Caddy Maxi or T6.1 California for Solo Long-Term Travel?

[Cali Phillip]

Hi everyone,
I'd be very grateful for your opinions on a decision I'm currently struggling with. I'm a single person, currently based in the UK, and planning to use a campervan for long-term stays. I'm torn between a VW Caddy California Maxi, a VW T6.1 California Beach, and a Summermobil (T6.1 based).
I've been doing a lot of thinking, and I'm starting to wonder if the Caddy Maxi might actually be a better fit for my needs than a T6.1 based camper, especially since I'm looking for a left-hand drive vehicle. However, I'm still very unsure.

• Single person: I'll be traveling alone, so I don't need a huge amount of space.
• Tent: I plan to use a tent for longer stays, which will provide extra living space.
• Pop-top roof: I'm considering a Caddy Maxi with a pop-top roof (or possibly a Reimo Weekender conversion).
• Past mistake: I made a mistake in the past by buying a motorhome that was way too big, and I don't want to repeat that. So I decided to become clear about what I'm actually looking for and why.

I'm also thinking that the extra space provided by a tent would be important for longer stays, regardless of whether I choose the Caddy Maxi or a T6.1 based camper. So maybe the size difference isn't as crucial as I thought?
However, I'm still unsure. I know the Cali Beach is generally considered more comfortable for longer trips.
So, my questions are:

• Has anyone here used a Caddy California Maxi for long-term solo travel? What are your experiences?
• Am I overlooking any major disadvantages of the Caddy Maxi compared to the Cali Beach and the Summermobil?
• Are there any specific things I should consider when making this decision?
• Has anyone else struggled with this kind of "remorse potential" when choosing a campervan? How did you deal with it?
• Does anyone have experience with buying/importing a left-hand drive campervan in the UK?

I'm really stuck at the moment and would appreciate any advice you can offer. Thanks in advance!
Best regards!

During the week I am effectively a solo traveler for work to reduce commuting time and cost, staying 1 or 2 nights away plus weekend trips away + holidays for the last 10 yrs. I started with a Caddy Maxi van (1.6tdi) converted to a comfortable camper minus the pop top, but with all the attributes of an Ocean. I found it frugal to run with low fuel costs and being car based, tyres and any parts were much lower cost. I loved it however despite being almost the same length as a T6, the internal space does not compare with a T6 Beach, Coast or Ocean. The swivel front seats adds so much space and the rear hear room is an issue in the caddy.
In time I had the funds to buy an T6 ocean, the difference was huge in terms of comfort, space, functionality, it is more costly to run on fuel, long term average 36-40mpg( includes heater use) vs Caddy 50-53mpg and tyres are around double the cost, depression is good, all that said I would not go back.
I feel a Coast would be a good compromise, no expensive powered roof, these were not available when I bought my Ocean.

 

[David SK8]

I am also a solo traveller and had considered the Caddy option before choosing an 2019 Ocean. Having now had several trips, I am glad I made my choice. Some key factors for me are that I can certainly stand up in the Ocean with the roof popped, and can still move around reasonably with the roof down. There seemed very little space in the caddy and while using a separate tent is great in the summer, if you do plan to use the van out of season camping can be cold. I just love the diesel fed heater in the Ocean and the remote control is just genius! I can lie in my sleeping bag and turn the heater on for 10 mins before getting out into the cold! Also, I remember the stove is fixed to the rear door in the Caddy so this must be open to use it? Another big drawback in the cold or the wet.
Regarding LHD/RHD, the main limitation to me is toll gates. My solution is a toll gizmo! For a very small fee, you pay the standard toll rates without the hassle.
Good Luck whatever choice you make.

 

[happyjames013]

I had a caddy maxi camper with pop top for 5 years and now I have a T5.1 LWB shuttle with pop top about to fitted although i’ converted to a camper for about 4 years. Neither a cali. Lovely things but just couldn’t justify the expense.
The Caddy Maxi life was great for many things, partly because I retained 7 seats and my wife would drive it, but its relative smaller size made it much more car like to drive. Obviously. Also cheaper to run.
But, on balance, the T5.1 is just much better, even when travelling solo. The feeling of space and the ability to move around without constantly packing and unpacking things is priceless.
Everything in the caddy felt compromised on reflection. The T5.1 has a side slide out bed which means in single mode, you don’t have to make beds up or muck about at all. Everything easy.
The pop top is going on to increase space, so I can stand and save my poor old knees and back. Also useful when there’s more of us.
Being able to spin the front seats adds versatility. You can’t really fit spinny seats to a caddy (you can sort of, but they’re a pain and v expensive).
Honestly, if you’re travelling solo, I’d look at non cali vans too, the pull out bed just makes it very roomy and adaptable if you don’t intend to carry passengers.
Or, maybe look at something from Jerba with the rib beds.
The extra size isn’t an issue. I live in Devon and it’s all hills, tight wicked turns and lanes and I don’t think I’ve had a problem that was made worse by the extra size, even with lwb. I’m just a bit more aware of angles.
As for car parks, not really a problem. I’ve never liked multi stories so rarely use them and I’ve never, ever been stuck for somewhere to park. Relax, wait 10 mins, something usually appears.
If money is a constraint, look at used. Prices appear to be softening and there are some very nice vampers around. Also, some not so well built ones that cashed in on the boom. Do your research.
Personally, a Cali is lovely and it’s a well known product. You’ll probably get a good percentage of your money back when you sell, but, that doesn’t you’ll loose less in depreciation, cash wise.
Depending on your circumstances, you might find having a vw pure product reassuring if you have problems, but it wouldn’t worry me.
Good luck, hope this helps.

