So many questions

[mintyman]

We’d not be without the drawer - more spaces to put things the better. We use as a cleaning draw. We stored our ramps in the best place for them - file 13.

You raise an interesting point. We hired two different campers, one a conversion, the other a 2022 Cali Ocean. Not once did we have to use the chucks. Were we just lucky, or are they hardly ever used?

 

[dspuk]

I've contacted both EuroVan and Breeze to compare so i'll report back once I have responses from both

After discussing with my wife, we feel that having space for chocks / windbreak etc would be better. When we hired, we didn't feel that we were short on storage space, but did have to keep the windbreak in the rear passenger area which wasn't ideal. We'll put the money we save towards other options e.g. towbar prep.

We have also decided to skip the comfort mattress. My wife had a terrible time getting a good nights' sleep due to the mattress and from what I can tell from other threads, aftermarket mattresses seem to be much more comfortable. I'm interested in the Sea to Summit since it got good reviews. Will probably wait until I receive the van since I can always return if no good.

If you change your mind on the uncomfort mattress there is always someone selling one on here. We have one and would not be without, but we would only sleep on in a pinch, we use as a lower base for the Duvalay, which as a combo works for us.

 

[dspuk]

You raise an interesting point. We hired two different campers, one a conversion, the other a 2022 Cali Ocean. Not once did we have to use the chucks. Were we just lucky, or are they hardly ever used?

We had, they caused a puncture and since not using them have never missed them. Gaming the degrees became tedious and pointless and we decided if we could actually tell the difference of a few degrees either way we should donate our inner ears to medical science. So far our organs are safe.

 

[Camperfamily]

Interesting to read that some don’t use levelling chocks much. We use them on almost every trip - campsite pitches and otherwise - to get reasonably level. We must be picky sleepers!

 

[mintyman]

Interesting to read that some don’t use levelling chocks much. We use them on almost every trip - campsite pitches and otherwise - to get reasonably level. We must be picky sleepers!

Maybe it's better to have them and not need them, as opposed to needing them, but don't have them!

 

[California Rob]

Art valours.No spend the same money on real leather
Storage box only good till you need to put something 6 foot long in the boot then you will wish you didnt have it.
Safe. No waste of space and money
Wood effect floor.Yes even though we all cover them. A lot easier to keep clean.
Heated window screen yes no brainer really.
Gardx from dealer £500. No buy from ebay £20 do yourself.
Tow bar. Yes well atleast prep.(every cali owner is always looking for that extra storage option at some point)

 

[dspuk]

Maybe it's better to have them and not need them, as opposed to needing them, but don't have them!

It’s like the ocean vs beach debate. There is no winner. If you want them take them. Plenty of other places to store them. We had ours in the seats.

 

[mintyman]

Art valours.No spend the same money on real leather
Storage box only good till you need to put something 6 foot long in the boot then you will wish you didnt have it.
Safe. No waste of space and money
Wood effect floor.Yes even though we all cover them. A lot easier to keep clean.
Heated window screen yes no brainer really.
Gardx from dealer £500. No buy from ebay £20 do yourself.
Tow bar. Yes well atleast prep.(every cali owner is always looking for that extra storage option at some point)

Apologies for the naive question.....gardx????

 

[andyinluton]

We'll put the money we save towards other options e.g. towbar prep.

No point getting tow bar prep, either get the towbar or nothing.

 

[mintyman]

No point getting tow bar prep, either get the towbar or nothing.

Hmm, £834 just for the towbar......then maybe another £400-£500 for bike rack. Getting a bit steep for me. Maybe I'm better not getting at all.

I thought the 'prep' was thought but evidently not, so thanks for the input

 

[Hawthorn37]

I've contacted both EuroVan and Breeze to compare so i'll report back once I have responses from both

After discussing with my wife, we feel that having space for chocks / windbreak etc would be better. When we hired, we didn't feel that we were short on storage space, but did have to keep the windbreak in the rear passenger area which wasn't ideal. We'll put the money we save towards other options e.g. towbar prep.

We have also decided to skip the comfort mattress. My wife had a terrible time getting a good nights' sleep due to the mattress and from what I can tell from other threads, aftermarket mattresses seem to be much more comfortable. I'm interested in the Sea to Summit since it got good reviews. Will probably wait until I receive the van since I can always return if no good.

