Regret going for Beach over Ocean? Or vice versa?

[WelshGas]

I checked with the dealer - Spain imports both models with the parking heater (this is a must for me) as standard. Also listed as standard is "Climatronic with 2nd vaporiser (whatever that is, I'm translating this direct from the spec sheet), 2nd heater, Climatised roof, controller in living area" - is this the same as dual zone climate control?

Yes. Means you have proper Aircon in the rear instead of just ambient air and heating.

 

[LemonDrop]

100% agree about the parking heater. We thought we could do without easily and only got one because the forum said we must.

Worth every penny and will bump up resale value.

Edit: Seen it come with

 

[bob_summers]

I have a Webasto in the Multivan. Invaluable in the Pyrenees on the December bank hol here. Also on a 6am wakeup to to get the Chunnel in August!

@WelshGas thanks for confirming. Height was def. 203cm on the slotted steelies, measured at the back. Also made me wonder about French peages, I think under 2m high vans go as a Cat.1 car - wonder what the tolerance is on the measurement! Full tanks, gas and a load of camping gear should take care of a few CMs!

 

[WelshGas]

I have a Webasto in the Multivan. Invaluable in the Pyrenees on the December bank hol here. Also on a 6am wakeup to to get the Chunnel in August!

@WelshGas thanks for confirming. Height was def. 203cm on the slotted steelies, measured at the back. Also made me wonder about French peages, I think under 2m high vans go as a Cat.1 car - wonder what the tolerance is on the measurement! Full tanks, gas and a load of camping gear should take care of a few CMs!

No problem on French toll roads as I have a Tag and always use the 30km lane. If you have the tailgate bike rack you have to use the Manual booth if you have bikes on.
NB, the tyres are usually hyperinflated from the Factory.

 

[clarinetbcn]

I've noticed with curiosity that on the latest configurator, the gap between the wheel arches and the wheels are the same front and back. Since the front wheel arch is cut much higher into the body than the rear one, this means that the rear has been raised, and the door sill, floor, and side body line are no longer level to the ground, but slope toward the front. This would result in the rear being well over 2m. Looks like a new set up from the factory, maybe a not very fortunate effort to update the look? There's even a professional suspension fitter on the T6 forum who says that if the door sills and floor are level, it's wrong!

Going easily under 2m barriers was one of the main reasons I bought a Cali. Newer owners would do well to measure to see where they are.

https://www.volkswagen-comerciales.es/es/modelos-configurador/california.html/ocean.app#CONFIGURE

 

[Borris]

Hello Bob,
Good luck with the commitee decision. Since there's three of you who has the casting vote? However, I'm sure you will all be happy with either version.

Just one point though. I know it's a personal choice but do you really want a black van in a what could be a hot dusty climate? It will always look dirty and show every single mark. Any chip will show up like a light house on a clear night. Trust me I've had a black one and I rapidly came to the conclusion that it was not worth cleaning it that often as it always looked a mess even after I had. However, if you are fussy, be prepared to spend you whole life with a soapy sponge in your hand. Better off sticking to the lighter colours IMO.

Btw, I'd have put money on your wife falling in love with the Ocean. The girls all love a wendy house on wheels regardless of how old they are.

 

[WelshGas]

I've noticed with curiosity that on the latest configurator, the gap between the wheel arches and the wheels are the same front and back. Since the front wheel arch is cut much higher into the body than the rear one, this means that the rear has been raised, and the door sill, floor, and side body line are no longer level to the ground, but slope toward the front. This would result in the rear being well over 2m. Looks like a new set up from the factory, maybe a not very fortunate effort to update the look? There's even a professional suspension fitter on the T6 forum who says that if the door sills and floor are level, it's wrong!

Going easily under 2m barriers was one of the main reasons I bought a Cali. Newer owners would do well to measure to see where they are.

https://www.volkswagen-comerciales.es/es/modelos-configurador/california.html/ocean.app#CONFIGURE

Not according to the VW California T6.1 Brochure.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Btw, I'd have put money on your wife falling in love with the Ocean. The girls all love a wendy house on wheels regardless of how old they are.

