So, why /how did you get into the Cali then?

[David Eccles]

I'm guessing that a fair few on here prob have not progressed thru the classic VW bus route and that a Cali may not be your first VW bus so was idly wondering what sort of people buy a Cali and why?
Here's me for starters!
First VW bus (1967 Split) bought in 1976 and travelled in it to India and back
Second VW bus bought in 1978 (67 Devon Camper restored back to original in 90s)
34 years of growing up with kids and bus and in 90s got into the (then tiny) bus scene - camp weekends..shows..events..european shows etc before selling her last July to finance a Cali
Now reaching the Sixth age of Man...want something comfy and easy to use and does more than 22mpg and does not leave me with aching body after driving and want to get back to just getting away for weekends etc and not so many VW shows!
Had to be VW ... had to be factory and stock...first ever VW factory made camper as well, so future classic maybe...in the blood...
Retired from teaching 4 years ago (best thing I ever did)
Now editor VW bus mag and writes books about VW buses and bus lifestyles and loving doing what I want when I want!
What about you?
David

 

[calikev]

David I have owned 5 bays over the last 20 years the last one being an early bay 2 years ago.
My teenage kids said no way am I sleeping in a tent the bay only being 2 berth. So I bought a converted 2008 t5 this
Was ok it was 4 berth but I found the storage on it to be poor. I always had my eye on a Cali but was put off with the price
One day while in mine I saw a Cali so I had to go and have a look and a chat. One look round it and that was it. I fell out of love with the t5 and thought got to have one.traded it in never looked back. No more leaving half a day before everybody else,no more checking the oil every 300 mile,no more massive toolkit. And best of all heating comfort and room for 4 and a dog. Oh yes no more oil on the drive. Having said that a lot of great memory's in the old buses amazing I actually got to we're I was going .

 

[KernowLad]

My parents have always had VDub vans - a bay then two T25s, the last of which Dad still has! Also owned a huge amount of VWs between us but me and my family have never even had a van.

Didn't even test drive one - just had a look around one, assumed the 180 4motion would be good so bought one. But of a scary decision as it slashed a chunk of savings but with pathetic interest rates, it wasn't doing a lot anyway.

So just over a week in - all very exciting!

 

[Chris]

Pure jealousy and one up man ship. I've had a few vw's. First car was a 65 beetle, a couple of golfs, then a t25 carvelle, converted myself into a basic camper. Then an atlantic as step son came along. Needed 4 berth.
We went away in 2010. Came back from Devon and my parents annoyingly said they had placed an order for a Cali. Basically couldn't have that, so started a search for a second hand cali. Found my dream van a fresco green Cali.
Like most people i questioned my santity with the cost but don't regret it. Awesome vehicle and a pleasure drive.

 

[Graham]

Parents had an Autosleeper conversion on a Bedford CF250 when I was a kid. Always been into camping and the outdoors. Worked slowly upward from a 2 man ridge tent, through family tent, trailer tent and then yearning for a camper. Much research later, Cali is the best there is. 2nd hand 07 plate from vwcampersales last year and haven't regretted one minute or penny spent.

 

[Iain&Shani]

OK…. Mould breaker here. Never had a VW of any sorts previously. Did think about it a long time ago but ended up buying a log cabin in Snowdonia instead. Then the kids came along and we went down the caravan route for about 20 years. The kids fell by the holiday wayside, unless it was the States so being just the two of us we moved to a 2berth.
We then found a site near Monmouth where we were able to leave the ‘van, loved the place…bought a static and got rid of the touring facility. If we weren’t in Monmouth we holidayed in the sun via Easyjet or the like….. last year we hit Mexico on a 5* All Inclusive megabucks trip. OK it was good but something was missing……………………….. touring!
Our long term (actually it’s now medium term but I am still kidding myself) is to get a comfortable motorhome and tour once we can both hang up whatever it is that pays the bills. In the meantime I felt that paying £0000 a year to fly off was missing a trick so we decided to look at motorhomes.
The vehicle had to be the second car so larger vehicles were out. We don’t want a bloody big vehicle on the drive blocking out the sun etc etc So we looked at campers.
Initially we were looking at around £20000 but it was difficult. We quickly realised that we either had to bite the bullet and deal with other people’s pubes or go way higher. We are in a very fortunate position where the latter was an option. We looked at Danbury etc but whilst they were lovely looking there was something missing. Then through continued research we hit on Californias.
Used or much loved were pretty rare and for a few grand more a new was was within our reach. Like I said….we are fortunate. We used this forum and the other portal which combined gave us excellent info. Why there isn’t just one excellent site I don’t know but…………..
Once we looked at our first VW California in a showroom we were hooked. Quality, quality, quality!! I’d like to point out that I am no petrol head. I wanted something that worked and worked well.
We ended up with the Berghaus in Reflex Silver. Currently it is day to day transport but boy do I smile!!

