Ten things I hate about my Cali

[ArunAlec]

re #4 martin kinsey on facebook t5 forum sells a rubber strip for £15 that is perfect for filling the gaps

I have one and it does the job nicely.

 

[sidepod]

1. No cup holders to be seen (apart from the one under the bench seat that you can't use)
2. Getting stuff in and out of the wardrobe
3. The upstairs has no heating
4. The front seats aren't electric with memory for different drivers
5. The third seat option is a complete waste of time unless you're under 2' tall
6. The beds, particularly the downstairs require additional support for comfort
7. The EHU doesn't have a built in lead like the vacuum cleaner with an auto wind up function
8. Constantly telling people 2 adults, 2 kids and 2 dogs can be easily accommodated
9. Having to rely on the forum as the manuals and dealers "could be better"
10. Packing up to go home.

You've definitely bought the wrong van. You must be truly miserable when you're in it.

 

[Teejay]

re #4 martin kinsey on facebook t5 forum sells a rubber strip for £15 that is perfect for filling the gaps

I've gone for the inexpensive approach and have bought 2m of this:
http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/edel...ope-10-5mm-x-per-metre-f1432111?id_colour=117

I have a candy white so it hopefully will blend nicely, if not I will stitch a rip-stop sleeve around it.

...message ends...

 

[larrylamb]

You've definitely bought the wrong van. You must be truly miserable when you're in it.

Beat me to it, perhaps a motorhome next time?

 

[motacyclist]

The upstairs has no heating

No stairs either

 

[Trailertrash]

Ten things I absolutely love about my California:


1. Saved £400 a year storage costs on the old motorhome
2. Saved £1000 a year not keeping another vehicle on the road.
3. Factory built, no make do tatty edges ,quality.
4. Outside the door... No six mile ride to the storage facility to get it ready to just up and go.
5. My cheeky nephew now thinks I am really cool. He tells everyone I am driving a 4 berth Bentley
6. The total versatility of the thing.
7. The simplicity compared to a motorhomes complex and sensitive electrics and plumbing.
8. Not worrying about narrow lanes and low bridges.
9. Not taking it to a truck centre to get it serviced.
10. The total comfort difference of driving a car instead of a large noisy rattle box.

 

[theonecraw]

Ten things I absolutely love about my California:


1. Saved £400 a year storage costs on the old motorhome
2. Saved £1000 a year not keeping another vehicle on the road.
3. Factory built, no make do tatty edges ,quality.
4. Outside the door... No six mile ride to the storage facility to get it ready to just up and go.
5. My cheeky nephew now thinks I am really cool. He tells everyone I am driving a 4 berth Bentley
6. The total versatility of the thing.
7. The simplicity compared to a motorhomes complex and sensitive electrics and plumbing.
8. Not worrying about narrow lanes and low bridges.
9. Not taking it to a truck centre to get it serviced.
10. The total comfort difference of driving a car instead of a large noisy rattle box.

Need to share mine now...

1. Better MPG than all my previous gas guzzlers, and more comfortable to drive
2. It's always ready to go with the gear packed up inside
3. The kids and dogs love going away in the Cali
4. I'm able to drive down to Lake Garda in a day
5. No need to worry about parking (ours is lowered to 195cm including awning)
6. Great for moving large items around (i.e IKEA trip)
7. Makes a great base for when I go fishing
8. Can happily use it as a daily drive, regularly into central London
9. No more pitching of enormous tents and drying them out when you get home
10. My best mate has a Ferrari California and he prefers our VW California.

 

[Taff7996]

re #4 martin kinsey on facebook t5 forum sells a rubber strip for £15 that is perfect for filling the gaps

Can you put up a link for this
I can't find it on Facebook t5 forum

 

[motacyclist]

It's Kincey, not Kinsey. Try searching for that. (I know because his parents live next door but one )

 

[Skylark2.0]

Ok don't all rush out at once to test it but
the horn is really pathetic if you have to use it in an emergency.
It is way too genteel

 

[WelshGas]

5. No need to worry about parking (ours is lowered to 195cm including awning)

Mines NOT lowered and measures 1997 cm including the Awning. Regularily use 2 m car parks, 2 m Tolls and no problem on the 2 m / 10 km tunnel of the A86 around Paris.

 

[tanto]

1) Roof corrosion and VWs total lack of action in doing anything about it.
2) EGR valve made of cheese.
3) Control module knob made of cheese.
4) The palaver required to rotate the drivers seat.
5) The gap between the dash and windscreen that eats car park tickets.
6) The height of the bike rack, if it was lower it would be so much easier to stow bikes.
7) The radio that runs of the battery used to start the van making it possible to flatten it.
8) The stupid way the front mud flaps are attached by simply pushing a plastic nut into a hole which then falls out due to the weight of the mud flap.
9) The time required to drain the sink.
10) Lack of a 4th seat belt on the rear seat so you can only take 2 kids in the back when 3 would fit.

 

[Hotel California]

Reading all this makes me wonder why many of you actually bought a Cali....
Most "things to hate" that some are mentioning here are known facts if you do some research and visit a dealer .
It's a van converted to a campervan , what do some expect to get ?

 

[sidepod]

Reading all this makes me wonder why many of you actually bought a Cali....
Most "things to hate" that some are mentioning here are known facts if you do some research and visit a dealer .
It's a van converted to a campervan , what do some expect to get ?

Here here! Well said.

There is absolutely nothing I hate about mine, in fact I pinch myself every time I go in the barn just looking at it.

Bizarre thread.

 

[Zenaj]

Here here! Well said.

There is absolutely nothing I hate about mine, in fact I pinch myself every time I go in the barn just looking at it.

Bizarre thread.

I guess people just expect TOP quality for that sum of money.


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[sidepod]

For what you get it's not actually very much at all, in my op.

 

[Stoneybroke]

Here here! Well said.

There is absolutely nothing I hate about mine, in fact I pinch myself every time I go in the barn just looking at it.

Bizarre thread.

I love mine too, but there are some niggles rather than 'hates' that, with a little more thought, could have made it perfect...

 

[Zenaj]

For what you get it's not actually very much at all, in my op.

Hope I'll feel the same when I get mine


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[Lewis]

I certainly can't think of 10 things I hate about my Cali but I do think critical threads like this are important for helping potential owners see some common frustrations to be aware of before ordering.

I get the impression most Cali owners are easy-going people who see the importance of the bigger picture but some won't be able to cope with all of the niggles so it makes sense to highlight them.

 

[motacyclist]

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but my tongue is firmly in my cheek

 

[Days out]

It's a great vehicle and I don't think any one thinks differently. There are always going to be a few niggles and the perceived quality of VW makes people more critical.

Hate is too strong a word. Replace with 'niggles'

 

[Days out]

I think there are more issues with the ordering process than the actual vehicle. Once you have the Cali in your possession (other than the roof corrosion issue) most people seem to be smitten!

Perhaps we need a thread about the top ten things we love about the Cali?

 

[motacyclist]

Perhaps we need a thread about the top ten things we love about the Cali?

Why not? We must try to keep it down to 10 though

 

[Wandango75]

Can you put up a link for this
I can't find it on Facebook t5 forum

yes sorry it was kincey and not kinsey

 

[jimbo]

Why doesn't it have an electro-mechanical handbrake that I can put on and leave on whilst rotating the drivers seat instead of the old school lever that just gets in the way.

I agree and I think it might be a good idea if the tailgate was automatic, my Mrs struggles to reach the handle.