New Coast owner in South Wales

[RobertCalifornia]

After many months of lurking on this forum (what a great way to kill time in Lockdown!), our new Coast arrived today. We’ve kept it pretty basic (mattress topper, Bay Leaf Green paint, towbar prep and bike rack) and can’t wait to start using it (today our First Minister raised the prospect of tourism opening up at Easter, so here’s hoping!).

The kids are as excited about it as I am, and can’t wait to sleep in the roof. They’ve christened it ‘Baby Yoder Shrek Robert California’ (based on the colour of the first two, and a character in The Office (US), our pandemic feel-good staple, for the third). My wife is playing it cool (note the look of slight bemusement/disdain in the photo) and is making a show of not getting excited - she can’t understand how I have convinced her to spend so much cash on a van (our last one was a Bongo that cost less than the extras we have bought on this one!) nor why I have spent so much time on this forum!

For those looking to buy or in the process of waiting, we ordered back in September and after some yo-yoing with the build dates it actually arrived earlier than the dealer predicted.

Thanks to everyone on this forum for sharing their wisdom and experience. I’ve lost count of the decisions made, the mistakes avoided, and the money saved based on my research on here!

 

[AlisonF]

Congratulations! When do the kids get to sleep up top on the driveway? Tomorrow night?

 

[sapto]

Welcome here!
Let the fun begin! Start camping in the drive or garage!
Happy wknd!

 

[Welshnick]

Great news.....have fun....I'm envious in a nice way ...I ordered an ocean in September and have a confirmed build for next week...I'm in Cardiff...maybe when mine arrives we can meet up ....only seen 2 Calis locally.

 

[AMH70]

View attachment 73006
After many months of lurking on this forum (what a great way to kill time in Lockdown!), our new Coast arrived today. We’ve kept it pretty basic (mattress topper, Bay Leaf Green paint, towbar prep and bike rack) and can’t wait to start using it (today our First Minister raised the prospect of tourism opening up at Easter, so here’s hoping!).

The kids are as excited about it as I am, and can’t wait to sleep in the roof. They’ve christened it ‘Baby Yoder Shrek Robert California’ (based on the colour of the first two, and a character in The Office (US), our pandemic feel-good staple, for the third). My wife is playing it cool (note the look of slight bemusement/disdain in the photo) and is making a show of not getting excited - she can’t understand how I have convinced her to spend so much cash on a van (our last one was a Bongo that cost less than the extras we have bought on this one!) nor why I have spent so much time on this forum!

For those looking to buy or in the process of waiting, we ordered back in September and after some yo-yoing with the build dates it actually arrived earlier than the dealer predicted.

Thanks to everyone on this forum for sharing their wisdom and experience. I’ve lost count of the decisions made, the mistakes avoided, and the money saved based on my research on here!

Hello!! Mine is being delivered next Thursday!

 

[Dave Lowe]

Congratulations ... Love the colour

 

[RobertCalifornia]

Congratulations! When do the kids get to sleep up top on the driveway? Tomorrow night?

Good question @AlisonF - they’d have been in it straight after we got it if it had been up to the them! I’ve fended them off so that we can spread the excitement over the maximum number of days. It’s looking cold over the next week or so, so if they do try it out then we’ll get to try out the auxiliary heater.

Half term is coming up and I have booked the week off - so we might try to sleep in it for the week, and use the time to work out what suits us in terms of bedding (my wife doesn’t like sleeping bags, and the kids have a tendency to demand to go up top and then change their mind halfway through the night).

Anyone use a non-sleeping bag solution but that packs down small?

 

[RobertCalifornia]

Great news.....have fun....I'm envious in a nice way ...I ordered an ocean in September and have a confirmed build for next week...I'm in Cardiff...maybe when mine arrives we can meet up ....only seen 2 Calis locally.

Sounds great @Welshnick. I’m delighted to have it, but also very frustrated that we can’t properly use BYSRC until Lockdown restrictions lift a little, so hopefully yours will arrive at a time you can make the most of it.

 

[RobertCalifornia]

Hello!! Mine is being delivered next Thursday!

Lucky you @AMH70.

The feeling when you see it being driven down the road I can only compare to waking up on Christmas morning as a kid.

