Look carefully!

[Mike Maguire]

So ... still driving myself slightly nuts ... should I sell my lovely 2008 blue SE or not for the past few months I again take a peek at Calis for sale here and elsewhere.
Come across this two tone beauty ...

Used Cars, Vans & Motorbikes for Sale | Gumtree

Find amazing local prices on used Cars, Vans & Motorbikes for sale ✅ Shop hassle-free with Gumtree, your local buying & selling community.

www.gumtree.com

... but from a quick look round ... not... something’s not ... then I find the real detailed description ... well I never!!!!

 

[westfalia]

Very Rare INDIVIDUAL & EXPENSIVE "San Marino Blue" Colour - Truly 1 OF A KIND & UNIQUE.

It certainly is 1 of a kind.
For someone not too bothered about originality it would do a job.
I'm out.

 

[ArunAlec]

So ... still driving myself slightly nuts ... should I sell my lovely 2008 blue SE or not for the past few months I again take a peek at Calis for sale here and elsewhere.
Come across this two tone beauty ...

Used Cars, Vans & Motorbikes for Sale | Gumtree

Find amazing local prices on used Cars, Vans & Motorbikes for sale ✅ Shop hassle-free with Gumtree, your local buying & selling community.

www.gumtree.com

... but from a quick look round ... not... something’s not ... then I find the real detailed description ... well I never!!!!

Blimey, wonder who did the conversion? 2008 T5/T6 !

 

[Corradobrit]

33K for a 2008 with 135K miles. Crazy

 

[Joker 1299]

Wonder how the kitchen works with a left hand slider?

 

[Loz]

Wonder how the kitchen works with a left hand slider?

Easy to get to the waste tank!

 

[Meoncoast]

curtains behind the cooker the deal breaker for me

 

[andyinluton]

You don't get those sort of residuals on a 340 BMW.......

Actually ignoring the price & kitchen curtain, it looks to be a job well done.

 

[Moakesy]

My favourite line...

"This Van LOOKS & DRIVES Like Its Done 35,000 Miles - Only Done 135,000 Miles From New"

So, just ignore the 100,000 miles, cos it looks like it's done 35k!!

I'm assuming such OTT ads full of superlatives and 'stretching the truth' actually work, but who reads that and thinks "yeah, that's legit, seems like a trustworthy place".

 

[WelshGas]

My favourite line...

"This Van LOOKS & DRIVES Like Its Done 35,000 Miles - Only Done 135,000 Miles From New"

So, just ignore the 100,000 miles, cos it looks like it's done 35k!!

I'm assuming such OTT ads full of superlatives and 'stretching the truth' actually work, but who reads that and thinks "yeah, that's legit, seems like a trustworthy place".

Someone will, and pat themselves on the back thinking they've got themselves a California at a bargain price.

 

[Camperfamily]

Illegally displayed number plate to boot. T6 CAU displayed to look like T6 CALI

 

[Jabberwocky]

Pop-up roof canvas looks rather skewwhiff on off side and the control panel looks as if its been round the block a few times too!
Its all about the detail.

 

[Camperfamily]

The cab appears to have T5.1 dash, a T6 steering wheel and heating controls which I’ve never seen before - perhaps standard T5 transporter. A real patchwork quilt.

I certainly wouldn’t buy it, but I have to commend the amount of work that’s gone into converting a T5 transporter into this.

 

[B J G]

Converting T5's to T6 is quite common but now T6.1 seems to be the trend, takes quite a substantial parts list but being done.

Can't see the logic in taking an old used van then spending multi thousands on it to still have an old van but then that's why I have a Cali I guess.

 

[andyinluton]

Converting T5's to T6 is quite common but now T6.1 seems to be the trend, takes quite a substantial parts list but being done.

Can't see the logic in taking an old used van then spending multi thousands on it to still have an old van but then that's why I have a Cali I guess.

Take one £10k van spend £10k updating & try and sell for £33k makes sense for me, especially if you could do all the work yourself

 

[B J G]

Take one £10k van spend £10k updating & try and sell for £33k makes sense for me, especially if you could do all the work yourself

I meant being the Buyer not the Guy doing it for a profit.
Not uncommon to see people buy a van and have everything changed, wheels & suspension, remap, body style, paint etc on top of a camper conversion by a third party.
Many making a profitable business out of it, VW included.

Much of the price is in selling the dream.

 

[andyinluton]

Im thinking if they extend furlough again, I could Furlough myself & have a go at doing a couple of these ready for summer. Ive got a woodwork shop, can do the plumbing, a mate is an electrician. Only thing I would struggle with is any bodywork/ spraying.
Would make a change from the day job.

 

[OGII]

Im thinking if they extend furlough again, I could Furlough myself & have a go at doing a couple of these ready for summer. Ive got a woodwork shop, can do the plumbing, a mate is an electrician. Only thing I would struggle with is any bodywork/ spraying.
Would make a change from the day job.

My first reaction is would you find a couple of decent vans at sensible money at the moment. Then I pinched myself and remembered you dont need a decent van for that caper, just a van you can pass off as decent. Anyone got a stetson, Andyinluton needs a salesman for his new venture.

 

[Corradobrit]

Im thinking if they extend furlough again, I could Furlough myself & have a go at doing a couple of these ready for summer. Ive got a woodwork shop, can do the plumbing, a mate is an electrician. Only thing I would struggle with is any bodywork/ spraying.
Would make a change from the day job.

If the chicken run is anything to go by I think you'll be on a winner.

 

[andyinluton]

Chicken run? I've never made one of them.

 

[Mike Maguire]

Wonder how the kitchen works with a left hand slider?

Yup ... that’s exactly what got me going!!!

 

[Anthony1]

My favourite line...

"This Van LOOKS & DRIVES Like Its Done 35,000 Miles - Only Done 135,000 Miles From New"

So, just ignore the 100,000 miles, cos it looks like it's done 35k!!

I'm assuming such OTT ads full of superlatives and 'stretching the truth' actually work, but who reads that and thinks "yeah, that's legit, seems like a trustworthy place".

The intial info reads 0 miles.

 

[El Greco]

possibly the contents of a written off Cali transplanted into a cheap transporter.

 

[California4x4]

£33,000. That’s a hard sell, there’s a genuine 2012 California DSG 4Motion on this site with almost 100k fewer miles for £2,500 more. Insurance companies know what it is and you might even get someone to sell you a warranty.

I respect the amount of work that goes into doing what they have done. I also respect desire to recoup some money for that labour but it doesn’t add up. The base vehicle would cost about £12k today and the genuine California parts are going for about £10k on eBay plus a T6 facelift requirement and spray paint must be £3-4K. So unless they got the lot cheap, parts alone are about £25k so £8k profit (if they get the asking price) for probably 6 months of evenings and weekends, call it 400 hours makes it only £20 per hour. That’s another hard sell.

 

[GSX1300R]

What you have to keep in mind is it’s “Not” a genuine California it’s an old Transporter with California bits..Will never hold it value like a genuine California.