T5 Kombi Beach availability

[tapsy]

Hi all new to this site, my wife and i are thinking about getting a T5 kombi beach, and was wondering if 1) they are still going to be available in a couple of years, or get one now as we want to semi retire in about 4 years. 2) any bad reports about them?
3) any good reports about them.

we don't think we need a full blown camper, so what is the bed like in these?

[phaeton]

Hi all new to this site, my wife and i are thinking about getting a T5 kombi beach, and was wondering if 1) they are still going to be available in a couple of years, or get one now as we want to semi retire in about 4 years. 2) any bad reports about them?
3) any good reports about them.

we don't think we need a full blown camper, so what is the bed like in these?

Welcome to VWwA tapsy j:

Can't comment as I dont have a T5 but they will be phased out in 3 to 4 years when T6 arrives.

A facelift is also rumoured between now and then ;)

[jets]

The Kombi Beach sells in very low nos. There would be no guarantee that VW would contiue to sell this model until the end of the T5.
Hopefully MultiplexMan will come along soon, he owns a Beach. If he doesn't send him a PM.

[WEDEL.1]

A Beach would certainly be an adequate replacement for the Green T4. All I need is $$$$$$$$.


Maris

[MultiplexMan]

Hi all new to this site, my wife and i are thinking about getting a T5 kombi beach, and was wondering if 1) they are still going to be available in a couple of years, or get one now as we want to semi retire in about 4 years. 2) any bad reports about them?
3) any good reports about them.

we don't think we need a full blown camper, so what is the bed like in these?

Hi,

The bed is great and roomy as there are no cupboards in the Beach. However the Beach is a SWB T5. This may be important if you cart heaps on your trips...

Positives - big discounts when buying one off the lot. I purchased a Beach because it worked out cheaper (at the time) than buying a stock Transporter and building it it up to the same spec. That is, dual battery, privacy glass windows all round, folding seat/bed, dual A/C, swivelling Captains seats, folding table, chairs,...

Negatives - VW T5 build quality. You can read my posts on this site and on the Brickyard. Lots of trim issues, pre-delivery "omissions", design... Note these are not Beach issues but VW issues.

My biggest agro is over the seat/bed. This is meant to be easily removable in order to suit the "dual purpose" nature of the vehicle. Well ask for a demonstration of the removal and installation of the seat/bed - take a video with you :D

Support - not an issue. Support will be no different than for any T5. The few "unique" pieces are not "show stoppers".

Anyhow - I found great prices in WA on demo Beaches (2WD and 4WD) but ended up buying in Sydney because I got a great all round deal.

It has been a great van (TDI auto) and I love driving it. It has been super reliable to date, easy to work with, lots of support (forums, spares, vendors) and I take it out bush (Cooper Basin) where only Toyotas dare to go j:

Cheers MM

[tapsy]

Thanks for your comments MM , what sort of $$ could i get one for i guess they are plated 06 so we may be able to get them down on price, One went a few months back for $42k on road with 7,000K, and is that bed comfortable? we have driven one and fell in LOVE with it..... but i will check out your posts on quality issues! Thanks, GT

[MultiplexMan]

Kombi Beach - 42K on road!!! That is a bargain.

[Lams]

The Caddy's bed is easily removable :-)

[BrianJ]

One went a few months back for $42k on road with 7,000K, and is that bed comfortable? we have driven one and fell in LOVE with it.....

I bought a 2006 with 10k km for $47000 on the road 6 months ago, so $42k would be a real bargain.

This is mine, offroad gray and orange stripe, the brianj thread 3 images down from the top: http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newforum/upload/showthread.php?t=3785&page=7

We also did not want all the hard cupboards and sinks etc and this design has proven to be perfect for us. We have narrowed the bed a bit to fit a 32ltr engel fridge in on top of the wooden drawer just inside the sliding door.

The ability to eat up the kilometres in comfort is legendary, and lightyears ahead of the japanese commercial vans being sold in aussie. It has power to spare, has returned around 8 litres/100k on trips.

Its hard to know whether they will retain their proper value in australia unless VW starts to sell more cars overall and becomes a houshold name again, but with the price of japanese cars rising and european falling, that might just happen.

Brian

[Mischa]

just a thought; you could consider the new cadi maxi. then install your own bed and fridge and stuff. would be nicer to drive and still tonnes of room.

[tapsy]

We also did not want all the hard cupboards and sinks etc and this design has proven to be perfect for us. We have narrowed the bed a bit to fit a 32ltr engel fridge in on top of the wooden drawer just inside the sliding door.


Hey Brian sounds like you have the same idea as us, just need a bed to crash a fridge and coffee machine. we are still looking (we missed the 42k one)

So are you happy with it? IS the bed comfortable? Any chance of some pics of fridge setup?

please be honest, its a lot of doh.......:confused:

[tapsy]

Thanks phaeton for the welcome, i'll be happier when i get the T5

[BrianJ]

Hey Brian sounds like you have the same idea as us, just need a bed to crash a fridge and coffee machine. we are still looking (we missed the 42k one)

So are you happy with it? IS the bed comfortable? Any chance of some pics of fridge setup?

please be honest, its a lot of doh.......:confused:

The fridge reduces the bed to about the width of the main part, without the sliding sponge bit over the drawer near the door. We are both fairly skinny and it works for us, but I would say if you were one of both were larger persons then you would need the original width. This would create a problem of where to fit the fridge, as it cannot go on the floor behind the drivers seat where we wanted to place it, as then the metal drawer under the moving centre seat could not be opened. It would take some creative thinking to place it elsewhere, and the best thing about having it near the sliding door is that when you are sitting under the awning and want another beer, just flip the lid open and get one while standing outside.

We placed another 2inch cotton covered foam matress on top of the seat/bed to make it comfortable, and it is very good. We got that from BCF for about $80 I think. It comes with magnetic curtains which work well for the windows at night. I have put a 12V fan on the centre pillar to provide breeze if it gets hot and you cant get a breeze from outside. I had to add aditional 12v sockets in the back to run our DVD/TV as well as external lights etc.
We have also had electricians fit a 240V inlet and wiring so we can use powered sites, which costed about $800.

