Well travelled Cali, zero kms

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

My new Cali Beach was built on July 1, was finally on a boat in Bremerhaven on July 22, at Southhampton on July 27, across to the east coast of USA with stops at Dundalk (Aug 7) and Jacksonville (Aug 10), down to Kingston, Jamacia on Aug 14, through the Panama Canal and currently somewhere in the Pacific on its way to Auckland, New Zealand where it is due on Sept 6 and then onto Australia where it will drop cars off at Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne before finally off to Fremantle by Sept 25 where I am waiting patiently.
Has ever a Cali travelled further without driving?
Greg

 

[Richi]

My new Cali Beach was built on July 1, was finally on a boat in Bremerhaven on July 22, at Southhampton on July 27, across to the east coast of USA with stops at Dundalk (Aug 7) and Jacksonville (Aug 10), down to Kingston, Jamacia on Aug 14, through the Panama Canal and currently somewhere in the Pacific on its way to Auckland, New Zealand where it is due on Sept 6 and then onto Australia where it will drop cars off at Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne before finally off to Fremantle by Sept 25 where I am waiting patiently.
Has ever a Cali travelled further without driving?
Greg

Probably not. That’s hell of the miles and days spent on the boat. When you’ll see it first time it will make a big smile on your face. Enjoy it.

 

[Camperfamily]

Amazing journey, great that you’re able to track it all. Enjoy your new Cali once you receive it!

 

[BeeBee]

Wow, what a journey. Hope it meets all of your expectations. Safe travels in your van and we expect to see lots of pix.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Sounds like it’s been on a journey already, I hope the leisure batteries are disconnected and everything is powered down along this route…

 

[Karlos]

Wow what a journey, hope they got your order right, it's a long way to send it back

 

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

Yes, I hope they got my order right too. They have told me that if I don’t like it they will return my deposit. The only second hand Cali I can find on the market in Australia has travelled 10,000 kms but listed $10,000 over the new price. A sellers market since VW has only delivered 150 so far - only started importing them here last year. I think my VW dealer could make more profit if I don’t take it. But no chance of that, it is mine. Pictures forthcoming when it arrives.

 

[Peter84]

So how much more expensive are Cali's in NZ to account for the shipping cost?

 

[Ozzy Pete]

You will get it just in time for the summer.. Price hikes are no different to anywhere else in the world.

 

[Kiwikamper]

T6.1 Ocean is currently NZ$161,000.
It’s a fairly high spec variant, we don’t get much choice down here.

 

[Anthony1]

My new Cali Beach was built on July 1, was finally on a boat in Bremerhaven on July 22, at Southhampton on July 27, across to the east coast of USA with stops at Dundalk (Aug 7) and Jacksonville (Aug 10), down to Kingston, Jamacia on Aug 14, through the Panama Canal and currently somewhere in the Pacific on its way to Auckland, New Zealand where it is due on Sept 6 and then onto Australia where it will drop cars off at Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne before finally off to Fremantle by Sept 25 where I am waiting patiently.
Has ever a Cali travelled further without driving?
Greg

How much was the shipping cost?

 

[HugoFar]

They are sold in NZ as NZ new, so shipping is factored into purchase price by VWNZ.

 

[HugoFar]

Highly likely to be the same with the OP Cali Beach in Australia. Btw, California Beach is not available in NZ.

 

[Anthony1]

They are sold in NZ as NZ new, so shipping is factored into purchase price by VWNZ.

Thank you

 

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

The base model Beach (no options) sells for $90,000 AUD delivered. Top of range ( as many options as allowed - weight limited) about $135,000.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

T6.1 Ocean is currently NZ$161,000.
It’s a fairly high spec variant, we don’t get much choice down here.

That works out at around £86k. So roughly around the same retail price as the UK. The spec can push it up by many many Thousands of $ .At least you can get an Ocean and aren’t limited to a Beach because of the door opening on the “Wrong” side.

 

[willwander]

VW Beach…honorary Ocean the amount of time it’s spent at sea.

 

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

I am happy with a Beach. Very versatile as I can put in the rear kitchen when touring, carry up to 7 people when needed and travel light when commuting.

 

[Calimili]

@GregoryJenkins May I ask you, is it a 4wd with lock diff. that you order for Australia, are you going to (have to) modify it from the suspension + tyres point of you in order to use it in Au ? I do follow a couple of youtubers "overlanders" based also in WA, (Ronny D, 4XO, Seek Adv) who equip, build their vehicles for camping. I have always wandered how a Cali would be a wonderful vehicle for those purpose but not being at the same level in terms of offroad ability as these youtubers keep on arguing what's best between "Utes" vs Landcruisers vs Jeeps etc.
Compromise between off-road ability and living space "inside" is a compromise often discussed. I was always curious how "bad" a Cali would perform overall in that application, but how it would win hands down no-contest for usable living space.

 

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

Yes, 4WD with diff lock. We are not going to raise the suspension and add underbody protection at first. We may do this after a year or two but a van is never going to go down serious 4WD tracks as it only adds about 30 mm (1 1/4 “). Most of the remote National Parks can be accessed by a 4WD Cali in Australia and it would go most places a serious 4WD pulling a trailer would go. The raised suspension will help on beach driving and outback dirt roads and the protection will be good but adds weight. The 4WD also makes for excellent driving around town with the biturbo engine, especially in the wet.

 

[NessL]

This may be of interest to you

 

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

Yes, I am well aware of the Kombi Life training events. These are over very mild tracks that an all wheel drive SUV could navigate. Serious 4wd’s tracks in Australia are more like those in this link.

4WD Off Road Videos

Off road videos, a collection of our action and adventure YouTube videos.

www.4-wheeling-in-western-australia.com

 

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

After two months at Sea my Cali Beach 4motion is coming into Fremantle in the morning. The dealer tells me it will take them a couple of weeks before it is ready for me. Can’t wait.

 

[kurienp]

After two months at Sea my Cali Beach 4motion is coming into Fremantle in the morning. The dealer tells me it will take them a couple of weeks before it is ready for me. Can’t wait.

View attachment 99866

Congratulations. So how many miles would it have travelled by then?

 

[Greg&Mel Australian Cali]

Well, around the equator is 25,000 miles and the ship has come a long way south so probably about that. The attached photo is the ship arriving in Fremantle this morning.