It BLOWS to be an American VW customer...

bmwloco · Last edited by bmwloco on Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:47 am; edited 1 time in total

I work at a VW dealership. Driving in to work today, I saw a Winnebago VW Rialta and thought "cool".

But there was another van. Looking closer, I about swooned. TDI 4-motion with a full Westfalia kit, Fiamma Awning. It was a "California" model VW, sold only in Europe.

A German couple traveling the US. Just back from 2 months in Alaska and the west. They have another month before they need to be back in Baltimore to ship it home.

You can see it on http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/company/press/california It's the first time I've seen on in the flesh. I know if we had them, we could sell them like cord wood on cold day.

zippyslug31 · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:47 am Post subject:

This is a customer's van at your dealership (assuming service dept)?
Is it cool for you to snap a couple of pics?
_________________
previous:
'80 westy
current:
'90 syncro westy 2.5L subi, triple knob, 16" wheels.
'84 sunroof van, 2.1L motor.

bmwloco · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:49 am Post subject:

Alas, I don't have my camera with me.

It is here for repair. The side door won't open and the the top won't go up. Both are motored, unlike our more plebeian Vanagons Wink

zippyslug31 · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:50 am Post subject:

You mean one of these things?
http://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/index.php?action=caravelle.main

This is the closest thing I see to a van/bus.

I'd love to see what you're talking 'bout.
_________________
previous:
'80 westy
current:
'90 syncro westy 2.5L subi, triple knob, 16" wheels.
'84 sunroof van, 2.1L motor.

ProvoCyclist · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:56 am Post subject:

Very cool! I just got back (1:30 this morning) from denmark, T5's all over the place! I also saw a ton of Tourans, those are really neat too. I wanted to meet up with the Danish guy on here, but the travel plans didnt give much time Sad

Sorry for the threadjack!
_________________
Clark
Current: 1986 Tintop GL 2wd, stock 2.1L, manual trans, Savanna Beige Metallic LH1V.
Past: 1985 Sunroof GL, 2wd, Subaru 3.3L, manual trans, resprayed to Diamond Silver L97A

ChesterKV · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:08 am Post subject:

T5 Westfalia porn....

The guy is kinda cute.... Rolling Eyes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW2n2LtgPww
_________________
1984 Wolfsburg 7-passenger stock sunroof
1992 Subaru Legacy EJ22 boxer motor installed.... van is now sold.... currently playing with a 1987 Toyota MR2 with 1.6 liter twin-cam motor. Better than the Subaru boxers....... I'm impressed. Well, okay, in an "apples and oranges" kind of way. Smile

zippyslug31 · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:20 am Post subject:

Thanks for the porn, Freakness.

Oh man.... it's soul-less! Freaking yuppies! Laughing

Nah, all the buttons and whatnot would be nice, but hell they just break on you in the end and you wind up needing service midway through a trip to a foriegn country.
_________________
previous:
'80 westy
current:
'90 syncro westy 2.5L subi, triple knob, 16" wheels.
'84 sunroof van, 2.1L motor.

vwjedi · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:37 am Post subject:

Foo-Foo yuppie-mobile? Maybe. Very Happy

But I drove a '65 Splittie for 9 years, 4 drum brakes, gas gauge and a speedo. Those guys think we drive "yuppie-Vans", it's all relative. Laughing

A 4-motion, TDI powered Euro with electro-hydraulic lifting top, I'll take one, you can call it "soul-less" all you want, I'll be gone camping with a huge grin on my face. Cool

_________________
1987 Wolfsburg T25 still riding out. A bunch of other VW's passed on...

Kuhlbox · Samba Member Joined: August 06, 2007 Posts: 100

gears · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:24 am Post subject:

"For those who appreciate extra traction, Volkswagen’s 4MOTION all-wheel drive system is also available as an option."

Yeah .... I'd buy one as well ..

bmwloco · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:52 am Post subject:

Foo-Foo yuppies? Hardly.

70-something retirees from Germany. I hope I'm still rolling along at that age!

Their rig is the same as in the video. It's so well thought out. Folding seat storage in rear hatch, "murphy" type table that's incorporated into the sliding door.

Very nice. Oh, if only. VW, we NEED these!

zippyslug31 · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:20 pm Post subject:

Anybody know what they run?
We talking "fully loaded euro-westy" here? Since this is basically one and the same I can only imagine adding the 4motion has really got to add the coin.

And yeah, it's all relative with what is cool and what is yuppie. Bread loaf drivers can't imagine their bus with water cooling, I can't imagine driving up hill without knocking it into 3rd at 40mph. Sad

I just think that the more bells and whistles you add, things can certainly go wrong. That's one reason why I was a little shy about even jumping onto the vanagon band wagon in the first place; something goes wrong with a '67 splittie and you don't have many things to rule out due to their (relative) simplicity. With my (and from what it sounds, everybody elses) experience with vanagon gremlins it's sometimes all I can do to still love 'em.
Now one of these modern, feature-loaded T5 goes down you have even less options other than taking it to a certified mechanic. But, this is speaking with NO experience of them other than other new cars I own today. I have an couple of late model Infinitis and there is very little serviceable items for the backyard mechanic. No huge shock here, and I didn't buy those vehicles with any misguided notion of doing my own work, but with my "adventure" vehicle there has certainly got to be a level of items that I myself can take care of in the field. Maybe I'm the only one who takes my van into the lesser travelled areas????? No, didn't think so.
_________________
previous:
'80 westy
current:
'90 syncro westy 2.5L subi, triple knob, 16" wheels.
'84 sunroof van, 2.1L motor.

bmwloco · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:27 pm Post subject:

I'm sure the rig is in the $40k plus range.

But what would a comparable Westy cost today if our Vanagon Westy's were new?

gears · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:31 pm Post subject:

I think the AWD version is closer to 60K.

[email protected] · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 1:07 pm Post subject:

zippyslug31 · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 1:47 pm Post subject:

ChesterKV · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 2:00 pm Post subject:

vwjedi · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:30 pm Post subject:

droogvan · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:34 pm Post subject:

Not my bag, however the poptop is pretty trick. I could do without it being automatic but I like how its indistinguishable from a regular passenger van when closed. I know VW will never go back but having the motor up front wastes so much space and makes it so much harder to work on.
It is ironic that the California isn't available in California.
_________________
89 Westy zetec
Some ol bullshit

tds3pete · Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:00 pm Post subject:

I've seen them in France and New Zealand.........great cars.... quiet, tons of power and economical. The driver I talked to said it just ate up mountain roads.

I would spring for one in a hearbeat. I can always drive the bay around town when I feel like the "soul look", and then haul a** with the TDI when it was time for open road.

The Wall Street Journal said today that VW is still losing money in North America and is shopping for another location to manufacture besides Mexico and the minivan deal with Chrysler in Canada. There's is always hope!

The local dealer is driving a VW badged "Sprinter sized" van aroung as a parts van. I haven't had to time to see what that is all about yet.
_________________
'58 Westy camper-come and gone
'73 Westy-bought new in Holland,now gone
'86 Syncro weekender-come and gone
'79 Westy...Oscar
'95 Eurovan Camper/5 spd...Marsha Mellow


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It BLOWS to be an American VW customer...
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