I don't 'Get' the Beach. Tell me what I'm missing

[Kirk]

I may be wrong, but the Beach is based on a bog standard panel van but the SE is based on the Caravelle?

The Beach felt like I was driving a van however the SE feels like I am driving a car if you see what I mean.

 

[bvddobb]

SE is based on the Caravelle?
The Comfortline (same as SE?) is based on the Multivan.

 

[Jaydub]

Well as the Beach and SE have the same dash board,same panels,same flooring etc what's different apart from the obvious kitchen etc.My Beach is nothing like a work colleague converted van,very different. Prehaps SE's should have a extra badge on the back ' My vans better than you van. Obviously! '

 

[rippers]

I would say the Beach and SE are based on the same model so I can't see how the SE is more refined then a Beach, the cabs, seats etc are the same.

 

[Kirk]

I am only going on what James said, Mr Beach Himself http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/should-we-change-from-caravelle-to-beach.5860/page-2#post-57788

 

[teeboy]

I think kirk is right the SE base van is a higher spec, although this is more obvious on LHD variants as UK SEs have the lower spec dash reinserted. I think the SE has more insulation/sound deadening. But is suspect the refinement thing is more down to the mass - the se is loads heavier (and slower) than the beach, so will feel more "planted". In the same way as big cars feel smoother than small cars.

 

[david white]

Kirk is correct, the Beach uses the Multivan as a base and the SE uses the Caravelle, when you drive both you will notice a difference in the two.

 

[rippers]

That's cool as I was happy with the Beach trim so if the SE is better that's good news as I have one on order so I hope my expectations are now exceeded!
I did notice the door cards where trimmed nicer on the SE where as the Beach was the same as the van ones.
Looking forward to the SE even more now

 

[Jaydub]

The door cards and dash are the same,apart from a Aluminium trim ! on our 2014 Beach to a SE, i studied in great detail the differences and i work for VW group.So maybe the link to the other thread is discussing European Beach variants which are a very basic vehicle in deed,and does just look like a basic van with a pop up roof. The UK market is very different and even the UK cars we have are a very different/higher spec to the same model sold across the Water. Is a SE better than a Beach ? The answer is what you need if for. For us as a 3rd car and both working 6 day weeks a Beach for a quick one night away is the right choice. One day,when we have more time on our hands the SE will be the right choice.

 

[cleve]

With 3 children, the SE wasn't an option for us as I could never imagine camping with the cumbersome additional rear seat and having to lift it out into an awning every night. Having driven around in our old T4 conversions with pots and pans rattling and cupboards filled with a lot of stuff we rarely used the pod and a beach suits us perfectly. We don't use our awning, just a pop up beach tent for car seats or stow them in the front footwells if staying in aires. The extra bed width is definitely a bonus as we have my youngest in with us atm and we're even considering as the children get older adults sleeping upstairs and then the children can stretch out below, 1 across the multiflex, 1 across the backseat and 1 across the front seats to save getting the lower bed out every night!

The most enjoyment we get out of it though is having it as our flexible daily drive and being able to put the heating on, space to do homework and get changed for after school activities knowing that the stray sock/coat is somewhere in the beach, not left in a changing room somewhere! Snacks in the cupboard for those ravenous children when they come out of school, we can still pop the kettle for all those freezing parents watching tennis lessons, oh and somewhere familiar for little one to nap wherever we are. All with that extra little bit of space.

We've become known as the alternative after school club as friends often ring me to watch their children if they're running late for school pickup knowing that they will head back to our beach for a drink and snack whilst they're waiting and the children find it hilarious that one of them usually has to sit on the toilet as we've run out of seats!

 

[rippers]

The door cards and dash are the same,apart from a Aluminium trim ! on our 2014 Beach to a SE, i studied in great detail the differences and i work for VW group.

Door cards look different to me!

 

[Bramco]

Glad we have a Beach given the shiny cheap plasticky finish on the SE in the photo :thefinger

 

[LisaKent]

We test drove the Beach and the SE both on the same day. The beach did feel much more 'van like' and did not have some of the nice touches that the SE has like to chrome inside door handles, plastic door cards etc.. The Beach is cheaper so I am guessing this is where they are able to reduce the cost. The fixed kitchen in the SE is what swung it for us as we liked the idea of pulling up somewhere and making a cuppa within seconds. Also the fridge is brill and we keep it loaded up with cans of drink in the summer.

 

[Bramco]

Lisa, I wonder if the feeling that it is more van like is simply because the SE has the wardrobe and kitchen area, so feels more enclosed.

In terms of actual driving they must be very much the same, by that I mean manoeuvrability, stopping distances, ride etc. as they are essentially the same underneath, with the obvious exception of the extra weight of the SE.

So maybe the SE feels more like a laden van due to gthe extra weight while the Beach feels more like an empty van and therefore more van like.

