We have just let Margot go!

[Borris]

After nearly two years of wonderful trouble free motoring we have just sold our gorgeous SE 180 dsg 4motion.



We first saw her in June 2015 as SMG Tonbridge's newly registered demonstrator and were the first to sit in her. She was/still is fully loaded with all sorts of extras and accssesories and has behaved faultlessly through out the 11700 miles that we had driven her. You hear about all the various problems that occur on Californias but we have seen none. She was/is a truly wonderful vehicle. So why did we decide to sell her?
Well two reasons really:
1. It really started to annoy me intensely to see her just sitting idle on the drive whilst we had insufficient time to make proper use of her.
2. We also own a T6 150 manual Beach which we have found to be better suited to our current needs.

We decided to buy Margot as a mobile eścape capsule for Mrs B and me to use exclusively. We had planned to use it much more than we have been able to but have found that both family and other commitments have constantly prevented us from taking full advantage of this wonderful vehicle. I had refused to consider selling her as I had invested so much emotion into both buying and equipping her and because of the many marvellous adventures that we had enjoyed in her. I had become strangely attached to this vehicle like no other car that I've ever owned before. However my wife raised the subject on several occasions and in the end a pragmatic decision had to be made. Handing her over to her new owners in Wales was quite a dismal experience and I still miss her now. The only comfort is that she went to a very good home and that we still have our gorgeous Beach.

We hadn't set out to buy two Californias but it just happened. Having bought Margot some months before we then felt that we needed to replace our elderly family car. This is the vehicle that does all the general work in our family and it had become a little small as our grandchildren continue to insist on growing. So we went looking for a replacement and eventually set our minds on buying a Caravelle. We have eight grandchildren some of whom we look after regularly. On visiting SMG to discuss this we eventually ended up with their exceptionally well equipped and as yet unregistered at the time of our visit, Beach demonstator. As both vehicles worked out about the same price, that is after we had added in our preferred options to the Caravelle and SMG had offered us a spectacularly good deal on the Beach, we both felt that we would rather have the Beach. Apart from losing the second sliding door, the Beach offers so much more versatility over a Caravelle. And so after fourteen months of ownership it has proved to be a truely amazing and versatile workhorse. There doesn't seem to be anything that this vehicle doesn't do exceptionally well.



I must also add that the Beach also helped us to make the decision to sell Margot. We had never used Margot's water tanks, safe, sink or tap and normally prefer to cook outside if the weather permits. We found the wardrobe an awkward space to use and we probably wouldn't have ordered the 4 motion that was fitted. I have discovered that I prefer the simplicity of the manual Beach roof over the electric hydraulic one on the SE/Ocean. Then there's the downstairs bed. We have the seven seater Beach variant and the downstairs bed is huge as is the rear cabin with the two swivel captains seats removed. The difference in space is startling. Our Beach is a 150 ps manual and whilst it is a lovely gear box I do miss the dsg box that Margot had. I also rather like the less complicated no nonsence feel of the Beach. No fancy fabric covered door cards here to get damaged just tough wipe down plastics everywhere, which is ideal for our crew. I would have another SE/Ocean tomorrow if we had more free time and indeed would probably still have Margot now if we had been able to use her more, but for the time being it is the Beach that has proved to be more suited to our current circumstances.

I don't want this thread to become a re-run of the old acrimonious SE verses Beach - which is best, thread. Both these vehicles have amazed and delighted me and are brilliant at what they are designed to do. It is just that they have two completely different characters that suit different peoples' needs. I just thought that I would share our experiences with you as it may help others to decide on which variant to buy.

 

[Meoncoast]

Borris, you have worked out which Cali works best for you and your crew by using both. Great to have test both van fully before making your choice. for posting your journey.

