Should we spend so much money on a VW California Ocean for a young family?

[kp64zl]

I find the van a great place to escape the children -- so I can get some quiet work done....

& of course a wonderful holiday / camping vehicle

so yes it's definitely been worth it for me for multiple reasons -- but it was bought on the express understanding that NOT all our holidays would be van ones.

 

[MattBW]

Pop on youtube and look at some of the great channels for Calis out there, some of the locations and trips folks go on are incredible.

You will reach a point where you fancy villas and rooms again but its taken us 10 years of campervans and 4 years of Cali ownership to reach that point

 

[Borris]

Hi Subthree,
"Should we spend so much on a California Ocean for a young family?"

Well only you can make that decision!

However since you've already ordered one then it sounds like that decision has already been made. I suspect that what you have now is that sinking "What have I done?" feeling that most owners get in the period between placing the order and taking delivery.

I'm afraid that I can't reassure you that it's going to be a good purchase as that depends entirely on both your and your family's atitude and also your personal circumstances. What I can say is that we have now had three Californias (1× SE 4motion and 2 x seven seater Beaches) and they have changed our life for the good. Whilst we are not parents of young children, we do have eight grandchildren ranging in age from 4 up to 17. We regularly look after three of the younger ones and bought our two Beaches specifically to transport and entertain them. They all adore the California and it has definitely enhanced their lives. As well as school runs, we camp in it during the summer as well as use it for picnics, outings, holidays and trips to the beach etc etc. As our current Cali is a Beach it also gets used for many other purposes as well including trips away for us two old fossils.

I think your kids will adore your Ocean. Most children see the Cali as a Wendy House on wheels that will take them on adventures to exciting and interesting new places where they can meet and make new friends. So my bet is that you will look back and think, Yes we made the right decision.

 

[Amarillo]

Memories are printed onto canvas and hug all up our stairwell - squelching in mud volcanoes in Romania, a rabbit city in Lithuania, swimming north of the arctic circle, an empty Pompeii in December rain.

And here are some of those stairwell memories.

 

[subthree]

Most children see the Cali as a Wendy House on wheels

That is a brilliant analogy! Thanks for your thoughts Borris.

We will go ahead with the T6.1, hopefully in just a few weeks. Our T6.1 should already be built

 

[BeagleMum]

There isn't a day in the last 6 months when I have not read the fantastic posts on this forum. So much good advice and help offered by so many fabulous people. At the beginning of August we ordered a T6 Ocean. This was then amended to a T6.1 Ocean which should now be sitting in Germany waiting to be shipped.

We have 2 kids aged 8 and 6. Before they arrived we travelled the world, climbed in the Alps and sea kayaked in Greenland. But now I am starting to think "Woh! This is a LOT of money!!". I know this is the same process that all of you will have been through. My wife cannot wait for it to arrive, and neither can I to be honest. So this is not a question of whether to buy a T5/T6/T6.1, or Beach vs Ocean. For those of you with young families, please just reaffirm all the fab times you have had before we hand over a lot of cash! Thank you as always.

Do it your children will grow up so quickly, make those Cali memories you'll treasure them in years to come

 

[sapto]

Hi and welcome!

Do it and you won't regret it. Of course holidays are expensive with or without California or van. As everyone said: Holidays together (van/tent, hotel or what ever) is the best thing to buy. And owning a camper you are prepared to go on holiday from one day to another.

Our son had to come camping with us after two weeks - we travelled from Munich back to Switzerland - and wanted to split the journey (picture below). Since then we've visited Elba, Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Germany and of course down here in Switzerland. Of course it was sometimes hard at night - same as at home. Sometimes we stopped because he was tired driving - no problem with a van and very comfy (open the fridge get every one something to drink eat).

Happy camping!

 

[subthree]

And here are some of those stairwell memories.

Nice photos, awesome memories

 

[Eber123]

Good afternoon,

My approach about the California is that if it is only used 2x or 3x a year it is something like a luxury item. If it is used as often as possible then it shifts into an everyday item and therefore one gets value for money.

The California can be used for holidays, but those are only a few weeks in the year. But short (weekend) trips and day trips with the California is such fun (writing this reminds me to Miranda ). Those trips can be plenty in the year.

If on top of this the California becomes the daily drive, then in comparison of the usage it might not be that expensive, or better to say, a luxury item.

