Feedback on our spec (Ocean) please

[Wrinkly Ninja]

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

Hello Seaside
I have been reading the forums for some time while I refine the spec of my new Ocean order.
In addition we hired a T6 150 DSG a month ago and spent a week in Cornwall so that we could finally make our minds up about certain things.
Our thoughts are:
DSG absolutely brilliant...you can concentrate on negotiating narrow lanes and not being clipped by huge oncoming Motorhomes without giving any thought to what gear you are in. The DSG made the whole week ten times more relaxing. We were originally going for Manual.
Heavy Duty anti roll bars a must in my opinion as they do exactly what they say...reduce roll especially when negotiating roundabouts.
We were getting front and rear park sensors already but the Rear Camera was brilliant in awkward parking situations and when having to reverse back to a passing place in narrow lanes...so now on the spec.
We have gone for 4 motion because we have found that some of the best views are at the far end of sites and grass gets very slippery!
We went for 80 litre capacity fuel tank...very cheap extra and could be very worthwhile on longer journeys and also abroad.
Like you...app connect and larger screen for Google maps (why pay lots for Sat. Nav?) also Privacy rear glass...also gives better heat insulation.
For the avoidance of doubt make sure you ask for Heated rear window with wash/wipe. This is a "extra" tick box on the configurator.
We have opted for Full size alloy spare also. We had a puncture on one of our rental trips and had a holiday with a crummy steel spare wheel with a different tyre. (get a wheel lock for the spare!)
2 USB interfaces..we always want to charge phones,iPads,iPods and of course run the google maps.

Well I think that's it...I hope it is helpful.

Can you tell me how much the lowering springs are...parts and fitting...thank you

Hope you enjoy your new arrival!

 

[SusiBus]

If you tick the option of the heated rear window and wash/wipe you lose the double glazed rear window. If you have a bike rack, you can't see much at the back window anyway, and being a van use you the mirrors rather than the rear view mirror anyway, so even if the rear window is misted up it's not a problem.

With the comfort mattress the rear shelf has to be at the lower position,so you do lose valuable storage space, which is all very important in aCali, the extra thick mattress is where your head is, think about having a different topper.

Love DSG, love 4motion

 

[Seaside Sussex]

@Wrinkly Ninja thank you for that really informative post especially about the rear windscreen though take on board what @SusiBus says.

Lowering springs are around £455 fitted but our dealer is doing them cheaper as part of our offer.

@SusiBus thank you for the alternative perspective on the rear window. Told dealer to take off comfort mattress as don't want to compromise valuable storage space. Comfortz leisure seem to do a good alternative.

 

[Wrinkly Ninja]

@Wrinkly Ninja thank you for that really informative post especially about the rear windscreen though take on board what @SusiBus says.

Lowering springs are around £455 fitted but our dealer is doing them cheaper as part of our offer.

@SusiBus thank you for the alternative perspective on the rear window. Told dealer to take off comfort mattress as don't want to compromise valuable storage space. Comfortz leisure seem to do a good alternative.

@Seaside Sussex
Thanks for the Springs pricing
For the upper bed we got a mattress cover from Dunelm.. they do 5 or 6 different ones.. which can stay on the mattress and under the sheet when the roof is lowered and was about £40...very comfortable

 

[Seaview]

Hi Jayne

Just another thought ......

We find having the electric door really useful. Parents can have hands full, be locking up the house etc and still manage to easily open the door for children to jump into the Cali with the press of a button on the key fob. It can also be opened and closed with a switch on the dash.

Elaine

 

[daveyboydanger]

Hi Jayne

Just another thought ......

We find having the electric door really useful. Parents can have hands full, be locking up the house etc and still manage to easily open the door for children to jump into the Cali with the press of a button on the key fob. It can also be opened and closed with a switch on the dash.

Elaine

That's exactly the reason we've ordered our new van with the electric door. The kids find it hard to open the sliding door (and people that haven't used the van before seem to struggle too). So being able to open from the drivers seat or from the house is just brilliant.

 

[Joker 1299]

For the avoidance of doubt make sure you ask for Heated rear window with wash/wipe. This is a "extra" tick box on the configurator.

You do realise that this option deletes the standard double glazed rear window with wash/wipe, right?

 

[Seaside Sussex]

Thanks @Joker 1299 for that. I'd read similar elsewhere on the thread and we are keeping the standard not heated but double glazed version. Worth pointing it out to anyone reading this thread for future reference though.

Re electric door, thanks for your input @daveyboydanger and @Seaview - we aren't speccing this as need to keep a handle (!) on costs, otherwise it'll escalate considerably. Our children are much older so able to manage the door fine (no problems with friends Caravelle) and can help with fetching and carrying!

