California Nights - T6.1 Beach Tourer

Brodger3 · Aug 16, 2023

#1 : Picked up the new T6.1 Beach Tourer from Aberdeen today and drove over the mountains via Braemar back home. I took out the VW five day drive away insurance. The lady told me the van is not covered for theft as the tracking device has not been fitted yet. Earlier this evening I put a chain on the front wheel. I still feel uncomfortable having such an expensive vehicle sitting there uninsured. So I am going to sleep in it tonight. Tomorrow I will have to spend a couple of hours clearing the garage so that it can be moved in there. Chained up. Blocked in. And whatever other security I can think of. First California Night is therefore on my drive way.

Justinitus1972 · Aug 17, 2023

I don’t think you‘re on your own with that - many new owners sleep in it on the drive on the first night! I’m sure you’re over the moon with your new Cali though, congratulations.

Brodger3 · Aug 18, 2023

100 Mile First Impressions Review

Pick-up day and swapped my 2105 T5 Caravelle Exec for a T6.1 California Beach Tourer. The drive home was from Aberdeen through the Cairngorm National Park. First impressions:

* additional noise suppression works well and the cabin is lot quieter than the T5.

* The ride and handling are improved a lot. My T5 might have been getting tired but the new Cali corners better without too much roll and handles the bumpy Scottish roads more capability.

* Steering is lighter and I like it's feel which is much more car like.

* Breaks are sharp and give confidence. The additional break assist is reassuring.

* The front door cards are a lower quality with the plastics flexing. The Caravelle had double skinned plastics which were solid.

* The media screen is much better, bigger and higher resolution. I thought I might miss the physical buttons but the touch buttons are clearly labelled and work fine.

* I think I will grow to like adaptive cruise control, never had that before.

* Missing the leather seats the microfleece is 'sticky' in comparison. No slide.

* Engine is quite with a different character. It seems to whistle rather than the industrial rattling sound of the T5 180 twin turbo. I did not miss the power on this first drive.

* First impressions of the dash and interior finish are positive. The grain in the plastic is courser than in the Caravelle bit I would not say of a poorer quality. The design of the storage on the dash is a big improvement over the T5.

* I like the overall robustness of the cabin and hope it will hold up as well to the abuse from my kids. I like the darker look.

* Bit cheap of VW not to put mats in a van at this cost. I asked and the dealer promised me a set.

* I personally think the missing driver foot rest is an improvement as with an auto I like to stretch my legs out and move my feet around.

* I need covers for the seats. Leather took eight years of the kids' abuse. These covers will be destroyed within a year.

Overall impression after first drive is that the T6.1 is much more like a car than the T5. In comparison it makes my T5 Caravelle drive and sound like a van. A very short drive with my wife and she picked up on the quietness, the more compliant ride, lack of roll and commented that the dash was a 'step up'.

I popped up the roof to show the kids. They were wetting themselves with excitement. I asked if they thought it was better than the Caravelle. A resounding YES.

No dissatisfaction on day one except with parting with so much money to get it.

Brodger3 · Aug 22, 2023

#2 Kinloch Rannoch

Wild camping on the eastern end of Loch Rannoch. First time for the three kids and me while mummy stays at home. The kids played in the park and then down to the loch side beach. When the rain came on I moved them into the van and setup the projector and DVD player.

Intermittent warning coming up on the dash 'Electronic Child Lock Fault'.

Lesson: I need seat covers pronto; the art velour seats will be ruined within the year.

Brodger3 · Aug 22, 2023

Loch Rannoch free overnight parking. A mobile toilet and bins provided by the council.

Brodger3 · Sep 4, 2023

#3 Cupar Angus
#4 Kinross

First time on the motorway with the T6.1....this really is where the refinement of the engine and the improved cabin noise suppression can be felt. A really comfortable motorway cruiser.

Memory maker for the kids.... Blackness Castle near Edinburgh.

Brodger3 · Sep 11, 2023

#5 Cupar Angus
Camped overnight then took the kids to the festival at Scone Palace. Lots of interesting vehicle to see and find out about. It is advertised as being about farming but it exceeded my expectations with lots of exhibits from motoring clubs. Highlights were the fire engines, the 4x4 and fast family cars from the 80's and 90's.