 

[Peter Lustig]

Hi again everyone,

urgent advice needed, again I would be very grateful for your opinions.
So first, thank you all very much for your replies, they helped indeed a lot and I'm glad I (finally) posted my initial question here, the question VW Caddy (Maxi) or something bigger has been cleared up for me. The Caddy would be too small, without a doubt.
This leads me now to the next one, and unfortunately there isn't much time to decide (which I hate when it comes to such big decisions to make). Basically the question is T6.1 or T7, and I know that the T7 does not seem to be liked by everyone. However, I'm considering a compromise and I think the only way to become clearer whether it's worth a try or not is again to ask.
I mentioned the Summermobil in my first post, and this is what makes it urgent to de cide. I have an offer of a new VW T6.1 based Summermobil (Model: Edition) which at least to me is the most interesting manufacturer when it comes to VW California Alternatives. It's a solid conversion of a manufacturer in Germany, but the specific model is very reduced in terms of specs, it's VW T6.1 based, 110 PS, manual and I think that was pretty much it (no driving assist or anything else special). But it is T6.1 based and therefore one of the last ones at all from Summermobil sold new, actually it's a one-day registration which makes it an affordable offer for me, but technically it's new (50 km on the clock).
However, there is something else which to me at the present moment would be the more interesting option, and it is a VW T7 California Beach as EU-reimport for exactly the same price as the Summermobil. And obviously there must be a downside somewhere, and this would be the EU-reimport. My own online research in forums brought me to the conclusion that companies for EU Reimports basically can be trustworthy and legit, and the T7 California one seems to be OK. The only real downside of it, reported by other buyers I could find, is the waiting time of around half a year or a bit more. This is something I could live with (as I didn't have a car at all the last half year, I could survive the coming one, somehow, I definitely need an everyday vehicle which the Camper would be as well). And I could also accept that the specs differ slightly in EU countries.
Long story short: A real California Beach (Tour) T7 r a third party manufacturer but T6.1 based, may I ask for your thoughts, considering that I am aware that a T7 based Camper is simply something different, but I think I could accept it.

 

[Corradobrit]

And just to aid discussion here is a link to the Summermobil Edition

Summermobil Edition - Summermobil - Individuelle Wohnmobile

Summermobil Ausbauvorschlag „Edition“ auf Basis des neuen VW T6. Mit kompletter Ausstattung zum besonders günstigen Preis.

summermobil.de

Since you are using it solo I would seriously consider the T7. I'm not a fan of 3rd party conversions and it could beome a nightmare if something goes wrong. The space and storage issues are less of a concern for one in the T7 and it will have a full VW warranty (although from experience this can amazingly mean very little).

Had you said you are travelling 2 up with a dog then I'd point you towards the T6.1.

 

[edocali]

Long story short: A real California Beach (Tour) T7 r a third party manufacturer but T6.1 based, may I ask for your thoughts, considering that I am aware that a T7 based Camper is simply something different, but I think I could accept it.

would you not consider any UK-based used T6/T6.1 VW California ?

 

[Mehdime]

I’ll be brutally honest:

I’d never heard of Summermobil before. But looking at those pictures, it doesn’t seem to be one of those converters on the luxury end of the market. The fact that a conversion like this based on the cheapest, least-powered base-model Transporter with a manual gearbox costs the same price as a brand new T7 Beach Tour doesn’t seem like a great deal to me.

In addition, if anything goes wrong with the camper part, I imagine that you’ll be stuck as Summermobil doesn’t seem to have any center in the UK for warranty work.

On the other side, a Beach Tour, which doesn’t have a kitchen or any storage apart from the boot, doesn’t sound like the camper most suitable for solo long-term travel - unless you’re thinking of staying full-time on campsites. And even then, it’ll get frustrating I imagine. It’s really a day van for families with seats that turn into beds and a pop-up roof.

Note that a Beach Tour would be registered as a car, not a camper. Check what it would mean for tax and insurance costs. And check whether a Summermobil would end up being classified as a car or a camper when imported to the UK.

I suggest you contact a few insurance companies and verify that insuring either of those LHD after they’ve been imported will be possible. As you said, there’s no LHD market in the UK. You’ll want to make sure you’ll be able to drive these here.

If you really want a LHD, both will be very hard to resell in the U.K. so I guess that resell value wouldn’t matter here (if it did, the T7 would be the better choice by a large margin).

From a practical point of view, the Summerville, which is a “proper” camper would definitely be best here for long-term travel. Can’t help thinking there must be better deals than something that’s the price of a T7 Cali. And you’ll presumably have to pay the import costs into the U.K.

How long have you had that little RHD car? Because it’s completely normal at first to struggle with figuring out where the car is on the road (I’ve been there coming from France). But you do get used to it after a little while. And if you’re in the U.K. and will be mainly driving here, it’ll be an awful lot easier, and most likely cheaper, to find either a conversion or a VW California in the U.K.