Our new California!

[Musket]

Just collected our first camper, an ex demonstrator Ocean. Got a tow bar and a few other toys the dealer added and we are well chuffed.
I already own a Tiguan so the digital dash etc is quite familiar but I’ll have to get used to keeping my foot on the brake as this doesn’t have electronic hand brake (also, have to remember the headlights aren’t adaptive…) but in just about every other way, it’s about the same.

 

[JollyGoodShow]

Looks lovely. Congratulations!

 

[Camperfamily]

Nice colour, nice floor!

 

[ParachuteMan]

Have a great time getting to know it. Don’t buy many accessories until you have field tested it !

 

[Maidment_Ocean]

I have a new Ocean and Tiguan too, took a while to get used to handbrake, most annoying thing is stop start, better to just keep foot on brake, if you pull the handbrake up while waiting at lights it just starts the engine again, Tiguan does not do that. You just get used to it. Love both though.

 

[KevH]

Nice looking van, you can’t go wrong with dark blue.
Ex-demo is a great way to snap up a new Cali without the waiting and at (hopefully) a good discount, provided you accept the spec ‘as is’ IMO. It worked for us.
Loving thst floor by the way.

 

[AscotGreyCali]

Congratulations, fabulous choice

 

[andyinluton]

I have a new Ocean and Tiguan too, took a while to get used to handbrake, most annoying thing is stop start, better to just keep foot on brake, if you pull the handbrake up while waiting at lights it just starts the engine again, Tiguan does not do that. You just get used to it. Love both though.

Its not pulling the handbrake up that restarts the engine, its taking your foot off the brake whilst still being in drive that does it, van thinks you are about to pull off.

If you are stopping long enough to need the handbrake you should be using "N"or "P"

 

[Musket]

Its not pulling the handbrake up that restarts the engine, its taking your foot off the brake whilst still being in drive that does it, van thinks you are about to pull off.

If you are stopping long enough to need the handbrake you should be using "N"or "P"

Probably didn’t explain myself properly. My VW Tiguan, like all my cars for the last fifteen years at least have had automatic hand brakes. Getting used to manual ones again took a couple of minutes. The brake doesn’t start the engine, I know. (The slight pull on the steering wheel as you bend down can though as it needs power for the servo, just like every stop start in every other car.)

Rereading my post, I’m sure I could have put it better. On all my other cars, you stop the car with the foot brake and the auto hand brake holds it till you touch the accelerator, the stop start being irrelevant. I meant starting to move, not start the engine, sorry!

I always use P, never N if I’m going to be some time. A hangover from years of torque converter autos, meaning the handbrake never used to be touched.

 

[Maidment_Ocean]

Its not pulling the handbrake up that restarts the engine, its taking your foot off the brake whilst still being in drive that does it, van thinks you are about to pull off.

If you are stopping long enough to need the handbrake you should be using "N"or "P"

May well be but you come to a stop with your foot brake, engine stops you pull your handbrake up, foot off brake engine starts, not really how it should be too sensitive in my book, Tiguan does not do this as an example.

 

[andyinluton]

May well be but you come to a stop with your foot brake, engine stops you pull your handbrake up, foot off brake engine starts, not really how it should be too sensitive in my book, Tiguan does not do this as an example.

If you put it in park or neutral the engine won't restart.

As I said it's the action of taking your foot off the brake whilst in drive that restarts the engine.
Nothing to do with the handbrake.

You shouldn't be relying on the handbrake to hold the van when in drive.

I presume the Tiguan releases the handbrake when the accelerator is pressed rather than when the footbrake is released?