New Yellow Cali Beach with lots of questions to ask

[Peter Jennings]

Hi Club,
We are new to all this. I have just bought ourselves a new LHD yellow T6 California Beach Edition, and we shall be driving it back as we move back home to Salisbury from Bavaria week beginning 13 Jun. I want to get the right config of accessories and enjoy the first few nights away so my wife becomes as keen as me !!

• Any suggestions for nice overnight spots en route between Bavaria and Calais. Is there a recommended source of info for good sites? Eg Knauscamping site at Koblenz ?
• Source and ideas to buy:
  • awning,
  • tow bar (its factory prepared but with no actual tow bar)'
  • Bike rack, perhaps on tow bar for ease of access to tow bar.
  • Cooker etc - perhaps something that can be moved outside under the awning
  • Fridge. Perhaps with 12v/230v and gas options or ?
  • What else would you buy.?
  • A user manual in English!!!!!!
  • Is it worth getting stuff in mainland Europe or England?
• Can you switch off the electric doors when i want to save on battery?
• Any top tips on making UK Registration as painless as possible?
• Any other top tips gratefully received!

 

[T6 CFO]

Welcome! Very nice. Other than that I will leave it as I am waiting for an Ocean. Others will be along.


Mike

 

[Fast Freddie]

Look in the Shop on this site as there are many useful things there - key for me are the spare wheel locking device, long 240 volt mains cable with householder adaptor too, awning tie downs in case it's windy (once you have your awning too).

Enjoy your Beach!

 

[CALI FATE]

Wow i wondered what a Grape Yellow Edition would look like - love it might pop some black decals on mine - my best tips - work out what kit you want to keep in the van all the time and what kit goes in when you go off for days / weeks / longer - decide on your storage options and have fun. It will take a bit of sorting but involve the Mrs and you will get there. The best tip i picked up from the forum is dont buy big stuff until you have been away a few times as mistakes are costly. There are some things people swear by that i cant see the need / point.

 

[WelshGas]

View attachment 14150 Hi Club,
We are new to all this. I have just bought ourselves a new LHD yellow T6 California Beach Edition, and we shall be driving it back as we move back home to Salisbury from Bavaria week beginning 13 Jun. I want to get the right config of accessories and enjoy the first few nights away so my wife becomes as keen as me !!

• Any suggestions for nice overnight spots en route between Bavaria and Calais. Is there a recommended source of info for good sites? Eg Knauscamping site at Koblenz ?
• Source and ideas to buy:
  • awning,
  • tow bar (its factory prepared but with no actual tow bar)'
  • Bike rack, perhaps on tow bar for ease of access to tow bar.
  • Cooker etc - perhaps something that can be moved outside under the awning
  • Fridge. Perhaps with 12v/230v and gas options or ?
  • What else would you buy.?
  • A user manual in English!!!!!!
  • Is it worth getting stuff in mainland Europe or England?
• Can you switch off the electric doors when i want to save on battery?
• Any top tips on making UK Registration as painless as possible?
• Any other top tips gratefully received!

Have you got Zenon or LED headlights? If not you will have to get replacement headlights for the UK.
Your Rear Fog Light, you have 2 but only the L will be wired up, will have to be re-wired so that the R side is operational.
Your Speedometer markings have to be changed from Km/Hr to MPH. This is accomplished by changing the whole lot, very expensive, or fitting a scale on the speedo.
http://www.lockwoodinternational.co.uk/dials-for-imported-vehicles.html
All the above will be required for the vehicle check required to register the vehicle in the UK.

 

[bilberry]

Have a look at our Beach article on campfiremag.co.uk. It's not quite the same spec as yours but might give you some ideas for kit etc. We've just upgraded to a Waeco CFX28 for the fridge and use a Cadac for cooking too.

 

[sapto]

Welcome! I like your colour! looks great with the decals!

 

[Peter Jennings]

Thanks. Got LED headlights which has a travel mode so it has a flat beam that does not point left or right, 2 fog lights, but may need to change or do something to the speedo if the small digital MPH reading between the speedo and rev counters is not acceptable. Thanks for the article link.

If the red writing is your spec, it looks very nice. What is parrticularly useful? I like the idea of having a reversing camera but that maybe too late now.

Welcome! I like your colour! looks great with the decals!

 

[Peter Jennings]

Great top tips thx. Is the cadac a bbq cooker?

Thanks. Got LED headlights which has a travel mode so it has a flat beam that does not point left or right, 2 fog lights, but may need to change or do something to the speedo if the small digital MPH reading between the speedo and rev counters is not acceptable. Thanks for the article link.

If the red writing is your spec, it looks very nice. What is parrticularly useful? I like the idea of having a reversing camera but that maybe too late now.

ie https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000JUJMW8/?tag=eliteelect-21

 

[Peter Jennings]

Welcome! I like your colour! looks great with the decals!

Decals?

 

[Peter Jennings]

Look in the Shop on this site as there are many useful things there - key for me are the spare wheel locking device, long 240 volt mains cable with householder adaptor too, awning tie downs in case it's windy (once you have your awning too).

Enjoy your Beach!

Thanks Freddie

 

[daveyboydanger]

Decals?

Stickers! The black banding and writing down the side.

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks. Got LED headlights which has a travel mode so it has a flat beam that does not point left or right, 2 fog lights, but may need to change or do something to the speedo if the small digital MPH reading between the speedo and rev counters is not acceptable. Thanks for the article link.

If the red writing is your spec, it looks very nice. What is parrticularly useful? I like the idea of having a reversing camera but that maybe too late now.

Are both Rear Fog Lights working? The regulations state that only the Offside one should be. You will have the appearance of two but I would be surprised if both are wired up and functioning.
I do not think the Digital Speedometer Display will be acceptable as it is not a permanent display as it is switcheable.

 

[MattBW]

Thats a nice looking bus!

• • Cooker etc - perhaps something that can be moved outside under the awning
    
    I have a Cadac Safari chef2 , absolutely superb. For boiling the kettle indoors I use either an alcohol stove or those small camping gaz ones that run from aerosol gas cans. Cost me £8
    
    
  • Fridge. Perhaps with 12v/230v and gas options or ?
    
    Quite a few threads on fridges, have a play with the search function. I do quite miss having a gas option on my Waeco however but it can be an expensive way to power a fridge but very good for wild camping.
    
    
  • What else would you buy.?
    Have a look at @SlidePods

 

[hirsty]

I'd just get a cheap two-ring gas stove & a 12v cool box from Amazon then and go out & experiment til you work out what you enjoy / need.

Most people get too much stuff & then spend ages trying to pare it down ...

- awning is a VW essential for me. I like some kind of groundsheet underneath it, currently a cheap woven green one from eBay with a larger folding aluminium table & an oilskin tablecloth (just short of a chianti basket bottle!).

- two single Duvalays downstairs in the Beach are perfect for us & we've not bothered with a mattress topper.

 

[Stoneybroke]

Are both Rear Fog Lights working? The regulations state that only the Offside one should be. You will have the appearance of two but I would be surprised if both are wired up and functioning.
I do not think the Digital Speedometer Display will be acceptable as it is not a permanent display as it is switcheable.

I think you must have one offside rear fog light, but two are acceptable (and, if fitted, must both work).

 

[X4 VWC]

Check up re: speedometer, as you may not actually need to change it.

I imported a Mercedes Westfalia a few years ago and the digital mph on the equivalent of an MFD display was fine but I have since read that even this may not be required at all. Have a search on the motorhome forums in the UK, as a lot of people import and the latest information should be available. The DVLA vehicle inspection was actually much more straight-forward than I had expected but rules being rules, they probably change a lot.