OCEAN to BEACH

[Borris]

But you didn't show any of that in your pictures of a camping trip with the Beach.
As I've said as a MPV the Beach is fine, as a bedroom fine. So if you are going to compare the Beach Campervan with the Ocean Campervan then compare like with like.

Sorry, you've lost me!

How would showing that equipment in use on a camping trip help. What circs would you like me to provide photos of? Since a Beach is "fine" as a bedroom and also as an "mpv" it can only be the cooking aspect that is in question here. Perhaps photos of cooking inside the van à la Ocean or from the pull out tray at the rear or even inside Comfortz room or bigger drive away awning? You can do all of the above with a Beach. Btw you haven't shown any photos of your van in use on a camping trip for me to compare. I really think that anyone with a California can use their imagination don't you? Or are you implying that we don't use that equipment?

Comparing Beach with Ocean has been a re-occurring subject on this forum. This thread is just the latest. That's because it is the one question that everyone should consider before ordering a Cali. It's just a shame that some don't.

You will just have to take my word for it that it also makes a fine and highly flexible campervan.

 

[OGII]

So if you are going to compare the Beach Campervan with the Ocean Campervan then compare like with like.

You can't compare Beach and Ocean. They are different beasts that fill different niches, the same as the 2 seat Beach does a different thing to a 3 seat Beach and a twin door Tour.

You could compare "like for like" with a Nugget or Marco Polo, conversion etc. Or a Coast and Ocean.

I'm another that switched from a lwb Ocean style VW to a Beach which ticks far more personal boxes. Just never had a need for the shiny stove and sink. Always cooked outside on a duplicate stove.

Small footprint, mpv with bed. Great concept.

 

[66tim99]

You can't compare Beach and Ocean. They are different beasts that fill different niches, the same as the 2 seat Beach does a different thing to a 3 seat Beach and a twin door Tour.

You could compare "like for like" with a Nugget or Marco Polo, conversion etc. Or a Coast and Ocean.

I'm another that switched from a lwb Ocean style VW to a Beach which ticks far more personal boxes. Just never had a need for the shiny stove and sink. Always cooked outside on a duplicate stove.

Small footprint, mpv with bed. Great concept.

Thanks. I’m interested in your move from lwb to swb. Do you miss the space? Would you ever go back?

 

[markusschork]

I do enjoy this somewhat heated discussion as long as we keep a cool head! For many it is a clear and personal decision. But in our case it was a very difficult decision: we did like the flexibility of the beach, the option to take an additional person on a shorter trip, etc. On the other hand we did like the comfort of the built in tools.
If the pricing from VW was not so twisted, we probably had chosen the Beach. Unfortunately VW makes it really difficult as the Beach is even more expensive than the Ocean if you compare them objectively. This is why we went for the Ocean and I hope I won't regret this choice.

 

[WelshGas]

Sorry, you've lost me!

How would showing that equipment in use on a camping trip help. What circs would you like me to provide photos of? Since a Beach is "fine" as a bedroom and also as an "mpv" it can only be the cooking aspect that is in question here. Perhaps photos of cooking inside the van à la Ocean or from the pull out tray at the rear or even inside Comfortz room or bigger drive away awning? You can do all of the above with a Beach. Btw you haven't shown any photos of your van in use on a camping trip for me to compare. I really think that anyone with a California can use their imagination don't you? Or are you implying that we don't use that equipment?

Comparing Beach with Ocean has been a re-occurring subject on this forum. This thread is just the latest. That's because it is the one question that everyone should consider before ordering a Cali. It's just a shame that some don't.

You will just have to take my word for it that it also makes a fine and highly flexible campervan.

I think @Auberg-ine has done that on a number of occasions.
Comparing photos of an empty Beach, mislabelled as a campervan, to a properly equipped Ocean correctly labelled as a campervan, proves only one thing. You have a MPV that you can take camping when it's loaded up and I have a campervan.

 

[bob_summers]

I do enjoy this somewhat heated discussion as long as we keep a cool head! For many it is a clear and personal decision. But in our case it was a very difficult decision: we did like the flexibility of the beach, the option to take an additional person on a shorter trip, etc. On the other hand we did like the comfort of the built in tools.
If the pricing from VW was not so twisted, we probably had chosen the Beach. Unfortunately VW makes it really difficult as the Beach is even more expensive than the Ocean if you compare them objectively. This is why we went for the Ocean and I hope I won't regret this choice.

Some wise members on here (they are, they just don't seem it at times ) advised me to not even consider the price when I was making the same decision. In my case the Beach, when specced up to Ocean level in terms of driving stuff, 3-window bellows etc was almost the same price (Ocean starts cheaper in Spain as there's no Coast) and it's tempting to think, ooh, I get the kitchen etc for free. Which is great until you wish you'd gone for the extra width of the 3 seat bed.

I agonised over it too and went for the Ocean on no more than a hunch it suited *us* better. Based on my own use of the current van, a Beach would suit *me* better. However the family loved the Ocean so my hands were tied in the end.

I don't think you'll regret it at all. It's not exactly expensive to hire a 7 seater or panel van should your kids require moving to Uni or something.

 

[andyinluton]

It's not exactly expensive to hire a 7 seater or panel van should your kids require moving to Uni or something.

From this weekends experience at Manchester Uni an Ocean + 4 passengers still leaves more luggage space than 99.9% of other vehicles most with just the driver + 1.
Students should be encouraged to travel light, especially if their accommodation is on the 4th floor & there is no lift - I'm still not recovered.

 

[bob_summers]

From this weekends experience at Manchester Uni an Ocean + 4 passengers still leaves more luggage space than 99.9% of other vehicles most with just the driver + 1.
Students should be encouraged to travel light, especially if their accommodation is on the 4th floor & there is no lift - I'm still not recovered.

