Just ordered a Beach!

[EpicT6]

Welcome Nolan! Nice spec. You are going to have soooooo much fun. Mine is grape yellow and a I love it but colours are a very subjective thing. It you are looking to blend with the rest of the motoring crowd then yellow is by far the worst choice. I can spot my van from a mile away in a crowded car park. Somewhat comforting. The parking heater is a must IMO. We use ours quite a lot in the colder months. I have the LED headlights, purely for safety reasons. We hired an Ocean with the standard headlights in Nov before getting the Beach and I found the light output borderline dangerous. The LEDs make a huge difference and driving in the dark is so much more relaxing. Either way, congratulation to your Beach. You won't regret it.

 

[hirsty]

Factory heater is an essential option for a new British van. You can get one added later, but it's not as good as the factory-fit. We camped this weekend - it was scorchio all-day & we sat outside happily past 10PM, but still chilly getting into bed at night and nippy first thing in the morning out of the sun.

LED headlights are also desirable, but expensive & it is of course possible 'to get by' with the standard Beach lights.

 

[Nolan]

On the awning.......

I didn't spec an awning, with my factory order. Big mistake, as the awning adds to the overall look of the California.

I ended up buying a silver one second-hand, I'd prefer a black one tho. I'm now considering wrapping or painting mine black, but it might be easier just to buy a black one and sell mine on.

Great pictures, I still really like the look of the silver awning so I'm sticking with it, if nothing else it will look different to the bulk of white vans with a black awning

Some of the other comments are making me reconsider the parking heater, what's the range on the radio remote control? Is there a way to turn the heating on when returning from a cold walk or bike ride so you come back to a warm van? We already camp quite a lot so I appreciate how cold it can get but some of the comments above do make it sound attractive!

I've specified the exterior pack to get the twin H7 headlights which should hopefully be better than the H4's, they sound better than the T4 from threads I've read on here and elsewhere but it's impossible to judge this looking at vehicles in the daytime

I really don't want to give up the comfort dash as I think it will make it easier if we ever want to resell and I'll be driving the van a lot and I prefer the look of it.

 

[Borris]

Great pictures, I still really like the look of the silver awning so I'm sticking with it, if nothing else it will look different to the bulk of white vans with a black awning

Some of the other comments are making me reconsider the parking heater, what's the range on the radio remote control? Is there a way to turn the heating on when returning from a cold walk or bike ride so you come back to a warm van? We already camp quite a lot so I appreciate how cold it can get but some of the comments above do make it sound attractive!

I've specified the exterior pack to get the twin H7 headlights which should hopefully be better than the H4's, they sound better than the T4 from threads I've read on here and elsewhere but it's impossible to judge this looking at vehicles in the daytime

I really don't want to give up the comfort dash as I think it will make it easier if we ever want to resell and I'll be driving the van a lot and I prefer the look of it.

The parking heater can either be activated to run for a set period (variable up to 120 minutes if I recall correctly) or can be set to run continously. I believe that it can also be programmed to come on at a set time although I have never used that function. You can also activate the heater remotely using the optional remote. You must get this item as it is briliant. With the remote you can activate the heater from inside your home etc or when returning from a cold walk. Some people have mentioned it has a range of about half a mile but I've never bothered to test that.
You set the temperature on the overhead control panel and the heater will maintain it by the use of a thermostat located somewhere in the vehicle. The heater will cut in when the temp drops below the set level.

It really is the number one option. I would rather have the heater than wheels, it's that good.

 

[Steve39]

Totally agree with @Borris on the parking heater, although not having wheels would limit me to camping on the drive, where I fear the temptation of my king size bed indoors would get the better of me.

With the heater we've already had trips in late Sept/Oct and Mar/early April which would have out of the question for us when tenting. Going to be brave and try Nov and Feb trips this winter.

As others have said it's not just camping. Over the coldest months I was using to preheat the van and when waiting for the kids doing various activities. Feel I've got my money's worth on it already, which isn't something I can say for e.g. the comfort dash.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

We love our parking heater.... It’s the only “must have” for us, everything else is a nice to have.

One can be retro fitted, for a bit of a saving, but it’s nice to have factory-finish and warranty/Support etc.

We’ve the H7 lights, they do the job for us, albeit LED would be even nicer to have I’m sure. We’ve the standard dash, works well but would go for comfort if buying again, very much a nice to have tho.

Ours is our first Cali, and when ordered we had to show some restraint, as we really didn’t know if the Cali would be successful for us. In hindsight, it has been and I would if ordering again click most of the extras, they are all pretty good IMO.

