Considering selling and moving to something bigger

[ThomasHJ]

Never thought this day would come, and not yet sure about it either, but we are considering selling the VW California and switching to a larger campervan. I know there's been quite some threads about people switching to a big white, but that's still a step too far for us. But we are thinking about perhaps a larger campervan.
Hoping we'd still have some of the charm of a van (sliding door, etc) and not all of the 'disadvantages' of a true big white. Although I realise it's quite the change.
Our kids are getting bigger but all of us still really enjoy the campervan way of spending our holidays and weekends. We never stay in one place longer then 1 night or occasionally 2, so we travel light and don't setup tents, awnings, etc.

Main reasons would be:

- fixed furniture instead of having to transform stuff (especially with 4 people travelling/sleeping in the Cali)
- fixed bed (double bunk beds in our case)
- fixed roof (somehow feels safer then the popup)
- more of a homey dinette-setting, less of a car-feel in the sitting-area
- hopefully some more room to store stuff, although I'm not that sure about whether that will turn out to be true.

extra reasons, but not decisive in the decision making:

- toilet / wet room
- 'real fridge', no more stacking
- a new 'adventure' (I'm honest, this is part of the allure also)

I realise these diadvantages:

- no more covered car parks because of height restrictions
- slower driving
- can't function as daily driver
- harder or impossible to get into the 'good spots' both on camp sites and while wild camping (this one hurts!)

Any people here with experience (or without) travelling with a larger campervan, who would like to suggest some things I haven't mentioned/thought about?

 

[Betsycalifornia]

How do people with taller vehicles Than the California avoid routes that have low bridges?

 

[WelshGas]

How do people with taller vehicles Than the California avoid routes that have low bridges?

You use a HGV biased SatNav that gives routes based on Height and length of vehicle.

 

[hirsty]

How do people with taller vehicles Than the California avoid routes that have low bridges?

presumably OP is thinking about a Sprinter / Crafter type van next. DPD, Amazon and DHL seem to be able to get around quite effectively in theirs.

 

[chockswahay]

Hi @ThomasHJ We have never had a 'great white' but have owned a 6m Globecar Globescout and a Hymercar 5.4m with pop top, both of which were based on Fiat Ducato chassis. All of your reasons are valid and I think you have answered your own questions. Once on site the bigger vans are generally more comfortable and practical in every way, the only personal observation I would make is that the 'dinette' area in these vans is actually smaller and less comfortable than the equivalent space in the California and also due to the size and location of the windows and rear of the van less panoramic. For your growing family I would say the bigger vans are much more suitable.

We did about 50000 miles all over Europe in our two vans and enjoyed every minute, we often spent up to three months away at a time and the bigger vans are indeed more like a 'home from home' with enough space and kit to be fully independant.

Yes you will lose all the 'small van priveledges' of the California but these will be more than offset by the gains.

As for using the bigger vans as a daily drive I don't think they really work (we have done it but deffo not again).

You might just find it a little tricky to get 4 of more beds 'inside' the van without going to 6.4m possibly although at that size they really are big. I think the sweet spot is 6m.

Good luck and enjoy he transition

 

[pjm-84]

How do people with taller vehicles Than the California avoid routes that have low bridges?

The Fiat Ducato has settings in the sat nav system.

 

[pjm-84]

First night away - better pack up now - 15mins later on the move....what....

 

[bvddobb]

I would agree with chockswahay that a dinette is sooner a minus than a plus in a camper(van). They are usually very cramped and uncomfortable. As often suggested on this forum: rent one, and see if that is really what you want! For us it is a definite ‘no’, whenever we look at another camper or van design it is the first thing we look at: if a dinette, we walk on.

 

[pjm-84]

Lol......One of the reasons for my choice of Burstner was the dinette, I was lying down reading on the rear section (i'm 6ft 5) , the dog on one section and the wife siting beside. We still had a section left.

Smaller than the VW = No

Cramped and uncomfortable = Most certainly a No

 

[pchmlk]

Lol......One of the reasons for my choice of Burstner was the dinette, I was lying down reading on the rear section (i'm 6ft 5) , the dog on one section and the wife siting beside. We still had a section left.

Smaller than the VW = No

Cramped and uncomfortable = Most certainly a No

View attachment 143809

But also not a campervan.

 

[bvddobb]

But what you show here is not what people typically call a dinette. This is a round-sit, and that is indeed what we would opt for in stead of a dinette, if we had the choice.

The dinette booth thing is what we really hate, like in the grand cali:

 

[pjm-84]

The Grand is tiny internally. Hence we didn't buy. And those seats are so uncomfortable / upright.

Agree - our Burstner is clearly a motorhome. Its only 200mm longer than a 680 Grand, sleeps 6 and has a massive garage, massive lounge.