The boot under the bed is incredible for carrying capacity, where we use a few plastic boxes. Otherwise it is mostly all worked out in the original design, and it works very well.

We were aprehensive about buying it at first, as it is a complex car and there are not many as yet in australia which can cause difficulty if it breaks down especially going around the country. So far we have gone 12k km with no trouble at all.

The reason we bought it was the value you get for the money. It doesn't matter what you compare it to that is available here, it is way ahead. Take the hi-ace for example. A diesel auto will cost at least $40k with factory windows and then you can start fitting it out which will cost anything from 15-$20k. When you have finished it will be smaller, less powerful, poorer handling, and virtually not as good in any area you care to compare. The only thing going for the hi-ace is that there are plenty on the road and parts and expertise should be easier to find. But in the end we felt it would not do the job and would cost more so decided on the VW.

We have become increasingly happy with it as it is a superb handling car and a pleasure to drive even without considering the camping ability. On a suitable highway, I think it could easily cruise all day on 140km/hr and has the power to make mountains look like molehills.

We have a simple tarp as an awning which we attach to a 1 inch square bar that we have screwed on the roof to the roofrack threaded holes, and are considering getting a mesh tent type thing to use for the table and chairs, and provide insect protection and camp placeholder if we move the car while staying for a few days. We will try to travel in the best season as it would not be as good as a caravan or cabin in nasty weather.

I think we have made the right choice and have already done a three week trip from Brisbane to Forster and back, and are going to the dinosaur diggings near Winton in August for 4 weeks, then to tassie next February. In a couple of years we will be going right around Australia, so we want to have a lot of practice by then.

Its a tough descision, but work out what are the alternatives and their costs, and the answer will be apparent.

Brian

[tapsy]

Hi Brian, wow that was very informative ....... this is what forums are about!!!!! you got us both excited about our venture now! we had some rellies come over from Germany a while back and 'Boris' had one and was going on about it and that's what started us, we mainly were looking for something to crash in after parties as we both drink a little:-) you know with the law these days But we really want to travel light in comfort and safety and i know couriers that say they have to climb into thier toyotas and slide out! as they sit on the wheels, you just step in the kombi!

It's a big step as we are going out on the limb a bit to get one now, rather than a year or two but we have time to set it up like you. Has yours got the alloys or are they the steel rims, they look good !

we are both 'small' people so the bed modification wouldn't be bad, do you still have the drawer under the fridge? We don't need all the cupboards and stuff as we want to commute as a normal car too! I like the way you have it set up, hope you are here if i get ours and i can ask some more stuff... but hey i won't get offended if you don;t wanto :D Have a good trip!
we are in Tassie in august .......flying in for a week:rolleyes: taking the mother in law for a look. Thanks for the pics!!!

ps this is the one we missed out on *try to add pic here not having much luck with it http://picasaweb.google.com/tarjmahal/NewAlbum210508358PM/photo#5202714574391789058

[shogun2]

Hey Tapsy,
I saw that one down at Solitaire. Was very interested in the nudge bar, cause I'm sick and tired of people backing their tow bars into the number plate.
How much did the one you missed go for?
Cheers,
Rod

[tapsy]

Hi Rod
It went for $42k had 7000 km on the clock, yeah i like that nudge bar too, cause it doesnt go right under the front. i will find out were it came from and let you know.

[BrianJ]

Yes, we still have the original drawer under the fridge, and by the way you cannot fit the 40ltr engel there only the 32ltr, because the side of the car comes in as it get higher and stops the lid opening. We use this drawer for food and the metal one under the seat/bed as the cloths drawer. They are both very handy, and so are the cloth bags on the sides and the mesh on the ceiling where we keep towels etc.

By the way, I assume you know that the table can be fitted inside and the front seats can be turned around to form a kitchenette.

It came standard with alloy wheels, and michelin tyres which hold the road very well. One downside I think is that the 5cyl diesel engine must use expensive specific oil that meets VW specifications due to the high cam injector pump pressures.

We think one of the big advantages is the walk through from the cabin to the rear, which other vans do not have due to the engine position. We use this all the time, as where we have to park under our apartement, the concrete pillars block the use of the drivers door. But it is also useful if it is raining and you stop for a drink.

Its interesting that we were convinced about the kombi by two german people who owned a kombi in germany and were travelling in QLD in a hired hi-ace, that we met at the town of 1770, and asked about the hi-ace as we were considering it at that time. They tried not to be critical of it, but it turned out to be far below expectation, and they listed the specific problems they were having. Its incredible but this encounter changed our minds completly against the hi-ace which is only built for commercial use and is not the same as the ones sold in the rest of the world.

We are also near retirement, and were going to wait 2 years to get a campervan, but after this encounter and evaluation of the relative prices, we decided to check out the going price of the 2006 stock. We thought that even if the beach was still available in 2 years that the RRP would be beyond the current price for the 2006, so decided to go ahead immediately.

It appears that you are going through the exact same process as we did 6 months ago.

Good luck, and I will watch here occasionally for any other questions.

Brian

[tapsy]

He Brian

we just happen to have a 32 Waceo so it is probably the same as an engle.
I like the idea ogf getting that beer from outside..............
how have you mounted it so it dosnt fly off?

Yeah we hope to retire about 4 years, can't wait...............................

[BrianJ]

We bought the engel plastic clip-in mounting base and screwed that to the top of the cupboard. We mounted this with the U shaped foot recepticles such that in an accident it could not fly forward, and also fitted a 400kg tie strap from the rear handle down to the rear seat belt mounting point on the passengers side rear wheel arch.

I will pass on a bit of wisdom that I got from a person I was talking too at Carnarvon Gorge one evening. I was lamenting the fact that there were all these gray nomads camping there but me and my wife were still going to work, and how I envied them. She said, 'But you already are one, otherwise you would not be here'. I stood there astounded and realised that she was right.

