We've had our 600 for a year now. Found the video spot on - a detailed and accurate description of the pros and cons of ownership ............. mostly pros, as far as we're concerned
Entertaining, in-depth analysis. You've convinced me we made the right choice with a Cali, despite bed phaff. Well for the time being anyway! If you need more space and can handle it then the 680 would seem a better option for little extra. Some of the independent conversions also look stunning.
Great review! I enjoyed watching it this morning from my GC600 on the road in the Pyrenees. I’ve had mine almost a year, however thanks to your review I learnt a thing or 2 ! The ooooonly time that big table is worthwhile is when there’s 3 or more people on board eating drinking, playing cards etc!
I was hoping you give me a good reason to dislike it😂 niggles can be sorted 😊 bout the only thing I can see is I was hoping for a bed I didn’t have to make every night 😊
Yep some interesting alternatives out there now with pop top options. Westfalia Columbus (albeit on a Ducato) can have a pop top too, as can the James Cook. Adria do them too of course.
Thanks both you covered a mass of info after your short loan, well done. Just completed our first year with the GC 600 our first ever van. Have done 14k miles and multiple trips in UK and abroad. Some gripes but on balance love it. Can you possibly direct us to the fix for control panel disconnection from the Truma panel as our heating going off in the middle of the night is painful especially camped up in Braemar at -16C recently! Keep up the good work. Thanks.
Great to hear. Truma/CP thing - sure - if you look at the back of the truma control panel (get down on the floor with a torch) you'll see a load of plugs in the back of it. The one you need to unplug is a telephone type connector that has a brown and white wire - it's the lower one of the two telephone type connectors. Just use a little screwdriver or knife to lift the locking tab and pull it backwards out of the panel. Very easy to do without even unscrewing the panel. Job done!
You seem to review all the vehicles I'm considering, everytime I do a YT I'm pleased to see your unbiased videos! This is just too utilitarian and unwelcoming for my liking, someone described it as like living in an MRI scanner which isn't too far of the mark. Didn't you find it a bit we erm basic inside for a 100k van? We're likely to follow your same journey and buy a SH (mainly as you've done all the hard research already), I was gutted I missed out on a 12m old one for 75k sold privately......
Thats a good all round review. If you use the VW front screen curtain, ditch the tent poles & just use the loops to hang it over the sun visors & tuck in at the bottom of the screen. Works fine & far simpler. Also note - if you buy a GC600 2 berth the front skylight is a lot smaller than the one you get if you have the extra bed. A couple of things you didn't show that we never solved, how to keep the toilet roll dry when you use the shower? that bathroom cupboard isn't watertight. Also how little space there is to manoeuvre when the upper bed ladder is in place, to get from the rear bed int the toilet you have to go up the ladder to make enough room to open the toilet door. We found the lounge area still perfectly usable whilst the top bed was in position, similar headroom as an Ocean with the upper bed down. Just need to dump the ladder. It's pretty easy to get into the top bed using a combination of the rear bench set, backrest & kitchen top.
Thanks Andy We didn't have a problem with the toilet roll getting wet in the little cupboard even when I had quite a long shower in there. I wonder they've changed something on the latest builds? The upper ladder space thing is a bit of a Tetris joke really! It's very tight but obviously didn't bother us as there was just the two of us but good tip re access to upper bed without ladder!
@@The0Kuki not a lot to add its self explanatory - you get a much bigger front skylight if you order the extra bed - the option for the extra bed says -Over-cab bed, with access ladder, additional lighting and larger skylight - the normal skylight is 700x600 the larger one is 700x850mm
--> Interesting Video 😁 The Grand California has a very well thought-out design. It is one of the best-selling camper vans in Germany. A large proportion of RV rental companies have both models in their rental fleets. One advantage of the vehicle is that it can be driven to almost any VW dealer for a full service, which is a great advantage throughout Europe. There are currently many Grand California 4sale, the new vehicle sales price has fallen sharply compared to previous years.
Very good review, I really like your videos, although I do not understand everything. I am German. 😉 As far as I know you already had 2 "normal" Californias and also a dog. So after the first one you decided to buy another one despite of the dog. So why do you think now that you need more space? And do you think that you have more space at the right positions in a Grand California? I mean when I see the dinette, it is apperently much more narrow than in a T California. And also the kitchen doesn't seem to be really bigger and you have to bend to get something out of the lower drawers.Ok you have a shower, but isn't it only a emergency solution when you can not take a shower on a campsite? Consider the rework after taking a shower (cleaning, filling up the water tank). In addition the low water pressure and the narrowness of the bathroom. So maybe there are only a few advantages but also some disadvantages when you swith from a T California to a Grand California.
Correct, we had two Californias before and we're thinking about something bigger. We like the thought of having a fixed bed and somewhere other than the main living space for the dog to go to sleep in. Having a toilet and shower with you (we think) is nice too, as we have stayed at some campsites where we really would have preferred anything other than their own showers(!) so having your own would be nice. There are advantages and disadvantages as you say.
Thanks Sarah, Will and Roxy, really enjoyed your video, you put so much effort into your VLOGS. Great way for Roxy to travel, what would you do when she is fully grown? Would Roxy still fit in that crate? If so, brilliant. Loved the roof bed demo, I sleep in the roof bed in our Bilbo LWB Celex T6.1, it's a tad of a challenge, even more so that the GC 600, as there is no ladder, but it is cosy, until there is a thunder and lightning storm, and then it's less fun, and I decant to the lower bed!!! Looking forward to more of your thoughts on the GC and can't wait to see what you do buy, eventually, a bit of a blow re the 12 month delay for 40MO, so glad we got ours when we did. Cheers.
