So what's next after our VW California? Find out *HERE*!
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- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- We announce what our new van is - finally, after what seems like AGES! Let us know in the comments below if you are waiting on a van or are trying to decide what to buy.
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Hi all - for anyone who is interested we’ve created a new Facebook Group for Sven chat. Search for Westfalia Sven Hedin Owners Group and request to join if you would like to! What have we let ourselves in for !!
Good choice! We had an almost identical experience, 18 months waiting for a new California T6i and still no delivery date, so we changed tack. Found a brand new Sven Hedin available, bought it staight away. We are so happy, what an excellent van, what an excellent choice. We went to the NEC Camper & Mobile Home Show in February - it was already booked and paid for. Examined every vehicle in and around the class and came away convinced we had made the right decision. Welcome to the Sven Hedin Gang - there are not many of us about! You will not regret your decision.
Oh blimey, that must have been a rollercoaster. Well done on finding a Sven in stock somewhere, they're like rocking horse do do! It's the smaller touches and innovation which we are looking forward to - like the underfloor heating and separate temperature control for the shower room, then the bench seat that can slide/recline, not to mention the seemingly bullet proof build quality.
I hope you've both...sorry, the three of you... had a peaceful night after the great Revelation. A fabulous, if tiring... for you... decision . Wonderful. Enjoy Life and be happy. If a thing's meant to be, it's meant to be and I think this time, it was worth the wait! Much love, Pam xx
Congratulations. I would always push my budget to get the right van you always have that annoying doubt otherwise. Cant wait to see it 😊
Congratulations guys I was probably the first person to buy a Sven from Andrew at WH showed a few people around our Sven to help them out with purchasing one from them.
We have the indium grey with an amazing spec we actually chose ourselves 😊 we have had it 2yrs now and love it I would only swap it now for a 4x4 custom build that may happen in the foreseeable you will love it.there Awsome vans .
And very rare you see any 💪
Hello! A real veteran of the Sven then! Fantastic to hear. You’ll have to pop us an email so we can catch up on anything specific we should know or look out for. 👍
@@CampervanTime ha ha yep definitely a veteran,there great vans I really think you would struggle to get better the heating is unreal I’ll mail you a picture we just got bk from doing the nc500 in ours
Fantastic!!
Late to the party here but.... congrats on the new van. Can't wait for all the news re the eventual delivery and all your future adventures. Don't forget all us 6.1 owners - we're still here with you! x
Don't worry, we'll never forget how it all started for us and who has been with us from the start on the channel - we're very keen to keep doing Cali content as best we can too :)
Congrats on your order, glad you got what you wanted - shame you’ve got a year without camping tho! 😊
I know!! Hopefully it will arrive for a few nice late season trips - otherwise we might have to head to the south of France or Spain in it to get some nice weather!!
Oooooh just get on with it!! It's more than my 70&a bit heart can take!
OK so i'll be grown up like everyone else! Much love... and I'll get my two shillings pocket money it'll be. Crafter!! Pam xx
Great news guys. We were kind of guessing what you'd go for next. We are still looking ourselves, Still swayed between, buying a Crafter or Man direct from the factory and taking to a conversion company or going down a similar line to yourselves, Westfalia, Grand Cali, Knaus Man? Watching your video, we also laughed from our VWT5, as we sit in a campsite in France, watching, drinking beer, debating who is making the bed tonight 😂.
Very jealous ! Well in the Crafter / MAN world there are quite a few options, but when you break it down they all have their little differences so it really will depend on what your priorities are, what you prioritise etc. First real decision is how many beds and what kind of layout you like (rear lounge / fixed bed) ?
So you opted to consider the Sven due to delays with GC?
We sadly can't afford new and we need a 4 Berth for the grandchildren, really pleased you still praised the GC 😊
The GC is a great option and has many good things going for it. We always thought we couldn’t afford the Sven so had discounted it but when we learnt about the delays on the 600 we had ordered we did the maths and JUST managed to figure out we could do the Sven after all. Don’t discount the potential of a pop top Westfalia Columbus as an alternative option if there happens to be one on the market when you’re looking.
Congratulations on finally getting to a new van - sounds like a bit of a journey - you’ll be counting down the day now 🙌
All the very best, David & Rachel 👍
That's an understatement!! We really feel like we've gone through the mill on this!