That was why we decided to buy our kombi when we did, because you don't have to wait, you can start practicing and going away to places straight away. Life is too short to wait for an important thing that you really want to do.

Brian

[tapsy]

Tha's it Brian you hit it on the head WHY wait .....
Been negotiating all day today and WHOooooooooooooooooooooooooooo:D:
It's happened, signed and waiting, got a NEW T5 Kombi Beach (2 weeks)
(Orange decal Brian, although it may come off)
auto, metallic paint and with 16" alloys and ESP for $52,298 also bargained a bit and got a genuine towbar included. Just want to get a nudge bar like on the kombi in the previous pics i attached and tint the two front side windows:-)))):):)

Availability: Re the start of this thread: They told me only one grey auto left a couple of silver and about 4 yellow ones (all over not decal)

Well I'm over the moon, I hope for a long and happy association

and got time to sort a few things before we retire (unless we do sooner :cool:)

[WEDEL.1]

Congratulations you lucky duck!!

You'll have to get a new avatar....And don't forget to bring it along to our DOVW Show Day next year.

Maris

[BrianJ]

That's fantastic, I think you will be amazed at the features that just keep on revealing themselves.

Here is our view on the orange decal. At first we thought it was a bit over the top, then we thought we would just remove the bonnet part, then we thought that it would be a hard colour (gray) to see against the bitumen road especially when it is raining, so in the end we just left it there and now it has grown on us and we think it makes it look distinctive and unique.

Let us know what you think when you get it.

Brian

[tapsy]

Congratulations you lucky duck!!

You'll have to get a new avatar....And don't forget to bring it along to our DOVW Show Day next year.

Maris
When date is the DOVW Show Day, had a quick look but.....
don't want to sound stupidd dut what does DO stand for? did a search and came back to here

[WEDEL.1]

DOVW = Day of the Volkswagen. Usually held Feb/March/April, whenever we don't clash with the Clipsal 500, Public Holidays etc...

That gives you about 9 mths to "wax on, wax off". :-)

Maris

[tapsy]

Congratulations you lucky duck!!

You'll have to get a new avatar....And don't forget to bring it along to our DOVW Show Day next year.

Maris

Hey whats wrong with my avatar :) thats my first Vdub, i luved that thing until someone crashed into it :(

[Seano]

Congrats on the purchase.

A hint on the decal.....don't get rid of it. It's the only outward sign that separates the Beach from a bog ordinaire T5 Transporter. Which could be an issue down the track when one wants to trade up.....

[tapsy]

Hi,

privacy glass windows all round,
It has been a great van (TDI auto) and I love driving it. take it out bush (Cooper Basin) where only Toyotas dare to go j:
Cheers MM

Hi Multiplex man

what do you mean by privacy windows? tinted? if so are they dark enough
we don't get ours for another week or so, we want to tint the drivers and passenger window just wondering if we have to do the other ones as well
(back and sides) they seem green in photos? We are going for the auto too!
sounds good that we can rough it a bit :)

[tapsy]

Congrats on the purchase.

A hint on the decal.....don't get rid of it. It's the only outward sign that separates the Beach from a bog ordinaire T5 Transporter. Which could be an issue down the track when one wants to trade up.....

Hi Seano

we have decided that the decal is to come off, we hope this will be our last car :rolleyes: what we hope to do is just replace the wording that is reversed out in the orange with a orange decal or a silver like on the yellow ones, (just the wording komi beach) if you know what i mean I'll post some pics when we get there :)

[rob64981]

I have been looking at this thread with envy!

I really like the Beach and would love one if money permits.

I read that they are available in other colours?

Can any one tell me if this is correct?

What colours?

I thought i would put a picture up of some front bars on a T5 in the UK.

Not sure if i like them but here you go..

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/05/DSC00707-1.jpg

Rob

[phaeton]

Congrats on purchase :D

[tapsy]

I have been looking at this thread with envy!
I read that they are available in other colours? What colours?
I thought i would put a picture up of some front bars on a T5 in the UK.
Not sure if i like them but here you go..Rob

Hi Rob, They come in (as far as i know) silver, and off road grey, with those colours they come with decals on front and side in orange or lime, and there is a yellow van also with no decal. Dont like the front bars :confused: some pics here (can't embed photos

[shogun2]

I think they look like a set of walrus fangsj:

[BrianJ]

Tapsy, have you got your new beach yet?

BrianJ

[tapsy]

Tapsy, have you got your new beach yet?

BrianJ

Hi Brian - No! supposed to be last week then this week now it looks like next week:duh:

it's been in melbourne in compound and it seems to take as long as from germany to get here, i'm having towbar, tinted windows, reverse camera fitted
and sorry to say the orange taken off, i have made some kombi beach decals up (just the wording and a bit smaller) in orange and some in silver to put on in place of the original wording (not sure which colour to put on yet) when i doo finally get it, i'll post some pics,:biggrin:

[tapsy]

Hi all!!! took delivery of the Kombi Beach Tuesday night, it looks great and goes great!! can't wait to go for a drive on the weekend! orange stripes are off! and i'm glad we did it looks magic. :driver::driver:

[BrianJ]

That's great, can you post a picture showing it without the decal, also do you know how they got it off and how easy it was.

Brian

[tapsy]

will post some pics asap. I don't know how they took it off it went to a sign company and i was told it took 3 guys all day! we are getting some decals made with just the kombi beach wording (same font but bolder and about half the size) but it looks so good just plain that we don't know if to put them on or not. seen it with the stripes on and when it came back it was a different car:biggrin:

[tapsy]

Some pics of our T5

http://picasaweb.google.com/tarjmahal/KombiBeach

[WEDEL.1]

Looks great, but somehow, doesn't look like a Beach.

Maris

[99gti]

Looks great, but somehow, doesn't look like a Beach.

Maris


You have a very dry sense of humour Maris! lol

[BrianJ]

Looks great, you did a good job replicating the kombi beach name sticker, but we have grown attached to the decal now so ours will have to stay put.

