Cali vs Conversion - another slant

[Felix]

Hi,

I’m a newbie, we’ve decided we want a Cali or equivalent conversion and are trying to learn the ropes. I know there are plenty of debates around the relative merits of the Cali compared with a conversion but I’ve got a more specific question on that subject. For me, the quality of the cab and whole driving experience is relatively important. We’ve looked at a new Cali and were really impressed by it, I thought the cab was excellent. However lots of conversions I see online look like they are based on a pretty basic Transporter, so you end up with a utilitarian cab which I’m not keen on at all. My question is, will most decent conversion companies allow you to precisely choose the spec of your donor van, and is it possible to spec a T6 Transporter Kombi so that from the drivers seat it is just as good as a Cali, e.g. when it comes to the cab ambience, driving, options, noise suppression, etc? I imagine the opinions of most of you might lean towards a standard Cali being better but thought I’d ask anyway

Thanks

 

[ArunAlec]

Hi,

I’m a newbie, we’ve decided we want a Cali or equivalent conversion and are trying to learn the ropes. I know there are plenty of debates around the relative merits of the Cali compared with a conversion but I’ve got a more specific question on that subject. For me, the quality of the cab and whole driving experience is relatively important. We’ve looked at a new Cali and were really impressed by it, I thought the cab was excellent. However lots of conversions I see online look like they are based on a pretty basic Transporter, so you end up with a utilitarian cab which I’m not keen on at all. My question is, will most decent conversion companies allow you to precisely choose the spec of your donor van, and is it possible to spec a T6 Transporter Kombi so that from the drivers seat it is just as good as a Cali, e.g. when it comes to the cab ambience, driving, options, noise suppression, etc? I imagine the opinions of most of you might lean towards a standard Cali being better but thought I’d ask anyway

Thanks

I think they would allow you to find a van an then do the conversion for you but the outlay for a top spec van might make it a non starter.

 

[Meoncoast]

I have seen several converters who give a price to convert "your own van" Several thoughts come to thought, you have to trust a converter with a high-value asset with a 3rd party who will cut holes in it (what happens if they go bust, and what happens to VW warranty) the other thought is with a Cali warranty work has a national network for both van and camping parts, converters you will have to travel back the converter for camping parts. I sure some converters would offer a bespoke high spec van - if you do not ask you could visit a motorhome show and test the water. At the end of the day as @ArunAlec said it may be a non-starter as the cost of conversions soon reach Cali prices. We looked at both conversions and Cali's and the Cali was the only way for us.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Hi Felix,
Plenty of people here have considered or previously owned a conversion and each will have pro's and cons depending on individual experience as you already expect.
Based on the driving experience and cab quality (but quality in the living space as well not just the cab quality) I think the California can't be beaten by a conversion.
I did look at the conversion route myself and was literally choking back giving the go ahead in the last telephone call with the dealer for the donor van. I was seconds away from commitment. I think in the end the same concerns you have plus the warranty & depreciation stopped me and pushed me towards the California. I haven't looked back.
The pitfalls of a donor vehicle are truly unknown unless you are sure of the history of the van and the weight and quality of the conversion can vary but never reach the standard of the California IME.
Incidentally the best donor I was able to find was a 17 plate, 150 DSG, T6 Highline, long wheelbase. But that was £23k so a £18-£20k conversion on top so was not a massive saving when you consider residuals. The converter was more than happy to let me source that myself.
I also tried the Ford wellhouse terrier which was a non starter for me and extremely noisy in the cabin when trying to talk to passengers in the rear. Now whether that would be what conversion is like I don't know.
Thats the wealth of my experience but ultimately there are plenty of happy campers in conversions
What suits you best will happen.

 

[WelshGas]

Hi,

I’m a newbie, we’ve decided we want a Cali or equivalent conversion and are trying to learn the ropes. I know there are plenty of debates around the relative merits of the Cali compared with a conversion but I’ve got a more specific question on that subject. For me, the quality of the cab and whole driving experience is relatively important. We’ve looked at a new Cali and were really impressed by it, I thought the cab was excellent. However lots of conversions I see online look like they are based on a pretty basic Transporter, so you end up with a utilitarian cab which I’m not keen on at all. My question is, will most decent conversion companies allow you to precisely choose the spec of your donor van, and is it possible to spec a T6 Transporter Kombi so that from the drivers seat it is just as good as a Cali, e.g. when it comes to the cab ambience, driving, options, noise suppression, etc? I imagine the opinions of most of you might lean towards a standard Cali being better but thought I’d ask anyway

Thanks

There are 2 routes to a Conversion on a New Chassis rather than a clapped out builders van..

1. Buy your own spec vehicle, with all the options you want for the driving experience, then hand it over to a Conversion Specialist and choose carefully. Be Aware that everything they touch within the vehicle could have warranty implications.

