CamperFam
VIP Member
Hi everyone!
Well, it's about time we started this thread now that we’re officially Cali owners!
For anyone keen on looking at our initial purchase story, you can find our introduction thread here! https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/the-start-of-the-journey.35271/
With the purchase out of the way, we’ve got our Cali story ahead of us!
I'm Tom (32 yo), my better half is Beth (27yo) and our daughter Lorelai (20mo). We also have another little boy/girl on the way (more news on that front on the 6th July!). Our aim is to keep this thread updated with some of our adventures, stories and (no doubt!) challenges as we raise a young family with a Cali in a post-COVID world.
For anyone looking into Californias and are in a similar boat, hopefully our experiences will give you some context and value.
Day 1 - Our Reasoning
So how did we get here? Well, we used to own a T5.1 conversion with all the bells and whistles, however once the parent-genes kicked in, I suddenly looked at it in a different light. The roof (albeit Reimo) was aftermarket, and therefore the crash-test regidity was in question. The rear bench was electric and whilst it performed adequately as a bench, the nagging thought of it 'slipping' from beneath my daughter's carseat (non-isofix) scared me witless. Finally, the van itself was an echo chamber, with absolutely no chance to hear (let alone physically support) any child in the backseat. With the roof taken out (in a pre-purchased conversion), my 'Daddy-spidey-sense' was on overdrive in regards to safety. Sadly, the justification for keeping it overrode the sense of responsibility. I took a financial hit, but thankfully we were in a good position to recover!
So what did we do? We did what most families do - we went for a hatchback/semi-family car. My parnter (Beth) and I have since been operating a Vauxhall Mokka and BMW M140i. Since my 'Dad-role' has evolved, i've learned more and more how little a responsible petrol-head father can remain a petrol-head. When you start realising that the 'fastest' you drive is on your commute (which doesnt exist in a COVID-19 world), you notice how selfish such a vehicle is and how little value a performance vehicle has.
So where was the issue? Simply put - practicality. My previous world was that of Lotus - lightweight, bare essentials, and a focus on simplification. Whilst the community was second to none, the practicality was last to none. A fantastic ethos, and one that has a purpose in the California landscape regarding packing and logistics - but not when it comes to the vehicle itself! When my other half and I first started dating, the Lotus was the backdrop to a great many memories. However there's only so much you can do when you're tied to a stonking engine and a tiny cabin area, and a time for change was afoot!
Over the course of the past few years, our lives have both changed drastically - dating. home ownership, engagement, and the most drastic being that of becoming parents.
For anyone reading this with aspirations/expectations of becoming parents - I'll tell you this - nothing prepares you. Every child is different, every situation is different, and every relationship is diferent. Having been your typical petrol head with a two seater exotic sports car and absolutely no expectation to sell, I sold a few years later and 'downgraded' to a 1 series. My petrol-head identity and hobby was lost, my appreciation for vehicles went into hibernation and I became a workaholic.
Enter child - and i've never felt so purposeful.
Suddenly a sense of responsibility, focus and direction hit me. My M140i was on the chopping block from day one, with numerous attempts to relinquish it. An M540i was on the cards for a while, but the extra cost didnt justify the increase in space/practicality. Sadly, it was just too good a value vehicle to let go of, and we couldnt afford the Cali we wanted. The truth is, nothing was enough to justify the cost of change.
Having had the T5 conversion previously, we both knew how versatile a Transporter body could be. We were determined to get back there, but as my other half conveyed to me, we were fixated on a California. Why overlook a factory made Ocean with all the bells and whistles with warranty, discounts and finance over and above a niche conversion company that do 30+ a year?
A year past, and being a project manager by trade, we've always kept our own finance tracker. What comes in, what goes out, and what we have aside. With our wedding being cancelled in May (due to our friend Mr COVID), after a long (long) while of deciding, we made the call - we were going to put our wedding budget and other savings towards a Cali so that our child (and second child on the way) could have an enriched lifestyle. Yes, we would be the ones suffering for it financially, but at the end of the day, we're firm believers that it's the role of a parent to take sacrifices and provide experiences and opportunities to their children.
We're 32 and 27 years old - so by no means the average demographic of the California community - let alone 6 month old Oceans! It's not been an easy decision, and nor will it be an easy commitment - but at the end of the day, when you weigh up the cost of a new car with for a family of four, multiple holidays to the mainland and overseas, and you'll soon rack up an equally as impressive annual bill. Throw in the commitments of parenthood, and it was a very quick decision. We just needed to be patient. A year later of lurking on the sidelines, and we've finally arrived!
Being only a week into ownership, I can say one thing - every trip ends up being an adventure - even with placebo removed. We did a trip to McDonalds earlier, with no expectation other than heartburn. We pulled up following our order, rotated the seats, and enjoyed a calorie-loaded meal. The best bit, was being in complete comfort. By contrast, we looked to our left to see the family that we were the week before - contorting from the front to back of the vehicle to tidy up after their little girl, whilst trying to entertain. Meanwhile, we all sat as a family, sitting infront of each other, before the little lady got out and started wandering around the cabin.
Granted, I now need to degrease my aircon switches, however i've never eaten a McDonalds in such luxury.
So what's planned for the future? We're debating going for a VLOG approach, however with two camera-shy girls, for now we'll update this thread with our adventures and learnings.
Ultimately in the world of COVID-19, i'm sure we'll have a many new-face join the community, and hopefully this thread and our subequent posts can act as lights in the dark when it comes to our own learnings, and ultimately give others the very best start!
All our very best wishes,
Tom, Beth, Lorelai and Bump.