If you believe that you and your family will spend many, many hours taking advantage of the options the California gives - go for it. If the circumstances change or you believe it is not used that often, maybe you want to re-think your decision.

Happy California,
Eberhard

 

[briwy]

I'm sure that you will be happy with the California when it arrives.
We have just got back from the Camping & Caravan Club show in Manchester and there were not many campervans on show. However it did make us sure that the Cali is the best around.
Jobl, who I had never heard of had a van there full of bling, lack of storage space and a 110ps engine with five speed box for £53 grand. Crazy.
Features like the sliding bed make it much more versatile than conversions which have fixed beds. It's not perfect and currently I'm very pissed off with it over the roof fiasco and I would like to see a few things changed but overall I don't think it's beatable.

 

[subthree]

If you believe that you and your family will spend many, many hours taking advantage of the options the California gives - go for it.

Happy California,
Eberhard

Thank you Eberhard. Before kids we used to go climbing/paddling every other weekend. We would love to return to getting away regularly. We could do that with car + tent but we are both busy working in the week, hence why we can pay for the Cali. We think the Cali would enable us to do that without the faff of drying tents!

 

[Eber123]

Thank you Eberhard. Before kids we used to go climbing/paddling every other weekend. We would love to return to getting away regularly. We could do that with car + tent but we are both busy working in the week, hence why we can pay for the Cali. We think the Cali would enable us to do that without the faff of drying tents!

And don't forget the heating

 

[ThomasHJ]

All the people who have posted in this thread are right . Our kids just turned 3 and 5. We have recently taken them on a many months long trip through europe in the van. Best experience ever. For all of us. Be they long travels, or normal holidays, the van makes it more fun and easier. But most of all, the van seems to be a driving force in just going out during the weekend. We go camping in our own country, which gives us lots of great time together, outside in nature. We wouldn't do that that easily with a tent or when we needed to rent a holiday house. The van itself is great, but it's much more the promise of freedom and fun, that you yourself make a reality when you have one. Make sure you go on all the adventures you can. Don't wait till youre a pensioner. You never know whatthe future holds. And if you make it to your pension, even more time for adventure.

 

[BeagleMum]

Thank you Eberhard. Before kids we used to go climbing/paddling every other weekend. We would love to return to getting away regularly. We could do that with car + tent but we are both busy working in the week, hence why we can pay for the Cali. We think the Cali would enable us to do that without the faff of drying tents!

Each time we go anywhere in the Cali be it a long trip or a day trip, within a day or two of returning we clean it & replenish it with whatever we’ve used. That enables us to get away very quickly on the next trip with the minimum of faffing. It’s a great habit to get into

 

[subthree]

Each time we go anywhere in the Cali be it a long trip or a day trip, within a day or two of returning we clean it & replenish it with whatever we’ve used. That enables us to get away very quickly on the next trip with the minimum of faffing. It’s a great habit to get into

Thank you BeagleMum. I can see it being like Thunderbird 1, ready to go!!!! That might be a good name for the van....

 

[subthree]

All the people who have posted in this thread are right . Our kids just turned 3 and 5. We have recently taken them on a many months long trip through europe in the van. Best experience ever. For all of us. Be they long travels, or normal holidays, the van makes it more fun and easier. But most of all, the van seems to be a driving force in just going out during the weekend. We go camping in our own country, which gives us lots of great time together, outside in nature. We wouldn't do that that easily with a tent or when we needed to rent a holiday house. The van itself is great, but it's much more the promise of freedom and fun, that you yourself make a reality when you have one. Make sure you go on all the adventures you can. Don't wait till youre a pensioner. You never know whatthe future holds. And if you make it to your pension, even more time for adventure.

That's exactly what we are hoping. Not just the obvious long holidays but the weekends and day trips, just because you want to get outside.

A friend of a friend had a headache one year ago. Went to the Doctor, who sent him to a consultant who said sorry but it's terminal. He is no longer here. So our attitude has changed from trying to pay the mortgage off asap, to get the Cali!!!

We rented one last summer. The kids loved it. They are going to go bananas in a few weeks when I come home in it

 

[Ch1pbutty]

That's exactly what we are hoping. Not just the obvious long holidays but the weekends and day trips, just because you want to get outside.