In the queue to get out discovered a feature I did not have on the T5 with stop/start. The T6.1 with sensors starts the car up when the car in front moves away, before I have taken my foot of the brake. Nice feature as it reduces the lag in the engine starting between moving feet from brake to accelerator. It is also a nice nudge to move forward if you are not paying attention.

Brodger3 · Sep 18, 2023

#7 Falkirk
We visited Falkirk this weekend. Cycling around the Kelpies. We went to sleep in an empty car park and woke up surrounded by a Sunday market.

Discovered another cool feature. With the towbar bike rack on the van senses it and does not put the parking sensors on. Nice.

Brodger3 · Sep 24, 2023

#8 Tayport

We overnighted on the promenade at Tayport, along with six other campervans. This is an interesting little town, that was a main input/export hub. Now the railway is gone and the harbor is for leisure boats. Californias on water, I have never seen the attraction myself.

Sunday we went to Dundee University open day visiting the Life Sciences department and the Botanic Gardens.

I put the heater on for the first time. Worked nicely with no complaints from the kids about the cold. One did ask what the funny smell was when it first started up.

Eighth night in the Beach. Lesson learnt: everything needs a place and everything in its place. I misplaced the kids cereal bowls and the chain lock for the bikes. The lesson is to clean things after returning home then repack them immediately in their correct place.

Brodger3 · Oct 4, 2023

#8 Blairgowrie and Loch of Lowes Squirrel Survey

After six weeks of practice I have a routine for setting up the seven seater Beach for an overnight camp. I have found it best just to fold the three seater back down rather than put it in bed mode.

Twenty minutes:

1. Move driver seat all the way forward.
2. Take headrests off back seats and put in driver footwell.
3. Put all my personal stuff on driver seat.
4. Cover the steering wheel and dash with the child safety net.
5. Turn the passanger seat around and push all the way forward. Put bin and cleaning stuff on the seat.
6. Put second row down and push back up against three seater bench. 7. Put board over the gap.
8. Put the three seater bench down.
9. Unfold the mattress.
10. Put the porta-loo on floor next to passenger seat.
11. Pop-up the roof.
12. Put the bedding things out.

Borris · Oct 4, 2023

It sounds like you have things well worked out. What do your family now think after several weeks of use?

If I may make a couple of comments re your post #3:

1. The door cards in the T6 and T6-1 Beach models may appear to be basic and plasticky but in practice I have found them to be much more practical than the more elaborate fabric covered items fitted to the SE and Ocean Models. When we owned a 5.1 SE, I found that the fabric was easily marked by zips, keys and other sharp objects brushing past it. Not so with the hard plastic door cards. Besides with kids and dogs you need something that's easily wiped down.

2. IMO, seat covers, preferably water proof ones, are essential with kids and dogs. I also had our fabric seat covers treated with Autoglym's version of Scotchguard. Liquids just form beads and are über easy to clean up if they ever get spilt directly on the original covers. Some owners have had their seats re-covered in leather, an option I might try later in the vans life. As for the current faux leather/alcantara offerings, well I didn't bother as they weren't leather and were far too expensive for man made plastic.

Brodger3 · Oct 12, 2023

#9-10 Montrose #11 Braemar

Montrose Rose hill parking is twenty minute walk to the beach. Ten minutes to an excellent cinema. Braemar parking in the center, butcher shop opens early and the Bothy Cafe is great for breakfast.

We have had the Beach Tourer now for two months, just completed 1,000 miles. Used it with the three kids every weekend so far with 11 nights completed. We have dubbed it "The Memory Maker".

One thousand mile review - T6.1 Beach Tour

One Thousand mile review We have had the Beach Tourer now for two months, just completed 1,000 miles. Used it with the three kids every weekend so far with 10 nights completed. We have dubbed it "The Memory Maker". We went from a high specification 2015 T5 Caravelle to the Beach which I...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

It was 1°C last night in Braemar and with the auxiliary heater on at level 3 the van was toasty and no complaints from the kids. Getting better organised and setting up and ripping down now takes between 20-30 mins depending on how well I packed in the first place.

