Ocean to GC to Ocean

[yossarian]

@andyinluton I'm sure I'm not the only one who's interested.

Also how does your new 6.1 config differ to your old 6.1?

 

[andyinluton]

@andyinluton I'm sure I'm not the only one who's interested.

Also how does your new 6.1 config differ to your old 6.1?

Not really a fundamental part of the decision making, as actually for all four vans that I've had, they have been from stock so its take it or leave it.

The spec on any current Ocean is just about acceptable to me as long as it had the upgraded screen for the media pro and a tow bar which could always be a retrofit. After that its down to colour choice which causes enough discussion amongst the family let alone with a bunch of strangers.

Ive ended up with :
Sports pack - I like the wheels & the darker tint to the windows
The media pro
A towbar
Acoustic pack - lets see if it makes a difference.
Heated screen - nice to have but not essential
204 engine - why not? its going to be my main car
4 motion - just because!
Hill decent & Mechanical Diff lock - gets rid of a few blank buttons & good for resale.
Rear shower - ok for the dog I suppose
Safe - complete waste of money
storage pack with extra drawer - I really wanted this having had a homemade long box in that position for tea & coffee bits
Driver assistance package plus - didn't really want this
Wooden floor - not bothered as it will be covered in carpet
Fortuna red - there's too many grey cars about, let's have a bit of colour.
And lastly the comfort mattress - available for sale shortly!

 

[The Blue Merle]

Not really a fundamental part of the decision making, as actually for all four vans that I've had, they have been from stock so its take it or leave it.

The spec on any current Ocean is just about acceptable to me as long as it had the upgraded screen for the media pro and a tow bar which could always be a retrofit. After that its down to colour choice which causes enough discussion amongst the family let alone with a bunch of strangers.

Ive ended up with :
Sports pack - I like the wheels & the darker tint to the windows
The media pro
A towbar
Acoustic pack - lets see if it makes a difference.
Heated screen - nice to have but not essential
204 engine - why not? its going to be my main car
4 motion - just because!
Hill decent & Mechanical Diff lock - gets rid of a few blank buttons & good for resale.
Rear shower - ok for the dog I suppose
Safe - complete waste of money
storage pack with extra drawer - I really wanted this having had a homemade long box in that position for tea & coffee bits
Driver assistance package plus - didn't really want this
Wooden floor - not bothered as it will be covered in carpet
Fortuna red - there's too many grey cars about, let's have a bit of colour.
And lastly the comfort mattress - available for sale shortly!

The blanks thing made me laugh! My t6 kombi has even less as it’s all electric doors can be annoying but great for button filling

 

[yossarian]

I guess Brandrup will be in business shortly! Nice that you've found a 4Mo...

 

[yossarian]

And tell us about your year of GC and why you went back?

 

[andyinluton]

And tell us about your year of GC and why you went back?

Firstly, I've only changed due to altered retirement plans, Ive gone back to full time work. I need a car that I can use everyday, the GC won't go in the station carpark & I cant park it at most of the construction sites I deal with.

Parking at home is a problem, we have 5 cars + the van ( +5 licences between us) , the van has to go in front of the garage, "my" other car is in the garage, its a complete pain shuffling them around to get the car out. We don't have room for any more on the drive, if we did I would probably have a GC + an Ocean.

GC is brilliant when used as a camper, probably brilliant as an alternative to a car if you don't have to drive into city centres. The 600 fits into supermarket carparks with only a small overhang at the front & has a decent turning circle. Unfortunately it won't fit in the station car park, or at my major clients, or most places I would normally park in London.

What I really liked about the GC compared to an Ocean :
1. Electric heating & hot water when on hook up. Absolutely brilliant, near silent & good distribution of warm air.
2. Cooking standing up straight in front of the big wide open door.
3. The wind out awning, far, far more substantial than the Ocean one.
4. The quiet, shut the doors & rain & other campers become a distant hum.
5. The facilities - brilliant when it's raining out or enrolee somewhere.
6. The lack of packing , unpacking & bed making.
7. The drive, fantastic, 85mph is comfy , I had same LED headlights as the ocean + heated steering wheel etc
8. Being able to spread out, use the table & chairs whilst someone else is in bed etc
9. Door mirrors, fantastic, can see the back wheels in the lower portion.
10. reversing camera, high up view so easy to position the van accurately
11. the gearbox - traditional slush box so low speed manoeuvring easier
12. The seats - more comfy than an Ocean, hight adjustable & lumbar support goes up & down as well as in & out.
13. spinning the seats - easy to do with doors shut & no need to touch the handbrake.
14. A freezer is very useful

The bad bits:
14. back seat uncomfortable
15. engine heating & aircon system single zone & struggles to reach the back
16. stereo - no rear speakers
17. no sliding window for the rear passengers, let alone aircon
18. MPG not bad but at a guess 10mpg worse than the ocean, more than that at high speed.
19. Cleaning it - its a whole day & need to get the ladders out, still cant easily do the fly splattered bit above the windscreen.

4 of those items affect the attitude of our teenage daughter & a teenager with a strop on before you've even left home is not a recipe for a good trip!

Downstairs bed is excellent & considerably wider than an Oceans where it needs to be. Upstairs is tight length & height wise & I didn't like only having a skylight up there, much prefer the roof tent with windows on 3 sides.

I think thats about it.