Last summer I somehow managed to move the remaining contents of my dad's house, including a 1400cc motorcycle, in my T5 from NW England to N Spain, sleeping in aires* on top of some boxes. Never again, I'll get the professionals in next time!

*well, aires and a dogging haunt somewhere near Ashford.

 

[jMacdent]

I think @Auberg-ine has done that on a number of occasions.
Comparing photos of an empty Beach, mislabelled as a campervan, to a properly equipped Ocean correctly labelled as a campervan, proves only one thing. You have a MPV that you can take camping when it's loaded up and I have a campervan.

WG, are you genuinely of the opinion that the Beach is an MPV rather than a Campervan?

 

[WelshGas]

WG, are you genuinely of the opinion that the Beach is an MPV rather than a Campervan?

According to DVLA’s definition - Yes.

 

[Amarillo]

From this weekends experience at Manchester Uni an Ocean + 4 passengers still leaves more luggage space than 99.9% of other vehicles most with just the driver + 1.
Students should be encouraged to travel light, especially if their accommodation is on the 4th floor & there is no lift - I'm still not recovered.

With your construction background I’d have thought you could rig up a pulley and hoist system to lug the kettle and teddy bears and bean bags and other student paraphernalia up to the fourth floor.

 

[jMacdent]

According to DVLA’s definition - Yes.

Are you referring to the Beach Tour, the Beach Camper…. or both?

 

[Amarillo]

WG, are you genuinely of the opinion that the Beach is an MPV rather than a Campervan?

I find it serves both jobs admirably. At the moment ours is in MPV mode. It’s possible that sometime tomorrow I’ll switch it to campervan mode by switching seats 6 & 7 for a fridge, BBQ cum stove, cooking utensils, hillwalking gear, a couple of days’ food and some bedding.

OK, it might not be as quick to prepare as a pre-primed Ocean, but to me a Beach is far more versatile.

I recall a time nearly four years ago, all four of us lying in the upper berth on a cold rainy Pompeii afternoon watching Chitty Chitty Bang! Bang! After the film had finished my then three year old son said, “Our van is better that Chitty Chitty Bang! Bang! because Chitty Chitty Bang! Bang! is not really real, but our van is really real and magically changes.”

I knew exactly what he meant.

 

[Barbara]

We all have different reasons to buy what we buy.

I think I have said before that all I really wanted was a van with some ability for passengers , till I test drove an ocean. I choose VW as I wanted an automatic and went for a California as it the floor was already insulated and had tracks so I did not have to do all the work I had done years ago to convert a T4, no need to add a rock and roll bed, windows etc.

Excuse to buy a van was the need to transport a motorbike from Spain and something I could camp in so when I stay in Abbey Wood to cycle I did not need to take the caravan.

I am not the typical California user so although I liked the ocean it would have been difficult to transport a motorbike and all the other stuff I carry in it. Also the beach was cheaper and I could get one at the time. So as far as I am concerned it is a van with an electric connection ready fitted, good insulation, with added bed, table and chairs. I love it, and it fits my life style.

 

[Amarillo]

I’m keeping a close eye on Saturday’s forecast:

It’s not looking too bad for Saturday now. Cloudy with 60% chance of a cloud free summit suggests we might climb above the cloud. Glorious!

 

[Borris]

I think @Auberg-ine has done that on a number of occasions.
Comparing photos of an empty Beach, mislabelled as a campervan, to a properly equipped Ocean correctly labelled as a campervan, proves only one thing. You have a MPV that you can take camping when it's loaded up and I have a campervan.

You are correct in saying that my current Beach is an MPV (Multi Purpose Vehicle) and your SE is a Campervan. That is how they are classified by the DVLA. The pre sale photos of the "empty" Beach in post #119 were of my previous but identical seven seat T6 Beach. That vehicle was/is classified as a campervan by the DVLA! As far as I can see the only reason for my current Beach being classified as an MPV is that under the new regs any cooking stove needs to be fixed to the vehicle.

However, were I to replace my current MPV Beach with a T6-1 Beach "Camper" with it's single pop up stove I would again have a "campervan" under DVLA rules. An important technical point perhaps to the DVLA but not in the context of this discussion. Given your comments I doubt if you would consider even the T6-1 "Camper" a proper campervan since there is no practical difference between that and my current van.

 

[WelshGas]

Are you referring to the Beach Tour, the Beach Camper…. or both?

Both.

 

[jMacdent]

Both.

You would be incorrect

 

[WelshGas]

You would be incorrect

Would I?

 

[Algor]

This is all very interesting but have we yet established who has the largest schlong?

 

[jMacdent]

This is all very interesting but have we yet established who has the largest schlong?

Me

 

[bob_summers]

I asked my dealer the same question - in Spain for tax/vehicle registration, Ocean & Beach Camper are campervans, Beach Tour is classed as a turismo ie a saloon car. If I remember right, campervans are cheaper to tax than a turismo with the same engine (Spain taxes on hp not emissions), both types cost the same at peages if under 2m high.

 

[The Merle]

The beach is the only mpv I know of that comes with built in beds in it. Definitely a campervan, both models are great and gives something for everyone.
We’ve got the GC and caddy cali coming soon they aren’t camper vans either

 

[Mr T]

The beach is the only mpv I know of that comes with built in beds in it. Definitely a campervan, both models are great and gives something for everyone.
We’ve got the GC and caddy cali coming soon they aren’t camper vans either

My OCEAN is an MPV, has built in beds and more.....

 

[Amarillo]

This is all very interesting but have we yet established who has the largest schlong?

Barnacles have the biggest penis-to-body size ratio, with genitalia nearly eight-times their total body length. If I were a barnacle my member would be a glorious 48 foot long.