Since my last thread, we have bought an external screen tent, the oztent RV3 screen room: http://www.oztent.com.au/Accessories/ViewProduct.asp?ProductID=11 This will act as an enclosure for our table and chairs for shade and keeping insects out plus as a place holder if we leave the camp site during the day. For overnight we just use our awning tarp.

Also a Primus portable 80W solar panel to keep the house battery topped up during extended stays in places like NP where there are no powered sites. Hopefully we are completely set up now.

Have fun, we will be staying at Cotton Tree at the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane later this week, hope the weather holds.

Brian

[tapsy]

Looks great, you did a good job replicating the kombi beach name sticker, but we have grown attached to the decal now so ours will have to stay put.

Since my last thread, we have bought an external screen tent, the oztent RV3 screen room: http://www.oztent.com.au/Accessories/ViewProduct.asp?ProductID=11 This will act as an enclosure for our table and chairs for shade and keeping insects out plus as a place holder if we leave the camp site during the day. For overnight we just use our awning tarp.

Also a Primus portable 80W solar panel to keep the house battery topped up during extended stays in places like NP where there are no powered sites. Hopefully we are completely set up now.

Have fun, we will be staying at Cotton Tree at the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane later this week, hope the weather holds.

Brian

Hey brian sounds good, we have the **** weather here so you should be fine :biggrin: sounds like you have retired :) is the fridge still working in that spot for you? we have been just putting it behind the drivers seat cause the plug's right there. we will look into the tent, it looks OK thanks for the link.
i'm not techo so how does the solar panel hook up? we had our first drive away last weekend 450km and it drives like a dream..... havn;t slept in it yet:frown:

[BrianJ]

Only trouble putting it behind the drivers seat is that the metal drawer can't open properly. On the wood cabinet is good, you can always run an extension down the right side and run the fridge lead across to meet it.

Solar panels are rather large and heavy to store, but they are in a cloth carry bag and fit beside the bed against the drivers side wall. I have put a cigarette lighter plug on it so it just plugs in at the drivers seat socket and sits outside.

I'm glad you like the way it drives, I think mine is amazing on the open road and love driving it.

Brian

[tapsy]

Thanks for the help Brian, decided that we will mount the fridge on the cabinet.
seen some brackets on ebay, but are older ones that don't fold down when not in use, a newie that folds is about $100 for a waeco 35L suppose it depends if it stays put all the time?

[BrianJ]

We screwed this one for $80 to the cabinet top, which also stops the wood slide top from moving:
http://www.engelaustralia.com.au/images/products/images/tsl530-540.jpg

Getting things set up to your liking so they are placed for safe storage and convence is a bit of a challenge. There are little nooks and crannies everywhere and there is always something that will fit perfectly if enough thought is applied.

Brian

[tapsy]

how does that one work? does it 'slide once in place? or is it fixed the name implies that it slides. By screwing down the slide lok did you use screws that were long enough to go through the top part of cabinet to the second layer to keep it from moving

the waeco was is quite different, this is the newer one that folds down still very different to your engel one

hope this works http://cgi.ebay.com.au/NEW-Waeco-Universal-Fixing-Kit_W0QQitemZ230267499059QQihZ013QQcategoryZ161889 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


http://www.waeco.com.au/products.asp?id=124&subCatId2=-1&subCatId=21&catId=21#

[BrianJ]

The feet slide in and clip, but can be released again by a small lever if you want to remove the fridge. I did use 4 long screws that went right through the two wood tops and put nylon locking nuts on the under side of the drawer cabinet. As I said in an earlier post, I also have a strap to hold it from the rear inner mudguard as boots and braces in case of an accident.

Brian

[tapsy]

looks like a neater solution than the waeco one

[tapsy]

We have also had electricians fit a 240V inlet and wiring so we can use powered sites, which costed about $800.Brian

with the 240 volt inlet what did you actually get on the inside?

we are looking to do this too, as you know we have got the Beach earlier than expected and it is great as we have time before moving to the country (in a year or two) to set everything up while in town as i'm sure it will be easier and cheaper. :driver:

I notice on one of your pics that the inlet plug is white? do they have black ones?

[BrianJ]

with the 240 volt inlet what did you actually get on the inside?

we are looking to do this too, as you know we have got the Beach earlier than expected and it is great as we have time before moving to the country (in a year or two) to set everything up while in town as i'm sure it will be easier and cheaper. :driver:

I notice on one of your pics that the inlet plug is white? do they have black ones?

There is black ones available, and we are thinking of getting one or painting the white one to match the car. For some reason the electrician didn't seem to be able to get black even though I asked him.

On the inside we have one double switched socket just behind the fridge which the mains lead for the fridge goes into, and one spare for outside extension lead etc, and the other is where the flip out ash tray is opposite the sliding door, behind the drivers seat. When the ashtray is removed the hole is about the right size. Only trouble now is that since I bought the solar cells which you can see in the blue pack beside the bed, it covers the power sockets, so I might have to move them to the left a bit.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/brianlj99/SIkcJ5qDWRI/AAAAAAAABKQ/Gpz67eM0k-Y/s400/Kombi%20interior%203.JPG http://lh5.ggpht.com/brianlj99/SIkcK_jIcrI/AAAAAAAABKg/lpR1wXUnPZY/s400/Kombi%20interior%204.JPG

The mains circuit breaker is a bit tricky. At first we were going to have it in the boot somewhere on the same side as the inlet, but worried that luggage might knock it off, so ended up with it inside the plastic cover panel inside the back on the right. As it is about 3-4 inches thick and the space was about that size near the forward end, we had it mounted there and cut a rectangle hole in the cover so only the switch top is seen. Only trouble is that when you try to remove this side cover, the plastic clips break and you have to go to VW and get some more. Also it is hard to cut the hole so it fits perfectly when the cover is replace.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/brianlj99/SIkcJrdAMCI/AAAAAAAABKI/ZPwjvXlCCq4/s400/kombi%20interior%201.JPG http://lh6.ggpht.com/brianlj99/SIkcKdwrzJI/AAAAAAAABKY/vshSAlpipY0/s400/Kombi%20interior%202.JPG

Its not an easy job overall, and we had a bit of trouble finding a shop that would do it, but we found one that would come to our house and I already had a lot of stuff removed such as the rear bed stand and some of the gray side covers before they arrived. So in my case I more or less came up with the design and they just did what I wanted.

