VW California Beach seating and bed options

[Per Jonsson]

Hello!
I currently drive a 2009 Multivan 4m and I´m looking into buying a 2010 or newer California Beach with the pop top roof. I´m aware of the differences regarding the 2 versus the 3 seater rear bench seat and that the 2 seater is more geared towards camping with the lower bed and rear multiflex board.

What I don´t seem to be able find an answer for concerns the 2 seater version:

1: Does the low multiflex board come out, or is it fixed permanently to the floor?
2: Does the storage unit at the side come out, or is it permanently attached to the vehicle?
3: Does the 2 seat bench slide anywhere on the rails, and can the seat be postitioned anywhere on the rails like the 3 seater bench does? I want to be able to keep the bench close to the drivers seat to be able to talk to the passengers (kids) in the back while driving.

I´m looking for a 140 hp manual gearbox. My friend has a 2010 that has had many problems with the engine, the most serious one being high oil consumption that needed to be fixed at a high price. Does anyone know if the engine in the t5.2 has had any important updates? Can´t seem to find any information regarding this.

Thanks in advance!

Per from Sweden

 

[WelshGas]

Hello!
I currently drive a 2009 Multivan 4m and I´m looking into buying a 2010 or newer California Beach with the pop top roof. I´m aware of the differences regarding the 2 versus the 3 seater rear bench seat and that the 2 seater is more geared towards camping with the lower bed and rear multiflex board.

What I don´t seem to be able find an answer for concerns the 2 seater version:

1: Does the low multiflex board come out, or is it fixed permanently to the floor?
2: Does the storage unit at the side come out, or is it permanently attached to the vehicle?
3: Does the 2 seat bench slide anywhere on the rails, and can the seat be postitioned anywhere on the rails like the 3 seater bench does? I want to be able to keep the bench close to the drivers seat to be able to talk to the passengers (kids) in the back while driving.

I´m looking for a 140 hp manual gearbox. My friend has a 2010 that has had many problems with the engine, the most serious one being high oil consumption that needed to be fixed at a high price. Does anyone know if the engine in the t5.2 has had any important updates? Can´t seem to find any information regarding this.

Thanks in advance!

Per from Sweden

Cannot answer your query as regards the bed etc: but engine wise 2010 to early 2011 there was a problem with some 180 BiTurbo engines which showed excessive oil consumption between 50 -70,000 miles. The problem was rectified in mid 2011. However some of these engines in Californias Beach/SE are still around and have yet to reach the trigger milage as these vehicles tend to cover a lower annual milage than their commercial cousins. The 140 was never affected.

 

[MattBW]

Hello!
1: Does the low multiflex board come out, or is it fixed permanently to the floor?
2: Does the storage unit at the side come out, or is it permanently attached to the vehicle?
3: Does the 2 seat bench slide anywhere on the rails, and can the seat be postitioned anywhere on the rails like the 3 seater bench does? I want to be able to keep the bench close to the drivers seat to be able to talk to the passengers (kids) in the back while driving.

Per from Sweden

I have a friend called Per from Bergen

1) yes the multiflex boards in both 2 and 3 seats are removable from the rail system the connectors simply can be undone to remove the board. The 2 seat I believe doesn't have a hinged board, like the 3 does (meaning the board can't be moved back to make more room).

2) Storage unit is also locked onto rails so although I havent seen it done I believe it is removable too.

The 2 seat bed is lower giving more headroom but less storage under the multiflex. It does however have much bigger drawers than the 3 seat. It does slide on the rails, locking onto 3 of them. The box onto the 4th.

This has a few posts of interest too.
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/2-or-3-sit-bench.12351/

 

[Per Jonsson]

Thanks for the information guys, really helpful. That link had some good pictures of the 2 seater, which was great. Im yet to visit Bergen although Norway is my favourite country to road trip in. Its also very close to where I live. I dont think I'll be able to buy a beach for this summer since they are non existent here in sweden. Has to be imported from germany since i need a LHD. The Multivan is good but cramped with wife and 2 kids. The 2.5 174 has a nice punch but its not exactly refined. Hoping the newer 2.0 is a bit smoother. Again, thanks for helping!

