UPDATE - WE WENT, WE SAW, WE DISMISSED

[Rob friedrich]

we loved our VW , had her for almost 8 years, test drove a Mercedes Marco Polo , and she won us over on space , comfort and interior finish . There are now a growing number of us , see Marco Polo owners club website

 

[Digger]

VW California Owners Club forum. If you don't like the California please remember we do on our forum. I like other brands but we chose this one.

 

[calibeach76]

we loved our VW , had her for almost 8 years, test drove a Mercedes Marco Polo , and she won us over on space , comfort and interior finish . There are now a growing number of us , see Marco Polo owners club website

Disagree. I looked at MP AND superficially like a lot of modern Mercedes I thoughts this is luxurious but I had my doubts about longevity of many components. Most tests agree. To me it was too tarts boudoir. Each to their own but I did and would always take the Cali.

Also be mindful of where you are and be prepared to be flamed.

 

[Tobytreg]

Best of both worlds, Still a VW, still drives like a T6, 205bhp, Heres my Karmann Colorado Love it, 2 separate living areas, two large doubles, bathroom with power shower, heated bed, the list goes on....

 

[Calimili]

we loved our VW , had her for almost 8 years, test drove a Mercedes Marco Polo , and she won us over on space , comfort and interior finish . There are now a growing number of us , see Marco Polo owners club website

On space? The top bed on the MP is smaller. Where do you mean it's bigger?
I've never tested a MP, but I think it may drive better. The cockpit has more of "premium" finish. But that's it. As a Campervan the VW is a lot better, with smarter solutions.

 

[Calimili]

Best of both worlds, Still a VW, still drives like a T6, 205bhp, Heres my Karmann Colorado Love it, 2 separate living areas, two large doubles, bathroom with power shower, heated bed, the list goes on....View attachment 55622

Very nice Camper. But you are still too tall and too long. It is not a question of a VW driving better more power than Fiat, since the have also 6 cylinders etc.
A 2.5+ metre high 6 meters long will not be driving better than same van brand 2 metres high and 5 meter long. It won't park in the same spots. It can't be used as a second car.
Your motorhome looks awesome, but it's a different concept.

 

[GrannyJen]

we loved our VW , had her for almost 8 years, test drove a Mercedes Marco Polo , and she won us over on space , comfort and interior finish . There are now a growing number of us , see Marco Polo owners club website

I do see it, most days. The MP is a lovely vehicle but amazingly most dealers do not know the difference between a coolant water heater and an eberspacher auxiliary heater, most complain about the space taken up by the table and chairs, the lack of a 4WD option left many, including me, totally having to rule out an MP as an alternative to a Cali, one hell of a lot of complaints about the rear seat recline into a bed and lack of reliability in being totally flat (and where the reset button is depends on vehicle year) so to portray it as a cali-beater is a little ingenuous.

It is an alternative, a very nice alternative, but has it's limitations and also it's restrictions.

 

[Tobytreg]

Very nice Camper. But you are still too tall and too long. It is not a question of a VW driving better more power than Fiat, since the have also 6 cylinders etc.
A 2.5+ metre high 6 meters long will not be driving better than same van brand 2 metres high and 5 meter long. It won't park in the same spots. It can't be used as a second car.
Your motorhome looks awesome, but it's a different concept.

You would be surprised just how well this handles, seriously! It sits on a lowered Alko Alloy rear chassis, lowered front VW Front, I literally Chased a Focus ST up the Alston road to Hartside

 

[calibeach76]

Very nice Camper. But you are still too tall and too long. It is not a question of a VW driving better more power than Fiat, since the have also 6 cylinders etc.
A 2.5+ metre high 6 meters long will not be driving better than same van brand 2 metres high and 5 meter long. It won't park in the same spots. It can't be used as a second car.
Your motorhome looks awesome, but it's a different concept.

+1

 

[calibeach76]

I do see it, most days. The MP is a lovely vehicle but amazingly most dealers do not know the difference between a coolant water heater and an eberspacher auxiliary heater, most complain about the space taken up by the table and chairs, the lack of a 4WD option left many, including me, totally having to rule out an MP as an alternative to a Cali, one hell of a lot of complaints about the rear seat recline into a bed and lack of reliability in being totally flat (and where the reset button is depends on vehicle year) so to portray it as a cali-beater is a little ingenuous.

It is an alternative, a very nice alternative, but has it's limitations and also it's restrictions.

I can't add anything to this. Pretty much as I would summarise...

 

[Bellcrew]

You can get it based on a Ducato, too. In fact, you can get a huge range of variations on the basic theme of the Murvi lounge. I've borrowed (and really liked) my friend's ancient Murvi Morello before I ever had a van of my own.

What I haven't ever tried is driving an up-to-date larger van base, like the Ford or the Fiat, so I don't have a feeling for how that would compare to my LWB T5.

I have tested a couple of Murvi Pimentos on the Ford base, an auto and manual, whilst the Ford is not a patch on the Cali as a drivers vehicle the conversion does have a lot of plus points. If they used the Crafter MWB base it would be a killer conversion.

