Car Parks to Avoid

[SusiBus]

I must be a real wuss. I would never consider taking, and leaving our Cali in a multi-storey car park. Wheel damage on curbs, tight parking bays, door dinks, theft. Definitely no no for me. I'd rather walk miles than use the town centre multi-storeys, even with our Golf.

 

[Anthony1]

I must be a real wuss. I would never consider taking, and leaving our Cali in a multi-storey car park. Wheel damage on curbs, tight parking bays, door dinks, theft. Definitely no no for me. I'd rather walk miles than use the town centre multi-storeys, even with our Golf.

I would find it difficult to live my with 'what ifs' at the back of my mind. Its a vehicle, not your child (in some cases it may be). Nothing lasts forever.

 

[SusiBus]

Anthony l wish l could live your carefree lifestyle, but Susie runs her life buy making risk assessments on most aspects of her life. I've found it pays to fall in line with these decisions, not only for a quiet life, but over these years, they have proved prudent. Her view and mine is, concrete pillars, tight parking spaces, shopping trolleys, dim lighting, and a lot of people's carefree attitude, make multi-storeys a no go zones.

 

[Anthony1]

Anthony l wish l could live your carefree lifestyle, but Susie runs her life buy making risk assessments on most aspects of her life. I've found it pays to fall in line with these decisions, not only for a quiet life, but over these years, they have proved prudent. Her view and mine is, concrete pillars, tight parking spaces, shopping trolleys, dim lighting, and a lot of people's carefree attitude, make multi-storeys a no go zones.

Fair enough. The world would be a very dull place if we were all the same.

 

[SusiBus]

Fair enough. The world would be a very dull place if we were all the same.

We've had a grey T5, a grey T6 and a grey T6.1. How l envy people who can live on the edge, and not be dull, and own a two tone Cali. Then perhaps that's because my name is Greyham.

 

[capt kirk]

Has anyone here been to Basingstoke multistory in their Cali? Whilst there are no height restrictions (for us Calis) on the way in, and round the car park, after you have exited you have to go under a 1.9M bridge! I bottled it and went the wrong way down a 1 way street instead but its a bit of a situation!

yep no problems, bit scary in places but fine.

 

[clarinetbcn]

If the Cali didn't fit in 2m multi story car parks I wouldn't have bought it. It's part of the flexibility that defines it, and part of the reason VW is sure that it can charge a higher price for a Cali than most Big Whites. That said, as mentioned earlier in this thread, avoid buildings built before 1980!

I rent a reserved spot in an underground 2m parking garage built in 1992 for the Olympic Village just outside of the historic Roman center of Barcelona where I live. Wide enough to open both doors, park a motorcycle next to it, and in my spot I can even open the tailgate with the folded bike rack on (but my nightmare would be forgetting I have bikes on the rack when going in!). 75€ a month, because in the 90's all new flats were built with parking spaces included, but in the 21st century a lot of people who live in Barcelona have given up owning cars because the public transportation is so good, so there's a glut of spaces in newer neighborhoods.

 

[Louis II]

East Harptree Woods says 1.98 and I should have known better, minor scrape to the top of the awning.
Had my daughter hanging out of the side door to check make sure there was space.
The updates went something like this……..
It’s Ok, It’s OK, it’s OK… oh actually it’s scraping on the awning!
Minor cosmetic damage and on the plus side I can now confirm with some degree of certainty that the back of the awning is the highest point of the van.

 

[tobyprivett]

I rent a reserved spot in an underground 2m parking garage built in 1992 for the Olympic Village just outside of the historic Roman center of Barcelona where I live.

That sounds a lot like where I used to live on Calle Llull.

 

[Agnes_Cali]

Purple Parking Heathrow Park & Ride T5 and probably others in the area:

"Purple Parking Park and Ride cannot accept:

Commercial vehicles or mini buses of any variant.

Single or double cab pickup trucks such as Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux or Nissan Navara.

Medium panelled or windowed vans such as a VW Transporter, VW Caddy, Ford Transit or short wheel based vehicles of any description.

Large panelled or windowed vans such as a Mercedes Sprinter, VW Crafter, Renault Master, Ford Transit or long wheel based vehicles of any description.

Any vehicles over 2.15m high.

Failure to comply to the above, you will be charged an additional £25 per day."

But you can still park Audi A8L, S-Class LWB or Range Rover which will take more space than California.

 

[Almost bought a california]

These fold out to give you a 2m go / no-go gauge that can be used to check clearance before giving it a go - I carry on in my glove box;

Just be weary of chances in surface or slopes / ramps each side of the restriction.

 

[Coachella]

Has anyone actually used the Hyde Park underground car park for their California? Their information says there is 2.08m clearance so that looks possible but tight and sometimes getting around the ramps etc. can be scary.

London.
For Central London we use the underground car park at Hyde Park. Park Lane or Marble Arch entrance. Easily pre-booked on line, reasonable price, for London, and outside the Conjestion Zone. Easy walking to most tourist areas and close to tube and bus stops.
Haven't been there yet with the California but frequently with the Defender. Definitely NO height problems.

The Hyde Park carpark isnt the problem on height. Its the down and up ramp to Park Lane. The two speed bumps in the entrance and exit ramps esp the bottom ones are so big they scraped the bottom of the Z4 I had. Zero miles an hour over them - and at silly angles - still scraped the underside and bumpers.
Once inside the carpark - its easy to get about in there.

 

[Coachella]

Yes, Festival Place car park; as per the attached PDF.

2.1m limit going in but, as you say, a 1.9m tunnel after you leave via the Main Exit. If you go out via the alternative exits you avoid the tunnel.

If you go through the tunnel in a car you can see loads of scape marks on the ceiling from other vehicles that have misjudged the clearance!

I vaguely recall that their may be some height limit warnings on the approach to the Main Exit before you are committed to the one-way road leading to the tunnel but it's all too easy to ignore them.

Martin

Main entrance to Festival Place was easy - that wasnt the thing that gave me the heart attack - its driving about in each level.
My old T6 with awning - came in at 2.10. I have only done festival place twice in her.
The amount of pipe work and hanging signs in the carpark ! It felt so close going under every bit of ceiling furniture. It did go through ok - but twice was enough.
It only takes one maintenance person to not put something back at its right height !!!!!
Car park itself inside is wide and easy to move about in.

 

[Magic Bus]

In Nottingham, the Victoria Centre car park is an absolute no-no in a Cali. However, the recently rebuilt Broad Marsh car park is absolutely fine.