We’d be thinking the same, Will she still fit in that crate?! Who knows!! If not she’d have to be tethered in a proper harness somewhere secure I suppose. Your upper bed sounds like fun!!
@@CampervanTime it certainly is, but I'm OK with it. We chose the LWB conversion over a California Ocean to benefit from the extra floor space for our dog, and us. He wears a harness and seat belt and is attached to the driver's seat from the back, he lies on his bed on the floor which is behind the driver's seat in front of the fridge. It works. I like the GC but I wouldn't want to drive or park that size of LV, nor do I want to clean a shower, loo, wash basin 😊 You could put a collapsible plastic bowl in the drop down sink to wash your face properly without the water running. Good luck with your decision making, maybe try to hire or borrow other alternatives to help with your research? Lots more Vlogs for us all to enjoy. I hope you get what you want soon. Cheers 🥂
Hello Both, Thanks for all yours feedbacks and analyses. Question for you : could you please provide me with the site name of the people doing shelves in the rear cupboard? I am loocking for one solution in our GC . Cheers.
Nice review of the grand california, how is the dog doing? We also have a medium size dog that comes with us. Doubt between the small and large California.
Roxy is doing well thank you, a bit less bitey now which we're thankful for! Well I think you could make either work to be honest - the Grand has the garage space that you can put a proper crate in for travel if you wanted to (like we did) but if they are older and more sensible than Roxy then maybe you could do away with this and just tether inside on the bench seat or floor in front of the bench for travel. The shower at the back of the van being warm is one useful difference between the Cali and Grand Cali.
Brilliant as always both of you. Re the infotainment, I have a two month old 6.1 and I have lost track of the reboots and car switch offs I have had to do. Problems include disconnecting CarPlay when I switch to radio (then losing everything - maps phone etc), to disconnecting sound when you temporarily switch off by the left button to see the clock etc). Also the usual failure to connect on start. Very disappointed I have to say. Can VW try and fix / improve this??! It’s vital for when driving.
I have a new T6.1 as well and the Android Auto is terrible as well. Have other new VAG group cars and dont have any of the issues we have on the van, so they must use a real cheapo or old version of the software on these vehicles. I get constant connection issues, error messages etc and its forever just losing the various apps from the list etc. Really poor.
I wish they'd just fix it once and for all. We always seemed to be getting updates downloaded to it over the air but then nothing seemed to improve. It's taken VW a long while to sort out the id.3 software so I suspect that general team/department is swamped with bug fixes and work to sort out.
HELLO Sir You two both are really perfect Reviewers.... I have a Question : ( When Someone washes his hands in that camper van then the water 💦 where will go ? ) ❤
@@CampervanTime we saw you guys yesterday (Saturday? Browsing the accessories in Hall 4 as we were. We would have loved to have caught up, but we were all swept away in the crowds. Wow it was busy, but a great show 👍
Sorry about that, yes it was very busy yesterday. We need a new plan for next year because it was very tricky to film as you can imagine!! Sorry we missed you, hopefully next time eh!
Yep, water tank. That is a fixed panel (in the garage area) and under the mattress at the top there is a panel you can lift out to access the top of the tank, so emptying, water pump access etc.
Thank you, really enjoyed this really thorough review of the GC and the brief Roxy cameo. 😍. Sorry just a couple of driving questions - What’s the GC like to drive, does the roof make it feel unstable on motorways and is the height a challenge. Having had a 4motion do you think you’d miss the having the all wheel drive ?
Hello! Roof, no issues except possibly a little more prone to wind noise when doing 65+, so depends what speed you like to cruise at. Handling doesn't seem to have been affected by it at all, even with that upper bed in there. They also have cross wind assist as standard so if there is a sudden gust it will help you (we never felt/needed this in our week with it). 4-mo, well, I don't think we'd miss it but we're not really off grid swamper type campers, and the gearbox in the Grand being a different type of automatic (torque converter rather than DSG/double clutch) means it is much easier to control low speed take offs and control the power. This really helps with wet road pull aways from junctions. We have a driving 'point of view' style video at night coming up in a couple of weeks time, where we show the headlights, test the acceleration out of a wet junction etc. That may help you a bit more.
On a van that expensive I want things to work. I don’t want to find work around for dumping of water in winter. These are silly issues that need fixing by manufacturer. Also the kitchen pull out is a waste of time. Who puts a chopping board on top a bed 🤷♀️ this van should be a market leader. I so wanted to like it.
Great video guys, has it made your made your minds up? My only issue is there’s a myriad of options to choose from which does hike up the price on the Grand.
Our lips are sealed but will will start talking about our future van plans soon! Re price, yes, there are some things that I think a lot of people would either expect to get or just want to have on a Grand, so that does push the price up, although residuals should improve if they are significant items (awning, for example). A lot of it also depends on how you would plan to use the van. There is only the two of us, so we wouldn't order the top bed thing, for example, but we would want the diesel heating option to save on buying/worrying about gas all the time. Remember there are dealer discounts out there too for the Grand, and they're higher than the Cali, which makes it MUCH more competitive on price to something like an Adria etc.
Apologies for not covering that but you're right, it is an important part of a camper. The water pressure is certainly nowhere near the same as a house/flat, but it is enough for the sink/shower to function. Some people have fitted a larger pump to make the pressure better too.
