How long did it take you to decide to buy a Cali?

[Steve39]

I've ordered a Beach this week

One of the best things about this is that I'll (hopefully) be able to contribute on here rather than just lurking and soaking up info.

This caused me to check my profile and I was shocked to see I first joined the forum in 2012. In my defence, I didn't seriously start considering buying until May 2014 when I received a redundancy package making it financially possible.

So for me it was pretty much 3 years give or take a few weeks! Although I could claim 5 years at a push.

Safe to say when it came to ordering, all the dealers were fairly impressed with my detailed knowledge of what I was buying.

How about everyone else? Interested to know if I hold some kind of record...albeit not one to be proud of necessarily!

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[MKRW]

Welcome ... you will have a ball. I've wanted a campervan for 27 years.....!

When they first launched the California I was smitten, only had absolutely no way of affording one. Finally managed to finance our current Cali in 2012.

I currently have really mixed emotions, as agreed the sale on our current Cali SE so really sad as we have had so many adventures; but looking forward to picking up our new Beach next week .......

 

[Meoncoast]

For us it was get a camper/motor home them quickly it was a VW camper then within a couple of week it had to be a Cali for us

 

[Hotel California]

20y....most that time saving money once money was there 2 days ....one day to see the cali in the showroom a second day to pick it up

 

[Stoneybroke]

It started with Mrs S wanting a 'van' for overnighters at dog agility shoes and leisurely driving holidays. A legacy allowed enough dosh to consider an older T5 Caravelle in 2014, with a view to some conversion work.
Once I got driving the Caravelle I was smooth, and thoroughly enjoyed some diy work - leisure battery, split charger, solar, swivel seat, but a pop top seemed disproportionately expensive, so, when early retirement came knocking, and some of my lump sum needed 'investing' I floated the idea of a new California Beach to Mrs S..
The rest, as they say, is history.
Four months investigations, deciding on spec, then order placed Feb 2016, delivered Sept 2016.
No regrets

 

[GillianC]

About 30 minutes at the Newbury Motorhome show last year. Saw it, loved it and bought it. So pleased I did.

 

[Tony Beretta]

About 50K euros

 

[GrannyJen]

A week.

On the Monday, after agonising over a decision for weeks, I sent out about a dozen "I quit, I am now retired" letters.

On the Wednesday I put my flat in London on the market after deciding I no longer needed it if I was retired.

On the Friday, my Sister, with whom I shared main home, dogs and everything else important in life had a complete meltdown at the thought of me being home 7 days a week.

On Saturday I went to a converters showroom and saw a Cali in the yard.

Sunday I spent mostly in front of a computer screen comparing the Cali to different conversions.

Monday I went to Eurovans, Crawley, who had just taken delivery of a new Demo vehicle, for a proper look at a California, saw the Demo vehicle, fell in love, put a deposit on it and collected Albert three months later.

 

[Philip]

Wasn't even aware of this type of vehicle before I started travelling to Scandinavian countries.
Rented one for 3 weeks in 2014 with very positive feelings. When organizing a four weeks Arctic trip in 2016, started to watch the second hand market. When I found what I was looking for in the right price range, it took me a minute phone conversation with my wife to decide. She said 'If you don't do it now, you'll never do it'. Confirmed the purchase right away

 

[hirsty]

My Dad had a mid-size Hymer that I borrowed for occasional UK trips with my daughter (from about age 5 onwards). We then rented a vintage T2 Bay on a whim for what turned out to be a magical week around Glen Nevis / Skye / Harris / Applecross.

When we got home I'd decided a smaller - but more modern! - VW van was the way forward & viable as my sole vehicle, so swapped my car for a used 2009 T5 with a fresh pro conversion.

Two years with that van convinced me I was converted for life, whilst saving up for a factory Cali & learning I'd likely never use a fitted cooker & sink.

Hymer > Beach = 5 years.

 

[iamchucky]

Two trips to New Zealand in 2005/2006 where we toured around in a Ducato camper... been saving ever since but it had to be a VW. So just over 10 years for us!

 

[podge]

Not ordered one yet, lining up to do so later on this year though - it's been 2 1/2 years so far. Kids will be in their prime to enjoy it next year (and our youngest to be old enough to hopefully not completely trash it...)

 

[Moakesy]

Although hired a couple of campers for holidays and looked at the Cali online about two years ago, I quickly dismissed it on cost grounds.

Then it all escalated quickly during two weeks in April this year...

