T7 Heating Options

[Aldoi]

Hi,

Hoping to get a bit of help with some of the heating options on the T7 Cali for those with more knowledge in the camper world than I.

Looking through the brochure/configurator on the T7 Beach (also applies to the Coast) and it notes standard equipment of “Fuel-fired parking heater and fuel-powered auxiliary heater” which I understand to be the diesel parking heater, and the engine coolant heater respectively.

There is then a £1,602 option for “Auxiliary heater. Auxiliary heater for windscreen de-icing and heating/ventilation of the cab with radio remote control” (PR Code 7VL), and separately a £3,120 option for “Camper parking heater for continuous operation and parking heater for windscreen de-icing with radio remote control. The camper heater can be operated via the camper unit, the California app or the infotainment system. The parking heater for windscreen de-icing is also used to heat and ventilate the vehicle interior.” (PR Code 7VH). The latter is standard on the Ocean.

I’m assuming 7VL is a subset of 7VH. But what exactly do you get with these options over the standard on the Beach/Coast? Is it purely the ability to be able to programme times for when the auxiliary and/or parking heater go on/off (as opposed to manually doing it) and the ability to be able to switch it on/off via remote control? Am I missing something? Seems quite pricey if that’s all it is but maybe just me undevaluing it (I am not a current Cali owner).

Many thanks in advance!

 

[owen_h]

Bit of a guess but my reading of that would be the same as you:
7VL = a radio remote control fob to turn on the engine coolant heater.
7VH = 7VL + App control of the parking heater.

~10 years ago retrofitting a radio remote for the coolant heater was close to £1000 so I can see where the £1602 is coming in from. Then to add an extra £1500 to control the parking heater from an app seems very pricy to me. Especially as with that the radio remote of the coolant heater isn't really needed.

But VW have history of the options not making much sense in the early days of a new California release.

 

[Aldoi]

But VW have history of the options not making much sense in the early days of a new California release.

I can definitely see that with the T7. It seems a mess! Doesn’t fill me with confidence at all when considering spending that amount of money on new kit

Thanks for sharing your insight!

 

[Algor]

I went to VW Liverpool today and they had both T7 Coasts and Oceans in stock, when I asked about the differences in heating they were either unable or unwilling to explain. I was told that both had a diesel heater however, maybe the Coast's had a specced option, she wasn't sure. I was also told that both cost £80ishK but I would need to check online for exact pricing. I was there for gods sake and they didn't know the price of their own stock!

 

[omaralrawi]

Hi
I hired a Cali T7 ocean and my understanding is, the auxiliary heater is to precondition the van and you can only use it for a maximum of 180min. After that you would need to move the van a certain speed (can’t recall what) to use again.
The air heater works perfectly when in camping mode with ignition off. I think that runs of secondary battery or if you are plugged in.

 

[Mehdime]

Is suspect they messed up on page 14 of the brochure where this list the fuel-powered parking heater as standard for the Beach (and therefore, by default, also standard on the Coast and Ocean).

The options price list that list the parking heater as standard on the Ocean but paid for on the Beach and Coast sounds more like it. It wouldn’t make sense to charge £3,000 just for the option of firing the heater via a remote control. That price is definitely for the full heater system (similar to what this option was in the T6.1. Difference was that, with the T6.1, the parking heater was standard on both the Coast and Ocean. It looks like it’s only standard on the Ocean now).