Long way round to get to the Ocean...

[Mutema]

Hello.

As is customary, I thought I'd introduce myself before asking the forum specific questions regarding a new vehicle order I have plans for. I was hoping that I might call on the collective wisdom of the group to help with some specific questions I have in terms of general ownership and practicalities as well as specific questions regarding spec choices. I'd also be interested in experiences or things that I might not know to ask having never owned a California before.

I was born and grew up in Southern Africa so have done a lot of camping/overland trips over the years. My wife and I tend to go back to the region every year or so and have had the itch to have our own vehicle for a while and configure it to our taste. Hire vehicles (trucks with rooftop tents and canopy) are generally functional and are never specified with the equipment or features you'd choose for yourself. Initially, I was thinking of buying a 4x4 (Toyota Hilux or Ford Ranger Raptor). I did consider the new Defender but have serious misgivings regarding Land Rover build quality and to be honest, I'm really not on board with the image.

Essentially, the decision was a two horse race between a truck and van. A T6.1 California Ocean - the 4MOTION 199PS DSG or a Ford Ranger Raptor equipped with an iKamper roof tent and bespoke kitchen fit out for more versatility or adding something like the iKamper AIOKS outdoor kitchen. I think the dependency on good weather killed the truck idea. I expect we'll use the van for a combination of day trips, weekend overnights and longer trips to Scotland and the continent. Although with world events, those seem very remote plans.

I've not committed to an order with my local dealer yet as COVID-19 hit and he was furloughed so have not even had chance to explore a 6.1 as they were due to receive their demonstrator in April. So I am revisiting plans and conversations with the expectation that I'll put a new vehicle order in with delivery for Spring 2021.

Look forward to talking to you...


Alex

 

[sapto]

Welcome Alex

Great starting/intro post! I guess it is a hard call between a van and a SUV/serious truck. As far as I remember there are quite a few members with „disco/defender“ background.

Hope we here soon more about ypur canoing trips either in a T6 or a decent truck (imo truck and rooftent is also very cool).

 

[kurienp]

Welcome Alex.

With your kind of adventures, I would look at a 4MO transporter and convert it as required, which will give a lot of weight saving and be more compatible with your adventure style? Remember, a California is a 3 ton vehicle and would you want to drag all that on an overland adventure.

The T6 is an extremely capable vehicle and a good choice.

 

[Mutema]

Welcome Alex

Great starting/intro post! I guess it is a hard call between a van and a SUV/serious truck. As far as I remember there are quite a few members with „disco/defender“ background.

Hope we here soon more about ypur canoing trips either in a T6 or a decent truck (imo truck and rooftent is also very cool).

Thanks for the welcome Sapto. I'm a petrolhead and my plans actually started with a 911SC Safari conversion and perhaps an adventure trailer so with the voice of reason (aka my wife), we've come to more sensible territory!

I think my issue with the image of Land Rover stems from the newer models - there are far too many where I live and almost without exception, they're driven badly and with little consideration. I've also been stranded in the Namib Desert due to an engine management system failure on a Range Rover. Fortunately (for me), it was a friend's car so I got the experience of ownership without the cost.

 

[Mutema]

Welcome Alex.

With your kind of adventures, I would look at a 4MO transporter and convert it as required, which will give a lot of weight saving and be more compatible with your adventure style? Remember, a California is a 3 ton vehicle and would you want to drag all that on an overland adventure.

The T6 is an extremely capable vehicle and a good choice.

Thanks for the welcome.

I don't think the vehicle I'm looking at is going to be for anything more than UK/European adventures - likely the most exotic will be Corsica or wild camping in Scotland. Maybe Morocco if the insurance company will allow it. I know that previous discussions have horrified the insurers I've spoken to and going out to Africa with a UK vehicle, you're entirely at risk making it an expensive endeavour if it goes wrong. I plan to use the vehicle all year round so am specifying 4Motion and a diff lock which should be sufficient to deal with most considerations and I have spent a lot of my life playing with cars on and off road so I hope that experience will be useful too to keep me from getting stuck in muddy fields or the worst conditions I find myself in.

Ground clearance would be the biggest problem in a Transporter though as an overland truck, breakover angles are inescapable. I think at the price point that a T6.1 Ocean is, I'd be a little circumspect about throwing it around on anything that I'd prefer to have an off road vehicle on.

Having said that, about 2 years ago, I was following a T6 in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. It was on Gauteng plates and it was performing really well. It was 4Motion but there were a few times where I thought we'd be offering the use of our winch or high level jack but it performed admirably. We were actually taking bets every time we approached something that could potentially ground it but the driver was skilled and clearly new the tolerances. Slow and steady also makes a difference, something he knew or had learnt!

 

[Benh76]

Thanks for the welcome.

I don't think the vehicle I'm looking at is going to be for anything more than UK/European adventures - likely the most exotic will be Corsica or wild camping in Scotland. Maybe Morocco if the insurance company will allow it. I know that previous discussions have horrified the insurers I've spoken to and going out to Africa with a UK vehicle, you're entirely at risk making it an expensive endeavour if it goes wrong. I plan to use the vehicle all year round so am specifying 4Motion and a diff lock which should be sufficient to deal with most considerations and I have spent a lot of my life playing with cars on and off road so I hope that experience will be useful too to keep me from getting stuck in muddy fields or the worst conditions I find myself in.

Ground clearance would be the biggest problem in a Transporter though as an overland truck, breakover angles are inescapable. I think at the price point that a T6.1 Ocean is, I'd be a little circumspect about throwing it around on anything that I'd prefer to have an off road vehicle on.

Having said that, about 2 years ago, I was following a T6 in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. It was on Gauteng plates and it was performing really well. It was 4Motion but there were a few times where I thought we'd be offering the use of our winch or high level jack but it performed admirably. We were actually taking bets every time we approached something that could potentially ground it but the driver was skilled and clearly new the tolerances. Slow and steady also makes a difference, something he knew or had learnt!

Welcome to the club and you seem to know exactly what you need. Would you go as far as lift kits, snorkels etc ?

 

[Mutema]

Welcome to the club and you seem to know exactly what you need. Would you go as far as lift kits, snorkels etc ?

Thanks! I think I need to get it and start using it before I start modifying. The only item that I have a vague consideration of is an air snorkel although I see that there is an additional dust filter in the configurator but I suspect this is superficial versus drawing clean air from higher up. If we do Morocco, I'd probably do a fit then.