new Cali Beach or Multivan (with sleeping roof)

[zeratul]

I have a tough decision to make. Here in Belgium we have VW Multivan which is very close to the cali beach but without the roof.

I would want a 7-seater beach. Mainly because we have young 3 kids and we sometimes need 6 or 7 seats. It would be our only car and has to be very flexible. I see the camping as a great extra but cannot yet tell how many nights a year we would be sleeping in it. I don't want to be counting the nights per year and comparing that to hotel prices to see if we've made the right decision. It just has to be a flexible car for our family.

But as our only car, it has to be a company car (I will not explain, it's complicated Belgian fiscal matter). Bottomline is that CO2 and list price are important... (in fact both are multiplied in the formula to calculate yearly tax..)

We have a nice promotion here in Belgium on "Multivan Blue and Cool", which is basically a Multivan Bluemotion with extra:
- metallic paint
- climatronic airco
- parking sensors F+R
- privacy glass
- 7 seats by default
- RCD310 radio

The promotional price is only €31.710. The greatest thing however is the low CO2 of only 159g for the 114bhp.

Adding a Reimo or SCA sleeping roof and bed extension + matrass would cost me around €7000 - I would have that done by a professional company.

For the beach with same options , I get to a price of €41080, so €3370 more expensive.
The beach then does have some stuff the multivan does not:
- curtains
- second battery
- VW warranty on the roof
- the option for a parking heater
But what else?

As for tax, multivan is €840 net tax less per year. You see why I am thinking about it.

The problem is, I don't really like the idea of buying a new car and then voiding warranty by having someone cut the roof out. Most people seem to do that on older vehicles.

What would you do and why? Any advice you may have for me is more than welcome.

 

[Joseph]

Had the same decision to make this Summer
Caravelle or Beach
I chose the 7 seater Beach although a lot more Money
Not 1 regret . I love my New Beach and have used it a few times away with my Grandkids. And without with the middle seats taken out
They normally sleep upstairs and have great fun.
We ordered the rs510 and they can lie in bed and watch DVD's

 

[Ma77sc]

I don't want to be counting the nights per year and comparing that to hotel prices to see if we've made the right decision.

There's no point in doing this if you value/enjoy the freedom that you only get with camping.

We have a Beach as our main vehicle and most of the time its used only as a Multivan would be, BUT whereas I would previously avoid camping because of the hassle of a tent, we now go out for impromptu weekends where the excitement is or the weather's good. The kids love it and even day trips with picnics have an extra dimension where we pop the roof up and enjoy the view. For us it's really down to the simple pleasures and of course the resale value needs to be a factor in the price difference.

HTH

Matt

 

[Andresz]

I do not know How It is for CO2 tax emission in Belgium, but in France you can register the Beach as camper by means of buying removable furniture. Then this is 0€ tax. You cannot do the same trick with Multivan.

 

[zeratul]

I do not know How It is for CO2 tax emission in Belgium, but in France you can register the Beach as camper by means of buying removable furniture. Then this is 0€ tax. You cannot do the same trick with Multivan.

I investigated that over here as well. We would lose the 7 seater ability. You can only carry maximum 5 persons in a Beach as camper. Some stupid rule with max weight of the vehicle.