Magic T6 sathurdayafthernoon at CCN-Amersfoort

[Hotel California]

As this weekend the T6 Cali was launched at Camper Centrum Nederland , Amersfoort ( Holland) we offcorse went to check it out even though i have NO intention of swapping from my T5 2012 SE to a new model....
They had five T6 Cali's presented , one ocean (4motion) on the drive ready to test , a Beach , two Coast and a other Ocean in the showroom allong with the 25 or so other new and 2nd hand T5's , some other Westfalia vans (Fiat base) . The two Club Joker versions (high-top and pop-top) and a caddy Tramper ....
Also lot's of drinks and fingerfood , a new goodiebag for everyone ( seems i get one every time i go visit them) , 15 to 20% discount on accecoires .
Plenty people sharing Cali experiences.

For sure asked them for a ride in the test Cali ! Gave it a spin arround the block just been away 15 min or so , it was the 4motion so manual and found it rare to drive as i never ever drove any other Cali than mine DSG 140bhp.
Enough so i now can say i drove a T6
Many pictures to come when back home as we ar now on a lovely campsite afther a walk by the water and eating some pasta ....
Returning home to Belgium tomorrow , we enjoyed our T6 weekend so far!

 

[Hotel California]

OK ,already one pic just as a teaser......
Fingerfood , ever eaten a Cali...? I did....

 

[Hotel California]

An overall view of the showroom
The two side by side : leftone ocean rightone coast
The one in the front is a coast ( is a nice color!) edit: checked brochure it was "bambusgarden green " a very nice color to me
Then further down a cherry red beach

 

[Hotel California]

The one on the drive , ocean


The one who drove it....

 

[Hotel California]

The coctail-bar , but the cocktails where acually wine and fruit juice ,
There was also a sushi bar , but seems i forgot to frame it ....every time a passed a needed my hands for eating instead of taking pics...
Check out the hat....




Also coffee and thee with special backery as in the first picture above

 

[Hotel California]

Then we checked out the Tramper , witch is also a pretty neat concept.
Only the matras seemd not so confortable as in our Cali .

 

[Hotel California]

The Club Joker was there in pop-top and high- top next to each other .
It was one i would specialy liked checking out as we discused on thatone already here on the forum.
It did not looked that good in real life , meaning the conversion seems to me not that well finisched in details , and it al feels a bit like a van .
Closing the sliding door for instance ....just like a panel van . As the Cali gives a more solid impression.
Seen the shower in the back , the wardrobe , ...not all that nice as expected.
Also nearly no storage for clothing...
Only plus is they got hot water...
For me a no go afther seeing it .

 

[Hotel California]

But the main reason was the T6 !

As we arrived the T5 and T6 where on the drive next to eachother and as we walked to it the wife could not tell witch was the new...ok not much of a reference, but one not familiar in the VW range can't tell much diffrence from a distance.
But they did a great job , the new front looks good .
Sideways not much difference but the side directon lamps , and if looking good the booth door has changed also quite a bit , but thats better visible from behind.
Looking at the rear it has no doubt it's a new model...looks also nice!

The dash for me is not that much a improvement as we LHD already had a better than you guys in the UK .
But they did improve the way the rolling blinds stick together in the middle ....
At least one detail i am jealous off not having , far more solid fix together and much easyer to close the front blinds now

Anyone who nows the system on the T5 lhd now can compare on these pics...
Huge diffrence











Seemed they also have better sat-nav systems so they say , cose the RNS 510 on the T5 is waste of money my opinion . They said the new radio's have improved a lot but i did not go in detail on that...

 

[Hotel California]

There is an option for led lights in the booth door to give light when using the lower bed and loading the booth in the dark . Looks good but think it is an option , have to check .
Also the rear rolling blinds have changed , think due to the new doorpanel.
For me the old blind on the T5 was already good , so no improvement there just somting diffrent

The switch location



The new blinds

 

[Hotel California]

The roof , new canvas looks nice , more waterproof ? time will tell....
The in-fold system seems the same so get a bungee strap....!
Inside the led lights in the top are good ,the same as in the boothdoor , separate swich on each side in the metal part above the cabin where the flexi light was on T5 . Also a 12V socket above for plugging Ipad,...in when viewing or charging phones !
Very good change.

