California T6.1 Stops production 1st June!

[The Blue Merle]

It's an MPV with a poptop. Take another look with the poptop down. I don't hear anyone saying the MB MP is pretty and this MV could be related it looks so similar, especially the sloping roof line.

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The rear of that is awful, still think the front of it should of been the t6.1 front

 

[Defender90]

Life moves on. Euro5 is being banned or charged in many cities and Euro6 will follow. If you want a Campervan to use all year round and as a daily driver then the writing is on the wall. The Private diesel is on the way out.

I will take my chance I don’t like cities full of people

 

[The Blue Merle]

I appreciate you're getting some stick, but I agree with you. I am trading my 3 month old Cali in a few months (nothing to fault about the Cali other than it not being quite to my requirements)
I am in the fortunate position to be able to keep it should I have wished and as much I would have liked it either remain at the same value or increase I could choose to keep it for another 12 months. If anyone had a view on this the dealers would, and I can say from experience of the past week I've found it extremely difficult to get a trade in now or even an underwrite for late spring. I called probably 10 different VW dealers and none of them would even bid on it as they said they are flooded with supply at present and uncertain about future values.
The Cali is iconic I agree, but there are only a minuscule percentage of vehicles where buyers have shunned the replacement over it's immediate predecessor, The 911 993 already mentioned is one of these rare examples. VW design chiefs & accountants will be acutely aware of the risks so I'm sure they will have to make the replacement worthy of change for existing Cali owners. Remember VW probably already knows what the successor will look like in full detail, we can only speculate.

I don't take @soulstyledevon views as anything other than a perfectly feasible if not very likely outcome. We may be wrong but sometimes I think peoples wishes can be father to their thoughts partiularly when they own said vehicle.

I of course could be wrong and I mean absolutely no offense to other like me who own the amazing VW California.

Van market is on its knees at the mo, spoke to a few dealerships and all struggling to shift vans (crafters etc).
Calis are selling if priced right few nice Cali beaches I was watching sold quick.

 

[JuanVecino2023]

I thought it was the Cayenne. Polluting the gene pool with an SUV (some with a VW V6) was considered sacrilege at the time.

The debate will rage on as to which model turned their fortunes.

One thing I would say we are all aligned on, it wasn’t air-cooled.

 

[wildslammer22]

Probably what Volkswagen wants. I bet the profit margins are slim on a California compared to a standard panel van.
The California probably creates more hassle than what it’s worth, as they try to streamline production lines…

And that’s a significant point, the T6.1 is effectively the end of the California as we know it. Already VW in certain markets are letting converters build vans with a Cali badge. I’ll not be surprised if the Grand ends up being handed to a coach builder. That won’t necessarily be a bad thing, they say everything in life is cyclical and the VW camper started out as a Westfalia conversion. If the new mulitvan bombs I predict that will be the last VW built camper.

 

[Barry Chuckle]

Van market is on its knees at the mo, spoke to a few dealerships and all struggling to shift vans (crafters etc).
Calis are selling if priced right few nice Cali beaches I was watching sold quick.

That would tie in with what a untypically candid and honest dealer told me today. He said the only Camper's he will take are California's and then only at heavily discounted values, he said there is a glut of them at the moment and they have to be at a hefty discount from new to compete with the 5 year interest free finance VW are offering. He said that older used are doing ok.

I notice you own or did own a Joker, I've ordered a Sven Hedin today, and I was surprised at the deal I got on that. 6 months ago when I inquired it was pay list or someone else will buy it and you'll be waiting 9 - 12 months for deliver. Today I got what I reckon is an inflated price on my part ex held until collection and £1,500 worth of options thown in. Delivery is also been slashed to 2 - 3 months. This would corroborate what you've said about Crafters sitting around as this is arguably one of the most desirable Crafter/Man conversion around.

 

[The Blue Merle]

Thought the only option on a Sven is leather now.
There like hens teeth!!!
I did hear someone getting a new joker the other day at a little over £80k and didn’t have to wait long for it.
Then there’s two new ones for sale at £104k at another dealer.
Same as anything if it’s priced right it will sell.

 

[This_one_goes_to_eleven]

Van market is on its knees at the mo, spoke to a few dealerships and all struggling to shift vans (crafters etc).
Calis are selling if priced right few nice Cali beaches I was watching sold quick.

My supplying dealer has more new Calis to deliver this month than what they said would have been a good years worth a few years back.

Yes good offers on driving that but sounds far from on its knees.

 

[The Blue Merle]

My supplying dealer has more new Calis to deliver this month than what they said would have been a good years worth a few years back.

Yes good offers on driving that but sounds far from on its knees.

That’s campervans not vans as I was referring to

 

[Barry Chuckle]

My supplying dealer has more new Calis to deliver this month than what they said would have been a good years worth a few years back.

Yes good offers on driving that but sounds far from on its knees.