I agree with your conclusion on the 2nd drawer vs longer stuff in the boot. We’d like both if we could! But each time we pack, there’s always something longer than the width or depth of the boot, so this slot is handy.
The VW comfort mattress (ok, not ultra comfy mattress) is a very good base layer, and we stuck with it for a year. Add a relatively thin topper, such as a Duvalay gold travel topper (58cm x 2 works well) that rolls, and zzzzz is the only nighttime sound you’ll hear. I don’t believe on its own the Duvalay would be comfortable enough. We’ve also tried / bought a self inflating mattress. Not S2S but the equivalent. It’s good, but we only use it if someone sleeps in the awning now. It’s a bit of a pain to deflate every day in the van - even with a micro pump (Which is noisy).

 

[larrylamb]

It’s held in by two bolts. Remove in <5 mins

I stand corrected

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Bit unsexy but from a practical perspective mudflaps might be worth having, though you can get some streamlined aftermarket ones if you’re happy to fit them yourself.

My only other spec regret is not getting traffic sign recognition, I have it on my car and regularly look for it when driving the van. Have read mixed feedback on the VW version but I still wish I specced it. Would probably be easier if both car and van didn’t have it mind

 

[RockinNRollin]

Mudflaps are good - I have them, but they can catch levelling blocks if you reverse onto them (they do seem to flex a bit so it seems to be ok). I wouldn't be without the chocks; most of the time, you can "get away" without using them, especially if you are prepared to hunt around a bit, but they can make the van nice and level so your beer glass doesn't try to slide across the table and if you're chopping veg for cooking you're not chasing onions into the cabin. We have had occasions already where the chocks have meant the difference between a nice pitch and a rubbish one; at Glenbrittle, the only "scenic" pitch left was on quite a slope (probably why it wasn't taken). The chocks meant we had a perfectly level pitch. Ours are the Thule ones and they have three "steps", each equates roughly to a degree of rotation, so by looking at the little display I can work out if we can cancel out the slope or not.

Spec the spare wheel; it's a no-cost option and is far better than trying to use a can of gunk in the dark and rain somewhere with no mobile reception. Then get a sparesafe from the club shop so nobody walks off with it.

 

[andyinluton]

Spec the spare wheel; it's a no-cost option and is far better than trying to use a can of gunk in the dark and rain somewhere with no mobile reception. Then get a sparesafe from the club shop so nobody walks off with it.

You cant option the spare if you have the sports pack or any other 18" wheels

 

[RockinNRollin]

You cant option the spare if you have the sports pack or any other 18" wheels

Yes I think you're right, but it's a bit ridiculous as I doubt the rolling radius of the different wheel options are any different, so the spare would still work. Particularly ironic I'd say actually given that lower profile tyres are probably more prone to a puncture.

 

[WelshGas]

Contacted Tom + Breeze to get a quote. Can't believe there's 5 year 0% HP, £1,000 finance contribution, 5 free services, 3 free MOTs, 5 years warranty and 5 years' roadside assistance!!!!!!!

Last try to keep order books full before the T6.1 order book closes.

 

[WelshGas]

Hmm, £834 just for the towbar......then maybe another £400-£500 for bike rack. Getting a bit steep for me. Maybe I'm better not getting at all.

I thought the 'prep' was thought but evidently not, so thanks for the input

Why heated windscreen. Fire up Parking Heater via remote from the house 30 + mins before leaving. ALL windows defrosted and a warm vehicle for your journey.

 

[1954BD]

Contacted Tom + Breeze to get a quote. Can't believe there's 5 year 0% HP, £1,000 finance contribution, 5 free services, 3 free MOTs, 5 years warranty and 5 years' roadside assistance!!!!!!!

0% on HP I could not get anything under 7.5% anywhere

 

[andyinluton]

0% on HP I could not get anything under 7.5% anywhere

Its a new VW offer 50% deposit then 5 years interest free for HP

 

[California Rob]

Apologies for the naive question.....gardx????

Gardx is the ceramic coating they put on the van just before you take it away.

 

[mintyman]

Aaah, thank you. I've got a Meguiars DA polisher and use cutting compound and polisher on my car so I'll give this a miss.

 

[Barry Chuckle]

Hmm, £834 just for the towbar......then maybe another £400-£500 for bike rack. Getting a bit steep for me. Maybe I'm better not getting at all.

I thought the 'prep' was thought but evidently not, so thanks for the input

I took the view that the towbar and bick rack weren't worth it and bought a couple of Brompton bikes for about £500 more which I think are more secure!

 

[COAST22]

Thanks for the comment much appreciated.

Don’t get me wrong we don’t always get it right but we will certainly make sure it’s put right if something did go wrong.

?

 

[sbmcd]

We keep the levelling ramps in a bag in the drawer space, fit perfectly. Can access quickly when parking up.
And then can fit skiis in also when needed.

Agreed, two sets of skis and poles.