1) Other half sent me a text with a link to a rather worn out transit camper, priced around £4k
2) Couldn't stand that, then heard a work colleague was selling his T5 Convert. Saw it and was fine, but it didn't feel right for us
3) Quick look on eBay and found two Cali's...saw both one Saturday morning and shook hands on one of them
4) Arranged bank transfers, but had issues with upper limits on transferring the cash
5) The guy was VERY kind, and allowed me to pick up the Cali whilst £10k was stuck somewhere between my bank and his

So really, from having no serious plans to buy one to then actually have the Cali sat outside, it took around two weeks.....it felt very impulsive, but I have to say it's by far the best decision I've made in years.

I love it more and more every day.

 

[Verity]

Saw a Nissan conversion on campsite in July; thought it was just what I needed for caring for elderly parents with dementia as can't stay in their house; too small and too expensive BUT then husb said let's sell the caravan and buy a Cali. Found (after quite a lot of inadequate responses from local dealers) a lovely dealership in Northampton who lent us an Ocean to try; ordered it; waited two months; collected; fell in love; still in love!

 

[Bellesca]

Wanted one since 2009,when we kept seeing an increasing number of conversions and Cali's on French campsites year on year. We did a lot of investigating pros/cons and thought we'd have to wait til retirement. After lots of colleagues/friends had ill health issues we decided we couldn't wait any longer and needed to "live it up" in our very own van. Thanks to the additional input from the forum, decided and bought the California in 2015...countdown to retirement..2yrs.

 

[Verity]

Wanted one since 2009,when we kept seeing an increasing number of conversions and Cali's on French campsites year on year. We did a lot of investigating pros/cons and thought we'd have to wait til retirement. After lots of colleagues/friends had ill health issues we decided we couldn't wait any longer and needed to "live it up" in our very own van. Thanks to the additional input from the forum, decided and bought the California in 2015...countdown to retirement..2yrs.

Yes same here. Several friends died so young we just thought sod it we'll sell the house when the boy's off to uni then we'll have the money to pay for the Cali. Life is short and you've got to do reckless things sometimes else what's the point?

 

[Lewis]

Had wanted a camper van since I was a kid and my dad had an old T2 that he never got round to properly renovating. Noticed that a neighbour had bought a Bongo and it reignited my interest but also reminded me how much maintenance is involved in old vans. Was jealous of how much he was getting away but not of the time he spent with the bonnet up.

Did a bit of browsing and realised that a Cali could be a good daily driver option which made it a realistic proposition. I think from that moment it was a certainty (just discovered a screenshot of the first time I looked - November 2014). First child was born soon after so didn't think much about it until November 2015 when we went for a look at the showroom. Ordered 3 months later.

So a long time to be able to commit but never any doubt about what we wanted once we'd discovered the Cali

 

[Borris]

Well in our case, I had researched buying a multi purpose vehicle for about four years prior to actually having the funds available. Primarily, we wanted a people carrier for our hoards of grandchildren but with the facility to be able to sleep in it. We eventually decided to buy seven seater, lwb Caravelle with the bed pack.
However, after visiting several VW Commercial dealers that were either totally useless or appeared completely disinterested in selling us anything, we went to Southern Motor Group at Tonbridge. As soon as we explained what we wanted, Laine Watts, the salesman, showed us a well equipped, brand new Pearl Black SE. It had just been registered and was to be their demonstrator. We were the first people to sit in it. So after four years of research, Laine had taken just 30 minutes (actually probably much less), to pursued us that we should instead, be totally selfish and buy this vehicle to service our own hedonistic desires. We were going to have to deal with the people carrier issue later.

Six months later we went back to Laine to buy that Caravelle for the grand children. So what did he pursued us to buy? A seven seat T6 Cali Beach! That was also their brand new, well specced, un registered soon to be demonstrator.

Both vehicles are absolutely brilliant.

 

[flying banana]

took me over 12 months. car was ready for an upgrade. I've had 2 cars in 25 years looked at conversions. saw the cali. loved camping. still do obviously. but it's a financial massive decision. never paid more than 8 large for a car before. went to look at a beach and ocean at Hull. then the bloke kept phoning me up. asking what I thought. like I was in curry's buying a fridge freezer he annoyed me a bit really. wanted an ocean but just too far out of my price range. eventually needed to swap my mortgage so cheekily asked for a 30 large advance that's an extra 200 sheets a month. they said yes. flogged my car and bought my yellow t6 beach 2nd hand. best thing after a house in ever bought. was i waffling there?

