Inside engine bay/bonnet painted??

[ToffeeCali]

Hi, I have just received my brand new Cali after a 16 week lead time to notice that the underside of the bonnet and engine bay are not body colour. Is this normal??
8 months ago we brought a brand new LWB panel van and this is painted body colour. This seems odd as the Cali cost so much more, top spec so we were not expected these short cuts!

 

[Meoncoast]

Think mine is although body colour white. Dark now but will look in daylight. What colour is yours under the hood then?

 

[WelshGas]

Mines colour coded in the engine bay and underside of bonnet. Built July 2014.

 

[andyinluton]

Ours is colour coded as well built June 2014

 

[Kirk]

Ours is also colour coded on a 2013, also my T5 work van is also colour coded.

 

[ToffeeCali]

Thanks for your replies. My Cali was built Dec 2014 and is toffee brown. Inside the engine/bonnet is just a dark grey primer, the work van is candy white and is painted candy white in the engine/bonnet area. I will call breeze in the morning and see if they can explain

 

[Jaydub]

Our October build is colour match under the bonnet but the paint is a flat finish so a very light colour dusting over primer.

 

[Maud]

Mine was built in November 2014 and is also Toffee Brown - I have just been out to check with a torch and mine is not colour-coded either - grey primer under the bonnet and around the inside of the engine bay. I wonder whether it is something they have changed on the 2015 MY, or perhaps it's just for those of us with the good taste to choose Toffee Brown

 

[Maud]

Please post back here after speaking to Breeze; I would be interested to know what they say!

P.S. please post a photo of your Cali - she/he could be Ariadne's twin

 

[California124]

Hi just checked mine and it is colour coded,built Dec 2014 delivered two weeks ago.

 

[Maud]

What colour is your Cali, California124? This is very strange!

Maud

 

[California124]

What colour is your Cali, California124? This is very strange!

Maud

Hi Maud, the colour is natural grey. When did you order your Cali and when was it delivered. Mine was ordered late Sept and delivered two weeks ago so may have been built around same time.

 

[Maud]

Hi, California124, mine was ordered September 22nd, built November 24th and collected December 20th so within the same timeframe as your one, or just a little before. It seems odd that so far the only two that are not colour-coded are both Toffee Brown... I just can't think why they wouldn't all be painted up the same!

 

[California124]

Hi, California124, mine was ordered September 22nd, built November 24th and collected December 20th so within the same timeframe as your one, or just a little before. It seems odd that so far the only two that are not colour-coded are both Toffee Brown... I just can't think why they wouldn't all be painted up the same!

 

[California124]

Yes l agree,or at least be picked up on the PDI.

 

[Maud]

To be honest, I'm not overly worried as I probably would never have noticed (or ever wondered if other Californias were different) if ToffeeCali hadn't mentioned it. However, it is rather mysterious and, as ToffeeCali said in her original post, it does seem rather an odd oversight on such an expensive vehicle.

Would this have any impact on the chances of rust in the engine compartment?

Maud

 

[Meoncoast]

Maud perhaps the Toffee in the paint melts due to the heat in the engine bay check your drive for a block of toffee on your drive !!!!

 

[BMVS-Camper-Hire]

In our experience they don't not to spray metallic under the bonnet. Its all about money saving.

Quite normal behaviour by VW

 

[Goldie]

My Beach (yellow 09/12) and Škoda Yeti (steel grey 04/12) both just primer under bonnet.

Andy

 

[CALROE1]

I have been painting vehicles for 35yrs ,modern cars and vans have coloured primer on and under bonnet areas just get a dusting of basecoat colour if you are lucky ,this is not detrimental to the vehicle.

 

[ToffeeCali]

Hi,

Sorry for the very delayed response but I received this email from VW:-

I have checked the paint situation with head office and this is now standard
on the California's. They are painted in a protective primmer but they are
not colour painted anymore. We can also confirm a new California which is
currently on site at our Poole branch is the same

Not great but at least I know it's standard

 

[Hotel California]

My Dark wood 2012 Cali , has a dark grey color under the bonnet....
Guess depending on the finisch they chose a light or dark basecolor....?

 

[hubert72]

Interesting thread, had to go and take a look, my Blackberry January 2015 just has grey primer under the bonnet lid.

 

[jts46]

primer under bonnet

John

 

[DESMODOM]

Hello I've just been to see my Salsa Red Cali at the dealers, (Collecting it on Wednesday) and checked under the bonnet and yes, it is whitish/grey under the bonnet with a distinct lack of red paint!
Owning and restoring a classic car/hot rod myself, I'm very surprised at VW not fully painting such an expensive vehicle, something that I have been waiting almost six months for.
My concern is that if it is a primer, that primer is porous, and will absorb moisture , ultimately rusting.
I have not paid for the vehicle yet, apart from the deposit, so I'm going to question this practice and need to be convinced before I pay over my hard earned!
I'm sorry to say that the bean counters at VW have meddled at cost reduction and reduced the quality of a very expensive vehicle.