 

[GrannyJen]

Jayne,

Regarding your comfort mattress, I did the same. The difference it makes to having the parcel shelf on the higher notch makes a big difference and IMO you are right in speccing the comfortz topper, which is what I use.

 

[Julian_Camper_Man]

Bowls: John Lewis
Cutlery: TK Max
Speckled Hen: Waitrose
Cushions: The Range

Enjoy yours however you spec it out!

Best wishes

Julian

 

[Wrinkly Ninja]

You do realise that this option deletes the standard double glazed rear window with wash/wipe, right?

I'm a bit confused here...
Does the Ocean come with double glazed rear window and wash wipe combined as standard?
If so,why is rear wash wipe an option?...and why should it rmove the double glazed window?

 

[SusiBus]

No wash/wipe as standard, double glazed as standard.

Soup and Specked Hen, my type of cooking!

 

[Teejay]

I'm a bit confused here...
Does the Ocean come with double glazed rear window and wash wipe combined as standard?
If so,why is rear wash wipe an option?...and why should it rmove the double glazed window?

My understanding is that rear wash/wipe with double glazed is standard. Once you select the heated rear you lose the double glazed. I've gone with heated and expect to get single glazed rear wash/wipe.

 

[Roger Boeken]

I can recommend ACC instead of CC.
Why lowering springs ? The higher position in a cali is one of the advantages I believe.

 

[Pete Toogood]

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

 

[Joker 1299]

Double glazed with wash wipe is standard. The option list shows heated rear screen with wash wipe. This might lead people to think, incorrectly, that you only get wash wipe if you chose this option. Not the case.

 

[Pete Toogood]

Your spec. is very similar to ours. We went for manual, largely on a cost basis, which is fine but, having now spent some time in a DSG vehicle I might easily be swayed that way. Now the DSG has a freewheel facility it all just seems to flow so easily and is more economical. Other than cost I don't see a downside to DSG. However, we picked ours up last week and were told that if we had ordered DSG we would have had to wait another 4-5 months due to shortages ! This other vehicle I drove for a while had the heated windscreen which coincided with some cold , misty mornings and it was great to get a screen cleared so quickly. That is an option I should gone for. Oh, yes , we went for the Mojhave beige, looks grey in dull light and bronze in the sun- an interesting colour option.

 

[Wrinkly Ninja]

My understanding is that rear wash/wipe with double glazed is standard. Once you select the heated rear you lose the double glazed. I've gone with heated and expect to get single glazed rear wash/wipe.

Aha I understand now...many thanks Teejay1

 

[Wrinkly Ninja]

Double glazed with wash wipe is standard. The option list shows heated rear screen with wash wipe. This might lead people to think, incorrectly, that you only get wash wipe if you chose this option. Not the case.

Thanks to you and Teejay both.
They sometimes don't make these thing clear on the configurator or in the Brochure etc.
This can cause real problems.
The Comfort seat option clobbering swivel seats is a prime example.
Perhaps the Club could construct a "Pitfalls" list for those people who are looking at the spec for a proposed order?

 

[Joker 1299]

Giraffes are just the best thing ever!

 

[Wrinkly Ninja]

Giraffes are just the best thing ever!

Absolutely agree...I took this picture in March on Safari in South Africa...wonderful creatures and awesome to have them in the wild walk right next to the Land Rover.

 

[Joker 1299]

Only seen them in captivity, Chester Zoo mainly, but they are so graceful.

 

[Seaside Sussex]

Thanks all. Order is in!

Now comes the accessories/equipment - first purchase was a silicone pop-up colander in the sale at Robert Dyas this morning!

 

[Seaside Sussex]

I can recommend ACC instead of CC.
Why lowering springs ? The higher position in a cali is one of the advantages I believe.

We have ACC on other vehicle and much prefer standard CC - ACC in our opinion takes too much control away from the driver. Horses for courses and all that though…

Lowering springs = lower centre of gravity, making handling more secure. At 30mm less, not going to affect visibility/ground clearance significantly but does make for a better ride especially for passengers, combined with the upgraded roll bars.

 

[Wrinkly Ninja]

We have ACC on other vehicle and much prefer standard CC - ACC in our opinion takes too much control away from the driver. Horses for courses and all that though…

Lowering springs = lower centre of gravity, making handling more secure. At 30mm less, not going to affect visibility/ground clearance significantly but does make for a better ride especially for passengers, combined with the upgraded roll bars.

Agree with you on standard CC...don't like to be overruled.
Have also ordered HD anti roll bars and am booking lower springs for when SuperCalifregelistic arrives