I also got a written certificate to make it lawful.

Brian

[tapsy]

Hey BrianJ appreciate your reply, and you must have read my mind! thanks for the pics. They will certainly help us to get this side of things sorted out.
I've just got to get someone to quote/do the job now. Been told some caravan places can do it so i'll just have to ring around and see how we go.
Again thankyou!
Of to Port Broughton this weekend:driver:, pretty damm cold over here brrrrrrrrrrrrr.

[xtzoutback]

G'day all

Just ordered a Kombi Beach today from Burwin in Melbourne. They have quite a few still available. We live in NSW so we've bought it without VIC rego and will drive up on transit plates. We have gone for the plain silver, manual with alloys and a towbar. $42000. I have about $1300 of charges in NSW but it's cheaper than buying a basic van......get down there and grab a deal.

My bright orange T5 Crewvan now has 50000km in 18 months and is by far the best vehicle I have ever had. Only gripe is the plastic cover for the optional sliding side window on the door. It constantly falls off.

Burwin offer great deals and superb service, I will go there again without hesitation.

[phaeton]

G'day all

Just ordered a Kombi Beach today from Burwin in Melbourne. They have quite a few still available. We live in NSW so we've bought it without VIC rego and will drive up on transit plates. We have gone for the plain silver, manual with alloys and a towbar. $42000. I have about $1300 of charges in NSW but it's cheaper than buying a basic van......get down there and grab a deal.

My bright orange T5 Crewvan now has 50000km in 18 months and is by far the best vehicle I have ever had. Only gripe is the plastic cover for the optional sliding side window on the door. It constantly falls off.

Burwin offer great deals and superb service, I will go there again without hesitation.

Welcome to the forum :driver:

Lookiing forward to pics of both your T5s.

Also Burwin Van Cnetre must be the best and biggest in the country I looked it up on Google Street View last night :bowdown:

Never seen so many VW vans at a dealership :eek:

[tapsy]

G'day all

Just ordered a Kombi Beach today from Burwin in Melbourne. They have quite a few still available. We live in NSW so we've bought it without VIC rego and will drive up on transit plates. We have gone for the plain silver, manual with alloys and a towbar. $42000. I have about $1300 of charges in NSW but it's cheaper than buying a basic van......get down there and grab a deal.

My bright orange T5 Crewvan now has 50000km in 18 months and is by far the best vehicle I have ever had. Only gripe is the plastic cover for the optional sliding side window on the door. It constantly falls off.

Burwin offer great deals and superb service, I will go there again without hesitation.

welcome to the forum, yov'e got a great deal there:biggrin: sounds like they are giving them away, great van you will be very happy :driver:

[xtzoutback]

Thanks for the welcome. Here's 'jaffa' showing that the 4motion really does work and also the wee sliver beastie still in Burwins yard, i'm off to collect it next week sometime.

Cheers

[Gripper2111]

Hi all,

I too have finally given in to the Kombi bug. I picked up my new Beach tonight, Manual and Yellow - here in WA there seemed to be a bit of a special on the yellow models. Very happy and looking forward to a trip to Esperance shortly. I'll try and upload a shot tomorrow...

Great forum by the way, I have been lurking about for a while - but no longer!

Cheers

Mark

[tapsy]

well done Gripper2111, still some good deals out there, :eek: Burwin rang with a follow up trying to sell a Kombi reckon you could get a good buy at present as they are getting on a bit being 06 build, but still a great van with all the goodies, really for the price of a stocky transporter seem to have a few yellow ones available in WA i've noticed :driver::driver::driver:

[Gripper2111]

Hi,

Yes the dealer I went through had about 8 yellow Kombis with a discount of about 10k off list. Mine is a manual with alloys, fog lights and a very dark tint.

One question I had was do many other Kombi owners run extra 12v sockets in the vehicle? I love the Kombi but am surprised by the lack of extra sockets in what is supposed to be a camper - the Caddy camper has 3 or 4 I think and my Xtrail has 3, so only finding the one on the VW was a bit of a surprise.

Mark

[tapsy]

Hi,
One question I had was do many other Kombi owners run extra 12v sockets in the vehicle? I love the Kombi but am surprised by the lack of extra sockets in what is supposed to be a camper - the Caddy camper has 3 or 4 I think and my Xtrail has 3, so only finding the one on the VW was a bit of a surprise.

Mark

Hi mark, yeah could do with some extra ones too, getting 240v fitted soon with battery charger, and a few 240v sockets as well as a few extra 12v sockets.

[jets]

Hi,

Yes the dealer I went through had about 8 yellow Kombis with a discount of about 10k off list. Mine is a manual with alloys, fog lights and a very dark tint.

One question I had was do many other Kombi owners run extra 12v sockets in the vehicle? I love the Kombi but am surprised by the lack of extra sockets in what is supposed to be a camper - the Caddy camper has 3 or 4 I think and my Xtrail has 3, so only finding the one on the VW was a bit of a surprise.

Mark

Just wondering what sort of things you want to plug in that you need so many plugs. I am investigating installing a voltmeter for my leisure battery [T4 camper] & was thinking about a 12 volt outlet as well.

[tapsy]

Just wondering what sort of things you want to plug in that you need so many plugs. I am investigating installing a voltmeter for my leisure battery [T4 camper] & was thinking about a 12 volt outlet as well.

well y'd have a fridge, and you might want to run a external light, or 12v kettle
camera, phone, battery charger etc etc

[gregozedobe]

I love my 12v electric blanket (great to get into a warm bed on a really cold frosty night :)

[jets]

well y'd have a fridge, and you might want to run a external light, or 12v kettle
camera, phone, battery charger etc etc

I almost always stay where there is 240V, but I can imagine an extra light would come in handy for bush camping.