 

[sapto]

I used to have a VW T4 Transporter for a winter season job in 2007, after that I knew I want that kind of car to cope with my needs (wintersports, I love camping), after that it took me 8 years to buy a 10 years old California SE (3rd hand) and loved it from minute one. I won't be able to buy a house for the next 20 years but I love to camp now and I'm happy with my flat.

 

[Niborn]

A week.

On the Monday, after agonising over a decision for weeks, I sent out about a dozen "I quit, I am now retired" letters.

On the Wednesday I put my flat in London on the market after deciding I no longer needed it if I was retired.

On the Friday, my Sister, with whom I shared main home, dogs and everything else important in life had a complete meltdown at the thought of me being home 7 days a week.

On Saturday I went to a converters showroom and saw a Cali in the yard.

Sunday I spent mostly in front of a computer screen comparing the Cali to different conversions.

Monday I went to Eurovans, Crawley, who had just taken delivery of a new Demo vehicle, for a proper look at a California, saw the Demo vehicle, fell in love, put a deposit on it and collected Albert three months later.

Arhhh, My Cali arrives , yet to have a name , at EuroVans too , meant to be collection this week , who did you deal with at EuroVans and do you still go there for service ?

 

[Niborn]

Arhhh, My Cali arrives , yet to have a name , at EuroVans too , meant to be collection this week , who did you deal with at EuroVans and do you still go there for service ?

That last post was meant for grannyjen....

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Upon selling a holiday apartment, on the North Coast, back in January 2016, I briefly considered using the equity from the sale, to purchase a Ford Wellhouse Terrier. I hadn't really considered a "camper-van" before this, but I liked the idea of being able to enjoy visiting different places each free weekend, rather than going to the same holiday apartment, most of the time. However, I only got as far as browsing the Wellhouse website, and having a nosy at the prices etc, before the idea went somewhat off the boil, as we made quite a dent in the equity windfall, by re-decorating our main residence.

It wasn't until late July 2016, that I started to consider the VW California, and once I found the Beach variant, which I was unaware of beforehand, I realised that this was ideal for our circumstances, as it could also be our daily driver, and not just a second vehicle for high-days etc. We only have a single car-parking space, so having multiple vehicles, would have resulted in some monthly parking costs, or the inconvenience of storing at my parents house some 30 miles away when not in use.

After, I would say, about 3-weeks of what I would call "confirmation bias" research.... We placed a factory-order with the only California sales outlet in Northern Ireland (Donnelly Bros, Dungannon) at the end of August 2016. Before placing the order, we had only been able to sit in an SE and drive a Transporter. So, it was definitely a leap-of-faith.

Our California Beach arrived late January 2017, after an agonising wait.... Which was mostly spent on this forum, I think! All I can say now is, it was the best decision, and the leap-of-faith has paid off. So far, we have spent 44x nights away in the van, and covered over 12,000 miles though 10x different countries.

When possible, we Airbnb our home, whilst away in the van.... So, the van is pretty much paying for itself. With average annual mileage of 100 miles per day, or 36,500 miles per annum.... We hope our van will have a lifespan of between 6-8 years, before we consider changing it, this is double our normal change cycle, but I have faith that it'll work out. I price depreciation at 15-20p per mile, fuel at similar and everything else (tyres, insurance, tax, servicing etc.) at 10p per mile. So, I basically see the California as costing between 40-50p per mile to run, this compares to previous cars which cost between 25-30p per mile (I keep quite detailed records of this sort of thing, for some reason I seem to enjoy it.) The £££ saved, on accommodation costs, balances the books for us.

Our circumstances, are perhaps quite unique, however it does go to show how versatile the California is, and the broad spectrum of use-cases it covers. As a married couple, in our mid-30's, with a small dog..... California ownership, has bought a great deal of flexibility, and enjoyment to our lives, long may it continue!

Fortune favours the brave - Below photo was taken last Saturday night, at Greencastle, County Down.

 

[GrannyJen]

Arhhh, My Cali arrives , yet to have a name , at EuroVans too , meant to be collection this week , who did you deal with at EuroVans and do you still go there for service ?

Mike Harbison sold me the Cali.

Service is now done by SMG Cowfold ... they collect, do th job, deliver back and all very competent.

 

[Niborn]

Thanks for that , yes Mike is selling me mine ...