VW California Ocean Review - Still the best camper van you can buy?!

Come with us as we review the VW California Ocean, testing out all it's secret quirks & gimmicks!
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[@piotrponka3849]

Definitely one of the best cars for traveling. Unlike a large camper, you can drive almost anywhere and spend the night in the middle of the city. Even with the roof up, it does not attract the police's attention. The only minus is the price and no shower. A portable toilet effectively solves problem no. 1 and 2 😉

[@AJ-qn6gd]

Im surprised at how many people have said to me when we wild camp that they regretted getting rid of theirs for something bigger because of the fact it can go places a larger van or MoHo can’t. I’d love to buy a California but I can’t justify the cost of one I’ll keep updating our T5 for now 👍🏻🇬🇧

[@shanewaller2864]

Swings and roundabouts I have a 2022 204 dsg highline lwb kombi camper in revena blue in full swamper mode .yes the transporter is extremely expensive for what you are buying but consider it as a Swiss army knife. It can be a 4 or 5 seater car and a 4 seater camper van the next ,with the seats pushed forward its a large estate car but with a sink a stove and a fridge freezer, it's a lounge when the front captain seats are turned around. Your have an electric roof you have leisure battery's, solar power a small shower ,4 wheel drive ,a 7 speed auto box radar guided cruise control, city brake assist, wind assist, discover media system, auto park reverse camera, LED lights and tail lights ,soft close doors auto tailgate. A 204 bhp twin turbo diesel engine .digital dash board, blind spot mirrors. And it's big enough to camp with and small enough to use as your daily driver. It's 2 cars in one .plus the after market for these vans is huge as is the vw following. You don't get fellow transit owners waving at you as you pass them ,get used to making lots of new friends when you buy a transporter. Yes they are expensive but they hold there value when you chose to sell or upgrade your van ,even a t5 with a pop top roof can still be worth upwards of 25 to 30k and that van could be 15 years old .you pays your money you takes your choice.

[@scar284]

56 year old from California, a camper was a camper shell that went on top a truck. You described a moble home. The camper your showing would be nice for short trips love how you cover everything in the camper.

[@torquesteer2657]

I freaking love these Californias they are ace! Just insanely expensive! Will have to remain a dream for now.

[@aviationsongs]

Great review, we really wanted the 4 motion, but they don't have the extra 5th seat due to weight restrictions, so we have to stick with 2 wheel drive.

[@Kris-fh5cc]

Expensive, but great, practical and powerfull car/camper van ! (like the T6 best: old school, analog and very pragmatic dash board) You'll need a few trips and some expercience to get all set and learn in's and out's, but so worth it, love my T6 (2019 Bulli Ocean, 4motion).

[@jamiep61]

I enjoyed watching the Video 😊

[@scottmyles4377]

Nice video buddy !! Price of the electric sliding door is £402.Wish i had ordered it on mine..manually opening the door from outside and sliding the side door can be tricky sometimes!!

[@DrivenPlus]

Thanks Scott! Ahh okay thank you for that. They’re great toys!

[@abdarch]

Another great camper from VW. Was the mattress comfort? how tall you are? Great video - keep it up !

[@DrivenPlus]

Thank you! Mattress was very comfy, I’m 5”11 but the owner is 6”5 and he has no issues

[@Kris-fh5cc]

T6 (Ocean Bulli 2019) standard matras = 2 x 1,2 meter, I'm 184cm (+/- 100 kgs 😁) and very comfortable, same for the top bed (can easily carry 200 kgs and wide enough for 2)

[@landl190372]

Used to make sense because of the daily driver ability, but at this price you can have a car and a large nearly new full sized motorhome. Price has rendered it a folly.

[@EIVLN]

EXCELLENT

[@DrivenPlus]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@contorta960]

I would like a vw California made by mercedes. Lol love the aesthetics of a vw but the sound proofing of a mercedes marco polo. Also Marco Polo has no solar, no 240 volt off the battery, big big shortcomings for the price.

[@nigelb5341]

Fantastic camper, but way too expensive and can't forgive the offside opening side door. A transporter conversion is a much better choice.

[@matthewbryden-smith684]

Unless you are regularly dropping off rear passengers at the roadside it’s actually better having the sliding door on the drivers side - means the kitchen isn’t hard up behind the drivers seat.

[@davejewitt4231]

Looked at 6 variants the ocean, fully intending to purchase a california, unable to ignore the limitations they have. The rock n roll bed is not wide enough, just a big single bed, no way two adults can sleep on that, as mentioned sliding door on the wrong side is VW just been lazy, very bland interior. Very happy with my T6.1 LWB conversion by CLL2 , seats 6, rock & roll bed 1.2m wide, makes a great family daily ride, far more practical than the ocean. Decent review, mediocre van, decent quality. silly design flaw for UK market. Apparently the T7.1 California will have the option of the sliding on on the nearside.

[@epcode5121]

Look at the Westafalia Kelsey...cheaper and it has a loo 😊

[@SCYorks]

100% agree with you

[@griefer5846]

the thing is the westfalia kelsey only has one bed, the california has two beds, the one thats made up with the seats and the top.

[@epcode5121]

@@griefer5846 sorry the Westafalia Kelsey and nugget plus both have the seats bed and the pop top bed 2+2 ..I'm looking at buying one.

[@barnstar2077]

It is a shame they didn't give the outside a bit more character.

[@seanfallon4580]

you never said if it is worth the £85k ?