[tapsy]

I almost always stay where there is 240V, but I can imagine an extra light would come in handy for bush camping.

I'm thinking if we are only staying one night we could save $10 bucks on a unpowered site rather than a powered site adds up over a week or so (a carton of beer or two) and we may want to watch a dvd from the laptop or something.:drinkbeer:

[jets]

Most of the parks that I have stayed at only charge around $2 extra for power. The time you will save is when free camping & over many nights. The parks are getting more sophisticated with entertainment for families. They want campers to spend their holidays in the same park so that they can get the most dollars from you. I am not interested in all the stuff they dream up, I only want to have a hot shower & somewhere safe to sleep. I believe the councils are now charging the parks higher rates to pay for improved facilities in the respective towns.The park rates can now be $28/night or even more.

[tapsy]

Most of the parks that I have stayed at only charge around $2 extra for power. The time you will save is when free camping & over many nights. The parks are getting more sophisticated with entertainment for families. They want campers to spend their holidays in the same park so that they can get the most dollars from you. I am not interested in all the stuff they dream up, I only want to have a hot shower & somewhere safe to sleep. I believe the councils are now charging the parks higher rates to pay for improved facilities in the respective towns.The park rates can now be $28/night or even more.

Thanks jets, makes sense, hot shower and a safe spot, i'll have to save for that carton on something else:biggrin:

[xtzoutback]

Well we're back after our wee road trip to pick up the new Kombi from Burwins in Melbourne. Flew down thursday night from Newcastle, got to the dealers on friday morning and after the fifteen minute instruction demo and a good cup of coffee we (me and the two sproggs who were sneaking a day off school!!!) were off.

Compared to the standard Crewvan the Kombi is quieter. The computer is an addition over the basic van and it is a really handy tool allowing you to improve the driving and gear selection to help optimise fuel economy. (well it was a long drive...a bloke can get bored...)

We stayed overnight at Wagga and had no problems. Enough space and really warm. As I mentioned in another post I found the front wheel drive a little spinny on wet roads compared with the 4motion but I also achieved 7.86l/100km for the trip which is bloody fantastic if you ask me.

It is booked in for a rego inspection tomorrow and then we can plan some trips. I'll post some pictures of both vans soon.

Still great deals available.

Cheers

[Gripper2111]

xtzoutback, good to hear you had a good trip. I'm planning a trip to Esperance pretty soon as the fist descent run for my Beach (about 9hrs each way from memory) and am looking forward to that. Just trying to get it set up as best I can at the moment so looking into fridges etc right now.

Mark

[tapsy]

The fridge reduces the bed to about the width of the main part, without the sliding sponge bit over the drawer near the door. We are both fairly skinny and it works for us, but I would say if you were one of both were larger persons then you would need the original width. This would create a problem of where to fit the fridge, as it cannot go on the floor behind the drivers seat where we wanted to place it, as then the metal drawer under the moving centre seat could not be opened. It would take some creative thinking to place it elsewhere, and the best thing about having it near the sliding door is that when you are sitting under the awning and want another beer, just flip the lid open and get one while standing outside.Brian

Hi we finally got the fridge sorted thanks BrianJ for you imput you have been a great help with your ideas, a photo of out fridge set up is here http://picasaweb.google.com/tarjmahal/KombiBeach

just need a few more 12v points now, and we are getting the 240v input in a few weeks that will also come in handy at powered sites

Only 1510 days to retirement :drinkbeer::drinkbeer::driver::driver:

[unemployed]

I love my 12v electric blanket (great to get into a warm bed on a really cold frosty night :)

Just picked up a yellow beach. Very cold last friday night. where do you get a 12v electric blanket?

[gregozedobe]

Just picked up a yellow beach. Very cold last friday night. where do you get a 12v electric blanket?

Sorry, the manufacturer doesn't seem to exist any more :frown: I went looking for someone else a while backand they seem to have vanished (like many Australian manufacturers). I bought mine about 12 years ago.

You could try camping or 4wd suppliers, or maybe from overseas via the web.

[tapsy]

setting up 240volt input and wondered if it would be a good idea to link a battery charger (maybe under the drivers seat) to the second battery from the 240v feed? i'm not too cluey in the electrical depatment:duh:

[jets]

This is the brand of charger fitted to my Trakka.
http://beehivechargers.com/
Mine is the 8 amp but the later ones are fitted with the 14 amp.
You will need to fit something sophisticated than won't overcharge while you are asleep with too high a voltage input.

[xtzoutback]

Here are the two T5's looking unusually clean. I'm well known for keeping a good covering of 'sunblock' on the van but the new Kombi made me give 'Jaffa' a fettle.

Happy driving
A

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/08/KombiandJaffa007-2.jpg

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/08/KombiandJaffa003-2.jpg

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/08/KombiandJaffa002-2.jpg

[tapsy]

Hi BrianJ

i notice on your small storage bag you have it hanging off the table rail? did those clips come with the bags? I don't seem to have those ones or did you make something up for it?

Tapsy

[tapsy]

finally got my 12v and 240v sorted out (except for an inverter) Had 240v inlet added with 2 power locations and have got the fridge running on 12v all the time, (well when there is Beer in there ) had the MAG Code socket replaced with a hella plug, a charger to charge 2nd battery at 240v locations and a low battery cutout, pretty happy, the installers put 12v plugs in wrong spot for fridge though (they put the 12v where the 240v was supposed to go) cause the storage bags were hitting them, kept them there and got them to add a couple more side entry plugs (no charge).
don't ask how much to install the 240v :eek::eek: was quoted 3 times less!:

Getting there :driver::driver:

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/10/IMG_3152JPG-3.jpg

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/10/IMG_3154JPG-2.jpg

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/10/IMG_3158JPG-3.jpg

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/10/IMG_3145JPG-3.jpg

[BrianJ]

Just got back from an enjoyable 4 nights at Cylinder Beach at Stradbroke Island, staying in the van in a sheltered campground right by the beach.