Congratulations to ye both , Westfalia are the best built camper vans in the world 🎉🎉🎉
Let's hope so! Whenever we've seen them in the flesh they looks fantastic, can't wait!
congratulations for your order ! Good choice for sure . All MAN /VW CRAFTER driving qualities with famous WESTFALIA smart finish . Enjoy !
Thanks! 👍
Congratulations on reaching a decision, it seems like it is right for you so no regrets. When we saw you at the NEC it was clear that you were still conflicted, so Im delighted you got an opportunity to have this sorted and can look forward to future adventures with something you really wanted.
Yes we were still in full on decision mode then but thankfully all sorted now. The months just need to tick down!
Tent box came to mind then you politely shut that down 😂 do a year of local exploring then enjoy the new van!
Spending is on serious lock down now until the new van so yep, no tent box :( You're right though, lots of local exploring to be done
Great news guys! Delighted for you. It’s lovely to see the happy faces and hear the story of the journey recounted. Thanks for sharing! 😃 You’ve inspired me to ditch our T6. I’m collecting a brand new Knaus Boxdrive 600XL 4x4 next week. Like you, I was looking for more space, fixed beds & bathroom. Don’t know how you’re able to deal with the wait until year-end! 😬
Congratulations, yes it is torture waiting! Not sure if it's a good thing to have inspired you to ditch the T6 though!?!!!
@@CampervanTime don’t worry, it wasn’t just you. An 8 day trip to a wet & windy Skye in January did it for me in the end. Howling winds, so roof down, couped up in the same 2sqm was the beginning of the end.
Forget the van ... off to the PUB !!!!
Yeaaaah !!! 👍
We found your channel when we had our Cali on order and have been watching ever since. Like you after a long trip, ours was in Europe and a new dog decided we needed a bigger van. We ordered our Sven from wandahome at the NEC show in feb also in flannel grey. Top of our list to get are a table and some chairs so reviews of those that fit in the Sven would be great. We are lucky enough to still have the Cali and have a Belgium, Germany, Italy and France trip planned for the summer. Great channel keep up the good work.
Fantastic! I bet you can't wait. What is your anticipated delivery timescale?
@@CampervanTime we just have q4 at the moment. Summer trip in the Cali to say goodbye. We will be very sad to see it go.
Hi, loved hearing about your thought process to order a Sven heading as we did the same last autumn and ordered one. We picked it up from wandahome last weekend (in flannel grey). We are thrilled with it. Happy to chat as we live near Hickling....
Cheers
Mal & Sue
Hello! Well you know what, I have actually seen your Sven on your driveway (I think, there aren't that many, especially in Flannel Grey!) on my way to work ! Would love to catch up sometime, pop us an email to contact@campervantime.co.uk if you have time. Thanks for watching our channel!
Enjoy your new van. We will miss the California content. All the good Cali channels seem to have disappeared. Not sure where to go now…😢
Would you consider starting one?! Yes sorry it's not another Cali. Hopefully we can still spark your interest with some of our future content like accessories, campsites, trips etc. If there is anything you want to see (Cali related specifically) let us know as we should be able to still do Cali content with some help from friends :)
@@CampervanTime not sure I/we have the right mind set for doing CZcams content, but who knows. Good luck with the channel…👍
I really wanted it to be a Bongo Friendee 😂
🤣
🤣🤣Woo Hoo the Premiere! Love your sense of humour!.
Well done. Mmmmmm, that looks cooooool ♥️. So very thrilled for you. This life is not a rehearsal, go for it. 👍👍
Thanks so much! 😊
Congratulations! Looks perfect and certainly much more handsome than the Grand California 600! Glad your Down Under trip helped in your decision making :) . Cheers.
It certainly did - really cemented in our minds the change. One thing that the UK really does need to catch up on though is embracing those who travel and explore in campers - like campervan parking spaces in car parks! In Australia you can go pretty much anywhere and not have a problem, it was great!
