Buyer’s Remorse

Have any of you - be honest - ever felt some initial buyer’s remorse? The reality of shuffling the family/partner about trying to make the bed, move the gubbins around to make space to get dressed, spin the chairs, move the child seat etc etc?

I have owned & travelled in many VW campers over the years. Having re-engaged the itch with a family, it’s a very different prospect!

Just wondering how others honestly felt in the early months of ownership.

JuanVecino2023 said:

Have any of you - be honest - ever felt some initial buyer’s remorse? The reality of shuffling the family/partner about trying to make the bed, move the gubbins around to make space to get dressed, spin the chairs, move the child seat etc etc?

I have owned & travelled in many VW campers over the years. Having re-engaged the itch with a family, it’s a very different prospect!

Just wondering how others honestly felt in the early months of ownership.

Click to expand...

We’ve used ours both with our children and on our own. It’s a totally different experience! Much harder with 2 children as loads of effort. Adults don’t need to be entertained, less clobber and more space with only 2 people. We love our Cali to bits but realised we had to adjust our expectations when using with our children. With them it’s more of a day van plus occasionally over nighter. As we either get better at it or they get older and more self sufficient we’ll do more and eventually plan to travel far and wide! This isn’t easy with a 6 and 4 year old right now for us, but do we have buyers remorse? Not in the slightest. Our Cali is awesome!

No remorse whatsoever


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JuanVecino2023 said:

Have any of you - be honest - ever felt some initial buyer’s remorse? The reality of shuffling the family/partner about trying to make the bed, move the gubbins around to make space to get dressed, spin the chairs, move the child seat etc etc?

I have owned & travelled in many VW campers over the years. Having re-engaged the itch with a family, it’s a very different prospect!

Just wondering how others honestly felt in the early months of ownership.

Click to expand...

Yep it’s hard work in a Cali, no question. We regularly have an upsizing discussion but are mindful that it comes with an entirely different set of problems which can be equally as stressful.

Best advice I can give you is not to focus on the negatives as you’re settling in to it and just keep an open mind. You’ve bought a vehicle that holds its value very well so you have plenty of time to experiment with different things and see what works (and if nothing works in the end that’s still OK, plenty have walked those same boards).

We focus on doing 1 or 2 nights for now and try and go when the forecast looks OK so we can spend time outdoors. We normally book CAMC sites which have a swing park so one of us can take them there to blow off steam while the other one does all the setup stuff, we find that helps a lot.

I have only had mine for 8 months and bellowsgate hasn’t helped but even from our limited trips I already know that in twenty years it’ll be the walks along the beach, the first time my son dipped his toe in the sea and laying in the upstairs bed with my daughter looking at the stars that I will remember, and not struggling with the swivels and making the bed. That’s why I bought it and it’s delivering on that.

JuanVecino2023 said:

Have any of you - be honest - ever felt some initial buyer’s remorse? The reality of shuffling the family/partner about trying to make the bed, move the gubbins around to make space to get dressed, spin the chairs, move the child seat etc etc?

I have owned & travelled in many VW campers over the years. Having re-engaged the itch with a family, it’s a very different prospect!

Just wondering how others honestly felt in the early months of ownership.

Click to expand...

Nope. I’m always amazed how quickly set up is, every time we go away. So much easier & quicker than a tent and no worries about whether it’ll rain on the last night.
Added bonus of being able to eat lunch in our own space when out for the day, whether it’s a picnic lunch or fish and chips, regardless of the weather.

Are your doubts really about your campervan, or just travelling with a family?

It took us some time to get a routine and I can imagine with small children could be a lot of faffing about and a fair bit of girning, not to mention partners concerns.
We’ve now travelled with our second rescue Labrador, big boisterous and in at any food he can see, not quite the same but similar faffing. Yes, thoughts of ‘is it going to work for us’ but once a routine was established and an understanding of what’s best for us, it all kind of fell into place .
So, “no regrets’ and 5 years now and hoping for another 5 at least.
There have been some “ wow, wouldn’t it be good to have an onboard toilet” but those were soon forgotten on single track Scottish roads.

We stayed on a site in St David’s, West Wales last summer and two pitches away a family of 4 were in their Cali. It was windy and rained for the whole weekend (welcome to Wales) and I gotta be honest I felt sorry for them. But it did bring back memories of camping as a child (I’m one of five) and you do look back fondly and reminisce.

A few years ago I came across the term ‘Buyers Remose’ for the first time………….. then BOOM! ………. I realised what I have suffered from my entire life! and there’s a name for it!

The moment I buy anything (and that is after endless bouts of vacillation and procrastination) I feel a sense of guilt, regret and doubt. Have I bought the right size? The right colour? the too cheap or too expensive thing? Oh Jeez, the list goes on and on!

