My new Westfalia Joker has arrived

[2into1]

Now now I did say the shape I didn't like now let's see the interior.

I couldn't resist a laugh (at myself so it is allowed!)

 

[GrannyJen]

I too think that it looks as though it has either an upturned boat or a bloated pod on the top....

However it is totally gorgeous.

Beautifully kitted out, superb bed arrangement, fabulous features, and all on a VW T.

After wandering around the show for for hours and sitting in a lot of cabs, my conclusions were:

who the hell puts a 6 metre plus retirement-complex bungalow on 4 wheels and powers it with a fiat ducato 130 BHP ? It must do 0-60 in about three and a half weeks.

The mercedes seemed feeble compared to the VW:

The transit conversions looked just that - a converted transit, fresh from delivering to the local Spar outlet

All the VW van conversions seemed flimsily crap compared to the Cali

The Joker had me drooling at the mouth, but ever so elegantly drooling of course ...

Oh,

and another bloody thing

Most Camper van - motorhome -caravan salesman are chauvinistic, patronising and even mysoginistic throwbacks to a dinosaur age ...

I waited patiently for the auto trail man to speak to me and three times he went straight past me to the next bloke in line, The Bilbo person suggested that I speak to my husband if I wanted to know anything, the Swift man needs to learn that 6.82 metres is roughly just over 22 feet long so when I suggest that the "682 model is around 22 feet" don't bloody patronise me by suggesting that "the model number is meaningless when comparing dimensions, this is a 22 foot long caravan, do you want me to show you on a measure?".....

I have never in my life met such a collection of over self-indulgent, patronising throwbacks to the stone-age collected under one roof.

 

[KernowLad]

who the hell puts a6 metre plus retirement-complex bungalow on 4 wheels and powers it with a fiat ducato 130 BHP ? It must do 0-60 in about three and a half weeks.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I often wonder the very same thing. And they get stuck on anything but smooth, dry tarmac.

The wife and I have pretty much equal interest and say in cars and vans; woe betide any sales goon that tries to do a "Victorian" on her too…

 

[Fryers!]

Now now I did say the shape I didn't like now let's see the interior.

I couldn't resist a laugh (at myself so it is allowed!)

haha, you got it wrong, its an upside down boat

I am just pulling your plonker :cool

 

[Suebee]

Silly question I am sure, but why is it called a Joker? I can understand why the California is called a California, and why a transporter is called a transporter.

But why call it a Joker?

 

[2into1]

but why is it called a Joker?

I can only help a little. It is called a Joker because Westfalia have been using that name for their campers for about 30 years. Unfortunately I can't answer why they started!

 

[Freeley]

Perhaps it's one of those words which sounds good to Europeans but doesn't quite work over here - I see the odd example of it when I'm abroad (no examples spring to mind at the moment!)
It's like one of my favourite bands of the moment Within Temptation, in Holland it probably sounds really cool but when the topic of conversation springs up it makes my skin crawl with embarrassment when I say it lol.

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

As Peter says, the Joker name was introduced in 1979 as the European name for the Westfalia camper range based on the VW T3. In the US they were badged as a Vanagon. There were various derivatives (like the Mosaic (the home build version!) and Club).

No idea why the name came about, but I would guess it was to imply a sense of fun.

Prior to this, Westfalia's Bay Window range included models such as the Berlin and Helsinki and I think before that they were known only as SO (Special Order)?

The California name came into being in 1988 as Westfalia started working more closely with VW on the T3 model. It was a intended to be a Summer camper. The Atlantic was also introduced at this time as the California's Winterised sibling.

Only the California name survived the transition to Westfalia's T4 model, inheriting the spec from the Atlantic. Which became VW's own T5 offering (VW's first ever camper!)

Nice to see the Joker name back in use.

 

[Mac Of Phillack]

What a lucky duck! It looks amazing. You must feel fantastic whenever it catches your eye.
I'm sure you'll really enjoy it.