2. There are a handful of top converters who have an agreement with VW to buy a base vehicle for conversion at a special price. However, VW limit the choice of options on such vehicles.

When I was looking some years ago I wanted a 180 4Motion. Option 1 came out more expensive that a new California. Option 2 was a non-starter as VW would not supply a 180 4Motion to these converters.

 

[Felix]

Thanks for the replies everyone. The one slight reservation we’ve got about the Cali at the moment is that, given we’re both “big boned” 6 footers, the bed in the living area is rather on the narrow side and we’d prefer to sleep there rather than in the roof. We’ve noticed one or two SWB conversions with a different layout that allows a slightly wider bed. Obviously this will have its own trade-offs and we’d need to decide how important they are, but this is a factor.

 

[Legin]

Been through the same thoughts as you and ended up buying the cali , Im by no means the first. Try volksleisure who do a lovely conversion then wince at the cost for what is still a conversion , buy the cali.

You will not undercut buying a cali from VW by using a convertor plus remember the cali new price is often discounted 5 -7 % and as of now an additional 1 - 2 k finance deal saving. Oh price goes up in November again ! Just trying to save you some effort.

 

[Felix]

BTW, we’re not necessarily looking to undercut the price of a Cali via a conversion, just wondering whether we can better tailor it to our specific needs.

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks for the replies everyone. The one slight reservation we’ve got about the Cali at the moment is that, given we’re both “big boned” 6 footers, the bed in the living area is rather on the narrow side and we’d prefer to sleep there rather than in the roof. We’ve noticed one or two SWB conversions with a different layout that allows a slightly wider bed. Obviously this will have its own trade-offs and we’d need to decide how important they are, but this is a factor.

Hire a California for a weekend and try before you buy. We're both 6ft and it is cosy but we sleep vey well downstairs.

 

[Quentin SF]

Yes, we found the Cali beds a little restrictive, and that was part of the reason for going elsewhere; in our case, a Bilbo’s Nexa, which has two single beds. This gives a better feeling of space (and there is an available option to slide them together to make a large double, which ours doesn’t have). However, they're not that long ; as a six-footer with a nice pillow I can't quite stretch out straight, but it's so close that it’s OK.

The Bilbo’s Celeste is much more like the Ocean, but with a more spacious bed; I guess the wardrobe may be a bit narrower, and the lack of chair storage in the tailgate means you move four inches further back into the more spacious area and have more floor space when the bed's down. You lose one of the Cali's cutest features, though

More discussion about our eventual decision here:
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/also-cheating-like-dave.24252/

The other way to get a Cali with a really enormous bed, of course, is to go for a Beach...

 

[Legin]

BTW, we’re not necessarily looking to undercut the price of a Cali via a conversion, just wondering whether we can better tailor it to our specific needs.

OK Then suggest someone like volksleisure is worth a visit as they can do the wider Reimo 3 seater sliding bed better than the cali imo. At the NEC this week. You pay with less storage though as it narrows the kitchen.
Alternative is two massive singles ie one upstairs and one downstairs in the Cali, its my plan .

 

[2into1]

I believe the Cali is the best layout and bed width compromise in a SWB van. I had a Reimo City once with very slim units (wider bed) but it was hopelessly impractical for storing cooking pans, dinner plates.....in fact anything other than tin cans.

I like the idea of the twin rear seat models but as stated above, they are not long enough (I’m 6’4). Also, the kitchen is in the boot and offers very little cupboard space, and no real boot for all the stuff (diy projects etc) that you need for (in my case) an every day vehicle.

I hate some of the fiddly build quality of the camping parts in the Cali, and detest the over complication of the electric roof, but have now owned 3 in a row as they are simply a better package than the SWB conversions, particularly if it’s cab ambiance you are after.

 

[Felix]

We’re off to the NEC on Sunday to have a look at some of the alternatives. I’m imagining that like most of you we’ll end up with a Cali but want to make sure we’re not missing something. And we’ll be hiring one sometime soon to see if we could live with the narrow bed.

 

[Quentin SF]

Oh yes, the other thing with third party coversions, of course, is that you can get a LWB, if you want more storage despite having a bigger bed.

We hadn’t particularly planned that, but a used LWB came up with the spec we wanted, and having driven it, we decided the experience was pretty much the same and the extra space could be useful. After 6 months of ownership, I think I'd probably choose a LWB again.

Just a thought...

 

[Bellcrew]

I believe the Cali is the best layout and bed width compromise in a SWB van. I had a Reimo City once with very slim units (wider bed) but it was hopelessly impractical for storing cooking pans, dinner plates.....in fact anything other than tin cans.

