T6 Beach dashboard upgrade

[Rhyddin]

I'm getting mighty close to taking the plunge on a T6 Beach (especially after people's input on my other post about using a Cali every day, the reduced APR at the moment and the likely discount) but one of my other stumbling blocks is the compromised dashboard in the Beach, compared to the Ocean.

There has been talk of a dashboard upgrade option but no one seems to know anything about it. However, I stumbled onto a global VW van site just now that I've not seen before:

http://www.volkswagen-commercial-vehicles.com/en/models/california/highlights.html#/hl=cat5

On this specific page, the top item shows the 'de luxe dash panel'... With text underneath saying that it is standard on the Ocean and Coast and an option on the Beach!

Therefore, with any luck, the dash upgrade is the full thing and not just some half an upgrade that still looks secondary to the Ocean.

In fact, the real question is just how far does the upgrade go in terms of the front blinds? It would be cool if the Beach could have the pull out blinds in the pillars, like the Ocean, but I suspect we're not going to know until someone actually orders and receives one - maybe it'll be me!

The other unknown, of course, is the cost of the upgrade. I know it includes climatronic, which is over £700 by itself, so it's got to be into 4 figures. I want climatronic, as I promised my children that my next vehicle would give them heating controls of their own, so hopefully it won't be more than an extra 3 or 4 hundred. Worth it, though - I think so anyway!

Anyway, check out the above website - just a little more information!

 

[daveyboydanger]

I'm getting mighty close to taking the plunge on a T6 Beach (especially after people's input on my other post about using a Cali every day, the reduced APR at the moment and the likely discount) but one of my other stumbling blocks is the compromised dashboard in the Beach, compared to the Ocean.

There has been talk of a dashboard upgrade option but no one seems to know anything about it. However, I stumbled onto a global VW van site just now that I've not seen before:

http://www.volkswagen-commercial-vehicles.com/en/models/california/highlights.html#/hl=cat5

On this specific page, the top item shows the 'de luxe dash panel'... With text underneath saying that it is standard on the Ocean and Coast and an option on the Beach!

Therefore, with any luck, the dash upgrade is the full thing and not just some half an upgrade that still looks secondary to the Ocean.

In fact, the real question is just how far does the upgrade go in terms of the front blinds? It would be cool if the Beach could have the pull out blinds in the pillars, like the Ocean, but I suspect we're not going to know until someone actually orders and receives one - maybe it'll be me!

The other unknown, of course, is the cost of the upgrade. I know it includes climatronic, which is over £700 by itself, so it's got to be into 4 figures. I want climatronic, as I promised my children that my next vehicle would give them heating controls of their own, so hopefully it won't be more than an extra 3 or 4 hundred. Worth it, though - I think so anyway!

Anyway, check out the above website - just a little more information!

My dealer emailed me with the added option mid way through october.
Comfort dashboard package - Includes Comfort dashboard with wide center console and bottle compartment, Climatronic 3-zone A/C and Decorative inserts


£1020 + VAT

 

[Rhyddin]

My dealer emailed me with the added option mid way through october.
Comfort dashboard package - Includes Comfort dashboard with wide center console and bottle compartment, Climatronic 3-zone A/C and Decorative inserts


£1020 + VAT

Perfect! My local dealership principal could see it on the ordering system but couldn't price it up (his Cali expert is on holiday). I'm happy with that price.

 

[2haw]

I was told yesterday that the Deluxe Beach dash has to ordered in combination with the 6.3" media. So it's a minimum of £1550 + VAT.

 

[2haw]

Sorry I meant £1350 + VAT. I think from memory!

 

[Rhyddin]

Sorry I meant £1350 + VAT. I think from memory!

Still just about ok for me, as I was planning on upgrading the stereo to allow Apple CarPlay.

Incidentally, has anyone tried CarPlay? I haven't but I'm curious to know if Maps works? It would be greAt but removes the need for inbuilt nav so not sure why manufacturers would support it?

 

[2haw]

I've no idea on the carplay but was wondering if anybody else has been going round and round regarding the options?

When I started it was a just a basic 7 seater White beach with a couple of options.. Now my minimal options are just under 4k!

150 DSG
7 Seats
Met Paint
Rear Camera
Privacy
Power Latch side door
Power Latch rear door
Black Awning
Comfort Interior Lights
3 Zone Climite and Comfort Dash

Now got to have 6.3" Media so I may as well add App Connect!

 

[Rhyddin]

I've no idea on the carplay but was wondering if anybody else has been going round and round regarding the options?

When I started it was a just a basic 7 seater White beach with a couple of options.. Now my minimal options are just under 4k!

