Is this the most expensive Cali ever!

Jay20cali said:
Sorry but the price of these California’s is insane..I sold my 6.1 massive spec 2k miles for just over 62k at the start of this madness… I love em always have and owned a new one every 2 years since 2008 but it’s totally insane…
I have a westfalia Sven hedin with central heating under floor heating hot water a full size wet room shower fully winterised,huge storage space you can store your bike inside the back and still have room… you can stand up in it you can tour for months in total comfort, it’s not massive or hard to drive you can use the toilet in the midnight hours .it looks good and it was less than these hideous price’s the California’s are at the moment.
Are people paying these prices for a camper van with a pop top and cold water ??
.residuals or not
Don’t get me wrong I love a cali
But.guys if you’re paying 80k ish when it’s the same shape vehicle as my 08 cali 13yrs ago that cost 35k new
Yes the fronts and tech have changed but
There’s Definitely not 50k worth of modern stuff between the 2
Click to expand...

You make one hell of a point @Jay20cali

I love these vans. Had campervans in some form, for the last 20 years. But I believe my current 2017 van will be my last.
The prices are absolutely bonkers…
 
GrumpyGranddad said:
You’re right, maybe the cult status is being ‘milked’ somewhat.
Click to expand...

The cult status being, an affordable Campervan.
Can’t get my head round, paying £80k and still having to poopy in a bucket…?
I’m sure £80k buys a nice car and plenty of hotel time.
 
Jay20cali said:
Sorry but the price of these California’s is insane..I sold my 6.1 massive spec 2k miles for just over 62k at the start of this madness… I love em always have and owned a new one every 2 years since 2008 but it’s totally insane…
I have a westfalia Sven hedin with central heating under floor heating hot water a full size wet room shower fully winterised,huge storage space you can store your bike inside the back and still have room… you can stand up in it you can tour for months in total comfort, it’s not massive or hard to drive you can use the toilet in the midnight hours .it looks good and it was less than these hideous price’s the California’s are at the moment.
Are people paying these prices for a camper van with a pop top and cold water ??
.residuals or not
Don’t get me wrong I love a cali
But.guys if you’re paying 80k ish when it’s the same shape vehicle as my 08 cali 13yrs ago that cost 35k new
Yes the fronts and tech have changed but
There’s Definitely not 50k worth of modern stuff between the 2
Click to expand...
Yep, agree. But I’m not convinced many are paying the 80k for a used van, and anyone who pays that much for a new van with a 12mth wait needs to learn to negotiate better. And the Sven Hedin would have been a lot less in 08 as well, it’s not just the Cali market that’s bonkers, its across the board.
I was really taken by the details and pics you posted of your Sven Hedin you posted a while ago and its high up on my ‘what’s next’ list. Have toyed with taking an easy 8-10k plus profit on my Cali in the unsustainable nearly new market and changing early. But the Cali is right for us at the moment and I think will be for a while yet, at least until the kids fly the nest. Until then we love the flexibility and nod to camping that the Cali brings.
 
I honestly don’t think they will drop much now in the coming years .but they can’t really increase any more surely????

Cali owners now who bought when prices were realistic can bask in a good profit for a few years to come.
Them who did or do buy for silly money will undoubtedly loose money but I’d imagine most who pay this kind of money don’t have lots of experience in California’s or campervans and have been desperate to jump on board.and just read about residuals being great…
Everything has increased look at diesel
One minute it’s 135 a ltr (expensive)
Then
Numpty Panic buying prices go up
Now where on 145 a ltr
It won’t go back to 135
 
Thankyou kernowboy
The Sven is beautiful and what felt like a natural progression from our California’s
I enjoy the bigger bed standing up camping in grim weather wind & strong gales are a pleasure but I still love a California memory
Had some great times in our California’s
 
Not so sure. Like anything there are pockets of excess but common sense must surely prevail at some point. VW are happily increasing prices but there’s nothing new in that. Dealers are happy to take what they can get but actually 10% discount is easily achievable against list. Much the same as it’s always been. What’s different is that used prices are really inflated, presumably because of the wait for new. Depreciation has always been low but now you’re in positive territory for quite a long time as long as you bought sensibly in get first place. Once they fix the shortages and get delivery times back to the c.6mths normal, as no doubt they will, then I think the used market will correct back to more normal levels.
On the fuel, if you go to the right place it never shifted from 135, at least round us; just the chancers who go to 145 but not sustainable whilst 135 remains available. Once the supply was sorted only those that don’t care, cant be bothered to seek value or don’t know any better, pay 145. Much the same as the Cali market.
 
I’m with you on discount
It’s my mission always has been…
You need to shop around play dealerships off against each other on price/discount.
I bought my California’s from a few places in the early days always trying for a strong discount,,and always walking away happy but bought my last few from the same place same salesman .as he did tge best deal without trying to shop around
I still checked to see I was getting the best discount and it was nice to build up a relationship knowing I was getting the best discount.available
Re fuel
Unfortunately most round here’s 140 plus :)
 
I’ve noticed that most of the private 2nd hand Calis are not selling for original price.
The price gets dropped by £5k.
A dealer buys it (not sure for how much), and then it’s back up for sale at the original price.

I guess they are happy to sit on these calis until the market picks up or maybe the finance deals or parting with crazy money is safer with a dealer.
Haven’t seen any of these sell yet though.
 