Anyway everyone to their own, we chose the Beach because of the way we use it which I think is the most important thing.

 

[maui2512]

With 3 children, the SE wasn't an option for us as I could never imagine camping with the cumbersome additional rear seat and having to lift it out into an awning every night. Having driven around in our old T4 conversions with pots and pans rattling and cupboards filled with a lot of stuff we rarely used the pod and a beach suits us perfectly. We don't use our awning, just a pop up beach tent for car seats or stow them in the front footwells if staying in aires. The extra bed width is definitely a bonus as we have my youngest in with us atm and we're even considering as the children get older adults sleeping upstairs and then the children can stretch out below, 1 across the multiflex, 1 across the backseat and 1 across the front seats to save getting the lower bed out every night!

The most enjoyment we get out of it though is having it as our flexible daily drive and being able to put the heating on, space to do homework and get changed for after school activities knowing that the stray sock/coat is somewhere in the beach, not left in a changing room somewhere! Snacks in the cupboard for those ravenous children when they come out of school, we can still pop the kettle for all those freezing parents watching tennis lessons, oh and somewhere familiar for little one to nap wherever we are. All with that extra little bit of space.

We've become known as the alternative after school club as friends often ring me to watch their children if they're running late for school pickup knowing that they will head back to our beach for a drink and snack whilst they're waiting and the children find it hilarious that one of them usually has to sit on the toilet as we've run out of seats!

exactly how we use ours too Cleve!!

 

[jamesC]

Interesting how heated this debate has been at times!

What strikes me is how pleased everybody is with their own van, whether that be an SE or a Beach.

 

[Romke]

Nothing beats the wider and higher bed in the Beach. Wider means that you can create some space between you and your partner, which is especially welcome on hot summer nights (sticky bodies!). Higher means that it's easier to get in and out of bed, which becomes relevant when you're getting older (we're in our sixties). The added bonus of the wider and higher bed (and hence the higher parcel shelf) is that you have nearly twice as much luggage space in the back of the Beach.
I don't know if there are SE owners who carry extra equipment for outside cooking in the summer, but as a Beach owner you use just one kit for both indoor and outdoor cooking (we travel with a two-burner Campingaz cooker and an IntelliChef).
Each to their own but if I was given an SE I'd sell it the same day and buy a Beach!

 

[Bramco]

Ditto Romke.

Both beds are essentially the same size, summer upstairs. spring, autumn upstairs or downstairs depending on the weather and winter downstairs for the coziness or gezeligheid as our Dutch friends would say.

Like Romke if given an SE I would sell it for a Beach.

 

[Maud]

Interesting how heated this debate has been at times!

What strikes me is how pleased everybody is with their own van, whether that be an SE or a Beach.

And surely as long as everyone is happy with their choice, and it suits their own lifestyle, then there is no 'better' or 'worse'; no 'right' or 'wrong' point of view - just different opinions. On such a friendly forum, it's a shame to see people getting so uptight about a simple question that they are willing to stoop to chucking insults.

Calis, whether Beach or SE, are for chilling in; let's all just enjoy our own and continue sharing our experiences with others

 

[marshian70]

And surely as long as everyone is happy with their choice, and it suits their own lifestyle, then there is no 'better' or 'worse'; no 'right' or 'wrong' point of view - just different opinions. On such a friendly forum, it's a shame to see people getting so uptight about a simple question that they are willing to stoop to chucking insults.

Calis, whether Beach or SE, are for chilling in; let's all just enjoy our own and continue sharing our experiences with others

Well put Maud!

 

[WelshGas]

For heavens sake, these are 2 different vehicles, built for different purposes with some similarities in body shape and mechanical components. The Beach isn't a cutdown SE, nor is the SE a pimped up Beach. You buy what you need or can afford, each to his own.
My only observation is that the pro-Beach posts seem a lot longer than the pro-SE posts.

 

[rippers]

On such a friendly forum, it's a shame to see people getting so uptight about a simple question that they are willing to stoop to chucking insults.

Have I missed something or posts been deleted?

 

[GrannyJen]

I've towed caravans, trundled around in blocks of flats on wheels, hauled backpacks up mountains, even sat on my ... er ... an ass once,

Each has merits, each worked for me at the time. Currently a Cali SE works for me, I can see lots of advantages to a Beach, as Maud so rightly said, what works is what's right, nothing else matters.

 

[blakeley]

I can see the point of the seven seater beach but not the four seater? I did look at a Beach last week whilst my van was having its MOT, I dont think the spec in the cab area is the same as the SE is it? I think maybe a bit more basic and plasticy.

 

[luuca]

I bought a beach for 4 main reasons

- I need 5 seats
- I need a wider luggage departement
- It's my only car (for work and free time)
- I'll never cook in a small van