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T6 Ocean v T6.1 Ocean

Collfryn

Collfryn

VIP Member
Messages
24
Location
Llanymynech
Vehicle
T6 Ocean 204
We had a T6 Ocean from new in 2016, and this June we took ownership of a new 6.1 Ocean. Although longer trips have not been possible we have driven around 1100 miles and managed a few overnight stops. Both vehicles had very similar levels of equipment. With a price difference of over £11k (an increase of about around 20% 0ver 4 years), how to the two models compare?

The exterior facelift is down to personal choice. We like it, especially in the new metallic Fortana red. Inside, the 6.1 is a darker shade grey with concrete effect cabinets. If it’s an attempt to make the upholstery more serviceable as a camper then it fails because the seats mark at the slightest touch just as easily as the moonstone of the 6.0. Not wanting to drive around on slippery plastic covers again for 3 years and finding the inside all sooo very grey we decided to go for some red and grey leather seat covers from Trim Technick in Birkenhead (great company). Nice. We also like the changes to the rear wardrobe and the replacement of the tambour door by sliding doors which make the cupboard more accessible. Upstairs we’ve tried the new sprung bed and think its an improvement also.
IMG_4234.jpg
IMG_4235.jpg

The cockpit area on the 6.1 is a huge disappointment. Gone are the compartments with closing lids on the top of the dash, above the glove box and the bottle holder below the gearshift. Just one small glove box remains, the rest replaced by a scrappy set of open shelves that leaves everything in the cockpit on display and sliding around when you drive around bends. All set off by some tacky metal effect trim pieces. The door cards are really awful one piece plastic and look like they came straight out of a builders van. Pull in the wrong place to close the door and the whole assembly bends! Come on VW what were you thinking about. Did you ever think of canvassing users views. Ironic really because we turned down the Grand California because the cab was so spartan and utilitarian. And while I’m having a rant, the new satnav has had me raving like John Cleese trying to work out how the so called touch sensitive –user intuitive- functions operate the bloody the thing. And to cap it all there’s no longer traffic updates shown on screen and on the map as you drive. I think you have to pay a subscription to We Connect for the privilege. I got so frustrated I decided to use my iphone via Apple Car but then I realized that all the USB sockets have been upgraded to USB-C so none of my charging leads would fit. Doh!.

I wanted to install my Thinkware 770 dashcam from the 6.0. Don’t even think about hardwiring into the new high level console above the dash. It now contains a very expensive looking colour touch screen and for added excitement an airbag. Lets just hope the little knob is not as weak as the one on the 6.0. Fortunately the cabin fuse box has been relocated to the lower right below the steering wheel and its very easy to run the cables down the A post and into the removable panel on the door side of the dash. Of course being VW there’s no legend available anywhere for the fuses so whatever you do remember to disconnect the battery and then wait for the dash to light up like a Christmas tree when you reconnect.

As to performance we notice that the 199 PS 6.1 has distinctly less oomph than the 204Ps 6.0 . We regularly returned around 34mpg in the 204, but with the new 199 we seem to be averaging between 30 and 32 mpg. Maybe its early days but I guess less power may reduce front tyres scrubbing when pulling away at junctions.

All in all we would say we’re neutral about whether the new model is an improvement. It’s certainly not a big leap forward. But then the thing about the Cali is that all the gripes and groans evaporate as soon as you get back on the road and enjoy the unbeatable versatility of this vehicle.
 
As you understand the differences between the models could you please advise:
I realise the rear shelf is different on a T 6.1 and you can raise the rear end. Is it permanently fixed to the brackets or can it still be removed? Is it possible to raise right up to vertical & Leave it in that position? Am thinking of what to do if fifth seat in use, we remove bed base and store vertically & slide bench back to increase leg room, is this still possible?
 
Ps love the leather.
 
Hi great review. I think the new dash in some areas is a step back but understand why VW want to standardize some production.
 
