Would you lend your Cali to your kids?

[Denzilgts]

That's an easy one to answer , absolutely definitely categorically 1million percent .....NO . It doesn't bear thinking about what they could do .. If it is anything like my house. Nail varnish on a dining table which they tried to get off with a Brillo pad.. (Not good) . Skateboarding on a wooden floor (yes inside the house) scratching the floor. Don't even ask me about my new oak kitchen worktops.

 

[Digger]

Is it not the case that as far as the children under 10 years are concerned - the van is theirs - you are brought along merely as the driver/cook/banker?

 

[Geoff S]

Life is too short. If it brings enjoyment, let them use it (after a full induction of course!) Materialism, consumerism and the negativity of the 'what if' scenarios seems to be permeating society and (some might say) ruining it?

 

[Borris]

That's an easy one to answer , absolutely definitely categorically 1million percent .....NO . It doesn't bear thinking about what they could do .. If it is anything like my house. Nail varnish on a dining table which they tried to get off with a Brillo pad.. (Not good) . Skateboarding on a wooden floor (yes inside the house) scratching the floor. Don't even ask me about my new oak kitchen worktops.

I know your pain.

Years ago Mrs B and I thought that our four then teenaged little darlings (two boys and two girls), were responsible enough to be left for a week whilst we ran away to Greece to lick our wounds. We had left them with plenty of fodder for the week all "wrapped up in a five pound note". It was to be a sort of test for them and a much needed break for us.

Looking back on it now, what a pair of eighteen carat gold, prize pillocks we were.

Upon our return we discovered that there had been a party!!! However being "responsible" , they had cleared the sitting room of all furniture beforehand. We wouldn't have found out if it wasn't for the bullet riddled empty beer cans floating in the fish pond and the missing paint from all around the sitting room skirting boards. Upon interrogation, they coughed that they had covered the carpet in polythene and gaffer taped it to the walls! The drunken air gun target practice had also punctured the pond liner!!!.......so that got filled in.

We also discovered the hall curtain and curtain rail on the floor and the tv remote in two pieces. There had been a slight dissagreement over what to watch on the telly box. This had culminated in said remote coming in rapid contact with one of their heads.

Oh, and our eldest daughter had backed one of our cars into the other one. Deep joy.

Still, considering some of the horror stories you hear about I suppose they weren't really that bad and we got off lightly.

Now they are all grown up they send their kids round to continue where they left off.

 

[Bello]

Who paid for the new mirror?

Kids cost a lot...

 

[Jonathan Duke]

My dad lent me his car when I was in my mid twenties....I crashed it.

Snap!

 

[raynormor]

Have done form the start.
2 lovely girls and their partners and a grand daughter.
user Guide issue 3 written and provided
Google camper booking diary to avoid clashes
I'm retired they are working and tied to school hols no conflicts so far.
who pays the bills? silly question

 

[Eber123]

Hello,

Well, of course I love my children dearly, but they were not allowed to drive my Tiguan... not to speak about the California.

Young people don't have it easy these days, but honestly looking back, I struggled myself for years (like my friends did too). Meaning each generation has their challenges and need to go different phases before they marry, purchase their first car, their first house, their first California.....

I am almost 60 years old and had to wait many, many years to get to the point where I am, now I want to enjoy it and not handing it over to the children. At the end of the day it is for enjoyment and not a necessity like helping to get through university etc.

In other words - no. I will not lent my new California to my children.

Regards,
Eberhard

 

[johnyboy]

Yes, its only tin, the memories they can make with it are priceless

 

[Borris]

Yes, its only tin, the memories they can make with it are priceless

Yes, but would you still say that if it was returned as bent and twisted tin?

 

[johnyboy]

Yup - my OH just pranged the Tesla, I'm obviously disappointed but life is more important than the shiny metal you collect on the way.

Not wishing to be negative but if the kids were taken from this world how would one feel about protecting the cali

 

[westfalia]

I would have to buy a ´bullet proof ´T4 California for them to go away
camping in.

My T5 is far too fragile for a novice.

Too many ´accidents waiting to happen ´
like- scratching the back corner with the awning handle
collapsed awning
blown away awning
trying to close the awning with the doors open
closing the roof with doors and windows closed
bellows jammed in the roof
roof not down properly and driving away

I could find lots of reasons.
If i let them borrow it now, they would probably get it piloted straight
to Legoland and come back minus a spare wheel.

