Daily car / run around

[Eber123]

Hello Kearneyrob,

Maybe you send me a PM to talk further about this issue (believe me that was an issue when I got the camper first). As part of my "insurance journey" I might need to mentioned names and companies which might not be the best thing to do in public.

Happy insurde California,
Eberhard

 

[Jennifer Browne]

HI everyone, still considering purchase of a new T6.1 California Ocean in 199bhp / 7 DSG guise and this will serve both as a camper and my daily run around. Would like to hear owners' experience of running T6.1 California as a daily car.

Thanks in advance, Rob

Its what we have done, bought a Coast, lov it. No issues whatsoever.

 

[B16 JOG]

We had a short debate on this very subject two months ago! We had a 2012 Cali which demonstrated to us that it is the most versatile for our needs: two boys, two dogs and a need to pull a large twin-axle caravan a couple of times a year! Our other car was a Land Rover Discovery!

So, the Discovery was sold and a runaround Mini replaced it for school runs etc! The Cali was donated to mother-in-law to satisfy her “Cali-envy”! And, we replaced the 6-speed 2012 Cali with a low mileage 2018 DSG Cali. That is now our everyday family car!

Best decision ever!

 

[Stow]

It's common question and I file it alongside "how do cope with the sliding door on the wrong side", in that I don't even recognise the issue. As a daily driver it's shorter than most of my friends cars. It's narrower than massive great boxy Audis and BMWs too. The only drawback is the weight and the fuel consumption

 

[HectorPascal]

Our grand plan was to wind up with just a Cali and a BMW i3 In retirement.

So far, it’s not really working...

There is our 10+ year-old E-Class estate - can‘t put muddy dog and sacks of garden rubbish in the others.
BMW 330 coupe - had that for 16 years - hard to part with as a piece of retro internal combustion artwork.
1976 Spitfire holed up in a garage as a retirement project (which probably won’t happen).

Then there are three motorbikes only one of which is ’on the road’

All you people with lean, organised lives, tell me how you do it? No doubt boring old economics will force the issue.

Back to your question, I heartily agree with the concept of daily-driving a Cali. I just can‘t seem to do it.

 

[stephen watson]

We have a Cali and an eGolf - which if you need/decide to have 2 cars I think is a good combination. Once you've driven an electric car you're unlikely to go back. If you've got a Cali and only need an electric car for local use it also opens up the possibility of older electric cars with more limited range. It's definitely more expensive than just running the Cali, but the added flexibility for the 2 of us, the dirt cheap running costs and joy of driving an e car, make it worthwhile for us.

 

[grainflow]

Thanks - really insightful from an Irish perspective. Can you advise on the insurance company that insures campers used for daily drives ?

Hi Rob,

Motor caravan club in clonee do daily driver insurance,

Regards
Mark

 

[vananarama]

Drove a T5 as daily/only vehicle since 2013 and a T6 Cali in 2020 for the same purpose. I live in a city. In terms of size, power, speed, manoeuvrability, convenience, flexibility I’ve found them to be a joy to drive. They’re no bigger in terms
of footprint than many a family car, but the height allows for improved visibility (often you can see what an issue is way up ahead so you can take action early and don’t stress and get angry with the car immediately in front). Because of its height, if the absolute worst should happen and you hit a pedestrian they are far less likely to bounce over your bonnet and the ‘scooped up’ like a car, and for this reason is a useful thing to remember that you are driving a vehicle that must be driven extremely safely at all times. I love the flexibility – today alone, the Cali has been lugged a cast iron stove to a site, served as a delivery vehicle for business orders, and ferried the family to the shops. Because it’s a van there is a more road noise and it’s not as smooth a ride as a car but who wants a car? Who wants a hybrid? Who wants a van that wants to be a car?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[alan middleton]

HI everyone, still considering purchase of a new T6.1 California Ocean in 199bhp / 7 DSG guise and this will serve both as a camper and my daily run around. Would like to hear owners' experience of running T6.1 California as a daily car.

Thanks in advance, Rob

Hi Rob

Heidi told me she would never drive a van every time I brought up getting a Cali. Until she saw one up close, and then drove it. We're on our second Ocean (T5 from 2015, then T6 since 2018). It is her only car, so work, school run, shops etc, and the one we use whenever we go anywhere as a family. Great for dogs. It is an absolutely brilliant daily driver and I highly recommend it. Driving position is great without the abuse you'd get in an SUV on the school run. It's actually easier to park than my car (Just remember the 2.1m height restriction!). Having sliding door access at the shops is a bonus. We have 4motion and 104PS, so a little thirstier than your average Polo, but it's cheaper than actually buying said Polo for an additional runaround.

