Feedback on our spec (Ocean) please

[Seaside Sussex]

Hi all

Could I please ask for some feedback on our spec prior to going into the dealer at the weekend and ordering. Having had a read on here, I'm having second thoughts on the comfort mattress due to the need for a lower parcel shelf (?), which will affect storage. We'll most be using the Cali for 2 adults and 2 children.

Cali Ocean SWB 150PS Manual
Colour: Either Mojave Beige or Bamboo green (as yet undecided)
17" Cascavel alloy wheels; black diamond turned surface 7J x 17
Heavy-duty anti-roll bars (front and rear) with standard suspension and shock absorbers
Lowering springs (dealer fit)
Cruise control
Leather multi-function steering wheel and gearshift knob with radio and telephone controls
App connect (to pair iPhone/use Apple maps rather than spend £1400 on Discovery Sat Nat system)
Composition Media Radio with 6.33" touch screen
App Connect
Front and rear parking sensors with rear-view camera £ 624.00
Bed extension with comfort sleeping mat
Awning
Chrome pack
Green heat insulating glass in cab with double glazed green privacy glass in the passenger compartment

I've had the manual vs DSG discussion elsewhere on the forum, but husband is still set on the manual. I worry this might affect re-sale but we plan/hope to hold onto it for a long time.

Any thoughts/obvious omissions, would be most welcome from those more experienced than us!

Many thanks

Jayne

 

[T6 CFO]

Mud flaps?


Mike

 

[Seaside Sussex]

Yes I knew I'd forgotten to add them to the list, they are on the spec. Thanks @T6 CFO sorry to read of the delays to yours. Must be very frustrating Mike.

 

[T6 RXC]

Hi all

Could I please ask for some feedback on our spec prior to going into the dealer at the weekend and ordering. Having had a read on here, I'm having second thoughts on the comfort mattress due to the need for a lower parcel shelf (?), which will affect storage. We'll most be using the Cali for 2 adults and 2 children.

Cali Ocean SWB 150PS Manual
Colour: Either Mojave Beige or Bamboo green (as yet undecided)
17" Cascavel alloy wheels; black diamond turned surface 7J x 17
Heavy-duty anti-roll bars (front and rear) with standard suspension and shock absorbers
Lowering springs (dealer fit)
Cruise control
Leather multi-function steering wheel and gearshift knob with radio and telephone controls
App connect (to pair iPhone/use Apple maps rather than spend £1400 on Discovery Sat Nat system)
Composition Media Radio with 6.33" touch screen
App Connect
Front and rear parking sensors with rear-view camera £ 624.00
Bed extension with comfort sleeping mat
Awning
Chrome pack
Green heat insulating glass in cab with double glazed green privacy glass in the passenger compartment

I've had the manual vs DSG discussion elsewhere on the forum, but husband is still set on the manual. I worry this might affect re-sale but we plan/hope to hold onto it for a long time.

Any thoughts/obvious omissions, would be most welcome from those more experienced than us!

Many thanks

Jayne

we picked ours 2 weeks ago, Bamboo Green Lowered Springs, just about the same as yours but we did not bother with the awning pack.

 

[Julian_Camper_Man]

Just an opinion but I wished I had not bothered with 18" Springfield wheels even though they look great because I had to pay out a fortune for them and on top had to buy a 17" spare plus bracket and security locking nut!! Grrr!!

So yours seems a good choice although the standard ones still look really nice and with the silver/black central inserts because they are different to the T5 make it look more like a T6 so maybe I would reconsider the Cascavel's and save a load of money while not detracting from the vehicle in any way. See T6 RXC above - looks really great and I wished I had chosen these!! (Damn)

I would lose the:

- Heavy-duty anti-roll bars (front and rear) with standard suspension and shock absorbers
- Lowering springs (dealer fit); but

(Sorry T6 RXC!!)

But I would fit chrome side pipes instead and it actually makes the van look lower as well as more stylish to me at least and loads of people at the Gloucester meeting thought the van had been lowered and commented on how good they looked so for a very low cost less than £400 it looks great

Go for DSG without a shadow of doubt just for the pleasure and ease of the thing over a manual - this is supposed to be a relaxing holiday rig so lay back and let the van do the work, not you!

Keep the Mattress for comfort if you plan to sleep in it - you can still use it for a parcel shelf and if you have a blow up awning all your excess stuff can go in that including a portaloo!

I love the automatic closing doors and would alway choose this and for £600 ish it makes it a more luxurious option and makes me smile every time!!

We have never used the roll out awning but apparently you can retro fit them so consider this but maybe think about a drive-away blow up awning for £600 - £800. My daughter bought a Vango Galli for £700 new and it is a god-send for sleeping and cooking and is so easy to inflate and fix and the kids love it.

