VW California T5 ONLY Roof Corrosion - General Discussion

[Dunc]

Alex, how long should it take to find out if the claim has been accepted please?

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

Alex, how long should it take to find out if the claim has been accepted please?

From submission of the claim to VW then 2-3 days at the very most.

cheers

 

[Andy]

Any VW Van Centre can process these claims. They do not need to have a body shop either. The process takes about 20 minutes once the photos have been taken. There are pre-made forms for this supplied by VW and the information for each individual has to be entered and then sent off with the repair request to VW in the usual way. The pop-up roof claim would have to be built up from scratch and takes probably an extra five minutes at most if not done before by a dealer.

We have been doing paint warranty claims for the last few years and don't have a body shop so if any van centre tells you that they cannot process a claim then they are incorrect.

cheers

Thanks for the clarification Alex.

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[david white]

Has anyone had any claims rejected/accepted in the past fortnight for the main roof ?

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

I have had two claims accepted in that period.

cheers

 

[Dibz]

I dropped into my local van centre on Thursday about my roof (Benfield). Dan was really helpful, and confirmed VW UK are taking this very seriously now (I think now that they have a confirmed resolution, unlike the earlier temporary fix, and the evidence provided by the great members of this forum).

Assuming my claim is accepted, I'm a little concerned when I get a loan van it will have the toys I don't have and leave me jealous and wanting an upgrade!!

 

[Stu]

Some good news for me today.

I had a call from a bodyshop in the Kent area which surprised me as it wasn't one I recall having been previously discussed. Anyway a very reassuring chat with the lady I spoke to and we're booked in for the 14th July. Repair is expected to take 2 weeks however they think they may complete in a week but suggest to avoid any potential issues with holidaying to allow 3 weeks.

AA will collect the van and drop off a loaner to us. Choice of Auto or Manual.

They were already aware of the secondary claim for the elevating roof corrosion which was only submitted to Alex + SMG this week as my original claim was for the front panel only so top marks to SMG :clap

She informed me that the repair process involves replacing the front section with a modified part that has better anti corrosion coatings and then there is a different primer used before painting. It involves removing the entire elevating roof section and bellows, the bellows is also replaced (good news for those of you with a cut bellows). The elevating roof repair involves sanding back the corrosion, applying the different primer and then refitting a new seal. (I remain un-convinced that this is a long term fix for the elevating roof)

Ours will be the third California repair they have carried out as they has been quite some delay on parts. She said they expected the program to be running for over a year.

She also explained that they are well versed at working on VW, Audi, SEAT & Skoda vehicles as they do all of the work on cars damaged in transit when delivered to Sheerness (confidence booster for new car deliveries :laugh2 )

She also urged me to look at the company website and extended an invitation to visit the workshops and see the operation in progress which I thought was a nice touch.

http://www.abcrush.co.uk

The websites says they are specialists in Aluminium repairs which is comforting and mentions being involved in the Transporter Sportline program. So I guess they get them in as normal vans, change the wheels fit the leather and stick the badges on :laugh2 . Made me wonder if they did the Berghaus vans too.

 

[sd5000]

Has anyone had any claims rejected/accepted in the past fortnight for the main roof ?

Claim also accepted today for main roof. Said they could fit it in in a few months, I said I'd happily wait until they've practised on few others and to aim for Nov/Dec when our Cali is rested for the winter

 

[calikev]

That's great stu

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

Great news. Let us know the outcome and how it goes.

Be interested to see if you do go and visit and what your thoughts are.

cheers

 

[DavidofHook]

We too have been allocated to AB Crush for our repair.

At the last moment we discovered the dreaded rising roof corrosion and Alex at SMG was able to get this approved in double quick time so all the repairs will be done at once. And this was with Alex accepting just photos of the problem from me saving me a trip to Cowfold so thanks Alex.

They collect the van on 4 August (ominous, my birthday and centenary of the start of WW1!) and drop off a replacement for me. She gave a clear explanation of what they will do, all very clear and transparent so if their workmanship is as good as their customer care it should be fine. They asked me to include a mains lead to keep the van plugged in whilst in Kent.

David

 

[Andy]

Stu & Davidofhook when did you put your original warranty claim for the panel above the windscreen. Just to give me some sort of time frame.

 

[DavidofHook]

Andy, it was September as far as I can recall ( all the paperwork is in the van) and we have just had to wait patiently while they get the workshops set up.
Alex kindly sent me an email after I had taken the van in for assessment and I later rang VW, early inn the New Year i think and they sent a very comprehensive email setting out how it would all be done so i wasn't too worried as i could still use the van.

david

 

[Dunc]

Have I missed something? Is there now a fix for the main roof? or are you just having the front panel done and then going back in for the main roof?

 

[Stu]

Andy,

My front panel was logged with Alex quite some time ago but I decided to hold off until the 'new' repair process was in place. I think it was resurrected around February time and then the elevating roof added only last week.

I suspect others will get the call soon as AB Crush also offered me 11th August so they are filling their diary and trying to accommodate holidays.

Dunc,

I don't think there is a 'new' repair for the elevating roof so I am expecting a reoccurrence.

 

[DavidofHook]

Have I missed something? Is there now a fix for the main roof? or are you just having the front panel done and then going back in for the main roof?

Dunc,
The main roof for us is being done at the same time....... Will it be a long term fix?, we'll have to see but I hope so!

 

[Dunc]

Hmmmm, so they are just respraying the roof without identifying the problem.

Déjà vu ?

 

[Stu]

Hmmmm, so they are just respraying the roof without identifying the problem.

Déjà vu ?

That's my concern Dunc but we'll have to see how it pans out in the future.

 

[Andy]

When I asked Customer Services what the repair procedure was for the main roof panel they said words to the effect of 'what ever the repair centre deems necessary' so there would appear to be no definitive repair process.

 

[danny13]

Hmmmm, so they are just respraying the roof without identifying the problem.

Déjà vu ?

A body shop I spoke to said the corrosion is typical of a seal that collects water and insufficient paint depth on the edge. I totally anticipate this issue to reoccur, its just a question of how quickly...6 months or 6 years...

 

[Alan]

Danny13

That's why my feelings have always have been to stay away from pressure washing

 

[vedubya]

Still no news. Called VW today, despite logging my claim 6 weeks ago they
a) cannot give me a time line for its repair
b) have not allocated my Cali to a body shop repairer
c) cannot give an estimate of when I can expect a call.

I appreciate its a big job, 2 weeks some are saying. But VW chose to train only a handful of repairers, I think the quality of customer service from VW regarding this issue is below par and falls short of expectations for a product costing circa 40k

 

[Martin]

Have you received a letter yet?

 

[Andy]

Still no news. Called VW today, despite logging my claim 6 weeks ago they
a) cannot give me a time line for its repair
b) have not allocated my Cali to a body shop repairer
c) cannot give an estimate of when I can expect a call.

I appreciate its a big job, 2 weeks some are saying. But VW chose to train only a handful of repairers, I think the quality of customer service from VW regarding this issue is below par and falls short of expectations for a product costing circa 40k

I logged my roof fault in January & have not been given date so I would not worry about it. The repair will get done in due course.

Martin I have not received a letter.

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[CaliforniaDAN]

My claim for third repair to my roof panel is from last september with no date as of yet. I have had a letter explaining the process and one phone call since as an update.