Ordering a T6 Beach demonstrator

[Amarillo]

We are considering ordering a T6 beach demonstrator for delivery in 6-9 months. This would be ordered by the dealer as a demonstrator to our* (see below) specification, and delivered to us after it has served as a demonstrator for 3 months.

The discount on offer is 13% for vehicle and options (explained as 7% dealer discount and 6% discount for buying an ex-demonstrator).

Our proposed specification is:
California Beach 6 speed manual
Grape yellow
Kutamo Fabric
2 x child seats
3 seater bench
App connect
Composition Media 6.33
Discover Media navigation
Interior lights
Cruise control
Front and rear parking sensors
Leather multi-function steering wheel
Awning - housing and rail in black
Towbar – removable/lockable
Without model and engine badges
Programable air parking heater with rc
Two remote keys plus rigid key
Privacy glass with green insulating glass in cab
Sliding window

*We have been warned that it will be up to the sales manager to approve or block our preferred options, in particular, he is likely to insist on a 7 speed DSG, something we are not wholly opposed to, but which does eat into the 6% ex-demonstrator saving.

The use of this vehicle will be:
1. 12 month European tour with two young boys (ages 2 & 3 at start of tour)
2. Family camping holidays and weekend breaks until the boys reach early to mid teens
3. Family car (after our European tour we will probably buy a second car for local trips)
4. Very occasional van use with seats removed

Do any of the options look absurd or unnecessary?

Should we be thinking of any other or alternative options for the van?

Is the 13% discount on offer reasonable, or should we be pushing for more?

During our European tour we are considering:
- mostly sleeping in Airbnb type rental holiday homes;
- using the van for occasional overnight and emergency accommodation;
- mum and dad sleeping upstairs and boys sleeping sideways on the two flattened halves of the bench seat;
- travelling with boys in the single seats and luggage stowed on the bench and in the boot;
- grandparents and other friends visiting us during our tour, staying in rental accommodation together and using the camper as an MPV.
Does this sound like a practical and workable use of the van during our European tour?

Thanks for your input.

Tom

 

[Angus Morgan]

- travelling with boys in the single seats and luggage stowed on the bench and in the boot;

Your trip sounds absolutely amazing! I would love to do something similar before my son goes to school.

Just not sure about unsecured luggage in the bench seat, not very crash safe. Maybe the bench could be moved forwards, giving you a bit more space in the boot?

 

[Yorkdubshire]

We are considering ordering a T6 beach demonstrator for delivery in 6-9 months. This would be ordered by the dealer as a demonstrator to our* (see below) specification, and delivered to us after it has served as a demonstrator for 3 months.

The discount on offer is 13% for vehicle and options (explained as 7% dealer discount and 6% discount for buying an ex-demonstrator).

Our proposed specification is:
California Beach 6 speed manual
Grape yellow
Kutamo Fabric
2 x child seats
3 seater bench
App connect
Composition Media 6.33
Discover Media navigation
Interior lights
Cruise control
Front and rear parking sensors
Leather multi-function steering wheel
Awning - housing and rail in black
Towbar – removable/lockable
Without model and engine badges
Programable air parking heater with rc
Two remote keys plus rigid key
Privacy glass with green insulating glass in cab
Sliding window

*We have been warned that it will be up to the sales manager to approve or block our preferred options, in particular, he is likely to insist on a 7 speed DSG, something we are not wholly opposed to, but which does eat into the 6% ex-demonstrator saving.

The use of this vehicle will be:
1. 12 month European tour with two young boys (ages 2 & 3 at start of tour)
2. Family camping holidays and weekend breaks until the boys reach early to mid teens
3. Family car (after our European tour we will probably buy a second car for local trips)
4. Very occasional van use with seats removed

Do any of the options look absurd or unnecessary?

Should we be thinking of any other or alternative options for the van?

Is the 13% discount on offer reasonable, or should we be pushing for more?

During our European tour we are considering:
- mostly sleeping in Airbnb type rental holiday homes;
- using the van for occasional overnight and emergency accommodation;
- mum and dad sleeping upstairs and boys sleeping sideways on the two flattened halves of the bench seat;
- travelling with boys in the single seats and luggage stowed on the bench and in the boot;
- grandparents and other friends visiting us during our tour, staying in rental accommodation together and using the camper as an MPV.
Does this sound like a practical and workable use of the van during our European tour?

Thanks for your input.

Tom

Sounds like one heck of a van and a great trip too! Only thing I would consider is a roof bars and box for your trip and maybe the reverse camera as one of your options as it isn't much more for this and retro fitting maybe a bit intrusive. All sounds good without the above suggestions but just my opinion!
Good luck with the decision making and the wait.

 

[CALI FATE]

I think the spec is very sensible - embracing the fun of the Beach but not going mad ....... but i would forget the demo option, the discount is not enough. I got 8% discount without trying too hard, and vw added a £750 registration 'bonus' which added about another % - i wouldnt be keen on letting the dealer influence my preferred spec if i was spending £45k, and you just dont want demo kids jumping around your pride and joy - and you get surety with deliver - only my opinion

 

[andyinluton]

Please check what the demonstrator will be used for, some sit in the showroom & just have people looking at them, VW Hatfield seem to rent theirs out as Hire vans, some let prospective customers us them for a weekend, you need to be clear as to how it may be used before you get it.

