Coast or Ocean

[flying banana]

How easy is it to put a topper on manual roof? Will it hold its position say 12 inches open? The reason I ask is that being fairly short, being able to partially open the roof and hold it there electronically whilst my wife and I put topper on before fully raising is very helpful. Can this be done with manual roof?

Yes. They can hold partially open. BUT sometimes fly all the way up while your putting it on. The hydro roof is easier in that respect.

 

[andyinluton]

Imo, the coast will have better residuals. A used ocean will have to compete with new discounted coast.

Depends what the buyer is looking for.
199/204 engine - no coast available
4motion - no coast available

If you want 3 zone climate, heated seats & LED lights & a few other bits, the coast will cost as much as a basic Ocean that has them included already.

On that basis I think a highly specified Coast will have the worst residuals & a low spec Ocean if bought carefully will have the best.

 

[Calisand]

Yes. They can hold partially open. BUT sometimes fly all the way up while your putting it on. The hydro roof is easier in that respect.

Thank you - that’s what I suspected so it seems worth us sticking with hydraulic roof if we ever decide to change our current van (not likely in short term). We tried a Rainbow wrap but again because I’m only 5ft 7 ins and my wife 5ft 4 ins we found this really difficult to put on even with a stool and don’t want to carry steps. Our Topper works fine with hydraulic roof.

 

[Haves1979]

Is an electric roof prone to failure?

 

[andyinluton]

Is an electric roof prone to failure?

There have been a small number of failures reported on here. Not enough to worry me.
I think more recently there has been an increase in problems with the control panel since the T6.1 came out, I would class these as just teething problems.
The actual number of mechanical failures of the mechanical side of things is very low.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Is an electric roof prone to failure?

As Andy says, some reports on here of issues, probably not prevalent although we don't have any real data.

However... if an electro-mechanical component goes bush on your everyday car (a window motor maybe) it's unlikely to be a major hassle, you just get it sorted when convenient. But if the roof stops working on your Cali, sod's law says it will be on day one of a three week trip and that's likely to be a much bigger annoyance. Okay if there's just the two of you you can always sleep downstairs.

The manual gives guidance on how to lower the roof manually in emergency, and you get a couple of special tie-down straps for that scenario.

Overall I would sooner have a manual roof, for those reasons (and my personal inclination towards things being no more complicated than they need to be), but the Coast wasn't an option in UK when we got our van.

 

[Haves1979]

I suppose any electronic part can fail, and I assume the failure rate is minuscule compared to the number of vans out there. I find the electric roof a load easier than my old manual T4, mainly the lowering of it as it could be a pain.

That said, we seriously considered a Coast, and the manual roof wouldn't have put me off.

 

[Private_Kelly]

I suppose at the end of the day it’s horses for courses (whatever that means) I have always liked all the fancy bling and bells and whistles but then you wise up a bit when you get a little older and start saying to yourself “do I really need that?
Some things imo are excellent. For example Adaptive cruise control and then some are just a bit naff.Park assist...hmmm Lane assist hmmm and the virtual cockpit ooh errr I think are really unnessasary. I spend most of my time looking at what lunatics are on the road and where they are going I don’t want to be looking at a glorified ipad stuck behind my steering wheel. But like I said at the start. Horses for courses.

 

[flying banana]

I suppose at the end of the day it’s horses for courses (whatever that means) I have always liked all the fancy bling and bells and whistles but then you wise up a bit when you get a little older and start saying to yourself “do I really need that?
Some things imo are excellent. For example Adaptive cruise control and then some are just a bit naff.Park assist...hmmm Lane assist hmmm and the virtual cockpit ooh errr I think are really unnessasary. I spend most of my time looking at what lunatics are on the road and where they are going I don’t want to be looking at a glorified ipad stuck behind my steering wheel. But like I said at the start. Horses for courses.

a bit like one of them kettles you can turn on with your phone.

 

[Sad]

I suppose at the end of the day it’s horses for courses (whatever that means) I have always liked all the fancy bling and bells and whistles but then you wise up a bit when you get a little older and start saying to yourself “do I really need that?
Some things imo are excellent. For example Adaptive cruise control and then some are just a bit naff.Park assist...hmmm Lane assist hmmm and the virtual cockpit ooh errr I think are really unnessasary. I spend most of my time looking at what lunatics are on the road and where they are going I don’t want to be looking at a glorified ipad stuck behind my steering wheel. But like I said at the start. Horses for courses.