I like the idea of the twin rear seat models but as stated above, they are not long enough (I’m 6’4). Also, the kitchen is in the boot and offers very little cupboard space, and no real boot for all the stuff (diy projects etc) that you need for (in my case) an every day vehicle.

I hate some of the fiddly build quality of the camping parts in the Cali, and detest the over complication of the electric roof, but have now owned 3 in a row as they are simply a better package than the SWB conversions, particularly if it’s cab ambiance you are after.

We went camping with a couple of friends during the summer, they in a conversion with the twin rear seats, us in the Cali. The difference was astonishing.
Once camped we made up the roof bed, put out the awning with two Thule rain blockers and a decent floor mat. The cabin was a totally welcoming lounge with everything at hand, the outside comfortable with the standard seats, posh recliners and the door mounted table.
The conversion was like a cave, they had put their front windscreen cover on and together with the limo plus tinting made the interior very dark on an admitted dull day. Their bedding was pilled up on the front seats and until they put it up, the driveway awning filled the entire floor area at the back of the van. The lack of easily accessible storage was obvious but not having a decent roof bed made it a hopeless proposition IMHO.
The oldest usable T4 Westfalia would be a better prospect for most people with any T5 Cali priced under £25000 an absolute bargain.

 

[owen_h]

Not sure if its still the case with the T6 but in the T5.1 Californias the SE was based on a Caravelle base vehicle and the Beach on a Multivan. It got a bit more confusing in that at that time the left hand drive Caravelle had a different (posher) dash than that available to right hand drive vehicles (Cali SE or Caravelle). The T5.1 Multivan base vehicle was not sold in the UK. The multivan was either a plusher kombi or more utilitarian Caravelle depending which way you wanted to look at it.

For the OP why don't you start with a Beach to get the full width bed and add (or get a converter to add) any of the extra camping features you want? If you haven't realised already the Beach is available with either a 2 seater or 3 seater bench in the back. Both as standard have a full with bed but they way they achieve this is slightly different. The 2 seater uses an additional (removable) storage box with a cushion on top. The 3 seater bench is already the full width.
What I did (with a 2 seater) is replace the storage box with a kitchen pod. In my case the pod was the same width as the box but it would be an option to have a slimline pod made or even one that tapered to keep 50% of the extra width. With the 3 seater people have fitted a variety of pods between the front seats and bench seat and there is also the option of slide out kitchen units in the boot (look up Slidepods) for both the 2 and 3 seater.
This way gives the higher spec base vehicle, VW roof, pull down blinds, electrics already done, No carpet on the walls (my pet hate) and probably a quicker route to the vehicle you want.

 

[2into1]

^ Good advice, and if interested also look at Maxxcamp for units to convert a 4 seater beach into an Ocean layout... Or part way.

Also ideas there for 5 seater beach.

 

[kp64zl]

I really like the conversions done by Uberbus - really high quality and slightly different to the usual conversions. Then I could get twin sliding doors & long wheel base.

What has put me off this idea is that I'd really like the "Beach" style conversion - but then I would have to keep it registered as a van rather than a car (as wouldn't fulfil DVLA rules for 'motor caravan') and the worry about "who is responsible?" when something goes wrong and then going back and forth between VW and the convertor.

Uberbus has a good reputation but isn't one of the privileged VW approved convertors.

Costs for the conversion (with a new van - I don't want one with secrets) about the same as a new California but at least I could get exactly what I want.

So my plan is to buy a VW California Beach as I won't lose too much on resale & then get a conversion next -- if I still think that an LWB Twin slider is what I want.....

 

[flying banana]

california grand xl satsuma glxi coming soon?

 

[soulstyledevon]

The biggest problem with a conversion, is the sliding door is on the wrong side of the van...

 

[kp64zl]

The biggest problem with a conversion, is the sliding door is on the wrong side of the van...

but with a conversion you can have one on *each* side!

 

[GrannyJen]

but with a conversion you can have one on *each* side!

and two barn doors .....

 

[soulstyledevon]

and two barn doors .....

 

[Nick Stubbs]

We hired a couple of conversions before deciding on the Cali and at that point didn’t know what a Cali was. Having looked a the Cali it beats a conversion hands down everything fits and works, ok you can’t really customise and bling up easily but for practicality and a usable vehicle it’s the bis, We we’re going down the route of a new base van and getting it converted glad we didn’t.

 

[Jay586]

I'm possibly in the minority here, possibly alone, in that I nearly bought a Beach & due to some dealer issues, ended up with a conversion.

I sourced my own van, T6 Highline 150, as I wanted cruise, AC, etc. Then booked with a converter, who had a 3-month wait. I don't have a full conversion but the van is well-suited to my needs. It attracts a fair bit of attention, even without mods, add-ons or furniture. My only issues have been with the VW bit...