California Nights - T6.1 Beach Tourer

[Brodger3]

#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]

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]

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]

#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]

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

 

[Brodger3]

#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]

#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]

#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]

#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.