I am better than I used to be, but it is still a real ’thing’ for me. So if you do suffer from a little buyers remorse, don’t worry, there are plenty of us out there feeling the same way.

I think most of the above posters have already answered your question in a more relevant way than I have. Take some solace in their experiences and it will probably all come good sooner than you think.

Either way, enjoy, and remember you may have ‘done it all before’, but your family haven’t, and for them it will all be a grand adventure

I feel always buyer' remorse, it has been a constant bug since i bought my Cali almost 5 years ago. For the same money i could have had a much bigger motorhome, with no need to pack bedding and lowering the roof each time i need to move.
Also it's a pain, especially in winter, to move inside in the tiny space, cooking is cumbersome, washing dishes difficult, let alone having only cold water. Toilet, there's only the no-privacy-potti 335, and you brush teeth, wash hands, face and dishes in the only sink. Temperature regulation is an art and you require a pair of additional accessory to make it effective. Tiny boot if you compare what you could store in the "garage" of a motorhome.
But, if you force yourself to be really tidy and organised, putting everything away one you finished using it, leaving no "stuff" around, it becomes easier. The buyer remorse disappears every time i travel though, when I pass the big whites on the autobahn with 30+ km/h speed differential, because i keep easily up with the car traffic (despite "only" 150 ps). If the road is clogged and I need to reverse direction it is as easily done as like with a modern sedan. If I need to stop for a coffee, lunch, buy something, i just look for a car parking space, regardless where it is. It fits in any parking bay and I can move in the city centers and park it just like a car, impossible in 99% of the cases with a MH. And it is not seldom that I end up having to use a multistorey car park in a commercial center or visiting a town. And I still have an awesome camping time.
Now I've just got back from a week winter/rainy holiday, I am still glad I had a 5m van as it was much easier to visit places and manouver my way out of the Easter Friday clogged roads. In a month time buyer remorse will come back, but the next holiday is also planned to kick that remorse away once again.

chockswahay said:

A few years ago I came across the term ‘Buyers Remose’ for the first time………….. then BOOM! ………. I realised what I have suffered from my entire life! and there’s a name for it!

The moment I buy anything (and that is after endless bouts of vacillation and procrastination) I feel a sense of guilt, regret and doubt. Have I bought the right size? The right colour? the too cheap or too expensive thing? Oh Jeez, the list goes on and on!

I am better than I used to be, but it is still a real ’thing’ for me. So if you do suffer from a little buyers remorse, don’t worry, there are plenty of us out there feeling the same way.

I think most of the above posters have already answered your question in a more relevant way than I have. Take some solace in their experiences and it will probably all come good sooner than you think.

Either way, enjoy, and remember you may have ‘done it all before’, but your family haven’t, and for them it will all be a grand adventure

Click to expand...

I could have written your first line! My partner is lol….‘that’s you’ she said

The more we use our Cali the more we love it (leaky roof canvas aside). There’s only 2 of us so a lot easier for us than for those with kids and we found the less you take plus the more you practice, 2 weeks away in a confined space is very achievable - even when you can’t put the roof up.
But we do, as I’m sure most do, succumb to the occasional bout of WIBOOT (wish I’d bought one of those). Mainly the 6m+ Crafter/MAN conversions as you have a fixed bed, shower, hot water and can stand easily. But those come with their own box of compromises too - not a car replacement for everyday driving, height restrictions, fuel economy and even washing them - I don’t relish being 3+ metres up a ladder washing a van roof!
So the conversation always finishes with us concluding that we bought the best vehicle for us with the fewest, least important compromises. Sure, in years to come our requirements may very well change but for now we are contented with our choice.

Although, the new 2024 Ford Nugget looks nice…

Calimili said:

I feel always buyer' remorse, it has been a constant bug since i bought my Cali almost 5 years ago. For the same money i could have had a much bigger motorhome, with no need to pack bedding and lowering the roof each time i need to move.
Also it's a pain, especially in winter, to move inside in the tiny space, cooking is cumbersome, washing dishes difficult, let alone having only cold water. Toilet, there's only the no-privacy-potti 335, and you brush teeth, wash hands, face and dishes in the only sink. Temperature regulation is an art and you require a pair of additional accessory to make it effective. Tiny boot if you compare what you could store in the "garage" of a motorhome.
But, if you force yourself to be really tidy and organised, putting everything away one you finished using it, leaving no "stuff" around, it becomes easier. The buyer remorse disappears every time i travel though, when I pass the big whites on the autobahn with 30+ km/h speed differential, because i keep easily up with the car traffic (despite "only" 150 ps). If the road is clogged and I need to reverse direction it is as easily done as like with a modern sedan. If I need to stop for a coffee, lunch, buy something, i just look for a car parking space, regardless where it is. It fits in any parking bay and I can move in the city centers and park it just like a car, impossible in 99% of the cases with a MH. And it is not seldom that I end up having to use a multistorey car park in a commercial center or visiting a town. And I still have an awesome camping time.
Now I've just got back from a week winter/rainy holiday, I am still glad I had a 5m van as it was much easier to visit places and manouver my way out of the Easter Friday clogged roads. In a month time buyer remorse will come back, but the next holiday is also planned to kick that remorse away once again.

