Cali as main transport

[Ropey]

Hello,

Thanks for all the valuable tips and reports, very interesting site.

I'm in the market for a new Company Car in mid 2015 and am considering changing my BMW 520d for a new cali.

To me this is the best decision I've ever made, I still need to get it through the corporate hoops here but wonder has anyone a) Done the same and has a cali as company car and b) how practical is a cali really as main trannsport?

I'm not your typical company car driver and only avergae 10,000 miles per annum mainly to/from work which is about 15 mile round trip monday/friday.

I'm not married, just myself and the girlfriend with no kids and e try to get away walking, hiking, cycling , camping...

Also I'm in Ireland, anyone in Ireland than can shed light on dealer support or order lead times?

Thanks,
John

 

[oldmtber]

We have had our Cali for over a year now and covered some 8000 miles. It is our only vehicle so is used for shopping and days out with the mountain bikes etc as well as camping trips in UK. Since new it has averaged about 31.5 mpg so not too bad for a vehicle weighing over 3 tonnes. If your company agrees I would say go for it!

 

[Pineweasel]

I'm using mine as a regular runabout and the only problem I've found is that some car parks are inaccessible due to the height.

 

[slowcoach65]

Just complete 20K miles in my first year! The only problem is car parking, I haven't yet dare go in a multi-storey :?

Andy

 

[teeboy]

Our Cali is a pleasure to drive, so I wouldn't have any issues with using it every day (it is actually my partners main car).

Also multi-storey car parks are OK as long as the height is over 2m (in the UK that is normally OK, we did struggle in North Spain - mainly because you could only see the height limit when on the approach ramp - so had to back up a few times)

In the UK the main reason for not having a Cali as a company car would be the tax on the benefit in kind, as you would be taxed on the value of the car - I think the retail price so £50k.

Not sure what BMW you currently have if it is a bog standard 3 series then it will be a real leap in tax - if you have a blingged up X5 then it might not be too big a deal

Not sure how that works in Ireland.

T

 

[bvddobb]

We have also got rid of our 'regular' car (was an Espace), and now have the Cali as our only car. Works well in everyday practice. We have less of the parking garage problem: most are OK for 2m around here, and then we have air suspension with a special 'parking garage' setting, which lowers the vehicle another 7 cm ;-).
We don't have the company car/tax issue, as we the Cali is pur own, so I wouldn't know how that would work out. Expensive, I would fear...

 

[normg]

We got our new Cali a month ago and it is our only vehicle having p/x our Freelander. Love it as a daily S D an P purpose vehicle.

 

[NZCol]

I use mine as my only vehicle, i bike a lot more than i used to which is a good thing but it goes pretty much everywhere including home garage (just) and work garage (just) - its allegedly 1.9m but there is no way as it fits in with about 7cm spare. Driving in is always scary for the pedestrians watching !
As a day to day vehicle it's alright. I do worry about the long term effect on the DPF if use it for short runs (10-15kms only) but that won't last too long as it will be used for longer runs from next year.

 

[Dave_T]

We used ours as out main transport for about 6 months. It was fine apart from the previously mentioned multi-storey car cark issue.

Size-wise it's not that much bigger than a normal car. Our previous car was a Ford S-MAX, and the van is only 20cm longer & 20cm wider - not much difference at all.

The only reason we bought a second hand car was that my wife got a new job a couple of miles away - too far to walk, but not really far enough for the van to warm up. Taking the long term of view, it's the short journeys that cause most wear.

 

[Barefoot62]

I've got a Cali Beach that I use as a daily drive and have not come across problems with parking or anything else, it fits in most parking bays and as far as multi story's go as long as the height limit is above 1.95m you shouldn't have any problems :cool

 

[californiachiz]

Interestingly I put a similar post up a couple of months ago but my circumstances are slightly different. I have sold my T5 conversion, and will sell my freelancer when the new Cali arrives, hopefully next month. The Cali will then become my sole vehicle. Although not a company vehicle I will part fund it through the business mileage allowance. If I only did 10k miles a year this would not have been a difficult decision, but my business mileage is approx 40k per annum. Although I have absolutely no concerns about the practicality of driving this vehicle as a daily drive, I was certainly concerned about the cost of running and depreciation this would put on. However, I have got over both of these aspects and just can't wait for its arrival! The first response I got to my post was 'you only live once'.....kinda stuck with me! Good luck with your negotiation!

