What have you done with your California today?

[Californication69]

Spent 6 hours removing plastic under trays and fitting my gloss black TransporterHQ trapezoid bars and stubby mud flaps.

 

[Calimili]

Just parked in the snow .... and left it there. Lauterbrunnen.
View attachment 103246

1) why do you need straps for the awning ? won't it stay shut ?
2) curious on how do you get in/out the Cali , i.e. how/where/when do you remove boots, I can see you are using a folded tarp, how did you find it best to avoid a mess inside?
3) have fun in the snow!

 

[soulstyledevon]

Just parked in the snow .... and left it there. Lauterbrunnen.
View attachment 103246

Is it busy…?
I fancy a trip to Lau in the winter, only ever done summers.

 

[kurienp]

1) why do you need straps for the awning ? won't it stay shut ?

Ha ha! That's a leftover from the time I was trying to stop an annoying rattle from the awning. The only way to stop that rattle is - each time there is a drastic temperature change, like this time when I travelled from the UK (4 Deg C, to Switzerland at about -12 one night, or from 5 Deg in the UK to about 37 in Portugal, I just had to open and rewind the awning and the rattle would stop.

2) curious on how do you get in/out the Cali , i.e. how/where/when do you remove boots, I can see you are using a folded tarp, how did you find it best to avoid a mess inside?

Yes, the folded tarp is to clean the boots. If very dirty, the boots are left on the tarp and the awning is usually open if raining. Once the boots are cleaned/dry, they then go straight into the drivers footwell or into their shoe covers and into the boot. Slippers stay on the carpet all the time. In this case, the shoes were clean because.of the snow so straight off the feet and into the drivers footwell.

The drivers footwell carpet does need a clean more often than the other carpets in the van.

 

[kurienp]

Is it busy…?
I fancy a trip to Lau in the winter, only ever done summers.

Not at all. Dec seems like the off season here. Very peaceful and not crowded at all. Had some good snowfall before we arrived so most of the people around are headed out to ski.

The only snow activity that we could do were winter snow walks and a little bit of sledging and that was fun on the uncrowded slopes. Very relaxing overall.

Wengen is hosting a world cup series in Jan and there was some activity around that, but overall a very enjoyable time.

I think we will come back in summer as the natural beauty is very different then.

 

[dspuk]

Enjoyed Etties back in the summer. Hope they still offer the homemade pizza's from the van this time of year!

All change. We went earlier in year and loved it but they remodelled over Nov and the lounge is now the shop and shop now food. Will find out how it all sits next week.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Not at all. Dec seems like the off season here. Very peaceful and not crowded at all. Had some good snowfall before we arrived so most of the people around are headed out to ski.

The only snow activity that we could do were winter snow walks and a little bit of sledging and that was fun on the uncrowded slopes. Very relaxing overall.

Wengen is hosting a world cup series in Jan and there was some activity around that, but overall a very enjoyable time.

I think we will come back in summer as the natural beauty is very different then.

Sounds very enjoyable, one of my favourite places on the planet.
Enjoy

 

[Stu@rt]

All change. We went earlier in year and loved it but they remodelled over Nov and the lounge is now the shop and shop now food. Will find out how it all sits next week.

Ah ok. Thanks - look forward to you reporting back. Enjoy

 

[Brendan eldridge]

Taking my California off to get ceramic coated today.
It’s been horrible not been able to clean it since picking it up.

 

[Gavin123]

Just turned the fridge on for Christmas as extra space!

Thats a good idea, why didn't I think of that!

 

[66tim99]

Taking my California off to get ceramic coated today.
It’s been horrible not been able to clean it since picking it up.

Why couldn’t you clean it?
The detailers should machine polish it before coating…?

 

[Brendan eldridge]

Why couldn’t you clean it?
The detailers should machine polish it before coating…?

Best results are achieved if the dealer doesn’t touch it and the detailer hasn’t got to add in more work.

 

[Californication69]

Fitted Climair window deflectors, smoked. Such an easy fit.

 

[Californication69]

Fitted @Johnboy T-track fittings so the Thule wingbar’s are only 30mm above the awning.
I have 1990mm from floor to front of
Awning. So still under 2m.
Thanks @Johnboy !

 

[Elmo3]

Stuck the turkey in the fridge.

 

[Amarillo]

Had a single Eurotunnel ticket remaining from a carnet of ten.

Not wanting to waste a £25 ticket, we decided a day trip to France with grandparents was the perfect thing to do just before Christmas.

Ferry to France, prepaid Eurotunnel home.

Ferry cost £80.99 (Eurotunnel outward unavailable).

Eurotunnel home was a £30 supplement.

Already, to save a £25 ticket from going to waste we’d spent £110.99.

We arrived at Dover at 08.25 for a 9.30 sailing, and then spent the next 1h 6m waiting to go through passport control and customs. Missed the boat and put on the 11.05 boat.

Arrived Calais at 1.35pm having lost an hour due to the time difference.

We had just enough time for a quick visit to the supermarket and a walk around Cap Blanc-Nez before we had to head to Coquelles for our train home.

2h 5m on ferry or in the tunnel
3h in France (not including queuing at Eurotunnel)
3h 20m total driving (1h 20m home to Dover; 1hr driving in France; 1hr Folkestone to home)
3h 25m queuing at Dover and Coquelles

Was it worth it? Given that it was probably my parents last ever trip abroad (they are 87 and 85), definitely.

 

[pjm-84]

MOT (Yesterday) and yet another tyre advisory - inner edge less than 3mm.

Never had a clean MOT and one fail by Breeze, on headlight aim being too high which subsquently had to be raised by Breeze as they were too low and borderline dangerous. ( I lowered them in the first year due to the constant flashing from oncoming traffic and it passed two MOTs (with Breeze) with them in the "lowered" positioned),

Like DJs, I'm going to buy a set of alloys with new rubber just for MOT time.

 

[capt kirk]

spent two nights at moreton in marsh for market and visit to cheese shop ready for christmas...yum

 

[The Merle]

Always get my mots done at a mot centre or independent garage. Still have all services carried out by VW just find a first/second or even third mot my vans fly through.
VW like to hunt for work

 

[pjm-84]

No longer use Breeze after the fail on the headlight and subsquent adjustment and readjustment. £32.95 for a MOT at Protyre - while you wait.

 

[Barbara]

View attachment 103363
Fitted Climair window deflectors, smoked. Such an easy fit.

They look good. Do they stop water coming in when you open the window after it rains, I always seem to get drips if I open the window after rain. Also what are the other advantages of fitting deflectors?

 

[dspuk]

Tea and cake in her after our annual Xmas wander round the woods.

 

[dspuk]

They look good. Do they stop water coming in when you open the window after it rains, I always seem to get drips if I open the window after rain. Also what are the other advantages of fitting deflectors?

We have the Heko ones but assume these the same, in which the answer is yes. They also come in handy for opening window on a night safely to allow air to circulate but fingers not. Ironically I find them useless for wind noise

 

[flying banana]

They look good. Do they stop water coming in when you open the window after it rains, I always seem to get drips if I open the window after rain. Also what are the other advantages of fitting deflectors?

Ventilation at night

 

[Californication69]

They look good. Do they stop water coming in when you open the window after it rains, I always seem to get drips if I open the window after rain. Also what are the other advantages of fitting deflectors?

Yes, you can open the window a good inch even when raining and no water comes inside.
Only advantage I know of, is you can open the window a crack when sleeping and reduces condensation, and when driving / and or stationary, you leave it open a little with no worry of water dripping on the electric window and mirror switches.