The hooks I used for the small saddle bag are plastic hooks from Big W camping section connected to two of the original ones that came with the van for the saddlebags. If you pull the pin out from the back you can remove the original fitting and then feed it through the new hooks. I moved this bag because it loses a bit of the bed width, whereas the big one is on the side where the fridge juts in.

Your 240V looks ok, its a bit of a job isn't it. I have moved my drivers side socket 80mm to the left of where my pics show it so it is in between my solar cells and small saddle bag.

I used my mains battery charger now and then over the 4 days, to top up the battery, even though the fridge was running on mains as it has auto switch over, all the lights run on 12V so slight drain on battery.

What we really like about our setup is that if you go out for the day or leave the campground for a sight seeing, all the food and fridge etc is still with you, as opposed to a trailer setup, its all left back at the camp.

We might be going to Mooloolaba next week if the weather improves a bit.

Brian

[Transporter]

Did anyone install solar panel in T5?
I found out that the dual battery controllers are not very good in charging second battery if you do only short trips. Very often you need 5 hours of driving to charge fully discharged battery.

[BrianJ]

Did anyone install solar panel in T5?
I found out that the dual battery controllers are not very good in charging second battery if you do only short trips. Very often you need 5 hours of driving to charge fully discharged battery.

Yes, that is probably right, I have a Primus 80W portable unit which stores between the drivers sidewall and the seat, and I just plug it into the socket on the side of the drivers seat when charging. I have a coloured LED strip to indicate charge, and it brings the voltage up to a similair level as the alternator does.

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/

Brian

[tapsy]

Just got back from an enjoyable 4 nights at Cylinder Beach at Stradbroke Island, staying in the van in a sheltered campground right by the beach.

We might be going to Mooloolaba next week if the weather improves a bit.

Brian

Hi Brain

you sure your not retired :)

[tapsy]

Also a Primus portable 80W solar panel to keep the house battery topped up during extended stays in places like NP where there are no powered sites.

Brian

Hi Brian, just wondering about your solar panel, are you happy with it? I am looking at adding a roof rack/basket and a permanent solar panel on top of the Beach either in front of the basket or in it if i get a longer basket to protect it at the front, (once i modify my roller door for it to fit under) is the 80w adequate?
planning a trip to Arkaroola later in the year and want to be prepared.
:driver:

[BrianJ]

Hi Brian, just wondering about your solar panel, are you happy with it? I am looking at adding a roof rack/basket and a permanent solar panel on top of the Beach either in front of the basket or in it if i get a longer basket to protect it at the front, (once i modify my roller door for it to fit under) is the 80w adequate?
planning a trip to Arkaroola later in the year and want to be prepared.
:driver:

Hi Tapsy

It is adequate in good sunny summer weather, although last christmas we stayed at Girraween NP for 4 days in a partially shady spot and the first two days were 50% cloudy and the second two days were very hot and sunny. By the end of the 4 days the leasure battery was getting low but not flat. We went to Stanthorpe to get some fresh bread and then it was full again. So with solar there are a lot of dependancies, but you can usually work around them somehow.

I would say if you can fit larger than 80W externally then that would be the best, as 80W should be considered just adequate in most circumstances. Also keep in mind that I was only running the 32L engel fridge and an efficient fluro night light.

We are going to Tasmania in two weeks for a four week round trip. Before you are wondering where we get the leave, we are rapidly using up long service leave accumulated over many years. I would alos like to get to the flinders ranges region, but later this year we may go to north queensland and the gulf country.

Have fun.

Brian

[standbyyourvan]

Hi BrianJ and tapsy

Do you think I could flatten the aux battery of a Kombi Beach running a 32lt engle (ARB) fridge overnight? We are 3 months into a 12 months trip around Australia. We've been sticking to the powered sites up the east coast and are about to head inland - may have to do a bit of free camping.

Hope you're still enjoying the Kombi Beach.... we are :)

Thanks

[4wheels]

Hi Tapsy,

Just to give you a point of reference, Trakka fit 150 watts (2 x 75w) of panels to their Trakkadu's (if solar is optioned). They run an 80L vertical fridge (bigger, and probably less efficient than your 32L chest fridges), water pump, and probably a few more lights and gadgets. When I went to Cape York I wouldn't have spent 5 nights (out of 5 weeks) plugged in to 240V, and I was never short of power. Mind you, I also rarely spent more than 1 day without driving, so it wasn't a real test. They told me when I was researching the purchase, that you could go 2 days with the fridge running (plus a bit of lighting) without panels, and (conservatively) 4-5 with panels, up to virtually indefinitely if you're careful and conditions are good. That's without any driving, of course.

PS. They were careful to point out that they designed a special mount to leave an air gap under the panels, as they lose efficiency as they heat up. Someting to consider when you design your mounts.

Brian R
2007 Trakkadu

[gregozedobe]

The most significant factors are :

Size of aux battery (how much electricity you can store).
How much current you use.
How much current your panel can supply.
How often you drive (which will recharge your aux battery pretty quickly).
Whether you have 240V available (and a 240V - 12V charger.

On my previous camper trailer I had a long lead for the solar panel (with thick wiring to avoid excessive voltage drop), this allowed me to park the camper in the shade (to stay cool), but have the solar panel in the sun (and also angle it for best efficiency).

[tapsy]

you should have no problems overnight, and recharge during the day by driving,
although i can last a couple of days if i turn the fridge down low.

have fun, i am yet to have a decent trip in my Kombi (and i dented it last week :sad:

:drinkbeer::drinkbeer:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vT8LtL8dzWA/SpHyBbheRjI/AAAAAAAAApU/vwEJv1vCcDk/s288/P1000605.JPG

[standbyyourvan]

Thanks for the info - just needed a bit of reassurance :)
Sorry about the dent tapsy.. Hope you get to have a decent trip soon.

