T6.1 Interior Light variations between Coast and Ocean

[Corgimajor]

Can anyone advise what you get with the VW California Coast T6.1 option "Interior light concept for Camper "Comfort" in passenger compartment" and how this varies from the Coast's standard equipment "Interior light concept for Camper in passenger compartment". I'm thinking the "Comfort" element relates only to there being additional lighting and lighting controls for the "pop-up" roof (as per Ocean standard equipment). However if there are additional lights added in the passenger compartment or elsewhere around the van - not included in the Coast's standard interior lighting set-up - I would like to know where they are. Thanks!

 

[starbug]

Can anyone advise what you get with the VW California Coast T6.1 option "Interior light concept for Camper "Comfort" in passenger compartment" and how this varies from the Coast's standard equipment "Interior light concept for Camper in passenger compartment". I'm thinking the "Comfort" element relates only to there being additional lighting and lighting controls for the "pop-up" roof (as per Ocean standard equipment). However if there are additional lights added in the passenger compartment or elsewhere around the van - not included in the Coast's standard interior lighting set-up - I would like to know where they are. Thanks!

just remember every electric item you add on your van uses your battery power. so if you want to wild camp or if the camp site has a power cut as mine did . it makes you turn lights off and any other stuff that's not needed. they don't use much power but keeping power for heating when its cold is better or powering an i pad to watch a film. so why pay for lights that you don't use much. that's my thinking.

 

[Stu@rt]

Can anyone advise what you get with the VW California Coast T6.1 option "Interior light concept for Camper "Comfort" in passenger compartment" and how this varies from the Coast's standard equipment "Interior light concept for Camper in passenger compartment". I'm thinking the "Comfort" element relates only to there being additional lighting and lighting controls for the "pop-up" roof (as per Ocean standard equipment). However if there are additional lights added in the passenger compartment or elsewhere around the van - not included in the Coast's standard interior lighting set-up - I would like to know where they are. Thanks!

You won't get the strip light under the kitchen counter, or the 2 in the bottom of the tailgate, or those in the pop top. You do get a light on a bendy stalk to use in the uptop 12v socket instead. I couldn't bring myself to pay for the comfort package but its my first Cali and you don't miss what you've never had. We don't find it an issue, but I recognise that I would say that right?
You get the 2 above the sliding door and the 3 above the kitchen. You also still get the tailgate operated one below the bed in the luggage compartment and the reading light in the rear too. All are still dimmable via their buttons or the Camper control unit.

 

[Corgimajor]

just remember every electric item you add on your van uses your battery power. so if you want to wild camp or if the camp site has a power cut as mine did . it makes you turn lights off and any other stuff that's not needed. they don't use much power but keeping power for heating when its cold is better or powering an i pad to watch a film. so why pay for lights that you don't use much. that's my thinking.

Hi Starbug, Thanks for the guidance, but I'm still in the dark (forgive the pun) on the lighting option I referenced in my question. I see you own a T6.1 Coast, perhaps you can advise whether you have the LED strip lights hidden in the upper and lower sections of the kitchen unit. These are present on the Ocean (switched on a panel at the front of the kitchen unit, behind the passenger seat) and I wondered if they are standard on the Coast? I don't think they are and so could be related to this "comfort" option I'm uncertain about.

 

[Corgimajor]

You won't get the strip light under the kitchen counter, or the 2 in the bottom of the tailgate, or those in the pop top. You do get a light on a bendy stalk to use in the uptop 12v socket instead. I couldn't bring myself to pay for the comfort package but its my first Cali and you don't miss what you've never had. We don't find it an issue, but I recognise that I would say that right?
You get the 2 above the sliding door and the 3 above the kitchen. You also still get the tailgate operated one below the bed in the luggage compartment and the reading light in the rear too. All are still dimmable via their buttons or the Camper control unit.

Hi Stu@rt, Sorry missed your reply before I responded to Starbug (new to the forum). Thanks for the guidance. From what you are saying these (tailgate, Kitchen unit and pop top) are the additional lights that are part of this "comfort" lighting option? The tailgate lights make sense as you can't order the shower connection option without this "comfort" light option as well, which takes the option of a shower from £366 to £1,122 (I.e. with the £756 for the "comfort" lights). I think I'd prefer VW to give e me the option to shower in the dark!

 

[Stu@rt]

Hi Stu@rt, Sorry missed your reply before I responded to Starbug (new to the forum). Thanks for the guidance. From what you are saying these (tailgate, Kitchen unit and pop top) are the additional lights that are part of this "comfort" lighting option? The tailgate lights make sense as you can't order the shower connection option without this "comfort" light option as well, which takes the option of a shower from £366 to £1,122 (I.e. with the £756 for the "comfort" lights). I think I'd prefer VW to give e me the option to shower in the dark!

