New Cali - things i have learnt

[NZCol]

1) VW in NZ are utterly clueless about Calis even though they will order and sell you a NZ new one.
2) It is not possible to gas certify a Cali in NZ, ever. You can't buy 907 bottles and the only bottle you can buy (and reg) sits proud of the gas cavity and this can't be sealed. Therefore impossible to certify and technically means you should not be able to use any caravan or campervan sites that are registered. Also a bit dodgy with gas + electrics open in the back.
3) As it comes from the factory the Cali cannot be certified electrically either, as in will not pass an Electric Warrant of Fitness. Again, another requirement that in theory you should be asked for to get an electric hookup. Needs 60A RCDs apparently to meet the electrickery spec here although I am ignoring that.
4) VW dealers are hopeless, my van arrived with a silver not black awning despite me amending the order in writing. They blamed me, i produced the amendment and the response saying it had been actioned. They said - Oh well. I have now suggested I am rejecting the van, that got some action.
5) The towbar prep was wrong from the factory and the process of fixing it they took the electric hookup connector out the side and let it dangle backwards and forwards against the van creating a cracking arc of scratches. On a van with 4km on the clock. They suggested I had done it when i went to collect it then realised that in fact i hadn't ever seen it never mind touch it.
6) No remote for the heater despite it being on the spec sheet. When i asked they said they would sort it out and then asked me to pay for it.

I'm genuinely embarassed about the lack of service and general crapness of this experience. We're moving back to the UK anyway and bringing the van back so my care level is very very low but i do hope i get better service when we get back to Edinburgh. Pretty impressive though that they sell a van NZ New that can't use gas or be connected to a hookup from factory.

EDIT: While that ^ is a full scale whinge i absolutely love the van. Everything we expected and more. We had a rental one in the UK for a month so we knew what to expect but having our own is cool. Manual 4motion Olympic Blue 180 with climatronic, towbar, privacy glass, multi function wheel, mudflaps and a gas bottle that pokes out the hole ;-)

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

Not a great start by all accounts. Hope they get it all sorted out and you can really enjoy the van

cheers

 

[Goldie]

Col,

I'm heading out to Wellington, New Zealand in the Spring and taking the Beach with me. A bit worrying how poor VW are out there and I wonder how they would deal with things like the roof issues that people are having in UK - I'm having a new one fitted soon. It sounds like the Beach with its manual roof and lack of gas cooker and electrics might be a good thing . I don't want them fixing it with a piece of number 8 wire though :laugh2

I'm hoping that the Beach doesn't count as a 'motor home' and escapes the additional 10% import duty. The lack of fridge, cooker and toilet means that it not built for habitation reading the import guidance. We will see.

The 180 4 motion sounds great for out there. Will you be venturing up Skipper's Canyon in it?http://www.dangerousroads.org/new-zealand/55-skippers-canyon-road-new-zealand.html

I might be seeking some advice from NZ members before the Cali sets sail.

Andy

 

[NZCol]

You should escape the duty which is 5% now! and no gst either if you have owned it for more than 6 months before you arrive. I would suggest bringing anything you may want with you for the van like bike racks and seat covers.
VW would struggle with the Cali bits but will have a crack at anything.
We always get 4 wheel or awd vehicles as the chip seal here is really rough and the roads are pretty average plus a more than normal amount of unsealed roads. Skippers is alright really, there are significantly worse roads than that !

 

[Californiaman]

Some nice ones too though - the drive from Wanaka to Queenstown is a favourite of mine!

 

[Goldie]

We bought the Beach knowing that we were heading to NZ - it's Yellow so everyone should see it coming . The campsites seem pretty good out there and the best pitches appeared to be those without electrical hookup - certainly in the Top 10 in Fox and Lake Tekapo. In addition to that most people with campers and motor homes we saw used the on site facilities rather than the cookers and toilets in the motor homes they rented so we don't see the Beach as a disadvantage.

Are you able to wild camp in a California SE? My sister has a very nice Kea conversion and it does not meet the requirements.