 

[Sp0_0k]

Yes, a storage box is removable. 2seater bench has a huge drawer like an Ocean/SE version.
And can easily be slept on. You hardly can sleep on a 3 seater without a matress.
You can sleep on 2 seater leaving boxes on the multiflex board, and a mattress from the storage box fits perfectly on a flexiboard if you remove that huge matress from flexiboard to place some boxes on it.
If you don't need 5 seats for driving a 2 seater bench is insanely versatile, taking way more baggage.

 

[estresao]

I'm suffering the Multi"flex" in my two seats bencb Cali Beach. You can remove it, but when set it's fix, I mean, you can no open it. It's really anoying when you need to access to the truck from inside. For example, carriying bikes or similar will prevent you to access your stuff in the truck without "play tetris".

 

[California Dreamin]

if you are weighing up 2 vs 3 seat versions then a couple of advantages we valued of the 3 seat versions were

The feeling of space inside the living area
The width of the bed (1.5m) - albeit a little higher
The fact that the area under the mutiflex can be accessed easily from inside the van though hinged sections.

 

[MattBW]

It think I may consider the 2 seat if I was buying again, I suspect slightly more useable for camping etc. Due to the storage.


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[Bramco]

The feeling of space inside the living area
The width of the bed (1.5m) - albeit a little higher

I think the feeling of space is better in the 2 seat, as you only have the 2 seats and as far as I understand it the seat is a bit lower.

Also, the bed is the same width in the 2 seat as you use the box as part of the bed. Very flat and comfortable with the VW mattress which goes the full width of the van.

I can confirm the box comes out as I whipped ours out the other day to fit the additional drawer in.

 

[estresao]

I love my 2 seat bench configuration, but I think that's something very personal because best configuration will depends on your needs and preferences.

In my case I was thinking in get the 3 seats one, but after see both, and because we are a couple only, finally we decided the 2 seat one. Main reasons for us (and in our oppinon):

- More confortable: the 2 seat bed is really flat
- "More campervan": the storage box and the ability to remove it allow us more configuration depending of the trip we are planning

The only thing I really hate is the fact the multiflex have no hinges and, once mounted, you cannot open it to acces to the trunk (botton?) stuff. Anythig else to us are perfect.

Bear in mind details like which fridge will you buy (if you plam to do), because in the 3 seats one, the bench and multiflex are higher, so there are people who can put the fridge under them.

 

[MattBW]

I pondered getting the storage box and seeing if it could be adapted for the 3 seat. £110 for one. Sadly the multi flex and 2 seat are too expensive to be tempted to own a set of each


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[Sp0_0k]

The only thing I really hate is the fact the multiflex have no hinges and, once mounted, you cannot open it to acces to the trunk (botton?) stuff. Anythig else to us are perfect.

Was really concerned about the board before ordering. But in practice it turned out pretty fine.
The board is lower, meaning lots of stuff is on top of it. So we just have boxes that slide from underneath the board. More than that I have a 2nd table placed under the board hanging in the net. And some other stuff can be put in that net as well.
Board depth also allows to keep some boxes on it while sleeping.

 

[Per Jonsson]

Hi all, and thanks for the useful input! Im leaning towards the 2 seater, since i already have the "gute nacht" kit for my Multivan and I think the bed is too high. Maybe I'll try and get an additional chair.
Another thing, the early (2010) ones seem to have a real spartan interior with bare metal on the inside of the doors and pillars. The ones I found that are 2011 and newer seem nicer on the inside. Cant figure out why. Now all I need to do is to find the funds! Theyre not cheap, but there really isnt an alternative.
Again, thanks!