Borris, I’m in stitches...
Might have to rename ours

 

[Calimili]

Just having a read back over the thread as a final sanity check! Again, thanks everyone for the invaluable insights! The two contenders are:

Ocean 150 DSG
Black (or Fortana)
Steelies
ACC, Reversing Camera
Bright Oak + shower hose (I know..!)
Standard glass but dealer will wrap the windows free
Tot. €64k delivered and registered.

or

Beach Camper 150 DSG Black or Fortana
Steelies
ACC, Cam, Park Pilot*, LED lights*
2 seat bench, EHU*, 3 window manual roof*, awning*
Windows as Ocean
Tot. €57.5
* come standard on Spanish Ocean

As per the thread, I have gone from 90% certain on the Beach to about 90% Ocean.

One thing I did notice - the 195cm vehicle height claimed by VW must be for the base panel van. While I had the tape measure out yesterday, the top of the awning rail was about 203cm. Even without that, the roof wasn't much lower - I can think of a few fave parking spots we can scrape under in the Multivan that we won't get into with the pop top or awning!

Do you already own a compressor fridge ? if not you have to factor that in in the price difference.
Same goes if you want/need a sink inside to wash your hands/brush teeth etc, removable sink pods are available for the Beach but they are not cheap.
You'll also need to include the cost of storage solutions for clothes and kitchen stuff, and solution to anchor them safely on the floor. As previously stated the difference between the two might end up much less than you think.
You mentioned on the Ocean "standard" glass. It may not be tinted but it should definitely be double glazed on the ocean and single on the Beach.

I think once you put the camping paraphernalia in, the height at the back will drop a couple of cm...

 

[LemonDrop]

Btw, I'd have put money on your wife falling in love with the Ocean. The girls all love a wendy house on wheels regardless of how old they are.

Borris, I’m in stitches...
Might have to rename ours

Not this one! LOVE our Beach.

 

[clarinetbcn]

Hello Bob,
Good luck with the commitee decision. Since there's three of you who has the casting vote? However, I'm sure you will all be happy with either version.

Just one point though. I know it's a personal choice but do you really want a black van in a what could be a hot dusty climate? It will always look dirty and show every single mark. Any chip will show up like a light house on a clear night. Trust me I've had a black one and I rapidly came to the conclusion that it was not worth cleaning it that often as it always looked a mess even after I had. However, if you are fussy, be prepared to spend you whole life with a soapy sponge in your hand. Better off sticking to the lighter colours IMO.

Btw, I'd have put money on your wife falling in love with the Ocean. The girls all love a wendy house on wheels regardless of how old they are.

To be fair, the Basque region is northern Spain and not known for being hot and dusty, rather spectacularly green in the summer and colder that most non Spaniards realize in the winter. That said, when shopping for a high spec ex demo Beach to import to Spain from Germany, black was the one color I would not accept, even if it was a “unicorn” high spec.

 

[bob_summers]

Well black is my colour choice, and as @Borris notes, I can easily be outvoted!
Our current van is black so I know how messy it gets and although we're in the wettest part of the peninsula, that rain can be loaded with Sahara sand on a south wind! Some sense being spoken... although that metallic black is lush!

@WelshGas looking at that diagram, the height is indeed dimensioned from the panelvan roof. The poptop is 'extra' and is easily 2 - 3cm thick.

@Calimili well spotted. Have read through the specs and indeed the Ocean has double glazed windows back there and the Beach doesn't. Hard to find as they literally list *everything* including stuff like the coolant and hubcaps

@LemonDrop that's the very reason this thread is 10 pages long!

 

[andyinluton]

@WelshGas looking at that diagram, the height is indeed dimensioned from the panelvan roof. The poptop is 'extra' and is easily 2 - 3cm thick.