 

[Borris]

I forgot to mention that we have discovered a several issues on the Beach we do not like at all.
1. The standard headlights are awful. In a vehicle costing so much, VW should be ashamed of themselves sending vehicles out of the factory with such poor equipment. You could find much better head lights on a budget new car costing a fraction of the price.
2. The positioning of the main isolation switch for the electric hook up is ridiculous. It is difficult to get at with the boot empty. With the multi flex board in place is is virtually impossible unless you have the arms of a small child. You cannot see the switch unless you use a mirror and a torch and the green and red switch positions appear to me to be counter intuitive.
3. Unlike the SE/Ocean there is no device that indicates the current state of the leisure battery charge. A similar digital read out to that supplied on the SE/Ocean would be ideal. There is an overhead digital display for the parking heater so it wouldn't be impossible for VW to include something on this display panel.
4. The seat coverings are inappropriate to the uses that the Beach will be put to. Vw should offer hard wearing easy to wipe down leather seats coverings in a vehicle that is designed to be multi purpose but used mainly as a leisure vehicle suited to a life with kids, dogs and people pursuing and active outdoor life. They offer leather in the Caravelle which employs exactly the same seats. So why not the Beach?

I can't think of anything else at the moment .

 

[RoB5urf]

I forgot to mention that we have discovered a several issues on the Beach we do not like at all.
1. The standard headlights are awful. In a vehicle costing so much, VW should be ashamed of themselves sending vehicles out of the factory with such poor equipment. You could find much better head lights on a budget new car costing a fraction of the price.
2. The positioning of the main isolation switch for the electric hook up is ridiculous. It is difficult to get at with the boot empty. With the multi flex board in place is is virtually impossible unless you have the arms of a small child. You cannot see the switch unless you use a mirror and a torch and the green and red switch positions appear to me to be counter intuitive.
3. Unlike the SE/Ocean there is no device that indicates the current state of the leisure battery charge. A similar digital read out to that supplied on the SE/Ocean would be ideal. There is an overhead digital display for the parking heater so it wouldn't be impossible for VW to include something on this display panel.
4. The seat coverings are inappropriate to the uses that the Beach will be put to. Vw should offer hard wearing easy to wipe down leather seats coverings in a vehicle that is designed to be multi purpose but used mainly as a leisure vehicle suited a life with kids, dogs and people pursueing and active outdoor life.

I can't think of anything else at the moment .

I didn't even realize there is an isolation switch! When would I need to use it?

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[GrannyJen]

An informative and warm post Borris, thank you. I am still debating beach v Ocean in my own mind for when / if the time comes to replace Albert. Three days in France this week saw me using my camp bistro hob more than my kitchen hobs, simply because it was easier. However my camping lifestyle does not often incorporate the luxury of warm dry days.

Therein of course lies the conundrum, with a lifestyle that is in constant change and adaptation just what do I plan for tomorrow

 

[MattBW]

I agree with everything on there although I have always found the headlights absolutely fine. A bit uninspiring maybe but certainly not underpowered from my experience. If you are used to HID lights then maybe they may seem dimmer but as someone coming the other way I've never been a fan of HID

 

[larrylamb]

I didn't even realize there is an isolation switch! When would I need to use it?

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

To test operation of the RCBO trip button. Some test quarterly to ensure correct operation.

 

[Borris]

I didn't even realize there is an isolation switch! When would I need to use it?

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

Good question. With both vehicles, we have always kept this switch in the off position unless the vehicles leisure batteries are on charge or the van is on EHU which amounts to the same thing. I assume that this device offers a measure of protection against you asking too much of the supply, ie over heating the electrical wiring insulation as a result of asking the conductor to pass too much current. The result being a posible short circuit. My limited understanding is that if that were to happen that the switch would detect the overload and trip the switch. I suppose that if the switch were to left in the on position all the time, it would be just fine. You would only need to touch it if it had tripped.
Now having said this I may well be talking complete b******s . Perhaps someone with actual electrical knowledge/experience could enlighten us.

 

[Borris]

An informative and warm post Borris, thank you. I am still debating beach v Ocean in my own mind for when / if the time comes to replace Albert. Three days in France this week saw me using my camp bistro hob more than my kitchen hobs, simply because it was easier. However my camping lifestyle does not often incorporate the luxury of warm dry days.