I have the art velour and it’s lovely really lovely.
The rear cupboards are definitely better in my opinion after owning 5 California’s ....
the upstairs bed is better the dash is lovely but I think some of the pockets need none slip mats integrated...I personally think the whole van is better from the eco mode to the cupboards and rear bed it’s just more usable and up to date the improvements are definitely good ones coming from experience .....it’s a beautiful place to be....
I have had all the calis a t5 t5.1 t6 t6.1 and the comfort dash was a nicer feel but the 6.1 takes on a more modern look, my door panels certainly don’t bend rattle or feel cheap on closing.if anything the cloth on the 6 I owned used to stain with the slightest rain drop.! This doesn’t
It’s just different not worse not better but the improvements are better
People have had issues with the control panel I believe but not everyone
I really do think this is my best cali to date .
It’s absolutely beautiful to drive beautiful to look at and beautiful to use .
 
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As you understand the differences between the models could you please advise:
First part of the video talks about removing the base but not how far back the seats actually go...
 
I have the art velour and it’s lovely really lovely.
The rear cupboards are definitely better in my opinion after owning 5 California’s ....
the upstairs bed is better the dash is lovely but I think some of the pockets need none slip mats integrated...I personally think the whole van is better from the eco mode to the cupboards and rear bed it’s just more up to date. my opinion is it’s improved.coming from experience it’s a beautiful place to be....
I have had all calis a t5 t5.1 t6 t6.1 and the comfort dash was a nicer feel but the 6.1 takes on a more modern look my door panels certainly don’t bend rattle or feel cheap on closing.if anything the cloth on the 6 I owned used to stain with the slightest rain drop.! This doesn’t
It’s just different not worse not better
Hi Jay20cali Do you think after owning a T6 the missing dash lids, covers or doors, whatever they should be called on the 6.1 detract from the Cali compared to the T6?
 
The little dash top pocket was nice on the 6 with the soft lining but all I put in there was junk?
So it’s no loss .
the little bottle cooler was good but you had to buy the correct size bottle to fit in there so again no loss .
I really like the 6.1 I definitely think this is the biggest amount of positive changes in all the Cali’s so far.
I’m not trying to convince anyone because we have a Westfalia crafter on order so it’s an honest opinion.
It’s good so good that it will hurt to sell it in the future months but the wife and the toilet apparently have the last word for bigger holidays.:(
 
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Good op and a nice honest appraisal of both models thank you.
I think the fact that the new 6.1 is @11k price increase over the outgoing 6 version is good for residuals on the t6. I do circa 20-25k miles a year but still think my Cali should be worth 40k hopefully at end of 3 years (199 4motion). Not that I want to sell it.

I remember ordering my t6 in Dec 2018 and I guess everyone has a soft spot for their version. The best thing about all the Calis is that you can drive them as main or second car which is how I justify the expense.
 
We had a T6 Ocean from new in 2016, and this June we took ownership of a new 6.1 Ocean. Although longer trips have not been possible we have driven around 1100 miles and managed a few overnight stops. Both vehicles had very similar levels of equipment. With a price difference of over £11k (an increase of about around 20% 0ver 4 years), how to the two models compare?

The exterior facelift is down to personal choice. We like it, especially in the new metallic Fortana red. Inside, the 6.1 is a darker shade grey with concrete effect cabinets. If it’s an attempt to make the upholstery more serviceable as a camper then it fails because the seats mark at the slightest touch just as easily as the moonstone of the 6.0. Not wanting to drive around on slippery plastic covers again for 3 years and finding the inside all sooo very grey we decided to go for some red and grey leather seat covers from Trim Technick in Birkenhead (great company). Nice. We also like the changes to the rear wardrobe and the replacement of the tambour door by sliding doors which make the cupboard more accessible. Upstairs we’ve tried the new sprung bed and think its an improvement also.
View attachment 63408
View attachment 63409

The cockpit area on the 6.1 is a huge disappointment. Gone are the compartments with closing lids on the top of the dash, above the glove box and the bottle holder below the gearshift. Just one small glove box remains, the rest replaced by a scrappy set of open shelves that leaves everything in the cockpit on display and sliding around when you drive around bends. All set off by some tacky metal effect trim pieces. The door cards are really awful one piece plastic and look like they came straight out of a builders van. Pull in the wrong place to close the door and the whole assembly bends! Come on VW what were you thinking about. Did you ever think of canvassing users views. Ironic really because we turned down the Grand California because the cab was so spartan and utilitarian. And while I’m having a rant, the new satnav has had me raving like John Cleese trying to work out how the so called touch sensitive –user intuitive- functions operate the bloody the thing. And to cap it all there’s no longer traffic updates shown on screen and on the map as you drive. I think you have to pay a subscription to We Connect for the privilege. I got so frustrated I decided to use my iphone via Apple Car but then I realized that all the USB sockets have been upgraded to USB-C so none of my charging leads would fit. Doh!.