Alan

 

[calibusje]

I used mine as daily driver since 2010. Covered 150000 km up to now without a single problem.
Why would you buy a California just for letting it collecting dust until you can get out with it?
Why would you buy another car for everything the California can do too?
Why would you have to insure both vehicles, MOT, road tax, ...

Not a hair on my head that considers buying another car next to the California.

right, and that's why the opel grandland leaves when the coast comes because it will be my daily driver. This is a lot cheaper than holding both so a bargain for me

 

[soulstyledevon]

Drive my van pretty much everywhere and had vans for a long long time. The Cali is our main vehicle.
We also have an second car, that’s barely used since we invested in some e-bikes.

The cycles are used for most of our round town trips. Best £2.5k we’ve ever spent. Just picked up another one today.
Most cars would lose more in depreciation every year, than the cost of buying these bikes...

 

[HectorPascal]

Drive my van pretty much everywhere and had vans for a long long time. The Cali is our main vehicle.
We also have an second car, that’s barely used since we invested in some e-bikes.

The cycles are used for most of our round town trips. Best £2.5k we’ve ever spent. Just picked up another one today.
Most cars would lose more in depreciation every year, than the cost of buying these bikes...

View attachment 68267
We plan some e-bikes for the Cali soon-ish. Gotta get rid of some pesky cars first though! We were on the point of buying then C-19 came along and flipped the world over.

 

[Grumpy Mike]

I used mine as a company car on long mileage, family car and to travel to and from Spain. I have a dog who travels with me and has a cage in the back and must say... in terms of practicality it’s fantastic.... It’s the best car I have ever had... sleep in it.... get a pee in it... go shopping in it.. go to the waste transfer station in It and if I fancy a drink at any time... there’s one in the fridge.. got a headache. Get the kit out... basically it is an unbelievable daily drive.

 

[Jubilado Tim]

HI everyone, still considering purchase of a new T6.1 California Ocean in 199bhp / 7 DSG guise and this will serve both as a camper and my daily run around. Would like to hear owners' experience of running T6.1 California as a daily car.

Thanks in advance, Rob

Hi Rob - I bought my California in January 2016 and have used it every day as my runaround (as well as wonderful 5 week annual trips to France, Span and Portugal, every year except this year). After retirement, I couldn't afford to keep a car and the Cali and i have been very impressed with the Cali as a daily drive - it drives like a car, is as comfortable as a car, is not too big to easily park (not like the great white whales!), also we feel very safe in the Cali with fantastic visibility through those large windows over the hedgerows. Go for it, it's an amazing daily drive and doesn't stop delivering pleasure!
Tim

 

[kearneyrob]

Thanks again everyone for their replies - this bank holiday weekend in Ireland I had booked a T6 Cali for rental (never have drive one before) but covid-19 restrictions put a stop to that and I am anxious about ordering one without that driving / camping experience. Might just take the plunge irrespective ...... h

 

[TripleBee]

Thanks again everyone for their replies - this bank holiday weekend in Ireland I had booked a T6 Cali for rental (never have drive one before) but covid-19 restrictions put a stop to that and I am anxious about ordering one without that driving / camping experience. Might just take the plunge irrespective ...... h

If they really want to sell you one, they will have to let you drive one to test it.
Just wear your face mask and disposable gloves.
I didn't test drive one myself, and I hardly knew what I was buying back in the days, but I have never regretted my choice. If you are confident enough, you can take the plunge, if not, insist on a test drive.

 

[kearneyrob]

If they really want to sell you one, they will have to let you drive one to test it.
Just wear your face mask and disposable gloves.
I didn't test drive one myself, and I hardly knew what I was buying back in the days, but I have never regretted my choice. If you are confident enough, you can take the plunge, if not, insist on a test drive.

Issue is not the dealer - it's Government restrictions otherwise I would be gone to test drive in a flash ! New Ocean only in at dealer.

