New shape VW Beach

[rob64981]

Why dont VW bring these into OZ?

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (UK)

I bet they would sell better than the Multivan if they were priced correctly as they have the roof and you can sleep 4 adults in them.

I would like one thats for sure.

Rob

[BrianJ]

Why dont VW bring these into OZ?

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (UK)

I bet they would sell better than the Multivan if they were priced correctly as they have the roof and you can sleep 4 adults in them.

I would like one thats for sure.

Rob

I own the previous 2006 beach, and they are an incredible car, we got ours as a demo model for $AU47000, which I still think was a lot of car for the money. They were originally priced at about $AU60,000 which is still 2/3 the price of a locally converted campervan based on the same model, but didn't have the pop-top, maybe that put people off.

VW had a bit of trouble selling the last batch, so maybe they are once bitten twice shy about bringing in the latest model. The other thing that went wrong I suspect is that VW never advertised them anywhere, and no one knew they existed until years later when a few were seen on the road.

But you are right about one thing, they are a fantastic car to own and drive.

Brian

[Sunny43.5]

I suppose it could also be that the local camper conversion companies have done a lot of promo work to VWA and it saves VW from importing expensive stock thats slow moving just a thought . Howard PS I wonder if you could have lever to erect the roof quickly would be a fantastic air brake device with that front .

[jets]

I thought at the time that a poptop should have been included on the previous Beach. IMO it would have opened up a larger market.
I love the blind arrangement for the side widows. At the present exchange rate with the Euro it should be a reasonable price too.

[brasstinman]

You'd think they'd sell heaps of these if they advertised them properly. It's a great van.
I want to know how we can get those rubber mats for the back floor. They look excellent and I'd have certainly picked one up because I could use the 7 seats during the week and then camp in it on the weekends.

[Seano]

My guess is that they look at a four seater van with a poptop for $55K to $60K onroad as being a poor sales prospect. I reckon they might be right. You loose three seats and gain a poptop and a storage box....

Considering you should be able to land a 7 seater Velle or Comfortline for around 50K or even a TDI400 crew van for $45K....how much would a locally fitted poptop cost you?

Sorry....but I'd get the TDI400 and a local poptop conversion.

[jets]

how much would a locally fitted poptop cost

Heaps, & they would be inferior to the VW product. Trakka conversions are now $100k to $120k for the full conversion & I don't think they will do just a popup roof anymore. It's not just the roof but the way it is integrated into the interior.

[rob64981]

My guess is that they look at a four seater van with a poptop for $55K to $60K onroad as being a poor sales prospect. I reckon they might be right. You loose three seats and gain a poptop and a storage box....

I personally like the idea of 7 seats and the poptop.

This way you could have a multi purpose vehicle with lots of uses.

4 adults can go away and sleep in the vehicle.

As for local poptops being fitted...I have tried long and hard to find someone that could do this on my Multi but the only place was in QLD and the thing was pig ugly.

So if you have any ideas of someone that could do it please let us all know.

Thanks Rob

[Seano]

Truth is that I don't. There's a few on the web that seem to be capable of doing it (like the one whose pic I borrowed) but none of them look to try and match the OE product. Frankly, I would never in my wildest nightmares own a poptop camper as I reckon they are the worst kind of compromise - and yes my family has owned one in the distant past. At least the OE version posted has a far greater level of functionality than a dedicated pop top camper but it still has a poptop.

If I wanted a high roof van then that's what I'd get and I'd live with the compromise of the tall (but well sealed) roof. But if I wanted a functional day to day camper then I'd get a slide-on trayback unit (like this one Candy Canvas :: Single Cab ) on a dual cab. And the tray would be a tipper. But then I'm biased towards the dual cab...just as you lot are to your vans.

In the end, the original OE version posted is a four seater with a poptop. Seating for another three is optional. There is no camper aspect to it nor is there anything more than a suggestion that there could be. It is a Transporter Crewvan with a pop-top and a long options list. It would make a very good family day van. But not necessarily a sales winner. Good on VWA if they choose to bring it in but I suspect they'd probably not bother.....that said, it couldn't hurt to ask your dealer.

[MultiplexMan]

I'd favour a mid roof instead of a pop top. A bit more head room would make my Beach perfect.

I like the idea of the pop top but prefer the security of a solid steel roof. I also need to load roof racks (Hobie Mirage kayak) and the pop top cannot take it.

The other thing I like about our vans is the ability to walk through to the cargo area. It's just perfect when you pull over for a short break or its belting down outside.

It's all horses for courses. I can see how a tray back unit would be handy if you had the facility to remove and stow the camper module when not in use.