well to be honest, the T6.1 has gotten a LOT cheaper build quality than the T6 before it. For that, they hiked the prices up 
so not everything is always the best. But yes, one can definitely see the incremental upgrades over the years, especially if you jump back to a T3 from '85 that already had this very same layout…
I personally like the Ford Nugget.
Price seems to be in the same range as VW, though.
Pls specify where the T6.1 has lower quality build? Disclaimer: I had both.
The Nugget is not a bad alternative but offers way less flexibility in terms of transport / storage capabilities. It has a more fixed interior design. The Mercedes Marco Polo are probably the better car in terms of quality, consumption, etc. but resale value seems to hold less well than for VW. Also, I need mine for off-road use and neither nugget nor Marco Polo are very suited for that
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The whole dashboard and cockpit. cheap plastics, no glove box, no top dash box, removed 1.5l bottle holder, no more textile on the doors, awful-looking steel wheels.
Also the extra sleeping mattress in the back got thinner - I haven’t tested the difference yet as we’re still waiting for our T6.1 to get delivered.
The re-done knobs work better in theory, but in practice they don’t work well (don’t always close perfectly where they should) and again a flimsy construction, just different way this time (except the "cupboard sliders from the T6, they were also a joke with the ducttape in the back).
The old T6 Ocean GREY trim is no more, if you select the same stuff for a T6.1 you get around 6-8k pricier than a T6.
Of course there are better things in the T6.1 like a digital cockpit and the new camper unit, the reclining rear seat and the mattress support upstairs… but not everything is better, just because it’s newer. 
Yes, maybe we have different priorities but the overall improvement of digital cockpit, ACC, lane assistant etc. outweigh having a pane of plastic removed here and there. I notice no difference on the mattress - they’re both god awful and need to be replaced ASAP if you’re planning to sleep more than one night in the van IMHO.
The biggest downside compared to the T6 is the auxiliary heater where the output power has been significantly reduced compared to the T6. It’s still sufficient (if it doesn’t switch off randomly during the night - also a 6.1 problem), but doesn’t give me the heat “reserves” that we had in the T6. Annoying, especially when skiing (and showering) in winter and need real heat to warm up
Chipping in on the topic, I bought a used people transport van 3 years ago (Fiat Scudo) for a bit less than 6k, and replaced the 6 back seats with a fixed homemade wooden bed structure. This is strictly a “good season” setup (no heater), meaning that in winter I switch the seats back in.
Travelling with it is truly awesome, what we lose in flexibility (only 2 seats) we gain in comfort (standard 140x200 mattress) and in storage (around 45 cm high under the whole bed, for my surfboard and all the equipment we need).
This is not a family setup, for sure, but one of the biggest advantage is that it makes camping stealthier than ever. At around 10’000 km per year we don’t use it heavily (less than I would like to) but it is still the best vehicle I ever owned.
I was put off by the price of Californias, and this feels like a very good compromise.
Go camping!
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Ha ha, least mustachian thread ever.
I have to admit I’ve struggle to square frugality with #vanlife and have just bought a campervan. I used to have a T4 many years ago and it was amazing. Did lots of overnight trips and some great holidays exploring Switzerland and other bits of nearby Europe.
Now I’ve got kids and found it so difficult to do weekend camping trips. I’ve done a bunch but you spend so much time packing up at either end that you don’t do much else. It works better for a week but you can’t move around like you can with a van.
We opted for a slightly larger Ducato based van which was around the same price as a California but has two double beds without having to dismantle the living area.
Based on the depreciation I’m imagining owning for a few years and selling around the time that proper electric vans become available and before they are widely adopted. Probably between 2-5 years. I guess that I’ll lose somewhere between 10-25k over that period which I’m comfortable with in exchange for unforgettable holidays with the kids.
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Speaking of which, are there any electric camper vans on the market?
I don’t remember seeing any… 
No (anyway not enough range, at the moment)
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there is only the Nissan e-nv200 eValia but is mostly for urban setting, too little range. But it could be a great choice for a low maintenance / low running costs way to transport big families.
It is ugly as hell though 
and it only has cahdemo for dc charging, which while common now is going extinct in europe. Even Nissan, the last one betting on chademo, will offer the newset electric SUV Aryia only with CCS
Can you do a breakdown of the costs? yearly and also in the mid-long term maintenance?
I’ve done several road trips with rented camping cars (Norway, England, Portugal) and the experience is always amazing.
Thanks for sharing.
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Hi! As I wrote before. I purchase it by 44k chf and yearly I pay around 800 chf in the circulation fee. 1180chf in the insurance with all included and around 300 chf of service per year. The service I ask them to do extrictly what the brand stablishes no more no less. When I have to change the oil I bring them the oil to save around 200 chf. I purchase it on amazon.
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Just barely related question… where do you all park it during the night, apart of park4night.ch thingie?
Is it safe? You are 3mm away from a robbery…
I spend nearly 50% of my weekends + vacation in a bus or sleeping on a camping mattress without tent for >10 years. Mostly in mountains in Europe …
I’ve never had any issue, just one time in France on a highway (never sleep on a highway) a man was masturbating in front of my bus …
Even police didn’t bother me, i’ve never receive a fine. For this point, be careful in Ticino !
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Aren’t there laws to make it illegal?
which part ? the mastubating 
?
I don’t park were there is a sign. If you go in a national park like in Graubunden or regional park in Jura (Doubs), you will be fined. But there is a sign that you are not allowed to camp.
If it’s in a forest, a car park from a ski resort, a parking at a mountain pass. I’ve never had issue, even with table outside for dinner.
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If you mean “camping”, yes, there are, and “free camping” is prohibited in most areas.
If you mean “parking”, yes, there are as well (we all know of, while traveling with regular cars). But there are thousands of places where you can park a car and stay (and sleep in your car). Only a (very) small number of Gemeinden regulate the “usage of a parked car” in their Polizeireglement (and e.g. prohibit sleeping in the car while parked). Other than that, if you say within the parking rules signalized (hours, limits, …) there are no problems…
ofc, parking doesn’t mean to put out your bbq, bikes, table/chairs or to put out a tent with like 5 parties
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Indeed I was told that (in Italy at least) as long as you don’t take out tables or so, you are by law not considered camping but simply parking. You might have to explain the rule to some policemen though.
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on the contrary, I sold both my T6’s with ridiculous (close to zero) depreciation.
The T6 (Cali Ocean) is the best value car for Switzerland.
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