 

[MKRW]

As a student had a VW Polo (first car) which we took to the south west of France surfing slept in / camped for a few weeks, and had a fantastic holiday and always dreamt of owning a campervan.

Have been looking at conversations ever since then and finally with our 3rd child on the way and 20 years later have decided we needed a bigger vehicle and did not want an impractical large family car so indulged our fantasy. It could also have something to do with being surronded by theguys from Coolflo Vintage here in the village.

Still looking forward to the delivery which should be in time for an Easter trip once the new born has arrived....

Until then I will just have to enjoy reading about adventures in a small book I was given for Christmas - Campervan Crazy.....;-)

 

[Anonymous]

Not yet an owner. I have romanced myself with thoughts of Splitties and Bays over the last 5 years or so.
SWMBO thinks I will be ony happy when I have got some form of a house with wheels on each corner - I guess it comes from being from Romany heritage.
As much as I love the idea of a T2, the reliability issue which CaliKev mentioned above did convince my better half (after having had a V8 110" Land Rover in the past) that she only wants something which is 1) reliable and 2) comfortable to spend tiem in driving to Europe.
There were also caveats about fuel economy etc.

I looked at the Danbury T2s, but came to focus on the T5; initially the Caravelle and then the Cali. Just when I thought I had made a decision the Beach was advertised in the UK.

So where am I now?
The Cali seems to be everything...however, the wide downstairs bed of the Caravelle and the Beach are interesting.
Would I cook with a Cobb or the gas rings? Probably the Cobb, save for a kettle inside.
I suppose we don't specifically need the upstairs bed, as The Lad is already taller than me (only 14), and could easily go with a mate into an awning / tent - but the head room would be great.

The Caravelle may have better touring driving accessories as standard, and do I need a water tank?

It's been hard getting to a final decision, let alone worry about the financial impact.
Hey ho!!

 

[swigle]

Had a Golf for 4 years about 10 years ago (company car, not my choice) - was never adverse to it, but I'm not a pertolhead - I know where the fuel goes and that's it - cars have only ever been to get me from A to B, and so long as they don't breakdown I've never been fussed.

Dabbled with camping over the past 20 years - never serious, max 2 weeks a year (and one of those stuck in a muddy field at Glastonbury with 10's of 000's of othre unwashed revellers). Have always preferred sunnier climes and distant lands for holidays.

Have always hankered after camper (VW only - I was hooked once I saw my first splitty), but sensible head always kicked in - cost, zero mechanical nonse, wouldn't use it enough.

Then 8 years ago, one day just went out and bought a '72 T2 - and under the shiny paint job, lowered suspension and alloy wheels it was a rust bucket, that needed the whole floor pan replacing. Got rid within 3 months at a hefty loss. Itch scratched, fingers burned, lesson learned.

2 years ago the itch started up again - I knew I wanted one, but it had to be new, reliable, no hassle, no worry option. So started looking at Danbury's - new, and the retro look I loved. But then there was the cost ... Answer - start saving.