 

[julianjdj]

Our California Beach is configured with a 3 bench seat and we also have 2 additional back passenger seats. Most of the time we only use the bench seat or the bench plus one of the passenger seats. My wife had a brain-wave - why not remove the bench seat and just have the two cabin seats in the back. I was a little reluctant: the single cabin seats aren't light and the bench seat is hard enough to just slide around on the runners. Anyway, I thought, why not give it a try - the result is fantastic. Much more room and a lot less weight in the back. We used an engine hoist to shift the bench seat - and it worked seamlessly. Our 'kitchen' units fitted in front of the multi-flex board, giving loads of space for luggage and passengers.



https://urbancraftuk.wordpress.com/2016/08/13/california-beach-new-layout-in-rear/

 

[jamesclarke]

Julianjtg great photos- I had wondered how it was possible to get the 3 seat bench out. How do you secure your kitchen units and what have you got between the front seats- looks interesting.

 

[MattBW]

I have two of those units too, very useful in the van.

I have some eyelets that fit into the rails to allow them to be fixed down.

 

[cleve]

This should show the different multiflex height as the 2 seater I think would be the same as the SE on the left and the 3 seater like the blue beach on the right. Remembered reading this thread as my dad and I were loading up side by side to go out today so I took the photo in case it's helpful!

 

[soulstyledevon]

View attachment 15882

This should show the different multiflex height as the 2 seater I think would be the same as the SE on the left and the 3 seater like the blue beach on the right. Remembered reading this thread as my dad and I were loading up side by side to go out today so I took the photo in case it's helpful!

Good pic.
See the benefit will the higher storage at the bottom of the 3 seater is being able to store more stuff down there. Where as the 2 seater gets less under and more on top. However it's on top of your bed which is a real pain.
We tend to store most of our camping equipment under the multiflex and in the cubby holes and draws. The only thing stored on top of the multiflex is bedding. The advantage being we don't have to find places to store the stuff on top of the multiflex come bedtime.

 

[cleve]

Yes I agree, we usually try and stick to just having bedding and a box of wash bags on the top of the multiflex. The Grey box you can see in the SE is a porta potti 335 so not very high at all!

 

[soulstyledevon]

Yes I agree, we usually try and stick to just having bedding and a box of wash bags on the top of the multiflex. The Grey box you can see in the SE is a porta potti 335 so not very high at all!

Often wondered about a Porta Potti. Do you get any chemical smells, or could chemicals leak into the van.

I'm fine, it's the wife that's more concerned about where she goes

 

[kave]

I like the width of the the lower three seater bed. Me and Ms Kave slept one night upstair which was noticable much narrower. When I moved arround I often woke her up. Downstairs in the three seater bed we have plenty of room to move arround.

 

[cleve]

Often wondered about a Porta Potti. Do you get any chemical smells, or could chemicals leak into the van.

I'm fine, it's the wife that's more concerned about where she goes

We did have an older version of the 335 porta potti where the clean flush water seemed to come out too quickly & leave a little pink puddle but had no problems since we got a new one! I've only had problems with smells when I used an unbranded waste tank chemical and it obviously wasn't effective enough. We've used a Thetford 335 whilst potty training 3 children and staying on Aires with no toilet facilities so it's had plenty of use! As its the small version it gets emptied pretty regularly which I'm sure helps. Always reassuring to know it's there just in case.

 

[2haw]

We've just bought a Thetford 335 for our Beach and I'm a little disappointed with the cap for the flush water. Very easy to undo and doesn't have a rubber seal, I'm concerned that any water sloshing around whilst driving may leak out.

Has anybody else had a problem / leak at all?

 

[snowy55]

We've just bought a Thetford 335 for our Beach and I'm a little disappointed with the cap for the flush water. Very easy to undo and doesn't have a rubber seal, I'm concerned that any water sloshing around whilst driving may leak out.

Has anybody else had a problem / leak at all?

It is a bit of a bad design but if you only 3/4 fill it you will be ok. In my opinion the flush tank is far too big a capacity anyway in relation to the soil tank capacity. A full flush tank lasts us all year.

 

[VW Cali]

I like the width of the the lower three seater bed. Me and Ms Kave slept one night upstair which was noticable much narrower. When I moved arround I often woke her up. Downstairs in the three seater bed we have plenty of room to move arround.

We did a little trial sleep at home.

Other half concurs with your description!