On the other side of the coin, I’d be more than happy with an absolutely no-extras Cali if that was the only option available to me, as it pretty much will still do everything well on its own. The heater is pure luxury tho, and worth every penny! Ours isn’t a remote one, as we park at -1 and don’t suffer from iced windows etc. We don’t have the remote, so don’t miss it.... but again, I’d tick that box if ordering again.

 

[Amarillo]

We too have a Beach and ticked most option boxes, except electrically operated doors, heated seats and comfort dash.

We love our discomfort dash, and even if the comfortable one was a zero cost option would stick with it.

We sold five of Meg's six puppies to pay for an LED light upgrade.

I could quite happily live without the parking heater, Clare could not. Camping in -5 temperatures doesn't feel real when you are snug and warm wearing shorts and t-shirt. For that genuine camping feeling you need to be snuggled up in a blanket with your wife with your dog keeping your feet warm by lying across them. You simply don't get that when you have a parking heater.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[EpicT6]

We too have a Beach and ticked most option boxes, except electrically operated doors, heated seats and comfort dash.

We love our discomfort dash, and even if the comfortable one was a zero cost option would stick with it.

We sold five of Meg's six puppies to pay for an LED light upgrade.

I could quite happily live without the parking heater, Clare could not. Camping in -5 temperatures doesn't feel real when you are snug and warm wearing shorts and t-shirt. For that genuine camping feeling you need to be snuggled up in a blanket with your wife with your dog keeping your feet warm by lying across them. You simply don't get that when you have a parking heater.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

This a very good point Amarillo. We upgraded from an :all-weather sleeping in a tent heritage" to the Beach with the parking heater. On the first cold morning with the heater on sitting in the van with just a T-shirt on the whole experience felt somewhat unreal, disconnected from the outside world. The camping brain wanted to feel cold looking outside the window and the warmth inside the van threw it off course. Now I understand why. Still, the parking heater is a must. We have the remote and use it mainly to start the heater without leaving the house on really cold mornings. A bit lazy I know. Totally agree with Jonathan - the heater is a must , everything else is nice to have.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

 

[EpicT6]

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... a picture is worth a thousand words. Feeling a cold chill just looking at it even though I am sitting indoors just now. Brilliant.

 

[Nolan]

Reviving my first thread but we've had the van for over a month now and I've given it it's first wash and wax so I feel like I really own it, pretty much run in having done 2,000 miles now

Overall super happy with it and I think we'll keep it long term (I bought the car next to it in 2000 so Ive got history in keeping cars a while)

I'm glad we went for the Beach with the extra seats as it's incredible flexible with the kids and their friends. Only camped in it for one night but looking forward to better weather so it's not an exercise in mud control.

As to options, the reversing camera is great, lets me back right up to the door so the bike rack is an inch or so away so would definitely recommend that to people trying to decide. CarPlay and comfort lighting are also very good.

I think the only option I wouldn't bother with again is the folding mirrors as they don't actually save that much space. I do tend to use them in crowded car parks though so maybe they are helping and I just don't know it.

I still really like the silver awning too, makes it a bit different to all the black ones out there

I'd quite like some nicer wheels at some point but I love the practicality of the standard wheels with big tyres.

I got the dealer to fit the 30mm lowering springs before collection, not sure how much of a difference they make.



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[motacyclist]

Like them both

(And the Land Rover as well!)

 

[Joker 1299]

Reviving my first thread but we've had the van for over a month now and I've given it it's first wash and wax so I feel like I really own it, pretty much run in having done 2,000 miles now

Overall super happy with it and I think we'll keep it long term (I bought the car next to it in 2000 so Ive got history in keeping cars a while)

I'm glad we went for the Beach with the extra seats as it's incredible flexible with the kids and their friends. Only camped in it for one night but looking forward to better weather so it's not an exercise in mud control.

As to options, the reversing camera is great, lets me back right up to the door so the bike rack is an inch or so away so would definitely recommend that to people trying to decide. CarPlay and comfort lighting are also very good.

I think the only option I wouldn't bother with again is the folding mirrors as they don't actually save that much space. I do tend to use them in crowded car parks though so maybe they are helping and I just don't know it.

I still really like the silver awning too, makes it a bit different to all the black ones out there

I'd quite like some nicer wheels at some point but I love the practicality of the standard wheels with big tyres.

I got the dealer to fit the 30mm lowering springs before collection, not sure how much of a difference they make.

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Nice van! You should get some blue bellows so that it matches the roof on the Elise!