Click to expand...

Oh wow, you have said it all for me, and now I feel even better!

There is always the thought; "How many five star holidays could we have had for 75K". However, we have already visited so many places that we would not have visited without our Cali. It really gives you that freedom to just take a detour and explore whenever you feel like it.

Sounds weird but a habit me and my Mrs have also got in to during a stressful moment is shouting ‘triggered!’, then we come back to it at a calmer moment and work out how we could solve the issue.

As an example we were away last weekend and my son (who is one) would not stop grabbing stuff we’d left on the worktop and throwing it. Very, very annoying and it got the trigger treatment…we didn’t really have anywhere to put the stuff and he isn’t going to stop throwing it so it’ll be a recurring issue. This weekend I popped to Ikea, took out the cutlery draw and made a draw divider so half of the draw now contains cutlery and we can use the other half to put stuff that we don’t want him throwing. Also bought him some small soft toys for the van and we’ll leave the plastic bricks at home.

You’ll only work out these little improvements as you use the van, and each time you make an improvement it’ll get that little bit easier and less stressful. The vans are so versatile and I’m sure everyone has their own adaptations that make it work for them.

I’d say persist with it as the warmer weather approaches and if you decide it’s not for you after giving it a good go then I’m sure there will be takers for your van (especially once the order book closes).

Justinitus1972 said:

The more we use our Cali the more we love it (leaky roof canvas aside). There’s only 2 of us so a lot easier for us than for those with kids and we found the less you take plus the more you practice, 2 weeks away in a confined space is very achievable - even when you can’t put the roof up.
But we do, as I’m sure most do, succumb to the occasional bout of WIBOOT (wish I’d bought one of those). Mainly the 6m+ Crafter/MAN conversions as you have a fixed bed, shower, hot water and can stand easily. But those come with their own box of compromises too - not a car replacement for everyday driving, height restrictions, fuel economy and even washing them - I don’t relish being 3+ metres up a ladder washing a van roof!
So the conversation always finishes with us concluding that we bought the best vehicle for us with the fewest, least important compromises. Sure, in years to come our requirements may very well change but for now we are contented with our choice.

Although, the new 2024 Ford Nugget looks nice…

Click to expand...

I think there are a few such owners on the " Bellowsgate " thread who were probably very happy to have an excuse to return their vehicle.

Jimmylondon07 said:

Sounds weird but a habit me and my Mrs have also got in to during a stressful moment is shouting ‘triggered!’, then we come back to it at a calmer moment and work out how we could solve the issue.

As an example we were away last weekend and my son (who is one) would not stop grabbing stuff we’d left on the worktop and throwing it. Very, very annoying and it got the trigger treatment…we didn’t really have anywhere to put the stuff and he isn’t going to stop throwing it so it’ll be a recurring issue. This weekend I popped to Ikea, took out the cutlery draw and made a draw divider so half of the draw now contains cutlery and we can use the other half to put stuff that we don’t want him throwing. Also bought him some small soft toys for the van and we’ll leave the plastic bricks at home.

You’ll only work out these little improvements as you use the van, and each time you make an improvement it’ll get that little bit easier and less stressful. The vans are so versatile and I’m sure everyone has their own adaptations that make it work for them.

I’d say persist with it as the warmer weather approaches and if you decide it’s not for you after giving it a good go then I’m sure there will be takers for your van (especially once the order book closes).

Click to expand...

This wouldn’t have happened if you had bought the bronze wheels! He would have been so besotted he wouldn’t have thrown a thing.

Choices, actions, consequences. As I lecture my little gremlin.

WelshGas said:

I think there are a few such owners on the " Bellowsgate " thread who were probably very happy to have an excuse to return their vehicle.

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Yes, VW nobbled me on that free option out by kindly supplying 04S.

By the way, Happy Easter to all you happy campers!

Child is elated to be away in Chester the Campervan. She even had an egg hunt in the van.

Wife seems a little less…. eggscited by van life.

JuanVecino2023 said:

This wouldn’t have happened if you had bought the bronze wheels! He would have been so besotted he wouldn’t have thrown a thing.

Choices, actions, consequences. As I lecture my little gremlin.

Click to expand...

You’re probably right there! I think what you also need to do is brighten up your interior a bit. Any progress with the flower decals?