 

[SimonSpain]

Hi…we have a Cali T5..and a half…lol! I love it in so many ways as we have the 5th seat which makes family use and using the cali as a people carrier perfectly viable. Also after constantly looking for viable alternatives as , firstly I'd like there to be one, and secondly because although the Cali is a great great concept, some of the systems and functions just don't work as a camper van should. The catches and finishes are flimsily and weak and the roof is a constant worry for a number of reasons. We still have a fully working Cali after 2 years, but I do worry that the second the guarantee runs out, we may well be looking at costly future repairs if some systems fail…i.e. roof motor etc. BUT…despite all that, it's still the only viable option if you want a camper van that can work as an everyday vehicle. I LOVE the new Club Joker and was seriously thinking of changing to one, but ….problems would be…1 Garage parking? No way!…2 Storage space for bikes and folding kayaks etc?…no! 3 Five people on an outing?….no! 4 Quick shop run?…maybe not! So, I think if you had a tall garage and space to care for such a vehicle…cleaning the roof would be fun! and if you don't need it to transport Ikea stuff or children etc. I would prefer the Club Joker. BUT..the Cali just does too many useful things in a really compact package! Just not that well made maybe. I'd be interested to see how the new Club Joker would hold up to use. The old ones seem to go on and on…but then the old T4 Cali's seem to also. But with my Cali, I can fit 2 folding Brompton bikes, a 5.3 m folding kayak and complete sailing rig, child seat for the bike AND all our gear and still seat the family comfortably …us two and a small boy…, cook when we need to and have the roof bed to sleep in and all our stuff safely inside the van. I don't see another van out there the size of the VW Cali that can do that!

 

[Andresz]

Hi…we have a Cali T5..and a half…lol! I love it in so many ways as we have the 5th seat which makes family use and using the cali as a people carrier perfectly viable. Also after constantly looking for viable alternatives as , firstly I'd like there to be one, and secondly because although the Cali is a great great concept, some of the systems and functions just don't work as a camper van should. The catches and finishes are flimsily and weak and the roof is a constant worry for a number of reasons. We still have a fully working Cali after 2 years, but I do worry that the second the guarantee runs out, we may well be looking at costly future repairs if some systems fail…i.e. roof motor etc. BUT…despite all that, it's still the only viable option if you want a camper van that can work as an everyday vehicle. I LOVE the new Club Joker and was seriously thinking of changing to one, but ….problems would be…1 Garage parking? No way!…2 Storage space for bikes and folding kayaks etc?…no! 3 Five people on an outing?….no! 4 Quick shop run?…maybe not! So, I think if you had a tall garage and space to care for such a vehicle…cleaning the roof would be fun! and if you don't need it to transport Ikea stuff or children etc. I would prefer the Club Joker. BUT..the Cali just does too many useful things in a really compact package! Just not that well made maybe. I'd be interested to see how the new Club Joker would hold up to use. The old ones seem to go on and on…but then the old T4 Cali's seem to also. But with my Cali, I can fit 2 folding Brompton bikes, a 5.3 m folding kayak and complete sailing rig, child seat for the bike AND all our gear and still seat the family comfortably …us two and a small boy…, cook when we need to and have the roof bed to sleep in and all our stuff safely inside the van. I don't see another van out there the size of the VW Cali that can do that!

Westfalia have the Club Joker with elevating (manual) roof too.
The furniture concept, including toilet and shower are similar.


https://www.facebook.com/WestfaliaMobil ... 673&type=1


I think this may suit you better.

Regards
Andrzej

 

[SimonSpain]

…Hi…thanks…yes I saw a photo a few days ago and thought…whats that?? No info, it seems as yet! Problem is it also has zero boot space, so the VW Cali still wins it for me at the moment….also no 5th seat option it would seem in the Westfalia. I don't want the Cali to win…I want to see something better, but as yet …and after so much time too…the Cali seems to do more than the rest.
Oh…I personally really like the look of the Club Joker,and it looks so cosy and compact but if I was thinking practically, I'd probably look at a VW Crafter based Westfalia Sven Hedin or a Columbus as hight seems to be the real issue not so much the length, and the Joker is taller than most anything!

