Sales of the Beach soar

[OGII]

The question in my mind is if VWUK could now reintroduce the Beach to the UK market and successfully claim to DVLA that it is substantially the same as a Coast or Ocean, and thereby have the same motor caravan classification for VED.

My first thought would be why did VWUK drop Beach for the Coast, when historically was the Coast they left out?

An easy argument to say because Beach didn't tick the MH requirements. Looking at those again ( albeit the guidance for self conversions) they have been simplified. Water tank etc no longer on the list.

Internal features for motor caravans

www.gov.uk

.

Assuming it has the storage locker I'd say the 2 seat Beach with hidden stove ticks all these requirements. The 3 seater, without stove, stays an mpv.

 

[Borris]

In theory there should be three Beach models:

1. Two seat Beach with mini kitchen
2. Three seat Beach with two sliders
3. Three seat Beach with mini kitchen

I've only ever seen 1 and 2 in the press blurb. Have I imagined 3? If I were buying again I'd only be interested in 2 or 3.

I thought that the decision not to bring the Beach models to the UK was possibly to do with VW's UK pricing structure. Sales of the Ocean model have been slowing in recent years and IMO the Beach has always been over priced in comparison. So until recently, putting up the price of the Ocean wasn't likely to increase UK sales. Introducing the Coast to the UK market with a lower pricing structure possibly meant that VW either had to reduce the price of the Beach or get rid of it altogether. However, if my reasoning has been correct then since covid all that may have changed. With California sales soaring VW may feel that they now have the scope to start raising Ocean prices again. That would in turn bump up Coast pricing. So if I have got this right then the way may soon be clear for the Beach to be reintroduced to the UK menu. However, if VW still see the Beach as an entry level California then I'm not so sure. They need to wake up and look at why people buy the Beach.

Being able to get one in Ireland is an interesting thought but frankly I wouldn't be prepared to pay anymore for a Beach. They are fantastic vehicles but having just paid a king's ransome for a new well specced T6 version I really don't see how it could be improved enough to warrant any price increases at all.

 

[WelshGas]

The question in my mind is if VWUK could now reintroduce the Beach to the UK market and successfully claim to DVLA that it is substantially the same as a Coast or Ocean, and thereby have the same motor caravan classification for VED.

I very much doubt if VW would succeed in getting DVLA to agree. Conversions haven't been allowed to change body type. I don't know but maybe in Ireland and Australia, where the Beach has gone on sale, they have different classifications.

 

[s2bear]

My first thought would be why did VWUK drop Beach for the Coast, when historically was the Coast they left out?

An easy argument to say because Beach didn't tick the MH requirements. Looking at those again ( albeit the guidance for self conversions) they have been simplified. Water tank etc no longer on the list.

Internal features for motor caravans

www.gov.uk

.

Assuming it has the storage locker I'd say the 2 seat Beach with hidden stove ticks all these requirements. The 3 seater, without stove, stays an mpv.

Can you have a 3 seat bench with the mini kitchen?


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[Borris]

The question in my mind is if VWUK could now reintroduce the Beach to the UK market and successfully claim to DVLA that it is substantially the same as a Coast or Ocean, and thereby have the same motor caravan classification for VED.

Would the version with the mini kitchen meet the criteria for a MH/CV in that it has a built in kitchen? The version with the two sliders may not. So are we looking at two separate VED classifications if the Beach were ever to be reintroduced?

 

[SusiBus]

If it’s less - European Warranty can be topped up to 5 years just like here and you can have it serviced at any main Cali Dealer to keep the warranty in tact. VAT is 23% in Ireland so you’d buy it VAT free and pay the VAT here ordinarily but I don’t know what extra complications there will be when we drop out of the EU or if there’s a different set of rules between EIRE & UK.


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Possible 10% import tariff on Jan 1st 2021 if we crash out of the EU.

 

[s2bear]

Possible 10% import tariff on Jan 1st 2021 if we crash out of the EU.

Don’t have been offered one from Germany but delivery dec 2020 so with such lack of clarity it’s too risky.


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[Borris]

Can you have a 3 seat bench with the mini kitchen?


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I don't know. I can see no practical or technical reason why it wouldn't be possible but I can't remember ever seeing photos of such a version.

 

[BeagleMum]

Slightly bizarrely the brochure suggests the Beach is only available with 2 seat beach, the side cooker and a 5th seat in the middle row. I suspect this isn’t the most popular Beach layout. For example, I would only consider one to get 3 seat bench for 3 baby seats. Otherwise, Ocean all day long for me.

View attachment 62951

2 seater Beach all the way for us. This sounded interesting until we read of the mini kitchen and extra seat, we would not want either of those. For our requirements what we already have is perfect.

 

[BeagleMum]

See above though @Amarillo. I don’t think many would be going out of their way to get a two seater Beach with kitchen pod. I might be wrong however.

Agreed, we have a 2 seater Beach we would not want the kitchen pod.

 

[Amarillo]

I don't know. I can see no practical or technical reason why it wouldn't be possible but I can't remember ever seeing photos of such a version.

As far as I know this is the VW California Beach Camper three bench seat model. The gas locker is bottom right, and the cooker pulls out from the silver bar.

Other variants are VW California Beach Tour model with twin sliding doors, and the VW California Beach Camper two bench seat model.


Tour model with electric roof.

 

[Thebears]

To add: This is what they sell in Germany:

Beach Camper or Beach Tour

The Camper can only be bought with the two seat bench and an additional seat if you want in the middle row (so 5 seats max). It also comes with the mini kitchen as standard. For registration purposes it is classed as a Campervan. I tried to buy one with a 3 seat bench but it was not possible.

