Do I wait for the T6 NEW California?

[acer]

Torn between buying the current California SE now, or waiting for the launch of the new T6. Would hate to buy now, wait 4 months for delivery and then find a better model has come along and at the same time added a further hefty chunk of depreciation to our vehicle.

Does anyone know when the new T6 Cali will arrive?

Do you think that I should wait and miss next season's camping for the benefit of the revised Cali? We plan to keep it for a long time.

 

[Kirk]

Re: T6 NEW California?

you could be waiting a very long time as nobody knows if there actually will be a T6 Cali , if there is it will follow quite a while after the transporter. You also say you want to keep it? then surely depreciation will not be an issue? I also doubt if depreciation will be affected with the launch of the T6 TBH, just look at the price of T4's
If I was you I would buy now and enjoy next season.

 

[acer]

Thanks Kirk,

Yes, keeping the Cali for the long term (our intention) would mean not caring about depreciation, but I have this nagging feeling that I might be tempted to sell early if the T6 Cali were to look prettier inside, offer an electric handbrake, and offer other rabbits out of the hat.

I woke-up this morning thinking that the solution might be to buy second-hand as a stop-gap until the new one arrives (if it arrives).

Would VW really launch a T6 van and keep the T5 California? Does anyone have inside info on new Cali launch dates?

 

[BMVS-Camper-Hire]

The new Transporter comes out in the last 1/4 of 2015, it will only be the panel van at first, with the other variants arriving in 2016. There is no confirmation of a California yet, but I can't see why it won't happen, but I personally don't think we will see it for 2 years from now at the earliest.

 

[GrannyJen]

This is ultimately a do-nothing option.

Wait for the T6, assuming that VW corporate policy is to continue in the factory-built camper market.

Wait a couple of years...

Then a year for the early snags to be ironed out..

Then we are very near to 2020 when new engines are forecast ...

so wait a couple of years for the T7 ...

by the time the T9 arrives, decision made but too old to drive ....

 

[pjm-84]

Pick mine up March 15. Build week 4

 

[Maud]

I agree completely with Jen.

Mine is build week 3. Less than four months until March

 

[LowMan]

If, but, maybe....I do sympathise, but have to agree with Jen. Waiting is essentially a do nothing option.
We went through the same dilemmas recently, before waking up one morning, driving along to a Cali showroom and striking a deal.
Having only received it a week ago, we have no doubt its been the right move.
We've already been out locally to try things out and have planned a short Seasonal break in a few weeks time, plus plenty more adventures in the diary.
Two years (thats probably a minimum) is a long time to put off the pleasures I'm sure your new Cali would bring you.
If you've already got the budget, and are ready, I'd say just go for it.
Let others worry about stuff like Depreciation

Good luck!

 

[acer]

Oh! It looks like my reply this afternoon didn't post for some reason. Probably me! Basically, it read thanks for some excellent and amusing advice. We are going to put in an order, just a shame we hesitated long enough to suffer the November price rise - very big rises on the add-ons and options!

Great forum.

 

[Topman]

Ive worked in the automotive industry for 25 years , my biggest bit of advice is do not buy a launch vehicle , give it 9 months to settle down , all those new suppliers who are making parts that assemble into the new Cali will be under immense tight cost down's and tight timeframes with new production tooling to hit a launch date .. beware :censor

 

[reserves]

The Cali has had no major updates since 2010, so find a good second hand one with low mileage.

Buying 2nd hand should limit your exposure to depreciation, buy the T6 if it's released later.

 

[caligraphy]

The Cali has had no major updates since 2010, so find a good second hand one with low mileage.

Buying 2nd hand should limit your exposure to depreciation, buy the T6 if it's released later.

Really no major update since 2005. Engines & trim = facelift

I agree find a 2nd hand one. Waste of money to buy new. It's a used Cali as soon as it leaves the dealer.

