Just Joined the Club...

[Gazellio]

A few days ago I collected our California SE 180 7-speed DSG Auto with quite a bit of kit:

1. Kenwood DNX520 MULTIMEDIA/NAV/TV/DVD/IPOD/RADIO for VW using the excellent Garmin Maps.
2. Multi Function Steering Wheel
3. VW Seat Covers
4. Front & Rear Parking Sensors
5. Visibility Pack
6. Rear Bumper Protector
7. Lowered with uprated coils
8. Carpet

It is our second Cali having imported a LHD back in late 2004 when they where not available in the UK or made in RHD.

This one is much improved and looks very cool in its metallic beige with black grill trim & smoked lights.

We are now looking for a 4XBike Rack and really like the look of the VW supplied one but its very expensive!

Does anybody have experience with this rack?

Also want the Roof Bars but not sure about increasing overall height?

Many thanks

 

[coordinated]

Hi, Gazellio

Thanks for joining us

See if this thread helps:
Tow bar bike rack versus tailgate bike rack

Best wishes,
Steve

 

[Iain&Shani]

Welcome Gazellio, proof if it were needed as to how prompt this forum is. looking forward to your contributions given your Cali experience in th epast.
Iain

 

[Gazellio]

Thanks Guys I read that thread before joining but I would love to hear from members with the VW Rack which looks great as a permanent fixture imho

 

[calikev]

Hi mate. I had the fiamma bike rack off my old t5 on the Cali but decided it didn't suit.
I have long been a fan of the vw rack I have since bought one and love it.
It makes the Cali look like a Cali if that makes sense. Well made and sturdy.

 

[Gazellio]

That was my thinking I see one with a rack each weekend and it makes it look really sporty & cool. I think the Roof Bars do a bit of that too....

Yours looks similar colour/year to mine.... (Met Sand Beige 2011/61)

 

[KernowLad]

Sounds lovely! And welcome!

The bike rack dilemma seems a common one. We cycle so much (me, my wife and our little boy) that we don't really need to take our bikes away! For weekly night MTB rides, I'll probably line the boot with a tarpaulin and chuck the MTB in the back.

Surfboards are a must though - they both fit inside (main board in only 5'10" but wife's is 8ft) but get in the way - Thule roof bars being delivered tomorrow!

Enjoy the new Cali - good to have a Cali "veteran" on the forum!

 

[Gazellio]

I am a Land Rover Dealer and fully support the brand so it has to be a very special machine for me to choose it as a daily drive & holiday home....

The current Range Rover Vogue SE Supercharged is going (15mpg) and my daily drive is now the Cali so I will not be spending so much time at the local Shell Garage Ala Alan Partridge.... :lol:

PS: Recently sold our Frankia Luxury i820RD which was great for 5 years inbetween Cali's but just too big to really have fun or properly explore GB & Europe. We got a great Outwell Mountain Road Drive Away tent with the Cali so it ahould work for long term summer holidays too

PS: Wife drives a VW Tiguan SE 2.0 DSG :!:

 

[KernowLad]

I think I recognise your name from Defender2.net!

Just sold a rather troublesome (mainly due a shocking lack of preparation by the dealer) 110 XS for our Cali!

 

[Gazellio]

Yes that's me I am a Sponsor of www.fullfatrr.com and www.disco3.co.uk and a member of Defender2 and RRS forums.

 

[CaliTess]

Yes that's me I am a Sponsor of http://www.fullfatrr.com and http://www.disco3.co.uk and a member of Defender2 and RRS forums.

Welcome - Paul had to sell his 58plate Disco3 in 2010 to keep himself afloat

 

[wingate_52]

We have had a VW bike rack on our Salsa Red 140 since new. Brilliant for carrying my Trek Madone, although I had to make angled shims to be able to hold and not crush the carbon fibre set tube. Great for my Stumpjumper FSR and the wife's Peugeot tourer. We have a couple of Brompton M6L's that we take with us in/on the van. They travel on the VW bike rack, with a locked handle on each seat tube, plus cables and locks when parked short term, but are folded and stored in the rear area at other times. The rack is a great towelrack in summer and a hanger for wet clothing after a long days wet hike. It is sturdy, secure and good looking.

 

[Gazellio]

Great responses any more?

 

[KernowLad]

I use 2x Thule 591 Pro bike carrier on the roof bars (Thule aero bars) and it's utterly brilliant. I'm having aero bars fitted today for our California (180 4Motion) which the carriers will fit on. Of course the logistics of sticking a bike on the roof of a Cali rather than a low BMW estate are tricky but at least they stay out of the way!

The height thing is a concern as Calis just fit under most barriers (our Defender was a nightmare at just over 2 metres tall!) but from what I can see, the bars are very easy to remove - the T track system on the Cali looks excellent.

 

[Gazellio]

Has anybody fitted and used a Thule Roof Box as extra storage for bedding etc on longer holidays?

 

[Calimark]

Hi, when considering the bike rack do consider the tow bar option as you can raise the tailgate (apparently you can't with the tailgate bike racks) and also they are easier to load and remove and you have better visibility through the rear window. There are pro's and con's for both but I personally have settled on the tow bar option however it is a little more expensive since you need to fit the tow bar. I also plan on buying the Thule feet for the roof bars (I already have the aero bars) and will use the roof box for longer holidays including skiing.

 

[Gazellio]

Tow Bar may be easier to use but the VW Rack is just so stylish I think I will have to with it.....

 

[KernowLad]

Got my Thule bars today - neat design as usual but definitely not as slick to put on and remove as the ones on our BM. Pretty handy for us though.

 

[Gazellio]

Are they the ones offered in the VW accessory brochure?

 

[calikev]

Yes that's the one. Quality.

 

[Gazellio]

I meant the Thule bars in the post above mine....

 

[KernowLad]

I meant the Thule bars in the post above mine....

Nope but very similar and possibly made by Thule as well!

I wanted Thule to make sure my bike carriers fitted (they are also on T tracks) - they might well fit into the VW ones but not sure.