Auto Express – July 30, 2019

88 SpecialIssue

OURCARS LivingwithaVolkswagenCaifornia

THIRD REPORTTHIRDREPORTTCampervanhasCampervanhas been ahome from home while Rich’s house is done upbbbbbeen ahome from home whileRi h’ h i d

VolkswagenCalifornia

MYwifeandIhavebeenenduring
somefairlyextensivehomerenovations
overthepastfewmonths.Liftingtheroof
offacrumblingVictorianterracedhouse
createssuchalargeamountofdustthatit
seemstocoverprettymucheverycrack,
creviceandcupboardinsight.
Butthisisimmediatelylessproblematic
whenyouhaveagleamingnewVolkswagen
Californiasittingoutside.Ourlavishly
equippedcampervansimplycouldn’t
havearrivedatabettertime.
Farfrompackingourbagsandtakingoff
forthenearestcampsite,inrecentweeks
AnnaandIhavebeenpitchingupright
outsidethehouse.Withourownkitchen
completelyoutofaction,thetwo-ringgas
hobandsmallfridgehavesavedusfroman
unhealthytakeawayaddiction,allowingus
tosafelystoresomebasicprovisionsinthe
vanduringtherecentwarmweather.
Betterstill,drivingtoandfromtheoffice
–withtheoccasionallongertripthrownin
forgoodmeasure–haskeptthebatteries
toppedupandthefoodniceandcool.
Volkswagenclaimsthepowerwillrunfor
aroundthreedayswithoutusingtheengine

oranexternalplug,butinourexperience

itlastsevenlongerthanthat.

Wehaven’tactuallybeensleepinginthe

van,becauseourmainbedroomhasbeen

sealedofffromthedustbowl,butwhen

thebuilderschuckusoutat7.30am,the

California’susefulfeaturessaveusfrom

reachingworkmessyandungroomed.

Thelargewatertank,forexample,isnot

onlyhelpfulformakingteaandcoffeein

themorning,italsoallowsustowashour

dishesandbrushourteeth.There’seven

amirrorhiddeninoneofthecupboards,

whichmeansIcanhaveaquickshave

beforetheslowandtediousdrivein.

HereatAutoExpress,we’reabletowork

fromhomeonceortwiceaweek.Formany,

that’sagreatopportunitytocatchupon

workwithouttheusualofficedistractions,

butduringourrenovationsithasn’tbeen

possible.However,theCalifornia’s

flexibilityhasallowedmetoopenupthe

roofandfolddownthetable,usingthe

“With our kitchen out

of action, the hob and

fridgehavesaved us”

spaceasamobileoffice.IfI’mparkedclose

enoughtothehouse,IcanevenuseourWiFi.

Awayfromhome,theCalicontinues

tosuitourlifestyleperfectly.Asweprepare

forabigEuropeanroadtripinthecoming

weeks,thecampervandoesabrilliantjob

offerryingustoandfromourvarious

weekendactivities,whetherthat’satrip

downsouthtoseemyparents,oraday

cyclingaroundtheSurreyhills.

Thebikerackisasemi-permanent

arrangementstrappedtothetailgate,but

whileitmightrestrictrearwardvisibility

somewhat,itmakesmovingourtwo-

wheeledtransportaroundadoddle.I’m

eventryingtoplanaweekendawaywith

threefriends,becausetheCaliforniacan

carryuptofourcyclesinonego.

Oftheotheroptionswespecifiedat

thepointoforder,it’stheadaptivecruise

controlwe’vefoundmostuseful.Despite

itssize,thepowerfuldieselengineshifts

theVolkswagen’sweightwithoutissue,

whichcanseeyourspeedcreepupon

themotorway.Settingthevan’scruise

tothedesiredlimitmeanswe’resaved

fromanyunwelcomespeedingfines.

Onegripewedohaveiswiththejerky

DSGgearbox.Aroundtowntheautomatic

transmissioninitiallyfeelsratherslowand

Saddle up

Folding bike

rack has space

forfour cycles,

so our man

is planning

atrip with three

of his mates

unresponsive,butgivetheCalitoomany

revsandthevanwilllurchforward.

Aswithanyhigh-sidedvehicle,however,

aslowandsteadyapproachispreferable.

TheCaliforniafeelsrightathomeonthe

motorway,wheretheoccasionallyrattly

dieselenginesettlesdownnicely.Wind

noiseisn’tanissueeither,evenwiththe

gargantuandoormirrorsandbulky

awningstrappedtotheVW’sside.

Richard Ingram

[email protected]

@rsp_ingram