 

[KernowLad]

Using ours as a daily for a week or two until a wee problem is sorted with the car - a small issue but hard to fix!
The missus has just taken it to Taunton (she left at 5am!); nice to have an excuse to drive it and it is a lovely place to sit - pre heat, heated seats on, satnav set, etc.

We usually take the car as it's quicker and better on fuel but the van certainly isn't a bad option!

My only issue with daily use is short trips - ours threw up an EGR valve fault but it was cleared and hasn't returned. We'd been using it for the school run and it didn't like the short trips - 1500 miles in Europe sorted it.

You need fairly big parking spaces and even with sensors, be very careful reversing (there's a big blind spot especially on the near side rear) but with the good turning circle and generally good visibility, they are a doodle to park IMO.

Just give it a blast (say 20 miles or more) once in a while to keep the DPF and EGR valves happy.

 

[Barefoot62]

I haven't found any 'blind spots' and as far as large parking spaces go the Cali isn't much bigger than the Passat I traded in for it. I think it's about a foot longer and about 5 inches wider! :hello

 

[Dave_T]

I find the van pretty easy to park... Possibly easier than a normal car. I think this is because all the wheels are pretty much right at the corners of the vehicle, and being a van, the sides are basically vertical. It makes it really easy to judge where you are. Also, having the sliding door makes it easy to get in & out of it a tight spot.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[muttley]

I will be the sole dissenting voice, by saying that I wouldn't have the Cali as a sole vehicle. It was, for the first 6 months, but in the end I found it preferable to have an alternative, hence the purchase of an old 4wd Golf for a daily runabout.

If you generally drive on motorways and A-roads, then the Cali would be fine, but my daily route to work, via my son's school, is narrow B-roads all the way. That is when you realise how wide the Cali really is, and I have had the wing mirror clipped a few times by oncoming vans despite being pressed up into the hedges. I also often have to park on the edge of a boggy playing field on the school run, and really don't want to have to ask for a tow from a smug 4x4 driver!

Simon

 

[Martin]

I also have to admit defeat in using my Cali as my daily driver, it worked well on the A roads of West Sussex for nearly two years but now I am down in rural Devon it was really taking a beating in the country lanes so had to invest in my little Jimny for day to day driving.

 

[Karim]

I live in Italy and that may make a huge difference road wise: this is my second T5 and i do sell for living, averaging 40/50k miles per year on both motorways and B roads.

Previously i drove an Audi A4 Wagon but i would never ever go back: the only weak point of T5s is the fuel consumption but other than that i only found improvements compared to a car

 

[Stuartcarpenter]

Although not a Cali owner, I work for a dealership that sells more Calis than anyone else in the country, Approx 80 in the last two years. The California at factory is lowered so that even with the extra height due to the roof, it will still fit in multi story car parks. I drive a T32 Kombi myself and have no problems parking, I find the easiest way, is park, then go through the front seats and out the sliding door.

 

[Chainline]

We had our Cali on a PSP as our only, and
my company, vehicle for 3 years and did 50k in it.
I took the cash alternative to my company car and used it to offset the purchase cost of the Cali. Which avoided the BIK payment on the vehicle.

We can't have a car over 3yrs old for company use so I went back to a Company Car but bought the Cali of course. Had no problems averaged 31.5mpg (180DSG)
I guess the I only downside is so many are using the Cali as a low miles 2nd vehicle the s/h value is affected if you compare it to someone who's offering a 5k mile Cali.
Clearly not a problem if you intend to keep it, like me.