 

[SimonSpain]

…the California is missing two things, for me…well systems-wise…and then it would be a complete camper. A shower which is indoors…I have a nice outdoor one, but a usable indoor shower concept…and also hot water. Why the perfectly usable Webasto heating system isn't also used to heat the water, I do not know. Also the roof bellow is very nicely shaped when open….look at the new T5 creased up Westfalia Club Joker version in comparison….but the VW Cali roof bellows need to be far more weather proof and warmer than it is for such an expensive purchase. I have the excellent Cali Topper but why in a van of this calibre should one actually be necessary!!! …and why we then have to buy useful Brandup accessories that should be part of the package I don't know, but that seems to be how the modern automotive world seems to work….get the customer to pay through the nose once…and then hit 'em again with 'parts not included'! :censor

 

[KernowLad]

A lower mattress topper should also be standard to all but the most die hard masochist.

 

[Tunworththunderbolt]

Nice seeing it "in the flesh" at Canterbury yesterday and reference a previous posting, yes I was outside fitting my Cali-topper while you were inside watching (but I still wouldn't swap my Cali!). Enjoy your Westy
Kenton

 

[Maud]

I may be completely wrong but I thought it was called a Joker because the roof hangs over at the front, like a jester's three-point hat - or like the hat the Joker wears in a pack of cards. Probably silly but seemed logical to my brain :lol:

I think it looks great by the way

Maud

 

[Freeley]

I've only just looked at the video now - nice van but how does the "shower room" work? The bloke in the video doesn't go in there so can't see?? Is it a usable space?

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

I may be completely wrong but I thought it was called a Joker because the roof hangs over at the front, like a jester's three-point hat - or like the hat the Joker wears in a pack of cards. Probably silly but seemed logical to my brain :lol:

Best answer I've ever heard :lol:

Unfortunately the name predates the smurf/Elvis/Jester top.

Now, the Westfalia Elvis... <Elvis>Uh-huh</Elvis>

 

[SimonSpain]

I have heard that the shower is pretty good for size with the doors closed, but the tray is not as deep as other Westfalias like the Columbus. I would say any VW Cali owner would be very jealous of the style and build quality of the Club Joker…and the customer service no doubt…as I say, if it had a boot or alternative layouts for more storage, I'd seriously consider a change. The Westfalia Amundsen 540 looks very nice, but taller than the Cali, so garage parking not so easy. I don't know why they didn't do the Club Joker pop-top on the longer wheelbase VW Transporter as that extra 30cm comes in very handy and a little more length isn't difficult to park, just height.

 

[DMB9R]

I am also one of the people liking this at all. Just doesn't look right. I saw it at the show at the NEC and wasn't impressed. But as long as you like it then who cares?

 

[parrots mum]

Very nice indeed--lucky you.

 

[Paul1]

Thank you all for your comments, we all have our special needs and requirements and I could have a long list of plus and minus compared to the Cali, but I am not going to. My Cali was great and a reluctant sale but just did not suit us for winter use. We have just returned from Canterbury & Brighton ( met Andy ) to try everything out and we are really pleased with Elvis . Paul 1 :clap

 

[ChrisandPenney52]

Great choice, and Elvis is an excellent name. Keep us updated on how it goes. I wonder if Joker refers to the playing card - the idea that it can play lots of roles. The word is used in German

 

[andywa119]

Hi Paul. Nice to bump into you at Brighton this weekend. Thanks again for showing us around your camper. The inside looks fantastic. Very professional and as a Cali owner will be much tempted by the Joker. Here's hoping you enjoy many a happy weekend in it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[cadger]

well I must admit Buster is not far wrong with the up turned boat comment, but as Simon Cowells once said when you are sitting in first class on a airplane you don't worry about what the plane look like from out side, I seen the Joker at the NEC and it ticks all the boxes and will be on my list for next year.