I'm also bringing my Yeti - 170bhp 4x4, but you can only drive one of them! The 180 4 motion gives you best of both :mrgreen:

Californiaman. Yes the drive from Queenstown to Wanaka is good. Did you they travel the Haast Highway out to the West coast? Some great DoC campsites and only 6 NZ$ per night.

Andy

 

[Californiaman]

I've been lucky enough to do the entire coastline of the south island twice - but sadly neither time in a camper van! Once on a BMW motorbike (and believe it or not, we only got rained on once; albeit for an entire day!) and once in a big v8 Holden thing. The furthest west we got was Manapouri in a car - and to the entrance to Doubtful in a boat (very, very scary...)

 

[Goldie]

Post by Californiaman » 9 minutes ago

I've been lucky enough to do the entire coastline of the south island twice - but sadly neither time in a camper van! Once on a BMW motorbike (and believe it or not, we only got rained on once; albeit for an entire day!) and once in a big v8 Holden thing.

Oh maybe I should add I'm taking my BMW R1150R, Mot Guzzi Le Mans and couple of BSA Gold Stars. I just hope I get the time the time to restore and ride them; they've been sat around unused for a few years and I'm hoping for a new lease of life for both them and me.

Should be a good place for the bikes with a good climate and quiet roads compared to UK. :goodone

Andy

 

[NZCol]

Should be a good place for the bikes with a good climate and quiet roads compared to UK.

Yeah nah as we say here, you have to pick your spots as rural traffic is actually the worst to ride in as you will discover NZ has the worst level of driving ability in the western world. No joke.

There are some fantastic out of the way spots that we regularly use in both the N and S Islands so i will compile you a list - you can get a self containment cert in the Cali if you have a porta potti so wild camping is no issue although there has a significant crackdown due to hoards of generally young visitors in non contained vans crapping all over the place. I have seen it and beeing appalled by the behaviour, locals as well though.

NZ is a lovely spot, just don't believe all you read about how pristine and clean it is - it really isn't any more and that is quite a shame.

 

[Goldie]

NZ is a lovely spot, just don't believe all you read about how pristine and clean it is - it really isn't any more and that is quite a shame.

I have family out there so have a good idea what to expect and witnessed the driving firsthand :crazy

We live in the SE of England within M25 so looking forward to lifestyle change. I expect your move to UK will throw up similar challenges - especially if the Scots vote for independence . At least you'll be able to point out to the locals that Scotland has never beaten the All Blacks

I have a Porta Potti, but the Beach does not have a sink or receptacle for grey water; could I still get a self containment certificate?

Thanks for your offer to compile me a list.

Andy

 

[NZCol]

Ah yeah of course it's a Beach - no is the answer. As you know the rules are here http://www.nzmca.org.nz/self-containment/
FYI Campercare is a good insurance co - underwritten by Vero and the only lot that cover your van + the bits in it. I'm paying $800 for the Cali which isn't too bad.
Yeah our move is interesting but with a young family it makes sense and we will still have some property here so all is not lost.

 

[Goldie]

Thanks Col,

I hadn't seen the rules so very useful. Do they allow unofficial solutions?? I'm pretty good at diy and I'm sure I could fashion something to meet those requirements. A sink could be a bowl with a hole and hose attached into a 5 gallon container acting as the holding tank. Not sure about the need for an evacuation hose if you can pour it away!

I'll look at what is available to the barge and boating community in UK who face similar challenges.

Andy

 

[NZCol]

I dunno i suppose it would come down to the examiner really.

 

[NZCol]

Short Update:
Heating remote: NZ spec has no control unit for the remote so not possible. News to me and not what spec sheet says but VW NZ say "Specs change". Nice.
Gas: They are stumped and concede that it's impossible to safely put gas in it. I've left that one with them.
Electricity: Same, they checked the specs and have said that it doesn't meet the required standards and that if I want to get it changed they will pay for it. I'm not going to bother.
So progress of sorts.

 

[James]

Short Update:
Heating remote: NZ spec has no control unit for the remote so not possible. News to me and not what spec sheet says but VW NZ say "Specs change". Nice.
Gas: They are stumped and concede that it's impossible to safely put gas in it. I've left that one with them.
Electricity: Same, they checked the specs and have said that it doesn't meet the required standards and that if I want to get it changed they will pay for it. I'm not going to bother.
So progress of sorts.