The Tour can come with a 2 or 3 seat bench and has twin sliding doors. One of these can be deleted and have a mini kitchen in its place. The tour is classed as an MPV for registration.

I have a Tour on order with a three seat bench as well as another 'middle row' seat (so 6 seater) and a mini kitchen. It will be registered as a 7 seat MPV. I could have ordered a 7th seat as well but didn't.

Maybe the whole Campervan vs MPV registration is the issue for VW in the UK?

 

[BeagleMum]

To add: This is what they sell in Germany:

Beach Camper or Beach Tour

The Camper can only be bought with the two seat bench and an additional seat if you want in the middle row (so 5 seats max). It also comes with the mini kitchen as standard. For registration purposes it is classed as a Campervan. I tried to buy one with a 3 seat bench but it was not possible.

The Tour can come with a 2 or 3 seat bench and has twin sliding doors. One of these can be deleted and have a mini kitchen in its place. The tour is classed as an MPV for registration.

I have a Tour on order with a three seat bench as well as another 'middle row' seat (so 6 seater) and a mini kitchen. It will be registered as a 7 seat MPV. I could have ordered a 7th seat as well but didn't.

Maybe the whole Campervan vs MPV registration is the issue for VW in the UK?

Thanks for the information, the Tour would be perfect for us, 2 seats 2 sliding doors

 

[andyinluton]

My first thought would be why did VWUK drop Beach for the Coast, when historically was the Coast they left out?

An easy argument to say because Beach didn't tick the MH requirements. Looking at those again ( albeit the guidance for self conversions) they have been simplified. Water tank etc no longer on the list.

Internal features for motor caravans

www.gov.uk

.

Assuming it has the storage locker I'd say the 2 seat Beach with hidden stove ticks all these requirements. The 3 seater, without stove, stays an mpv.

It may well qualify on the internal features but neither the beach or ocean comply with the external features which specifically state that a pop top does not comply, so not sure how VW have got round that for the coast.

With the exception of some early ones prior to 2019 beaches were registered as motor caravans & the rules re the internal fittings were the same as they are now but that didn't seen to apply to VW.

 

[BeagleMum]

It may well qualify on the internal features but neither the beach or ocean comply with the external features which specifically state that a pop top does not comply, so not sure how VW have got round that for the coast.

With the exception of some early ones prior to 2019 beaches were registered as motor caravans & the rules re the internal fittings were the same as they are now but that didn't seen to apply to VW.

Yes ours is registered as ‘Motor Caravan’

 

[soulstyledevon]

The Beach would work better as a 3 seater with twin sliding doors. The side storage in the old Beach was next to useless and I can’t see the appeal in the tiny mini kitchen thing...

The problem I had when changing vans, was that the standard spec of a Beach was miles off a standard spec of an Ocean.
It didn’t make financial sense to add options to the Beach spec which then made it cost similar to an Ocean.

Im sure Volkswagen could offer the Beach with a better standard of kit and a lower price point.
But as with all these German car brands, they over squeeze the Lemon.

 

[paul_f]

I just looked at the Beach in Ireland - it is quite a basic spec with steel wheels etc. It wouldn't take much at all for the price to match the Ocean

 

[BeagleMum]

The Beach would work better as a 3 seater with twin sliding doors. The side storage in the old Beach was next to useless and I can’t see the appeal in the tiny mini kitchen thing...

The problem I had when changing vans, was that the standard spec of a Beach was miles off a standard spec of an Ocean.
It didn’t make financial sense to add options to the Beach spec which then made it cost similar to an Ocean.

Im sure Volkswagen could offer the Beach with a better standard of kit and a lower price point.
But as with all these German car brands, they over squeeze the Lemon.

As always it’s down to personal requirements & choice, not necessarily cost. We went from a 7 seater Landcruiser to the Beach. We actually like the storage box in the 2 seater, we get oodles of stuff in it & have the benefit of extra space over a 3 seater which we don’t want.

 

[kp64zl]

As always it’s down to personal requirements & choice, not necessarily cost. We went from a 7 seater Landcruiser to the Beach. We actually like the storage box in the 2 seater, we get oodles of stuff in it & have the benefit of extra space over a 3 seater which we don’t want.

I agree I like the 2 seater

My ideal would be twin sliding doors + possibly long wheel base......

 

[Amarillo]

I agree I like the 2 seater

My ideal would be twin sliding doors + possibly long wheel base......

A long wheel base variant would be lovely. If I recall correctly, it is only 8% longer than the standard California, but you’d have a ~50% bigger boot.

 

[kp64zl]

A long wheel base variant would be lovely. If I recall correctly, it is only 8% longer than the standard California, but you’d have a ~50% bigger boot.

Yes it gives you a good bit extra space. I almost went for a conversion with that spec....

 

[BeagleMum]

I agree I like the 2 seater

My ideal would be twin sliding doors + possibly long wheel base......

Twin doors would interest us.

 

[LemonDrop]

Love our 2 seater...and even more, love having a kingsize bed. We wouldn't swap that for a fixed indoor kitchen.

 

[BeagleMum]

Love our 2 seater...and even more, love having a kingsize bed. We wouldn't swap that for a fixed indoor kitchen.

Neither would we

 

[Karlos]

A long wheel base variant would be lovely. If I recall correctly, it is only 8% longer than the standard California, but you’d have a ~50% bigger boot.

We had a t6 lbw which we had converted. The extra space was in the area between the end of the bed and front seats. The rear seat was further back giving better vision out of the side rear windows.