BikerGran
Growing old disgracefully
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Having read some and skimmed some, my answer is what I immediately thought on reading the OP.
For anyone who would ask that question, it probably isn't.
As far as I'm concerned (and I didn't buy new) it's fantastic value for money because it does everything I want and none of the others did.
For anyone who would ask that question, it probably isn't.
As far as I'm concerned (and I didn't buy new) it's fantastic value for money because it does everything I want and none of the others did.
mr_glasgow84
That is stunning!
mr_glasgow84
So I’ve spent most of today watching Cali videos and looking at every type of Campervan in between...and to be honest, I’m drawn back to the Cali every time.
However, I’d like to think out loud for a minute and would welcome your thoughts...
The more I watched the videos of the Ocean today, the more I actually put my wife, daughter and I ‘in the van’, imagining how it would work for us. We both agreed that a drive away awning looks like a brilliant idea, pure and simply for the extra space that it offers...and then I got thinking...
Is a Beach the more obvious choice for us? My thoughts below:
*we’d get significantly more room down below but still benefit from having the upstairs bed.
*if an awning is a given for us, then the cooking could be done inside it on a portable hob of some description, which means bedding etc won’t smell of cooked food.
*with the sink being so small and with us probably staying on campsites in the UK and in Europe 95% of the time, will we miss this?
*I’ve seen some videos where plug in heaters have been used to heat the van, assuming the Beaxh doesn’t have one built in - would need to check the spec!
And so, the major downsides of a Beach I can come up with are no fridge (which we would 100% want) and a lack of storage for everything we’d be taking with us on trips away.
I’m now too tired to think properly but I’m interested to hear from those of you who have perhaps had the same thought process and taken the plunge with a Beach.
Thanks again,
Martin
However, I’d like to think out loud for a minute and would welcome your thoughts...
The more I watched the videos of the Ocean today, the more I actually put my wife, daughter and I ‘in the van’, imagining how it would work for us. We both agreed that a drive away awning looks like a brilliant idea, pure and simply for the extra space that it offers...and then I got thinking...
Is a Beach the more obvious choice for us? My thoughts below:
*we’d get significantly more room down below but still benefit from having the upstairs bed.
*if an awning is a given for us, then the cooking could be done inside it on a portable hob of some description, which means bedding etc won’t smell of cooked food.
*with the sink being so small and with us probably staying on campsites in the UK and in Europe 95% of the time, will we miss this?
*I’ve seen some videos where plug in heaters have been used to heat the van, assuming the Beaxh doesn’t have one built in - would need to check the spec!
And so, the major downsides of a Beach I can come up with are no fridge (which we would 100% want) and a lack of storage for everything we’d be taking with us on trips away.
I’m now too tired to think properly but I’m interested to hear from those of you who have perhaps had the same thought process and taken the plunge with a Beach.
Thanks again,
Martin
J
jamessclarke
VIP Member
I have a Beach. Lots on it in Beach chat forum. I love it. Used every day as family wagon ...and it works whenever you need it as a flexible camper.
Perfectos
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I know this will not be a popular answer with the CaliO hard core:
Beach fridge: compressor fridge weaco cfx 35 , cfx 28 or cfx12 ( between front seats) not in vehicle when not needed ! No third battery needed
Beach: Wide comfortable double bed, higher bed extension more boot space.
Beach: Wind out awning exactly the same as CaliO
Beach: Sink, at the site or collapsible (25mm think x 250mm x 400mm (approx) £10 not in van when not required! Replace when / if required
Beach: no hob ; various options from £10 upwards, cook under the awning, inside / outside.
All other fittings and fixtures and extras available on CaliO available on Beach ! (No kitchen units)
Beach: Better fuel economy every day !
Beach : same power train just about every other option as the CaliO !
Beach: manual pop top ; no failure / power issues / less potential damage from power roof,!
Beach 7 seats when needed
No regrets Beach: £ saving !
The beach offers everything a CaliO offers & more, bar the fixed units !
Storage: Vanessa window bags
Beach heating: same as caliO (option) / must have
DYOR
Beach fridge: compressor fridge weaco cfx 35 , cfx 28 or cfx12 ( between front seats) not in vehicle when not needed ! No third battery needed
Beach: Wide comfortable double bed, higher bed extension more boot space.