A friend of a friend had a headache one year ago. Went to the Doctor, who sent him to a consultant who said sorry but it's terminal. He is no longer here. So our attitude has changed from trying to pay the mortgage off asap, to get the Cali!!!

We rented one last summer. The kids loved it. They are going to go bananas in a few weeks when I come home in it

Life is too short, go for it!

 

[Perfectos]

I have had various VW vans over a thirty year period ranging from a T2 Devon, t5 caravelle, T5.1 Combi and at present a T6 beach, every time I have been without a van, I hark back to when I / we had a van and the things we did with fond memories.
We have Tent camped, with car and Van, Life is different with a van, you look at things differently and plan things differently and it can be far more comfortable than a tent and can be a lot less phaff.
Get it, use it, love it, laugh, cry and make memories with your loved ones while you can.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

I have had various VW vans over a thirty year period ranging from a T2 Devon, t5 caravelle, T5.1 Combi and at present a T6 beach, every time I have been without a van, I hark back to when I / we had a van and the things we did with fond memories.
We have Tent camped, with car and Van, Life is different with a van, you look at things differently and plan things differently and it can be far more comfortable than a tent and can be a lot less phaff.
Get it, use it, love it, laugh, cry and make memories with your loved ones while you can.

Haha, Similar here...just under 30 years of van Ownership:

Vauxhall Chevanne / “shoveit” 1st car)
T2 Viking
Vauxhaul Astravan (went to Uni for 3 years, but should have kept the T2)
T25 DIY Conversion with fixed hitop
T4 Bilbo with elevating roof
T5 California Beach

Had lots of fun in them all, made good friends & all great surf wagons!

....Few sensible cars, 4x4, performance cars as well , but nothing really compares to a van .

 

[GrannyJen]

A few people have said grab the moment.

I was 67 when my first Cali arrived. My kids grown up. In remission with Cancer. An historian, writer, part television editor, and very nearly dead,

Everything I have ever worked for achieved but one thing, life itself.

I then bought my first California. Friends laughed. She who flew the globe first class, stayed in posh hotels, wrote books, drank wine and talked for England was going to buy herself a camper with no loo, no super-lit bathroom, no room maids clearing up after her ....

I now have life: I have objectivity in my life: I don't now live, I live and live: I can go anywhere, be anywhere, grab the moment anytime, I want for nothing except to be in my own space. I have relived my youth and re mortgaged my future. I have rolled all my years back up and starting again.

Grab it. Carpe Diem. You've got the dosh, spend it. You might get flattened by a truck tomorrow so live every day as if it's you're last. Give your children that unforgettable memory of life at the very best you can make for them.

 

[Skylark2.0]

We bought our first camper, not a Cali figuring that as depreciation was low it was worth the gamble. 8 yrs on and hundreds of nights away, boy is it worth it.

 

[BeagleMum]

Thank you BeagleMum. I can see it being like Thunderbird 1, ready to go!!!! That might be a good name for the van....

Cali’s are go

 

[soulstyledevon]

If you can afford one, do it...
I’ve had vans for what feels like forever. Couldn’t live with a normal car.
However don’t over stretch yourself. No point owning one, if you then can’t afford to use it.

 

[Ryemslie]

37 here with a now 6year old & a 4 year old. Coming up for 3years of ownership & in that time have used her extensively traveling through France, Germany, Austria, Italy including Sardinia, Slovenia, Croatia & Montenegro. We’ve also seen far more of Bonny Scotland where were live. Can’t imagine life without her now & the kids love her too. Total freedom whenever you want it.

 

[Sunstoner]

Wow. What an uplifting, positive series of posts this has been! and darn right too

I absolutely get the feeling of dread when your committing so much dosh on something that you have so much hope for. Its such a emotional roller coaster isnt it? im going through or have gone through the exact same thing (picking up our first Cali next month) and im sure the exact same thing many a first time (or multi) Cali owner has gone through.

I've got 2 youngish children. 8 and 11, we hired 3 campervans last year as a trial the last one for a month, 2 of them were Cali's and the kids absolutely loved them. They met new friends, they had new adventures in different countries which was a hoot!. One of their most exciting times was getting their friends round in the garden for a sleepover in the van and with the driveaway awning up in the summer. Shortest roadtrip ever! lol.

So in the short time we had with the van I knew it had to happen and I cant wait now! So so many places to explore!

No time like the present!