How many other brave souls just dived straight in?!

[Ex Dentibus]

I suggested it to my wife whilst we out for dinner...expecting it to be dismissed just like most of my bright ideas are. When she said she liked the idea I was down the VW garage the next morning and deposit paid!

We then annoyed the dealer endlessly chopping and changing the options based no what we read on these forums!!! Best decision we've ever made (including having kids).

 

[Bello]

Had a Subaru (great at towing a trailer or caravan, but not both at same time). So on weekend tips away with the trailer, I had to sleep in a tent. Horror in our Dutch climate when sometimes it just won’t stop raining. Nagged my husband long time over a van, but he refused to drive one. Until one glorious day, just hours before departure on skiing vacation the Subaru had a minor breakdown (not the first). My loved one got home, snapped at me: “Marjan, you’ll get you van”
So after returning from our holiday we checked some companies for conversions, couldn’t quite find it, went to Amersfoort to the California dealer, fell in love with the concept, but not the dealer. Went to another company, they asked us if we had ever driven a van. Well, no. So after a test drive of some 20 min and a good night sleep (not in the van but back home) we placed the order for the one we drove a day earlier.
Now; completely happy with the Bus. And husband likes driving it too!

 

[Martin keters]

Hi , i owned a t3 that i converted + the end of the 90’s . Had to sell it due to it’s age & work that needed to be done to it . So i bought a vw passat and a tent and made do .... last year vw released the vw cali coast in belgium and it comes at a far lower price than the ocean . So i could afford a brand new Van We have been camping all over belgium & france and love it . Having a 1 yo boy is not always easy in the cali but not a problem either . We jumped in and haven’t looked back . Please forgive any spelling mistakes ( belgian owner )

 

[Hyvast]

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?!!

Hi I bought mine New back in September, never had one before
but had been camping Etc.

I just read lots of other folks exciting stories of travel and just knew it was for me

I was lucky the dealer had three on order from Germany and one of them ticked all the boxes for me sec wise

I just am totally delighted with my Cali and have no regrets what so ever

 

[Scaliwag]

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'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?!!

Within a week of considering the idea, I was driving my own. I’ve loved camping forever, so in order to be able to do more of it, all year round & further away, I went ahead with my Cali purchase.
If I thought about it for any length of time, chances are, I’d have talked myself out of it & would spend the rest of my life regretting it.
Its fabulous & I love it btw!
Best decision!!

 

[2into1]

I’ve loved camping forever,

I think this is important if predicting the chances of enjoying Cali Life. If you are coming from a 'tenting' background then a move up to a Cali is going to be all positive. If you are coming from boutique B&B's there is a different balance of pro's and con's.

 

[GeoffB]

We had been 'tenters' for many years and finally decided to get a Cali early in 2012. We had a look at one in a showroom and were very impressed, so phoned around and managed to get one which the Manchester VW Van Centre had ordered 'on spec'. We had our first weekend away a week after getting her and a couple of weeks later took off for 10 weeks in Europe - France, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, Holland, Belgium and back to France again.

We loved our new van, and learnt a lot. The only fly in the ointment was the fridge packing up in Italy - warm drinks from then on! It was replaced when we came back to the UK, our dealers couldn't say why it had gone unserviceable. The replacement has not let us down over the subsequent 6 years.

We love our trusty "Epona" and use her for camping all year round. Our last trip was to a weekend event in Wiltshire last December. We have been to the continent each year for a month or more, last summer was Catalonia, but this year we will be visiting mainland Scotland and working our way down the Outer Hebrides.

 

[Julie and Archie]

Depends on definition and of diving in. Spent years yearning after a camper; a couple years thinking about a brazillian t2. Then went to motor home show and looked at everything, test drove a California a few weeks later then bought one, sight unseen. Drove 250miles to pick it up and camped that night for first time in a mighty storm. Now have addiction problem with severe withdrawal symptoms if not away regularly