali]

I found that my 150ps TS is never lacking power/torque.
I also like sportscars driving (I track a modded MX5) but on the road the mass of a California invites to a touristy pace. It's not a vehicle that invites you to corner fast.

The 4WD option would be handy in a muddy field or to reach some mild offroad beauty spot.
So far, I have never needed it.

 

[18ME]

You have an R8! Wow. A great car. My dad had an Audi 80 Quattro and a 90 Quattro way way back. I would like a 4WD but not sure it’s essential. Depends how and where you drive. Ours is a 2008 174ps but various people have said they’re happy enough with the 150ps. Enough torque to move the van. No R8 though. For me the French motorway is where I want the van to work best. Ours is really quiet at speed and covers miles effortlessly.

There are a million different variations. Your call. We bought our van as an 18 month old ex VW employee van. It has every available extra and was a great deal. Wasn’t necessarily the colour I would have chosen, but after 15 years it’s now part of the family. This summer we’ll be ferrying to Santander and then driving back via Calais over 17 days. It’s just a great machine.
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August 2022
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Stunning scenery there, I don’t think we’d be venturing abroad straight away but love the idea of doing some euro trips eventually.

I think I like the idea of having 4WD just in case of slippery slopes and the ability to go slightly off road if the mood took and not worry too much of getting completely stuck. It’s still off the configurator though so I may not have the choice if or when I do order.

 

[18ME]

I found that my 150ps TS is never lacking power/torque.
I also like sportscars driving (I track a modded MX5) but on the road the mass of a California invites to a touristy pace. It's not a vehicle that invites you to corner fast.

The 4WD option would be handy in a muddy field or to reach some mild offroad beauty spot.
So far, I have never needed it.

That’s good to know that 150ps is sufficient in the cali, think I’ve read people saying that the 204ps is sometimes too much without 4WD.

I‘d be only looking at 4WD in terms of coping with slippery slopes in bad weather or going on wet camp sites and so on, definitely not for driving quickly on the road. The comfort would be far more important for me in this type of vehicle.

 

[Hawthorn37]

That’s good to know that 150ps is sufficient in the cali, think I’ve read people saying that the 204ps is sometimes too much without 4WD.

I‘d be only looking at 4WD in terms of coping with slippery slopes in bad weather or going on wet camp sites and so on, definitely not for driving quickly on the road. The comfort would be far more important for me in this type of vehicle.

To be honest, we rented twice, one a 204 4WD and the other a 2WD. Neither were good on wet grass on a slope (or I suspect snow) as they had standard summer tyres. It’s all down to the tyres!

Also to respond to another question, dealers DO allow test drives. Our first rental was actually an extended (6 day) test drive from VW Leicester. You should be able to do a comparison drive. We settled on a 150, mainly budget driven but also it’s a simpler set up and less to go wrong, and a bit more frugal. We haven’t regretted it, and it pulled up the Bealach na Ba pass no problem a few days ago. Saying that, the 204 we hired was a lovely drive too, a bit more wheel spin. Equal from a comfort standpoint.

 

[18ME]

To be honest, we rented twice, one a 204 4WD and the other a 2WD. Neither were good on wet grass on a slope (or I suspect snow) as they had standard summer tyres. It’s all down to the tyres!

Also to respond to another question, dealers DO allow test drives. Our first rental was actually an extended (6 day) test drive from VW Leicester. You should be able to do a comparison drive. We settled on a 150, mainly budget driven but also it’s a simpler set up and less to go wrong, and a bit more frugal. We haven’t regretted it, and it pulled up the Bealach na Ba pass no problem a few days ago. Saying that, the 204 we hired was a lovely drive too, a bit more wheel spin. Equal from a comfort standpoint.

Thanks, yes I noticed a few comments about the tyres. I think I’d contemplate getting a spare set of wheels with winter tyres if I did end up buying one.

Interesting to hear that some dealers do offer test drives, even better an extended test drive I shall have to contact more dealers as we’ve only been to see one and that was VW Worcester. They had one Ocean inside but was an older T6 which was sold and one T6.1 Ocean outside which was also sold. This meant we couldn’t really have a good look around. I did say that we wanted to hire one to try it out and asked for recommendations. I was given one of a company in Telford I think it was, which is miles away from us. There was no offer of any test drive and assumed that they didn’t run any demos at all due to their lack of California’s. If a customer is contemplating spending around £80k you’d have thought an offer of a test drive would be a priority if they had one, so I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have had one.