 

[calibeach76]

I have tested a couple of Murvi Pimentos on the Ford base, an auto and manual, whilst the Ford is not a patch on the Cali as a drivers vehicle the conversion does have a lot of plus points. If they used the Crafter MWB base it would be a killer conversion.

The ford is, a pile of poop, de-fleeted 15 of ours.

're the Crafter MWB 100%, Spot on. Just don't get why more converters won't don't use. Guess it's down to margins but tbh the Crafter is a better vehicle than the T6/6.1 and even in VW Dealers words it's the best commercial they've ever made...

 

[Digger]

Agree the Crafter is great. Makes you wonder why VW didn't look to users to design rather than the lump they produced in the GC. Most on this forum could have done much better.

 

[calibeach76]

Agree the Crafter is great. Makes you wonder why VW didn't look to users to design rather than the lump they produced in the GC. Most on this forum could have done much better.

 

[Duxdeluxe]

Moved from a T4 Colorado to a Cali because of size, the Cali is so much easier in towns/ cities handles better and is quicker, yes there are downsides but they are the compromises I’m prepared to take.
To each his own.....

 

[Anthony1]

This is the only one I've found that offers a lot "livable" space inside.
https://www.marquisleisure.co.uk/motorhomes/stock-item/mobilvetta-tekno-line-k-yacht-80
Otherwise you feel cramped inside on the big whites too. On my Cali I removed the parcel shelf, moved the rear bench all the way to the rear enough to access even the cup holder next to the sliding door. It feels a lot more spacious this way than any average big white.

I assume you sleep upstairs?

 

[Jaydub]

We went. We saw. We bought. So we did the opposite. We have had 2 California’s. A beach and currently have an Ocean. We have loved both and had some great trips in them.They are amazing to drive and very well equipped, well built but we don’t use it as a daily driver so it purely a camper, in good weather when the roof is up we find the space fine but on a very wet and very wind weekend using just downstairs is cramped and constantly moving things around. So we ordered a Hymer Free 540,factory order and a well specced one.At only 0.5m longer is comfortably fits on our drive and will still be one of the smaller vehicles on most campsites,with a transverse bed and enough standing room we can arrive late in what ever weather and be totally self contained. We know it won’t drive as well,be as quick or as economical, so I might be the odd one out but I actually like a van to drive like a van.It doesn’t need to be car like, we have 2 cars for that. When I think back about our trips the most memorable things are the camping,cooking,weather and not the drive their and back(in most cases) So giving up a bit of driving experience to gain a bit of camping comfort is a trade off we were prepared to make. Not ready for a big white,still very much in a camper van and in between a Cali and Grand Cali size wise. So next month our Ocean goes up for sale in preparation for the Hymer Arriving.Happy camping and hope to see plenty of your wonderful callis on site this spring.

 

[capt kirk]

Could I be really nosey and ask what Hymer PVC's you looked at?

We're just about to order a new van and have narrowed it down to either a 6.1 Cali Ocean or a Hymer Grand Canyon S or Duo Car S.

We love the Cali, but would like a bit more room and the option to use it for the odd commute. We wonderef if a 6m Sprinter might be the happy medium.

sprinter is a lot cheaper to tax...classed as a light commercial goods vehicle

 

[Calimili]

I assume you sleep upstairs?

Always

 

[andyinluton]

sprinter is a lot cheaper to tax...classed as a light commercial goods vehicle

If it’s over £30k list price you still pay the same as a Cali

 

[capt kirk]

If it’s over £30k list price you still pay the same as a Cali

My colleague has a canyon s and pays £230.00 a year from new and has had it just over a year. I have a copy of his renewal because i didn't believe him either.

 

[WelshGas]

we loved our VW , had her for almost 8 years, test drove a Mercedes Marco Polo , and she won us over on space , comfort and interior finish . There are now a growing number of us , see Marco Polo owners club website

I read it frequently and I note all the problems that are rearing their heads. Westfalia seem to have lost the plot and Mercedes Dealerships seem to be just as problematic as VW.

 

[capt kirk]

My colleague has a canyon s and pays £230.00 a year from new and has had it just over a year. I have a copy of his renewal because i didn't believe him either.

My colleague has a canyon s and pays £230.00 a year from new and has had it just over a year. I have a copy of his renewal because i didn't believe him either.

i stand corrected not even £200 quid.

 

[WelshGas]

My colleague has a canyon s and pays £230.00 a year from new and has had it just over a year. I have a copy of his renewal because i didn't believe him either.

That's because it is a Commercial base vehicle N1.

 

[Bellcrew]

My colleague has a canyon s and pays £230.00 a year from new and has had it just over a year. I have a copy of his renewal because i didn't believe him either.

If he had registered his conversion on the 1/9/19 he would be paying the new current rate including the tax supplement for a £40000 + vehicle. Whilst some dealers did preregister and others are absorbing the impost the days of cheap motorhome road tax is gone.