T7 Cali Ocean

[Karlos]

It may have gone a little under the radar but I believe the leisure battery capacity in the new cali has been significantly reduced from the T6.1.

It’s now 2x 40Ah for an Ocean. Believe it was 2x 75Ah for a T6.1 (and 2x 105Ah for a T6)?

Appears everything is smaller on the new car (sorry Cali)

 

[Melyn]

another night camping - this time in aviemore with the wife. 2 dogs and 3 year old

Battery life when I woke up this morning 53hrs (80%) remaining

Couple of more sensible packing options in the van (you really do need to utilise all storage space to prevent disruption finding stuff in the boot)

Biggest issue is where to put shoes when you have 1-2 dogs on the floor, so need to just embrace the croc life and leave them outside or something.

Fridge is pretty quiet even without it being on quiet mode - you’d not really notice it’s running.

Air vents on the roof - I do need to look into midge netting for it in the next few months (might just use surgical tape and a cut piece of midge netting) as think it will reduce the airflow significantly and won’t always be needed

Head unit- slowly making sense - il make a post on this separately I think, as it’s the most un user friendly thing ever

Press the aircon button under the display unit or have fun finding the menu showing fan level etc (and demister buttons are on the right hand side under your light controls) again feels quite foreign where it is - but more it’s used more it’s making sense.

Now at 1000 miles since it arrived and the enjoyment is coming back after all the back and forth problems

View attachment IMG_1802.jpeg

Next issue - figuring out how to get the sliding fly screens that were meant to have come with the van

 

[Melyn]

8th weekend camping with the kid and dogs - definately feels more normal now - jetboil to speed up cooking and half prepare food at home (e.g pasta sauces etc)

Duvalay now do mattress toppers for downstairs so going to get one ordered this weekend as the wife’s really not a fan of the bed comfort.

Battery life and intenal heater work fine now. So glad the battery issues are fixed

In relation to the tow bar coding. Believe there is now an option available in Europe and will be available in the next couple weeks

Recommend coast and castles campsite if you’re ever near Alnwick

 

[calibusje]

I like your Cali and your report. There are certainly plenty of those who are at least suspicious of the new California on a multi-van basis. I understand their uphearings (less space, no indoor table on a rail, only one hob, narrower beds, and some more things). For me, that table and the narrower bed are the main reasons not to change now, our t6.1 coast is still the perfect travel companion for the four of us. But our coast also has the third rail and can be a five-seater and with the new coast/ocean it stops at 4 people. That is the most important reason for me not to change until our children are at school: the classmates are so happy to go along when I feed for extracurricular activities. I don't want to miss that
I'm curious how they're going to set up the California based on the ID-BuZz.
Anyway, enjoy your new acquisition! It’s just so that not everything can fit and serve for everyone. The new Cali is certainly not a bad campervan, only it has been modified in such a way that it not only appeals to a whole new group of people but is also very ‘strange’ to others and many of them are current Cali owners. Each to his own; I do understand some objections especially from families or if you will be travelling with it with more than two/three people. Up to this number I suspect that the new one can be a blissful travelling companion. That is just my personal view on it. I look at it with interest and also like it but: the new one is not for us.
If I may, a tip: if the new Cali can be ordered with a keyless entry/ start button, know that it is constantly in contact with your key and this decreases from the batteries. It is best to put your key in a small pouch that blocks the contact.

 

[WelshGas]

I like your Cali and your report. There are certainly plenty of those who are at least suspicious of the new California on a multi-van basis. I understand their uphearings (less space, no indoor table on a rail, only one hob, narrower beds, and some more things). For me, that table and the narrower bed are the main reasons not to change now, our t6.1 coast is still the perfect travel companion for the four of us. But our coast also has the third rail and can be a five-seater and with the new coast/ocean it stops at 4 people. That is the most important reason for me not to change until our children are at school: the classmates are so happy to go along when I feed for extracurricular activities. I don't want to miss that
I'm curious how they're going to set up the California based on the ID-BuZz.
Anyway, enjoy your new acquisition! It’s just so that not everything can fit and serve for everyone. The new Cali is certainly not a bad campervan, only it has been modified in such a way that it not only appeals to a whole new group of people but is also very ‘strange’ to others and many of them are current Cali owners. Each to his own; I do understand some objections especially from families or if you will be travelling with it with more than two/three people. Up to this number I suspect that the new one can be a blissful travelling companion. That is just my personal view on it. I look at it with interest and also like it but: the new one is not for us.
If I may, a tip: if the new Cali can be ordered with a keyless entry/ start button, know that it is constantly in contact with your key and this decreases from the batteries. It is best to put your key in a small pouch that blocks the contact.

At least on the Multivan the Keyless Entry Function can be switched Off via the Infotainment System.

 

[Melyn]

Yeah it’s definately not a one size fits all approach - some very strange changes from the previous - guess it’s going the same way as all car manufacturers are. All about cost saving and minimising production time and changes - the two tone paint is done in a strange way on the Cali too. Paint the whole vehicle one colour. Tape the top and spray again. And use chrome strips to hide the joints

The keyless entry is probably the biggest cause for weird things on the new Cali.

If you enter via the front doors and have the keys on you. They will flash forever… you need to put them down somewhere and hope you don’t move them.

Also if you lock via the keys the alarm will go off if your inside. So need to lock via the front door (or have the head unit light up and hit internal monitoring off)