I wanted to install my Thinkware 770 dashcam from the 6.0. Don’t even think about hardwiring into the new high level console above the dash. It now contains a very expensive looking colour touch screen and for added excitement an airbag. Lets just hope the little knob is not as weak as the one on the 6.0. Fortunately the cabin fuse box has been relocated to the lower right below the steering wheel and its very easy to run the cables down the A post and into the removable panel on the door side of the dash. Of course being VW there’s no legend available anywhere for the fuses so whatever you do remember to disconnect the battery and then wait for the dash to light up like a Christmas tree when you reconnect.

As to performance we notice that the 199 PS 6.1 has distinctly less oomph than the 204Ps 6.0 . We regularly returned around 34mpg in the 204, but with the new 199 we seem to be averaging between 30 and 32 mpg. Maybe its early days but I guess less power may reduce front tyres scrubbing when pulling away at junctions.

All in all we would say we’re neutral about whether the new model is an improvement. It’s certainly not a big leap forward. But then the thing about the Cali is that all the gripes and groans evaporate as soon as you get back on the road and enjoy the unbeatable versatility of this vehicle.
Forgot two other things. The roof bellows are now in a much darker black out type material which should avoid any of those embarrassing moments when you leave the lighting on upstairs. Tick. Also I had no idea that the DSG now has a manual function (comes up with the prefix M on the dash) so when we roared out of the dealership with the engine in high revs and no gear change we wondered what on earth had happened. With the covid regs when you turn up at the dealership to collect your vehicle they basically just hand over the keys - there's no walk around before handover. To add to the confusion I could find nothing in the new manuals to describe the M function.
 
I have the art velour and it’s lovely really lovely.
The rear cupboards are definitely better in my opinion after owning 5 California’s ....
the upstairs bed is better the dash is lovely but I think some of the pockets need none slip mats integrated...I personally think the whole van is better from the eco mode to the cupboards and rear bed it’s just more usable and up to date the improvements are definitely good ones coming from experience .....it’s a beautiful place to be....
I have had all the calis a t5 t5.1 t6 t6.1 and the comfort dash was a nicer feel but the 6.1 takes on a more modern look, my door panels certainly don’t bend rattle or feel cheap on closing.if anything the cloth on the 6 I owned used to stain with the slightest rain drop.! This doesn’t
It’s just different not worse not better but the improvements are better
People have had issues with the control panel I believe but not everyone
I really do think this is my best cali to date .
It’s absolutely beautiful to drive beautiful to look at and beautiful to use .

really liking mine too
 
Hi everyone... I can agree to most of the above mentioned, but all in all the sum of all the small upgrades makes the T6.1 feel much better/ more modern... With ONE BIG CAVEAT... there is a HUGE NEGATIVE DIFFERENCE in the auxilary heating capacaty in the T6.1 compared to the T6,0. I´ve previous owned a 2018 T6.0 Ocean and just upgraded to the T6.1. The T6.1 heater need to be cranked up to a minimum of 8 or 9 to have any effect whatsoever. The heat output from the 9 setting in the 6.1 delivers less heat than the 5-setting in the 6.0. Very disappointing in an otherwise PERFECT ADVENTURE MOBILE. Unfortunately VW offers NO solution to the issue, so I am seriously considering to install an extra (seperate) Sebasto-heater to be able to (hopefully) get back to the comfy-level I was used to in my T6.0 Anyones experiences or comments highly appreciated, thanx...
 
I didn’t think the heater actually changed the output temperature, I thought the setting was more of a thermostat & when it reached that temperature it cut out?
 
