Deliberating ...and a few more questions!

[Always_Sunny]

Hello, I'm new to the forum and thinking about purchasing a lovely California. The forum has been amazing so far in terms of allowing me to do some research before test driving a (very nice) Beach Camper DSG last week. I currently have a Skoda Yeti which has been great but we need more space as I have a very sporty teen who completes in cycling and triathlon. With so many regional and national events coming up, I was looking at getting a larger car to accommodate bikes, kit and camping gear. It's just the two of us so I was all set to buy a Skoda Octavia (circa £20k) but a camper van would be more practical and useful given the sporting commitments here and abroad.

I was originally looking at a budget of £45k for a used Beach Camper but the new VW offer at the moment looks good. However, I've never purchased such an expensive vehicle (or signed up to a PCP deal) so I'm a bit nervous about taking the plunge and trying to work out if the Cali will be financially a better option in the long run given the extra space, savings on overnight accommodation at race events / holidays, and depreciation. I doubt many people ever regret buying a Cali so I'm not sure why I'm overthinking the purchase and going around in circles but it's probably to do with the financial commitment.

Anyway, I had a few questions before making my final decision:

The Cali would be our only vehicle. Does anyone else use their camper van as their sole vehicle and does that works for school runs, supermarket shopping etc?
In terms of spec for the camper, which optional extras did you find most useful?
Given the price of used vehicles, is it potentially better to opt for a new Cali, even though the purchase price is higher?
Are there any other extra purchases that I need to factor in to the budget once the van arrives?
Is there anything else I need to consider?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[Pegsinho]

I can't really answer your question on values, we've only recently got ours and we bought it without giving much thought to future value as it is a long termer for us. We were in the fortunate position to be able to purchase outright, and having had a couple of PCPs for my last cars that's a road I'm not in a hurry to go down again (though it certainly works for some, depending on the deals available).

In terms of using as a daily driver, we use ours in that way. We do have another car, which I use for my commute, but my wife almost exclusively uses the Cali and it's fine for this purpose (ferrying children about and going to town etc). It's footprint is no bigger than a large estate (it is actually slightly shorter but slightly wider than our outgoing XF estate). The sliding door actually is really useful in car parks especially where it's a bit tight, and the size is great for big shops and Ikea runs. The thing you have to be most mindful of is its height. At just under 2m you may find some car parks are no good for you; while it will fit under a 2m height restriction barrier it's a bit anxiety inducing to do so!

Extra purchases, where do you start?! The sky's the limit but the advice I thought was most beneficial was to buy nothing extra for a while until you've worked out exactly what you need. We have gradually added to ours with things that will be useful for us, such as seat covers, tow bar bike rack, driveaway awning etc. Loads of things can be picked up second hand and we have bought a fair few things from people selling on here, saving a chunk of money in the process.

Options wise, if you are carting bikes around you may want to get the towbar to give you more options. I'm not sure what comes standard on a Beach but the Ocean we've got has so much as standard you can't really go wrong. Just have a look at what's available, have a list of must haves and go from there.

 

[dspuk]

The Cali would be our only vehicle. Does anyone else use their camper van as their sole vehicle and does that works for school runs, supermarket shopping etc?
In terms of spec for the camper, which optional extras did you find most useful?
Given the price of used vehicles, is it potentially better to opt for a new Cali, even though the purchase price is higher?
Are there any other extra purchases that I need to factor in to the budget once the van arrives?
Is there anything else I need to consider?

1 - Many people on here do. We have a Tiguan and a series 2 as our "day" cars but use the Cali often for day trips or hitting the shops.
2 - It's a "depends" question with many variables. Work on the end cost to you per month and the lifetime value of the vehicle. Generally when the market is hot you are overpaying for someone else's RV. The market does not seem hot at the moment with an abundance, the issue seems to be people expecting the hot prices still, like the housing market. Personally, I'd go new, but has to be down to your spec and spreadsheet.
3 - How long is your arm? Short answer, and many people go OTT on buying bits and bobs, is start with the very basics and work out what you need from there. Nothing that will really cost the earth though to factor into your price.
4 - I'd consider space. I have used my Ocean for Tri's and the boot space is limited unless you remove all the wheels. External hangers better but not great for carbon frames. A Beach has more room, but again, check your use case - go find a Beach, take all the kit you would expect to take on an event, check it all fits. For a Tri I would just take my bike and transition kit but even that took space on top of my camping gear. Plus partner and child, gets tight. Just the two of you, more do-able.

