How much are free tickets to the NEC show !

I was lucky enough to win free tickets to the NEC show...yipee thought I.....Management fell in love with a beautiful red VW Celex on the Bilbo's stand, so total cost of the free tickets is going to be around £55.000 and a trip to Surrey to confirm the spec .....If I hadn't won the 'free' tickets ?????

AS Clubman coming up for sale soon !

What an excellent choice (but then I might be a bit biased!). Are you going for petrol engine, or sticking with diesel?

Mojo... We don't have to make that choice until next Friday when we are going down to the factory to select the van and spec it out. I am leaning very much towards the petrol auto.

 It's on the expensive side but this will be our last van and we will keep it till we or it drops so maybe petrol will be a better long term bet than the demonised diesel.

We have loved our Clubman and it has been a great first van, and has shown us how much we enjoy motorhoming/ campervaning but due to health issues and being unable to be away from my mother for longer than a week we hardly use it and feel we will get more out of a camper. Basically the Clubman carries around a lot of stuff we dont use since we always stay on sites and we would prefer the more compact size of the Celex for generally getting out and about.

Have you been happy with the build quality ? any tips on spec in terms of what you feel are must haves in light of experience ?

Bilbos are just down the road from me. The other side of the M25 from me though.

It's not an easy choice about which fuel. I have the 2.0 TDi 140BHP DSG auto - because no petrol was available when I bought mine 4+ years ago.

If I were buying now it would be petrol - firstly because it's £1k cheaper, second because MPG differences between petrol and diesel have narrowed and thirdly because the diesels are now stupidly complex. For example, in addition to the normal CR fuel injection, you now have a Particulate Filter, a "special" low-pressure EGR valve system, an Adblue injection system and a Catalytic Converter (in addition to the DPF which also has a catalytic part built-in). To my mind that's too many things to go wrong!

I've been happy with the build quality - it's not in any way flashy inside, and for example a VW California is more "professionally" finished, but I like the fact that it's focused on function rather than appearance. They were also willing to do a small amount of customisation for me (e.g. making up a matching panel so that I could fit a microwave in place of the small oven - though I did all the fitting).

There are a few options that I did not go for, and later wished I had. For example TPMS, which I retro-fitted to factory spec - but that won't apply to you as IIRC it's standard now. If you are going to add a touchscreen stereo, the MFSW is almost essential - I retro-fitted that too. I didn't go for the trip computer, but added a separate screen with extra info using the Torque Android app. But if you want a temp gauge in the dash you had (when I bought) no choice but to choose the trip computer option (edit: looking at the options list this no longer seems to be true). And on the T5.1, I wished I had chosen the Xenon headlight option, because the standard dip beams are poor. I'm not sure if that's true of the T6 - if so it may be worth looking at the LED headlight option.

Are you going for the pop-top or high roof version? If the former, there's something you need to know about it!

mojo

Thank you for your helpful advice so far.

 I am going for the pop top to hopefully get under more car park barriers.

 I have read several reviews of the mini oven, none of which were complimentary so may go down the microwave route.

Did you specify the diesel/petrol blown air heating, if so what do you think of it ?

NORGIL wrote:
 I have read several reviews of the mini oven, none of which were complimentary so may go down the microwave route.

Did you specify the diesel/petrol blown air heating, if so what do you think of it ?

You can buy a microwave as a factory option, but it takes up more space than I was prepared to lose (the factory fitted one loses a drawer as well as the "warming oven"). Hence my wish to fit a smaller one myself - and be warned, there are very few that will fit!

Yes, I have the Webasto diesel heater and it's very good, though I tend to use a blown-air electric system more often, as I don't camp off EHU very often (unless I'm in the more remote parts of Scotland).

Blimey Norgil, was last at NEC 3 years ago to buy a Tribute T670 van conversion. Once viewed my wife did not like it and I thought I did well leaving with a new multi head screwdriver and 90p tap connector! Nice van , love the whole vw camper vibe but only got the tee shirt....All the best , enjoy your new van...

Good choice Norgil. 

I've owned a couple of VW Californias and must say that there are aspects of the Bilbo that I preferred. The main one being the roof. Many California owners, including myself, had problems with corrosion due to the interaction of the aluminium and steel, which lifted the paintwork. many had a new roof fitted. VW initially were very good but on realising just how many were affected started to implement an inferior fix. Corrosion also occurred under the roof rubber edging, out of sight. I am talking about vans that are only 1 yr old !!

Agree with Mojo, might not be as flashy as the California (or should I say as complex) but appear to be very well built and more solid. From experience, there are two many things that can and do go wrong with the California and after the warranty period has ended will be costly to maintain.

Go for the DSG if you can, they are great to drive.

Hubert

Hi
   If you are buying petrol and keeping the van long term consider a LPG conversion half the price of petrol may be cheaper road tax and yes there are plenty of garages selling it
Alan

gemdeco wrote:Hi
   If you are buying petrol and keeping the van long term consider a LPG conversion half the price of petrol may be cheaper road tax and yes there are plenty of garages selling it
Alan

Alan - it's a really good idea, but on the SWB version of the Celex it's difficult to find a place to put the tank. The conventional place on a T5/T6 is just in front of the rear axle, but that's where Bilbos fit the waste water tank!

Thank you all very much for the advice and supportive comments despite our decision to leave the AS fold.

I confess we may have fallen for a case of ' show fever ' but my wife fell in love with the Celex and thats more important to me than most other considerations, however we have come to our senses a little now and are taking our time to get the spec of both the base vehicle (my bit, except the colour !) and whatever she wants in the conversion exactly right.

So, now you have been and viewed and asked questions - what was the result? Deposit paid, or back to the drawing board?