 

[Stuart]

The spec sounds amazing

However the usual reason for buying a demo van is to get quick delivery and in this case that isn't the case. Personally I would forget the demo option but as said above it depends what the dealer is using it for.

 

[andyinluton]

- travelling with boys in the single seats and luggage stowed on the bench and in the boot;
- grandparents and other friends visiting us during our tour, staying in rental accommodation together and using the camper as an MPV.

Reading the proposed usage it sounds like you can leave the multiplex board at home as the bench on its own is big enough to sleep on? If so consider installing the single seats behind the bench - kids then travel on the bench & all luggage is behind the bench seat, when in MPV mode I assume you wouldn't have all the camping gear & luggage in the beach at the same time as all the passengers?

If the single seats are at the back you still have a passageway between them to exit via the tailgate & you can still move the bench far enough forward to exit from them via the side door if needed, only thing is the view from the back row looking forward won't be brilliant but may be ok if they are on boosters. you could actually have them facing backwards with a view out the rear window.

swapping the seats round is hard work but as a one off before the holiday and putting back afterwards shouldn't be too bad.

 

[briwy]

Not sure if you get Climatronic air con with your spec but I would consider it essential for Europe.
We didn't have it in our previous van and were forever altering the settings to get the temperature right in southern Europe. New van does it all for you.

 

[snowy55]

With such a long lead time be aware of the upcoming changes to the VED, road tax, system.

 

[MattBW]

I got about 15% off for my demonstrator, but it was already there and had 300 miles on the clock. It was also not long before the T6 was being released so may have influenced a slightly higher one.

 

[MattBW]

Be aware if it's a demo they aren't supposed to sell before 1000 miles so you may end up being "loaned" it for a while before its sold to you officially.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Amarillo]

Sounds like one heck of a van and a great trip too! Only thing I would consider is a roof bars and box for your trip and maybe the reverse camera as one of your options as it isn't much more for this and retro fitting maybe a bit intrusive. All sounds good without the above suggestions but just my opinion!
Good luck with the decision making and the wait.

I think that roof bars and a bike rack are accessories rather than factory fitted options. Previously I have been warned against taking a roof box as a ladder would be needed to access it, many countries charge extra for vehicles over 2m, and there are car parking height restrictions at many supermarkets. We might need to go for a bike rack luggage box or towbar luggage box.

I originally has a rear camera on my spec. list, but the dealer indicated that sensors are much more cost effective.

 

[RedCali]

The sensors are more than adequate as the Cali is a doddle to park. You may find you need a ladder or a stool/step for the roof bed anyway, depending on how agile you are.

 

[Amarillo]

I think the spec is very sensible - embracing the fun of the Beach but not going mad ....... but i would forget the demo option, the discount is not enough. I got 8% discount without trying too hard, and vw added a £750 registration 'bonus' which added about another % - i wouldnt be keen on letting the dealer influence my preferred spec if i was spending £45k, and you just dont want demo kids jumping around your pride and joy - and you get surety with deliver - only my opinion

There are some bits of my spec. which are non-negotiable, e.g. integrated child seats for the two additional seats. There are other aspects which I don't really mind, e.g. engine designation badge. And there are others where my wife and I disagree, and the dealer might push us to make up our minds, e.g. manual or automatic.

We don't really mind demo kids jumping around, and an added bonus of having an ex-demo machine is that any little issues the van might have new should be resolved before delivery. We will need to keep an eye on the mileage. I would have thought that up to 2,000 miles is reasonable for an ex-demo, but clearly have absolutely no experience of this before.

 

[Amarillo]

The spec sounds amazing

However the usual reason for buying a demo van is to get quick delivery and in this case that isn't the case. Personally I would forget the demo option but as said above it depends what the dealer is using it for.

We are in no hurry to buy. May 2017 is our deadline - and a potential £2,700 saving is three meals out a month for two adults and two children, including drinks, for an entire year.

 

[Yorkdubshire]

I think that roof bars and a bike rack are accessories rather than factory fitted options. Previously I have been warned against taking a roof box as a ladder would be needed to access it, many countries charge extra for vehicles over 2m, and there are car parking height restrictions at many supermarkets. We might need to go for a bike rack luggage box or towbar luggage box.

I originally has a rear camera on my spec. list, but the dealer indicated that sensors are much more cost effective.

The roof bars and bike rack are dealer fitment, I was just suggesting them for your trip as I thought a 12 month trip you may be taking a bit of equipment along.
Hmmm 420 without camera as opposed to 612 with the camera, 192 seems a bargain for a fully integrated rear camera to me but all just my opinion.

 

[Yorkdubshire]

Having read your replies, I'm not actually sure what input you are after or are you just looking to confirm the decision in your own head??

