Better than the Grand California?? | The FIVE BERTH Knaus Boxdrive 600 XL!

Well the big question is.... Is the Knaus BoxDrive 600 XL better than a Volkswagen Grand California? We think it may be but what do you think?
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[@duncangibson9235]

So looking at your video again (good review by the way and first review by an English reviewer too, I think!). We chose this over the GC for several reasons - mainly the proper double bed over the habitation area. We have a very tall 10yr old who would’ve outgrown the GC relatively quickly. We also have a 2yr old who is too small for the top bunk bed (at the moment). He sleeps on our bed at the rear during the evening and then we put him to bed on the 5th berth when we turn in. It works perfectly and not an option for the GC. Another big plus (which was unfortunately missed) was that the half dinette slides to create an extra 20-25cm shoulder room between the two rear passengers. The infill cushion for that was in the wardrobe in the kitchen. It makes travelling with car seats a lot easier and creates a bizarrely more useable “sofa” when not travelling. Again, with the fixed seats in the GC, it was a bit tight back there for the kids. IMO, the fit and finish is better than the GC and although wood is a bit marmite, I think it creates a softer ambience to the stark white wood. This of course is subjective and for all who prefer wood, there’ll be the same who prefer the white. Like all vans, lead times are the issue. We wanted a factor order but were told 18-24m from May this year. We were lucky to get our 4x4 4.180 as a stock van from a dealer who’d just received it from factory. Not missing much. We’ve had a LifePo4 battery, 130W solar panel and 2k W inverter fitted for offgridding so pretty much the perfect van for us. For anyone in the market for an occasional second car, space for a small (but diverse aged) family and super camper van, I think it’s difficult to overlook. Although there’s some negativity that the layout is samey, I would disagree - it’s the only real package that truly works for us in this size of van. I’m hoping if we were to have another child that I could fit a rotating double bench seat in the cab; we’ve enough payload in ours. Then we get 5 belts and 5 berths. Thanks for the great review and good luck with your build! :)

[@ABusAndBeyond]

That’s very interesting about the half dinette seats! Very useful for car seats! Thanks for all this info. Good to hear an owners view!

[@sandyduane8126]

How have you gotten on since? 😊

[@duncangibson9235]

Very biased but I have to say, it’s a fabulous van. Took delivery of our 4x4 4.170 version 6wks ago and suits us perfectly as a family of four. Came at it from a T6 Ocean and Concorde Charisma before that. Perfect all round van! :)

[@ABusAndBeyond]

Great to hear!

[@dcrilley9624]

Hi Duncan, you will see that based on above comment I am in agreement. I nearly signed on the dotted line for a 4x4 version yesterday which is up plated to 4 tonnes with air suspension to beef up the rear axle as the means to achieve that. Sure, the wood finish is not my ideal choice - Westfalia finishes are more 'van-like' but the entire set-up put the GC to shame. Id love to know how you have got on with the 4x4 version and the dual circuit air if that is what you were given as part of the package once you opted for 4 motion. I am looking at one with the rising bed in the rear because the dealer has already ordered it.

[@lisbonoffice4369]

Very useful video, i work at a renting company and i watched this video before the presentation and it went great.

[@Cyrus2161]

No oven or a microwave/ grill which is a shame. The laminate in the bathroom fills me with dread. I’d want a sealed unit with a flip shower toilet like the van reviewed. Brilliant review I like the MAN vehicles. But the main problem is the bed. I like to walk around. Great review.

[@ABusAndBeyond]

Thanks for watching!!

[@neildean7515]

That is fantastic, what a beautiful campervan… great it has 2 double beds.. thanks for the review .. top van

[@elliotcrilley]

You are quite right to draw some attention to this van. It’s better than the GC in every respect. It’s insulated. The tanks are insulated and beatable if necessary. The top bed is a proper length. The rear travel seats have depth and a careful contour . They also separate a little to give more width in transit. The kitchen is properly thought out with a big sink. I saw the rising/ lowering bed variant. It’s fantastic and so easy to use. Bring mechanical it won’t suck juice from the battery. Preserves great flexibility at the rear end. No way will I buy a GC having scrutinised one of these. Goood for you in putting this on my radar !

[@ABusAndBeyond]

Thank you very much for watching 😊

[@TheUrbanSplash]

In the main bed area, it’s not possible to sit up in bed. Surely everyone sits up in bed to read etc. Too many storage cabinets prevent this.

[@maxgiii_beach_street_photo7161]

Thanks. I’m still for the GC

[@ABusAndBeyond]

It’s still a great van!

[@commuterbranchline8132]

I’m a paramedic and my wife is a nurse, how do normal folk with normal incomes afford over £88,000 for a van like this?

