Other T5 conversions

[KernowLad]

Had a little look at some of the T5 "competition" last night - a thread on the T4/T5 forum lists them all.

First I looked at Autosleeper - they START at £51.5k and only come with the 140PS engine and no 4Motion option... Well decked out with a loo and everything but pretty chintzy. Go for the posh version and your not far off £60k.... :shock:

I then looked at Reimo - ermmm they start at £45k but everything you need as a driver is an extra. You'd soon be pushing well into the £50k region.

Then Bilbo - not bad looking inside although again chintzy but that side elevating roof - WTF?!! They do a very low rent basic version that doesn't even have colour coded bumpers yet it's still well into the £35k region (or was that Devon conversions?! I can't quite remember!)

All other conversion also seem to have comedy graphics all over them too.

Checked a couple of others and managed to completely reassure myself that the Cali was completely the RIGHT decision - amazing driver spec, great quality fittings, all looks like it should do rather than nailed on as an afterthought, the 180 4Motion is available and the price actually seems extremely reasonable.

Splendid!

 

[Martin]

Also re-sale and depreciation on a Cali will be mucher better than any conversion.

 

[mapman]

yes i had a look at the compertition but after looking at a cali that was it for me

 

[MKRW]

I did a lot of research before placing my order. The best option I found for a quality bespoke conversion was action van's but again you pay for what you get. Although here there is a lot more flexibility.
http://www.actionvan.biz/

 

[David Eccles]

I spent a LONG time mulling this and Small Car's Reimo's were best I saw for fittings layout and and price but you still have to spec it up to get anywhere near the basic Cali
Likewise bespoke builds...lots of super buses built to customer spec..again though once you start adding to base models the price goes silly..
As the Cali is VWs own EVERYTHING is factory and carries VWs warranty and back up at a dealership near to you
plus the basic spec is simply so much more than what else is on offer and the quality of the roof is way ahead of Reimo Bilbo et al
Resale of a Cali knocks spots off anyone else's
no brainer really....
the only downer is that sliding door is still LHD..
Interestingly the RHD / UK Calis are a much higher basic spec than the LHD / German ones!

 

[Hubert]

I too did all the research prior to buying our Cali in 2009 visiting all the motorhome shows. I was also tempted to buy a high top version of one of the competitors for better insulation(temp & noise).
The Cali won it for me on quality being based on the caravelle rather than the transporter van. I've talked to lots of people at shows and on sites explaining my choice, a common response is to tell them to close the doors, sit in the vehicles and see if they can see painted metal or hardboard panels pop-studded to doors/taigates ? The quality difference is then obvious.
I too like the fact that the complete vehicle is covered by Volkswagen.
I am surprised at the lack of marketing of the California at the shows - I suppose they don't have to. At the National motorhome show they had one on display, all locked up no one to demonstrate, no price on it. At the NEC they had a massive stand next to all the VW covertors with towcars on and not one California. We only came across them by driving past a van dealers and seeing one, roof raised, at the front of the showroom.
At the end of the day it's all down to the individual.

Hubert

 

[CaliTess]

We had a Leisuredrive conversion on a 2010 T5 for just 10 months!

The creaking fibre glass elevating side hinged roof which dumped rainwater onto the cab doors drove us insane.

Our Cali is perfect in comparison.

Sent from my ViewPad7 using Tapatalk

 

[Iain&Shani]

We looked at Danbury and were impressed at what we saw .... initially! Very professional outfit converting T2s from Brazil and T5s from wherever. Shiny showroom and shinier workshop. However the price soon racks up to above and beyond a California. If you are going to spend that much on a vehicle do you want a conversion or do you want a bespoke model?

 

[David Eccles]

and the Danbury Brazil built things don't have a heater (thats extra and I mean ordinary heater!) and are made of Brazilian metal not German (say no more) plus loads of other stuff..being a VW bus mag editor I hear both good and horror stories about these! as you say once you star to cost out stuff like two tone paint (!!!) and things you'd expect included as standard the price rockets.
but to be fair I do know people who have them and are happy...but if you want a classic looking Type 2 there's some excellent fully restored stuff around which IMHO is a beter route if you want cool retro style (though that front mounted radiator is not cool to me!)
pop stars seem to like them :shock: :lol:

 

[calikev]

I agree David it may look the same as the original but that rad on the front aaah. My concern with the t2 is
In a head crash on you have no chance at all. Stick to me Cali.

