first adventure without other half!

[Speleo62]

Mr Speleo62 off on a boys own adventure to Scotland kayaking so I'm taking the Cali to west wittering for Saturday night for a girls weekend with daughter. Only drove it for first time tonight. Slightly apprehensive as van is only 2 wks old! Any tips or suggestions.

 

[DM]

Haha - good luck. Mrs DM had a similar experience a couple of weeks ago whilst I amused myself sea kayaking in Ireland. Jacquie took our 4 week old Cali to Bristol with her Ozzie sister and niece / nephew to see my son at Uni there.
She got on fine but we went through all the controls / camping equipment several times before the big day. She also chose to stay at a campsite just outside Bristol and use the park and ride so she didn't have to drive and park in the City.

A great time was had - her only problem was that using her phone for Satnav used up all her data as her plan is quite limited.

Have a great weekend.

PS. The Cali came back in one piece - I haven't found any broken bits yet!

 

[GrannyJen]

Watch out for the "I'm not going to be overtaken by a van, especially one driven by a woman" syndrome.

It can be quite tedious, pull level with someone when overtaking and they see a van and just have to accelerate.

 

[Speleo62]

Watch out for the "I'm not going to be overtaken by a van, especially one driven by a woman" syndrome.

It can be quite tedious, pull level with someone when overtaking and they see a van and just have to accelerate.

Thanks Granny Jen, will be in your neck off the woods, the lovey A27!

DM - camping part and how it works not a problem as its been me telling OH how it all works! It the driving a van bit, I drive a galaxy and have driven minibuses but it's the 2 wk old bit is worrying me. Won't be going to any busy car parks that's for sure!,

 

[GrannyJen]

Thanks Granny Jen, will be in your neck off the woods, the lovey A27!

DM - camping part and how it works not a problem as its been me telling OH how it all works! It the driving a van bit, I drive a galaxy and have driven minibuses but it's the 2 wk old bit is worrying me. Won't be going to any busy car parks that's for sure!,

Going to West Wittering as well,

At least you will only have to endure half of the government-made folly to hell known as the Chichester by-pass

One of my "things wanting to do" before I get to0 old is to ask someone responsible why they thought it sensible to build a bypass of a major city with 5 roundabouts and a set of traffic lights in less than three miles.

 

[Archie]

Thanks Granny Jen, will be in your neck off the woods, the lovey A27!

DM - camping part and how it works not a problem as its been me telling OH how it all works! It the driving a van bit, I drive a galaxy and have driven minibuses but it's the 2 wk old bit is worrying me. Won't be going to any busy car parks that's for sure!,

Probably easiest to scratch it and put a dink in the body work with the galaxy door yourself before you set off!
We were a lot less precious about our new SE once it had a few scrapes on it. Funnily enough we weren't worried at all when we got the new beach this year which was just as well as I scratched it on the 2nd day
I took our girls camping for one night on my own last year while my wife was off with friends. I couldn't believe how much extra stuff there was to do to set up and cook a meal when I was doing it on my own rather than sharing the workload with my wife. And there was me thinking that she just sits around drinking beer while I do it all!

 

[CoboCali]

two weeks of ownership for us too, and Mrs Cobocali is yet to be in the drivers seat... She has been getting too used to the 5series. That will change today after reading this; enjoy your trip!

 

[phillme]

ha ha don't worry about it ... he can't be that scary or you wouldn't have married him happy hols x

 

[AlanC]

They drive like a car, so really easy.

The more difficult part is maneuvering a Cali, as it is longer than the average car.

Set the door mirrors and use them a lot to see behind you (the interior one is pretty useless on the SE/Ocean) you will soon get the feel of it.

Reverse into a space and tilt the door mirrors down a little so you can see a bit of the ground beside the rear wheels. This makes it easier to align your van with the parking space markings or the curb.

Oh, watch the height bars. Your van is 1.9 mtrs high so will only just go under a 2 mtr high bar. It is frightening driving in a car park that is just able to clear the van roof, you keep ducking!

Other than that they are a great drive.

Good luck

Alan

 

[Speleo62]

Well I've done the maiden voyage. 3 generations in the Cali,made it to west wittering in one piece , have managed 3, 3 point turns in the road. Roof up and down successfully ( thank heavens for a bungee) and made return journey and parked beautifully( if I say so myself))outside the house.

 

[Hotel California]

Well I've done the maiden voyage. 3 generations in the Cali,made it to west wittering in one piece , have managed 3, 3 point turns in the road. Roof up and down successfully ( thank heavens for a bungee) and made return journey and parked beautifully( if I say so myself))outside the house.

Now wait till Mr Speleo62 gets home and do a full check on the Cali.....

Must admit that in four years owning our Cali (only 35.000KM not our daily driver) the wife never drove a single KM in it
I just love driving myself , she's a good driver and i sit next to her driving with no stress at all in her own car , but the Cali is more my car i guess and i am keen on driving it myself.
She did hinted of making a weekendtrip with one of her friends making it a girlweekend but affraid thats not yet on for the moment

 

[LindaF]

I did my first solo camp last weekend (Friday night) - other half came out and joined me on Saturday as he was working late on Friday night. Got to campsite no problem (down a single lane), parked up on a fairly level pitch and got the seats swivelled, roof up, roof bed made up, fridge on (no EHU though) and joined the rest of my camping friends around the camp fire - great weekend and certainly put to rest any fears I had of camping by myself (quite enjoyed it actually). Now when is he working again?

 

[MattBW]

A few tips from my experience (if you aren't used to a van):

If you aren't used to reversing a big vehicle get someone to see you back near trees etc. Even with parking sensors tree branches or other things high up can catch people out because they wont trigger the sensors. Someone on here got caught out and broken a window I believe. Easily done but easily avoided with the warning.

If you use the pop up roof, windows open, sliding door open when opening and closing (but especially when closing). Leaving the windows shut when closing can warp your roof.

I genuinely think you should be fine they drive like a big car really these days. The mirrors offer great visibility imho.

 

[AlanC]

Well I've done the maiden voyage. 3 generations in the Cali,made it to west wittering in one piece , have managed 3, 3 point turns in the road. Roof up and down successfully ( thank heavens for a bungee) and made return journey and parked beautifully( if I say so myself))outside the house.

Glad it all went well.

Alan

 

[BikerGran]

They drive like a car, so really easy.

The more difficult part is maneuvering a Cali, as it is longer than the average car.
Alan

I was quite apprehensive about coming home tomorrow with my first campervan and having to manoevre into my parking space at home, till I checked the measurements and discovered that if they are right, it's actually a little SHORTER than my current estate car! I know the visibility will be an issue so I have to learn to rely on the reversing camera, once I find out how to use it!

 

[GrannyJen]

I was quite apprehensive about coming home tomorrow with my first campervan and having to manoevre into my parking space at home, till I checked the measurements and discovered that if they are right, it's actually a little SHORTER than my current estate car! I know the visibility will be an issue so I have to learn to rely on the reversing camera, once I find out how to use it!

I think that you will probably find the mirrors are more than adequate combined with the proximity sensors.

Driving a Cali for me has been a dream. I can manoeuvre it into spaces more easily than I could a range rover or discovery or even my smaller X3. The proximity warnings do their job and the high seating position with those big mirrors is absolutely brilliant for being able to see where all 4 corners are. The camera is really a bonus.

 

[BikerGran]

Thanks for that - all helps to boost my confidence! It's 30 or so years since I last drove any kind of van but the test drive in the Cali went like a dream! (just realised I am echoing what you said but I've been saying it all the time!)