Hi everyone... I can agree to most of the above mentioned, but all in all the sum of all the small upgrades makes the T6.1 feel much better/ more modern... With ONE BIG CAVEAT... there is a HUGE NEGATIVE DIFFERENCE in the auxilary heating capacaty in the T6.1 compared to the T6,0. I´ve previous owned a 2018 T6.0 Ocean and just upgraded to the T6.1. The T6.1 heater need to be cranked up to a minimum of 8 or 9 to have any effect whatsoever. The heat output from the 9 setting in the 6.1 delivers less heat than the 5-setting in the 6.0. Very disappointing in an otherwise PERFECT ADVENTURE MOBILE. Unfortunately VW offers NO solution to the issue, so I am seriously considering to install an extra (seperate) Sebasto-heater to be able to (hopefully) get back to the comfy-level I was used to in my T6.0 Anyones experiences or comments highly appreciated, thanx...
Definitely haven’t noticed this our first trip in it was early March it was chilly and I tried out the heating didn’t notice a difference from my previous cali apart from the instant heat mode
 
Thank you for the review. Currently see-sawing between used T6 or new T6.1 Coast and this is really helpful. :thumbup
 
We had a T6 Ocean from new in 2016, and this June we took ownership of a new 6.1 Ocean. Although longer trips have not been possible we have driven around 1100 miles and managed a few overnight stops. Both vehicles had very similar levels of equipment. With a price difference of over £11k (an increase of about around 20% 0ver 4 years), how to the two models compare?

The exterior facelift is down to personal choice. We like it, especially in the new metallic Fortana red. Inside, the 6.1 is a darker shade grey with concrete effect cabinets. If it’s an attempt to make the upholstery more serviceable as a camper then it fails because the seats mark at the slightest touch just as easily as the moonstone of the 6.0. Not wanting to drive around on slippery plastic covers again for 3 years and finding the inside all sooo very grey we decided to go for some red and grey leather seat covers from Trim Technick in Birkenhead (great company). Nice. We also like the changes to the rear wardrobe and the replacement of the tambour door by sliding doors which make the cupboard more accessible. Upstairs we’ve tried the new sprung bed and think its an improvement also.
View attachment 63408
View attachment 63409

The cockpit area on the 6.1 is a huge disappointment. Gone are the compartments with closing lids on the top of the dash, above the glove box and the bottle holder below the gearshift. Just one small glove box remains, the rest replaced by a scrappy set of open shelves that leaves everything in the cockpit on display and sliding around when you drive around bends. All set off by some tacky metal effect trim pieces. The door cards are really awful one piece plastic and look like they came straight out of a builders van. Pull in the wrong place to close the door and the whole assembly bends! Come on VW what were you thinking about. Did you ever think of canvassing users views. Ironic really because we turned down the Grand California because the cab was so spartan and utilitarian. And while I’m having a rant, the new satnav has had me raving like John Cleese trying to work out how the so called touch sensitive –user intuitive- functions operate the bloody the thing. And to cap it all there’s no longer traffic updates shown on screen and on the map as you drive. I think you have to pay a subscription to We Connect for the privilege. I got so frustrated I decided to use my iphone via Apple Car but then I realized that all the USB sockets have been upgraded to USB-C so none of my charging leads would fit. Doh!.

I wanted to install my Thinkware 770 dashcam from the 6.0. Don’t even think about hardwiring into the new high level console above the dash. It now contains a very expensive looking colour touch screen and for added excitement an airbag. Lets just hope the little knob is not as weak as the one on the 6.0. Fortunately the cabin fuse box has been relocated to the lower right below the steering wheel and its very easy to run the cables down the A post and into the removable panel on the door side of the dash. Of course being VW there’s no legend available anywhere for the fuses so whatever you do remember to disconnect the battery and then wait for the dash to light up like a Christmas tree when you reconnect.

As to performance we notice that the 199 PS 6.1 has distinctly less oomph than the 204Ps 6.0 . We regularly returned around 34mpg in the 204, but with the new 199 we seem to be averaging between 30 and 32 mpg. Maybe its early days but I guess less power may reduce front tyres scrubbing when pulling away at junctions.

All in all we would say we’re neutral about whether the new model is an improvement. It’s certainly not a big leap forward. But then the thing about the Cali is that all the gripes and groans evaporate as soon as you get back on the road and enjoy the unbeatable versatility of this vehicle.

thanks very much for taking the time to write out the comparison. All makes sense and great to have the view.
 
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