Greetings from Denmark (very-soon-to-be T5 Beach owners)

[Mikron]

Hi all

New to the forum, what a Pandora's Box it is!

After six months of intense preparations we are now in the final stages of taking the plunge!

We've settled on a T5 Beach, mostly due to the three-seater/extra wide bed in the back, and the added space that gives - we usually pack lightly and don't need all the cupboard space of the Coast/Ocean, plus we will make our own kitchen unit with an Alex drawer from Ikea (https://vanclan.de/2019/09/04/mobil...ystem-of-the-vw-bus-t5-t6-based-on-ikea-alex/).

We live in Denmark and due to the exorbitant import taxes on vehicles, the Beach is not for sale anywhere (the absence of a kitchen means that it can't be registered as a camper, but must be registered as a personal vehicle which is much more expensive - all in all, this sends the Beach into a price range that is out of reach for most consumers...). Thus, we must import it and we are looking at this https://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=291476298&lang=en - VW California Beach 4MOTION DSG.

Anyways, can't wait to get this home and start our three month parental leave roadtrip with our seven month old daughter!

Cheers all!

 

[larrylamb]

Hi and welcome.
The Beach looks very nice but a word of caution. I note the mileage and Biturbo engine 2013. There have been instances of these early biturbo engines failing at huge cost, usually 2010-2012 models but also some later. Please read up on potential issues and seek assurance/warranty from your dealer if you go ahead with the purchase.

Oil Comsumption / Engine Problems with 2010/2011 Cali's

My 2010 180 DSG...51000 miles. Last few trips (it's hardly been used last few years) it's using oil...last couple of trips it's gone from full dipstick to nothing on dipstick and oil warning light in approx 350 miles....expensive but is this undue cause for concern ? Anybody else for similar...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Increased Oil Consumption Problem (2010 T5 Cali 180 bhp)

Hello All, I recently purchased a 2010 California from VW. It has covered 60,000 miles and is fitted with the 2.0 bi turbo 180 bhp engine. We have just returned from our first proper trip, we took in Italy and Germany on a 2,500 mile round trip. The van ran faultless apart from consuming...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[kave]

Welcome. Your german friend probably got inspiration from this forum too:

Ikea alex kitchen pod DIY

I've posted a couple of times little pieces about my self made IKEA Alex kitchen pod, but I thought I make a separate topic as the information right now is scattered everywhere. The base I started from is this one http://www.ikea.com/be/nl/catalog/products/50255287/#/00261295 It's 36cm wide...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

The vehicle you linked to dont seem to have the heater for the cabin so it will only run for short duration and heat engine and then some to the passenger compartment.
Look out for luftstandheziung.

 

[Mikron]

Hi and welcome.
The Beach looks very nice but a word of caution. I note the mileage and Biturbo engine 2013. There have been instances of these early biturbo engines failing at huge cost, usually 2010-2012 models but also some later. Please read up on potential issues and seek assurance/warranty from your dealer if you go ahead with the purchase.

Oil Comsumption / Engine Problems with 2010/2011 Cali's

My 2010 180 DSG...51000 miles. Last few trips (it's hardly been used last few years) it's using oil...last couple of trips it's gone from full dipstick to nothing on dipstick and oil warning light in approx 350 miles....expensive but is this undue cause for concern ? Anybody else for similar...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Increased Oil Consumption Problem (2010 T5 Cali 180 bhp)

Hello All, I recently purchased a 2010 California from VW. It has covered 60,000 miles and is fitted with the 2.0 bi turbo 180 bhp engine. We have just returned from our first proper trip, we took in Italy and Germany on a 2,500 mile round trip. The van ran faultless apart from consuming...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply and inspect the car! I have been in contact with the seller, because the ad says that the engine was exchanged at 106.000km which I found to be quite soon, but now that I read your post and the links it suddenly makes sense. He confirmed it was replaced on the guarantee due to “increased oil consumption”.

 

[Mikron]

Welcome. Your german friend probably got inspiration from this forum too:

Ikea alex kitchen pod DIY

I've posted a couple of times little pieces about my self made IKEA Alex kitchen pod, but I thought I make a separate topic as the information right now is scattered everywhere. The base I started from is this one http://www.ikea.com/be/nl/catalog/products/50255287/#/00261295 It's 36cm wide...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

The vehicle you linked to dont seem to have the heater for the cabin so it will only run for short duration and heat engine and then some to the passenger compartment.
Look out for luftstandheziung.

Thank you very much for this!
The ad says “Klimaautomatik Climatronic (Fahrerhaus + Lade-/Fahrgastraum), Standheizung mit Fernbedienung und Zeitschaltuhr” - I took that to mean that it does have heating in the cabin?
his is quite crucial for us.

Can you elaborate on the “luftstandheizung” - is that something I should be certain that the car has, or avoid at all costs?

Also, the seller just informed me that this car does not have an automatic sliding door, which I was quite bummed about, as we would prefer that. Now, I don’t want this to turn into another electric vs. manual discussion , but just want to make sure that the seller is wrong when he said, that it’s only the Multivan and Ocean that can have electric doors? I seem to recall other Beach owners talking about their electric door.