Decided the way to ensure I used the thing would be to have it as my only vehicle, and because of previous rust bucket '72 T2 fiasco, decided to hire a Danbury for a week - best £1,000 I've ever spent cos it saved me spending £45K on something that just wasn't up to the task - naiively, I was expecting a modern drive experience under the retro styling - instead I was driving a 40 year-old van! But my week of campervanning convinced me I wanted a van, just not a Danbury T2. Saw quite a few T5 conversions while driving round the South West that week, and thought they looked a much more practlcal option. Had arranged for a test drive + Danbury immediately after my hire, so went along, but knew I wasn't going to buy - and then saw their T5 conversion. OK - much more like it! And would they let me test drive it? No!! Sorry Danbury - but that could have lost you a £50K sale ...

Back home - good old Google pointed me at other converters - Bilbo et al ... and hidden away in the list - VW's own factory built California. Hadn't even realisted they did a factory build ...
That Saturday, took a tour round the local caravan dealers - no campervans anywhere. On the off-chance, popped into local VW dealer (Leicester) - and they had 2 or 3 Cali's on show. None of the 'heath robinson' home-made fit-out with cast of kitchen cabinets and carpet cutoffs - it was sleek and polished and shiny - I was smitten! And they let me have a test drive there and then! Back again the next weekend with my other half to be the sensible head - both smitten now!

Sensible head kicks in - Motorhome expo on at NEC a few weeks later, so let's go and see what else is on the market ...
*LOTS* of convertors - but no VW California!
Yes - there were converions (and the Hyundia) available at under £40K, but they still looked 'home-made' and didn't have the same spec. I'd seen what I wanted and nothing else was measuring up. And the price differential wasn't really that much - once spec'd up to the same level, the conversions were of a similar price - so that was head convinced now!

So back to VW - deposit down, van ordered.
That was end of October.
Van arrived + dealers 3 weeks ago, but have decided to wait til 1 March to pick it up on a new plate.

 

[Tattooz]

Always liked the idea of having a camper and about 10 years ago when the kids were little bought a 6 berth Motorhome thinking it would be bettert because of the space and extra facilities but because it was so damned big it was not an easy getaway so it ended up hardly being used and sold it 12 months later and a rather large loss.
Now 10 years later I was still hankering after a camper and the kids are bigger and dont really want to tag along with us so it will be easier to just up and go whenever we want but i knew if I was going to buy that I wanted either New or nearly new and as we all know thats a lot of ££ to find. Well I had an endowment policy that was due to expire that I cashed in and really should of paid a chunk off my mortgage but figured I would get more enjoyment out of having the Cali than I would knowing I had a slightly smaller mortgage. . . so I still have a £215k mortgage but I do have a shiny new California Berghaus which I am loving.

 

[Alf 170]

Saw our first Cali about 6 years ago in Brugge whilst on a motorbike trip round europe, spanish I seem to recall. Mrs G and I kind of fell in love with it and always promised ourselves one when we retire. I was recently put in a position that allowed us to get one tax free so what the heck (still cost a small kings ransom though and fair winced as the cash went over to the dealer), and get the vehicle we always wanted to though a little before we retire on the basis of enjoy now whilst we're in europe. WE've a caravan as well and combine the 2 on long trips/stays though camped for over 40 years, the dogs were the turning point in getting the caravan. So pleased we did it, though we're on beans on toast for a while.

 

[Bjohnson]

Wife and I have always been into camping and the outdoors and having no children spend many weekends a year camping in various locations around the UK. I've always been a petrol head but never been into campers; plenty of friends had them and all manner of VW's when I was younger but I never saw the attraction.

A friend bought a Cali about 4 years ago and i was really impressed with it, so we had a proper look around a few at dealers and have been lurking on the forums ever since. Even though we dont have any serious commitments requiring all our hard earned cash, we continually struggle with the ££ of the cali both new and secondhand (i.e. nearly new), so we regularly go 'off the boil' !! Last year we upgraded all our camping gear and are very pleased with it all, but we both continually talk about having a cali and the added freedom/flexibility it brings over more traditional camping, hence we are back 'on the boil' again!!

