Will I have fun with a Cali

[malcolm0287]

Hi all
I have a Cali berghaus manual on hold at my local vw dealer and having never had a camper
Before I need you guys to convince me to part with the 45k
It will be a second vehicle
Decided to forgo the foreign holidays for a few years and travel in the uk and maybe drive
Down to Switzerland
Used to have a flat in seafood on the south coast and loved going down on sunny
Days or when the wind was up
The cali giving me this flexibility again
Mainly traveling with my daughter or girlfriend not at the same time !,

Thanks

Malcolm

 

[John]

Hi Malcolm

Welcome to the forum.

There are many members on the forum who have been through a similar process to you as it is a big commitment. :crazy

I would suggest you take some time and have a good look through the forum topics as it may help you to make up your mind. :roll: :?:

John

 

[Californiaman]

If you have to ask us if you'd like it, I would say no, you probably won't. After all, I really don't like spending two months a year in mine..

You probably won't find many people on here that don't like them. It is after all a forum for Cali owners.

If you buy it and don't like it, you probably won't struggle to sell it or loose a lot of money.

Don't take my word for it though. Buy it, drive it, live in it, love it. Then let us know after a few years!!!

 

[gatvol]

I think that this question can be simplified into two elements - if the answer to either is no, then do not get a Cali

1. Is 45k a number you can stomach paying without worrying about the impact on your overall lifestyle/ mix of assets?

2. Do you love and typically pay a premium for buying good design?

There are loads of MUCH, much, much cheaper transit based campers available. And plenty of massive motorhomes come cheaper too. These are functional and almost as good as a Cali - but they are not as good.

Older, classic VW campers will be a much better bet in terms of depreciation/ holding value than a new one. But these drive like crap and their slow pace will madden fellow road users to the point they wish to butcher you into little pieces. It is also a lifestyle choice - if roadside repairs is your thing, then maybe get one of these

The new Cali is about minimalism. Design is absolutely critical when you shrink things down to a minimum.

I bought my Cali as

I am very particular about good design, and will pay more for it
I have driven big engined sports cars for 15 years so simply could not buy a vehicle that would struggle to reach and maintain 70mph/ struggle to keep up in traffic/ have crap brakes

I am used to cars with cruise, parking sensors, quality design, heated seats, steering wheel controlled stereo etc - you get all this in a Cali

I hate manual diesel cars that run out of revs at 5000, the cali has a superb 7sp DSG auto box - and in Sport mode does not have that ghastly lag from set off that cripples most diesel autos

I am 6' 5" tall and ordinarily drive an Audi S5 and a summer only 1990s SL500 - but I equally love driving my Cali - and its superb design means that it can comfortably accommodate me as a driver and as an overnight guest. On sunny days it is actually rendering my sl500 redundant as we now take the Cali out for picnics

No other vehicle I have seen on the market offers this combination of features :barmy, I could buy a hashed up Mazda Bongo for a few grand instead - but I'd rather pay a multiple of that price and do it properly in a Cali

 

[MKRW]

Do you have fun now?

It will not change that, just seriously magnify the upside.

I smile every time i drive the Cali, and it's meant for us with a new baby we can still get out and about, we've had some great adventures and still not slept in ours yet......

 

[malcolm0287]

I will have fun with it
Placing order on Monday
Thanks for the replays this overall site has been brilliant
I did drive a Danbury t2 last week and I must say
It was a pile of rubbish compared to the Cali
Going for manual as I have a bmw3 in auto and thought
It would make a nice change also really fancy the berghaus
Which is not available in auto anyway
First trip will be down to seafood and a walk along to beachy head
Will keep you all posted

Malcolm

 

[C&HinNorwich]

Good choice, took us 3 years to convince ourselves it was a good idea to spend that much money on a camper,
The second we had the test drive, we knew there wasn't a choice and wished we had got it years ago
Now had it for 10 months and it's changed our lives, we did get rid of the car to make it a bit more affordable
Now I would sooner sell my house than my Cali lol :barmy

 

[Anonymous]

Hello Malcolm.
I love the name for your Cali. I am still a massive fan
Luke