New GC680 - initial thoughts after a week

[jonclareVWGrand]

Hi All

After a year’s wait, we’ve got our new Grand Cali and are absolutely loving it - we had a test-weekend in Lincolnshire straight after pickup and are now having a week in Devon and Cornwall. All the options we chose are great:
- 4WD - already used a number of times in muddy fields and exploring some gravel tracks. It takes all the worry away from ‘will I get stuck in the mud’
- diesel heating - nice and quiet
- extra remote controlled heating - diesel aux heater from the cab that is great for clearing condensation from the windscreen in the morning. The remote means I can switch it on from the bed before I get up
- SOG - absolutely no smells - really worth it
- wifi - see my next post - problems so need some help. VW plugged the aerial into the wrong socket - needs to be in the outside purple socket - they’d plugged it into the middle one
- lights - didn’t go for the LED lights but the normal headlights seem fine - was worried they may not be bright enough. Have only done one drive in the dark so first impressions are good
- bike rack - although the arms have a lock on them, its easy to remove the rack with a few tools so its not overly secure - fine for securing bikes when lots of people are around. Also needs a cover - we forgot to buy one so have wet bikes when it rains
- awning - didn’t think we wanted one, so didn’t order one. Definitely the right choice for us - we are sitting inside in the sun tonight with the doors open, last night it was wet so we were inside watching the coronation concert on the ipad
- Solar - a must if you plan to camp without EHU for more than 2 nights in the same place (ie without driving to charge up). Charges up to 100% when driving
- 680 vs 600 - we’re old enough for the 3.88T to be on our licence. Really glad we went for the slightly longer bed in the 680 (I’m 5’10”), which also means extra 80cm of cupboards on both sides top to bottom for storage. We didn’t need the upstairs bed and really needed the 4WD so wasn’t really a difficult choice for us.

General design
- really impressed with the details and thought that has gone in to it.
- Step - Apart from the step going AWOL and needing to use the blue plug a few times, it works well and like the way it auto activates / retracts when the door opens / closes and you can set it to stay permanently out in camping mode or permanently in if you’re in a car park
- control panel - has had a few niggles, but OK most of the time
- wet room works really well. Shame there‘s no showerhead holder in the GC680
- shower - 10L of 60 degrees water is plenty for a shower if you are economical
- off-grid - 2 nights and 2 showers is easy. Toilet is probably the limiting factor. Battery charges with driving
- shame there aren’t USB sockets on both sides of the bed at the back
- folding bed is great - really comfy
- two bikes on the bike rack are easy to load and unload once you’ve got the settings right for the holding arms. Very quick to put up the bed and load them inside for secure storage if you‘re going out
- kitchen area + cupboards and airline-style lockers - lots of storage space
- van lights - once we found the dimming function by holding down the switch it was great. Would be nice to have lights in the drivers area - they go off once you close the doors
- auto toilet light - I think its great, my wife doesn’t. If it was dimmable at night it would be ideal. Haven’t had it come on with the heating.
- table - it is too big. Looking to get a slightly smaller one
- outdoor chairs and table - comfy and about the right size
- driving - the van is great, plenty of power and not too noisy for a van. Nothing like the RVs we’ve hired in the US where you can’t hear the radio
- front windscreen covers - side window covers are magnetic and really easy to put up. Front windshield ’curtain’ with tent poles is OK - will invest in an outside thermal cover
- bench seat - surprisingly comfy. Driving down to Cornwall we left home at 5 and my wife worked in ‘business class‘ on her laptop which meant we could leave home earlier

VW Forum - really helpful as lots of things that may have been problems have already been solved by others

Overall - absolutely love it!

 

[Mr T]

Hi All

After a year’s wait, we’ve got our new Grand Cali and are absolutely loving it - we had a test-weekend in Lincolnshire straight after pickup and are now having a week in Devon and Cornwall. All the options we chose are great:
- 4WD - already used a number of times in muddy fields and exploring some gravel tracks. It takes all the worry away from ‘will I get stuck in the mud’
- diesel heating - nice and quiet
- extra remote controlled heating - diesel aux heater from the cab that is great for clearing condensation from the windscreen in the morning. The remote means I can switch it on from the bed before I get up
- SOG - absolutely no smells - really worth it
- wifi - see my next post - problems so need some help. VW plugged the aerial into the wrong socket - needs to be in the outside purple socket - they’d plugged it into the middle one
- lights - didn’t go for the LED lights but the normal headlights seem fine - was worried they may not be bright enough. Have only done one drive in the dark so first impressions are good
- bike rack - although the arms have a lock on them, its easy to remove the rack with a few tools so its not overly secure - fine for securing bikes when lots of people are around. Also needs a cover - we forgot to buy one so have wet bikes when it rains
- awning - didn’t think we wanted one, so didn’t order one. Definitely the right choice for us - we are sitting inside in the sun tonight with the doors open, last night it was wet so we were inside watching the coronation concert on the ipad
- Solar - a must if you plan to camp without EHU for more than 2 nights in the same place (ie without driving to charge up). Charges up to 100% when driving
- 680 vs 600 - we’re old enough for the 3.88T to be on our licence. Really glad we went for the slightly longer bed in the 680 (I’m 5’10”), which also means extra 80cm of cupboards on both sides top to bottom for storage. We didn’t need the upstairs bed and really needed the 4WD so wasn’t really a difficult choice for us.