We've previously looked at a project split screen (money pit), a finished split screen (too small and too slow), we looked at a T25 Atlantic only last year, but having looked seriously at the Cali, nothing else is going to come close for either my wife and I. Its just got everything in an ideal size and configuration to do everything we need it to - modern, comfortable, reliable and (reasonably) economical to own.

Unfortunatly we dont own a Cali at the moment, but are saving hard and hope to be buying/ordering later this year. We've got a couple of weekends planned for hiring a Cali in the spring so I'm sure that will focus the mind.

My wifes car (mini cooper S convertible) is due for a change later this year so i think we will be aiming to trade that in against a Cali and put savings in with it to get our dream vehicle. My wife rarely drives her car during the week so the Cali would make an ideal second car for either of us when we need it and our perfect weekend transport.

 

[Californiaman]

We were going to emigrate to NZ around 10 years ago after the company I worked for collapsed. I didn't want to get 'just another job'. So we were going to have a change of scenery. Having spent some time over there and sorted out where we wanted to live etc, I bumped into a old colleague back in the UK and was offered a short term contract job that I couldn't turn down. We ended up using the time whilst I have this contract work trying to visit all the places in the UK and Europe that we might not get another chance to visit... and finally realised what an amazing country we live in. We have been lucky enough to travel a reasonable amount but discovered that with a little effort, you can get everything you want within a day or so of driving in the UK.

Having finally decided to hang up my Enduro race boots after having broken enough bones, weekends were mine again and it was time to get a camper. Always wanted one. Love it!!!

 

[Andy]

My sister has an 06 Cali which I always admired. Last summer she gave me a lift home from Wicksteed park in it.
Having damaged my back in 2010 & seeing a chiro every two weeks I had a conversation with her as to wether I could ride my motorbike (BMW K1200 RS) she said most definitely NO.
Then I started looking for a Cali, hired one from a dealer for a weekend, but pulled out of purchase at last minute.
Why am I spending £44,000 on a vehicle ???!!
Two weeks later I thought to hell with it, can't take my money with me to the next life & started looking for a used one with the options I wanted.
Found what is now my cali at Citygate High Wycombe. Asked them if they'd px for my bike & car. When they came back with the prices on them it was soooo good I could not say no !

The rest as they say is history !

 

[Alf 170]

Chat with Chiro sounds familiar Andy. Mine does her nut every time I go see her. Running is banned, the motorbike is banned but carried on with both, the deal being, I abuse my spine/neck.knees, she fixes them and despairs!

 

[Andy]

Hi Alf my main problem is my spine is straight now, no curvature, so goes out of alignment very easily & is then painful !
Spent a silly amount with chiro over the last eighteen months so trying to stay away as much as possible !

 

[KernowLad]

Very interesting stories here!

I think we're a fairly unique bunch - obviously Calis aren't cheap yet if you are extremely wealthy, you probably won't be "camping" albeit in comfort. So most seem to have been saved hard for with people of a similarish mindset.

No snobbery (most £40-50k cars seem to come with an AWFUL lot of snob baggage), loads of helpfulness and a genuine enthusiasm rather than just buying them to fit in with some non existent aspirational group.

I look at our Cali every morning now and grin inanely. Love it!

 

[calikev]

Well said. I like the fact that unless you have researched it you are not likely to know how much a Cali costs
Most people look at things like range rovers as status symbols. Look how well I am doing etc.
I'm quite happy plodding along without people knowing what I have spent.

 

[Californiaman]

It's not what you spent, its about the residuals (thats what I tell people that ask... )

 

[Ewan]

We've been campers from an early age, both in tents (me) and Splitties and Bays (the wife). We even got a tent as a wedding present. However, we always looked jealously at folks in their VW vans keeping dry and warm, sleeping in their pop-up roofs. "One day ..." we dreamed ...

Fast forward to 2008 and we hired a Bay and took it across to Islay for a week with the kids. A disaster from start to finish ... table collapsed with boiling pasta on it; dirty, scratched crockery; the seat couldn't be adjusted in any way etc. We finally had to call the hire company and tell them to come and collect their van since the bumper was by now scraping on the ground with the weight of the bikes on it. At least we now knew that old vans were definitely off our agenda !

