What to look for and what to dismiss when buying a used VW California

[M&B+2]

Hi!

My family and I are planning on buying a used VW California Beach this spring. Since the used car market for Californias is pretty much non existing here in Sweden we're looking to by in Germany.

We're not super rich so we can't afford a new one. Our budget is £25 000 - £33 000.

I've browsed the forums and have some ideas of what to look for: parking sensors, tinted windows, timed heater and so forth.
But what about mileage? Age of vehicle? Engine power?

Do you think I should be aiming to buy a T5 2013-2015 driven 50 000 - 75 000 miles or a T6 2015-2019 driven 60 000 - 110 000 miles?
(One of those categories is where our price range will take us).

We're not interested in 4-motion or the greatest enginge power since that increases the mileage cost and of course the price.

It'd be great if some of you have some thoughts about this that you'd share with me! Thankful for any kind of input also regarding must have and not so necessary extras.

/Bjorn from Sweden

 

[mrat]

Hi Bjorn, I'm actually in the same boat as you (although looking to buy one in Switzerland rather than Germany), would love to know if anyone has any opinions on the above.

Thanks!

 

[Hotel California]

Hi and welcome @M&B+2 and @mrat
Not sure a T6 will be in the 25-33£. range
A Beach maybe can i'm not sure...
Always difficult to choose , less milage or younger verhicle.
I got a 2012SE (T5) and it only has 65.000km so far but all done on long trips abroad just me and my wife and it's not used as daily driver , sits inside garage when not in use and always maintained as should.
Everyone uses his difrrent , some do lots of miles as daily driver taking kids to school and trips to the tip.... and some do very long foreign trips with only one or two persons ....
I know what i would prefer . Milage should not be an issue if the verhicle is well maintained , the state of the verhicle will also tell a lot on how it's been used/threaded.
Hard to make a choise for some else but i would look for a T6 . The T5 has a euro5 engine remember....

 

[SailSki]

Hi @mrat, our Cali spends a lot of its time in Geneva - if you are anywhere near I would be happy to meet up and have a chat through different features if that would be helpful. It is a 2016 T6. Cheers, Mike

 

[M&B+2]

Hi and welcome @M&B+2 and @mrat
Not sure a T6 will be in the 25-33£. range
A Beach maybe can i'm not sure...
Always difficult to choose , less milage or younger verhicle.
I got a 2012SE (T5) and it only has 65.000km so far but all done on long trips abroad just me and my wife and it's not used as daily driver , sits inside garage when not in use and always maintained as should.
Everyone uses his difrrent , some do lots of miles as daily driver taking kids to school and trips to the tip.... and some do very long foreign trips with only one or two persons ....
I know what i would prefer . Milage should not be an issue if the verhicle is well maintained , the state of the verhicle will also tell a lot on how it's been used/threaded.
Hard to make a choise for some else but i would look for a T6 . The T5 has a euro5 engine remember....

Thank you for your response!
Yeah, the T6 is of course to prefer. If we can find one fitting our budget! I just got in touch with some Cali-owners here in Sweden. I'll get some more insight from them! Apparently the Cali Beach is not sold in Sweden. Therefore there's only Oceans here.
Regards /Bjorn

 

[Borris]

Hello Bjorn,
There are no right or wrong answers to your questions. The Beach is such a versatile vehicle that there are very many ways to adapt and use it. The optimum options list would depend on your personal circumstances and how you intend to use your Beach. However before you start there are two practical questions that you must ask yourself:
1. What is the maximum number of people that I am likely to want to transport in it?
2. Will I be wanting to use it as a camper all year round?

Seating layouts can be split into two possibilities, two seat rear bench seat Beach and the three seat rear bench Beach. With the former you can seat up to five persons with one extra swivel seat. With the three seat bench variant you can accomodate up to seven with two additional swivel seats.

The second question refers to whether you will need the diesel parking heater with remote control. If I lived in Sweden that would the top of my options list as it was/is in the UK.

IMO all the other options are down to personal choice. Personally I find the three zone climate control very useful all year round but especially so when it gets hot. Rear passengers will suffer without it.

Having good headlights is important. The basic units fitted to UK Beaches are awful. So hold out for one with H7 lamps.

I think you would be fine with any engine choice. Having said that I have never driven the 102ps version but that too goes from A to B just like the other two. I am currently on my second Beach, both T6s with 150ps engines. The 150ps unit is superb and has more than enough power and torque.

My last Beach was a manual and the current one is a dsg. Both versions are excellent. Take your pick.

Good luck with your search. Both the T5 and T6 are great vans.
Best wishes
Paul.

 

[M&B+2]

Hello Bjorn,
There are no right or wrong answers to your questions. The Beach is such a versatile vehicle that there are very many ways to adapt and use it. The optimum options list would depend on your personal circumstances and how you intend to use your Beach. However before you start there are two practical questions that you must ask yourself:
1. What is the maximum number of people that I am likely to want to transport in it?
2. Will I be wanting to use it as a camper all year round?

Seating layouts can be split into two possibilities, two seat rear bench seat Beach and the three seat rear bench Beach. With the former you can seat up to five persons with one extra swivel seat. With the three seat bench variant you can accomodate up to seven with two additional swivel seats.

The second question refers to whether you will need the diesel parking heater with remote control. If I lived in Sweden that would the top of my options list as it was/is in the UK.

IMO all the other options are down to personal choice. Personally I find the three zone climate control very useful all year round but especially so when it gets hot. Rear passengers will suffer without it.

Having good headlights is important. The basic units fitted to UK Beaches are awful. So hold out for one with H7 lamps.

I think you would be fine with any engine choice. Having said that I have never driven the 102ps version but that too goes from A to B just like the other two. I am currently on my second Beach, both T6s with 150ps engines. The 150ps unit is superb and has more than enough power and torque.

My last Beach was a manual and the current one is a dsg. Both versions are excellent. Take your pick.

Good luck with your search. Both the T5 and T6 are great vans.
Best wishes
Paul.

Hi!
Thanks for your answers!
I’m starting to get a clue on what to look for and not. Some extras may be useful but not essential and possible to buy later on.
When it comes to T5/T6 I’m starting to lean towards the T6 since it’s a higher environmental grading. Maybe the T5 with e5 grading will be obsolete in a few years time.
/Bjorn

 

[sapto]

Hello and welcome Bjorn
Hard to say and IMO you‘re going the right way. Maybe it is possible to rent any California in Sweden? What are your personal likes and dislikes re camping/holidays? All year round? Only summer? I guess there are many opinions on the debate what is really useful option or gimmick and what can be sone aftermarket-like. Then it also depends on how patient you are to wait until the right one pops up?

Keep my fingers crossed for your search!

EDIT: Is this one for you:

Köp och sälj begagnade bilar framgångsrikt - Bilgaraget.se

Till salu Volkswagen California 2.0 T5 4 motion, 140 hk 2010, 21200 Mil, 425000 SEK Trycka här och titta mer!

www.bilgaraget.se

 

[Michael G]

Hi Björn,
We live in Sweden as well and have a T5 4motion 2012. We use it a lot both summer and winter. I would go for 4wd if you plan to travel in snow, the car is much better to handle being 3000+ kg.
Awning and bike rack is essential for us, 140 hk is enough, heater is a must. Go for a relatively new vehicle, there is a lot that can break, we got many things fixed by the dealer on warranty that we found after we bought it even after having spent several hours checking before we signed.
Good luck hunting!

 

[Kjetil]

Hi Björn. Just curious how it went for you. I got myself a highmileage 2005 Cali a month ago. Everything works as expected so far () but of course things will break eventually.