No worries. And welcome by the way. Just to confirm you don't get the strip lighting and there is a blank in the place where the switch would be at the end of the kitchen unit. Any questions just fire away or PM if you prefer.

 

[andyinluton]

Do you still get the background lighting when driving? I mean the dim lights in the front footwells & the small lights on the base at the back of the front seats that stay on when driving at night?

Ive also got lights inside the kitchen cupboards as well as the strips on the outside of the cupboard and another light inside the wardrobe.

 

[starbug]

Hi Starbug, Thanks for the guidance, but I'm still in the dark (forgive the pun) on the lighting option I referenced in my question. I see you own a T6.1 Coast, perhaps you can advise whether you have the LED strip lights hidden in the upper and lower sections of the kitchen unit. These are present on the Ocean (switched on a panel at the front of the kitchen unit, behind the passenger seat) and I wondered if they are standard on the Coast? I don't think they are and so could be related to this "comfort" option I'm uncertain about.

i don't have them they were a light package or something when i ordered. as standard you get one light in the rear five in living area one in the side door step [California]. 2 in the front map lights a plug in one on a flexi stalk and a small one that charges in the 12v socket. i think the mirrors light up too. foot well lights. all standard. there maybe some ive forgot ,

 

[Stu@rt]

Do you still get the background lighting when driving? I mean the dim lights in the front footwells & the small lights on the base at the back of the front seats that stay on when driving at night?

Ive also got lights inside the kitchen cupboards as well as the strips on the outside of the cupboard and another light inside the wardrobe.

You do get the footwell ones and the ones in the rear of seat bases. Nothing in the cupboards or wardrobe

 

[starbug]

i don't have them they were a light package or something when i ordered. as standard you get one light in the rear five in living area one in the side door step [California]. 2 in the front map lights a plug in one on a flexi stalk and a small one that charges in the 12v socket. i think the mirrors light up too. foot well lights. all standard. there maybe some ive forgot ,

there is a 12v socket at right side of rear bench and one in the rear to add more lights too. you will need some good torches to find your van when its dark maybe a mozi killer which will light up too . some outdoor lighting for awning . so all together more lights than blackpool lol. and when you put just one of them on they attract flys like you no what. hope that answers any lighting ?s

 

[andyinluton]

I didn't have too much trouble with mozzies at 6am today & certainly appreciated the lights in the wardrobe when trying to find something.
Our van is used all the time, not just for camping, and the little things like the extra boot lights, lights inside the cupboards etc are nice to have but you probably wouldn’t miss them if you’ve never had them.

 

[Corgimajor]

Hi to you all who responded to my question, your replies have been helpful, thank you. I do wonder why VW don't provide more information on their options, you'd think for the money they are charging for these vehicles they'd have a wealth of detail they could share with their customers, but even for something as basic as what extra lights you are getting for a whopping £756 you get diddly squat!

 

[SFO]

I wanted the shower so forced to have the expensive additional interior lights.

These are the extra lights:
the pop up roof
rear tailgate
rear cupboard
kitchen units outer and inner

£756 is sheer daylight robbery and profiteering

 

[calibusje]

just remember every electric item you add on your van uses your battery power. so if you want to wild camp or if the camp site has a power cut as mine did . it makes you turn lights off and any other stuff that's not needed. they don't use much power but keeping power for heating when its cold is better or powering an i pad to watch a film. so why pay for lights that you don't use much. that's my thinking.

Each his thought About this but: batteries last long enough and how long will you be standing still? 3-4 or more days? That is not our way of traveling with a California. You can leave the extra lighting turned off, (e.g. the fairly useless lights in the kitchen cabinets). The extra lighting in the poptop roof is dimmable and are good reading lamps at greatest strength just as those in the tailgate. Although it is not a cheap option, it is useful. And don't get me wrong: at first I also thought: why? And then we traveled with an ocean that has it and showed its usefulness: directly added to our order form. Everyone has their own idea about this off course.
Oh and watching a movie or series, we never do that in the cali, we do that enough at home.
Greetings

 

[starbug]

Each his thought About this but: batteries last long enough and how long will you be standing still? 3-4 or more days? That is not our way of traveling with a California. You can leave the extra lighting turned off, (e.g. the fairly useless lights in the kitchen cabinets). The extra lighting in the poptop roof is dimmable and are good reading lamps at greatest strength just as those in the tailgate. Although it is not a cheap option, it is useful. And don't get me wrong: at first I also thought: why? And then we traveled with an ocean that has it and showed its usefulness: directly added to our order form. Everyone has their own idea about this off course.
Oh and watching a movie or series, we never do that in the cali, we do that enough at home.
Greetings

the post wasn't about me. it was about cali s. and what people might want to do. and what they can think about when ordering a cali.

