California Beach checklist

[Barefoot62]

I have just found out today that my Cali Beach has finally arrived at Liecester Van centre and I can pick it up on Saturday. Is there any unusual I should check for or is much the same as getting a new car. Please advise . :cool :smile

 

[bournemouthbeach]

Bet you can't wait...

Just one thing im going to check when we collect ours in Jan, make sure no one has tried turning the front seats around with the doors shut as it will mark the door panel...

Only no that because i did it on a demo vehicle....

 

[Barefoot62]

That's one thing I never even considered, much appreciated, thanks

 

[Barefoot62]

I've been like a child, waiting for Christmas! I must admit I never thought waiting for 16 weeks would have been so hard. Now all I have to do is start planning where to go in it

 

[bournemouthbeach]

No worries...

16 weeks thats a long time, our's is due in 12weeks if it runs over then will want it on a 14 plate not 63... Prob time of year as well....

 

[Ma77sc]

Don't worry about scuffed door panels. You'll get them the first time you try and rotate the seat :x

 

[James]

Roof is the most important thing to check - check the fabric - check alignment. Spend a good deal of time on this.

Get used to raising it and lowering - the Beach roof should close with little trouble and align. Don't leave the dealership without doing this.

You can get used to rotating the seats - making the bed etc.

James

 

[jamesC]

I agree with James..... But.... Very tricky to walk away from your new Cali!!

 

[Barefoot62]

Thanks James, is raising and lowering the roof anything like on a Cali SE but without the electrics? I mean to say check for any fabric getting trapped and opening the door to stop bellowing?

 

[Ma77sc]

Door open
Make sure the mattress is in the right position and there's nothing left up there (my kids sleep up there)
Hands equally spaced on the bar and pull down steadily and evenly making sure the bellows at the back as well as the sides also come inwards (head torch helps - one of mine went outwards once)
Pull down to the first rest place (nearly all the way down)
Gently pull inwards the bellowed material so it's taught and straight (hard to describe but you'll see), have a walk around outside
Pull down harder the remainder of the way (about 5 cm)
Tuck back the excess material so the clips can be engaged and locked without nipping the material.
Engage the clips and the safety clips and close the hatch
Vroom vroom!

 

[Goldie]

With yours being new they shouldn't have borrowed any bits for other Californias in the dealership. Make sure you use the checklist that's on here. Mine didn't have the flyscreen so was 'borrowed' from another

Also check for the bendy light. Some debate over whether it is included or not and I'd be interested to know as I've just had to buy one - see my bendy light post for details of where to get one.

Buy yourself a long locking bolt for the spare asap and fit it - as they do go missing.

Andy

 

[Barefoot62]

Thanks Ma77sc I suppose as with everything else it all comes with practice!

 

[Barefoot62]

Thanks Goldie any ideas where I can get a long bolt from is this something that VW would supply

 

[Goldie]

Follow this thread for advice and buy the long bolt. I bought the short one and it fits but others found it too short.
http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5266

Andy

 

[Ma77sc]

I didn't get a fly screen but did get the safety net for upstairs.
Make sure you also get the blinds for the front windows and the windy handle for the awning and pegs to peg it down.
I got a bendy map reading light but it was a Hella one in a box so not sure if the dealer sorted it or whether it came with the van.
Mine was a demo (things were still in a plastic) but still possible that things had gone missing.

 

[Goldie]

The flyscreen was essential as I collected the van in Northern Island and the midges were out in force at the farm I stayed at. Maybe the Beach doesn't come with one and a California SE has been robbed because I used the SE checklist

Is this the Hellas lamp or does it have a round head? http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0068M66HK/?tag=eliteelect-21 Its double the price of the Osram Onyx LED lamp I ordered from Amazon so I'll stick with that.

Andy

 

[Ma77sc]

Andy,

My Hella light looks like that one on Amazon with the cuboid head. I'd better be more careful with it - I thought it was worth about a tenner

Matt

 

[SteveM]

My advice perhaps falls into the 'usual' checks but from experience I know it really matters! Never pick your car up wet first off and really check the paint and the panels. I did not do this on my first Beach and regretted it (ironically if it had been a £2k used car I would have!). My first one had flat patches of paint on the bonnet I would have seen had I look more closely.... after 6 months VW replaced it my second order turned up and had a very uneven sliding door pressing - worse than any other on the dealers forecourt .... and my current one (three!) had picked up a small parking ding in the yard!... now fixed. Don't worry but do check!

Steve.

 

[Barefoot62]

Everything seems to be in working and most of it is there. Should I have got a bin and a flexi light in the upper roof area? Thanks for all your tips on checking it out. I actually managed to open the roof today once it stopped raining that all seemed pretty straight forward and also got the bed down, it's a lot bigger than the SE's bed which is a lot better for us

 

[Goldie]

I didn't get any bins or a flexible light - seems a lottery that one. Is it in the glove box?? I bought the Osram Onyx LED light on Amazon for less the £20 - arrived yesterday and works fine. It would be nice to know whether they are a standard fitment or not. Why go to the expense of fitting a socket up there and not giving us a light?? Can any dealers give us a definite answer?

Andy

 

[Barefoot62]

I've just spoken to the salesman at VW(I've got his mobile number) and he says he'll put one in the post along with my spare wheel locking nut
Thanks

Alasdair

 

[Ma77sc]

I got a bin. Again - no idea if standard or not. When I got it I was very meh but frankly its great when out and about as a daily driver just to avoid lobbing stuff in the passenger footwell which of course is essentially the rest of the van in a T5. When we camp we go with the tried and tested supermarket carrier over the wipers.

 

[James]

I got a bin. Again - no idea if standard or not. When I got it I was very meh but frankly its great when out and about as a daily driver just to avoid lobbing stuff in the passenger footwell which of course is essentially the rest of the van in a T5. When we camp we go with the tried and tested supermarket carrier over the wipers.

I got the bin - although i don't think it was an option with my spec at the time but hey, I got it anyway.

I got the light as well .

 

[Barefoot62]

Apparently the bin and the 'flexi light' are standard fittings and all 2014 models should come with them. Mine are now in the post

 

[James]

Apparently the bin and the 'flexi light' are standard fittings and all 2014 models should come with them. Mine are now in the post

I don't think you banana will be dancing when you see the bin...

James