Good bye to our California life

[larrylamb]

I would say £35K was quite a good trade in price and they are pricing the Cali at £37 for a reasonably quick spring/summer sale. I personally don't think a 2011 is worth nearly £40, can't have been much more new. Watch this space, see how long it hangs around. Enjoy your new van.

 

[Rich20]

I expect they want to shift it on quickly. Proberbly had quite a bit of leeway on the motorhome you bought to be able to give you a good trade in price.

 

[andrewjh009]

We are also saying au revoir to california life, we just could not get on with not having on board facilities, we love to wild camp and lack of toilet was a bigger problem than we expected.

We have now put a deposit down on an Autocruise Rhythm where we nbot only gain a toilet and shower we now also have a lounge area, microwave, hot and cold water and an oven, all for less than £46k brand new. At first we thought the size would be an issue but parking the Cali along side there is not much in it, these can also be easily parked in a supermarket car park just like the Cali.

One thing I will miss is the VW scene and the club as there are so many great people on here and it was nice to actually meet some of you in June

Here is what we now own http://www.marquisleisure.co.uk/motorhomes/stock-item/autocruise-rhythm

 

[hirsty]

nice bus - I think these midsize vehicles are great for longer trips, or as you say wild camping.

I saw super cool Peugeot-based one up by Hadrians Wall once, semi off-road tyres & a bit jacked-up. If I had anywhere to park it I'd be tempted as a dedicated camping/touring vehicle.

 

[motacyclist]

Picked up our brand new Tribute T669 for £39,000 and p/x for our loved cali yesterday then got home and checked this out...

http://www.camperne.com/cars/vw-california-se-4x4-180ps-dsg-auto/

We were given £35,000 as p/x value of our dreamy Cali, then to see it for resale at just £36,995. Sign of the times? Surely should be closer to £40,000 regardless of 56k miles??? OR is mileage a big factor, public aware of roof issues or is T6 finally affecting T5.1 value? Who knows?


Frank & Family

My guess is that there would have been a discount on the price of the Tribute had there been no p/x. For example 5%, say, would be about £2000, this discount has probably been added to the trade in price of your Cali.

Still a lot of van for the money, and you need to love a Cali an awful lot to forego the luxuries of the Tribute! Feeling envious now!

 

[sapto]

We are also saying au revoir to california life ...
At first we thought the size would be an issue but parking the Cali along side there is not much in it, these can also be easily parked in a supermarket car park just like the Cali.

One thing I will miss is the VW scene and the club as there are so many great people on here and it was nice to actually meet some of you in June

Looks great! Last year befor buying a Cali in May I also had some of these Ducato-based campervans in mind. Great to drive and a lot of space for two! But as hirsty said: Parking was the problem in my area.

Have fun with your new van and maybe we see some pics here from your new van?

 

[Ambler]

All the best. I am sure you will enjoy your new van.

At similar price to a well specced T6 this is available next year.

http://www.motorhomes.co.uk/motorhomes-for-sale/hymer/van-s/500/1756/

 

[Digger]

Seems some are discontented with their Cailfornias. It all depends on intended use and requirements but no oversized conversion is as practical and able to travel almost everywhere.

 

[andrewjh009]

Seems some are discontented with their Cailfornias. It all depends on intended use and requirements but no oversized conversion is as practical and able to travel almost everywhere.

This may be very slightly true but I was surprised at how similar in size the two vehicles are as we parked the Cali alongside before we purchased the Autocruise and the difference is around 1m . Speaking to other AC owners, the only problem will be height restrictions which does not both me at all as we never use multi storey car parks or the like, you also see plenty of these in supermarket car parks so no problem there.

Don't get me wrong, we tried everything to stay with the Cali but the toilet/bathroom swung it for us. It will be so nice when wild camping having a pee in a proper bathroom in privacy and then have a shower again in my own bathroom with hot water - bliss

Oh yes, the wife plans to make hot croissants for the morning in our oven Sadly none of these things we could do in a Cali

 

[Digger]

This may be very slightly true but I was surprised at how similar in size the two vehicles are as we parked the Cali alongside before we purchased the Autocruise and the difference is around 1m . Speaking to other AC owners, the only problem will be height restrictions which does not both me at all as we never use multi storey car parks or the like, you also see plenty of these in supermarket car parks so no problem there.

Don't get me wrong, we tried everything to stay with the Cali but the toilet/bathroom swung it for us. It will be so nice when wild camping having a pee in a proper bathroom in privacy and then have a shower again in my own bathroom with hot water - bliss

Oh yes, the wife plans to make hot croissants for the morning in our oven Sadly none of these things we could do in a Cali

I agree that everyone has their ideal van and do appreciate that comforts are a great incentive. My needs are lesser and too many parkings areas in the east of Scotland now have height restrictions and wen up north size does matter. I envy the comforts and wish you great times ahead.

 

[andyinluton]

A cali is a compromise - any motorhome with a wc is going to be more convenient, but for the 46 weeks of the year that we are not camping and use the cali as a multipurpose vehicle the cali wins for us. When we are camping in the UK especially Devon & Cornwall in the summer, again for us, the ability to park anywhere a car can is invaluable.

There are better campers than calis
there are better cars than Calis
I dont think there are many that do both as well

 

[motacyclist]

A cali is a compromise - any motorhome with a wc is going to be more convenient, but for the 46 weeks of the year that we are not camping and use the cali as a multipurpose vehicle the cali wins for us. When we are camping in the UK especially Devon & Cornwall in the summer, again for us, the ability to park anywhere a car can is invaluable.

There are better campers than calis
there are better cars than Calis
I dont think there are many that do both as well

Going on from there, we don't actually sleep in the van all that often, I sometimes wonder if we'd be better off with a VW Kombi van. I could buy it through the company and get the VAT back. I could just throw the bikes in the back, take stuff to the tip etc and throw a mattress down for the few days camping we do. We could spend the change on hotels and holidays.

There would be no roof corrosion.

If I got a white one it would be really fast too, and people would get out of my way when they saw it in the mirror

 

[CALI FATE]

All the best. I am sure you will enjoy your new van.

At similar price to a well specced T6 this is available next year.

http://www.motorhomes.co.uk/motorhomes-for-sale/hymer/van-s/500/1756/

It looks like a grey Mercedes van has reversed at speed into a touring caravan

 

[Ambler]

Yes choice of colours is bit strange

 

[Keith Smith]

If I got a white one it would be really fast too, and people would get out of my way when they saw it in the mirror

I drive a LWB Vivaro, in white, and I can tell you that white van supremacy is a myth. The number of times I've been forced into the hedge (I'm rural) by some enormous 4x4 who doesn't want to get its wheels muddy, is legion.