Design Changes and/or New Options for the California.

[soulstyledevon]

Fly screens that stay in situ.

 

[westfalia]

Column gear change.

 

[Borris]

Suppose it’s all a matter of taste. I think it looks good!

Yes you're right on the personal taste thing.

My objections are that they appear to be replacing something (standard and "Comfort" dash), which are both very practical and beautifully symmetrical, with this twisted asymetric styling exercise that adds nothing to the present formula and looks for all the world as if it's been borrowed from a write off. Just saying.

 

[ArunAlec]

Although they look as if they might work, not sure about the cup holders on top of dash, spillage down the heater vent could get smelly.

 

[Louis II]

I quite like it.
Ultimately though it's a cheap cosmetic upgrade that VW use to up the price whilst milking a base design that has seen minimal change in 10+ years.
I think we'll have to wait for ID buzz to see any real innovation.

 

[Amarillo]

Although they look as if they might work, not sure about the cup holders on top of dash, spillage down the heater vent could get smelly.

The cup holders on the discomfort dash are nothing new.

And Ikea 500ml water bottles are a perfect fit.

 

[owlman]

Electric back seat when you are pulling forward to make beds "downstairs". The manual bench is really hard to pull forward, and the locker is really hard to pull out first!

 

[PudnBob]

I would like the tailgate to open higher. Ive been very close at times, to knocking my head on the tailgate.

I’m just not tall enough for that challenge!!

 

[racali]

Firstly, the design faults need correcting - lack of thermal insulation to body, lack of waterproof fabric to the raising roof, lethal and self destructing roof scissor folding mechanism, impossibly noisy diesel heater and lack of removable seating covers.
Secondly, the construction needs to be more robust - those tambour doors, glass worktop, and tap come to mind but also the roof mechanism could be more foolproof.
Thirdly, the nice to haves - yes hot water with the option of carrying additional water capacity, solar (water hearing and electrical charging) panels integration, integrated dash and rear cams, and a longer guarantee.
Generally, apart from the irritation and hankerings after the above, I’m rather pleased with my van and although it’s a T5, the only item I wish I had from the T6 is the adaptive speed control - oh it would be nice if it could parallel park itself.

 

[Deskman]

Diesel heater integrated with the car heating vents (quite complicated to do this one right, I think but worth the effort)
Much better insulation of the body
Midges/Knut-proof mesh in the top
Smarter household electrics with better and lighter batteries and a fully integrated solar roof.
Front seats to be swivelled without opening the doors (please).
Less bulky back headrests.

Need to say that the design is already near perfect. Interior is very lightweight and (!) safe. There is probably no safer campervan than a California to crash. The design of the overhead cupboard is an example: the lock can't be pushed open by force from a collision. Everything is firmly fixed to the bodywork or bottom.

 

[WelshGas]

Diesel heater integrated with the car heating vents (quite complicated to do this one right, I think but worth the effort)
Much better insulation of the body
Midges/Knut-proof mesh in the top
Smarter household electrics with better and lighter batteries and a fully integrated solar roof.
Front seats to be swivelled without opening the doors (please).
Less bulky back headrests.

Need to say that the design is already near perfect. Interior is very lightweight and (!) safe. There is probably no safer campervan than a California to crash. The design of the overhead cupboard is an example: the lock can't be pushed open by force from a collision. Everything is firmly fixed to the bodywork or bottom.

Just one question. Where would you put this extra insulation.?
Sliding door? Bang goes the table storage.
Tailgate? Bang goes the chair storage.
Nearside where the wardrobe and water tanks + gas cylinder?
Do you want smaller tanks, less boot space and wardrobe/kitchen storage.
Off side rear? Where the rear heater/AirCon is.
Front doors? Can you make do with less door storage?
Intergrating Parking Heater and Dashboard vents. So front seats turned and warm air blasted at the seat backs.

Extra insulation doesn’t get rid of Condensation. It will just migrate somewhere else. Only Ventilation gets rid of condensation and that’s why we have a heater.

 

[greenfintry]

Interesting ideas, at a more fundamental level, I would like a hybrid diesel\electric 4 motion with the electric motors driving the rear axle .... would get rid of a lot of transmission weight, and lithium batteries could provide extra leisure capacity and even have solar panel top up integration. Regeneration braking would also top up batteries

 

[Deskman]

Just one question. Where would you put this extra insulation.?
Sliding door? Bang goes the table storage.
Tailgate? Bang goes the chair storage.
Nearside where the wardrobe and water tanks + gas cylinder?
Do you want smaller tanks, less boot space and wardrobe/kitchen storage.
Off side rear? Where the rear heater/AirCon is.
Front doors? Can you make do with less door storage?
Intergrating Parking Heater and Dashboard vents. So front seats turned and warm air blasted at the seat backs.

Extra insulation doesn’t get rid of Condensation. It will just migrate somewhere else. Only Ventilation gets rid of condensation and that’s why we have a heater.