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks, yes I noticed a few comments about the tyres. I think I’d contemplate getting a spare set of wheels with winter tyres if I did end up buying one.

Interesting to hear that some dealers do offer test drives, even better an extended test drive I shall have to contact more dealers as we’ve only been to see one and that was VW Worcester. They had one Ocean inside but was an older T6 which was sold and one T6.1 Ocean outside which was also sold. This meant we couldn’t really have a good look around. I did say that we wanted to hire one to try it out and asked for recommendations. I was given one of a company in Telford I think it was, which is miles away from us. There was no offer of any test drive and assumed that they didn’t run any demos at all due to their lack of California’s. If a customer is contemplating spending around £80k you’d have thought an offer of a test drive would be a priority if they had one, so I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have had one.

On the Transporter the 4Motion drive starts of at 40/60 front to rear.

4MOTION All-Wheel-Drive Technology | VW Vans

Explore the Volkswagen’s 4MOTION technology, designed to maintain traction while off-road with improved road holding and safety in poor surface conditions

www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk

 

[Lambeth Cali]

I should say, I have been towed out by a tractor twice on wet hills.
Not for many years. Learned my lesson.

 

[18ME]

On the Transporter the 4Motion drive starts of at 40/60 front to rear.

4MOTION All-Wheel-Drive Technology | VW Vans

Explore the Volkswagen’s 4MOTION technology, designed to maintain traction while off-road with improved road holding and safety in poor surface conditions

www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk

View attachment 107684

Thanks for that

I’m guessing that it’s based on the Quattro from the A4 and above rather than the S3/Golf etc.
I’m itching to put an order in now but going to wait until after we’ve tried the rental first. The 204 4Motion‘s base price is £80k and £73k for the 150 2WD so quite a price difference, so when the time comes to place an order I’ll have to think hard about getting the 4Motion if it comes back on the configurator.

 

[Jc_2001 California SE]

Good morning,

My partner and I are renting a VW Camper in June for three days.

I’ve never thought about getting one until recently and can’t think what made me start looking or even thinking about them as I’ve always been into cars and staying in hotels or villas abroad. I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in Nov 21 and had a Prostatectomy in Feb last year and now currently cancer free, just have to have the normal PSA test every three months. Anyway this may be the reason for the sudden desire to do different things, or it could simply be because I’m getting old What is the average age of a VW camper owner?

I’m really looking forward to the three days booked in June and now got to decide where to go, the last time a went anywhere near a campsite was probably about 40 odd years ago as a kid with my parents so I’m a complete novice / newbie. I’ve watched quite a few YT videos of the couple from California Time and now Camper Time which has been helpful not only about the actual California but also different sites to go. I‘m guessing that there’s a few different memberships and books you can get for campsites across the UK which I’ll have to look into. Is it best to try and book each site you want to stay at as soon as possible?

The idea of renting one is to make sure that we’re going to enjoy it and if we do buy one next spring. I’ve already spec’d one up and they’re not cheap are they and I can imagine you can go crazy with the accessories too.

Apologies for the long post but I’m really excited and trying to get as much info as possible and I’m sure there’s a lot here, so will enjoy browsing the forum and asking questions etc.

Thanks for having me

Hello Martin

I see you’ve had lots of good advice from experienced California owners so I won’t be able to add anything to that. However I did recognise something in your story and wanted to say I thought likewise only instead I went ahead and just bought one! 12 days into ownership and one trip in I can say campervan-ing is just like camping but in the warm, with a comfortable bed and somewhere warm and wind free to cook! Great stuff already but after sleeping in tents I would say that at my age!

 

[18ME]

Hello Martin

I see you’ve had lots of good advice from experienced California owners so I won’t be able to add anything to that. However I did recognise something in your story and wanted to say I thought likewise only instead I went ahead and just bought one! 12 days into ownership and one trip in I can say campervan-ing is just like camping but in the warm, with a comfortable bed and somewhere warm and wind free to cook! Great stuff already but after sleeping in tents I would say that at my age!

Hi John

Congratulations on your cali purchase and glad to hear that you're enjoying. The more I read the more I really want one.