 

[Buzz]

Very impressed and nearly bought a Cali,. but needed a LWB to carry my work stuff, could not fine a Bilbo's etc that I liked and although "Bespoke" made they would not customise their design's, I was however very impressed with Jerba but much to far away in Scotland, after much research, bought a brand new 180ps LWB van and I am having a conversion carried out by Three Bridge, to my exact spec. Will it be cheaper ...um no....Will it be better made...not made by VW so guessing no...do I care...not really as I am getting exactly what I want, it will be the only one like it and I aim to keep it for a long time so resale does not bother me.......have I made a mistake..maybe however when it is finshed I post some pics so you can make up your own minds........ :mrgreen:

 

[calikev]

I have all ready seen threebridges work they have the rounded units don't they.I have to say its the best looking
Conversion apart from the Cali of course that I have seen.head and shoulders above most aftermarket convertors.

 

[Californiaman]

..better to regret the things you've done rather than the things you haven't. Sounds great to me.

 

[Buzz]

thanks for the positve responses and the open attitude I was afraid it might be "if it aint a Cali it aint no good" very refreshing......

 

[David Eccles]

there are some awesome bespoke buses out there done by first class companies...

 

[KernowLad]

Yep - Three Bridges interiors look ace. No idea about the rest of the vans (drivers area, roof, etc) - assume they are also good?

 

[David Eccles]

when we were first loaned one by VW 18 months ago the blimmin roof would not come down when we came to leave our mag's show Camperjam...well embarrassing. Had to wind it down manually (well someone did it for me and saved the day..not an easy job!) and it put me right off. Fault was a blown relay apparently. Hmmm. I loved the Cali but the roof worried me! The Beach had a manual roof but at that time VW had no plan to do it in RHD. I looked at competition and for quite a while was going to go down the motorhome-ready base take it to a convertor route. Last July we had another loan and compared it closely to other T5s at the show. (and I raised and lowered the roof four or five times each day after last experience!) The Reimo roof that most seem to have is OK but not as good quality and also I noted the VW roof has a much better rear clearance / headroom than the Reimo. (And the Bilbo roof is naff.) Plus being factory fitted at time of build seemed a better route than having someone cut a hole! And the bed system is much better. So in the end the leccy roof seemed a better option with plus of security of VW dealerships all over UK / Europe who could deal with any problem. And being old(er) its nice to not have to wrestle with a fairly heavy roof! And it certainly attracts attention when you roll up and press a button and it goes up like magic! (or is that just posing?)
The number of Cali's is relatively small in UK compared to number of T5s converted by others. At first I thought it was all down to price but when you cost out speccing up a conversion to that of the Cali and having to have all that stuff fitted aftermarket you end up paying about the same (or more) The plus of this route is you end up with something you have designed around your specific lifetsyle needs which is unique and personal. But having been a VW bus man for longer than I care to remember (stock and original not lowered with massive performance motor) I have stuck with factory stock and a future classic. There's also the query over re-sale values of a bespoke camper (not something that bothers me however but its a factor to consider for some). If you want LWB or fixed hi roof then bespoke is the only route however.

 

[calikev]

I can definatly relate to that David my the camper I had before the Cali was a converted swb t5. 13k conversion
Manual push up roof with bed boards. When I went to trade it in vw told me it was difficult to value because they
Didn't know who had done it and to what standard.really affected the trade in value. No such problems with the Cali.

 

[David Eccles]

there are a few convertors that are sanctioned by VW eg Bilbo, Small Car and others but beware of some who carry the VW logo with their ads and stuff. One well known company (whom I wont mention here for litigation purposes) was threathened with legal action by VW about using their logo (after some customers had contacted VW about problems they had had interestingly) and that company no longer displays the logo with their stuff. I know VW are a bit precious about their logo and the letters VW or the even the word Bug (Just Kampers recently had to drop the name Just Beetles) but its something to be aware of. This is NOT to say all companies converting VWs are dodgy...I know many truly superb professional outfits but caveat emptor! There may also be warranty issues on new vehicles. Whether this is just VW squeezing out rivals or genuine concerns is a matter of debate!

 

[Iain&Shani]

and the Danbury Brazil built things don't have a heater (thats extra and I mean ordinary heater!) and are made of Brazilian metal not German (say no more) plus loads of other stuff..being a VW bus mag editor I hear both good and horror stories about these! as you say once you star to cost out stuff like two tone paint (!!!) and things you'd expect included as standard the price rockets.
but to be fair I do know people who have them and are happy...but if you want a classic looking Type 2 there's some excellent fully restored stuff around which IMHO is a beter route if you want cool retro style (though that front mounted radiator is not cool to me!)
pop stars seem to like them :shock: :lol:

Fascinating stuff. Thanks for that.