150 DSG
7 Seats
Met Paint
Rear Camera
Privacy
Power Latch side door
Power Latch rear door
Black Awning
Comfort Interior Lights
3 Zone Climite and Comfort Dash

Now got to have 6.3" Media so I may as well add App Connect!

Totall relate to that!

My list is huge now: need a tow bar (for the caravan - best of both worlds!), probably go for the auxiliary heater (£!!), like the idea of LED lights (£1.5k!!) plus much of what you've listed.
I'll have to see what that looks like per month!

 

[daveyboydanger]

Perfect! My local dealership principal could see it on the ordering system but couldn't price it up (his Cali expert is on holiday). I'm happy with that price.

I think we share the local dealership! It was Guy at Preston who sent me that email. When is he back?

 

[Rhyddin]

I think we share the local dealership! It was Guy at Preston who sent me that email. When is he back?

We do! He's back next Monday.

 

[daveyboydanger]

We do! He's back next Monday.

oh good, want to find out where my beach is up to!
We'll have to meet up and have a butchers at our beaches sometime!

 

[kave]

In the german market the comfort package that includes the deluxe dashboard is now standard on the beach. Wait a few weeks and it might be the same in the uk market.

 

[DM]

Still just about ok for me, as I was planning on upgrading the stereo to allow Apple CarPlay.

Incidentally, has anyone tried CarPlay? I haven't but I'm curious to know if Maps works? It would be greAt but removes the need for inbuilt nav so not sure why manufacturers would support it?

My dealer gave me a demo of CarPlay in a VW car with the same head unit - impressive. Maps worked just fine. I have gone for that in preference to VW navigation. I'd prefer Waze tbh but apparently Apple don't allow CarPlay on apps that compete against their own :-( .

 

[Canary Bird]

i tried unsuccessfully to get that when ordering, but i was told it wasn't possible by the dealer, any idea on the "code" i dealer would put in to get that dash for the beach? ... without that I don't think he will find it or be able to get it

 

[kave]

The code for the comfort package is XKO, includes c3 zone climate control etc as well as comfort dashboard.

 

[kave]

Sorry, the code is ZKO.

 

[Rhyddin]

oh good, want to find out where my beach is up to!
We'll have to meet up and have a butchers at our beaches sometime!

Hi. Was in with Guy today and he mentioned your van - he's quite impressed with it, I think!

I'm getting very close to taking the plunge; just waiting for a quote with my sizeable spec! Decided to drop the LED lights: £1500 is just too much! However, added the adaptive cruise in place of the regular cruise and steering wheel upgrade. It's a total of £300 more and seems worth it, I think. It just about tops £50k before discount, by my reckoning!!!!

Need to decide on a colour. I love your choice but not sure I'm brave enough for yellow. Guy was considering ordering their next stock van in the new Orange colour - be intrigued to see that. I need to be moderately conservative, as it will be my work car and I'm a field sales manager for a big company, but I want something fun because it's a fun vehicle!! Acapulco Blue might be as far as I stretch, which feels like a bit of a cop-out.

 

[daveyboydanger]

Hi. Was in with Guy today and he mentioned your van - he's quite impressed with it, I think!

I'm getting very close to taking the plunge; just waiting for a quote with my sizeable spec! Decided to drop the LED lights: £1500 is just too much! However, added the adaptive cruise in place of the regular cruise and steering wheel upgrade. It's a total of £300 more and seems worth it, I think. It just about tops £50k before discount, by my reckoning!!!!

Need to decide on a colour. I love your choice but not sure I'm brave enough for yellow. Guy was considering ordering their next stock van in the new Orange colour - be intrigued to see that. I need to be moderately conservative, as it will be my work car and I'm a field sales manager for a big company, but I want something fun because it's a fun vehicle!! Acapulco Blue might be as far as I stretch, which feels like a bit of a cop-out.

I'm glad Guy likes it. It's a beaut. I understand about the yellow hesitation. It's not subtle. The orange (if it's the same VW orange of the last few years) is brilliant but also a pretty big 'I'm here' statement.
I'm with you about the fun aspect, especially on a beach. Aca blue would probably be my compromise colour too. Shame they don't do it in a flat colour. You'll be very welcome to come and have a proper nosey when I pick up the van mid January.

 

[Batmobile]

I'm almost there too, feeling pretty solid about the Candy White instead of the silver. With black and silver polished 17" cascavels and a black awning, privacy glass it will look pretty snappy and less conservative than a regular metallic paint and silver alloys, but without being too boy racer. I really like the yellow but ruled it out for various reasons. I agree that the colour line up is way too limited, making pain options limited especially for those wanting a black interior.