Cheers!

 

[kave]

There are two heaters.
One for the engine which heats the coolant. That is stanard on probably all diesel engines. The above Cali has that and a timer and remote for it. It is meant for defrosting and preheating the engine. It is not meant for keeping the van warm while staying inside. Today with the T6.1 this is a 1249€ option with timer and remote.
What you are after ar the luftstandheizung. With the T6.1 it is a 2070€ option with remote and timer.

 

[clarinetbcn]

Welcome. Your german friend probably got inspiration from this forum too:

Ikea alex kitchen pod DIY

I've posted a couple of times little pieces about my self made IKEA Alex kitchen pod, but I thought I make a separate topic as the information right now is scattered everywhere. The base I started from is this one http://www.ikea.com/be/nl/catalog/products/50255287/#/00261295 It's 36cm wide...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

The vehicle you linked to dont seem to have the heater for the cabin so it will only run for short duration and heat engine and then some to the passenger compartment.
Look out for luftstandheziung.

It has the Beach mini control panel by the rear view mirror, and the ad says it had auxiliar heating. So, it has either the upgraded programable coolant heater, or the parking air heater. Since the control panel for both of them look the same, the only way to tell the difference is whether or not it has a heater outlet on the lower B pillar, right behind the front row right hand seat, just AHEAD of the sliding door. If it does, it has a parking air heater. If it doesn’t, it has the programable coolant heater, used to preheat the engine and cabin on cold mornings, but not meant for heating the cabin for longer periods of time due to high battery usage to run coolant pumps and dash fans.

 

[Borris]

You don't want an electric sliding door. They are complicated, noisy in operation (the wretched thing emits beeps, when in operation, which will wake up the campsite) and it's not unknown for them to go wrong and cost a lot of money to fix. [See threads on this subject.]

 

[MattBW]

Swooooosh budum, the sound of Calis in the wild Wouldnt be the same without it

 

[Borris]

Swooooosh budum, the sound of Calis in the wild Wouldnt be the same without it

We've gone for the soft close thingys on our new van so it's now Swooooosh, click, buzzzzzz instead.

 

[Mikron]

Thanks all for your very detailed replies - especially you clarinetbcn!
We ended up buying the car that I posted, and are now anxiously awaiting its arrival!

 

[clarinetbcn]

Thanks all for your very detailed replies - especially you clarinetbcn!
We ended up buying the car that I posted, and are now anxiously awaiting its arrival!

Congratulations! After all the detailed descriptions, which heater does it actually have?

 

[clarinetbcn]

It has the Beach mini control panel by the rear view mirror, and the ad says it had auxiliar heating. So, it has either the upgraded programable coolant heater, or the parking air heater. Since the control panel for both of them look the same, the only way to tell the difference is whether or not it has a heater outlet on the lower B pillar, right behind the front row right hand seat, just AHEAD of the sliding door. If it does, it has a parking air heater. If it doesn’t, it has the programable coolant heater, used to preheat the engine and cabin on cold mornings, but not meant for heating the cabin for longer periods of time due to high battery usage to run coolant pumps and dash fans.

For true Beach heater info nerds, there is another way to tell the difference, based on the heater labels inside the left hand door jamb: if it has the Beach mini control panel and one heater label, it has the programable upgrade to the coolant heater. If it has the control panel and two heater labels, it has the parking air heater, in addition to a standard cold start auxiliary engine heater that functions below 5 degrees, and whose function is automatic, with no intervention possible from the driver.

 

[Mikron]

Congratulations! After all the detailed descriptions, which heater does it actually have?

The seller replied this when I asked him: "the vehicle has an AIR city heater for the interior camping. the heating can be turned on endlessly at night. "
That didn't answer my question 100%, but to be honest, I didn't want to press the matter as my mind was 90% made up at this point and if it can be turned on endlessly at night is good enough for me

Once I get the car home, I will check the two methods you have described, to see if the seller pulled my leg or not...

Come to think of it, I got a looong list of equipment codes that the car is fitted with, the heaters must have an entry there... Does anyone know the three-digit codes for them?

 

[clarinetbcn]

The seller replied this when I asked him: "the vehicle has an AIR city heater for the interior camping. the heating can be turned on endlessly at night. "
That didn't answer my question 100%, but to be honest, I didn't want to press the matter as my mind was 90% made up at this point and if it can be turned on endlessly at night is good enough for me

Once I get the car home, I will check the two methods you have described, to see if the seller pulled my leg or not...

Come to think of it, I got a looong list of equipment codes that the car is fitted with, the heaters must have an entry there... Does anyone know the three-digit codes for them?

Congratulations again! You have an air heater. Third way of telling the difference: The air heater can be programed to run indefinitely, the coolant heater will only run for 30 min at a time when the engine is off.

 

[Mikron]

That's great to know!

Again, thanks for your infinite wisdom and nerdiness (I say this in the most positive way possible!).

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Look for the stickers inside the drivers door:

 

[Perfectos]

Mikron To the Beach Club it’s wonderful all year round