Therein of course lies the conundrum, with a lifestyle that is in constant change and adaptation just what do I plan for tomorrow

Hello GJ,
I hope Albert is out of ear shot!

For us the extra space is very useful and the Beach offers that flexibility to be able to fulfill so many different roles from stripped out van to seven seat people carrier. In campervan mode it is so much less complicated than the full fat SE/Ocean. This removes many potential future problems areas from the equation, which I at least find quite an attractive proposition. It has no built in gas supply, no water tanks or pipework to maintain and we think that the sink in the SE/Ocean isn't really big enough to do anything meaningful with anyway. The manual roof is so simple and straight forward to operate that unless you are physically unable to operate it, I would question the need for the complicated electro hyraulic version on any of the range.

You can still cook inside the Beach if you want to, using a suitable portable cooking stove of your choice on the table and we intend to buy a Waeco 12/240v 38 litre compressor fridge. Both of these facilities are self contained so don't involve major work within the van to repair if they go wrong. Also both can be used elsewhere especially within an adjacent awning. With the fridge, it can be plugged into your house mains supply before you leave, loaded up and brought down to the right temperature before being loaded on board. From then it can be kept at the right temperature on the 12v leisure battery system either in the van or awning using a splitter from the EHU cable. They use very little power when down to the correct temperature. The fridge can be secured within the van by using a small rachet strap and two of the rail based tie down fixings that are available through the club shop. The Fridge top also offers a useful surface on the lid to perch items on.

Without the wardrobe and kitchen there is plenty of space to spread out in and you have a huge downstairs bed as well. Also when you swivel the passenger seat in a SE/Ocean the kitchen unit prevents the occupant from getting comfortable without sitting at an oblique angle which is odd. There is also no indent on the swivel system to lock it in this position so damage can occur to the passenger door card unless extreme care is taken. With the Beach the absence of the kitchen means that you can stretch out with nothing in the way. After having lived with both variants this feature is a big improvement when sitting in swivelled front seats. For those like us with a large family, it is also possible to have a picnic inside the vehicle with seven occupants present.



The down sides of owning a seven seat Beach are few but if you are considering one you have to also consider where you will store the two swivel seats, multiflex board, VW Comfort matress, fridge etc when you want to use it for one of its other non campervan roles. The final thing to bear in mind is that you will need a trolley for the swivel seats. They are very heavy. Too heavy for one person to lift and carry anywhere safely.

Having said how delighted we are with our Beach and detailed what I see as its advantages for us, if it were just the two of us and we didn't have our current committments then I am sure that Margot would still be on the payroll at Borris Towers as our sole California. Yes, it was more compact inside but the sheer delight of pulling up and putting the kettle on in our own luxury double glazed front room/kitchen without having to go to the boot was bliss. The power of the 180ps engine linked to the dsg gearbox made for a smooth, effortless and relaxing drive that so suits this leisure vehicle. Despite its merits the Beach is a more basic vehicle that whilst excellent in almost every respect doesn't quite give that same impression. However, that is almost certainly due to our having the 150ps engine with six speed manual gearbox. If or when we replace Bluebell Bus, I will want the same engine but with the dsg box and better headlights. I will not be wanting the 4motion option. Whilst very good, I have only ever been stuck on a couple of occasions in forty seven years of driving so at that rate it would be far cheaper to pay someone to tow me out. It also deletes another expensive future servicing requirement.

What ever you decide, good luck.

 

[GrannyJen]

Thank you Borris As always, an excellent summary.

I will not be needing seven seats, but 5 is an attraction with my Grandchildren reaching a point where they may, bless them, want to come with Granny for holidays. Albert is quite safe for the time being, but by the time that the T6 is at it's most proven state and the untested T7 will be on everyones lips that may be the time.

The last time, well, the only time, that I have lowered a beach roof I found it hard on my arthritic fingers to lock. I must try again.

As for cooking, my reserve Camp Bistro is a permanent feature in the boot and is used as often as my hobs, although I will agree with you, the convenience of the SE kitchen hobs is wonderful.

