TallPaul's Caravelle - MTB wagon!

[TallPaul_S]

Hey all, new member here but I've been lurking for a while, all the time searching for a T6 Caravelle to replace my Skoda Superb Estate which I've owned since 2019, and has been brilliant as a wagon taking me and my bikes to all corners of the UK.

Today, I collected this! It's a 2018 Caravelle Executive SWB, 150tdi DSG, in deep pearl black. Std 17" cascavel alloys fitted, and it's on 42k miles. 1 owner from new, I'm the 2nd owner.

Now, aside from the pretty much standard executive spec caravelle features, this one has had a few nice options ticked from factory plus some extras fitted afterwards! This is the primary reason I decided to buy it, aside from condition of course.

Extra fitted from factory:

Good night package with window blinds & multiflex board
Front passenger swivel seat
Sliding windows both sides
LED headlights
Laminated glass package
Programmable parking heater & 2nd battery (but no auxiliary coolant heater) with remote control

Extras fitted afterwards:
Hookup lead and victron charger (lead under bonnet)
Seat back boards with 1x 3 pin plug, 2x 12v sockets and 2x USB sockets
Fiamma F40 van awning
Lowered 30mm (so an extra 10 mm Vs std Caravelle 20mm lowered suspension?)
Front (subtle) splitter

It's missing adaptive cruise control, and a rear view camera, both of which I'll be getting fitted/coded in fairly soon. And the previous owners lost the heater remote so I'll need too get one of those purchased and paired before winter.

So, pics! It's filthy already - tbf the dealer was sorting out a service and wheel tracking as of this morning before I picked it up so didn't have time to do a full clean - it's got some light swirls and a few light scratches down the passenger side, nothing major though - black wasn't my first choice but it's nice when the pearl shows through in the sun, I'll decide in a few weeks whether to have the van fully detailed/corrected and ceramic coated, or whether I want to change the colour and go for a wrap!

 

[TallPaul_S]

So, plans. And why 'MTB wagon'?

Well, as above I do a lot of trips all over the UK to go mountain biking. I'm based in Kent, which means anywhere with 'proper' riding is many hours drive.

This was me and my bike on my last trip, to Torridon in the Highlands.



After doing so many trips, I wanted more freedom in being able to get away for a weekend at a moment's notice, and not having to faff around with a towbar rack when it's dark, wet and cold, and also having to endlessly search for accomodation with secure bike storage.

So I needed a vehicle in which I could both store a bike or 2, and have the option of sleeping in, either on a campsite, or in a well chosen, out of the way parking spot. Camping means being able to book somewhere with a days notice, at £10-20 a night Vs £80-100 a night for an Airbnb. And if I'm staying in accommodation, I won't need one with bike storage as the bikes will be safe overnight in the van.

After having looked at all the van based mpv options, the Caravelle was the one for me. Despite it being well, well beyond my original budget, there was just some things in a car I could not do without, and only the caravelle offered them!

I'll be having a play with layouts but I already know roughly what I want to do, as the Caravelle will fit my bikes in alongside a single middle row seat and table, with either the front wheel off, or with it on but with only 40cm room to spare, but which will be enough for a cooking pod with burner, sink, fridge.

It will mean getting rid of the rear 3 seat bench seat and multiflex board however. This layout also meant a traditional camper set up wouldn't have worked without a pop top, and tbh I wanted the extra spec the caravelle has.

 

[Crazymind]

welcome! Very nice Velle. As you said, the Velle is ticking all the boxes! Highly recommend ACC retrofit. Despite being very basic it does great on long motorways journey. And Rear camera ( impossible to see what’s behind). Health to enjoy it!

 

[TallPaul_S]

Yeah tech wise it's a bit more basic than my old Skoda Superb but so long as I have ACC I'll be happy.

Other plans include a set of AT tyres and wheels, mostly due to the potholes here. An audio upgrade might be on the cards as some point, I've been used to a 12 speaker Canton system with a sub in my Superb - the 'velle audio is ok but a bit boomy at any semi decent volume.

I might also look at getting solar fitted down the road for full off grid capability.

First jobs though (once I'm back off a 10 day holiday in the Alps) after the ACC retrofit, will be to remove the beach seat and multiflex board and play around with layouts, and then build a folding bed base for the rear, and a kitchen pod to go behind the front seats.

 

[roooms]

Welcome! Looks really nice. What’s the process to get ACC fitted now? I heard it was initially tricky/costly but I guess most things get worked out with time.

 

[Zave]

Welcome.
I'm off to Ardrock in my van at the end of July.

 

[TallPaul_S]

Welcome! Looks really nice. What’s the process to get ACC fitted now? I heard it was initially tricky/costly but I guess most things get worked out with time.

The place I've seen just need a car fitted with the radar, and then to have the buttons retrofitted on a MFSW. Then it's just coding, a couple of hour job apparently. It'll then have the full follow to stop functionality.

 

[roooms]

The place I've seen just need a car fitted with the radar, and then to have the buttons retrofitted on a MFSW. Then it's just coding, a couple of hour job apparently. It'll then have the full follow to stop functionality.

I’d be interested to hear how this goes and who you use to do it.

My van has CC and front radar for emergency braking. Already have a MFSW setup as well, so hoping it’s mostly a software/coding thing.

I miss ACC in the van as my Tiguan has it and it’s just a much nicer experience.