We still love (tent) camping but got to the point that we couldn't face going away for just a weekend - 2 hours to pack the car to squeeze everything in. We then researched and viewed T5 conversions but once we saw a Cali in the flesh there was simply no comparison. We've had our Cali since Christmas 2010 and it's now permanently stocked with (almost) everything we need to take off at a moment's notice. We love it. There's no point in regretting things you didn't do - life's for living (and we were fortunate enough to be in a position to buy a Cali).

 

[mapman]

Ewan, that just sounds like us had a good laugh at your story.

Mark :grin:

 

[Anonymous]

i have been into vws for 23yrs now starting out with a beetle at 17 then a couple more beetles, then at 19 after 2 years of tents we got our first baywindow a 69devon,then a 72 bay van conversion,then a 71 bay tintop that i restored twice and owned for about 7 years, i loved it no fridge no heater i used to drive it to work in winter scraping the ice of the inside but it was super cool in nevarda beige with a full st steel roof rack,,meanwhile loads of mk1 golfs mk2 golfs then got a t4 about 10 years ago and have owned 3 more in total over 8 years then at my local vw vancenter looking at vans and i saw my first cali and i was blown away. then saved n saved n saved n now it sits on my drive and makes me smile everytime i look at it,,

 

[debarros]

Outgrown my Bongo and had some money burning a hole in my pockets......

 

[ChrisandPenney52]

Camped a couple of times with my parents driving to and from Spain in the '60s. They didn't find it great fun but I sort of got the bug. First campervan experience was with a couple of chums at the Hollywood rock festival in Newcastle under Lyme in my late teens: Mungo Gerry doing 'In the Summertime', Ginger Baker's Air Force, and many others. After that the two of us camped at motor races, either on our own or with friends, and toured with an old Vauxhall Chevette (well, it was new then), and later a Fiat X 1/9 with a small ridge tent. We started Eurocamping when our daughter was small and bought a couple of our own family tents as time went on. Always tents though, and never caravans or campervans.

So why a Cali and why now? we have owned a couple of VWs - a Passat and a Sharan - but both were dogs so we had no particular brand loyatly to VW. But our retirement plan was to buy a campervan and travel, so we went searching at the shows. Short list of what we saw was a strange cross section. There weren't any Calis at the shows so we looked at a Romahome R30, Transit based Westfalia Nugget and Bilbo's VW. We liked them all for various reasons but I knew I just had to look at a California and when I did I knew why. What sold it to us were the clean integrated design, airy interior, upstairs sleeping and ability to adapt into a load carrier, all in a relatively small footprint and a height under two metres. Bought a pristine two year old in March 2010 just before I retired, sold the sports car and the estate car and took over our Australia-bound daughter's 10 year old Yaris as our alternate transport. Don't miss the nice cars at all and the Cali is now our home for 10-12 weeks of the year. Love it!

 

[DavidofHook]

Hello David,
we started with a Ford Galaxy and a lovely Eriba Eribelle caravan, great quality. Went to Spain for longish periods (to be recommended)
Decided the towing was too much of a faf, wanted a motor home. But vehicle had to be our car as well, so this ruled out Hymers and the like . Even Transits are really too big for that and if you don't use it as a second car you have all that dosh sitting on the drive doing nothing for much of the time.
This pushed us towards a VW camper and we found , in 2003, a Cali. What quality compared with the others (Danbury etc), so we went for it never mind the cost and have never regretted it.
This time round we are changing for a 2011....... Yes a Cali again. This time the philosophy is a good quality car that we can use as a camper. Vaguely wondered about getting a nice car but... No camping (bad) and have you tried to get out of a car at an advanced age??? Too low, Very bad on the knees. A Cali has brilliant access and you can drive it for 600 miles and get out feeling like a spring chicken ( well nearly) .
Wonderful vehicles even at the cost!