It used to be there were two options with the aux heater - one came with remote and one without

James

 

[Californiaman]

Oh maybe I should add I'm taking my BMW R1150R, Mot Guzzi Le Mans and couple of BSA Gold Stars. I just hope I get the time the time to restore and ride them; they've been sat around unused for a few years and I'm hoping for a new lease of life for both them and me.

Should be a good place for the bikes with a good climate and quiet roads compared to UK. :goodone

Andy

By coincidence, it was an R1150R I rode around the south island (and some big chunks of the north) I hadn't ridden one before but I found it brilliant - I don't think you could choose a much better bike. Nice and relaxed and relatively easy to ride at legal speeds whilst still enjoying the ride. By contrast, I had a ZZR1200 for a while and got nicked for speeding twice - easy when you can break the upper limit in 1st gear!

Make sure to get down to Hammer Hardware in Invercargill to see an interesting collection of 'old bikes'.

I'm not totally convinced about the weather - the summers too hot both north and south. The winter in the south is too cold (but about right in the north of the north!) but crikey, can it rain...!

The BMW dealer in Tauranga is one of the best motorcycle dealers I have ever encountered.

If you want any advice re the local motorbike stuff - these guys http://www.bikebitz.co.nz/contact are brilliant. Speak to max or Alan and tell them Mark mentioned them - they emmigrated out 12 years ago so they can also help potentially offer advice on that side of things if you want any.

Col, if you are bringing the van back to the UK soon is it worth converting the gas? I'm not sure about the legality but could you stick an unopened Campingaz 907 in the back of Goldie's Beach..? If you PM me your address, I'll happily investigate options for shipping a full one. They last a while...

 

[Goldie]

Californiaman wrote:
I'm not totally convinced about the weather - the summers too hot both north and south. The winter in the south is too cold (but about right in the north of the north!) but crikey, can it rain...!

Looks like it is the Cali for Summer and Winter and the bikes for Spring and Autumn then. :smile

I did enquire about filling the Camping Gaz 907 bottle in NZ and the answer from Coleman (who now appear to own them was No). Reason I bought Coleman Dual fuel cooker and leaving the gas cooker in UK. You can get unleaded anywhere.

NZCol - I do have a new full sealed 907 bottle, If timescales are right I could see if I could ship with my stuff if you are interested.

Andy

 

[NZCol]

Thanks-it's with VW now who are trying to get me one from Oz or worst case I just swap the regs and turn it off more often then change it back when the van gets to the UK. All good though. Might head off today for the night fiche winds ever drop below 100kmh.

 

[Goldie]

Col,

Thanks for the NZMCA link. This one was very useful http://www.nzmca.org.nz/self-containment/ with the 2013 guidance. I'm now thinking that 'self certifying' the Beach would not be difficult especially reading the Hi-Ace van conversion.

This might be be a good bet for when you want to wild camp especially if you could get them to fit 2 x 24 litre containers - looks like there is plenty of room. Just remove it when you get back and store it in the garage with the fifth seat, bike rack and roof rack you never use :laugh2 http://evomotiondesign.co.uk/product/pod-1/

As you said the Porta Potti is fine - at 1 litre per person per day I guess they are only expecting solids (or No:2s in old money :lol: )

Regarding the Camping Gaz 907 bottles; although Coleman told me you can't get them refilled, is that because they don't stock or sell them in NZ. Could somebody else refill them - I ask because you said VW were trying to get you one from Oz. Miilets in the UK were selling new air-filled ones for £15 earlier this year.

Andy

 

[NZCol]

The 907 is not brought into NZ. They do have them in Oz, will update when i hear back from VW NZ as they are trying to get one over. Filling it will be another issue altogether !

 

[Goldie]

Yes, I suppose there is filling it and then being able to carry out all the necessary safety checks as they will have a finite life and the seals, valves etc will deteriorate over time.

Good luck with that.

Andy