Upgrading to a California

[BertieBus]

I feel lucky to have found this club!
We have been campervanning for 3 years now in our converted T6 Transporter and have decided we need a California so we will be eagerly scanning the classifieds once we have sold Dillys.
Nick

 

[Steve&Bev]

I feel lucky to have found this club!
We have been campervanning for 3 years now in our converted T6 Transporter and have decided we need a California so we will be eagerly scanning the classifieds once we have sold Dillys.
Nick

Good decision, the Cali is in a class of its own IMO.

 

[acer]

I feel lucky to have found this club!
We have been campervanning for 3 years now in our converted T6 Transporter and have decided we need a California so we will be eagerly scanning the classifieds once we have sold Dillys.
Nick

Good decision - from a biased observer.
Interested in your top three reasons for the switch?

 

[BertieBus]

Air-conditioning, split charger, and better access to storage

 

[acer]

Thanks. I wasn’t expecting any of those, but then I’ve not had a conversion myself. I think that i must take a lot for granted.

 

[Mehdime]

Air-conditioning, split charger, and better access to storage

So you’re thinking about a Grand California then? Because the California doesn’t have A/C (or are you thinking about A/C while driving?).

What’s split charger?

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

So you’re thinking about a Grand California then? Because the California doesn’t have A/C (or are you thinking about A/C while driving?).

What’s split charger?

Split charger is the device that allows a camper to have a leisure battery and electrics separate to the starter battery and vehicle circuits, many conversions either don't have them or have simple ineffective ones

 

[BertieBus]

Thanks for the advice re air-conditioning...it hadn't occurred to us...but it's mostly for driving to help keep the dog (and us) comfortable when we plan to go further south into Europe

 

[Kali the Kampa]

I feel lucky to have found this club!
We have been campervanning for 3 years now in our converted T6 Transporter and have decided we need a California so we will be eagerly scanning the classifieds once we have sold Dillys.
Nick

This is our 7th van over the years. We have converted a T4, a T5 4motion, two T6’s (one being a Caravelle dsg the other a high top panel van), a T6.1 4motion and then a curve ball Peugeot Expert (moment of madness).
As we head toward retirement and plan to travel Europe more, we have gone in for the Ocean 4motion. There is no comparison. Even though the conversions were to our plan and we enjoyed our time in them, the difference of the quality of our factory built ‘Kali the Camper’ is just fabulous.
It is classed in the luxury vehicle category, and there is a reason, it isn’t a van! Which, at the end of the day, whatever our conversion, it was a converted van - wether we bothered to change the classification of not.

For us , the California is expensive, but now we get it. Smooth, quiet, powerful, lots of clever storage, power roof, powers doors, dsg, traditional feel with being open and light with plenty of workspace, clever touches such as table in the door and chairs in the tailgate, everything is effortless and sitting in the front or the back, you are in a quality vehicle.
Size wise, we travel roads where the wing mirrors touch either side of the hedges - and fields where the 4wd is always of use - perfect.
It’s great that we are all different though - whatever you choose and however you travel, enjoy the road, stay safe, respect others

















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[Deskman]

My top reason for choosing the California was safety. The interior, water tank, and gas supply are bolted to the van. The lightweight structure from sandwich panels makes it incomparable to the IKEA-style interiors of most DIY conversions. The way the roof is integrated into the van's structure also adds to the rigidity of the construction—it is so much more than a plastic lid over the giant hole in the roof.

 

[Finbarandrubyvan]

I feel lucky to have found this club!
We have been campervanning for 3 years now in our converted T6 Transporter and have decided we need a California so we will be eagerly scanning the classifieds once we have sold Dillys.
Nick

If you are looking at a new or nearly van then fine but from my experience Californias are packed full of luxury features ready to go wrong which they do. If you are looking at buying an older van I would avoid a California and go for a good conversion.

 

[pchmlk]

If you are looking at a new or nearly van then fine but from my experience Californias are packed full of luxury features ready to go wrong which they do. If you are looking at buying an older van I would avoid a California and go for a good conversion.

This forum suggests it’s the new ones that tend to go wrong!

 

[Norfolk Jim]

We had a 2007 T5 Leisuredrive for 9 years and loved it - I'd pined for years for a Cali seeing them on sites................don't get me wrong 'Colin' or T5 was wonderful entry into campervanning having come from trailer tent and then hike tents!!!! After a nice inheritance earlier this year we sold 'Colin' to first person to view it and within 3 days had bought a 2 year old T6.1 full of extras. Yes it cost a lot but we'd sold Colin for £1k more than we'd bought it for!!!! To be honest to difference between the 2 is nght and day...............Colin only had a 115hp engine and 5 manual gears and struggled at times the Cali has nigh on twice the power and auto box - nothing phases it and it's sooooo quiet and comfortable - you'l find this forum superb for advice and information - the knowledge base can make some VW dealers look lacking; you'll not regret buying one and seeing how well it holds it's value.

 

[Cali Phillip]

My top reason for choosing the California was safety. The interior, water tank, and gas supply are bolted to the van. The lightweight structure from sandwich panels makes it incomparable to the IKEA-style interiors of most DIY conversions. The way the roof is integrated into the van's structure also adds to the rigidity of the construction—it is so much more than a plastic lid over the giant hole in the roof.

Spare parts too given almost every thing is available down to door handles, few years down the line when the converter has moved on with their designs, can you still get spares or will they have to be made.

 

[Abracadabra]

There are some good posts above detailing 'why choose the California'.

All of the above are great features. Another for us is the functional design. We can prepare, eat and clean up a meal without moving from the seats. (Passenger seat swivelled). And, on a stormy night, make up the downstairs bed without going outside.

Peace of mind too. Key benefit is the build was entirely factory controlled. You pay for that privilege, but now so many of the top spec conversions are as expensive and some even more.

I wish we had purchased one sooner....

 

[BertieBus]

This is our 7th van over the years. We have converted a T4, a T5 4motion, two T6’s (one being a Caravelle dsg the other a high top panel van), a T6.1 4motion and then a curve ball Peugeot Expert (moment of madness).
As we head toward retirement and plan to travel Europe more, we have gone in for the Ocean 4motion. There is no comparison. Even though the conversions were to our plan and we enjoyed our time in them, the difference of the quality of our factory built ‘Kali the Camper’ is just fabulous.
It is classed in the luxury vehicle category, and there is a reason, it isn’t a van! Which, at the end of the day, whatever our conversion, it was a converted van - wether we bothered to change the classification of not.

For us , the California is expensive, but now we get it. Smooth, quiet, powerful, lots of clever storage, power roof, powers doors, dsg, traditional feel with being open and light with plenty of workspace, clever touches such as table in the door and chairs in the tailgate, everything is effortless and sitting in the front or the back, you are in a quality vehicle.
Size wise, we travel roads where the wing mirrors touch either side of the hedges - and fields where the 4wd is always of use - perfect.
It’s great that we are all different though - whatever you choose and however you travel, enjoy the road, stay safe, respect others

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Thanks for your thoughts...we have had a T5 Conversion since April 2022, it's been a fantastic introduction to campervan touring, but as you say...it's always going to be a converted van rather than a purpose built campervan with all of the thought and design that has gone into it.