How many other brave souls just dived straight in?!

[2into1]

I don't think you are going to get many responses from those who ..... fell for the article in the Guardian, wandered into the dealers and paid full price for a van with all the wrong options, tried in once on a wet muddy weekend and hated it - but they do exist. They are just never made it onto the forum, or if they did, it was only to sell their van in the classifieds with the tell-tale "only slept in once" and / or "for sale due to a change in circumstances".

You can approach this sensibly.....hire first, do lots of research on this forum, start with a modest £12k van, and work up from there......or you can just go for it. Most folk who can afford a Cali are bright enough to be able to see the pros and cons in advance, which is why there are so many positive stories here.

If (IF!) list prices continue to escalate, it will not be a disaster for those that Cali-life doesn't suit.

 

[Gazellio]

They are addictive, we are on our third even though for most of that time we have had a large Motorhome for long summer holidays as well. Now we have just the California because its brilliant.

 

[MattBW]

I did get a t25 first but my Beach I just went to test drive it. Left having paid a deposit...

 

[Trev]

I've been thinking recently about our impending build and delivery of our Cali and just wondered how many others on here have done what we have... Just dived straight in at the deep end and ordered a new (or ex demo) van at great expense, after never having had a camper before.

We love the outdoors, have been tent camping many times but have only ever hired a T6 Ocean once for 3 days the did the deed!!

Are we just idiots or is this a normal phenomenon?!!

Same here straight in. Had camped many times; tent, folding camper, caravan, folding camper again then went for it. Spent infinitely more time speccing than test driving. Haven't regretted it for a moment. Enjoy!

 

[Alfiesbuddy]

I did..... went to view One in a showroom on a Saturday and ordered it by the Monday ! Collected 2 nd weekend Oct 2017. Use it occasionally for work needs and we’re roughly 2000 on the clock. Think we’ve had 5 trips away so far, each a learning curve but loved it

 

[Blue Yonder]

I've been thinking recently about our impending build and delivery of our Cali and just wondered how many others on here have done what we have... Just dived straight in at the deep end and ordered a new (or ex demo) van at great expense, after never having had a camper before.

We love the outdoors, have been tent camping many times but have only ever hired a T6 Ocean once for 3 days the did the deed!!

Are we just idiots or is this a normal phenomenon?!!

Ditto - But don't rush to buy "stuff" to fill your van with. It is very easy to pay way over the top for things you will not need or only use once. Use the van's delivery lead time to hone your "things I want " list ,and if in doubt wait until you have tried the camping in your new van before committing. Forums and Youtube are potential sources to research. Make IKEA your first trip! Enjoy.

 

[Carolinegallen]

Yup. Got my inheritance, and blew it, on a brand spanking new california ocean! I hate camping, but was always happy to sleep in the car while the others were under canvas. Never owned or hired a camper before. And I love it. Every time I drive it, or even look at it it makes me happy. Off to France in March!

 

[Chris Greaves]

Another 'just jumped in' here, we had never owned a camper, never hired one, never even driven a commercial type van, we had camped a couple of times but not recently. Started researching converting a camper van myself an saw the plethora of converted ex-builders vans on the market; moved on to researching other options and realised the Cali is the only one to have. Went to a VW dealer to have a look at a used Ocean that was already sold so we couldn't test drive it. The OH fell in love with it and agreed it was the only one to have. Saw an ad for a ex-demo in Hereford, 150 miles away, phoned the dealership, paid the deposit without seeing it. Three long months later we collected it and have never looked back since. The only regret... not using it enough over the past 20 months, this year it's going to get used more!

 

[Kingsley]

Hi after researching for over a year looking at conversions found this forum and started looking at Cali's went to a showroom last week left paying a deposit on demo model. Salesman wasn't aware of any emission problems told me I could collect van this weekend, had a phone call yesterday they're unable to tax van because of realignment of tax bracket as van hasn't been registered. I can take delivery in March nice shiny red 18 plate hopefully.

 

[Frank Mc]

Good morning,
We both never camped in our lives nor tried or stayed in a camper van before we spent €75k on a T6 last year.
It was a complete leap of faith on the back of seeing one in a dealership.
We needed something different in our lives and both of us thought it was worth a go.
It has worked out a dream and we both adore the Cali.... currently in the West of Ireland waiting for Mother Nature to switch on the wave machine so I can go surfing ‍‍
Thank you VW....

 

[Kmann]

I've been thinking recently about our impending build and delivery of our Cali and just wondered how many others on here have done what we have... Just dived straight in at the deep end and ordered a new (or ex demo) van at great expense, after never having had a camper before.

We love the outdoors, have been tent camping many times but have only ever hired a T6 Ocean once for 3 days the did the deed!!

Are we just idiots or is this a normal phenomenon?!!

I am just sad I did not do it 30 years ago ;-)

 

[RonB]

We have always loved camping. From student hitchhiking days with a pup tent to holidays with 3 children under canvas, it suited both our lifestyle and our budget. Since then, various adventures such as sleeping on top of cases of wine in the back of a hire Transit in France to removing the rear seats in a Citroen Berlingo, which effectively became a mountain tent on wheels, told us that this was the lifestyle for us in retirement.

So in 2013, after some research which never entertained the possibility of a great white, the Van Rouge was acquired. Almost five years on, and having calculated that we have just spent two years under its canvas roof on various European adventures, we are still living the dream.