Well, it's about time we started this thread now that we’re officially Cali owners!
For anyone keen on looking at our initial purchase story, you can find our introduction thread here! https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/the-start-of-the-journey.35271/
With the purchase out of the way, we’ve got our Cali story ahead of us!
I'm Tom (32 yo), my better half is Beth (27yo) and our daughter Lorelai (20mo). We also have another little boy/girl on the way (more news on that front on the 6th July!). Our aim is to keep this thread updated with some of our adventures, stories and (no doubt!) challenges as we raise a young family with a Cali in a post-COVID world.
For anyone looking into Californias and are in a similar boat, hopefully our experiences will give you some context and value.
Day 1 - Our Reasoning
So how did we get here? Well, we used to own a T5.1 conversion with all the bells and whistles, however once the parent-genes kicked in, I suddenly looked at it in a different light. The roof (albeit Reimo) was aftermarket, and therefore the crash-test regidity was in question. The rear bench was electric and whilst it performed adequately as a bench, the nagging thought of it 'slipping' from beneath my daughter's carseat (non-isofix) scared me witless. Finally, the van itself was an echo chamber, with absolutely no chance to hear (let alone physically support) any child in the backseat. With the roof taken out (in a pre-purchased conversion), my 'Daddy-spidey-sense' was on overdrive in regards to safety. Sadly, the justification for keeping it overrode the sense of responsibility. I took a financial hit, but thankfully we were in a good position to recover!
So what did we do? We did what most families do - we went for a hatchback/semi-family car. My parnter (Beth) and I have since been operating a Vauxhall Mokka and BMW M140i. Since my 'Dad-role' has evolved, i've learned more and more how little a responsible petrol-head father can remain a petrol-head. When you start realising that the 'fastest' you drive is on your commute (which doesnt exist in a COVID-19 world), you notice how selfish such a vehicle is and how little value a performance vehicle has.
So where was the issue? Simply put - practicality. My previous world was that of Lotus - lightweight, bare essentials, and a focus on simplification. Whilst the community was second to none, the practicality was last to none. A fantastic ethos, and one that has a purpose in the California landscape regarding packing and logistics - but not when it comes to the vehicle itself! When my other half and I first started dating, the Lotus was the backdrop to a great many memories. However there's only so much you can do when you're tied to a stonking engine and a tiny cabin area, and a time for change was afoot!
Over the course of the past few years, our lives have both changed drastically - dating. home ownership, engagement, and the most drastic being that of becoming parents.
For anyone reading this with aspirations/expectations of becoming parents - I'll tell you this - nothing prepares you. Every child is different, every situation is different, and every relationship is diferent. Having been your typical petrol head with a two seater exotic sports car and absolutely no expectation to sell, I sold a few years later and 'downgraded' to a 1 series. My petrol-head identity and hobby was lost, my appreciation for vehicles went into hibernation and I became a workaholic.
Enter child - and i've never felt so purposeful.
Suddenly a sense of responsibility, focus and direction hit me. My M140i was on the chopping block from day one, with numerous attempts to relinquish it. An M540i was on the cards for a while, but the extra cost didnt justify the increase in space/practicality. Sadly, it was just too good a value vehicle to let go of, and we couldnt afford the Cali we wanted. The truth is, nothing was enough to justify the cost of change.
Having had the T5 conversion previously, we both knew how versatile a Transporter body could be. We were determined to get back there, but as my other half conveyed to me, we were fixated on a California. Why overlook a factory made Ocean with all the bells and whistles with warranty, discounts and finance over and above a niche conversion company that do 30+ a year?
A year past, and being a project manager by trade, we've always kept our own finance tracker. What comes in, what goes out, and what we have aside. With our wedding being cancelled in May (due to our friend Mr COVID), after a long (long) while of deciding, we made the call - we were going to put our wedding budget and other savings towards a Cali so that our child (and second child on the way) could have an enriched lifestyle. Yes, we would be the ones suffering for it financially, but at the end of the day, we're firm believers that it's the role of a parent to take sacrifices and provide experiences and opportunities to their children.
We're 32 and 27 years old - so by no means the average demographic of the California community - let alone 6 month old Oceans! It's not been an easy decision, and nor will it be an easy commitment - but at the end of the day, when you weigh up the cost of a new car with for a family of four, multiple holidays to the mainland and overseas, and you'll soon rack up an equally as impressive annual bill. Throw in the commitments of parenthood, and it was a very quick decision. We just needed to be patient. A year later of lurking on the sidelines, and we've finally arrived!
Being only a week into ownership, I can say one thing - every trip ends up being an adventure - even with placebo removed. We did a trip to McDonalds earlier, with no expectation other than heartburn. We pulled up following our order, rotated the seats, and enjoyed a calorie-loaded meal. The best bit, was being in complete comfort. By contrast, we looked to our left to see the family that we were the week before - contorting from the front to back of the vehicle to tidy up after their little girl, whilst trying to entertain. Meanwhile, we all sat as a family, sitting infront of each other, before the little lady got out and started wandering around the cabin.
Granted, I now need to degrease my aircon switches, however i've never eaten a McDonalds in such luxury.
So what's planned for the future? We're debating going for a VLOG approach, however with two camera-shy girls, for now we'll update this thread with our adventures and learnings.
Ultimately in the world of COVID-19, i'm sure we'll have a many new-face join the community, and hopefully this thread and our subequent posts can act as lights in the dark when it comes to our own learnings, and ultimately give others the very best start!
All our very best wishes,
Tom, Beth, Lorelai and Bump.
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