We’ve gone with a Westfalia Sven Hedin, only 2 berth but suits us well. It’s based on the MAN TGE which is a Crafter with a different badge. There’s also a new Adria built on the same that’s worth looking at, but not so many built on MAN or VW base vehicles
Yes good choices I’ve also seen a new Knaus box drive 600 XL. Would love a review on that one 😉 I really love the little Ford Nugget Plus Tend high top. Shame they are not bringing one to the UK ☹️
Looked at one of these before purchasing our Cali Ocean and found it basically flawed throughout and definitely not an option for us. Your comprehensive and honest video confirms this very well. Lots of nice features and super VW quality but as a total (and expensive) package it just does not work. If only VW had followed a layout similar to some of the Fiat Ducato competitors in this sector and combined it with their clever design and quality finish they would have an absolute winner. The standard Cali is a leader in the sector for all these reasons, VW just got it wrong on the big brother…such a pity as I’d buy one in a heartbeat if they’d got it right!
What do you find flawed about it out of interest? We're not keen on the rear lounge type layout and this style (ie GC 600 / 680 layout) seems to be becoming more and more common?
@@CampervanTime it’s the very cramped front layout and without rear lounge the only place to relax is “in bed”. Most of the Ducatos even if they have a fixed bed in the rear provide a much better front living area.
Great video as always, thanks for that. But this is not a true California, since it simply is too big. The Ocean I own takes its advantages from the size, being a good Allrounder for everyday use and smaller trips. The GC in its class has a lot of serious competitors that the T6.1 doesn't have. My dealer had a GC available when I ordered mine, it was even cheaper. But all in all, it is no alternative for me.
What a great choice to have to make! So many lovely vans on the market and the Ford Nugget is very nice and well thought through. Westfalia have done a good job on the conversion there for sure. They are quite different vans though, with the obvious size, length, interior feature differences. If you're trying to replace a car then probably the Nugget (or a Westfalia Club Joker City perhaps??), or if you're not, then a larger Crafter/MAN TGE/Sprinter type van would be great I'd think. I agree with Mark below, there are a lot of opinions on the Grand Cali out there, many of them from people who haven't driven, owned or camped in one so just read wisely!
Very interesting as always. As an aside do you or anyone know if the California Ocean in 4-Motion variant will be in production again? The configurator has recently removed the 4-Motion option
My understanding from speaking to the dealers is that there is a hold on placing 4-mo orders rather than a full deleting, due to supply availability of some of the 4wd components (not sure which). So all Transporter and Crafter 4-mo options are currently not able to be ordered. I think they said this was for 12 months from when they were taken off the configurator, so that must be about 1-2 months ago now.
Quite a few people seem to buy a solar generator - or lithium powered 240v power supply and carry it with them for off grid 240v, or to charge the van batteries if off grid too. Some have fitted an inverter into the van itself with extra battery capacity too.
Hello Both Another question . Do you know any possibility to buy front side window curtains left and right for Grand California .I have some difficulty to find them. Thanks in advance for your help. All the best .
It is a little narrow there. It’s tricky really because the crafter isn’t the best base van because of its shape. Ducato is more boxy so suits it better. And that big bathroom too - takes quite a bit of space.
Always look forward to your blogs but please please don’t buy a grand they look so clumsy and ugly !! Pop back to Poole and get your old van back 😂 keep up the good work x
She doesn't live in there! When travelling it's for her safety and she enjoys it as her own safe space. At home we can leave the door open on her crate and she'll take herself off in there if she wants to. Totally agree about the running though... She loves to run! 🤣
Great review but definitely not for me. It seems VW are trying to be everything to everyone and it doesn’t work. It just seems so cramped. The roof bed is a waste of space in my opinion., it's very claustrophobic. The kitchen is so squashed up. There are so many design problems with this van, can't believe there is no inverter!.I'd suggest you check out other reviews of the van and to be honest it didn't score well. Much better vans on the market particularly in Europe. Having said that we all have our own preferences.
Of course the roof bed is a waste of space ........... unless you need it for people to sleep in! With three adults, or two adults and two children, it's essential, and we've found it works very well
I never get cold in my pop top with it up and the heating is on. If you do, your heater output is not rated high enough. At a starting price of £82k the grand caliornia is a rip off. There are many other options, with proper insulation and more space and useability to buy at a sensible price. I personally wouldn't buy a van that big. You get to the camp site and that is it. You can't find anywhere to park a big van at attractions and on single track Scottish or Cornish narrow roads they are a nightmare. Not worth even considering. A caravan is cheaper and more flexible, if you need more space than a smaller van.
We just have been doing it wrong in our Calis for the last four years then as we always found that if you wanted the pop top to be warm you'd probably roast the lower level (poor dog!). We always found that the aluminium rails in the floor felt cold underfoot almost regardless of heating settings and the cold draft from inside the kitchen cupboards (bare metal rear wall!) also always felt chilly in the winter months. From our experience in being away in this van for that weekend we did thread it down some nice tight lanes and park in several beach front carparks without really worrying about it. We just overhung the back of the van over a grassy area (ie pick the space wisely) and that make it no longer than a car. We've not had a caravan but that must be tricky on tight country lanes too?
