Fancy a T5 or T6 caravelle as a family wagon but wouldn’t want to LWB due to hassle when parking etc. It’s unclear online how much boot space there is when the rear bench is slid forwards. Could I get bike in there with or without the front wheel?

Any owner comments?

This may or may not be useful. I have a California (which is based on some floorplate as multivan) with bench on sliding rails. with the limiters out I can get a bike in fully shod with both wheels (SC TB Large 29er) with bench in a usable position I can get bike in headfirst minus front wheel and about 4 across the way no problem.

Rear bench seat? Or the multiflex table?

Without the middle single seats (which I sold) I can slide the rear bench seat up to the captains up front with the leg space of a typical small saloon car rear. Take the front wheels off and the multiflex table out and I can fit 5 bikes without front wheel in the back, whilst safely seating five in the vehicle.

Without taking the wheel off and fitting length ways with the seat in but fully slid up to the captains… Edit I’ll go measure

178cm from back of seats to tailgate interior. Will depend on bike wheelbase and wheelsize. A twist of the handlebars and it’d be fine. I’ve often thought about putting a rack mounted to the rail system as you can source the bits that fit to the rail separately

Yep loads of options as per Beagle. I can get my 2015 Five in fully assembled with the bench all the way forwards (California Beach w/ 3 seat bench) and with wheels off, five bikes and five people.

Note also the multiflex board (assuming Caravelle has one) can be made very shallow by dropping the front and raising the back.

This may not help, in which case I apologise in advance, BUT…

I had two T4s: a SWB and a LWB with an extra row of seats.

The capacity of the SWB T4 was practically miraculous, and if I twisted the front end of the bike in the right way, I was able to get the MTB in without taking off the front wheel.

If the T5 is anything like it, then the SWB should offer plenty of room.

Cheers guys. Sounds like it will be ideal. There’s five of us usually when we’re heading out with the bikes so removing the swivel chairs and sliding the bench forward wouldn’t be an issue. Are the removable chairs heavy and hard to remove?

Friend of mine has a SWB T5 Caravelle. He has it set up to seat 4 with 2 single chairs in the back. We fitted 4 Large “Enduro” bikes in the boot with front wheels off. Although if any had been a 29r I doubt this would have worked.

The removable chairs are easy enough to remove but they are pig heavy.

There’s a nack for removing the single seats. Personally I bought some cheap castors (ebay) screwed into some old worktop in order to roll it in and out of the garage (I only have one, stored in a corner). In and out of the van is no big deal assuming you’re not 9 stone. There’s also a nack for replacing the removable section of rail you need to pop to lift out the seats.

FWIW the bench seat is apparently also removable but it’d be a two, possibly three person job.

As above re seats, we always take our two swivel chairs out for summer holidays and it makes a space like a normal Kombi. Worth noting the interior is like a car so if you value it, will want some protection from sharp, mucky bits.

Bench is a two man job, pretty heavy and bulky. Trying to figure out where to store mine.

I generally have mine with the rear bench only. The singles are easy enough to remove. The bench is a 2 man job and it’s not a job you’d want to do frequently.
With the bench all the way forward there’s easily room to get 5 bikes in fully assembled with the front wheels turned. Loads of space and if you can ignore the cost and mpg, it’s the perfect family wagon. Wish I’d bought one years ago.

Or swap the smarter interior for a factory fitted poptop, awning, heater, hookup + 240v interior, folding chairs in tailgate = California Beach. Caravelle is the perfect family wagon (petrieboy), California Beach is the ultimate family wagon with a subtle STW dose of confirmational bias.

scuttler – Member
Or swap the smarter interior for a factory fitted poptop, awning, heater, hookup + 240v interior, folding chairs in tailgate = California Beach. Caravelle is the perfect family wagon (petrieboy), California Beach is the ultimate family wagon with a subtle STW dose of confirmational bias.

Now you’ve gone and done it.. Just spent 20 mins on the California Configurator…

I wouldn’t disagree with that scuttler. California’s seem to be more or less depreciation proof too.

When you say ‘swap the smarter interior’ what do you mean? Is the California Beach lower spec inside?

California’s seem to be more or less depreciation proof too.

I got chatting to friend of my brother-in-law recently at a party. He gets a new california pretty much every 6-12 months. The delivery time/waiting list is so long at the local VW dealership he orders another one pretty much as soon as he picks the new one up, when the next is ready can sell it back to the garage at almost zero loss as they always have someone who wants one NOW!!

When you say ‘swap the smarter interior’ what do you mean? Is the California Beach lower spec inside?

I’ve not been in a Caravelle but understand them to have smart car / posh taxi like interiors (not sure if that’s standard or not). My Cali Beach is very utilitarian inside – lots of plastic and not very glamourous especially with the aftermarket seat covers in place – maybe it’s just the seat trim that’s more upmarket. Plus I needed something to make the OP justify his choice of a Caravelle 😉

Of course the best thing is to take a look though. Whilst I’m at it another key difference that’s less of a deal than you think, is Californias only have a sliding door on the drivers side, but if its necessary you can step through and out of the front passenger door.