JuanVecino2023 said:

Have any of you - be honest - ever felt some initial buyer’s remorse? The reality of shuffling the family/partner about trying to make the bed, move the gubbins around to make space to get dressed, spin the chairs, move the child seat etc etc?

I have owned & travelled in many VW campers over the years. Having re-engaged the itch with a family, it’s a very different prospect!

Just wondering how others honestly felt in the early months of ownership.

Click to expand...

I know the feeling.
What are we doing cooped up with a kid and a dog in the rain?
Then I remember our spacious tent, (with no heater and the pain of putting it down in the rain).
The rain rarely lasts for long though and then you can all get back into the outdoors which is what the Cali gives us city-dwellers.
Even during the jigsaw of transforming the Cali from vehicle to lounge to bedroom, we are all together living a simpler life. Tired from our day we sleep like logs, and actually enjoy waking up to hear the rain pattering on the roof. I’m usually up first, getting the kettle on handing out brews as we lie in bed and plan the day. A podcast goes on as the bacon fries and the bikes are taken off the rack… the Cali has worked its magic again…

I was wavering for weeks between a 5 seat Beach and the Ocean that I ended up getting. Whenever I'm on the road by myself I'm thankful for the ocean. There have, however, been several times when it would have been great to use the camper for a weekend getaway except for the 5th adult. That's when regret kicks in. There is also a Norway trip planned for next summer that initially was 3 of us and now looks to be expanding to 5. I'm still trying to find a way to make it work (sigh).

Zero remorse from me, in fact the exact opposite but then there are just two of us (plus a small dog) and it’s a daily driver.

I have memories of camping in the rain with two kids in a teardrop trailer and a small tent. That was a very different experience! It was however one I eventually grew to love. When/if the sun shines and TGO is beckoning I’d wager your time with the Cali will be transformed. Spontaneous day trips, long work trips are all much more fun in a Cali. Touring on the continent with well equipped family campsites and the occasional nice hotel or AirBnB could also vanquish any buyers remorse, instead you’ll appreciate a versatile vehicle like no other.

When I was family camping I’d focus on the rituals that gave me great pleasure and adapting them for the kids ie making a fire but incorporating marshmallows and hot chocolate as well as my cold beer. Making a family meal in a small space with limited equipment can be so rewarding. Revel in the simple things that our cosseted daily lives let us forget.

If none of that works I’ll have your Project Camper blinds


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It’s all about getting a system together. We have done several 1.5 week trips with our 3 year old. When he’s grumpy/ill and the weather is rough yes it can get very challenging! But that’s what pubs are for

WelshGas said:

I think there are a few such owners on the " Bellowsgate " thread who were probably very happy to have an excuse to return their vehicle.

Click to expand...

Very true, but for us if it came to that it would be a very sad day indeed.

We bought our first California (a 2009 SE) in 2013 after our first was born - I reckon it was some sub-conscious reaction to feeling tied down with a baby having had no ties before.…! It was hard work with a new born baby and I remember well trying to sterilise milk bottles at night in storms without waking her up. We all enjoyed it and it did give freedom to holiday and have fab days out with very young kids. It also made us go out and do stuff…. Roll on 2 years and baby # 2. 2 weeks in the French Alps with a 2-year old and a 10-month old was very, very hard work packing, packing, putting kids seats in and out to make the bed etc... With bikes and trailers and strollers and awning we bought a trailer to put all the clutter in, but that meant we had such a rig it was all too much effort. It was great (without trailer) for the odd night/weekends - really made all that possible. In the end we sold the SE when our second was about 18 months old. Never sure if that was the right decision as it felt we were just getting it all sorted…

Roll forwards 5 years…. We bought a 2014 5-seater Beach last year. It is fab. We didn’t cook much in the SE anyway apart from the odd night away (used awning tent with stove etc for longer trips as cooking in van with small kids playing in there too was usually bad news…) and the wardrobe/cupboards we never found very useful nor the sink as all too small and fiddly, just meaning we could get less stuff inside. The Beach has none of that, so it is also great for carrying lots of stuff in, bikes etc when not camping and yet it can sleep 4 easily when we want to and carry 7 (we have the 2 extra seats). We just cook outside (under the tailgate/awning when raining). I have also been quicker this time around to spend time to get things organised and work out how best to pack it, making things much easier. I wouldn‘t change it now: for the price of used SUV we have a vehicle that can carry more, has 7 proper seats, can sleep 4 and a dog easily and costs less to insure and run…. ….and the kids absolutely love it.

Keep going with it - it takes time to get sorted and get things in the right place, but when you do, it does work and I bet the kids will remember going away in the Cali for years to come. Don’t be too precious about it either - Calis are designed to be used. We have the waterproof seat covers and there isn’t much that doesn’t just wipe off the covers and all the other materials in the van are easily cleaned if they do get dirty.