@@CampervanTime I guess we are lucky in Oz in that regard. More and more country towns are recognising the value of welcoming campervanners and many are now offering stays in their showgrounds for self-contained RVs at modest prices. Each time I loook at Wikicamps there seem to be more places to stay. Cheers. Geoff
Well done! What a journey! We have been similar, husband (not me you’ll note) decided to sell our beautiful Bayleaf Green Coast a few weeks before you sold your Ocean because he thought there was a better layout out there for us. Cancelled all the summer campsites we’d booked too. Scroll forward several months of searching and we’ve ended up ordering a Beach Camper (🙄) Still not sure it’s right, or if it will come this year and now we’ve seen your video so who knows what we’ll end up with 😂
Oh dear is this a theme ! (ie husband selling the family van..) ooops!! Fingers crossed you get your Beach soon, from what we've heard they aren't having supply problems on them in particular, but it probably depends if there is anything specific on the spec that you have put on as options that is rare or in high demand. Sarah and I were only saying yesterday how nice a Beach Camper would be as a genuine do-everything van. There is NO WAY we can afford one as well as a Sven!!
Gordon was such a pretty van😢 (yes he was named after the big green bottle) The Beach is a panic buy😂 Husband is now researching the Grand so that’s fun🙄 I’m with Sarah, can’t take the pressure so I am laying it at husbands door to finally decide!
We really hope you get some fun out of the summer even without a van, sure Roxy will keep you busy and we will still watch you whenever you are on x
Well having gone through this very recently we're really happy to have a virtual beer with you to chat over if that helps at all (and obviously we had a Grand for a week). Drop us an email if you fancy a video call and beer 👍
That’s so kind, thank you. If we get any further with it we will give you a shout, if not we may well see you somewhere in the “we sold our van 😭” club along with us! 😁 This time next year………….😉
😫 let's hope not!!
Quel surprise 😂 It’s all Will’s fault we note 😉 You can’t take it with , life’s too short , blah blah. Very happy for you indeed.
Thanks Andy!
Congratulations on the new van , I definitely think you chose the nicest colour , also black gets very hot when the sun shines on it
Thanks, we did think that too after we’d placed our original (black) order. Much more happy now with the seashore blue or whatever Sarah called it 🤣
You’ll wake up cooler , pooch too ,
Really enjoy your CZcams channel, you come across as really nice genuine people,
I wish you well , keep posting
Thank you :)
I have just found your video.. I am still with a california ocean and looking to upgrade my van sometime in the future.. but love your video..❤
Congratulations on your new van! I'd be interested to know if you considered the Club Joker? At only 5.3m long and the same width as the Cali it would be easier to park, but still give you the benefits of the high top/toilet/shower.
We have looked at the Club Joker a few times and it is a stunning van. Not overly keen on how it looks from the outside (the high roof) but what they have managed to do internally and design-wise is fantastic. Quality obviously second to none too and retains fantastic value also. I certainly wouldn't rule one out in the future at some point, but we wanted a fixed bed this time so it needed to be a bigger van. The list price for a proper spec Joker now is more than the Sven too!
Really happy for you guys, but - *sigh* - this Australian may have to stop watching. The only Westfalia we get here are towbars, and I do not want to start lusting after a van I cannot have. But I'm sure curiosity will get the better of me on occasion.... I think I'd make the same decision in your position, so please enjoy on my behalf as well!
Oh don't stop watching!! Remember we don't get a lot of the incredible kit you get other there here either!!
Whoop whoop!! Glad it worked out in the end 🎉
Thank you!
Really enjoyable vid/chat/update....cheers for that.....van looks the business - and great decision to switch and go for the blue grey finish - delivery might seem a long way off but time flies.. it'll be here before you know it....so brace yourselves! 😎👍
Thanks 👍
We’ve literally just sold our ocean and ordered a G600 in indium grey! 😂. Thought we were with you for a minute but for us we need 4 berth so will just have to wait…….enjoy the van when you get it!
And let us know what accessories you have for sale as definitely looking!
Great! The GC600 is a great van for 4, we've been thinking of all potential options for a friend of ours who is keen on a Crafter/MAN van, 6m long and sleeps 3 or 4. There's not many on the market for that and the GC600 is a really good van. We loved our time away in one. Drop us an email and I'll let you know what GC600 stuff we've got !
@@CampervanTime will do, albeit not sure what it is so if you could point me in the right direction I’ll drop you a line 👍
Sure - it’s contact@campervantime.Co.uk ☺️
Best of luck with your new van. 😃
Thank you! 😃
Very cool van, so jealous! Great choice of colour too!
Oh and BTW the Lincoln bypass is always horrendous 😅
Look forward to seeing it! My money’s on the sprinter/hymer van 😊
I think if it was going to be a Grand California they would still be called California Time so I think it will be something different.