Putting all the annoying stuff such as roof rot issues to the side, the Cali is easily the best vehicle around for combining driving performance with experiencing the outdoors in whatever way you choose. Whether you dive right in or it's a carefully considered decision, you won't regret it!

 

[PAMMYVAN]

We had a tent bought our first Cali in 2008 thinking, we’ll if it doesn’t work out we can always sell it. Never been on a plane since.

 

[Eber123]

Good morning,

What started my interest in the California I can't remember, but the last 2 years I watched all videos of the California on YouTube and the wish to get one grew.

My wife and I never went for camping, but we like hiking. So we see the van not only as a place to stay over night but as a Base for hiking, bird watching etc.

End of November my wife saw an offer for a demo model that ticket a lot of our boxes. We did a short test drive and decided to go for it. It seemed to us that the price for this Vw camper van was very good, better specification would have been nice, but financially not to manage.

The van is now my main transport use to get to work (short distance) and for the odd trip. Went to Wicklow for on 2 different days and used the van to make coffee. But there will be more trips, including overnights.

The Vw California is so much more than to provide transport I feel that we are just at the beginning of a new journey (so to speak).

Eberhard

 

[ejmoore]

We went camping in Scotland at Whitsun - lovely beachside campsite but a very cold wind blowing, & we thought, we need a campervan. We'd seen a picture of a Cali in a magazine when they first came out, & thought, that's really smart!
We then spent a year or two thinking about it, went to Bilbo's a couple of times to look at their conversions, then went to a motorhome show, saw a California & decided, no compromise, that's what we want.
But we bought it second hand (from Bilbo's) & drove straight down to the Brecon Beacons in it for Easter weekend (in the snow) for our first time in a campervan, & we've never looked back!

 

[ejmoore]

Also, as we'd never had a campervan or motorhome before, I would have found it difficult to define what we'd need and what we could do without, in terms of options. I'd say it's best to buy a second-hand one & get used to it before spending big bucks on the latest customised model.

 

[C&C]

Never camped, had been in a static caravan once and a trailer tent once, but had talked endlessly about how cool a California would be. On holiday in Kent last Easter whilst house sitting for a friends, saw a beach advertised at a dealer, went and saw it and bought it.

Best ever impulse purchase!

 

[kaf2546]

Saw a second hand one for sale 2014, dithered and it was gone. Saw demo in Edinburgh for sale later same year, had a look and a drive with intention of 'having another think about it' ... came back and even dealer was surprised when I said I'd take it! No regrets, thought initially about hiring but a couple weeks hire cost was probably about 6 months depreciation! Onto a second one now with slightly higher spec, also a demo, but not too much cost to change given the use I'd had of the first one.

 

[2into1]

Nice red one just come on to the classifieds from someone for whom the Cali dream didn’t work out.

 

[BikerGran]

I had camped for years, car and frame tent when the children were young, then motorcycle and tent, trike and tent, trike with trailer for larger tent, campbed, table etc as I became less mobile. Eventually couldn't ride the trike so I decided to get a used campervan, looked at various makes and realised that it had to be a VW but I hadn't even considered a Cali but it had to be automatic as my left leg won't deal with a clutch.

I looked at various conversions and none suited me exactly and it had to be exactly because, you know, loadsamoney! Then I went to see one that sounded exactly what I wanted, Auto, LWB, hightop.... and for various reasons, hated it.
So I thought I'd just have a look at the Cali they also had cos that was auto too even if it was SWB and pop-top........
~
Bang! Fell in love, agreed to buy it on the spot - didn't even haggle! Not regretted it for a second!

 

[PudnBob]

We had a VW Kamper conversion last century when the children were 8 months and 21 months and had to sell due to a work move abroad. Talked about having another campervan ever since. After seeing a friends Ford conversion we thought we would spend a Saturday “looking” at various converters and dealerships. Next day we bought our dealer ordered VW Cali, no test drive, no try out and now she’s my every day car as well as our “getaway”. Lover her to bits!

 

[Bearreds]

Spent many yrs in our 67 split screen camping around the UK with a group of die hards when all the children were small . Special memories
Children grown older , trips got less , group got smaller and most sold what was there pride and joy .( including us )
After several yrs without a camper van and getting withdrawals we started looking into buying another Campervan.
I looked into converting my works van first , a T6 4motion but wasn’t keen with some of the conversions I saw .
That meant a trip down to the local VW van centre for a look and a chat .
The thing I was most excited about was in a new modern day Campervan we could travel to Europe in comfort with reliability !!!!
So we did it , bought a pre registered beach last yr and off we went within a few weeks to Devon to test her out and have a Slidepod fitted , had a week there and a month later was in the Alps visiting France , Switzerland’, Austria and Germany. Mega !!!
In my eyes you can’t put a price on fantastic memory’s that you get from touring around in this perfect way .
Worth every hard earned penny .

 

[Ginab]

Cool doesn’t count for anything in my book. Whatever you have is immaterial - caravan, tent or motor home - as long as your heart soars when you look at it, thinking of the experiences you’ve had and those you’ve yet to enjoy

 

[Bearreds]

Cool doesn’t count for anything in my book. Whatever you have is immaterial - caravan, tent or motor home - as long as your heart soars when you look at it, thinking of the experiences you’ve had and those you’ve yet to enjoy

Absolutely, I agree.
I’ve done the caravan, motorhome , tents and motorcycle !!! Loved it all !!!
I am just biggin up the California as this is the California club

 

[Ginab]