@@CampervanTime I haven't got a caravan, I have a LWB pop top. Just been away to Keswick end of Jan for 3 days, warm as toast throughout. As for the caravan, as opposed to a large van or motorhome. You drive to the campsite on wider nicer roads generally, park it up, then go and explore in the car. In a large van, you can't do that, you are more or less stuck in the campsite or if you do go out, you have to find massive car parks to put it. I have even seen large motorhome and large van owners use public transport after arriving on site, which is rubbish. No I will stick with my pop top, small enough to explore but just large enough to live in on a holiday, the best of both worlds. There is no perfect solution though. If you want extra heat in the pop top, use an electric blanket. There are only two of us so we always put the pop top down at bed time anyway. If I wanted more space and flexibility for four people and a dog, I would buy a caravan. A bailey phoenix 640 would be my advice and a good savings account for the over £60k you would save over the grand california and have a better user experience as well.Grand Californias are just too expensive, big and inflexible in use.
Just too big for too little. Never designed for 4.. I don't see this as a better option against a Nugget Plus High Top...other than the shower the rest isn't as good. Far too many superior 6M vans now if you only need 2WD
The Nugget Plus High Top is a great van there is no doubt. Westfalia have done a lovely job of the conversion, much like they do on their own branded vans. What is nice these days is the choice on the market, so whatever anyone happens to be looking for usually can be catered for.
Design disasters seem to abound as you show more of this van throughout the video. The upper bunk is awful. Westfalia realised long before VW decided to do it their way that on a platform such as this a usable upper bed requires the van to go to 3 m or a little higher. Witness the beds in the James Cook and the Club joker. My kids grew up in those upper bunks in the older James Cook models. They might have found this half-baked job a bit too much to bear. A really disappointing van requiring a big redesign.
Depends if you need one at all I suppose and even if you do, what age / size you need but it is a bit tricky with the ladder. In the Free 600 we looked at the bathroom seemed to have a low roof/not a lot of head room and also used a curtain too though. I’m still also not sure about a pop top on a bigger van, but that might just be me! So good that there is so much choice out there for everyone though.
@@CampervanTime absolutely, if you don’t need a second bed, there’s little point in the Poptop. Yes bathroom is tight. Just enough space IMO. To be honest, the shower will be a once in a blue moon. It’s really for the toilet, brushing teeth and hanging towels. Have you looked at the Columbus. That van impressed me the most, but didn’t want to spend the best part of £100k. Worth noting, the latest hymers have had some major upgrades. Water tank under the van, creating even more garage space, rear seat reclines slightly and it has a new multi purpose fixing board, which looks very useful. Worth a look 👍🏾
Sounds good, will take a look at the latest Hymers. The Columbus is fantastic but if we do have a bigger van I don't think we'd move away from wanting a Crafter / MAN platform (or Sprinter), because of how well they drive. I know that compromises the interior because they are narrower inside than the Ducato but... So that brings us back to the Sven Hedin then, but then there is the price issue there too.... Decisions decisions !
@@CampervanTime my Fiat 2022 van is the biggest let down. It’s ok, but no Volkswagen. Saying that Volkswagen build isn’t what it used to be. I drive a little Ford Connect for work and really impressed with the van. I’ve also used the bigger version and think it’s great. Possibly better than Volkswagen T-range. I wish more converters would use the big transit. Another point worth noting. I have the Truma combi gas/electric system. Get the diesel version. Truma Gas eats through a bottle in no time. I’m considering changing out a brand new combi gas boiler to diesel…
I've heard on the grapevine that Westfalia are looking at bringing their LHD big transit van they sell in Europe to the UK market - it looks great! Re Truma, yes absolutely!! The loan Grand had diesel heating and it worked brilliantly as you'd expect. Can't understand why manufacturers fit the gas one to be honest.
Some say coffin, some say cosy! Large van conversions are a half way house between a campervan and a motorhome I think. Motorhome to me says coachbuild on a ladder chassis, which has both advantages and disadvantages at the same time too.
We've had our 600 for a year now. Found the video spot on - a detailed and accurate description of the pros and cons of ownership ............. mostly pros, as far as we're concerned
Entertaining, in-depth analysis.
You've convinced me we made the right choice with a Cali, despite bed phaff. Well for the time being anyway!
If you need more space and can handle it then the 680 would seem a better option for little extra. Some of the independent conversions also look stunning.
Great review! I enjoyed watching it this morning from my GC600 on the road in the Pyrenees.
I’ve had mine almost a year, however thanks to your review I learnt a thing or 2 !
The ooooonly time that big table is worthwhile is when there’s 3 or more people on board eating drinking, playing cards etc!
Great stuff! I can just imagine the fantastic time you must be having!
Great, comprehensive and informative review that I will probably watch over a few times to take it all in.
🤣 yes sorry about the fact it was almost an hour long!! There's a lot to see and talk about with it!
Hi guys x amazing review! X I’ve been waiting for an honest review for the Grand Cali for ages. Thank you 🙏
Our pleasure!
I was hoping you give me a good reason to dislike it😂 niggles can be sorted 😊 bout the only thing I can see is I was hoping for a bed I didn’t have to make every night 😊
The hymer Grand Canyon s has a pop top can sleep 4 adults & hymer free s is a 5 berth 😊
Yep some interesting alternatives out there now with pop top options. Westfalia Columbus (albeit on a Ducato) can have a pop top too, as can the James Cook. Adria do them too of course.
So funny, just bought a grand cali from VW Birmingham based on your review and just realised its this same van 😂
Thanks both you covered a mass of info after your short loan, well done. Just completed our first year with the GC 600 our first ever van. Have done 14k miles and multiple trips in UK and abroad. Some gripes but on balance love it. Can you possibly direct us to the fix for control panel disconnection from the Truma panel as our heating going off in the middle of the night is painful especially camped up in Braemar at -16C recently!