 

[m10chkcalifornia]

Hello, I'm new to the forum and thinking about purchasing a lovely California. The forum has been amazing so far in terms of allowing me to do some research before test driving a (very nice) Beach Camper DSG last week. I currently have a Skoda Yeti which has been great but we need more space as I have a very sporty teen who completes in cycling and triathlon. With so many regional and national events coming up, I was looking at getting a larger car to accommodate bikes, kit and camping gear. It's just the two of us so I was all set to buy a Skoda Octavia (circa £20k) but a camper van would be more practical and useful given the sporting commitments here and abroad.

I was originally looking at a budget of £45k for a used Beach Camper but the new VW offer at the moment looks good. However, I've never purchased such an expensive vehicle (or signed up to a PCP deal) so I'm a bit nervous about taking the plunge and trying to work out if the Cali will be financially a better option in the long run given the extra space, savings on overnight accommodation at race events / holidays, and depreciation. I doubt many people ever regret buying a Cali so I'm not sure why I'm overthinking the purchase and going around in circles but it's probably to do with the financial commitment.

Anyway, I had a few questions before making my final decision:

The Cali would be our only vehicle. Does anyone else use their camper van as their sole vehicle and does that works for school runs, supermarket shopping etc?
In terms of spec for the camper, which optional extras did you find most useful?
Given the price of used vehicles, is it potentially better to opt for a new Cali, even though the purchase price is higher?
Are there any other extra purchases that I need to factor in to the budget once the van arrives?
Is there anything else I need to consider?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Just some personal thoughts. We contemplated using the Cali as our only vehicle. Its possible but not ideal. It’s rather big as a city car! And seems quite a faff to use as supermarkets runs. A cheap and cheerful car seems preferable.

Extras - cant speak for a Beach as we have an Ocean but my general impression from reading on here is that these are all well- specified vehicles and there is little if anything that is essential to add.

Used vs new. Depreciation seems pretty modest but is best treated as a percentage of what you spend. So if it costs more to buy it will cost you more full stop. Its then just personal choice. If having new is worth it to you - go for it. But don’t think of it as some financial winning strategy.

You mention PCP. Again a very personal thing. Its designed to lure you in with making what is a large capital oulay more affordable. But truth is is it only really about the profile of paying for it. Really works for some. For me the additional constraints on resale (before contract end) and upkeep make it a no. But everyone has their own take on it.

Other purchases. Strong advice is get it and use it before getting any extras. You might find you don’t need or want them with the benefit of experience.

Reading your intended use I think a Beach would be an excellent choice. Much much more versatile than a bigger car. We have certainly appreciated that with our Ocean. Day trips with an overnight option. Mobile tea room. Load shifter. Pleasant get away from it all option. Just my opinion

 

[kurienp]

Hello, I'm new to the forum and thinking about purchasing a lovely California. The forum has been amazing so far in terms of allowing me to do some research before test driving a (very nice) Beach Camper DSG last week. I currently have a Skoda Yeti which has been great but we need more space as I have a very sporty teen who completes in cycling and triathlon. With so many regional and national events coming up, I was looking at getting a larger car to accommodate bikes, kit and camping gear. It's just the two of us so I was all set to buy a Skoda Octavia (circa £20k) but a camper van would be more practical and useful given the sporting commitments here and abroad.

I was originally looking at a budget of £45k for a used Beach Camper but the new VW offer at the moment looks good. However, I've never purchased such an expensive vehicle (or signed up to a PCP deal) so I'm a bit nervous about taking the plunge and trying to work out if the Cali will be financially a better option in the long run given the extra space, savings on overnight accommodation at race events / holidays, and depreciation. I doubt many people ever regret buying a Cali so I'm not sure why I'm overthinking the purchase and going around in circles but it's probably to do with the financial commitment.

