VW California T5 ONLY Roof Corrosion - General Discussion

[snowy55]

update time
our cali is now in the middle of getting a complete new roof and front panel, the corrosion was to much to reapir it and vw agreed to replace the complete roof (59 plate 2010 model)

How long are you going to be without your Cali?

 

[Brianc26]

Hoping to have it back mid January. It actually went into the vw dealership in September to get the air con fixed and that's the last I seen it. They repaired a leaking pipe then kept it to start the roof repair

 

[Billy]

Hoping to have it back mid January. It actually went into the vw dealership in September to get the air con fixed and that's the last I seen it. They repaired a leaking pipe then kept it to start the roof repair

I imagine you will be liable to a nice compensation cheque that you can spend on a good holiday in your Cali. I would not let them get away with this

 

[snowy55]

Hoping to have it back mid January. It actually went into the vw dealership in September to get the air con fixed and that's the last I seen it. They repaired a leaking pipe then kept it to start the roof repair

Did they loan you a Cali?

 

[Brianc26]

No replacement california. A Mercedes vanio people carrier !

 

[CYCLOPATH]

It will be a week tomorrow since mine went in, so reading these bad experiences is making me rather nervous!
Can't we start naming and shaming the garages that have made cock-ups of our vans, so others can refuse to have theirs taken there?

What I would do( and did prior to my service
Is Go round the van with a camera, so you have clear documented evidence....it may even be worth showing them the pics before hand, so they know you are watching closely and will not accept shoddy work

 

[Brianc26]

Has anyone had compensation or a good will gesture from vw

 

[RichardP]

Compensation or good will gesture? I've not even had a proper reply from the buggers yet, one more call to make tomorrow then I'm going to start investigating legal proceedings. The whole debacle is utterly disgraceful.

 

[snowy55]

Has anyone had compensation or a good will gesture from vw

Compensation and Good Will are not in the official VW vocabulary I'm afraid.

 

[Brianc26]

Expecting my california back on Friday and I've just had a call to say they have fitted a 2 Window bellow instead of a 3 window bellow. I though it was only the beach that came with 2 windows ? Ours is a se

 

[Annik]

You should have a 3 window Brian, only the Beach and very old SE's had two windows. I would not accept that as it is not only wrong but could cause questions when you come to resale.

 

[Brianc26]

That's what I thought. They are telling me from the factory my Cali left with 2 windows, I will fight it out and get it resolve. Another delay in getting my Cali back, hopefully have it back for April at this rate

 

[blakeley]

Sorry to hear about your problems Brian, my old 2010 had three windows.

 

[calikev]

Expecting my california back on Friday and I've just had a call to say they have fitted a 2 Window bellow instead of a 3 window bellow. I though it was only the beach that came with 2 windows ? Ours is a se

what year is your cali brian?

 

[Brianc26]

It's a 2010 febuary on a 59 plate
I think it's one of the very first California's on a facelift

 

[calikev]

It would have left the factory with only 2 windows. Mine was a March 2010 it also had 2 windows they started putting 3 windows in oct 2010 on the 60 plate. Some people that had the canvas changed due to scissor damage may well now have 3 windows.

 

[Brianc26]

It had 3 windows when it went if for repair so I feel it should be replaced with 3 windows ?

 

[calikev]

i agree but i think vw order the parts from your chassis number.

 

[RichardP]

Finally got to speak to the allocated garage for the repair today. Apparently we are 3rd in the queue for the 'new' repair, i.e. the new cover. However, they still can't give a date for doing it because they have not actually done any of the new repair yet and still have questions about it.

But as it now looks like the repair might actually be done this year, I inspected the pop up roof again carefully and it's now showing signs of corrosion under the seal. Rang the local van centre who need to log the additional corrosion with VW so they can authorise the extended rectification. Although I have taken pictures, they need to take their own which they said could take up to 4 hours! Appointment booked to leave the van and take a courtesy car, but that's another 3 hours wasted, not to mention fuel, going back and forth to the garage twice.

So, question. How do I change my vote in the poll from "Front panel only" to "Front panel and main roof"?

 

[CYCLOPATH]

Expecting my california back on Friday and I've just had a call to say they have fitted a 2 Window bellow instead of a 3 window bellow. I though it was only the beach that came with 2 windows ? Ours is a se

Don't you have a picture of your van with the roof up, before it went in

 

[Brianc26]

Yeah we had a picture in the van, actually it's funny as the guy calls me to ask is this picture your actual van ? I say yes and he then says oh we noticed it had 3 windows ! Surely they would have noticed this when stripping it down. New bellows ordered with 3 windows and the roof will be removed again to replace them

 

[CYCLOPATH]

Yeah we had a picture in the van, actually it's funny as the guy calls me to ask is this picture your actual van ? I say yes and he then says oh we noticed it had 3 windows ! Surely they would have noticed this when stripping it down. New bellows ordered with 3 windows and the roof will be removed again to replace them

O dear,,,,,,I guess if the pic had your number plate it is likely to be your van!!
That being said, if they just ordered from the van VIN, it would be an eaisy error to make.
If I remember , when I last took my van in, it was the girl on reception whose job was to order the spare parts, so there may have been a disconnect there

 

[CYCLOPATH]

O dear,,,,,,I guess if the pic had your number plate it is likely to be your van!!
That being said, if they just ordered from the van VIN, it would be an eaisy error to make.
If I remember , when I last took my van in, it was the girl on reception whose job was to order the spare parts, so there may have been a disconnect there

I meant to add, understandable, but not acceptable.....speaking as a fallible human who has made loads of mistakes myself.....I am just doing a plumbing job in my 300 year old house,,,,I ordered the parts, based on the size of the pipe at the end of the system, only to find that there had been about 6 different sizes of pipes used over the years, metric, imperial, and to confuse matters , some were measured by internal diameter, some by external. Some were plastic, some metal...so I ordered all the wrong parts......twice, before I had finished the job.
But I digress

 

[Brianc26]

To be fair, on the system it shows the Cali only having 2 windows from the factory so they have ordered as it was when it left the factory. The previous owner must have changed the bellows or had them replaced under warranty

 

[Brianc26]

I really want it back soon as I'm looking to upgrade to one of the last t5's as I don't want a t6