We chose Alcantara seats and this is superbly luxurious option although the standard fabric is also really nice and is still bespoke to a T6

Lights - we went for the LED's and they just look amazing and light up the motorway so if I were a H&S fanatic I would get them just for that reason alone but for stunning good looks it makes the van look great although they are expensive but I am so pleased with them and they follow the lanes as you turn and highlight kerbs on junctions so it is a really great addition

Bike rack? Looks really good on in my opinion despite all the complaints from T5 owners but a complete waste of time if you are never going to carry ride on them (still looks good though and accents the recreational aspect of the vehicle!! However, for future-proofing, if you ever plan on a tour of Europe then these are brilliant to load up a boot box or boot carrier for extra equipment and suit cases but it does mean you will struggle opening the boot enroute and it does mean visibility is seriously reduced if you use a boot box

Whatever you choose it will be personal to you so just go for it and remember this is a very rare purchase your are going to make in the whole of your life so don't be afraid to push the boat out since it is unlikely you will get this chance too many times ahead in your life unless you win the lottery!! So just say bugger it and go enjoy it!!!!!

Hope this helps!!

Oh by the way Mud Flaps are essential as recommended by T6 CFO!!!

 

[Seaside Sussex]

we picked ours 2 weeks ago, Bamboo Green Lowered Springs, just about the same as yours but we did not bother with the awning pack.

View attachment 16842

Loving your van @T6 RXC I recognise that as Brighton pier?

@Julian_Camper_Man Thanks for your input, lots of food for thought there. Hubby keen on lowering springs to improve drivability as reduces wallowiness (not sure if that's a word!), but agree about side bars essentially doing the same looks-wise.

DSG - yes, still humming and ahhing about that one…. watch this space!

Re the bike rack - hubby is a mountain biker and we intend to get one, just not sure about how the current VW one will hold his bike due to the frame on it, so that'll be a retro fit.

LED lights sound great - I'll go and investigate further…

 

[T6 RXC]

Hi yes it is Brighton, we took part in the Brighton Breeze.

When we spec'd our Cali it was against the lessons we had learnt with out converted T5 and affordability.

So our spec includes: lowered springs, side bars, bike rack (we take it off when not in use), the LED lights, DSG as this gives overall a far smoother ride than a manual box, rear camera and parking sensors, privacy glass with the heat insulation and as a real treat we fitted the discover media system. We held off from the awning as we already have the awnings, the Vango Galli for longer stops (it is quite heavy) and a simple sunscreen/shade for day trips. I considered mud flaps but there are pro's and con's, didn't need them on the T5 so left them off.

Compared to driving the T5 Kombi this really is a far superior experience.

 

[Seaside Sussex]

@T6 RXC did you go for the heavy duty anti-roll bars as well as lowering? If not, how do you find the ride with the lowering alone?

Is there a benefit to the LED when abroad as well - seem to recall reading something to this effect somewhere on here?

 

[T6 CFO]

@T6 RXC did you go for the heavy duty anti-roll bars as well as lowering? If not, how do you find the ride with the lowering alone?

Is there a benefit to the LED when abroad as well - seem to recall reading something to this effect somewhere on here?

Yep you can evidently just change it in settings.


Mike

 

[T6 RXC]

hi, no we did not see the need to change the roll bars as although the T5 wallowed a bit it was never really an issue for us. To be honest we elect for the LEDs more for the fab look I will need to look into the overseas aspects.

 

[T6 CFO]

Here we go thread on led lights.

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/led-headlights-in-europe.13252/page-2

See post 35 tells you how to do it.


Mike

 

[Seaview]

We are two adults and two children and are glad we have the heavy duty anti roll bars. We've noticed that it appears to make the vehicle less 'bouncy' when parked up. We did hire a Cali without them before buying ours and noticed the difference in the drive handling too.

DSG is great!

 

[Seaside Sussex]

Thank you @Seaview, that's helpful and confirms our suspicions. We had a Touran previously and it was very wallowy, especially when cornering - we felt this would only be enhanced in a larger vehicle thus why we've got it as an option.

 

[bigmac77]

We use the Comfortz Leisure mattress topper which folds up just like the VW one but you can use it with the metal parcel shelf in its highest position thus giving maximum storage space in boot. It enables us to fit two 84L really useful boxes from Staples underneath which together hold all of our camping gear and can be slid out for easy access.

Also the Comfortz Leisure topper is really comfy and probably cheaper.