[@kimhorton6109]

My biggest bitch with hi tops is they won’t fit in a garage so you need space in your yard for a real barn with 12’ door unless you want to leave it out in the yard. The space looks pretty killer. It’s very long. Is that 6 meters long? These long vans have really nice storage. I’d love having a shower in my Vanagon but the options I’ve found are only good when it’s hot outside . They all involve showering outside. The downstairs sleeping space is very nice. Loads of space at $88K is a great price for what we have in the states.

[@robinkellett-navellou2606]

Obviously owes "a lot" to the GC design but an interesting evolution and some nice high-end touches. Your move, VW!

[@anthonyburgess2004]

Great review as always, thank-you! It does look really nicely finished too! 😀

[@ABusAndBeyond]

Thank you so much!

[@UGCCreatorFalguni]

We loved the camper van but our requirement is to have 4x4. Is it possible for you to show us vans wih 4x4, automatic? Thanks

[@dcrilley9624]

There is a 4x4 version of the 600 in RHD. See comments from Duncan above. That is not possible with GC in the UK. It comes with an obligatory upgrade to the max load from 3500kg to 4000kg and actually ends up increasing the payload to over 600kgs.

[@jogshuttle2676]

I love your content 👍🏻…but suggesting that the Grand California is the PVC to beat seems a bit bonkers! I’m a huge VW nut but sadly the GC is nowhere near the van that it’s smaller sibling is…apart from anything else it’d be like holidaying in an MRI scanner! 😂

[@khaledahmed5754]

You mean the California Ocean is much better than GC?

[@ceri4mike]

Having seriously considered a GF after our T6 Cali we just thought it was poorly configured and seemed to have been designed by individuals that knew little about 'Van Life.' We eventually went for a Adria Twin (Family) but still miss the VW ride quality when comparing it to the Fiat Ducato. Perhaps this Knaus would fit the bill-thanks for the video.

[@GordonGrahamPapaBear]

The bunk bed is impressive quality. MOD Vans is using lighter weight cabinets, which for an old guy like me, are much less painful in the dark. Configured for solar - optional?

[@jonmortermusic]

That van is a beauty I love it PS. Bring back the old theme tune

[@markdami]

Great review as usual! Sink and hob better than either GC. A lot more space there. Second bed much better than GC. On the downsides: Not keen on the exterior. Too many decals. The loo cassette surround is an eyesore (why can't converters do the same as the GC and properly colour code the whole thing?). The Knaus price needs to cover the profits of three companies (VW, MAN, Converter) rather than just one for GC (VW). The customer is also paying for transfer friction between VW-->MAN and then MAN-->Converter. Split level floor is a compromise, I assume because the top bed is lower and bigger than in the GC 600. Small thing that would annoy me. Even with the split level floor it seems like there's less headroom than in a GC. Not sure... just looks that way on the video. The fridge looks small, although I remember from your GC videos you're not keen on the VW alternative! But the real killer for me is the interior. Wood effect laminate. Every join is a right angle. The wall carpet looks a little cheap. Nothing I've seen in any other crafter-base or in any ducato, looks as integrated or up to date as the GC interior. By the way I ordered a GC 680 last year purely on the strength of your extended review. And I bl00dy LOVE it, so thank you for that 😊

[@skwyou5686]

I completely agree @markdami. And like you, we now have a GC 680 largely because of that review by Shaun and Lizzy in Portugal. Incidentally, where's the gas canister? I somehow seem to have completely missed that.

[@BurkhardReffeling]

What transfer friction do you mean? They're both produced in the same factory in Poznan and MAN is fully integrated into VW Group

[@markdami]

​@@BurkhardReffelingYep I didn't realize MAN is wholly owned by VW. I doubt it's frictionless even so. And if it is frictionless, best case you still have two companies needing to make a profit (VW/MAN + Knaus) and one transition between them. With the GC it's one and zero.

[@LB-W]

No outdoor shower or stored chair and table for outside but I still prefer this to the VW GC600. Does the inverter mean you can use your three pined plugs off hook up? How big a battery set up does it have for of wild camping? 👌😊

[@colinlee5429]

Very well thought out interior for a mwb! Seems real quality too The exterior is too OAP spec for me 😆 with some all terrains and decent wheels could look good

[@ABusAndBeyond]

Absolutely agree! Thanks for watching Colin 👍

[@philipellis7039]

Seems to be a whole bunch of MAN based Knaus campers and motorhomes on the U.K. market at the moment. Our local dealer said they’d had them on order for up to two years.

[@simonheckford2347]

Looks like the pole/leg to convert the table into a bed can be stored in the clip within the cupboard under the rear seats @6:44

[@ABusAndBeyond]

Yeah I think you’re right 👍

[@pepehaha]

@@ABusAndBeyond nope, that clip is meant for a water filter. Great review and a great van, we have the 4x4 grey version with offroad delta wheels and we absolutely love it as a family of 3 for now :) Before we had a cali ocean and this is a palace on wheels in comparison :)

[@janetbowen7854]

Great video, thank you, can you please review a similar IH campervan? Their design in a VW looks interesting. Cheers.

