Of course, our posts are always just an opinion piece, yet we focus on help topics related to the Grand California as well as camping gadgets. But a conversation with an acquaintance today inspired me to write this post. It’s about a huge contentious issue, the quality and workmanship of the Grand California.
In forums, problems with the vehicle are constantly written about and one could get the impression that this car should never have been put on the market in the first place.
There are skylights that seem to fly off while driving or a heater that keeps switching off, so you start to freeze in the middle of the night.
One thing in advance at this point, do you really think it is better with other manufacturers? Various trade show visits later, I can also say to the majority of vehicles in the Grand California class, the buck is unrivaled. Yes read correctly! Manufacturers such as Knaus or Mein Hobby apparently do not even manage to exhibit cars at trade fairs that are without processing defects. I don’t want to judge the “beauty” here at all, also in this point the Grand California with its interior is unrivaled for me.
But let’s get to the point: Silvie and I had the wrong expectations of the Grand California and Volkswagen in particular when we bought it.
Let me explain this statement, we drive a passenger car from BMW, more precisely a current 3-series BMW. What can I say, in the last 2 years there has not been one problem with the vehicle. It runs, nothing rattles or makes noise. First of all, I would like to talk about precisely these noises.
We expected from a camper, which is not exactly cheap, that he must drive totally quiet. Does the Grand California? Not a bit, because what you always forget, you drive there in your back an apartment walk. Clothes, dishes, food and so on….
What do you think, how would something like that sound in a BMW 3 series?
That’s exactly the problem, which many buyers don’t even have on their radar. There are parts installed, which move and then of course also make noises. Sure, Volkswagen could insulate the whole thing more from the factory, etc., but what would happen then? Correct, the vehicle would not only become heavier, but also more expensive.
But it’s not just the noises that cause arguments and outcries. As for service and quality, are the complaints justified? We’ve had our second Grand California for pretty much exactly a year now. 30,000 kilometers later, it is at Volkswagen and needs to be repaired. The biggest flaw, the bathroom wall is cracked, the entire bathroom must be removed for this. It’s not great and it’s not fun, because the car is not available to us for ages and in the end it’s a massive intervention in a “new” car.
But it should not be about the shortcomings in detail! We very quickly settled on a Grand California because, from our point of view, one thing in particular seemed to be great. Volkswagen is virtually everywhere and no matter where you are on vacation, there is a service partner nearby who can help you if the worst happens.
Spoiler Alert: They can not!
I can only speculate what the reason is, is it a lack of training on the part of Volkswagen or do the dealerships not feel like it? Maybe it’s a mixture of both. So now automotive mechatronics engineers are being forced to work as carpenters or gas-water installers. And do you think that works? Of course not!
For example, we had a flat tire in Austria during our summer vacation in 2022. We found a top VW dealership that is listed as an official service partner in the California on Tour app. The tire was changed within two hours and all was well. Still, we got a little suspicious, because the mechanics told us they had never seen this vehicle before and whether it was built directly by Volkswagen. We asked if they were not an official partner of VW, which was confirmed with yes. Nevertheless, one would never have seen this car and would not know what to do with it if the worst came to the worst.
This experience actually already explains the whole dilemma! Where are car dealerships supposed to get the expertise or resources? This is where Volkswagen fails as a manufacturer and partner, not the dealers. Certainly, the Grand California is not perfect, and it is not always processed one hundred percent correctly at the factory, but the biggest weak point is the dealer or workshop network.
Please don’t be discouraged, the Grand California is a great vehicle and they are out there, the shops that can and have a clue.