Maybe, maybe not!!!
@@CampervanTime 😆 you know I'm right
Hi, congratulations on your choice of van. Definitely the right option in my opinion. I live two miles away from Wandahome at South Cave and I am a frequent visitor there. If I can be of any help, let me know. Alex
No worries. If you get 5 you should go and see the 'seashore blue' in person!
@@CampervanTime Thanks, I definitley WILL - No 'Flannel'🤣🤣
I knew it would be a Sven but not the Crafter I thought it would be the Sprinter! I absolutely love that van you have chosen I would trade our Ocean in for one of those but it is an eye watering price :) I thought £56k was a lot for our 19 plate Ocean but £90k 😂 but that looks such a fantastic van I do think the grey looks brilliant you should go and see one in the flesh as for me black is a complete no no, we had a Z4 in black and you just couldn't keep it clean and I vowed to never buy another black car.
I think you have made the right choice with the Sven as we can't get on with the Grand Cali looks either but the Sven looks so lovely I bet the build quality is top class, you have now made me want one 😁
Thanks! We did manage to see one in the flesh and the video of it in that colour is what we took when we saw it. We've really struggled to come to terms with how much this van is but everything has just rocketed these days now too.
I’ve got a 5 person tent and a trailer you can borrow for the summer 😂
🤣 we might just need that 🤣🤣
My Ford Nugget arrived in October 2022, ordered November 2020. The 9 months prior to delivery were spent sat with Westfalia waiting for conversion, really frustrating. Westfalia aren’t great at communicating updates to dealers, so once the vehicle arrives with them it’s a bit of a black box.
Fantastic you've got it! The Nugget is a brilliant and high quality build. We're hoping that because Westfalia are only doing the Limited Edition spec now they have more of a proper streamlined operation going on in the factory but we'll have to see!
@@CampervanTime ah I am sure it’ll be a totally different experience to the nugget, which they can’t seem to make fast enough. Definitely think you’ve made the right choice - the Westfalia build quality is so good.
I know Westfalia are fantastic but £90K ?? That’s crazy.
I bought a new Nissan NV400 medium length medium height for £25k and I found my own converter who did the conversion for £20k. Literally half the price. Has toilet and shower. Not to the same spec but it is still pretty good.
Strangely you are the second you tuber I have seen got fed up with a small van with pop top. I wanted something slightly bigger but it’s 5.5m long.
Anyway good luck. I’m sure it will be wonderful.
You’ll just be eating baked beans for a long time.
We like beans :) Seriously though, yes, it is an awful lot of money, but they do seem to hold their value well too. I wouldn't say we were fed up with the Cali really, more just that a bit of additional practicality for more all-year-round adventures and self sufficiency is what we fancied for a while. Certainly wouldn't rule out having another pop top at some point in the future.
@@CampervanTime What I could never understand is what you do for the toilet in a small pop top van especially during the night. We still have a caravan and I must say it's great, but at 73 it is a bit daunting pulling that. I think a van like the Westfalia is the best size. Best size for driving on the road and best size for room. We have only just started using our Nissan and it great driving it. All the best. Are you having to wait until November?
Yes we are - although it's more like October I think. It will be worth it!
I completely agree with the look of the VW front end - the van you’ve chosen instead looks absolutely lovely. I think I might end up nudging towards one very similar before long. I’ll just enjoy the T6.1’s flexibility for easy parking and everyday use a little longer first. How’d you find the length of the bed? I’m 6’3” so 2m sounds nice but how are the cupboards above your heads when you’re in it? …lovely van!
The bed size is great to be honest. The pop out on the side is really helpful in getting the extra length and the cupboards certainly don't feel intrusive at all. The cupboards on the Sven are just a single (deeper) cupboard then the double setup on the Grand, which makes them lower on the wall.
@@CampervanTime oh thank you, I’d seen so many mention how cupboards over the sides made it feel enclosed and a head clonking risk too. It does look fab! I’ll get putting my pocket money in a jam jar and raiding the back of the sofa. I can’t wait to see you both using it and see how it works for you - oh and agree on the colour too it looks similar to the blue/ grey the German post office uses that is only on a handful of T6.1’s over here - and I should think a whole load cooler in the summer months than the alternate would have been …good choice.