Better means better, not inches thicker. Insulating things (in general) is not easy. Preventing condensation is important. Any insulation behind the water tanks and the walls will help, even if it is 8mm closed cell foam. In the front doors, there is more than enough room for better insulation. Also in the sliding door.
I know Volkswagen says it does not use more insulation because of condensation problems that may occur, but that is not the answer to the problem.

The heater does not do any ventilation it heats up the inside air and blows it out to the side of the front chair base and to the back. Integration does not mean just connecting the heater to the vents. The Climatronic system is more than just two vents. There must be a way to combine these heating systems. The Diesel Heater is now more or less a hair dryer on steroids and astonishingly non-sophisticated.

 

[WestCali]

......and another thing.

How about automated water tank emptying.
Instead of the painful hard to access hand valve, a simple electrical solenoid fed from a switch on the dash.

So bloody simple it’s embarrassing.

As it happens I’m in the process of installing such a system. Watch this space for info soon.

How about a permanent, tiltable, slide out bike rack in the place where the towing bracket goes. I think a Vauxhall Mokka has one.

This would need to be able to carry two heavy e-bikes and allow you to open the rear door, once slid right out.
I find that bike racks on towing balls are needlessly complicated (Towing bracket / ball / clamp / rack) and the VW T5 rack on the lifting door is too high to easily lift a heavy e-bike up to.

 

[Docsu]

An opening tailgate window with built in mosquito net.

Midgies can get through mosquito nets!

 

[daveyboydanger]

Firstly, the design faults need correcting - lack of thermal insulation to body, lack of waterproof fabric to the raising roof, lethal and self destructing roof scissor folding mechanism, impossibly noisy diesel heater and lack of removable seating covers.
Secondly, the construction needs to be more robust - those tambour doors, glass worktop, and tap come to mind but also the roof mechanism could be more foolproof.
Thirdly, the nice to haves - yes hot water with the option of carrying additional water capacity, solar (water hearing and electrical charging) panels integration, integrated dash and rear cams, and a longer guarantee.
Generally, apart from the irritation and hankerings after the above, I’m rather pleased with my van and although it’s a T5, the only item I wish I had from the T6 is the adaptive speed control - oh it would be nice if it could parallel park itself.

The T6.1 will have Park Assist as an option so that's one ticked off!

 

[westfalia]

Midgies can get through mosquito nets!

Mosquitos can´t though.

 

[Tony hylton]

Let’s discuss possible Design Changes or New Options that could be incorporated in a future version of the California.
I’m talking about things that would enhance the vehicle for All, not just you personally.
eg: A manual roof. It is already available on the Beach and the Coast but VW Marketing haven’t decided to sell that version in certain countries, SO NOT for discussion.
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We have Cruise Control which maintains speed, but something on our Smart Car would , I think, be of benefit.
A Speed Limiter. The Smart has Cruise Control but also a Speed Limiter. So you can set a Limit, say 30mph, and have full throttle control upto that speed but no more. Useful in towns etc. On the Norwegian roads I travelled today the limit was 80 kph, but the road was so windy/undulating it was very easy to exceed and impossible to use Cruise Control as you were constantly switching it back on as you braked for sharp corners.

Handbrake. I’m not a fan of Electric Handbrakes, too many possible problems, but surely a better system could be devised. Possibly a Dashboard System, suitable for LHD and RHD Vehicles.

Leisure Batteries. A Lithium Battery could replace the 2 AGM Batteries and give more useable power, probably at no additional cost. In the Ocean the space freed up could be used to replace the toolbox behind the back seat.

Solar Panel Option

How about copying the Mp poptop, having had one, it is a super design, when you lower the manual roof, a must for the future, not electric please, the sides just cascade down as you lower the roof.
Also you can store more "stuff" up top, where the california pop top hinges down,"if you are lucky", and does not become trapped in the hinges ,distorting the poptop roof.

 

[sbmcd]

Solar panel integrated into elevating roof.
Better insulation to prevent condensation on body panels especially in winter use.
Re located hand brake, also not a fan of eclectic ones but had Audis with them for many years and never had a problem.
Better insulation in roof bellows to avoid need for inner liners and keep light out.
Midge proof mesh in roof bellows and window mesh inserts.
Winter pack to prevent icing of water tank and drain when on hook up in winter.

I would like to keep the electro hydraulic roof for pushing up my kayak.

 

[Borisburgh]

Midge proof screens!!

 

[WelshGas]

Do they have midges in Germany?

 

[sbmcd]

Do they have midges in Germany?

I doubt it or the mesh would be midge proof lol

 

[Deskman]

If the Germans are capable of building an RHD car, I'm sure they are also capable of finding the right mesh.

 

[John.s]

Self levelling suspension would be good there would be no need to carry chocks.
Or at least have a built in level on the dash.

 

[WelshGas]

Self levelling suspension would be good there would be no need to carry chocks.
Or at least have a built in level on the dash.

You can get that already. It’s called Air Suspension and certain Manufacturers are VW approved so doesn’t affect your Warranty. £5000 Option.