Beach: Wind out awning exactly the same as CaliO
Beach: Sink, at the site or collapsible (25mm think x 250mm x 400mm (approx) £10 not in van when not required! Replace when / if required
Beach: no hob ; various options from £10 upwards, cook under the awning, inside / outside.
All other fittings and fixtures and extras available on CaliO available on Beach ! (No kitchen units)
Beach: Better fuel economy every day !
Beach : same power train just about every other option as the CaliO !
Beach: manual pop top ; no failure / power issues / less potential damage from power roof,!
Beach 7 seats when needed
No regrets Beach: £ saving !
The beach offers everything a CaliO offers & more, bar the fixed units !
Storage: Vanessa window bags
Beach heating: same as caliO (option) / must have
DYOR
Perfectos
Super Poster
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Interestingly your conclusions above were a point of discussion with many at the Volksworld show where many prospective buyers were eyeing the available options.
Conclusion from many; conversions were not the same as factory build quality.
CaliO vs CaliB: personal preference and how you will use the van daily: personal choices high on priority list!
Conclusion from many; conversions were not the same as factory build quality.
CaliO vs CaliB: personal preference and how you will use the van daily: personal choices high on priority list!
Joker 1299
You’re over-thinking it now.
MarkVw2017
Top Poster
Hi Martin,
That's exactly what we did. We started looking at the Ocean as its has the kitchen and I classed it as a 'proper campervan' but after months, and months of research, and hours on this forum asking every question under the sun (and theses lovely lot answered each and every one of them!!) ended up with a Beach, and then realised, the beach is still very much a proper campervan. Lets look at the main point, its a 10k saving with lots and lots of space (but you do get a lot with that extra £10k though with an ocean). If you are literally buying it for a holiday and camping machine and will only be using it on weekends/ school hols for holidays, and money is no object, then the ocean is a great choice. If your buying it as a holiday machine/ office/ extra living room/ kids taxi service/ delivery machine/ daily car as well, then defo consider the beach. I really have no regrets. Love the thing, but my fave is defo the king size bed. Bigger than my own bed in my house, my wife and I and our two kids can all fit on it
BOTH are amazing machines, you will not regret either decision!!!! Defo the biggest downfall of the beach v ocean is the parking heater, standard on the ocean, but can fit at VW at order or retrofit, but costs around £1.5k.And no wonder you keeping coming back to VW, you will find its the little things that conversions or other campers just don't do.
WelshGas
Retired after 42 yrs and enjoying Life.
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If you are going to spend most of your time on Campsites then , Yes, I agree, you don't need a Full Campervan such as the Ocean, a MPV with a roof bed will do.
Mind you, by the time you have bought all the bits and pieces for the Beach then you might wonder.
Mind you, by the time you have bought all the bits and pieces for the Beach then you might wonder.
LemonDrop
Lifetime VIP Member
Yep, we went through the same thought process...and ended up with a 2 seater bench Beach.
How we reached this decision:
We always stay on campsites so don't ned the sink. If we do end up doing the odd wild camp night (which I think we will at some point) then it will be fine washing up outside using our washing up bowl.
We're mainly fair weather campers and love cooking outside so we knew we'd hardly ever use the kitchen. If the weather is dire we'll either go to the pub for dinner or get a takeaway or we'll have the event shelter up anyway, so cooking outside will still be fine. We can still make our morning cup of tea inside without having to leave the van!
We wanted a king sized bed.
We wanted more space in the van both for "stuff" and spaciousness. If we go out for the day, it feels really roomy with the front seats turned round and the table out, also very easy to make a cup of tea on the little stove whilst inside on a day-trip.
We went for the 2 seater bench because: we won't need more than 4 seats, the bed is lower when made up (so more headroom). For us this was worth the inconvenience of the lower multiflex board, which means for example you can't store a fridge in the boot/can't get a slidepod. This is a compromise and the one that works for us.
The 2 seater bench is flatter when made into the bed (like the ocean seat), it has a massive drawer underneath rather than 3 smaller drawers and the storage box has yet more storage under it, plus it can be removed so if at some point we wanted to get a kitchen pod fitted we could (I doubt this will happen whilst the kids are in tow) so offers tons of versatility.