[@stevezodiac491]

Very poor for such an expensive camper:- 1. Electric roof would be a nightmare in windy conditions, without the manual dexterity of a person, preventing the flapping material from getting cut by the scissor mechanism. It is also slower shutting and opening than a manual roof. 2. Heating controls above driver is not where you need them, much better next to you on the kitchen side, when you are in bed to turn it up or down, without having to get out of bed to do it. 3. Top loading fridge isn't the best, much better a normal front access fridge, where you can get at all it's contents immediately. 4. Bed is of poor design. You are sleeping on the contoured seat face with a california, much better a rib bed which allows you to sleep on the perfectly flat, none seating side of each leaf, it offers you much better access to storage beneath as well and provides a clean and dirty area for stowage above and below the back leaf, when the leaf is placed horizontally in transit. 5. The badge - paying for that badge is not worth it, there are other new, good quality vans out there for up to £20k less, which are bigger vans and more useable, even in small wheelbase form. 6. The california is not a long wheelbase van. A lwb van provides much better access to cupboards and gives a surprising amount of extra useable living space for such a short extra vehicle length. 7. Sliding door is on the wrong side and in traffic can be dangerous, allowing egress onto a busy road instead of the pavement. There are vans out there with two sliding doors allowing access to gas lockers etc. On the driver's side but main access to the van from the safer near side.

[@matthewbryden-smith684]

Have never found myself caught out by sudden strong winds making it hard to lower the electric pop top. You can get decent discounts on a new one and they keep their value better than a conversion. Unless you need to regularly drop off rear passengers at the roadside then it’s actually better having the sliding door on the driver side - means the kitchen isn’t hard up against the drivers seat.

[@Kris-fh5cc]

Did/do you actually own or used one ? Camping part is all pretty basic, but top noch quality (except the rolling mechanism of the cupboards 😁) and very pragmatic once you're used to it. Short base is handy for daily use ... and I use it for all purposes, drives like a charm, also off road !

[@user-dz8zv3rh4b]

i own one, never have that problem, and when storming... we sleep downstairs..:-) grtz.

[@JWB86]

Would cost me over 10 grand a year to insure it!

[@yashnagul2920]

'Still better than the Marco Polo i guess's

[@JC-qf1jd]

Don’t forget the massive blind spots created by the a pillar. The drivers side is worse

[@neilsewell2007]

Not being able to stand up in it, without the roof up, is a non starter for me.

[@SEUQRAM55]

It looks like you didnt do much research before doing the video

[@Outdoorshuntingshooting]

Imma go with a wild guess, no it’s not worth the £85k price tag.

[@Jones-xx2gc]

£ 85.000 though.

[@taffytop]

You need a toilet its non negotiable

[@harveyperrott6700]

With no hot water, an outside shower(hand held only),uncomfortable rear seat,sub-par pop top,there is far better out there,you just need to look beyond your nose.

[@rsylvester65]

Way too much money especially when you can buy a hymer motorhome for that money😮

[@megane230f1]

or an autotrail 68 4 berth that you can slide 4 bikes under the bed for 20k less than this van

[@nazarshevchuk4590]

And you cannot park in the cities 🫡

[@nigeladams8508]

For 85k I expect a toilet, shower and room service

[@harveyperrott6700]

And HOT WATER

[@BeoAndBu]

85k pounds… no wonder i never heard of it

[@bethevoice-gen1rev225]

For me, I see no point in paying that kind of money when you can buy a normal van and just throw a mattress in the back, or an estate and throw your gear in the back... a lot of money for not much space, and not a lot of anything.. Not for me, I would rather get my bivi bag out and sleep in a random hedge.

[@nick4uuk]

Hello Camping With Steve.

[@marks-0-0]

Same here, take your pick of much cheaper used panel vans and throw in some simple camping equipment in the back.

[@philwilliams23]

85k for pop up tent van! VW taking the pee here, you can't even stand up in it properly! Just put a tent box on a van and save yourself a ton of money, or just buy high roof van instead and convert it yourself.

[@alannorman1773]

It never was or is the best camper you can buy.

[@truth.speaker]

A camper for more than the price of a house 😂 i literally can buy a house mear me for that price. Nothing could make this worth it Door on the wrong side. Too small to even stand up in

[@DrivenPlus]

Well I suppose you can’t take your house on holiday….

[@matthewbryden-smith684]

How about if you could own one for two years and it still being worth what you paid for it? And everything (van and camper elements) all covered by vw warranty the whole time.

[@AJ-qn6gd]

A house for 85k where is this ?

[@SirTubeALotMore]

85k£ 😂

[@donna2805]

Why the need to take a jab Americans? Not all Americans have a 7 room house on wheels. Was that comment even necessary for this video?

[@DrivenPlus]

Not a jab at all! Because this is quite the opposite to a massive RV. I love RV’s and I love America 🇺🇸

[@BobSmith-s7j]

I didn't see that as anything negative necessarily

[@zoomed66]

The VW is well overrated, just buy a Mazda Bongo.

[@dogpound7162]

Stupid money.....out of most folks price range...not interested.

[@davidyersz8668]

The habitation door is on the wrong side for the UK

[@DrivenPlus]

This is highlighted in the video 👍

[@stuarttaylor6381]

You've gotta be tripping to buy one of these at 80 grand pieces of shit,the stub shaft is to short so your gearbox fuckes up at about 10,000 miles and electrics are shocking now ,vw are not the vehicle they used to be ,I've had plenty ,injector problems that have went at 40,000 miles total shite now

[@atackio1316]

Way way overpriced

[@madhavkafle8483]

The only thing i need now is 4 friends🥲