 

[WelshGas]

Yup - my OH just pranged the Tesla, I'm obviously disappointed but life is more important than the shiny metal you collect on the way.

Not wishing to be negative but if the kids were taken from this world how would one feel about protecting the cali

And if they were taken from this world in your vehicle?

 

[johnyboy]

And if they were taken from this world in your vehicle?

Why is that any more likely than any other vehicle?

 

[Herrie]

I lend our Cali to my daughter and her boyfriend, this summer. They travelled three weeks in the North of Spain with it. We changed cars in the Pyrenees, we took the bus to Portugal, they returned with my daily car to the Netherlands. It was my idea by the way, I thought that they should experience the Cali. Admittedly, I only have one daughter. But the bus was never cleaner than when they returned it to us.

 

[WelshGas]

Why is that any more likely than any other vehicle?

Your statement - I never mentioned the California - You did.

Not wishing to be negative but if the kids were taken from this world how would one feel about protecting the cali

 

[ArunAlec]

Maybe not .......

 

[Asprin]

My kids are 28 and 34 ( not so much kids any more) should I offer up the California for them to holiday in next year as they both keep hinting! Both have been driving since 20 , I am just worried how I would deal with it if they caused any damage?
We would. My daughters 23 and her boyfriend works for the RAC so no worries there. We've offered it to my Son (27) and daughter in law if they want to tour when they pop over from NZ

 

[alter]

in Italy, and I think you know, we have a very clear sense of family. the family is worth more than anything and so what can a piece of iron be worth? we share everything in the family, house money and the things we possess without selfishness ..... none other if the children use a trivial car or a boat of three hundred thousand dollars! ...... maybe someone from too much importance to futile things rather than to people ...?

 

[Bramco]

I lend our Cali to my daughter and her boyfriend, this summer. They travelled three weeks in the North of Spain with it. We changed cars in the Pyrenees, we took the bus to Portugal, they returned with my daily car to the Netherlands. It was my idea by the way, I thought that they should experience the Cali. Admittedly, I only have one daughter. But the bus was never cleaner than when they returned it to us.

We also lent ours to our son and his partner. It also came back as clean as it left us. They had 2 weeks in September through France to northern Spain and back. Had a great time once it stopped raining in France.

We've also toyed with the idea of meeting up with them after they've had the van for a couple of weeks or vice versa. Although I think we'd do a fly drive idea rather than swapping cars. It's easy to meet up somewhere at an airport that one of the budget airlines flies to.

One thing we did was to write a user guide (actually at the insistence of our son's partner). I think this helped them a lot, it meant they didn't have to discover things as they went along.

We put the file here for anyone else that ends up in this situation -> https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/resources/useful-van-guide.72/

 

[Geesvw]

My kids are 28 and 34 ( not so much kids any more) should I offer up the California for them to holiday in next year as they both keep hinting! Both have been driving since 20 , I am just worried how I would deal with it if they caused any damage?

Just let them know where the fuel goes in - my daughter very kindly filled the water tank with diesel!

 

[alter]

... I imagine how I can cook ... hahaha

 

[MarkP]

I'm actually thinking of buying one with that purpose very much in mind. My youngest lad has a real passion for the great outdoors, and loves to go wild camping. I'll get so much pleasure out of him gettig use out of it, and besides, we might even get some father and son trips.

 

[Magic Bus]

I lent mine to my daughter and son in law last year. They had booked a motor home tour of the NC500 through STA travel, who subsequently went bust. The camper company hadn‘t been paid, so they could not get the camper unless they paid again. We lent them the Cali for 2 weeks so that they could still go. They had a great time, though the weather wasn’t the best. This was October 2020. When I first got the Cali, I don’t think I would have lent it to them, but I’m not so precious about it now.

 

[nickb77]

Check what it's going to cost to put your offspring on your insurance. Just been through that with my 28 year old son. He's been driving 10 years, no accidents or convictions. Phoned my insurance company to get him added as a named driver. The additional premium isn't far off what I'm already paying for myself and other half. My insurer told me that if they're under 30, it's very expensive - and they weren't kidding! Ended-up putting him on for 7 days for just under £70.