Anyway, I had a few questions before making my final decision:

The Cali would be our only vehicle. Does anyone else use their camper van as their sole vehicle and does that works for school runs, supermarket shopping etc?
In terms of spec for the camper, which optional extras did you find most useful?
Given the price of used vehicles, is it potentially better to opt for a new Cali, even though the purchase price is higher?
Are there any other extra purchases that I need to factor in to the budget once the van arrives?
Is there anything else I need to consider?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

A search can be very overwhelming when looking for basic answers so here we go:

The Cali would be our only vehicle. Does anyone else use their camper van as their sole vehicle and does that works for school runs, supermarket shopping etc?
Yes, and it works really well. It is a similar engine to the ones in the VW car lineup, so if you'ld use the car, then you can use this too. The footprint is similar to a large estate and so easy to park up. you could also do with a transporter van, but the addons that a cali provides such as a roof bed, just adds to the ease of use, especially for cycling related stuff. I regularly participate in Audaxes. Get to the start point the previous evening. Kip the night in the van and have a start at the right time.


In terms of spec for the camper, which optional extras did you find most useful?
LED headlights, night heater at a minimum

Given the price of used vehicles, is it potentially better to opt for a new Cali, even though the purchase price is higher?
Yes, the 5 year warranty is a great option to get and you can get that only with a new van.

Are there any other extra purchases that I need to factor in to the budget once the van arrives?
If it is a beach, a small cupboard option to have a hob or something similar including water storage options.
A security device such as a ghost 2 or a tracker will give you some peace of mind.

Is there anything else I need to consider?
Not really. The list can be as long or as short as you want. Keep it Simple

 

[Corradobrit]

Mine is also my only vehicle although it only used for out of town excursions and holidays as I commute on a bicycle. I bought a folding Brompton which serves as commuter bike and fits nicely under the parcel shelf when away in the Cali. I'm just too nervous having expensive bikes hanging off the back unattended.

 

[Andy C Berks.]

Am guessing your son has a good bike so travelling with it mounted externally won’t be ideal. This is how I travel with mine in my Ocean - it’s the frame from an Evoc flight bag, but can be purchased on its own and it fits like a glove, and doesn’t require any tie down, albeit conceivably you could do so with the bolt that you can buy in the club shop. I do also have the rear boot mounted bike rack which is very easy to use and mainly use for the mountain bikes or when on site and need create space inside the van.

Also worth using the Evoc chain cover if storing in the van so don’t get oil on the seats etc. (only works properly when wheels are off)

 

[Borris]

Hello, I'm new to the forum and thinking about purchasing a lovely California. The forum has been amazing so far in terms of allowing me to do some research before test driving a (very nice) Beach Camper DSG last week. I currently have a Skoda Yeti which has been great but we need more space as I have a very sporty teen who completes in cycling and triathlon. With so many regional and national events coming up, I was looking at getting a larger car to accommodate bikes, kit and camping gear. It's just the two of us so I was all set to buy a Skoda Octavia (circa £20k) but a camper van would be more practical and useful given the sporting commitments here and abroad.

I was originally looking at a budget of £45k for a used Beach Camper but the new VW offer at the moment looks good. However, I've never purchased such an expensive vehicle (or signed up to a PCP deal) so I'm a bit nervous about taking the plunge and trying to work out if the Cali will be financially a better option in the long run given the extra space, savings on overnight accommodation at race events / holidays, and depreciation. I doubt many people ever regret buying a Cali so I'm not sure why I'm overthinking the purchase and going around in circles but it's probably to do with the financial commitment.

Anyway, I had a few questions before making my final decision:

The Cali would be our only vehicle. Does anyone else use their camper van as their sole vehicle and does that works for school runs, supermarket shopping etc?
In terms of spec for the camper, which optional extras did you find most useful?
Given the price of used vehicles, is it potentially better to opt for a new Cali, even though the purchase price is higher?
Are there any other extra purchases that I need to factor in to the budget once the van arrives?
Is there anything else I need to consider?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

We also have a three seater rear bench Beach and a Yeti. The perfect combo IMO.

Don't get rid of that Yeti. You will regret it!

 

[Agnes_Cali]

I use Beach as my main vehicle since I collected it at the end of June. My previous "daily" has sale agreed and is leaving my fleet. I commute in Cali to destination in London, take it to supermarket and other places. As mentioned, the main thing to rememebr is the height limit of 2m. Sliding doors are useful in tight spaces.

I think the current offer of 0% PCP together with 5y warranty and 5 year service plan is pretty good. I plan to put many miles on Cali and use these free services.