Love the adaptive cruise control too, but is standard on Coast and Ocean... (In the UK)

 

[Romke]

Is an electric roof prone to failure?

It's as likely to fail as getting gassed in France

 

[Sad]

It's as likely to fail as getting gassed in France

 

[reserves]

I'm on the fence on ordering an Coast or an Ocean.

I always look at things from a total cost of ownership perspective, so I'm interested in this perhaps more than others who might just buy what makes them the happiest

I've read various comments about how buying a new Ocean makes sense as it will depreciate less. However I've spec'd up both and with discount the Ocean comes out at £60k and the Coast at £54k, so that's a £6k premium for the Ocean, I wonder if I would ever get that extra value back 2nd hand?

At a guess based on nothing but experience from the past, the Ocean would be worth around £54k in the next 1-2 years (10%), which if directly comparable the Coast would be £49k. After another years assuming another 5% drop, the Ocean around £51k and the Coast £47k.

Looking at it that way I'd have to agree the the closer the price difference between the Ocean & Cali, more people will be willing to spend out for the Ocean, so at the above id say the Coast would drop quicker to say £45k.

Based on those completely made up calculations, it seems it wouldn't matter much, if I can afford the extra £6k now then I'm likely to get it back regardless.

Did I just answer my own question?

 

[AlisonF]

I'm on the fence on ordering an Coast or an Ocean.

I always look at things from a total cost of ownership perspective, so I'm interested in this perhaps more than others who might just buy what makes them the happiest

I've read various comments about how buying a new Ocean makes sense as it will depreciate less. However I've spec'd up both and with discount the Ocean comes out at £60k and the Coast at £54k, so that's a £6k premium for the Ocean, I wonder if I would ever get that extra value back 2nd hand?

At a guess based on nothing but experience from the past, the Ocean would be worth around £54k in the next 1-2 years (10%), which if directly comparable the Coast would be £49k. After another years assuming another 5% drop, the Ocean around £51k and the Coast £47k.

Looking at it that way I'd have to agree the the closer the price difference between the Ocean & Cali, more people will be willing to spend out for the Ocean, so at the above id say the Coast would drop quicker to say £45k.

Based on those completely made up calculations, it seems it wouldn't matter much, if I can afford the extra £6k now then I'm likely to get it back regardless.

Did I just answer my own question?

I think both are likely to retain good values - when buying a Cali go with your heart. Very few ever regret doing that.
It may be different if you’re buying it for leasing or as an investment. But most of us are buying to enjoy the Cali life.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

I think you did

Analysis paralysis is something to avoid.

Go with your gut instinct and i’m sure you’ll be happy with your choice. In these very uncertain times, nobody knows how the 2nd hand market will look in the coming years.

 

[Velma's Dad]

The Ocean and Coast are basically the same vehicle, just different 'trim levels' as the motor trade used to call it.

It used to be a good yardstick that the highest 'trim level' cars were easiest to shift second hand even though you didn't get your money back for expensive extras like leather seats. But with a Cali, a lot will depend on the future overall market for campervans - if demand remains strong ie the van craze keeps going, then Coasts will retain good prices. But if overall demand falls then Coasts will be the first to become harder to sell and need to be discounted.

But more simply: if you assume the same percentage rate of depreciation for all models, the more you spend up front the more you're going to lose in depreciation when you sell. Simple.

 

[Corradobrit]

For me the choice was easy. Coast with the Editions Pack. The Editions option basically takes the Coast up to Ocean spec in areas that matter most to me eg LED interior and exterior lights, shower etc. On an Ocean the Editions option adds some styling cues.
The manual pop top was another reason I wanted the Coast. And the special Pure Grey paint scheme the cherry on the top.
The Ocean adds a lot of 'upgrades's I didn't want or will never use like ACC, digital dash etc, and the Coast gives me the ability to pick and mix things I really want and need like parking sensors, rear camera, panoramic bellows, parking heater, while still keeping the cost significantly below a base Ocean.

That said if I was buying a RHD Cali in the UK I think I would have to get the Ocean in order to have the 204 4Mo combo

 

[chris151151]

Hi All

Not going down the Beach v Ocean route and not trying to stir anything between Coast & Ocean owners.

After selling my Ocean I have been wondering for a while, now that the 6.1 has been available in the UK for nearly a year why did you choose either the Coast or Ocean and what extras did you add and what do you wish you had added.