[@ABusAndBeyond]

We will try and get hold of one to film 👍

[@Simon_PieMan]

Great video. Good to see different designs. However, when you say “sat” I can’t help shouting “sitting” 😂

[@ABusAndBeyond]

Thanks 🙏 Luckily for me I can’t hear you shouting whilst I’m sat at home on the sofa 🤣

[@robbiemulholland8412]

That is a great van some new ideas from Germany.....better than the Grand C. 💯

[@Dublin2Chiropractic]

Just wondering why you would go with a high top 4 bert over a pop top 4 bert? We are considering a family camper and not really sure about the pros and cons of each. We would also like the option to have a ladder and roof racks to stick some Surfboards etc onto. Any advice would be very appreciated!! Thank you.

[@ABusAndBeyond]

One thing to consider when choosing between the two is that with a pop top you are subject to the elements a lot more. When it’s very windy it can make it a very unpleasant night “up top”. It’s amazing how often that was the case for us when we had our Californias. Also you hear much more noise up there too. On the flip side you can access more locations that would otherwise be out of bounds to a high top camper.

[@Dublin2Chiropractic]

@@ABusAndBeyond Very good points here thank you. Just wondering is it possible to place roof racks for surfboards on these high top campers? It looks like an amazing camper we would love to own something like this.

[@LB-W]

Is the water tanks winterised? Is the heating diesel? Can the fridge run without hook up?

[@Benh0121]

Not sure on having a 80k+ van and then having to drag some tarp over the roof as an awning. If they could have come up with a Thule style wind out side awning then it would be hard to dismiss this.

[@stuartw969]

Why are we/shower rooms so common? We spend no more than 10 minutes a day in them yet they take up huge space. W.C. In a deep edged shower tray with curtain to pull up is the way to go. Also prefer a Murphy bed. Comments on my comments???

[@darrensalter1540]

Great conversation, well thought out

[@adamwalker1504]

This one over the GC although I have been looking at the Hymer free with a pop top

[@cantafordia]

Great Video, Shaun. Ignore the grammar police!

[@alansteele3757]

Hi Shaun, didn’t hear the cost of this motor home, compared to the Volkswagen one.

[@sylviapage8572]

A great review but I’m disappointed that only four people can travel in this van. The Ford Nugget and Nugget Plus can carry Five passengers and sleeps 4 but that’s on a 5.3 Ford Transit Custom Van. I really think there needs to be more innovation with the larger vans to accommodate families. Thanks for sharing another interesting review.

[@duncangibson9235]

If you had enough payload (I have the 3.88t) version of this, it should be possible to fit a double bench in the cab. If we have another child, we’ll end up doing this.

[@KillerBN1]

Understood these MAN TGEs were very reliable?

[@Minirigs]

Much better... simply because its not all VW grey inside So expensive though once you add the extras.. i would prefer a motorhome with more space

[@neilowen9468]

Love it!

[@mariondicksonweir8812]

Nice

[@stevebennett6727]

How crap are the front window blinds plus that vent is for a gas truma and definitely not a diesel/ electric water/ space heater. I should know, ,my motorhome has the said heater 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽

[@ABusAndBeyond]

That’s incorrect, it’s for the Truma D4E or D6E diesel and electric, water and space heater

[@freedloh9049]

Are you in US or NZ or Australia

[@ABusAndBeyond]

I am not

[@freedloh9049]

@@ABusAndBeyond you talk of your town name like it is well known all over the world. I guess you must be English then

[@ABusAndBeyond]

Yeah we are British

[@Jeff-bg7pt]

The rear looks like a speed camera van

[@Jiblits13]

Not a chance im afraid more e expensive than the cali and quality of in side is way below imo..

[@philipwatson7883]

Nice van

[@nordnung]

possibility 4x4?

[@felsner1]

All that wood makes it look terribly old-fashioned. Like the upper bunkbed though.

[@kevingriffin6199]

Nice van 👌

[@cedarcanoe]

Showering in there? 3 minutes for the shower, and 15 minutes to clean up all the wet mess

[@andrewmillerphotography]

And the important Q...unloaded weight?!!!

[@simonheckford2347]

@2:50 rear looks like a skewed face! 😕

[@andym1908]

They are great to drive . But just so unreliable from the engine side of things

[@Pedro-db6bk]

Is it just me or does the back look like Darth Vader 🤔

[@KarstenSuess]

Nacht

[@wasmagpie]

Boring layout, they are all the same.

[@sandork.9510]

outdated colours, heavy martials compared with the Grand California

[@andyb9262]

bog standard. no originality.