 

[Hotel California]

New seat fabric is also fine , liked those a lot
Have to check the name...edit : seems it is "valley moonrock"
In one ( think a Coast) they had " vistamo moonrock" on the seats , witch i found to be ugly.
Do notice a change on the sliding wardrobe doors , yes they also changed the colors...but they higherd the handles so when the bench seat is slided forwarts you acually can get acces to the handles....!
Took VW long to figure that out!

 

[Hotel California]

The Beach inside




Seems the Vario removeble unit is standard ....can that be ? Was that also on T5 ? Or is this just in the Netherlands so ....did not get in to detail on that.
There is an upgrade posible to a unit with coocker and fridge as option.

Also think due to the new boothdoor , still the bike rack is the same , anyone given any thinking on thatone?

 

[Hotel California]

Did not go in to engine questions as i'm not realy intrested in buying but was more in to the new features inside....
Got to notice the petrol will ( for now) not come to the Netherlands as i do see it online on the Belgian pricelists....gonne hop in at a dealer in Belgium soon for prices as i got a German brochure and a Dutch pricelist yesterday...

 

[Hotel California]

To me the new inbetween model Coast seems to miss out on the option of double glazing....
And the fact the external heather is quite expencive as option , also for the Beach!
For me in a verhicle like the Cali , Beach-Coast or Ocean both the double glazing and ex-heater should be standard!

I would love to have a Ocean with manual roof....no can do says VW ...shame!

All in all i just stick with my "Hotel California" for now....had a good night sleep at a nearly abandonned campsite last night....15 euro two persons+dog , shower and internet incl.
Hook-up worked with coins ...but we never use hook-up for one night ....




Nice to walk the dog as she was in the Cali most of the day...



Need to unload the Cali now , see some friends later this afthernoon and tomorrow back to work .....saving for a T6 .......NOT...

 

[Rich20]

Great reviews HTC. I have not seen a T6 yet but like you I am very happy with my T5.

 

[motacyclist]

Thanks for your impressions of the new Cali, very informative. Particularly also the Joker which seems to be a disappointment as it looked great in the original web pages ....

Looks like we'll have some to look at ourselves in the UK soon, had an email from our dealer saying their stock Calis were built and were on the quayside; and we can pop down soon and see them (leaving wallet behind!).

 

[Hotel California]

Look what i bumpt in to unloading the Cali......the goodie-bag.....!




A nice bag to use for dirty laundry in the Cali...
A BEACHball ....get the link...
A frisbee....
A collapseble waterbotlle ...nice on hikingtrips to carry water for the dog

Big thanks to Camper Centrum Netherlands
It's the small things that makes people happy .....for sure if you get them for free...

 

[motacyclist]

No mask in there for the diesel fumes?

 

[Hotel California]

Been wondering thru the (Dutch) pricelist.

Seems the 80l diesel tank is an option ....how big is it standaard ?
Think aT5 had 80l as standaard ...no?

The led lights in roof and in the boothdoor ....only standard on Ocean ...Beach and Coast +426 euro

Rear shower hose 350 euro

Heated front window 319euro

Just a few examples on how expencife does litlle bits are....

Not even talking on xenons all arround + 2500euro!


Seems you T6 buyers will be paying xtra for al that sushi and wine we had yesterday

 

[Freeley]

I think it's 70L in the T6 to make room for the adblue

Sent from my Galaxy S6

 

[Hotel California]

I think it's 70L in the T6 to make room for the adblue

Sent from my Galaxy S6

I can't see the point making room for adblue if there is an option for a 80 l tank ....
How can that work?
An 80l tank and no adblue?

 

[Freeley]

Don't know Wim it's just what somebody told me!

Sent from my Galaxy S6

 

[kave]

Thank you for a great report. I am sure it is not Xenons anymore but LEDs? I also find them expensive, but they are included in the "Edition" model coming.
How is it to camp this late in the year? Isn't it getting dark outside at 17:00? What to do in such a small vehicle until bed time?

 

[motacyclist]

Isn't it getting dark outside at 17:00? What to do in such a small vehicle until bed time?

Well, don't come knockin' if the van's a rockin'

 

[kave]

I figured that answer out after I posted it
But, we are going to have two kids at 5 and 7 with us. Maybe iPad time from 17.00 to 20.00?