When we picked our Beach up from the dealer I had a nosey round the ocean in the showroom and had a last minute panic that we'd made the wrong choice! It is a beautifully designed piece of kit. But for the way we use the vehicle the Beach is right for us. Hopefully this will be helpful in your decision making, you'll definitely get there in the end.
By the way, we originally considered a conversion as well but the California holds its value so well it was a no-brainer. If you hate it and want to sell it on you'll hardly lose any money on it.
Last edited:
LemonDrop
Lifetime VIP Member
By the way, we are 2 adults and 2 kids so both beds are always used.
Think about adding a grand to the purchase price for essential items that transform the beach such as fridge (about £500/600) and the Vanessa window bags. £300 is seemingly a ridiculous amount of money to pay for glorified suitcases but they are massive and reduce clutter and faff as are your wardrobes!
Think about adding a grand to the purchase price for essential items that transform the beach such as fridge (about £500/600) and the Vanessa window bags. £300 is seemingly a ridiculous amount of money to pay for glorified suitcases but they are massive and reduce clutter and faff as are your wardrobes!
mr_glasgow84
Thanks again for all the advice - you’re all a great help.
So reading a previous post, I take it the Beach doesn’t have the night time heater then? Is there still a battery that powers everything when the engine is off? Also, do the aftermarket fridges plug into the 3 pin power socket?
I could keep asking loads of questions but I’ll go and have a good read through the Beach section after dinner!
So reading a previous post, I take it the Beach doesn’t have the night time heater then? Is there still a battery that powers everything when the engine is off? Also, do the aftermarket fridges plug into the 3 pin power socket?
I could keep asking loads of questions but I’ll go and have a good read through the Beach section after dinner!
LemonDrop
Lifetime VIP Member
The parking heater is an option on the beach (about £1900 list price I think, look at autoebid for a good discount when you're ready to buy).
It has a leisure battery that powers everything when the engine is off. I THINK the Ocean has 2 leisure batteries?? Might be wrong about that...
The aftermarket fridges can run either off the 3 pin socket or the 12 volt socket. We've got this 41L one which is the same size as the one that comes with the Ocean (it's a bit of a beast you might not need one quite that big!) https://www.marinesuperstore.com/refrigeration/portable-fridge-freezers/isotherm-travel-box
Meoncoast
A Beach at a Bay,
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you are right IT HAS 2
soulstyledevon
Kennycalifornia
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I’ve had both.
Beach and Ocean. Currently in an Ocean.
I do miss the large bed and flexibility of the Beach, along with the manual roof.
However the extra storage in the Ocean is very good too.
It’s a really hard call because they both have advantages and disadvantages.
I had the 3 seater Beach. But if I ordered again, I would possibly go for the 2 seater. I like the way the headrest fold over, its flatter for sleeping and the large single draw is more useful than the 3 smaller ones on the 3 seater.
But again can’t deny, having the 3 rear seats is very handy.
Tough choice, try before you buy...
Beach and Ocean. Currently in an Ocean.
I do miss the large bed and flexibility of the Beach, along with the manual roof.
However the extra storage in the Ocean is very good too.
It’s a really hard call because they both have advantages and disadvantages.
I had the 3 seater Beach. But if I ordered again, I would possibly go for the 2 seater. I like the way the headrest fold over, its flatter for sleeping and the large single draw is more useful than the 3 smaller ones on the 3 seater.
But again can’t deny, having the 3 rear seats is very handy.
Tough choice, try before you buy...
mr_glasgow84
Thanks....i take it the 2 seats in the rear makes a smaller bed?
GrannyJen
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Lifetime VIP Member
As @WelshGas and others have said, Beach v Ocean is largely a matter lifestyle.
I often set off from home with no idea where I'm going to finish, and when in that mindset the more remote that I end up the better. The total, enveloping, built-in self sufficiency of the Ocean makes it the ideal survival capsule when caution is thrown to the winds.