4WD is also a once "must have" that is now expendable. Granny is getting quite attracted to tarmac and hardstandings these days.

Decisions, decisions. Plenty of time though to make my mind up, and Albert is currently performing like a dream!

 

[Vantastic2]

Took us approx. over a year to decided on buying SE or beach !
As 'did we need the fridge,cooker,wardrobe,electric roof,ect,ect' !
Now we have the SE everything has been used,not like the 'German' couple we met on one campsite in France,there Cali looked like it was still in the showroom !!!!!

 

[kaf2546]

Good review Borris, Cali works for us just now but feel drawn to a simpler vehicle for future. I've had Xenon headlights in a BMW (good), basic BMW headlights (terrible) and now basic Cali headlights, not too bad at speeds I'm doing in it. I use the foglights as well in country areas north Scotland, and stick to about 50 mph max at night due to deer and no issues with lack of visibility. Maybe depends on what your using in your car. I found Xenons made other drivers think you were on full beam, not so with Cali of course. This post is just to help others decide, personally I'd save the cash towards DSG and ACC... SatNav in T6 lot better than T5, in latter I ended up using Google Maps, I use SatNav almost daily work/leisure. 4motion used very occasionally muddy sites and a festival, twice in snow which was great but I'll probably go with 2wd and all weather tyres but test drive first in case it rolls more than the 4motion which I find adequately stable and it might annoy me if 2wd handled a lot differently.

 

[Borris]

Good review Borris, Cali works for us just now but feel drawn to a simpler vehicle for future. I've had Xenon headlights in a BMW (good), basic BMW headlights (terrible) and now basic Cali headlights, not too bad at speeds I'm doing in it. I use the foglights as well in country areas north Scotland, and stick to about 50 mph max at night due to deer and no issues with lack of visibility. Maybe depends on what your using in your car. I found Xenons made other drivers think you were on full beam, not so with Cali of course. This post is just to help others decide, personally I'd save the cash towards DSG and ACC... SatNav in T6 lot better than T5, in latter I ended up using Google Maps, I use SatNav almost daily work/leisure. 4motion used very occasionally muddy sites and a festival, twice in snow which was great but I'll probably go with 2wd and all weather tyres but test drive first in case it rolls more than the 4motion which I find adequately stable and it might annoy me if 2wd handled a lot differently.

I agree that the Xenon headlights can be too bright for other road users. However, there must be a better version than the basic bog standard lights fitted to the Beach. When we had our SE I never felt that the the head lights on that vehicle were poor so there must a better choice without blinding everyone with Xenons. I think that it's just VW penny pinching with the Beach.

We had the RNS 510 with all the bells a whistles on the SE and the Beach has the T6 equivalent. I am no expert in sat nav systems and in fact try not to get involved in programming ours. I usually ask Mrs B to attend to that whilst I do the driving. She knows what all of the various functions do and is very good at wringing the right answers out of it. In contrast, I glaze over at the first mention of anything involving modern electronics and really can't be "ar*ed". Actually I would probably struggle to do it with out referring to the instruction manual. Accordingly I wouldn't know a good system from a bad one unless it didn't get you to your desination. I have my own built in sat nav which involves the position of the sun in relation to the time of day, alot of trial and error and some getting lost but so far we have always pitched up some where.

If I lived where you do I think I might want the 4motion option for winter use although it's not available on the UK Beach, unless things have changed recently. We have lived in our present house in Kent for the last thirty two years and apart from only one or two heavy snow falls combined with strong winds which have cut off the village and forced us to stay put, the only real need for 4motion would be a wet grassy campsite. In those cases I would tend to have a good walk round looking at gradient and ground conditions before commiting to it.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

However, there must be a better version than the basic bog standard lights fitted to the Beach.

I added the "Exterior Package" option to my T6 Beach, and the headlights are upgraded (Halogen twin headlights) as part of the pack, which are much better.... Not LED better, but good enough IMO.