Out of interest do the rear seats recline slightly at all as we just don't like them too upright when relaxing in the evening :)
Yes! That's one of the great features of the Sven and the Columbus Westfalia models. The seat base slides forward and the rear comes with it, creating a relaxed angle. There is also storage under the bench seat as they don't use the normal blown air Truma heater either.
@@CampervanTime oh wow that is so good I just can't believe that others don't do that :)
Congrats on your decision. Best to go with your hearts desire when possible you would off lived with the constant what if...... and if only. Roll on September for u.
So true!
@@CampervanTime don’t suppose you have your isotop for sale?
I'm afraid not, it's already been sold.
Snooze you loose what do you have left from your ocean accessories? Might help your Sven fund.
Most of it's all gone now I think. We had a big clear out on the Cali forum for sale page a month or so back, mostly so we could justify the Sven in our minds!! Sorry we haven't got anything for you.
Have you ever considered a coach built van, would be interested in views, for and against. Thanks
Have we considered it? Well sort of, but only briefly. We really wanted to try to keep things as small as possible (especially coming from a Cali). Obviously there are some 6m long coachbuilts which have quite a bit of extra width inside but it felt to us like they were starting to get too far away from a traditional campervan for us. The Sven we have chosen is big in campervan terms, but in our eyes it still isn't a motorhome, quite.
It's midnight, we are at odds deciding between a Westfalia and a Grand California. Only thing we don't like about the GC is the extra bit put on to incorporate an extra bed. Would have ordered one a year ago otherwise. So annoying, why didn't they add that to the 680 and leave the 600 at normal height. Need to know ASAP what differences you found between them that helped your decision.
It's a tricky one for sure. I'll give a few thoughts here but feel free to email us at contact@campervantime.co.uk and we can have a more detailed conversation. In a nutshell we prefer the heating system in the Westfalia Sven Hedin (I presume that's what your thinking about), the more standard electrical layout, the sliding bench seat and the design without the additional extra high roof. There advantages to the Grand though, with it being a VW (if that's important), the option of a very cheap 5 year warranty, electric powered heating when you're on hookup, more aftermarket accessories etc. Plus of course the 600 can sleep 2+2 rather than just 2 if you spec the upper bed.
Now it’s 2024 and new vans of similar ilk have appeared. Do any rival the Sven? As a 6meter van. I would love to see you compare and contrast against the Sven.
Really good question. We ask ourselves this all the time. We’ll do a vlog on it for sure!
Congrats, I just picked up my flannel grey Sven this morning. Filling up on the drive back to Scotland, 2 different people approached me at the petrol station to ask what it was and could they take a look inside as they loved the exterior so much! Have you pre- purchased any extras yet ( mats etc…) and f so, could you share details?… Thanks
That's fantastic, congratulations! Very jealous! We are planning on ordering the Westfalia carpet set for the living area to arrive with the van, but I suspect we will also try to persuade Campervan Carpets to do us a custom fit set in our own choice of colour, edging, logo etc. The only couple of bits we've bought that are specifically for it so far are a Brunner Axis 4 table for using outside, and some of the VanX rubber door anti-slip mats so the cab doors are a bit nicer and less hard plastic. Still need to sort out some outdoor chairs etc. What about you? Purchased anything else yet? Don't forget to check out the Sven Hedin Facebook group too as we'd all love to see pics of the new van and see how you get on!
@@CampervanTime Nothing purchased yet, re-using old stuff from the ocean and camping until we have a few test camps and asses the storage spaces and options available. Drove it 400 miles home yesterday, and i confirm the seats are really comfortable, cruise control works well, but i thought the cab noise was higher than my Ocean. Have joined your FB page - thanks for setting up. Jason
You could always wrap it in indium grey!!!
Very true!
Just looking at the Westy Joker high top at £104k makes the Sven look good value!
Yes we'd heard that the Club Joker had gone over six figures now... Wow, that's a huge amount of money for a 5.4m van!! That said, what a fantastic van that is!
Congrats on your new van…how do I contact you direct to hopefully pick up a few spares you may still have available….?
Hello! Well we've had a really good clear out already but if you email us at contact@campervantime.co.uk with what you're after we can see if we still have it !
Can’t wait the teasing is over and u in Cornwall?..
Yes we are! Having fantastic weather for lovely dog walks on the beaches 😀
That Scott at Wanderhome is lethal. just went to see if my bike would fit into a MoHo garage. Yes he sold me a new van coming in September. Terrible salesman 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Hate waiting.