I know everything has to have a place but I am still failing to put things back where they belong immediately. I have lost a kids toy and a charging cable somewhere in the van or bags. Small stuff goes missing, but eventually turns up.

Top 'must have' accessories in order of usefulness:

1.Brandrup downstairs mattress.

2.Brandrup thermal window screens.

3.Van Essa window bags.

4.Brandrup seat back pockets.

5.Two piece aluminium ladder.

6.Porta-Loo

Needed a solution to where to sit comfortably in the van; when the van is setup for sleeping and the kids have finally dropped off. Both front seats being taken up with stuff.

Brodger3 · Nov 27, 2023

#12 Dundee

I camped with the kids this weekend. A bit chilly out, but toasty in the van as I have the optional auxiliary heater. At Level 3, in sub-zero temperatures, it was toasty enough to sleep comfortably. The kids really liked cycling over the Tay Bridge. At the fountain I could hear them thinking "I really want to run through those water spouts, I've got my suit on, what can go wrong?".

Thule bike rack holds the very heavy electric bike without issue. This time I did get a warning on the dash "check trailer right turn light". It was working fine but the van was sensing something.

RockinNRollin · Nov 27, 2023

Looks like some fab times are being had already! We picked ours up in July and have covered 3000 miles in it already and spent something like 30 nights away in it so far. FYI the Ocean (now at least) still has the same plastic door cards as any other models - seems to be standard across the range.

Brodger3 · Dec 29, 2023

#13 Edinburgh

Stopped in Ratho and parked up at the Bridge Inn. Not as cold as expected at 7°C but I put the Cali-wrap on for the first time. Took only 5 minutes but it was a stretch, I could have done with a small step. It most definitely makes a difference and the kids commented on it. Poppy said it was much warmer. The aux heater was on at level 2. Took my own pillow and wow how much more comfortI felt. A short drive to Ingliston Park and Ride the tram ride into Edinburgh was smooth and took thirty minutes.

Brodger3 · Apr 14, 2024

First trip in the California Memory Machine in 2024. The Beach accomodating one adult and three children 9, 6 and 3. Lessons learnt from this trip:

* The van setup worked well. Taking out the second row of two VW child seats and having the kids sit in a row on the bench seat. This gave more floor space but had the added faff of two isofix child seats to deal with.

* I forget the lesson last year; that everything needs to be bagged and for the bag to have a place when the beds are set up. Kids stuff, camping stuff and general kit rattling around and getting lost.

* Don't expect the kids to go to sleep at the usual time.

* Keep on top of the mess and dirt, very muddy trip. VW waterproof covers worked well but I am concerned about their durability and surviving the three kids.

* Campsites are good when you need to shower the kids and there is no swimming pool visit planned otherwise what value do they really add?

#14 Kinross. The car park on the other side of Loch Leven. Breakfast at the cafe. Very windy night and the boat trip to Leven Castle was canceled. Edinburgh Zoo instead for the morning and Ryze trampoline park in the afternoon.

#15 Edinburgh Morton Hall Campsite. Grass areas not being used as they are waterlogged. Is it worth £35 a night, when you can park-up somewhere for free? Edinburgh Castle in the morning and Dynamic Earth in the afternoon.

#16 Edinburgh Morton Hall. IKEA for breakfast, an hour's childcare in the free creche then milkshakes. Kids had a great time.

chockswahay · Apr 14, 2024

@Brodger3 I have complete respect for you! We are only me and my owner……. the notion of just taking two of my grandnippers (5 and 8) fills me with fear and dread!

You name it, they will ‘test’ it for strength, quality and general suitability for use by kidz

Brodger3 · Monday at 2:51 PM

#17 Falkirk

Lovely evening for a cycle around the Helix and the Kelpies in Falkirk. Free parking at Falkirk Stadium and did not make the mistake of parking where the Sunday market is, parked on other side. We were woken up by shoppers parking around us at around eight o'clock. A rough night with one of my boys not feeling well. This gave me second thoughts about the planned trip to Berlin in the summer.