[petenkaz]

just back from a whirlwind 2 week 3,000 k trip in our beach, up through central QLD and back down the coast road, very nice. Found the fridge worked ok with continued driving, however the aux battery was flattened by running it overnight on full, it is also a cheap jackeroo fridge so is not very efficient, back up to full strength after a days driving.

[BrianJ]

Hi Tapsy, sorry you dented your beach, but so did I. I have put a dent in the top of the rear door by backing into a airconditioning duct in an under building car park.

I have just returned from a 4 week journey right around QLD. Up to Cooktown, then accross to the gulf then south to Charleville, and east to Brisbane.

The beach went like a dream, and on several legs with a tail wind returned 7L/100K, thats 1000km from 70 L. We covered around 6000Km in all.

But the most bizzare occurrance, was when I was at the Burke & Wills roadhouse in the middle of nowhere near the NT border, having an icecream, and I look up to where my beach was parked, and there was another one the exact same orange colour parked beside it.

It was standbyyourvan's kombi, somehow it had found ours in the middle of nowhere. Then comes the even more amazing thing, standbyyourvan says, 'are you BrianJ'. Needless to say I was even more astounded, and replied 'yes'.

We had a look at each others vans, and had a very pleasant time talking before heading off in different directions.

BrianJ

[standbyyourvan]

Hi BrianJ

It sure was a weird coincidence. We are in Yulara at the moment. The Beach is going well.

I tried to make some flyscreens like yours for the windows... didn't work too well :)

Great to meet you and thanks again for your insight.

[BrianJ]

These two kombi beach's found each other accross the deserts of Australia, here is the proof:

http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/qq271/Bricoh/fujian/Kombi%20Nets/DSCF10029.jpg

Brian

[BrianJ]

I wonder if Standbyyourvan is home from the trip around Australia in the beach, if you are around a website, give us an update on how it is going?

I took my beach to the dent removal shop at Redcliffe called Honey I scratched the car, and they did a fantastic job, can't even see where it was and paint blended and matched perfectly.
http://www.honeyiscratchedthecar.com.au/

Brian

[rob64981]

Anyone know of any Kombi Beach that are for sale?

I have looked on a couple of website but they never seem to be for sale on them.

When i get some money together i am going to buy a Multivan or a Kombi Beach.

Would be nice to see what they are fetching at the moment.

Thanks Rob

[MultiplexMan]

... a charger to charge 2nd battery at 240v locations ...

Hi Tapsy - which CTEK charger did you go for? Yours looks like a XS25000? I'm looking at getting a XS7000 fitted (good for 100Ah OK for 225Ah).

I have not had a need to have a charger permanently fitted but thought "what the heck!" - might as well. :P It may come in handy as a backup.

Cheers, MM

[MultiplexMan]

Anyone know of any Kombi Beach that are for sale? ...

Hi Rob,

I had a look for a Kombi Beach and/or Caddy Tramper for a mate late last year - no luck. I have yet to find/meet the owners of the few Caddy Trampers that were brought into Oz.

The last Kombi Beach I saw listed were at Burwins (Melbourne) and at the VW dealer in Perth (all yellow for some reason :confused:).

A Multivan may be a better option second hand. There have been a couple listed at very attractive prices. Generally the Multivan has a better level of fit-out - dual air, full interior trim, privacy glass, high level dash, floor rails...etc. They are a great base vehicle if you want to create a "light camper". Simply slide out the cargo bay seating and slide in a folding seat/bed as per the Beach.

Cheers, MM

[rob64981]

Thanks Multiplex man.

I have been looking at the prices of the Multivan as that is what we used in the uk as our every day vehicle and used to us it for camping as well.

I have brought to OZ all the bits to make a Multivan into a over night camper.

Its the kit that VW sell called The Sleep Pack.

It has the rear shelf, mattress and a sheet to go over the bed and the curtains to cover all the glass.

I have never seen these parts on any Multivan over here in OZ.

I would build a kitchen something like this....
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2010/02/BVmOsiBGkKGrHgoOKjgEjlLmYUWJBKTRMqk-2.jpg

[BrianJ]

Here is a rear setup which is available in Australia:
http://www.drifta.com.au/UteCarback.php

Lower down the page it can be seen in the back of a beach or multivan.

Brian

[MultiplexMan]

Finally squeezing some time with the Kombi. I had another look at the Drifta site and note they now do basic van fit outs. Worth a look if you are not after anything too "fancy". The plywood look is growing on me :P

http://www.drifta.com.au/VanFitOut.php

I like the KISS principle they apply to their gear. I reckon it is too easy to make everything way too complex than it needs to be.

On another note I purchased a new fridge. I was keen on the new ARB but $1199 and no discounts going - even at the Illawara show all I was offered was the transit bag. Not much use if the fridge is going to reside inside the van. Deal breaker was when I found ARB sell the fridge for USD699 is the States! Talk about ripping into your local customer base... :mad:

So I've picked up a Waeco CF50ACVERB for $899. :banana:

[standbyyourvan]

So we've been back in the 'burbs for about 9 months now.. the trip was great and the Kombi was superb! Sadly, we've come to the realisation that the dream is over (for now) for us, and have decided to sell :(
It's on the board here (http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f23/2007-kombi-beach-2-5l-tdi-6-speed-manual-54587.html)
There's a pic above with her twin (BrianJ's car)
We'd love her to go to a good home :)

[rob64981]

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f23/2007-kombi-beach-2-5l-tdi-6-speed-manual-54587.html

Here is a link to stanbyyourvan advert.

Rob

[BrianJ]

So we've been back in the 'burbs for about 9 months now.. the trip was great and the Kombi was superb! Sadly, we've come to the realisation that the dream is over (for now) for us, and have decided to sell :(
It's on the board here (http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f23/2007-kombi-beach-2-5l-tdi-6-speed-manual-54587.html)
There's a pic above with her twin (BrianJ's car)
We'd love her to go to a good home :)

Sad you have to sell such a lovable van, we have also been around Australia in our kombi, here is the link to our BLOG:
Around Australia (http://brianj-aroundaustralia.blogspot.com/)

Brian