Lethal indeed!!! September will be here before we know it. It better be!!
I’m on catchup. Sorry if I missed it but could you fit in the transverse bed in either vehicles? I’m 6ft3 and it didn’t feel good. Does the pop out part in the Sven help?
Hi! Yes it absolutely does help, as it gives a huge amount more leg and foot space in the van for the transverse bed. Completely makes the Crafter / TGE base van work as it should do for sleeping sideways across it.
Cant wait to see your new VW Grand California 😂
Maybe... Maybe Not... !!!
Hi..great videos & really good editing..BUT i personally feel as though i need to leave the party..with the price of the van i cannot relate to you anymore..cost of living in the real world..good luck to you both but its goodbye from me
Unimog? That'd be on my wish list.
Oh yeah!!!
Could you post the spec on your van as on the Westfalia price list there are a stack of options, comfort pack etc. Obviously the standard spec will be over the base vehicle, Engine 140 or 177 manual or Auto etc.
It is a shame you sold the Cali as I expect price for used 4 motion are going up due to VW cancelling all 4x4 van options. You could probably have used it all summer and got more for it.
That's probably true re our Cali but you can only do what feels right at the time I suppose. In terms of the spec, it's a fixed spec from Westfalia on their Limited Edition models (that's all they are building, you can't spec your own Sven at the moment). Take a look at this link and it has the full spec, but it's got the comfort pack, winter pack, second leisure battery, adaptive cruise, led lights etc etc: www.westfalia-mobil.com/0downloaddocs/Sondermodelle_Flyer/2022_11_WM_SvenHedin_Sondermodell_Flyer_EN_Homepage.pdf
@@CampervanTime sorry I realise how cruel my comment was, I often make that mistake and hindsight is 20-20. Of course had you not sold the Cali you would not have gone through the process that got you to the van you really wanted, as you could not risk ordering one on the speculation of your cali being worth X amount.
It has all the best add ons, what is missing or extra to your original spec? I would have flagged comfort pack, auto 177bhp and winter pack as a minimum. Not sure if it has a rear camera but easy to add as part of a dash cam system. I would imagine you can add a factory fit towbar. I would add one for a towbar bike carrier.
I am really pleased you didn’t end up in a Grand 600. Every time you came back to it parked up or camping, you would get that hollow feeling of a lost love. Fate would be cruel and have you parking next to a Sven almost every site you booked. Instead you can drive past the grands looking so cool and feeling smug that they are turning a little green.
We didn't read it that way Stephen, don't worry! The Sven does come with the rear view camera, so the only things we'd have liked which is doesn't have are electric folding mirrors rather than manual folding. It comes with the electrics for the tow bar so adding the physical bar is a simple bolt on too. We're having Wandahome fit a solar panel for us right from the start too, as the limited edition spec doesn't come with one, but easily added as the wiring is there for it from the factory too. Will be great to have a van again!
@@CampervanTime the solar panel option was very expensive anyway, you could get a 300w panel set fitted for that price. It looks fantastic in the flannel grey and that colour will stay clean looking for weeks whereas metallic black looks dirty around 2 mins after you have cleaned it.
I don’t think you will miss the electric folding mirrors, they are so high you probably won’t need to put them in very often. I would suggest you get anti bandit film fitted to the cab side windows, at around £300 and hammers bounce off.
Ooo sounds good, will look in to that
Maybe if ye find the couple they’ll lend you there Sven over the summer 😂
Ha! Somehow I think they might be using it quite a bit!!
Ohh id say its a westfalia 😊
You guys were a big loss for VW marketing- what an oversight on their part!
Hi, We have a 2023 T6.1 Ocean and this is my daily drive. But I can see the benefit of the Sven but would it be ok for a daily drive. We live in Beverley near
South Cave and plan to visit Wanerhome and try to do a deal on a Sven. Would appreciate your thoughts.
Hey Richard - congrats on ordering the Flannel Grey Sven that they have at Wandahome - you're very lucky to find one ready to go and brand new! Very very pleased for you, you'll have to let us know where you're planning to go first in it. Thanks for joining the FB group too, starting to be some great chat in there and hits/tips etc.