However some smaller models in the range, with a similar rear layout, fall under the campervan term like the Burstner B66 644....

This issue is the layout that suits you. We needed more living space. Most prefer a fixed bed when going bigger.

 

[LRGS253]

Check the Adria Twin posts. I have one on order!

 

[thehoggmeister]

Have a look at the new Eriba Car from Hymer.

It is still a VW based on a Crafter. 6m van that is very nicely finished on the one we saw at local dealer. I like the 602 as it has a rear lounge that can easily be used as 2 singles or a giant super king bed. The beds are 2m long which is unusual in a 6m van. Only a 2 seater.

The 600 has flares at the back so the transverse bed is also big.

 

[2into1]

Make sure you've looked at the Burstner C644 with a drop down bed over a massive U shaped lounge. It also has a huge garage for bikes. I almost bought one and see it as the most logical step up from a Cali. Make sure you are looking at the panel van version 644. There's also a big white 644 (also very nice but a different thing entirely). The special edition panel van is the B66 644 and is better value than the older model

 

[mr pg]

We bought a 680 a couple of years ago. There's two of us plus a dog. We found the 680 better than 600 as you get more floor space/storage/longitudinal bed which suits our needs. There's no way I'd want to travel with four in a 600.
The down side to a 680 is the length/height for short stays/day trips. So we bought a 6.1 Cali Ocean to go along side it.
Best of both worlds now!

 

[Seaview]

The Grand is tiny internally. Hence we didn't buy. And those seats are so uncomfortable / upright.

Agree - our Burstner is clearly a motorhome. Its only 200mm longer than a 680 Grand, sleeps 6 and has a massive garage, massive lounge.

However some smaller models in the range, with a similar rear layout, fall under the campervan term like the Burstner B66 644....

This issue is the layout that suits you. We needed more living space. Most prefer a fixed bed when going bigger.

We looked at but didn’t buy a Grand for the reason that the bench seat is so hard and upright and not comfortable at all. We bought a Westfalia Sven Hedin and the bench seat base pulls out creating a reclined position making it much more comfortable.

 

[larrylamb]

How do people with taller vehicles Than the California avoid routes that have low bridges?

It doesn't affect you much , look how Amazon vans are literally everywhere.

 

[pjm-84]

Bridges are typically okay. Its the bushes and landscaping. Not as issue in smaller vehicles, but something to be wary of at 3m high. I've had 3 brushes so far in a month, just a fact of life with a taller vehicle and cars that like to hug the white lane coming towards you. In all case I knew I was going to brush, but not a lot I can do about it.

 

[The Little Red Cali]

Love our van but we have been tempted by the Burstner line up this year. The B66 6m camper van with a pop top looks great value for money at 67K.

 

[pjm-84]

I paid £79,995 for my Burstner. £32k off. Bargains to be had

 

[Boomer]

I paid £79,995 for my Burstner. £32k off. Bargains to be had

We sat in one at the weekend and really liked it - felt really open with the rear lounge. The pop top felt quite substantial as well. What was it like to drive? And that's a great deal considering the original price.

 

[bvddobb]

We sat in one at the weekend and really liked it - felt really open with the rear lounge. The pop top felt quite substantial as well. What was it like to drive? And that's a great deal considering the original price.

I just can't find a Burstner panel van B66 anywhere on the web as described here, with a round sit and a poptop. On buerstner.com only a B66 600 with the horrible 'dinette'. I can find a B66 big motorhome, but not a 6m panel van, nowhere... I'm curious! Anyone has a link somewhere? Is it a UK thing, perhaps?

 

[2into1]

I just can't find a Burstner panel van B66 anywhere on the web as described here, with a round sit and a poptop. On buerstner.com only a B66 600 with the horrible 'dinette'. I can find a B66 big motorhome, but not a 6m panel van, nowhere... I'm curious! Anyone has a link somewhere? Is it a UK thing, perhaps?

They are different models. The one I was supporting was a c644 or in the special edition b66 644. This is the 6.36m van with the rear lounge, garage, drop down bed over the lounge, but no pop top. I think the pop tops only come on the smaller vans, which get the cramped dinette.

 

[thehoggmeister]

They are different models. The one I was supporting was a c644 or in the special edition b66 644. This is the 6.36m van with the rear lounge, garage, drop down bed over the lounge, but no pop top. I think the pop tops only come on the smaller vans, which get the cramped dinette.

Had the 6.4m panel van version at the Scottish Caravan and Motorhome show today. I think it was on the Perthshire stand. Not the pop top version but we really liked it but it is one Fiat which I don't like driving. Maybe a bit far for bvddob to travel from the Netherlands.