 

[ROB]

fine if on a roads a lot, or motorways,

but often we are not so got a cheap aygo, wanted a vw up, but too new

 

[caligraphy]

I agree the Cali is not much use on country roads. It's just too wide, especially with school run mums in Q7s, Range Rovers and the like hogging the road. Having a much cheaper second car (a high mileage 2005 BMW X3) means the Cali is just used on long drives (mainly on the Continent) and not used at all in the colder months. It saves fuel, saves resale value and maintenance costs plus it keeps the Cali in spot on condition and I have can keep all the camping gear in it, something that wouldn't make sense in a daily driver.

Having said this I did use my T4 Cali as a daily driver for many years but it was a much more reliable van. It also had no DPF. We had it when our kids were babies and toddlers and it really came into its own as a mobile creche. Being able to pick up a baby in a pram and lift the whole thing into the van was so handy on cold rainy days. Changing on the kitchen table, heating milk at the stove, kids taking a nap over the back and rear roof cupboard full of spare nappies.

 

[bcasey]

Hi,

On the Ireland aspect, I have a Cali 1.9 TDI (2007) since 2008, and bought it second-hand from Carroll & McAuley. It was an ex-demonstrator for the importers. I am based in North Kildare.

I have mostly had it serviced by Sheehys VW in Naas, and most recently by Frank Keane VW in Long Mile Road, Dublin 12.

As its basically a T5 Caravelle, the mechanical side should be looked after by normal servicing.

I dont think either garage would be that good for the "habitation" end of things, so using this website, and others can help with some issues. Sheehys may have built up some familiarity with the model from servicing mine for 2-3 years.

I have seen new/nearly new Calis on Carzone recently advertised by Western Motors Drogheda, and more recently by Frank Keane VW (Long Mile Road). The asking price in both cases was around €60,000.

When originally launched in Ireland around 2007, the Cali was supposed to be supported by selected dealers, I think one of these was McAllisters in Swords (Airside). I have never seen any in stock there. The other may have been in Cork (Turners Cross?).

Depending on where you are based, it might be worth looking into the Northern Ireland dealers, some of which seemed to offer a service south of the border, at least during the boom. Calis are more common in the North, especially second-hand, to judge from the VW "used" website.

Hope this is of some use!

 

[gvick]

Interestingly I put a similar post up a couple of months ago but my circumstances are slightly different. I have sold my T5 conversion, and will sell my freelancer when the new Cali arrives, hopefully next month. The Cali will then become my sole vehicle. Although not a company vehicle I will part fund it through the business mileage allowance. If I only did 10k miles a year this would not have been a difficult decision, but my business mileage is approx 40k per annum. Although I have absolutely no concerns about the practicality of driving this vehicle as a daily drive, I was certainly concerned about the cost of running and depreciation this would put on. However, I have got over both of these aspects and just can't wait for its arrival! The first response I got to my post was 'you only live once'.....kinda stuck with me! Good luck with your negotiation!

Just wondered how you are getting on with such high mi,wage as a daily driver?

 

[BayCatOne]

I swapped my Lexus GS300h company car for a Cali Ocean and haven't looked back since. But, I didn't get it as a company car but a private purchase, it was too expensive as the former with taxes etc. Mileage isn't too bad considering the size and as far as comfort goes, just as good as any "average car".

I used to drive circa 22.000 km/y for work, as a reference. Do also have access to other company cars that I can borrow if I need to so not all of those km will be on the Cali, so that I can keep service costs down over time.

 

[gvick]

I swapped my Lexus GS300h company car for a Cali Ocean and haven't looked back since. But, I didn't get it as a company car but a private purchase, it was too expensive as the former with taxes etc. Mileage isn't too bad considering the size and as far as comfort goes, just as good as any "average car".

I used to drive circa 22.000 km/y for work, as a reference. Do also have access to other company cars that I can borrow if I need to so not all of those km will be on the Cali, so that I can keep service costs down over time.

Thank you thinking of doing the same current,y have e class merc and do similar mileage to you.
How do you find parking? Especially multi stories has that been an issue?