 

[Seaside Sussex]

@bigmac77 yes, I had a look at the Comfortz ones online earlier. Do you know if you need the parcel shelf one plus the topper? (it seems to looks that way).

 

[Julian_Camper_Man]

Hi Seaside Sussex - the only thing I would do is test drive the T6 as standard since what you may find is that the suspension on the T5 may be different - I had a T5 for a weekend and did find it slightly bouncy but do not feel this on the T6 so maybe compare apples with apples or T6's with T6's - just a thought to help you decide and possibly save some money

 

[bigmac77]

@bigmac77 yes, I had a look at the Comfortz ones online earlier. Do you know if you need the parcel shelf one plus the topper? (it seems to looks that way).

We have a T5.1 so it might be different but the parcel shelf in its highest position is the same height as the folded flat seat so we haven't bought the 1" shelf extender.

 

[Days out]

Hi seaside Sussex.

I would certainly recommend the Lowering kit. Even when I was on 17" rims it made the van "sit" right visually and in my opinion the ride is excellent. Had many comments that the cali looked less like a van as it sat lower. I'm not sure what effect the heavy duty anti roll bars will have on top of this.

Chrome pack great especially as you get the black B pillars. Will look ace on either colour you choose. Wish I had ordered this because I ended up buying the parts and fitting them myself afterwards. Not too tricky but would have been better from the factory.

Photo shows 30mm VW lowering kit running on standard 17" alloys and black B pillar wrap.



We didn't bother with the awning as I didn't like the big box stuck on the side so agree with T6 RXC. But gave since bought an awning for £90.90 that just clips into place into the standard plastic strip on roof of Cali. Fit when you need it and folds up very small. Made by eurotrail and bought on eBay.

I didn't buy an expensive mattress topper but bought one for £30.00 and it's great. We tried to survive without using one to maximise capacity in the boot but in the end realised that even just 2" of memory foam made all the difference for a good nights kip.

But best option I specified was the DSG automatic gearbox. It really is great. Makes driving easy and pleasurable. One huge advantage is when you park up even in a slope and put the gear selector into park you can leave off the handbrake whilst you swivel the seats around.

 

[Days out]

One other thing is recommend if you are going for standard cloth seats is to get sone proper seat covers. I bought some second hand Brandrup ones and fitted them before my children breathed on our new Cali. They look like original seats and not covers and I must say I'm more relaxed when the are in the van eating dangerous foods such as anything with tomato ketchup or when you use the seats as extra worktop space when making breakfast!!! You can see in the photo the backs the covers gave in them but underneath are nice clean seats.

 

[Days out]

Sorry. Should have read ... "you can see in the photo the marks the covers have on them"

Either I need to check my spelling better or loose some weight off my fingertips so I type more accurately!

 

[T6 RXC]

One other thing is recommend if you are going for standard cloth seats is to get sone proper seat covers. I bought some second hand Brandrup ones and fitted them before my children breathed on our new Cali. They look like original seats and not covers and I must say I'm more relaxed when the are in the van eating dangerous foods such as anything with tomato ketchup or when you use the seats as extra worktop space when making breakfast!!! You can see in the photo the backs the covers gave in them but underneath are nice clean seats.

View attachment 16849

hi #days out, how many eggs can you cook at once in that toaster/poacher machine and where did you buy ?

 

[Seaside Sussex]

Such great advice, thank you all. Will discuss with hubby and go from there.

@Days out yes, will definitely invest in some covers if only to minimise stress levels! Your Cali looks great. Starting to reconsider white option again now.... arghh!

 

[Days out]

Such great advice, thank you all. Will discuss with hubby and go from there.

@Days out yes, will definitely invest in some covers if only to minimise stress levels! Your Cali looks great. Starting to reconsider white option again now.... arghh!

Thanks. Yes very pleased with it. Seat covers are a must with a 4yr old boy.

 

[Teejay]

Thank you @Seaview, that's helpful and confirms our suspicions. We had a Touran previously and it was very wallowy, especially when cornering - we felt this would only be enhanced in a larger vehicle thus why we've got it as an option.

I've specified the anti roll bars for the ride but also this is a slab sided vehicle and subject to windy conditions so the heavy roll bars should aid that too.

 

[Days out]

hi #days out, how many eggs can you cook at once in that toaster/poacher machine and where did you buy ?

The tefal "egg n toast" was bought on eBay. It cooks 1x poached egg and 2x toast simultaneously/perfectly. Or you can cook beans, bacon etc. I've even heated up croissants whilst making egg on toast. Oh and you can do boiled eggs too.

It's the best thing I've bought apart from the Cali of course. Ideal for a campervan where it combines so many jobs into one small machine.

You just need electric hook up to use it.