Waking up on the tip of the mull of Kintyre, after heavy snow and rains had temporarily destroyed the service road to the lighthouse, was magical. Equally finding myself totally snowed in close to the Black Cuillin in Skye, no choice but to hunker up for however long, was brilliant, especially as my last winter visit 40 years earlier ended rather more tragically.
Some aspects of the California are priceless, it's all round capability to go almost anywhere whilst giving you the comforting embrace of total confidence in being able to handle anything is one of them,
I often set off from home with no idea where I'm going to finish, and when in that mindset the more remote that I end up the better. The total, enveloping, built-in self sufficiency of the Ocean makes it the ideal survival capsule when caution is thrown to the winds.
Waking up on the tip of the mull of Kintyre, after heavy snow and rains had temporarily destroyed the service road to the lighthouse, was magical. Equally finding myself totally snowed in close to the Black Cuillin in Skye, no choice but to hunker up for however long, was brilliant, especially as my last winter visit 40 years earlier ended rather more tragically.
Some aspects of the California are priceless, it's all round capability to go almost anywhere whilst giving you the comforting embrace of total confidence in being able to handle anything is one of them,
mr_glasgow84
I do like the idea of what you’ve described!
Just looking at how folk have kitted out their Beach. The 2 bench option is definitely the one for us.
Cooking gas burners seems straightforward enough.
A bit more unsure of fridges and how it would drain the battery but enjoyable reading all the threads on here nonetheless.
Just looking at how folk have kitted out their Beach. The 2 bench option is definitely the one for us.
Cooking gas burners seems straightforward enough.
A bit more unsure of fridges and how it would drain the battery but enjoyable reading all the threads on here nonetheless.
Erbster
VIP Member
The beach owners who have commented all love their cali’s (obviously) and the common thread is that the format suits their use.
I dislike campsites and avoid them whenever possible. I have s drive away awning but mostly can’t be bothered using it. I use my van a lot in winter and often cook, so find the internal kitchen indispensable. I might have bought s Coast if available in the UK because I’m not keen on the hydraulic roof. Like the previous poster, being self contained is important to me.
If you get a beach, definitely spec a parking heater.
Conclusion: be clear what you want to be able to do with your van. Beach and Ocean both awesome vehicles. To each their own. Enjoy.
https://caliventures364847572.wordpress.com/
I dislike campsites and avoid them whenever possible. I have s drive away awning but mostly can’t be bothered using it. I use my van a lot in winter and often cook, so find the internal kitchen indispensable. I might have bought s Coast if available in the UK because I’m not keen on the hydraulic roof. Like the previous poster, being self contained is important to me.
If you get a beach, definitely spec a parking heater.
Conclusion: be clear what you want to be able to do with your van. Beach and Ocean both awesome vehicles. To each their own. Enjoy.
https://caliventures364847572.wordpress.com/
WelshGas
Retired after 42 yrs and enjoying Life.
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Scenario.
You arrive at your chosen campsite and it's raining. Typical UK summer shower. You park your California Ocean, pop the roof, move to the back, fill the kettle from the tap, and make a cuppa. Might have to get out to switch the gas on, and wait for the shower to pass.
You arrive at your chosen campsite and it's raining. Typical UK summer shower. You park your California Beach, pop the roof and??????
soulstyledevon
Kennycalifornia
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Clip the table in, remove kettle and alpkit from cupboard. Fill with water from the fridge and boil.
I guarantee the Beach owner with that setup will be drinking tea sooner than the Ocean owner.
WelshGas
Retired after 42 yrs and enjoying Life.
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If you are on your own, maybe.
soulstyledevon
Kennycalifornia
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No because there is a side storage box which forms part of the bed.
Having owned both, the Ocean has more storage. Which does help keeping organised. But the bed downstairs is compromised to facilitate the storage and I do find it a bit of an issue.
Two adults is very cosy. Family of 4 would struggle.
I once converted a van. Where I had a double seat, with a small kitchen pod under the side window. This meant at the top of the bed (tailgate) I had a section which made the bed full width at the head end and just gave a bit more space for sleeping. With the kitchen section at the other end plus storage.
It’s possibly the route I will go once our little boy is a bit older.
To do this, I would buy the 2 seat Beach.
So after owning both, I will probably migrate back to a Beach in a couple of years from now.
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