Buying new Beach - advise on spec please before I order

[soulstyledevon]

Just for balance I'll put forward a counter view but travelling with four all through Euro summers in August I have never experienced this and the temp seemed very pleasant and even throughout. The standard Cali AC is pretty good IME.

But I agree lots of options (that you get on most £15k hatchbacks these days) should be standard on a Cali given the price - cruise, reversing sensors etc.

How much time did you spend in the back...?

AC in the front is great, but cannot fill to the rear of the vehicle. It’s a design from the VW panel van, which only has front seats or a bulk head.

This is where things don’t add up. Because the Ocean has rear Climatic as standard. Like Volkswagen admits it’s something that’s required, but then makes it an option on the Beach...???

From experience i wouldn’t touch a secondhand van without full Climatic, because it cannot be easily retrofitted if at all.

 

[kp64zl]

Hi @soulstyledevon

You make very good points, and yes we didn't spend much time in the back of the test drive.

However I am starting from a very different position to many here, so the expectations are different.

1) My children will find this *so* much better than my current car in which only one of the windows works (rest don't open at all) and there is no air con...so everyone will be happier....trying to cool down by running the fan on full in 30 degrees heat isn't very effective

2) Also, my previous car (the 1972 holden kingswood pictured above) had Plastic covered seats -- that wasn't fun in the tropical heat of North Australia.



only time will tell!

 

[Max-Felix]

I never travel in the back but the old folks and the kids do and they’d soon let me know if it was that bad!

 

[Gary&Heather]

Just tell them to open the window.

 

[Emma Hughes]

I tried S yesterday for the very first time after reading this thread. Just stick it in D for forward, R for backward or P for stop (why the letters for the mode are the last or penultimate letter of the direction defeats my logic).

D for drive, R for reverse, P for park.... you've just got to turn all American to get it

 

[Emma Hughes]

Looks like a fab spec. We bought ours 9m old so didn't pick the spec but have similar... except we have climactic and no lights for camper comfort. We regularly wish we had the lights after various other homemade solutions.

 

[Paul Roe]

my ocean has most bells and whistles however one of the things I would NOT have again is the upgraded stereo, they stick a huge speaker in the middle of the dash board so you loose lots of storage in the dash.
I have NEVER used my heater remote key and i love the DSG, not as good as ford powershift but still worth the money

 

[kp64zl]

I paid my deposit last week with the dealer (Thursday 18th October to be precise) & other than an email exchange to slightly amend the spec haven't heard anything more.....

I'm assuming at some point I get a formal order confirmation etc?

what happens next? all gone quiet

 

[althevanman]

you should have been sent an order form & receipt, in terms of ordering, we place the order with the factory and you should know in a couple of weeks the likely build date (this does depend on the dealer having enough allocation though).

 

[kp64zl]

got the order number on 2nd November -- now waiting for a build date

 

[althevanman]

not unusual, should bet an idea in a couple of weeks time...

 

[kp64zl]

just found out: Build week 1

 

[althevanman]

Blimey! Great news!! Should be here early Feb, you need it to be delayed so you can pick it up on a 19 plate... Or stick a private plate if you have to register it in February.

 

[kp64zl]

Blimey! Great news!! Should be here early Feb, you need it to be delayed so you can pick it up on a 19 plate... Or stick a private plate if you have to register it in February.

Really??? Do people care about plates that much??? crazy

Anyway, I need wheels so sooner the better.... don't want to have to pay to put my 21year old Audi through MOT again

 

[Amarillo]

Really??? Do people care about plates that much??? crazy

Anyway, I need wheels so sooner the better.... don't want to have to pay to put my 21year old Audi through MOT again

I delayed collection by two weeks to get a 17 plate. Driving off the forecourt at 11am on 1 March 2017 was a feeling I'll never forget - and almost as exciting as seeing my first son being born. Born on 20 December, I carried him out of the hospital on Christmas Eve, that made it extra special too...

 

[kp64zl]

Assume the feeling was more about the van than the plate???

 

[Amarillo]

Assume the feeling was more about the van than the plate???

90% van, 10% plate. There is still something extra special about driving a new vehicle on the first day of a new plate. Worth the two week delay. Also there is the 6 months lower depreciation over a 66 plate driven off the forecourt a day earlier.

 

[kp64zl]

I see I'm alone on this one

 

[althevanman]

your order was a price protected order , meaning you will need to get it registered asap (ie maybe feb). If you were to ask for a delay , you will need to pay the current price...As you want it asap, makes no difference!!

 

[kp64zl]

your order was a price protected order , meaning you will need to get it registered asap (ie maybe feb). If you were to ask for a delay , you will need to pay the current price...As you want it asap, makes no difference!!

Good point.

February the registration might be quicker too if everyone else is holding on for March?

Question (also on plates) -- do you know if I can get the van registered in my area rather than the dealership's area & if so is that extra cost??

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Here's a thought.... Register it in Northern Ireland, then it won't have a "registration year" tell-tail.

Or, you could buy a snazzy NI Reg, which are generally made up of three letters, followed by four digits. For example. "ABC 1234"

If registered on the 1st January 2019, the V5c will state it is a 2019 registered vehicle. This is all we care about in Northern Ireland, as the AB19 / YZ69 format doesn't apply here.

 

[Amarillo]

Here's a thought.... Register it in Northern Ireland, then it won't have a "registration year" tell-tail.

Or, you could buy a snazzy NI Reg, which are generally made up of three letters, followed by four digits. For example. "ABC 1234"

If registered on the 1st January 2019, the V5c will state it is a 2019 registered vehicle. This is all we care about in Northern Ireland, as the AB19 / YZ69 format doesn't apply here.

Loads of amusing possibilities with the 69 plate: HE 69 HER is obvious. But there are also an endless selection of [two initials] 69 [three initials]: JC 69 TMM (Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa Mary May) for example. The mind boggles...


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[althevanman]

supplying dealer only can register it - only option you have is to put a private plate on it.

 

[kp64zl]

Thanks for all above on number plates and registration.

Can anyone here estimate a monetary value difference between registering the same van on 14th February compared with 1st March? (e.g. same van, same build date, etc)

e.g. one year down the line. Perhaps this has been done already.

also has anyone estimated how long the effects last? e.g. will it matter in 5 years time???

 

[Perfectos]

A California has one of the lowest depreciation of any vehicle out there, so I would guess the perception of 6 months either way would not have a major impact in real life sales value, the twice yearly plate change was introduced by the motor trade and government, to try and help with peaks and troughs in supply and demand, with the added benefit, to the motor trade and tax collecting Gov. of creating a “ must” new plate twice per year.

Year (perception) can affect the resale value of high depreciation vehicles severely, but I would not be too bothered with a Cali.
it’s a concern to some for sure, they can throw on a private plate on.

In response to your question regarding registration number, some dealers will give you a choice of the available configuration within their remit. i.e you may be able to chose your specific reg number from a selection available ( allocated) to the dealer, the area / dealer (first two letters) would be the same as would the year assignation, however there may be a choice of the other remaining components making up the full reg.

My personal choice, get , use it, enjoy it ASAP.