Was the manual or hydraulic roof mechanism on your vehicle a deciding factor and did price play a part. If the colour range of the 2 tones had been greater would you have gone that route rather than a single colour.

Thanks K.

Coast with solid colour Ascot Grey,, 80l tank, vent to roof, rev camera. Good basic spec with ACC and cabin heater. Felt I could spend the difference better elsewhere and got decent discount and finance. To me, elec roof would be a worry in the long term. It's my only vehicle, and I expect it to see me out, or till I have to stop driving. Good luck whatever you choose.

 

[Karlos]

The Ocean and Coast are basically the same vehicle, just different 'trim levels' as the motor trade used to call it.

It used to be a good yardstick that the highest 'trim level' cars were easiest to shift second hand even though you didn't get your money back for expensive extras like leather seats. But with a Cali, a lot will depend on the future overall market for campervans - if demand remains strong ie the van craze keeps going, then Coasts will retain good prices. But if overall demand falls then Coasts will be the first to become harder to sell and need to be discounted.

But more simply: if you assume the same percentage rate of depreciation for all models, the more you spend up front the more you're going to lose in depreciation when you sell. Simple.

It could be argued a Coast with a few well chosen extras & manual roof out of warranty compared to an Ocean out of warranty may be more appealing in the second hand market.

I know the Ocean hydraulic roof is robust and doesn't fail often but it is certainly something to consider and like everything in life, you pays your money and takes your chance.

 

[reserves]

I don’t get this obsession with the electric roof failing.

I’ve been on this forum since 2014 and I can’t really remember many people actually getting stuck with this issue. Certainly not enough to base an entire purchase around?

 

[Karlos]

I don’t get this obsession with the electric roof failing.

I’ve been on this forum since 2014 and I can’t really remember many people actually getting stuck with this issue. Certainly not enough to base an entire purchase around?

Not an obsession just an opinion after owning both variants.

I also said (I know the Ocean hydraulic roof is robust and doesn't fail often)

 

[reserves]

Not an obsession just an opinion after owning both variants.

I also said (I know the Ocean hydraulic roof is robust and doesn't fail often)

Wasn’t directing at you, sorry if it seemed that way!

Just surprised how many people mention it, in fact it seems more people mention it than actual people who have had roof problems!

 

[Velma's Dad]

It could be argued a Coast with a few well chosen extras & manual roof out of warranty compared to an Ocean out of warranty may be more appealing in the second hand market.

Yes that could be argued. But it could equally be argued that a lot of people buying a second hand California will be first-timers and they may just make a simple decision that they're looking for an Ocean (ie the 'best' spec), which is an easier proposition to grasp than a Coast-with-extras.

Personally I'd choose the Coast next time but that's because I don't like more bling than necessary on a campervan and don't particularly value having an electric roof even though other people might well say they don't want a Coast because it only has a manual roof.

So there are various ways to look at all this and people differ in what they're prepared to pay for. The only reliable way to determine relative depreciation would be to look at actual used selling prices. Unfortunately the Coast hasn't been around long enough in the UK so do that.

 

[Trudi]

Wasn’t directing at you, sorry if it seemed that way!

Just surprised how many people mention it, in fact it seems more people mention it than actual people who have had roof problems!

I think its to do with the fact I was brought up being told the more things electronic the more things to go wrong.
My daughter has the electronic dash on her car and has had no end of problems, so we've opted for a coast, with a normal dash.
Manual roof was a big thing. Although as you say, the electronic roof almost never goes wrong, with my luck, I'll be the 1 person it goes wrong on, whilst in the middle of the Scottish Highlands with no phone signal .
Sat nav was also a thing we've not had. Purely because the roads round us change so much and the cost of the vw sat nav update every 12 months is ridiculous, when I can plug my phone in or buy a tom-tom with free updates for a fraction of the cost. I can't live without a sat nav but can live without paying for updates.
Resale isn't an issue for me as I don't intend to sell anytime soon.

 

[VWCoastbusters]

When we ordered our Coast, the difference in price between it and the Ocean for us was 8k. The extras you get with the Ocean, whilst nice to have, were not worth 8k to us. So it was an easy choice for us to save the cash to use towards adventures instead. If the van was a daily drive and only car, a lot of the Ocean extras would have more value. But for us it's a camping vehicle, not everyday, and there's no difference in the camping stuff. Depends entirely on what you need and like.