True the Cali will always be in demand. But for context VW are offering the most generous incentives they ever have on the 6.1. 0% finance with interest rates as they are, along with 10%+ discount and 5 years servicing and warranty. Without these offers I don't think they'd be selling anywhere as near many, I probably wouldn't have bought one without these offers as a carrot......

 

[Barry Chuckle]

Thought the only option on a Sven is leather now.
There like hens teeth!!!
I did hear someone getting a new joker the other day at a little over £80k and didn’t have to wait long for it.
Then there’s two new ones for sale at £104k at another dealer.
Same as anything if it’s priced right it will sell.

No the only ones available are the special editions which are already have an options list like a Christmas Tree, but the only 2 options are leather (extra £3k) and alloys (think about 3.5k) to replace the penny pinching 16" steel wheels Westfalia put on as standard. I think there's another 8 they've got to sell which they've ordered so demand definitely nowhere near what it was.

A Joker at £80k would sound about right as with the offers on the Cali make the £104k Westfalia look very very expensive in comparison.

 

[The Blue Merle]

I looked into a new beach the other day £74k before discount DD £65k prices got overinflated due to crazy demand (massive profits made). So what they are offering now is just the true norm.
Is it just me or nearly £100k cali (top spec) really worth it!?!?
That’s why there’s massive discounts now

 

[Barry Chuckle]

I looked into a new beach the other day £74k before discount DD £65k prices got overinflated due to crazy demand (massive profits made). So what they are offering now is just the true norm.
Is it just me or nearly £100k cali (top spec) really worth it!?!?
That’s why there’s massive discounts now

There's an interesting video on YT where a chap really struggled to find any brand new campers/motorhomes sub £60k at the latest NEC camping show. The prices being commanded presently are frankly crazy and for those who can see price history on Autotrader can see many have been sitting with dealers for over 6 months with regular price reductions and still not shifting.

I really hope this will mean that people of more modest incomes can get themselves new RVs

 

[Barry Chuckle]

I do recommend downloading the Autotrader Price Tracker App it's really useful info. Some of the stuff dealers do make me laugh. The bottom one for example you see the dealer saying "The Adria I've had up for nearly 3 months which hasn't sold even with a 20% discount, I know I'll put it back up by 9 grand"

 

[The Blue Merle]

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I do recommend downloading the Autotrader Price Tracker App it's really useful info. Some of the stuff dealers do make me laugh. The bottom one for example you see the dealer saying "The Adria I've had up for nearly 3 months which hasn't sold even with a 20% discount, I know I'll put it back up by 9 grand"

Westy delivery times are pretty much always late, so do bare that in mind.
Campertime is still waiting for there Sven as far as I’m aware was due last year.
Plus my joker was very late, westy dealer told me westfalia are a nightmare with missing targeted dates.
Great van hopefully I’m wrong and you get it before the summer is over.

 

[Barry Chuckle]

Westy delivery times are pretty much always late, so do bare that in mind.
Campertime is still waiting for there Sven as far as I’m aware was due last year.
Plus my joker was very late, westy dealer told me westfalia are a nightmare with missing targeted dates.
Great van hopefully I’m wrong and you get it before the summer is over.

Either they're desperate to sell or they're very confident of delivery times as they've agreed to hold the trade in for the Cali until delivery at the end of May. I've negotiated if it goes beyond then they will either still honour the price or give me a full refund.

They'd have laughed me out of the park if I imposed those terms in the past 2 years!

 

[Barry Chuckle]

* hold the trade in price they've offered me today

 

[The Blue Merle]

Either they're desperate to sell or they're very confident of delivery times as they've agreed to hold the trade in for the Cali until delivery at the end of May. I've negotiated if it goes beyond then they will either still honour the price or give me a full refund.

They'd have laughed me out of the park if I imposed those terms in the past 2 years!

If it’s wandahomes that’s where campertime ordered from and was promised a date last year somewhere around sept/nov if I recall.
Had a couple of westys great vans, I’m sure you will enjoy it

 

[Corradobrit]

If it’s wandahomes that’s where campertime ordered from and was promised a date last year somewhere around sept/nov if I recall.
Had a couple of westys great vans, I’m sure you will enjoy it

Yes, several months overdue. Makes you wonder how realistic current delivery time quotes are to reality.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Yes, several months overdue. Makes you wonder how realistic current delivery time quotes are to reality.

Unfortunately, the dealers have no control of the situation. The manufacturers deliver them when they can. You either wait or don’t get one…

 

[Corradobrit]

The manufacturers deliver them when they can. You either wait or don’t get one…

And don't I know that only too well.

 

[The Blue Merle]

And don't I know that only too well.

Atleast you got a good one in the end, two year wait and ended up with a bathtub on wheels!

 

[Corradobrit]

Atleast you got a good one in the end, two year wait and ended up with a bathtub on wheels!

At least it had the right engine