These are the first questions put to David at Vw, taken from e-mails and the facebook forum, and answered very promptly;
Question 1) Is it true that Vw are doing away with the third rail in the California, thus meaning that a 5th seat will not be able to be fitted?
Answer - The 3rd rail is now only incorporated when the 5th seat is ordered. It may be possible to order it specially without the 5th seat, but normally this would not happen.
Question 2) Why do the European spec Cali's get different/better spec than UK (e.g. nicer dashboard finishes, wardrobe safe, front blinds, etc.etc.) and why don't the UK vans even get UK style sockets?
Answer - The left hand drive California has the Multivan dashboard rather than the Transporter dashboard. For the right hand drive market the volume was insufficient to justify the engineering cost of both dashboard versions so we have the Transporter version only. It is not possible to fit the windscreen pillar blinds with the Transporter dashboard. This also applies to some other features which are linked to the dashboard style. The wardrobe safe could be made available, and in fact I have just had the first one to evaluate it. The safe uses the recess at the bottom of the wardrobe and as a result the depth available for hanging garments is substantially reduced. Because of this and our wish to avoid too much proliferation we decided not to offer it. The mains electrical socket on the end of the kitchen cupboard was only available to the continental pattern, but I believe we are close to resolving this for future production with the factory.
Question 3) Do you know what the weight limit is for items on the roof of the California (kayaks etc.) and is it possible to raise the roof with them on, without fear of burning the motor out?
Answer - The roof can be opened with items loaded on it, to a maximum additional weight of 50kg. (It's shown in a footnote on page 15 of the current brochure/price list).
Question 4) To make the California more of a useable lifestyle vehicle it would be much more beneficial to have an extra removeable double seat, thus making it the ideal MPV school run vehicle during the week. For the vehicles with the floor fixings is there an option within VW current range of seats to fit an extra double seat ? I understand that VW Birmingham may have put a caravelle double seat in a California. Please could you advise if this can be done and if so any detail on which seats work ?
Answer -
I'm puzzled to know what was fitted
in Birmingham
Currently the Caravelle is always fitted
with twin individual seats in the "middle row". There is also an option of twin
individual seats in the "back row", instead of the standard spec of
a 3 seat bench in the "back row". There is no 2 seat bench available for
the Caravelle middle or rear row
The Transporter shuttle and Transporter Kombi are both available with a two seat bench which is fitted on the right hand side of the "middle row" and an optional single seat on the left hand side of the "middle row".
The Transporter seats are trimmed in
different fabric, but more importantly the seat retaining system is also
completely different. In simple
terms the Transporter passenger compartment seats are on hooks which attach to
specific fixed points, Caravelle seats are on pegs which go into tracks and can
be slid to any point within the tracks.
In a California an additional 2 seat rear bench would also fit in the middle row,
but this would be very cumbersome as it would include the folding bed mechanism
as well as the drawer under the seat.
Anticipating the next question, it's not possible for us to build
a California with an extra 2 seat rear bench!
Question 5) After 2 weeks
in E. France where we had
several very wet days with the roof up we took particular attention to air the
roof to ensure it dried out. However, the roof now emits a rather offensive
smell which does not seem to be reducing.
Is there any product, treatment that we can use/apply to either protect the material and remove the smell ?
From a technical point of view, wht is the bellows material and what product has been used to weatherproof it ?
Answer -
I'm afraid I don't have an answer to the smell coming from the folding roof fabric. I understand the roof bellows is not actually treated with any waterproofing product, but is weather resistant by nature of the water repellent fabric used in its construction. I will refer this to my factory colleagues and let you know the outcome in due course