As an aside, I enquired about Oryx White and is is available on the Beach (contrary to the catalogue/price list)..... but at £400 more than metallic paint, whereas its the same price as metallic on a Ocean. This strikes me as pretty cynical on the part of VW, so that got ruled out immediately. I'm not handing over £440 more to spray the same paint onto the same lump of metal, but with a different sticker on the rear panel!

I too wish there were more 'fun' solid colours. A striking blue is the most glaring omission, to my eyes.

 

[greenp]

Totall relate to that!

My list is huge now: need a tow bar (for the caravan - best of both worlds!), probably go for the auxiliary heater (£!!), like the idea of LED lights (£1.5k!!) plus much of what you've listed.
I'll have to see what that looks like per month!

Apologies for sticking my nose in.... Having only owned my Ocean for a month I can see the Aux Park Heater really does make All Year round camping possible in these vehicles. Just thought I would throw that in...... Paul

 

[2haw]

Apologies for sticking my nose in.... Having only owned my Ocean for a month I can see the Aux Park Heater really does make All Year round camping possible in these vehicles. Just thought I would through that in...... Paul

I've ordered a Beach without any heater and the heater options continues to play on my mind. After searching this forum and trying to understand it all, I still can't figure out what the difference is between the various different options!

 

[2haw]

I'm almost there too, feeling pretty solid about the Candy White instead of the silver. With black and silver polished 17" cascavels and a black awning, privacy glass it will look pretty snappy and less conservative than a regular metallic paint and silver alloys, but without being too boy racer. I really like the yellow but ruled it out for various reasons. I agree that the colour line up is way too limited, making pain options limited especially for those wanting a black interior.

As an aside, I enquired about Oryx White and is is available on the Beach (contrary to the catalogue/price list)..... but at £400 more than metallic paint, whereas its the same price as metallic on a Ocean. This strikes me as pretty cynical on the part of VW, so that got ruled out immediately. I'm not handing over £440 more to spray the same paint onto the same lump of metal, but with a different sticker on the rear panel!

I too wish there were more 'fun' solid colours. A striking blue is the most glaring omission, to my eyes.

The Oryx is £1044 on the Beach and the Ocean on the latest pricelist.

 

[kave]

I've ordered a Beach without any heater and the heater options continues to play on my mind. After searching this forum and trying to understand it all, I still can't figure out what the difference is between the various different options!

As I understand it there are two major version with and without remote.
The cheapest one is mainly intended to heat the engine and warms up the cabin using the cooling fluid.
It is not meant to be used over night etc, but has a max run time.
The Air Heater is basically two heaters, one heater for the engine and it's fluid and one for the cabin. This is intended to stay on over night etc.
Initially I was set for the cheap one, with remote, but I realis that I am going to need the most expensive one.

 

[Tommy Gun]

I've ordered a Beach without any heater and the heater options continues to play on my mind. After searching this forum and trying to understand it all, I still can't figure out what the difference is between the various different options!

Not definitive, but hope this is of some help...

Parking Heater (Air): Burns diesel from the vehicle fuel tank & sends warm air in to the vehicle. You can use this day or night & is limited only in way of how much fuel remains in your diesel tank down to a pre-determined level (so that you don't empty the tank & then can't drive off.) It's operated via the roof mounted control panel. I remember using this to keep warm overnight in the T5 SE we rented. It's standard on the SE / Ocean & it's the business.

Residual Heater: This is something I have in my VW Sharan... You might get this as part of the 3-zone AC Package. It scavenges the existing heat out of the engine by circulating the coolant - it does not heat the coolant. Heat is exchanged back in to the vehicle via the usual dashboard/footwell air vents. (This is useable only after driving & heating the engine up first...friendly warning - it's about as much use as a chocolate tea pot when the engine is cold.) In my Sharan, it's good for about 20 min's heat only. It is operated via the "REST" button on the dashboard heater controls. I use it when the missus nips in to the supermarket as i usually stay in the car with the kids. Allows me to keep the car warm without keeping the engine running - for 20 mins.

Like I said, not a definitive guide - just my experience of VW heaters so far. Cheers

Edit - Aux Coolant Heater which heats the engine coolant from cold, helping to warm the engine faster. I think our previous car must have had this as it got warm in the car very quickly despite it being pretty damn cold outside. I think it's covered in this thread: http://www.vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/aux-rear-heating-in-a-beach.9223/
See post No. 9 from Welsh Gas

Water Heater/Programmable Parking Heater
Sorry, not familiar with this one.

 

[Alan Greensall]

My dealer gave me a demo of CarPlay in a VW car with the same head unit - impressive. Maps worked just fine. I have gone for that in preference to VW navigation. I'd prefer Waze tbh but apparently Apple don't allow CarPlay on apps that compete against their own :-( .

Apple play is due an update in September with the advent of IOS13 Im sure Waze is supported and a few more apps will also appear