Cali alternative?

[Martin]

Maybe not!

It's the SsangYong Turismo Tourist Camper, they are saying it is an alternative to the California and Marco Polo..

 

[motacyclist]

Interesting. Reminds me of the campers based on the old Austin half ton vans most people won't be old enough to remember

Clever design but not pretty. Ideal if you live somewhere they won't let you have a Cali though.

I'll stick this time round, thanks ....

 

[GrannyJen]

How could I possibly be seen in a vehicle that I cannot pronounce the name of

 

[motacyclist]

How could I possibly be seen in a vehicle that I cannot pronounce the name of

I drink stuff I can't pronounce (especially after I've drunk it)

 

[Hotel California]

Nice .....the first i've seen where the driver can lay fully flat while driving!

 

[sidepod]

WTF?

 

[Stoneybroke]

I spent Friday at the NEC Caravan and Motorhome show, where there were loads of campervan conversions -Transits, Vivarios, Caddy, T6, etc. All looked good, but...
Taking a particular interest in T6 conversions from some very well known converters the prices, from £38,000, was a 102PS base vehicle, 5-speed, no aircon - quite basic. Start adding stuff to get the base vehicle to something approaching an Ocean and the price was very similar to a factory California.
Looking at the conversions, they were good, and varied in layout, but the differences apparent - no rails for moving the seat around, fixed boards, bed in the pop-up extra, no chairs in the tailgate or table tucked in the door, ugly night heater vents: the list goes on.
Our conclusion - a VW California is actually good value compared to many of the alternatives.
One regret - the colours and colour combinations (two-tone, etc.) the converters offer is so much greater than the narrow range of VW Cali colours...

 

[kave]

Yuck, are the beds 160cm long or what?

 

[Velma's Dad]

I spent Friday at the NEC Caravan and Motorhome show, where there were loads of campervan conversions -Transits, Vivarios, Caddy, T6, etc. All looked good, but...
Taking a particular interest in T6 conversions from some very well known converters the prices, from £38,000, was a 102PS base vehicle, 5-speed, no aircon - quite basic. Start adding stuff to get the base vehicle to something approaching an Ocean and the price was very similar to a factory California.
Looking at the conversions, they were good, and varied in layout, but the differences apparent - no rails for moving the seat around, fixed boards, bed in the pop-up extra, no chairs in the tailgate or table tucked in the door, ugly night heater vents: the list goes on.
Our conclusion - a VW California is actually good value compared to many of the alternatives.
One regret - the colours and colour combinations (two-tone, etc.) the converters offer is so much greater than the narrow range of VW Cali colours...

When we first looked at campervans we came to the same conclusion, ie that like-for-like against a good convo with all the gear, on a well-spec'd base van, the Cali really is no more expensive. And you don't have to have carpet on the walls.

 

[HectorPascal]

We were planning to visit some of the bigger converters to see how they do things as part of our 'homework'. My heart is really not in it because behind the glossy surface and tricked up gizmos I suspect that things will not be so pretty. The bits that matter as much to me are the bits you can't see. Self-tappers and pop-rivets, poor wiring looms plus perhaps some design shortcomings leading to condensation pockets etc. I would be delighted to be proved completely wrong here but instinctively feel inclined to trust VW's build standards with my dollars.

You just need to take the door panel off a Golf and replace, say the winder regulator, to see what admirable attention to detail our German friends apply to their products. As the saying goes you remember the quality long after you have forgotten the price.

In the spirit of open-mindedness though, I will still go and have a butchers at their offerings and maybe have to eat my words.

 

[Days out]

Maybe not!

It's the SsangYong Turismo Tourist Camper, they are saying it is an alternative to the California and Marco Polo..


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That thing - Ugly as sin!

California all the way.

Agree about limited colour range but realistically this is normal volume manufacturers offering. Be nice if they offered the two-tone option here in the U.K. But hey if they can't get the orders built correctly (like Mikes 4-motion) what chance do we have on getting the two-tone built right eh?

 

[Rich20]

Anyone could be mistaken for thinking its April 1st.

 

[Velma's Dad]

The SsangYong Turismo camper in the OP is what I call a Twitcher's Sleeper. For travelling solo, and you just need something to keep you dry and warm to get a few hours' kip in a car park while waiting for that rare dawn sighting of the Great Blue-throated Throbgoggler. And a chance to make a cup of tea (the slide-out burner unit looks quite nifty actually). For all that, it would probably do the job admirably.