That brochure figure includes the pop top. If you check the brochure for a caravelle, for a "none executive one" the rear bumper height is the same as a cali but the roof height is 20mm lower. ie the difference in height that the pop top makes.

 

[bob_summers]

Fair enough @andyinluton, the 1990mm in the pic above is just dimensioned from the wrong place.
Just hoping that 2030mm i measured at the showroom will go down a bit when full of kit, otherwise I'll be sheepishly reversing out of some barriers!

 

[clarinetbcn]

Not according to the VW California T6.1 Brochure.

View attachment 75102

"To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle."
- George Orwell
OP did measure a live one.

 

[clarinetbcn]

Well black is my colour choice, and as @Borris notes, I can easily be outvoted!
Our current van is black so I know how messy it gets and although we're in the wettest part of the peninsula, that rain can be loaded with Sahara sand on a south wind! Some sense being spoken... although that metallic black is lush!

My concern was more about accumulated absorbed heat in the interior, rather than dirt, but everybody has their favorite priorities, and you should go for yours!

 

[66tim99]

With this thread and all the videos I’ve been watching you can’t accuse me of not doing my homework
Don’t mind waiting as this summer could be a bit weird, not sure how much travel will be allowed. Would hate to have a new Cali sat there unused…

@Dr-Snickers there’s no official import of the Coast here, sadly!

So strange how VW choose to allow countries to buy some but not all of their products (eg. No Edition in the U.K. either)

 

[66tim99]

Hello Bob,
Good luck with the commitee decision. Since there's three of you who has the casting vote? However, I'm sure you will all be happy with either version.

Just one point though. I know it's a personal choice but do you really want a black van in a what could be a hot dusty climate? It will always look dirty and show every single mark. Any chip will show up like a light house on a clear night. Trust me I've had a black one and I rapidly came to the conclusion that it was not worth cleaning it that often as it always looked a mess even after I had. However, if you are fussy, be prepared to spend you whole life with a soapy sponge in your hand. Better off sticking to the lighter colours IMO.

Btw, I'd have put money on your wife falling in love with the Ocean. The girls all love a wendy house on wheels regardless of how old they are.

And a black roof equals a hot van?

 

[clarinetbcn]

And a black roof equals a hot van?

That's been my experience with a completely black van, as per post #192. Obviously it depends on where you live and where you plan to travel.

 

[66tim99]

Fair enough @andyinluton, the 1990mm in the pic above is just dimensioned from the wrong place.
Just hoping that 2030mm i measured at the showroom will go down a bit when full of kit, otherwise I'll be sheepishly reversing out of some barriers!

Wonder why your measurement were so high? That could be an issue for me, my garage has 2.2m headroom. Should be ok but I’ll be ducking every time I sheepishly ease in...

 

[66tim99]

That's been my experience with a completely black van, as per post #192. Obviously it depends on where you live and where you plan to travel.

Yes, and whilst you’re driving the tri-zone a/c is effective, but when you park up and are sleeping in the roof...

 

[bob_summers]

Wonder why your measurement were so high? That could be an issue for me, my garage has 2.2m headroom. Should be ok but I’ll be ducking every time I sheepishly ease in...

As someone mentioned, tyres might be overinflated.
According to this video (ok it's a 6.0), there should be a fist of room under a 2M height restriction but the one on the showroom floor was definitely over that by about 30mm.

 

[bob_summers]

 

[bob_summers]

So strange how VW choose to allow countries to buy some but not all of their products (eg. No Edition in the U.K. either)

Or colour - your ascot grey (which I'd go for in a heartbeat) isn't an option on the Spanish Ocean, think it is on the Beach though.

 

[bob_summers]

Wonder why your measurement were so high? That could be an issue for me, my garage has 2.2m headroom. Should be ok but I’ll be ducking every time I sheepishly ease in...

2.2 leaves a fair bit of room if the van height is 2.03m!

Not sure about the tyre pressure theory now. A cursory google suggests vehicle height changes by 1/32" per 2psi at normal pressures. So 10psi overinflation would still only change the height by 8mm?