 

[Crazymind]

The place I've seen just need a car fitted with the radar, and then to have the buttons retrofitted on a MFSW. Then it's just coding, a couple of hour job apparently. It'll then have the full follow to stop functionality.

To have the full follow to stop you need to upgrade to electric hand brake. Which is not an easy upgrade.

 

[Alster]

My 6.1 will follow to stop but as soon as it pulls up it beeps at you and you have to take over.

 

[Crazymind]

I see what you mean guys. I had In my mind follow after stop. For this you need EPB.
T6 Acc is the same as the 6.1. It will follow to stop. Than you have to take over and set it over and over again when queuing…

 

[TallPaul_S]

Yeah it's not the full stop and go with the electronic hand brake (which was fantastic in my old car) but just braking down to a full stop (then human intervention required), which will be good enough for me.

 

[FerrisBFW]

I have done the same, but older more dented Caravelle. I am not sure it’s the best for me in terms of mtb wagon, but for camping it’s brilliant, mtbing a Transporter with one row of back seats would work better maybe. We are a mtb family of mostly three and sometimes four. My point is I can never find a perfect van . A lwb 4motion, dsg 150 Caravelle would be nice. In silver also would be good

 

[benp1]

Looks great. I think you've come over from STW?

What's your plan for putting an MTB inside while you're sleeping?

 

[TallPaul_S]

Looks great. I think you've come over from STW?

What's your plan for putting an MTB inside while you're sleeping?

Haha, yep I'm on STW.

The basic plan is in 2 parts.

I'll need to get rid of the 3 seat bench and multiflex board, with them out the way, I'll mount the 2 rear single seats on the passenger side, one behind each other (so one as it is, the other behind it. This will leave the full length of the rear open behind the driver's seat.

I'm probably going to build my own camping pod to sit behind the driver's seat, which will have a gas burner, maybe a sink, and definitely a fridge in it.

I'll need to be able to fit a single bike with wheels on, or 2 bikes with front wheels off, behind the camping pod. My longest bike is a Geometron G1, which is 190cm with the front wheel turned 90 degrees, and I've got 230-240cm from the rear door to the back of my seat, which allows 40-50cm room for a camping pod. I'll mount a single wheel holder for when it's just one bike, wheels on.

Then for 2 bikes, front wheels off, I'll mount a couple of fork axle mounts in the boot end, might take a bit of jiggling to get both bikes next to each to other but I think it's doable.

So that's part 1 with with the camping pod (and fork mounts). Part 2 will be a basic folding bed platform in the boot, on the passenger side only, and also high enough that I can slide a folded single seat under it. It'll then fold out to sit over the other (folded) single seat, and mount on the floor somehow, maybe into the rails with a fixing point already in place.

In normal use I'll have 2x single seats behind the passenger, then when camping I'll fold one down, slide it backwards (under the bed platform) which will give more space for the othe rear seat. Turn around the front passenger seat and I'm sorted. The awning is also on this side.

I would have loved to have kept the rear bench seat as without the middle row in, it's great for camping - I tried earlier today - the bed is decent, and there's tonnes of room for a camping pod. Unfortunately though, in that layout there's just no room for a bike!

 

[benp1]

That's the challenge with the bike inside approach. It tends to suit day vans more than campervans (unless you're using a pop top as well) because they take up so much room.

It's even more interesting when they're a bit muddy or dirty, as mine often is. I have a Kombi and if I have my bike inside then I set up a single bed that I made from ply. If there's no bike inside then I can have a full width, king size bed. Bike can go underneath the king size but only with wheels off and I find that a hassle

If you're handle bars are wide then they also make life a bit interesting moving around the van

 

[TallPaul_S]

Yeah I'm not sure what to do yet in terms of mud management! I might just put down some rubber matting under the bike which can then be swept out.

I'll only be putting the bikes in with the wheels on when riding 'local' trails, for ease of transport. Otherwise they'll go in with a wheel off securely mounted on the fork mounts.

I'm off to the Alps tomorrow for 10 days so I'll get properly started after I get back, I'll get it booked in for the adaptive cruise control retrofit, and also get the bench seat and multiflex board up for sale.

I can't really start playing with the layout until the bench seat etc is out.

Also wound out the awning today, I'll be using this a lot I think!

 

[roadtripper]

Welcome! Joined recently after lurking and have a similar Velle, a bit envious you found one with a second battery factory fitted. Be interested in how you find the F40 awning as we've been considering that but gone with simpler rail and sail type for now.

Re the ACC ours is a 6.1 but it will follow to stop and then you have to manually brake. However so long as you do it before the alert ends but after it has stopped ours will quite happily restart, I've never had to re-enable it. I actually find it quite easy to use in queues once you get the zen of it and it works well with the start stop (which clearly triggers on seeing the traffic move)

 

[roooms]

Yeah I'm not sure what to do yet in terms of mud management! I might just put down some rubber matting under the bike which can then be swept out.

I'll only be putting the bikes in with the wheels on when riding 'local' trails, for ease of transport. Otherwise they'll go in with a wheel off securely mounted on the fork mounts.

I'm off to the Alps tomorrow for 10 days so I'll get properly started after I get back, I'll get it booked in for the adaptive cruise control retrofit, and also get the bench seat and multiflex board up for sale.

I can't really start playing with the layout until the bench seat etc is out.

Also wound out the awning today, I'll be using this a lot I think!
View attachment 204428

Where are you booking in for the ACC retrofit?

 

[t6blo]

Congrats on the velle and welcome.
Looking forward to seeing your progress