Keep up the good work. Thanks.
Great to hear. Truma/CP thing - sure - if you look at the back of the truma control panel (get down on the floor with a torch) you'll see a load of plugs in the back of it. The one you need to unplug is a telephone type connector that has a brown and white wire - it's the lower one of the two telephone type connectors. Just use a little screwdriver or knife to lift the locking tab and pull it backwards out of the panel. Very easy to do without even unscrewing the panel. Job done!
@@CampervanTime Brilliant thanks Will/Sarah for such quick helpful advice. Good luck with your van deliberations!
You seem to review all the vehicles I'm considering, everytime I do a YT I'm pleased to see your unbiased videos! This is just too utilitarian and unwelcoming for my liking, someone described it as like living in an MRI scanner which isn't too far of the mark. Didn't you find it a bit we erm basic inside for a 100k van? We're likely to follow your same journey and buy a SH (mainly as you've done all the hard research already), I was gutted I missed out on a 12m old one for 75k sold privately......
Thats a good all round review.
If you use the VW front screen curtain, ditch the tent poles & just use the loops to hang it over the sun visors & tuck in at the bottom of the screen. Works fine & far simpler. Also note - if you buy a GC600 2 berth the front skylight is a lot smaller than the one you get if you have the extra bed.
A couple of things you didn't show that we never solved, how to keep the toilet roll dry when you use the shower? that bathroom cupboard isn't watertight. Also how little space there is to manoeuvre when the upper bed ladder is in place, to get from the rear bed int the toilet you have to go up the ladder to make enough room to open the toilet door.
We found the lounge area still perfectly usable whilst the top bed was in position, similar headroom as an Ocean with the upper bed down. Just need to dump the ladder. It's pretty easy to get into the top bed using a combination of the rear bench set, backrest & kitchen top.
Thanks Andy
We didn't have a problem with the toilet roll getting wet in the little cupboard even when I had quite a long shower in there. I wonder they've changed something on the latest builds?
The upper ladder space thing is a bit of a Tetris joke really! It's very tight but obviously didn't bother us as there was just the two of us but good tip re access to upper bed without ladder!
Also note - if you buy a GC600 2 berth the front skylight is a lot smaller than the one you get if you have the extra bed.
@@The0Kuki not a lot to add its self explanatory - you get a much bigger front skylight if you order the extra bed - the option for the extra bed says -Over-cab bed, with access ladder, additional lighting and larger skylight - the normal skylight is 700x600 the larger one is 700x850mm
--> Interesting Video 😁
The Grand California has a very well thought-out design. It is one of the best-selling camper vans in Germany. A large proportion of RV rental companies have both models in their rental fleets. One advantage of the vehicle is that it can be driven to almost any VW dealer for a full service, which is a great advantage throughout Europe. There are currently many Grand California 4sale, the new vehicle sales price has fallen sharply compared to previous years.
Very good review, I really like your videos, although I do not understand everything. I am German. 😉 As far as I know you already had 2 "normal" Californias and also a dog. So after the first one you decided to buy another one despite of the dog. So why do you think now that you need more space? And do you think that you have more space at the right positions in a Grand California? I mean when I see the dinette, it is apperently much more narrow than in a T California. And also the kitchen doesn't seem to be really bigger and you have to bend to get something out of the lower drawers.Ok you have a shower, but isn't it only a emergency solution when you can not take a shower on a campsite? Consider the rework after taking a shower (cleaning, filling up the water tank). In addition the low water pressure and the narrowness of the bathroom. So maybe there are only a few advantages but also some disadvantages when you swith from a T California to a Grand California.
Correct, we had two Californias before and we're thinking about something bigger. We like the thought of having a fixed bed and somewhere other than the main living space for the dog to go to sleep in. Having a toilet and shower with you (we think) is nice too, as we have stayed at some campsites where we really would have preferred anything other than their own showers(!) so having your own would be nice. There are advantages and disadvantages as you say.
Thanks Sarah, Will and Roxy, really enjoyed your video, you put so much effort into your VLOGS. Great way for Roxy to travel, what would you do when she is fully grown? Would Roxy still fit in that crate? If so, brilliant. Loved the roof bed demo, I sleep in the roof bed in our Bilbo LWB Celex T6.1, it's a tad of a challenge, even more so that the GC 600, as there is no ladder, but it is cosy, until there is a thunder and lightning storm, and then it's less fun, and I decant to the lower bed!!! Looking forward to more of your thoughts on the GC and can't wait to see what you do buy, eventually, a bit of a blow re the 12 month delay for 40MO, so glad we got ours when we did. Cheers.
We’d be thinking the same, Will she still fit in that crate?! Who knows!! If not she’d have to be tethered in a proper harness somewhere secure I suppose. Your upper bed sounds like fun!!
@@CampervanTime it certainly is, but I'm OK with it. We chose the LWB conversion over a California Ocean to benefit from the extra floor space for our dog, and us. He wears a harness and seat belt and is attached to the driver's seat from the back, he lies on his bed on the floor which is behind the driver's seat in front of the fridge. It works. I like the GC but I wouldn't want to drive or park that size of LV, nor do I want to clean a shower, loo, wash basin 😊 You could put a collapsible plastic bowl in the drop down sink to wash your face properly without the water running. Good luck with your decision making, maybe try to hire or borrow other alternatives to help with your research? Lots more Vlogs for us all to enjoy. I hope you get what you want soon. Cheers 🥂
Hello Both,
Thanks for all yours feedbacks and analyses.