Collecting next Saturday and then on Monday off to France for a week staying at the city campsite in Paris.@@CampervanTime
Cant wait
Thanks for another great video....been looking at the Sven for a while now and it's a great choice. My only question is have you looked into depreciation? This is the strong point of the VWs California [ which I have at the moment] and given the research you usually put into your choices , wonder if you have any information on that aspect of this great van. Be really interested to see your views.
That is exactly what i am wondering as well especially on a van of that price but it is a VW Crafer isn't it.
Good question. Kind of is the answer. We looked at the Grand vs the California Ocean and used the finance calculator on the vw website to see what the residual/GFV would be for each (204 Ocean vs GC600 3.5T - no options on either) and the Ocean was higher, despite the fact the GC600 costs more RRP. Then I looked at Drivethedeal to see what discounts were out there on both (as at today, 12.5% on the Ocean and 16.5% on the GC600). All this says to me that VW know that the market resale value for the GC600 is less than their RRP suggests and they can correct for some of that with discounts and lower GFV on PCP quotes. We knew if we went GC600 then it would lose more money than the Ocean.
Now the Sven is a bit more tricky to work out, given there isn’t any PCP or even any for sale second hand. I think that’s where we start to feel comfortable, a triple of (a) long lead times (b) no discounts on RRP or very small (c) extremely scarce second hand. All that lot drives demand for used and thus will hopefully keep residuals at a good level. It’s built on a great base van, has a great converter with a great reputation so fingers crossed! Look at cars like the Audi RS models as a slight comparison, they don’t get discounted at new, are reasonably scarce and hold their money very very well, when compared to a (say) BMW M3 of a modern era, where they discounted heavily and did 0% finance on them for a while.
I think the resale on the Westfalia Sven will be way better than a grand California ..Westfalia really do hold there money well in 16 we bought a Columbus for 52k and sold it too a dealer after 2yrs for 50k..also campersales had a 18plate Sven for sale in 2020 when we were looking and it was from memory around 75k at 2 years old.😮
Nice 👍
Sounds rude to say whenever I see them vans I instantly think aw one of them type of couples 🤔😂🤦♂️ congratulations though 👍
That’s all good, we’re firmly in middle age territory now which means we aren’t bothered !! 🤣🤣🤣
@@CampervanTime as long as you don’t start requesting to stay on sites with no kids your good with me 🤦♂️😂😂😂
😂😂
I hope there are not going to be any Bernards :-)
🤣 there better not be!!
Congratulations with the new van. We pick Our Sven Hedin up from Wandahome n the 2nd of May after having a California for many years. Really looking forward to the extra room. We too thought the leather option was on the pricey side and will look aftermarket at some point. Just wondering what your thoughts are on the wheels. Are you looking to upgrade or did you go for the steel option?
Fantastic! Is yours Indium Grey or Flannel Grey? We saw both when we went up there a week or so ago. So exciting!! We do think it looks lightly under-wheeled on the standard black steel wheels. We’ll more than likely put some black alloys on it with BF Goodridge Trail Terrain tyres on. Don’t want to go the full All Terrain tyres but the Trails still have the white writing on :)
@@CampervanTime Hi, it's the Indium Grey one - not seen the Flannel Grey but sure it looks really nice. Looking at the BF Goodridge Trail Terrain tyres, but struggling to come to a decision on the wheels.
@@kevinfossali2899 Hi Kevin what model and year have you gone for as I am now looking at these Sven's with envy, we have a Cali Ocean and we love it but it would be great to have a bed that's ready to always use :) we love the pop up roof bed but that Westfalia has really piqued my interest even if the price is just shocking :)
@@andyarmitage2895 Hi Andy, its new but not the limited edition model. We have opted for the 177hp auto engine. The limited edition wasn't available when we ordered last June!! Sold our California, had an Eriba caravan for a year or so whilst we were waiting and making our minds up.
@@kevinfossali2899 Sounds fab I just wish they weren't that price! I thought our Ocean was expensive :) but that is WOW but I love the van, is yours the same sort of spec Kevin? Don't they come with alloys for that price!