 

[Amarillo]

Reading the proposed usage it sounds like you can leave the multiplex board at home as the bench on its own is big enough to sleep on? If so consider installing the single seats behind the bench - kids then travel on the bench & all luggage is behind the bench seat, when in MPV mode I assume you wouldn't have all the camping gear & luggage in the beach at the same time as all the passengers?

Part of our proposed spec. is to have integrated child seats. Ben is now 2 years 4 months, and Jack 1 year. When we leave they will be 3 years 5 months and 2 years 2 months old, and there is every possibility they will both be over 15Kg, the minimum weight for Group 2 child seats. While there is no way we will compromise their safety, there is a good chance we will be able to move on from at least one removable child seat by the time we go away. One thing I have not checked is if the integrated child seats have isofix points and this is important if one or both of them graduate from removable child seats to integrated seats while we are away.

With the integrated child seats, the child's feet rest on the part of the seat uncovered by the flip section of the seat, therefore, in theory, both single seats can be pushed all the way forward to the driver's and front passenger's seats. The bench can then be pushed right up to the single seats, giving a sizeable boot for our luggage. In practical terms, we would not want the boys quite so far forward, but it does make sense to us to have the boys in the single seats, especially so if they are using the integrated child seats.

We have every intention of leaving the multiplex board behind to give us more internal luggage space. The only purpose for lugging the 3 seat bench around Europe with us is as an occasional bed for our boys and when friends and family come out to stay with us we can drive around on excursions together.

 

[Amarillo]

Having read your replies, I'm not actually sure what input you are after or are you just looking to confirm the decision in your own head??

I have put a lot of thought into this before meeting the dealer. I am trying to tap into the expertise of this group to confirm or adjust my thoughts. Your comment about the reversing camera is exactly the sort of feedback I was hoping for.

 

[Amarillo]

The sensors are more than adequate as the Cali is a doddle to park. You may find you need a ladder or a stool/step for the roof bed anyway, depending on how agile you are.

We climbed up into the roof bed at the dealer yesterday. It wasn't easy, and I am sure that VW could design something to make it easier. We used the driver arm rests as a step and the dealer advised us to step on the hinge not the end of the arm.

Our earlier intention had been to bag the 150 x 200 double downstairs for ourselves and stick the boys out of the way upstairs, but having looked at the van in the flesh we substantially altered our plans. The 120 x 200 is ample as it has sides. A normal 120 x 200 double bed is too narrow for us but as it doesn't have a side you need to sleep some distance in from the edge.

 

[Yorkdubshire]

I have put a lot of thought into this before meeting the dealer. I am trying to tap into the expertise of this group to confirm or adjust my thoughts. Your comment about the reversing camera is exactly the sort of feedback I was hoping for.

That's what I meant, you definitely seem to have a handle on this deal and know the ins and outs!! I do that myself when it's an important decision! Revise all possibilities to the nth degree and then look for clarification. I often know more about the vehicle I'm ordering/buying than the dealer (excluding the Cali my dealer was invaluable). Hope all goes to plan!!

 

[Amarillo]

Not sure if you get Climatronic air con with your spec but I would consider it essential for Europe.
We didn't have it in our previous van and were forever altering the settings to get the temperature right in southern Europe. New van does it all for you.

The brochure gives: "Climatic semi-automatic cab air conditioning with manually controlled passenger compartment heating system" as standard on the Beach, and "climatronic 3-zone air conditioning with 2nd evaporator, auxiliary heater, air conditioned headliner and additional passenger control" as a £726 option.

I don't know what all that means. Clare hates air con, and I love it, so we went with the "climatic". Is the "climatronic" worth it? If it is, I'll argue the case with Clare. Whatever we decide, we will argue over the air con as we head north past the Norwegian fjords next June.

 

[andyinluton]

"in theory, both single seats can be pushed all the way forward to the driver's and front passenger's seats".

In theory you might be able to, in practice you can't because the rails don't go all the way! even on the furthest forward position they are a way back from the front seat. The SE bench comes further forward but only because the attachment points are not at the very front of the bench.

 

[WelshGas]

The brochure gives: "Climatic semi-automatic cab air conditioning with manually controlled passenger compartment heating system" as standard on the Beach, and "climatronic 3-zone air conditioning with 2nd evaporator, auxiliary heater, air conditioned headliner and additional passenger control" as a £726 option.

I don't know what all that means. Clare hates air con, and I love it, so we went with the "climatic". Is the "climatronic" worth it? If it is, I'll argue the case with Clare. Whatever we decide, we will argue over the air con as we head north past the Norwegian fjords next June.

Climatic gives AirCon in the front ONLY, variable from hot to cold only, and just Heating or Ambient in the rear
Climatronic 3 zone gives AirCon front and rear, with rear controls + L & R cabin. Dial the temperature you want in each zone and thats it. Each zone will be heated/cooled to your set temperature.

 

[Skinnee D]

Hmmm 420 without camera as opposed to 612 with the camera, 192 seems a bargain for a fully integrated rear camera to me but all just my opinion.

+1. The options should be subject to some of the total dealer discount (well mine was anyway) so the extra 192 for the camera should hopefully reduce a bit.