Question for you : could you please provide me with the site name of the people doing shelves in the rear cupboard? I am loocking for one solution in our GC . Cheers.
Of course - www.yescampervan.co.uk
Nice review of the grand california, how is the dog doing? We also have a medium size dog that comes with us. Doubt between the small and large California.
Roxy is doing well thank you, a bit less bitey now which we're thankful for! Well I think you could make either work to be honest - the Grand has the garage space that you can put a proper crate in for travel if you wanted to (like we did) but if they are older and more sensible than Roxy then maybe you could do away with this and just tether inside on the bench seat or floor in front of the bench for travel. The shower at the back of the van being warm is one useful difference between the Cali and Grand Cali.
Thank you very much for your response!
Brilliant as always both of you. Re the infotainment, I have a two month old 6.1 and I have lost track of the reboots and car switch offs I have had to do. Problems include disconnecting CarPlay when I switch to radio (then losing everything - maps phone etc), to disconnecting sound when you temporarily switch off by the left button to see the clock etc). Also the usual failure to connect on start. Very disappointed I have to say. Can VW try and fix / improve this??! It’s vital for when driving.
I have a new T6.1 as well and the Android Auto is terrible as well. Have other new VAG group cars and dont have any of the issues we have on the van, so they must use a real cheapo or old version of the software on these vehicles. I get constant connection issues, error messages etc and its forever just losing the various apps from the list etc. Really poor.
I sympathise a lot! It’s really not good enough on a £70k car.
I wish they'd just fix it once and for all. We always seemed to be getting updates downloaded to it over the air but then nothing seemed to improve. It's taken VW a long while to sort out the id.3 software so I suspect that general team/department is swamped with bug fixes and work to sort out.
HELLO Sir
You two both are really perfect Reviewers....
I have a Question :
( When Someone washes his hands in that camper van then the water 💦 where will go ? )
❤
Fabulous very detailed vlog you guys. Loved it ❤️
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@CampervanTime we saw you guys yesterday (Saturday? Browsing the accessories in Hall 4 as we were. We would have loved to have caught up, but we were all swept away in the crowds. Wow it was busy, but a great show 👍
Sorry about that, yes it was very busy yesterday. We need a new plan for next year because it was very tricky to film as you can imagine!! Sorry we missed you, hopefully next time eh!
🤔 Interesting. Thanks. I missed what’s in the blank cupboard between the gas bottles & kitchen? Water tank?
Yep, water tank. That is a fixed panel (in the garage area) and under the mattress at the top there is a panel you can lift out to access the top of the tank, so emptying, water pump access etc.
Thank you, really enjoyed this really thorough review of the GC and the brief Roxy cameo. 😍. Sorry just a couple of driving questions - What’s the GC like to drive, does the roof make it feel unstable on motorways and is the height a challenge. Having had a 4motion do you think you’d miss the having the all wheel drive ?
Hello! Roof, no issues except possibly a little more prone to wind noise when doing 65+, so depends what speed you like to cruise at. Handling doesn't seem to have been affected by it at all, even with that upper bed in there. They also have cross wind assist as standard so if there is a sudden gust it will help you (we never felt/needed this in our week with it). 4-mo, well, I don't think we'd miss it but we're not really off grid swamper type campers, and the gearbox in the Grand being a different type of automatic (torque converter rather than DSG/double clutch) means it is much easier to control low speed take offs and control the power. This really helps with wet road pull aways from junctions. We have a driving 'point of view' style video at night coming up in a couple of weeks time, where we show the headlights, test the acceleration out of a wet junction etc. That may help you a bit more.
@@CampervanTime Brilliant, thank you so much for the detailed reply. Looking forward to your driving video :)
On a van that expensive I want things to work. I don’t want to find work around for dumping of water in winter. These are silly issues that need fixing by manufacturer. Also the kitchen pull out is a waste of time. Who puts a chopping board on top a bed 🤷♀️ this van should be a market leader. I so wanted to like it.
What are the hooks you've used for the van? IKEA?
Great video guys, has it made your made your minds up? My only issue is there’s a myriad of options to choose from which does hike up the price on the Grand.
Our lips are sealed but will will start talking about our future van plans soon! Re price, yes, there are some things that I think a lot of people would either expect to get or just want to have on a Grand, so that does push the price up, although residuals should improve if they are significant items (awning, for example). A lot of it also depends on how you would plan to use the van. There is only the two of us, so we wouldn't order the top bed thing, for example, but we would want the diesel heating option to save on buying/worrying about gas all the time. Remember there are dealer discounts out there too for the Grand, and they're higher than the Cali, which makes it MUCH more competitive on price to something like an Adria etc.
Nice.
wish we can get a glimpse of how much pressure there is on the water system for shower and sink
Apologies for not covering that but you're right, it is an important part of a camper. The water pressure is certainly nowhere near the same as a house/flat, but it is enough for the sink/shower to function. Some people have fitted a larger pump to make the pressure better too.
@@CampervanTime ok, thanks for the quick reply
What van would be most like this as an alternative option?