In fact though I was quite surprised on a recent trip in Scotland how many micro-campervans were around, especially in the more remote areas. Quite a few on the VW Caddy platform. The van interior would presumably be too cramped to sleep two in any comfort, so most of these folks still put up a small tent to sleep in. But if the weather gets ugly and you didn't want to fight with tentage in the dark, you could just hunker down in the van for the night.

I could see the appeal of these, for a certain type of overlanding/touring. I bet we'll see more of them in future.

 

[CaliforniaBen]

Anyone could be mistaken for thinking its April 1st.

Just looked this up and it is real, goes on sale early next year actually within SsangYong dealers and will be £29,995

 

[HectorPascal]

I am amazed she has the time to make camper vans besides running Myanmar.

 

[Stoneybroke]

That thing - Ugly as sin!
/QUOTE]

But now I see where Landover got the idea for the rear quarterlights in their latest Discovery..

 

[Teejay]

WTF?

Where's the fridge?

Looks like the fridge is behind the drivers bed.

 

[T6 CFO]

We were planning to visit some of the bigger converters to see how they do things as part of our 'homework'. My heart is really not in it because behind the glossy surface and tricked up gizmos I suspect that things will not be so pretty. The bits that matter as much to me are the bits you can't see. Self-tappers and pop-rivets, poor wiring looms plus perhaps some design shortcomings leading to condensation pockets etc. I would be delighted to be proved completely wrong here but instinctively feel inclined to trust VW's build standards with my dollars.

You just need to take the door panel off a Golf and replace, say the winder regulator, to see what admirable attention to detail our German friends apply to their products. As the saying goes you remember the quality long after you have forgotten the price.

In the spirit of open-mindedness though, I will still go and have a butchers at their offerings and maybe have to eat my words.

I think it's a good move as no research is wasted research and then you can go and buy the Cali



Mike

 

[ToulonTom]

what admirable attention to detail our German friends apply to their products

I agree, but can anyone explain the little plastic brackets that hold all the shelves in place (or not, as the case may be)? Whoever designed that should be shot

 

[HectorPascal]

Anyone remember the overhead cam engines by the then world's biggest car company (C1980s). Every one of them chewed its own cam after about 40,000 miles. They offered a kit to fix it and made a killing from the kits. That was sound business, that was. Any guesses at the manufacturer?

Don't know why I am writing this really.

 

[rod_vw]

Is this how a California Ocean should look?







These pictures were taken at the vintage VW meet at Hessisch Oldendorf in 2009, notice the registration is a Wolfsburg one so presumably the vehicle is from Volkswagen themselves.

 

[LowMan]

Maybe not!

It's the SsangYong Turismo Tourist Camper, they are saying it is an alternative to the California and Marco Polo..


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Saw one of these today at the NEC. Clever use of the space, and looked to be built reasonably well, but I can't imagine them being too popular. I'm convinced that look & feel are key requirements for the majority of Camper buyers, and I have to be honest and say I feel it lacks in both these areas. If my budget for camper gear was £30k, I know I could do better.

 

[sapto]

Is this how a California Ocean should look?

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These pictures were taken at the vintage VW meet at Hessisch Oldendorf in 2009, notice the registration is a Wolfsburg one so presumably the vehicle is from Volkswagen themselves.

Looks like the roof is from the company Polyroof? Looks great!

 

[Daveeeei]

In the spirit of open-mindedness though, I will still go and have a butchers at their offerings and maybe have to eat my words.

Not VW converters but IH are quality, as are Vantage. Personally I needed more than a Cali can offer, my need for 6'8" beds was paramount and German engineering with true auto gearbox. I found what I wanted from IH but had to purchase second hand as they only converted on the Merc 316 Sprinter panel van between 2010/11. Fully self contained Motorhome that drives like a big car...

 

[rod_vw]

Looks like the roof is from the company Polyroof? Looks great!

Yes I guess that you are correct as there was (is) a SWB option of the Cali in Germany with a Polyroof high top.

I just can't understand why VW didn't continue the development of the LWB high roof as an addition to the range. 14" more length to the living space is fantastic especially when you realise that the dimension between the rear of the drivers seat (in driving position) and the rear window on a LWB is almost the same as that dimension in a T3!

Rod