Is bigger better? Please help

Digger · Oct 6, 2018

I agree that if unhappy change your vehicle but as a proud owner of a California Ocean am disappointed so many knock the brand. Change by all means but there are compromises with every vehicle. Personally i think Granny Jen has the best all round outfit. A Cali and Eriba caravan. Practical and still usable as an every day vehicle if required.

leightonjthomas · Oct 6, 2018

Digger said:
I agree that if unhappy change your vehicle but as a proud owner of a California Ocean am disappointed so many knock the brand. Change by all means but there are compromises with every vehicle. Personally i think Granny Jen has the best all round outfit. A Cali and Eriba caravan. Practical and still usable as an every day vehicle if required.

I don’t think that anyone is knocking the brand on this thread. It’s just a question of different priorities to suit different stages of your life. I too love my Cali but circumstances demand that we review its provision and I’m finding these discussions very helpful. As has been stated many times before, everything is a compromise of some sort, so it just depends what suits your lifestyle at any particular point in time.

soulstyledevon · Oct 6, 2018

Yes, we have thought about it too.
But the California can access more places than a motorhome.

Myself and a couple of mates did a skiing trip two years ago to Chamonix. First night we parked with the Great Whites in the aire. Zero sleep from disturbances and noise outside. The next few nights we stayed in a quiet car park with a 2m barrier. We were the only ones there and it was bliss.
Couldn’t have done that with a bigger van and we often camp in places like that, which a bigger vehicle couldn’t gain entry too.

Dare I say it. We like a few nights out of the van on 2-3 week trips. Just kick back with some creature comforts and reset.
The California doesn’t look out of place parked at a swanky hotel.

motacyclist · Oct 6, 2018

soulstyledevon said:
The California doesn’t look out of place parked at a swanky hotel.

Actually, come to think,of it, it doesn’t look out of place anywhere! :thumb

David Marsh · Oct 8, 2018

capt_steve said:
You are quite a way from us, but if you are ever travelling down south, you are welcome to have a look and a drive in ours. It ticks a couple of your boxes and will give you an idea of what it’s like to drive the Mercedes chassis with auto box.

Thank you for the offer. We’be had a few Mercedes based Motorhomes all with the auto box. We’ll wait until our return back to the U.K. then put our Cali up for sale and then take a look at what’s around. It was worth trying a Cali, cracking thing that it is it’s just not for us.

boggsboxx · Oct 9, 2018

I understand your dilemma which we had several years ago.
After having bigger campers of various sizes we bought a T4 3 years ago and fell in love with the practicability of it all. Now upgraded to a T6 Cali Ocean and never looked back even though I must say that the quality of finish on the T6 leaves much to be desired. Bits that fall off or are taped or glued together. But outside of that you can drive anywhere where a car can go and the space inside where you sit is bigger than most bigger campers will ever have. A portapotti that fits away in the lower right hand cupboard is great for the nightly loo visits!
It drives like a luxury car and I never tire from the the seating with its good support.
For us we will never go back to bigger camper!

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David Marsh · Oct 9, 2018

boggsboxx said:
I understand your dilemma which we had several years ago.
After having bigger campers of various sizes we bought a T4 3 years ago and fell in love with the practicability of it all. Now upgraded to a T6 Cali Ocean and never looked back even though I must say that the quality of finish on the T6 leaves much to be desired. Bits that fall off or are taped or glued together. But outside of that you can drive anywhere where a car can go and the space inside where you sit is bigger than most bigger campers will ever have. A portapotti that fits away in the lower right hand cupboard is great for the nightly loo visits!
It drives like a luxury car and I never tire from the the seating with its good support.
For us we will never go back to bigger camper!

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Good morning and thank you for your comments. I must admit that the only camper I had in the past was in 1968 when I purchased a Bedford Dormobile. Since then I have moved steadily larger, the largest being a Fleetwood Tioga which was in all honesty disastrous. I/we have just got accustomed to the at hand facilities and due to our house move last December we thought it best to downsize from our little Auto-Sleeper Sandhurst to the California as space to park the camper was restricted t the side of the house. It’s been a shock to our way of motorhoming. The CaliforniaSE that we bought is good, everything about it is good, it does everything expected from a California. Sadly, ‘She who must be obeyed’ hates it. As we are into our mid seventies I’m for a quiet life. It’s either the California or the wife who has to go. Much as I love the Cali, it has to go. We’ve just had a week away in the Cali to Oliva/Denia and I just loved it, but that will be the last time we use it. It’ll be up for sale on our return home to the U.K.

David Marsh · Oct 9, 2018

Digger said:
I agree that if unhappy change your vehicle but as a proud owner of a California Ocean am disappointed so many knock the brand. Change by all means but there are compromises with every vehicle. Personally i think Granny Jen has the best all round outfit. A Cali and Eriba caravan. Practical and still usable as an every day vehicle if required.

Hi, just read your post. Hopefully I’ve not come across as ‘knocking the brand’. The Cali is a fantastic piece of kit in my honest opinion, we’ve given it a chance but sadly her indoors hates it more than The Mighty Marmite. Guess what, I love The Mighty Marmite.

Digger · Oct 9, 2018

David Marsh said:
Hi, just read your post. Hopefully I’ve not come across as ‘knocking the brand’. The Cali is a fantastic piece of kit in my honest opinion, we’ve given it a chance but sadly her indoors hates it more than The Mighty Marmite. Guess what, I love The Mighty Marmite.

No my friend. Not complaining just a bit frustrated when I honestly believe the California (when it suits its intended purpose and owners use) is about the best campervan on the market. It has its faults and we all know VW as a company have faults but the pleasure of owning and using a California is one of life's bonuses. I do appreciate it does not suit everyone and that is also good. Hope you are able to find the perfect set up and get out and about with a happy other half :cheers

leightonjthomas · Oct 9, 2018

Digger said:
No my friend. Not complaining just a bit frustrated when I honestly believe the California (when it suits its intended purpose and owners use) is about the best campervan on the market. It has its faults and we all know VW as a company have faults but the pleasure of owning and using a California is one of life's bonuses. I do appreciate it does not suit everyone and that is also good. Hope you are able to find the perfect set up and get out and about with a happy other half

Totally agree.

David Marsh · Oct 9, 2018

Digger said:
No my friend. Not complaining just a bit frustrated when I honestly believe the California (when it suits its intended purpose and owners use) is about the best campervan on the market. It has its faults and we all know VW as a company have faults but the pleasure of owning and using a California is one of life's bonuses. I do appreciate it does not suit everyone and that is also good. Hope you are able to find the perfect set up and get out and about with a happy other half

Well, as she is from Scouserland and me being a Manc, pleasing her is a task!!! Just saying.
It’ll all be just fine, eventually. Fingers and everything else crossed.