We’ve gone with a Westfalia Sven Hedin, only 2 berth but suits us well. It’s based on the MAN TGE which is a Crafter with a different badge. There’s also a new Adria built on the same that’s worth looking at, but not so many built on MAN or VW base vehicles
Yes good choices I’ve also seen a new Knaus box drive 600 XL. Would love a review on that one 😉 I really love the little Ford Nugget Plus Tend high top. Shame they are not bringing one to the UK ☹️
Looked at one of these before purchasing our Cali Ocean and found it basically flawed throughout and definitely not an option for us. Your comprehensive and honest video confirms this very well. Lots of nice features and super VW quality but as a total (and expensive) package it just does not work. If only VW had followed a layout similar to some of the Fiat Ducato competitors in this sector and combined it with their clever design and quality finish they would have an absolute winner. The standard Cali is a leader in the sector for all these reasons, VW just got it wrong on the big brother…such a pity as I’d buy one in a heartbeat if they’d got it right!
What do you find flawed about it out of interest? We're not keen on the rear lounge type layout and this style (ie GC 600 / 680 layout) seems to be becoming more and more common?
@@CampervanTime it’s the very cramped front layout and without rear lounge the only place to relax is “in bed”. Most of the Ducatos even if they have a fixed bed in the rear provide a much better front living area.
Great video as always, thanks for that. But this is not a true California, since it simply is too big. The Ocean I own takes its advantages from the size, being a good Allrounder for everyday use and smaller trips. The GC in its class has a lot of serious competitors that the T6.1 doesn't have. My dealer had a GC available when I ordered mine, it was even cheaper. But all in all, it is no alternative for me.
Great content it’s made our minds up to look for this model rather than a Ford Nugget , but after reading the comments maybe we won’t ?.👏👍
What a great choice to have to make! So many lovely vans on the market and the Ford Nugget is very nice and well thought through. Westfalia have done a good job on the conversion there for sure. They are quite different vans though, with the obvious size, length, interior feature differences. If you're trying to replace a car then probably the Nugget (or a Westfalia Club Joker City perhaps??), or if you're not, then a larger Crafter/MAN TGE/Sprinter type van would be great I'd think. I agree with Mark below, there are a lot of opinions on the Grand Cali out there, many of them from people who haven't driven, owned or camped in one so just read wisely!
We have a Nugget and love it. We have owned 2 Cali’s in the past plus larger 5.4m vans but, for us, the Nugget is the best yet.
Very interesting as always. As an aside do you or anyone know if the California Ocean in 4-Motion variant will be in production again? The configurator has recently removed the 4-Motion option
My understanding from speaking to the dealers is that there is a hold on placing 4-mo orders rather than a full deleting, due to supply availability of some of the 4wd components (not sure which). So all Transporter and Crafter 4-mo options are currently not able to be ordered. I think they said this was for 12 months from when they were taken off the configurator, so that must be about 1-2 months ago now.
@@CampervanTime Thanks for getting back to me - sure do hope they start production again!
Thank you for the in-depth review. No inverter! Crazy when you have an effective off grid vehicle.
Quite a few people seem to buy a solar generator - or lithium powered 240v power supply and carry it with them for off grid 240v, or to charge the van batteries if off grid too. Some have fitted an inverter into the van itself with extra battery capacity too.
@@CampervanTime I would have thought that for the price that one would have been included.
yep!
which campsite were you at?
Please do a cleaning outside before. It's really a dif.
Can the main bed be fitted as a single rather than a double?
Not really, I'm not sure how you'd be able to do that.
Hello Both
Another question .
Do you know any possibility to buy front side window curtains left and right for Grand California .I have some difficulty to find them.
Thanks in advance for your help. All the best .
Hi! Yes, you can by them from Remis, if you search for VW Crafter Remis Cab Blinds you'll find them. They're expensive though!
@@CampervanTime Thanks one more time !!!!
You mentioned a campervan equipment site. Could you post link please
Hi - Campervanbits.com - thanks
@@CampervanTime thank you
👍👍👍
Very full review and some good points but it’s not for me, mainly because it looks a little claustrophobic in the middle bit.
It is a little narrow there. It’s tricky really because the crafter isn’t the best base van because of its shape. Ducato is more boxy so suits it better. And that big bathroom too - takes quite a bit of space.
What’s the price on the 680 and 600 ?
Best to check the VW commercial website for latest prices, they seem to change all the time!
Always look forward to your blogs but please please don’t buy a grand they look so clumsy and ugly !! Pop back to Poole and get your old van back 😂 keep up the good work x
🤣 function over form perhaps?!
How can you put a border collie in a cage ? Those dogs are made for running outside all day long otherwise they become mad.
She doesn't live in there! When travelling it's for her safety and she enjoys it as her own safe space. At home we can leave the door open on her crate and she'll take herself off in there if she wants to. Totally agree about the running though... She loves to run! 🤣
How much is one of these?
Start from £80,600 but more with options, however discounts (pretty sizeable) are out there on them too.
Great review but definitely not for me. It seems VW are trying to be everything to everyone and it doesn’t work. It just seems so cramped. The roof bed is a waste of space in my opinion., it's very claustrophobic. The kitchen is so squashed up. There are so many design problems with this van, can't believe there is no inverter!.I'd suggest you check out other reviews of the van and to be honest it didn't score well. Much better vans on the market particularly in Europe. Having said that we all have our own preferences.
Of course the roof bed is a waste of space ........... unless you need it for people to sleep in! With three adults, or two adults and two children, it's essential, and we've found it works very well
I never get cold in my pop top with it up and the heating is on. If you do, your heater output is not rated high enough.