 

[Bobthebus]

We have a Cali and an eGolf - which if you need/decide to have 2 cars I think is a good combination. Once you've driven an electric car you're unlikely to go back. If you've got a Cali and only need an electric car for local use it also opens up the possibility of older electric cars with more limited range. It's definitely more expensive than just running the Cali, but the added flexibility for the 2 of us, the dirt cheap running costs and joy of driving an e car, make it worthwhile for us.

We also have this combination which works very well. With the eGolf for all the short local trips and the Cali for longer trips and holidays.

 

[TripleBee]

Issue is not the dealer - it's Government restrictions otherwise I would be gone to test drive in a flash ! New Ocean only in at dealer.

Ah, didn't know that.
Are things going that bad in Ireland at the moment? Or is Belgium yet again undecided about what to do?

 

[Sean Fallon]

Good afternoon,

I use my camper as a daily drive since November 2017 going to work, shopping, leisure etc.

So far there is no problem to use it as a daily drive, with one exception and that is the height. I don't believe that 2 m high for a car park is enough.

It is good that I only go very seldom to Dublin, because I only drive into car parks that are at least 2.1 m height. There are a few in Dublin but they are very "cramped".

Collecting or giving people a lift to the airport (in the good old times) is only possible because Terminal 2 car park is 2.1 m.

If we would need to visit somebody in any of the hospitals in the greater Dublin area we would be in a bit of trouble. In this case I would use my wife's car.

For day trips that can be a problem as well. More and more car parks in nice areas have a barrier with 2 m, or even 1.9 m, of height. It is really annoying.

You might want to consider this when you plan where to go with the camper. Some people are ok with 2 m car park, and at some stage I will try it carefully, but at the moment this is not an option for me.

Beside this is fine. I love to drive the California and even for the Ocean (higher weight) I won't use more diesel than with my VW Tiguan which I had before.

In Ireland there is another issue, which actually has nothing to do with the vehicle itself, but with the car insurance. My car insurance is due for renewal. At the moment there is only one company that offers car insurance for a camper as a daily drive. I am not unhappy about the cost, but if this company decide to stop this service I am in trouble (something to keep in mind for all Irish California owner which use the camper as a daily drive). I don't believe you have the same problems in the UK.

Happy California,
Eberhard

You can go into 2mtr car parks as the cali is 1.90 high , I've been in St James hospital underground car park several times with mine
But anything under 1.9 mtr you won't fit

 

[Sean Fallon]

Thanks - really insightful from an Irish perspective. Can you advise on the insurance company that insures campers used for daily drives ?

018251364 this is the number of the Motorcaravan club if you go through them for insurance you can drive your van as a daily driver ,social domestic and pleasure, but it costs about €70 a year for club membership , if you get insurance with dolmen or stuart's you have to have a second vehicle,
Hope this helps

 

[kearneyrob]

018251364 this is the number of the Motorcaravan club if you go through them for insurance you can drive your van as a daily driver ,social domestic and pleasure, but it costs about €70 a year for club membership , if you get insurance with dolmen or stuart's you have to have a second vehicle,
Hope this helps

THanks Sean - very useful info.

 

[kearneyrob]

Hi Rob,

Motor caravan club in clonee do daily driver insurance,

Regards
Mark

Thanks Mark ......

 

[Karlos]

A single trip to my work and back is only 12km. I never take premium diesel (I only refuel at the lowest price pumps). I never drive longer trips just for DPF reasons. Never had an issue with the DPF or engine because of my driving style yet.

I never park in underground or multi storage parkings.
I always try to get under the 2 meter barrier, and I might even try 1.9m barriers (if they are over 2m in real life).
French péage, if there is a lot of traffic, I take the 2m gates. First time I drove very slowly under the barrier. All the other times, I just fly in the gate like with a normal car. Only if the barrier isn't really straight, I take another gate.

The biggest problem I encounter is the width and length in roadside parking spaces. They are made for Up!s and Polo's. Not for real cars .
We only have a Pheaton (A8, S-class, 7 series) sized car, just a bit higher.

Not seen a Pheaton for years

 

[66tim99]

Thanks again everyone for their replies - this bank holiday weekend in Ireland I had booked a T6 Cali for rental (never have drive one before) but covid-19 restrictions put a stop to that and I am anxious about ordering one without that driving / camping experience. Might just take the plunge irrespective ...... h

You won’t regret it. But if you do hire one before delivery and don’t like it ... I’ve heard it’s easy to cancel and receive your deposit back. They are selling like hot cakes and a new one is up to 6 months from order to delivery.