Out of interest how much is the road tax on this vehicle in the first year is it cheaper than our Cali which is still £450 a year due to it costing over £40k new? Also has this van shot up in price from the previous year and do these have good residuals as I can't find any used for sale :)
It's the same road tax as a new Cali. Sounds like your Cali was one of the ones that wasn't registered as a motor caravan, as these don't have that premium car tax issue (there was about 12 months of time where VW were doing this I seem to remember, about 2017/18ish from memory??). Yes the Sven has shot up in price, but that's more down to the cost of the base vehicle than Westfalia in particular. At a lot of the shows etc it says 'from £66,000' or something like that, which is a bit naughty because you can't order one at that (Jan 22) base price, they are only doing the Limited Edition ones for 2023, which are a fixed spec. On top of that original 66k price there are a load of extras that most people would see as essential too (cab air conditioning for example!), meaning even in Jan22 a realistic price would have been more like £80k+. Residuals - well I think you've hit the nail on the head. There are none for sale second hand anywhere so when one comes up it commands a big price. They are rare, good quality, well regarded, sought after and on a reasonably long lead time from new (without and discounts either!) so all that adds up to strong residuals.
@@CampervanTime Thanks for the reply ours is a 2019 model and on the logbook it says it's a diesel car! Is there anything I can do about that I wonder. I can imagine the base van has shot up in price as well just like everything else 😐 so isn't there any chance of a discount on the Sven buying it new! Since you brought this van to my attention I have become a bit obsessed with it as I so want one, out of interest I don't know if you would know this but if you wild camped in the Sven and you had the solar panel on the roof would that power a small hairdryer as Linda's hair goes curly (not a great look) and she needs that dryer 😁 or would you still need EHU are there any pictures of the panel on the roof I bet it will fit well.
@@andyarmitage2895 Hi Andy. I don't know if you can re-classify your Cali since it has been already registered. One for the DVLA probably? Discount on a Sven - no, sorry, unless you are much better at negotiating than me! They (Westfalia) are only building a specific number this year due to how many MAN TGE base vans they have secured (and a subset of those to the UK in RHD spec), so it's more of a race to get your name down for one of those than have to wait until mid 2024 onwards. There's always other things to discuss with dealers though, like alloys, solar panels, power banks etc. In terms of solar on the van, no, it wouldn't be powerful enough for that directly (it's there to top up the leisure batteries) so you'd need either an inverter or and easier and better option would be a 240v rechargeable power bank like an EcoFlow Delta 2. We have one and will be reviewing it soon on the channel. Essentially you can charge that up at home/in the van/from portable solar and then it gives out 2000w+ of power with mains sockets built in. It does power hair dryers, air fryers, coffee machines, kettles etc if you want in the van, without hookup.
@@CampervanTime Hi Will thanks for that I didn't think I would get a discount if I order one and that depresses me as I love haggling for a deal. It's just now trying to convince myself that £91k for a van is the thing to do 😊 like yourselves we love the layout of the van and the fixed bed is really what we would like it would mean getting a small car for Linda to use as she wouldn't want to drive that size van when she goes to play badmington 😆 are you getting alloys and solar on yours? I can't believe that van doesn't come with alloys at that price.
There's nothing stopping you trying for a deal of course, you might be able to manage something. Remember you can pick up standard VW Grand California alloys (with tyres, mostly new) from Facebook / forums etc for about £400-500 a full set, so it's not a big deal in the whole scheme of things. I also tend to think that when vehicles don't tend to have discounts, have significant supply constraint/lead times, are good quality and are sought after, that all tends to mean really decent residual values. There is a reason they are expensive and for once I don't think it is profiteering, I think it's low volume production and quality workmanship. From what I've seen as well, you never seem to see Sven (or Columbus) owners really having any issues, like leaking water things, dodgy electrics, heater not working, water dumping, roof leaking etc. Everyone just seems to love their Westy....
M.A.N WESTPHALIA Sven Hedin?
🥱
Congratulations, blacks great but not on van😂,, far too hard to keep clean on a vehicle of this size👍
That did worry us when we first placed our order. The Svens in the Flannel Grey colour have literally only just been starting to come into the UK so it's always hard to chose from a picture alone. Looks fantastic and summery in the flesh.
I believed that a MAN was from Germany...........what has Sweden to do with it........Sven Hedin
Ha! Good question, from what we know it's simply the Westfalia naming convention of vans, naming them after explorers - that's all !
No longer wee dubbers anymore need to change name ov channel.😢
Erm... we have! We're now Campervan Time, but will always be California Time to those that know!
Sorry.all good then try camper jam western park. They let man vans in 😊
Easter roast put on hold, Can't wait