At a starting price of £82k the grand caliornia is a rip off. There are many other options, with proper insulation and more space and useability to buy at a sensible price. I personally wouldn't buy a van that big. You get to the camp site and that is it. You can't find anywhere to park a big van at attractions and on single track Scottish or Cornish narrow roads they are a nightmare. Not worth even considering. A caravan is cheaper and more flexible, if you need more space than a smaller van.
We just have been doing it wrong in our Calis for the last four years then as we always found that if you wanted the pop top to be warm you'd probably roast the lower level (poor dog!). We always found that the aluminium rails in the floor felt cold underfoot almost regardless of heating settings and the cold draft from inside the kitchen cupboards (bare metal rear wall!) also always felt chilly in the winter months. From our experience in being away in this van for that weekend we did thread it down some nice tight lanes and park in several beach front carparks without really worrying about it. We just overhung the back of the van over a grassy area (ie pick the space wisely) and that make it no longer than a car. We've not had a caravan but that must be tricky on tight country lanes too?
@@CampervanTime I haven't got a caravan, I have a LWB pop top. Just been away to Keswick end of Jan for 3 days, warm as toast throughout. As for the caravan, as opposed to a large van or motorhome. You drive to the campsite on wider nicer roads generally, park it up, then go and explore in the car. In a large van, you can't do that, you are more or less stuck in the campsite or if you do go out, you have to find massive car parks to put it. I have even seen large motorhome and large van owners use public transport after arriving on site, which is rubbish. No I will stick with my pop top, small enough to explore but just large enough to live in on a holiday, the best of both worlds. There is no perfect solution though. If you want extra heat in the pop top, use an electric blanket. There are only two of us so we always put the pop top down at bed time anyway. If I wanted more space and flexibility for four people and a dog, I would buy a caravan. A bailey phoenix 640 would be my advice and a good savings account for the over £60k you would save over the grand california and have a better user experience as well.Grand Californias are just too expensive, big and inflexible in use.
Just too big for too little. Never designed for 4.. I don't see this as a better option against a Nugget Plus High Top...other than the shower the rest isn't as good. Far too many superior 6M vans now if you only need 2WD
The Nugget Plus High Top is a great van there is no doubt. Westfalia have done a lovely job of the conversion, much like they do on their own branded vans. What is nice these days is the choice on the market, so whatever anyone happens to be looking for usually can be catered for.
Promo'SM 💥
Design disasters seem to abound as you show more of this van throughout the video. The upper bunk is awful. Westfalia realised long before VW decided to do it their way that on a platform such as this a usable upper bed requires the van to go to 3 m or a little higher. Witness the beds in the James Cook and the Club joker. My kids grew up in those upper bunks in the older James Cook models. They might have found this half-baked job a bit too much to bear. A really disappointing van requiring a big redesign.
Poor dog
Why do you tubers keep making that annoying tutting noise before talking. Especially this guy
You should have made this video without the lady.
That upper bed is totally useless. Thank god I went Hymer…
Depends if you need one at all I suppose and even if you do, what age / size you need but it is a bit tricky with the ladder. In the Free 600 we looked at the bathroom seemed to have a low roof/not a lot of head room and also used a curtain too though. I’m still also not sure about a pop top on a bigger van, but that might just be me! So good that there is so much choice out there for everyone though.
@@CampervanTime absolutely, if you don’t need a second bed, there’s little point in the Poptop.
Yes bathroom is tight. Just enough space IMO. To be honest, the shower will be a once in a blue moon. It’s really for the toilet, brushing teeth and hanging towels.
Have you looked at the Columbus. That van impressed me the most, but didn’t want to spend the best part of £100k.
Worth noting, the latest hymers have had some major upgrades. Water tank under the van, creating even more garage space, rear seat reclines slightly and it has a new multi purpose fixing board, which looks very useful.
Worth a look 👍🏾
Sounds good, will take a look at the latest Hymers. The Columbus is fantastic but if we do have a bigger van I don't think we'd move away from wanting a Crafter / MAN platform (or Sprinter), because of how well they drive. I know that compromises the interior because they are narrower inside than the Ducato but... So that brings us back to the Sven Hedin then, but then there is the price issue there too.... Decisions decisions !
@@CampervanTime my Fiat 2022 van is the biggest let down. It’s ok, but no Volkswagen.
Saying that Volkswagen build isn’t what it used to be.
I drive a little Ford Connect for work and really impressed with the van. I’ve also used the bigger version and think it’s great. Possibly better than Volkswagen T-range. I wish more converters would use the big transit.
Another point worth noting. I have the Truma combi gas/electric system. Get the diesel version. Truma Gas eats through a bottle in no time.
I’m considering changing out a brand new combi gas boiler to diesel…
I've heard on the grapevine that Westfalia are looking at bringing their LHD big transit van they sell in Europe to the UK market - it looks great! Re Truma, yes absolutely!! The loan Grand had diesel heating and it worked brilliantly as you'd expect. Can't understand why manufacturers fit the gas one to be honest.
Sorry but what a VW ripoff, you could spend a lot less and get a proper motor home, and that coffin bed ! Grim! A bit of a dog’s dinner all around.
Some say coffin, some say cosy! Large van conversions are a half way house between a campervan and a motorhome I think. Motorhome to me says coachbuild on a ladder chassis, which has both advantages and disadvantages at the same time too.
Motorisation parfaite, camping intérieur zéro toujours en panne, et mécanicien connaisse pas le véhicule 😢erreur monumentale !!!