General design
- really impressed with the details and thought that has gone in to it.
- Step - Apart from the step going AWOL and needing to use the blue plug a few times, it works well and like the way it auto activates / retracts when the door opens / closes and you can set it to stay permanently out in camping mode or permanently in if you’re in a car park
- control panel - has had a few niggles, but OK most of the time
- wet room works really well. Shame there‘s no showerhead holder in the GC680
- shower - 10L of 60 degrees water is plenty for a shower if you are economical
- off-grid - 2 nights and 2 showers is easy. Toilet is probably the limiting factor. Battery charges with driving
- shame there aren’t USB sockets on both sides of the bed at the back
- folding bed is great - really comfy
- two bikes on the bike rack are easy to load and unload once you’ve got the settings right for the holding arms. Very quick to put up the bed and load them inside for secure storage if you‘re going out
- kitchen area + cupboards and airline-style lockers - lots of storage space
- van lights - once we found the dimming function by holding down the switch it was great. Would be nice to have lights in the drivers area - they go off once you close the doors
- auto toilet light - I think its great, my wife doesn’t. If it was dimmable at night it would be ideal. Haven’t had it come on with the heating.
- table - it is too big. Looking to get a slightly smaller one
- outdoor chairs and table - comfy and about the right size
- driving - the van is great, plenty of power and not too noisy for a van. Nothing like the RVs we’ve hired in the US where you can’t hear the radio
- front windscreen covers - side window covers are magnetic and really easy to put up. Front windshield ’curtain’ with tent poles is OK - will invest in an outside thermal cover
- bench seat - surprisingly comfy. Driving down to Cornwall we left home at 5 and my wife worked in ‘business class‘ on her laptop which meant we could leave home earlier

VW Forum - really helpful as lots of things that may have been problems have already been solved by others

Overall - absolutely love it!View attachment 108196

Congratulations and a great write up of your early thoughts and experiences. Thanks for sharing.

 

[TW8 GrandCali]

Hi
Great to read your write up, now wish I had done the same.we picked our 600 up April had a holiday booked elsewhere and have had a couple of trips in the GC.We absolutely love it and are so pleased we invested in it, we had a T6 conversion before.What we have found is(and maybe we have been lucky)that a lot of the so called problems with the Grand California can be sorted by reading the manuals and using the forum and not thinking there is a big problem immediately.I think that there is a lot to get used to when it is new and very few people come on to forums to say good or how much they are enjoying their GC
Good Luck
Graham and Lynda

 

[Holidaymaker]

Hi
Great to read your write up, now wish I had done the same.we picked our 600 up April had a holiday booked elsewhere and have had a couple of trips in the GC.We absolutely love it and are so pleased we invested in it, we had a T6 conversion before.What we have found is(and maybe we have been lucky)that a lot of the so called problems with the Grand California can be sorted by reading the manuals and using the forum and not thinking there is a big problem immediately.I think that there is a lot to get used to when it is new and very few people come on to forums to say good or how much they are enjoying their GC
Good Luck
Graham and Lynda

i am gc680 4m 1 year now and am now buy Ocean 4m. Ocean drive quiet and can quickly same than luxury car pleasant travels.
Gc noise terrible motor and is all rittle rattle same driving insides metal cookie box.

When is each camper 1 and is drive Ocean and is then drive Gc is hearing first and see next how is so good Ocean and is why many 10 of years is little camper long success.

For me and of course is each peoples different desire is Gc only good immediate bed, toilet and can be stand up all machine. Nothing else is fun.

I am consider now is sell my 1years old Gc 4m and enjoys concept original size camper Ocean who is quiet and quickly travels all conditions most pleasant.

 

[Topsy]

I have had a GC 680 for over two years, covered 20,000 miles and overall like it.

I had a T5.1 California before this and liked that as well but times and circumstances change.

I have had some problems which have been annoying but suspect that any new product like this has teething problems.

Interesting that most of the problems are with components that are not unique to the GC so could happen on other Campervans/Motorhomes using these same components.

I accept that the GC does not suit everyones needs. It is not as nice to drive as a T6.1 California but then the GC has a fixed bed, toilet, shower, hot water, and you can stand up in it.

Unfortunately I don't believe there is the ideal Campervan/Motorhome and you have to accept some degree of compromise. The saying "horses for courses" is appropriate.

 

[Jester]

i am gc680 4m 1 year now and am now buy Ocean 4m. Ocean drive quiet and can quickly same than luxury car pleasant travels.
Gc noise terrible motor and is all rittle rattle same driving insides metal cookie box.

When is each camper 1 and is drive Ocean and is then drive Gc is hearing first and see next how is so good Ocean and is why many 10 of years is little camper long success.

For me and of course is each peoples different desire is Gc only good immediate bed, toilet and can be stand up all machine. Nothing else is fun.

I am consider now is sell my 1years old Gc 4m and enjoys concept original size camper Ocean who is quiet and quickly travels all conditions most pleasant.

Please sell it.