@Jay20cali with due respect you re comparing apple and pears. I do accept all your point you brought about the Sven Hedin but the biggest single feature that makes Cali so attractive is the size car dimension and quasi-car driving feel.
Many cannot afford to tax and insure a second or third vehicle and probably don't have the space to park it. They would love a "Motorhome" but can't have it. Comes in the Cali, it offers almost everything a Motorhome has, but they can sell the wife's golf and use the Cali as a daily driver instead. Or use it as a main car for many, no need an extra vehicle to tax , insure, service, park .
Only a Cali makes , in theses cases , sense. Yes you could drive a 6m Crafter based MH to Tesco, once in a while, but on a daily basis, school errands, shopping etc you can with a Cali , you can't with anything bigger.
That is why 80k is chaper than a 60k bigger motorhome , when you factor in that you still need in addition a second (or first) car with the costs associated to it.
Also, many MH comes with a 130-140 bhp engine, manual, while here many Calis , despite being smaller, have more powerful engines, automatic, 4x4 etc. DSG+Aut + powerful engines costs a lot of money. Not needed for a MH, but nice to have for everyday use. That alone justifies 10k€ cost difference.
 
soulstyledevon said:
The cult status being, an affordable Campervan.
Can’t get my head round, paying £80k and still having to poopy in a bucket…?
I’m sure £80k buys a nice car and plenty of hotel time.
Click to expand...
Maybe but no hotels in my favourite camping spots, plus don’t have to sleep or live in a space which has had god knows how many other users!

Isn’t a top spec cali with discount still running at just over £70k but yes prices still crazy.
 
4x4 joker said:
Maybe but no hotels in my favourite camping spots, plus don’t have to sleep or live in a space which has had god knows how many other users!

Isn’t a top spec cali with discount still running at just over £70k but yes prices still crazy.
Click to expand...
A 4motion with no options is £74,489 list, so could be over £85k with options?
Discount 10%?
So close to £80k top spec...
 
Calimili said:
@Jay20cali with due respect you re comparing apple and pears. I do accept all your point you brought about the Sven Hedin but the biggest single feature that makes Cali so attractive is the size car dimension and quasi-car driving feel.
Many cannot afford to tax and insure a second or third vehicle and probably don't have the space to park it. They would love a "Motorhome" but can't have it. Comes in the Cali, it offers almost everything a Motorhome has, but they can sell the wife's golf and use the Cali as a daily driver instead. Or use it as a main car for many, no need an extra vehicle to tax , insure, service, park .
Only a Cali makes , in theses cases , sense. Yes you could drive a 6m Crafter based MH to Tesco, once in a while, but on a daily basis, school errands, shopping etc you can with a Cali , you can't with anything bigger.
That is why 80k is chaper than a 60k bigger motorhome , when you factor in that you still need in addition a second (or first) car with the costs associated to it.
Also, many MH comes with a 130-140 bhp engine, manual, while here many Calis , despite being smaller, have more powerful engines, automatic, 4x4 etc. DSG+Aut + powerful engines costs a lot of money. Not needed for a MH, but nice to have for everyday use. That alone justifies 10k€ cost difference.
Click to expand...
I’m not comparing at all I’m saying how can people ask 80k and more when you can get eg said vehicle with all the whistles and bells that you can tour in for months in complete comfort for a fair bit less .
Yes a California is versatile I have owned lots so I’m aware of this but at the end of the day it’s a van with a pop top and cold water..and a lot of compromises you can not say it isn’t.
A 6mtr crafter isn’t a motorhome.?
It’s a campervan most people could use on a daily basis not much wider than a California and 700mm longer

I completely understand cali owners would be defensive to what they own I was the same but stepping out of that I wouldn’t pay the prices they are now not a chance.
I sold my 6.1 ocean at the start of 21 since then the same thing is over 15k more lol.
I understand some people don’t have a choice and it has to be a 1 car family but the market is milking them for all there worth
65k max is a lot but definitely worth stretching to to own a California but 80k nope it’s an absolute joke .
 
66tim99 said:
Great days long gone. When was that?
Click to expand...
2008
I’m not saying the California isn’t good it’s the best out there but it’s gone insane
Vw actually offed to buy my California back in February for more than it cost to buy a new one because they know someone out there will buy it and they put at least 5k on to to make themselves money
 
Jay20cali said:
2008
I’m not saying the California isn’t good it’s the best out there but it’s gone insane
Vw actually offed to buy my California back in February for more than it cost to buy a new one because they know someone out there will buy it and they put at least 5k on to to make themselves money
Click to expand...
Yeah shortage of supply = mad prices. But as a regular earner I forget too easily how many people earn more than the Prime Minister, and then get a bonus of the same every year. What’s an extra £10k to them? Also changes in financing have brought cars worth more than a years salary to the masses...
But the price of a new one doubling in 14 years feels excessive?
 
4x4 joker said:
Maybe but no hotels in my favourite camping spots, plus don’t have to sleep or live in a space which has had god knows how many other users!

Isn’t a top spec cali with discount still running at just over £70k but yes prices still crazy.
Click to expand...

Might sound odd.
This year we have had more hotel stays than ever. I think I’m slowly falling out of love with camping.

I’m gonna head up to Scotland tomorrow. not sure where yet. Thinking Loch Lomond area. Will probably look for hotels where we can and use the California as fall back, if we can’t find what we want…
 
We just did the nc500 last week
You need at least a week tho but wow it’s absolutely stunning such an amazing road trip .
if you haven’t done it already put it on your bucket list
I could go back tomorrow and do it all again
 
Camperfamily said:
Description says ‘please don’t buy it’...
Click to expand...
exactly. He wants to drive it, do a bit of camping through winter, then sell it at the same 95K price.
It would be inconsiderate for anybody to buy it right now preventing him to do that, forcing him to realize a 20k profit now instead of next year!
 
Mr T said:
Amazing, someone trying to turn a nice profit, must have been purchased to sell immediately as only registered 2 days ago.
Click to expand...

That is crazy.
Did you see the finance option at the bottom.
The monthly repayment is quite a bit more than my mortgage…:headbang

813B3D57-22C6-4B85-9159-08C1B298B959.png
 
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