 

[calibusje]

the post wasn't about me. it was about cali s. and what people might want to do. and what they can think about when ordering a cali.

huh, I don't get it: I answered the original poster's question and replied on what you're saying (unnecessary lights that will drain your battery, especially if you're going camping for days and not driving around). Is it suddenly not about that anymore?

 

[starbug]

huh, I don't get it: I answered the original poster's question and replied on what you're saying (unnecessary lights that will drain your battery, especially if you're going camping for days and not driving around). Is it suddenly not about that anymore?

sorry if that came across the wrong way.

 

[calibusje]

sorry if that came across the wrong way.

No, that's fine, I just didn't understand; English is not my native language, you see and I can't always get the right feeling when I read it.

 

[starbug]

No, that's fine, I just didn't understand; English is not my native language, you see and I can't always get the right feeling when I read it.

me too im from the black country

 

[66tim99]

me too im from the black country

Just say “who’s getting the cuppa soups?”
And everything is alright with the world

 

[calibusje]

me too im from the black country

Had to look it up but now I know where you're from

 

[Private_Kelly]

I think the £700+ light package option for the Coast is ridiculous. I was going to have it specced on mine until I saw the price. Just buy some usb c rechargeable LED’S from Amazon and stick em in your cupboards or anywhere else they are fantastic and very cheap. They have motion sensors so only come on when they see your hand rummaging about. Better to spend 700 quid on other far more useful things imo.

 

[calibusje]

I think the £700+ light package option for the Coast is ridiculous. I was going to have it specced on mine until I saw the price. Just buy some usb c rechargeable LED’S from Amazon and stick em in your cupboards or anywhere else they are fantastic and very cheap. They have motion sensors so only come on when they see your hand rummaging about. Better to spend 700 quid on other far more useful things imo.

That is why it is so good that we each get to tick what we will spend our money on.
Anyway, it's not cheap, that's true and that's what I thought at first, but then we were able to use them in a courtesy vehicle and saw their use (I already said that those in the kitchen cupboards are of no use but hey, they are there). They are extremely good reading lamps at their greatest strength (because dimmable). I can only guess you did not experienced them yet: they are very handy and built-in, in my opinion more convenient than plug-in lights. Everyone has their own thoughts on this and I'm glad you saved 700 pounds. For me there are other options that are ridiculously expensive but each to their own opinion of course.
Sometimes you also have to check something on the order form that you actually find too expensive: I had trouble with the price of the air conditioning, but after much consideration I took it anyway (and testing it in the courtesy vehicle).
But I understand you, because I have the same reflections with the shower connection at the back: I didn't take it because of the price (318 euro); I bought a shower set (30 euros): it comes in a case and can be connected to the indoor tap. You also have to connect the one at the back if you bought it and therefore needs the same operation as what we bought. We now have a pull-out shower head at the kitchen unit on our T4 westfalia california and find it just as useful to use the shower hose from the outside side window as it is from the tailgate since the T5 california. So you see, you will not soon encounter two identical Californias.
Now just keep waiting for delivery so I can finally enjoy 'the looter' of our savings
Greetings

 

[Private_Kelly]

That is why it is so good that we each get to tick what we will spend our money on.
Anyway, it's not cheap, that's true and that's what I thought at first, but then we were able to use them in a courtesy vehicle and saw their use (I already said that those in the kitchen cupboards are of no use but hey, they are there). They are extremely good reading lamps at their greatest strength (because dimmable). I can only guess you did not experienced them yet: they are very handy and built-in, in my opinion more convenient than plug-in lights. Everyone has their own thoughts on this and I'm glad you saved 700 pounds. For me there are other options that are ridiculously expensive but each to their own opinion of course.
Sometimes you also have to check something on the order form that you actually find too expensive: I had trouble with the price of the air conditioning, but after much consideration I took it anyway (and testing it in the courtesy vehicle).
But I understand you, because I have the same reflections with the shower connection at the back: I didn't take it because of the price (318 euro); I bought a shower set (30 euros): it comes in a case and can be connected to the indoor tap. You also have to connect the one at the back if you bought it and therefore needs the same operation as what we bought. We now have a pull-out shower head at the kitchen unit on our T4 westfalia california and find it just as useful to use the shower hose from the outside side window as it is from the tailgate since the T5 california. So you see, you will not soon encounter two identical Californias.
Now just keep waiting for delivery so I can finally enjoy 'the looter' of our savings
Greetings

Enjoy your van. Hope delivery is quick.