 

[RobertCalifornia]

Congratulations ... Love the colour

Thanks @Dave Lowe. I wanted the two-tone BLG and white, but that got vetoed by a tag-team of the VW salesman and my wife. Still, I like the BLG - stands out, but not too much.

 

[RobertCalifornia]

Welcome here!
Let the fun begin! Start camping in the drive or garage!
Happy wknd!

Thanks @sapto.

On the subject of fun, I want to start planning some major trips to Europe for when we are allowed to travel (which I appreciate may be some time in the future). There some great threads on here (I particularly liked ‘View from my van’. What’s the best book(s) that people would recommend for inspiration/route-planning?

 

[Algor]

Congrats & Welcome!

 

[Ladymuck]

Hello and welcome! Wishing you and your family many happy trips in your van don't worry your wife will soon realise you've made the best decision ever !
Still impatiently waiting my September ordered Coast here !

Good question @AlisonF - they’d have been in it straight after we got it if it had been up to the them! I’ve fended them off so that we can spread the excitement over the maximum number of days. It’s looking cold over the next week or so, so if they do try it out then we’ll get to try out the auxiliary heater.

Half term is coming up and I have booked the week off - so we might try to sleep in it for the week, and use the time to work out what suits us in terms of bedding (my wife doesn’t like sleeping bags, and the kids have a tendency to demand to go up top and then change their mind halfway through the night).

Anyone use a non-sleeping bag solution but that packs down small?

We've bought some M&S coverless duvets, they pack down a bit smaller than a duvet but thinking of getting vacuum packs to put them in

 

[AMH70]

Lucky you @AMH70.

The feeling when you see it being driven down the road I can only compare to waking up on Christmas morning as a kid.

I have a little one and we are desperate to sleep in it but I can’t on my driveway; just would feel too weird .

 

[AMH70]

Welcome here!
Let the fun begin! Start camping in the drive or garage!
Happy wknd!

Do they fit in a garage? I measured but think it may be tight.

 

[RobertCalifornia]

Congrats & Welcome!

Thanks @Algor.

 

[AMH70]

Hello and welcome! Wishing you and your family many happy trips in your van don't worry your wife will soon realise you've made the best decision ever !
Still impatiently waiting my September ordered Coast here !


We've bought some M&S coverless duvets, they pack down a bit smaller than a duvet but think of getting vacuum packs to put them in

I have been looking for these but sold out on M&S unfortunately

 

[RobertCalifornia]

I have a little one and we are desperate to sleep in it but I can’t on my driveway; just would feel too weird .

No such inhibitions in our household @AMH70! To be fair, we are in a small cul-de-sac with houses only on one side, where we know pretty much everyone, and there is quite a campervan-friendly vibe (no other Californias, but lots of Bongos and VW conversions).

It is on a hill though, so will need to try out the levelling function.

 

[Ladymuck]

I have been looking for these but sold out on M&S unfortunately

It might be worth persevering, every so often the odd one comes back in stock, well they did when I ordered in November, ones kept on popping up in stock (and then going out of stock very quickly) so I just kept checking everyday for about a month until the pattern I wanted became available and snapped it up.

 

[kurienp]

Congratulations! Let the adventures begin!

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[RobertCalifornia]

Hello and welcome! Wishing you and your family many happy trips in your van don't worry your wife will soon realise you've made the best decision ever !
Still impatiently waiting my September ordered Coast here !


We've bought some M&S coverless duvets, they pack down a bit smaller than a duvet but think of getting vacuum packs to put them in

Thanks @Ladymuck. I’m sure she will come around. She loves camping and is impressed by the vehicle, but we’ve never had a new vehicle before so can’t quite believe the expense. I’ve done all the budgeting so she is rather taking it on trust!

That’s a great tip re the cover less duvets - we’ll check that out.

 

[Saesneg Shaun]

Congratulations, Great colour choice!, I'm in Newport so might see you around.

 

[RobertCalifornia]

Congratulations! Let the adventures begin!

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Thanks @kurienp. What’s been your best adventure in the California?

 

[NLB]

Looks great , enjoy , reckon you'll be seeing a fair few Cali's in South Wales when we are all back on the road .

 

[RobertCalifornia]

Congratulations, Great colour choice!, I'm in Newport so might see you around.

Thanks @Zooks. Looking forward to taking it for a Tredegar Park/Twmbarlwm outing when restrictions allow.