 

[acer]

I've never bought brand new before and this time I've gone round in circles on whether to buy new or second hand (at least a couple of times :crazy ). But now I'm absolutely certain that buying new is right thing to do, for me anyway:

1. Drive the deal saves 10% on list price. This is a revelation to me. I found out about this on this forum - thanks everyone. :clap Due to this there is very little difference between buying new and one year old.
2. You can specify exactly what you want (assuming you know what that is :lol: )
3. If you intend to buy and keep for at least 10 years, and I think we might have it in 20 even, the initial depreciation issue goes away.
4. Who knows what someone else got up to in their van. I want to live in my own dirt not someone else's
5. All vans are going to get scuffs and knocks. I don't want someone else's dents, I want my own. They will trigger memories and bring her to life.
6. If we are the first and only owners, she will truly be ours. Adoption is a wonderful thing, but you can't be a natural birth.
7. Maximum warranty and peace of mind.

 

[reserves]

Think the question was if he / she should wait for the T6

 

[acer]

yes, my question too - just following up on Caligraphy's post. I did say I was going round is circles.

 

[Maud]

I like your reasons for buying new, Acer; I went round and round for months too, from looking for a pre-facelift used to early facelift, then pre-registered and finally new for a variety of similar reasons, both financial and the 'only ever mine' factor. I got 10% off list price from my preferred main dealer and can't deny that choosing my own colour helped too - and knowing that nobody else will have slept in the beds (even though my dogs will be my travelling companions and will no doubt be sleeping up top with me - I count their 'dirt' as mine!). There will always be something round the corner and a 'what if I waited a little longer' but in the end I decided that I had waited long enough - life is too short to spend precious time taking the 'do-nothing option' as Jen said.

Maud

 

[MCh1777]

I have just bought a new T5 after a year or two of deliberation/dithering and have been keeping an eye on the T6 rumours during that time. My feeling is that the T6 is a big unknown in terms of both appeal and availability. The T5 is available now and has a lot of appeal - and even when the T6 is available, the T5 will still be a great Campervan.
One thing I have noticed is that during the time I have been procrastinating is that for my budget the spec of the Cali I have just bought is significantly higher than the one I could have bought for the same money a year ago. So it seems that the T6 is beginning to have an effect. Mind you, I'm not sure I really need in-car wi-fi, servotronic steering, bi-xenon headlights and so on (I didn't feel the need for these things last year).

 

[Plinky]

Same for me, waiting is not an option....If it were a few months, fine, but possibly in a year or two, no. I have too much traveling to do, too much life to live before the T6 is released.

 

[exburstner]

I had the same dilemma, but i collected my new blackberry 4x4 auto last friday I sold my last cali 2 years old and bought new. It isn't like a car, people sleep and live in it so we wanted to live in our own dirt. Husband a bit OCD not keen on b and b's if we go off mountain biking and sleeping in the woods (in the van) we've just ridden round is amazing. We offset the vehicle price off the cost of b and bs that we would use without the van . we wild camp, its free :0. Waiting for the next van?! we sold ours and waited 12 weeks for our new one, felt like eternity, once you've had one its like a dishwasher, you ponder buying it and then once you've got one can't live without ( if we can remember not having one!) good luck , but carpe diem for me

 

[acer]

Yes, I'm seizing the day, well okay Thursday, to place my order.

And, also keen to camp for free but not sure where or if this is possible with kids in mind - thinking about security here. That might be my next thread. It is definitely on the list of things to research by looking at older posts while I'm 'in the waiting room' for delivery.

 

[GrannyJen]

I pop around all over the place stopping at Britstops in the UK and Aires in France. Single woman but I feel as safe in the Cali, probably safer, than on my own at home. I rarely pay for campsites.

Britstops normally are dog friendly, child friendly, somewhere to eat and just move on the following day. I had to drop everything this weekend and pop up to see 91 y/old Mum 270 miles away. On the way back pulled into the car park of a lovely pub, popped up the roof, had a cup of tea, refreshed myself, tarted myself up a bit to look a bit less like Boadicea leaving a burning Colchester and went and had dinner. Brilliant.

 

[acer]

Perfect! "Brit stops": The latest addition to my "favourites bar"

 

[Ambler]

I agree with Topman.
I try not to be an "early adopter" with any product, especially something as complicated and expensive as the Cali.