Buying 23 plate ocean - should I worry about roof leaking?

[Wiggles]

Morning all,

I am considering buying an Ocean which was registered in the early part of 2023 from a vw dealer. I have been told they are unaware of any leaking issues and there were no visible signs. Should I be worried or just go for it and accept it could be a warranty issue if it does leak?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Betsycalifornia]

I’d be more worried about buying from a dealer who denies any knowledge of a widely known issue.

 

[Wiggles]

Hi, they didn’t deny the issue but said they were unaware of any issues with that particular roof. It was ex demo from VW and I assume hasn’t been camped in much?

 

[Nick from Bath]

I think it's fair to assume that it will be a leaking variant - but there are solutions and it shouldn't detract from buying a California for the enjoyment it will bring. It was really frustrating to go through the whole leaking saga with VW but there are now solutions, either DIY or via the later incremental versions of the bellows, or both.

A bellows wrap is a guarantee of waterproofness and isn't really a pain to get on with a little practice. It helps with insulation in colder / windier camping spots too. Similarly lots of people are treating the fabric with Aquatex and that seems to have fixed the vast majority of leaks too. Or you could get a little lucky and have an 04S or 05S variant fitted under warranty that naturally doesn't leak.

 

[Wiggles]

Thanks Nick, that was my reasoning so it’s good to hear from a more seasoned cali owner. This will be my first van and I don’t want to get carried away by my keeness to get one!

 

[Ch1pbutty]

You could just get an older van and avoid the issue completely. Once the warranty expires on a new van VW it unlikely rectify any faults after any goodwill repair, plus resale value might be impacted as you try to explain the well publicised roof issue to a prospective buyer a few years down the line.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

You could just get an older van and avoid the issue completely. Once the warranty expires on a new van VW it unlikely rectify any faults after any goodwill repair, plus resale value might be impacted as you try to explain the well publicised roof issue to a prospective buyer a few years down the line.

You could but the leaky roof issue is essentially solved now and the newer bellows are much nicer than the previous version. No need for an isotop either with the newer version. If the bellows leak (which they very likely will in an early 2023 Cali) get them replaced under warranty for the latest type, and then use some Aquatex if necessary. Most importantly, don’t get too hung up on it. Just enjoy the Cali!

 

[m10chkcalifornia]

We have a 22 plate with old style bellows (leak free). Would I worry about getting a newer one? Not a bit. Anyone want to trade me a newer one for mine - happy to oblige

 

[andyinluton]

You could just get an older van and avoid the issue completely. Once the warranty expires on a new van VW it unlikely rectify any faults after any goodwill repair, plus resale value might be impacted as you try to explain the well publicised roof issue to a prospective buyer a few years down the line.

There are plenty of earlier Californias with leaking roof problems, some of the first posts on this forum 10 years ago were about leaks.
Going older won't guarantee a dry night.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

There are plenty of earlier Californias with leaking roof problems, some of the first posts on this forum 10 years ago were about leaks.
Going older won't guarantee a dry night.

Our past 2012 was as dry as a bone!…must have been one of the lucky ones.

That said it did have roof corrosion issue. Hopefully VW will get the roof design perfected eventually.

 

[Wiggles]

Thanks for all your comments, it really helps to hear from those more experienced.

Does anyone know about the finance offer on nearly new Calis at the moment? I am a cash buyer but can get £3500 deposit contribution if I take out PCP finance. Am I right in thinking I could take the discount and cancel the finance, repay immediately with minimal interest to pay and no fees? Or possibly even withdraw within the 14 day cooling off period?

Many thanks.

 

[Ghostbuster]

Thanks for all your comments, it really helps to hear from those more experienced.

Does anyone know about the finance offer on nearly new Calis at the moment? I am a cash buyer but can get £3500 deposit contribution if I take out PCP finance. Am I right in thinking I could take the discount and cancel the finance, repay immediately with minimal interest to pay and no fees? Or possibly even withdraw within the 14 day cooling off period?

Many thanks.

Yes this is true and get a free service included

 

[RockinNRollin]

Fundamentally it probably doesn't really matter if it's an ex-demo or brand new; as long as everything works and there are no indications there's been any water damage (stains to the headlining etc.), warranty will cover a leaky roof. You can't be sure it won't leak from looking at it and just because it's been camped in doesn't necessarily mean anything either as the previous users might never have been out in heavy rain . . . or the roof bellows might be just fine!

Unless that dealer is your local dealer, I would be content with the above approach. If they're the one you'd go back to with warranty issues, I'd be a bit more forthright about assurances of prompt investigation/resolution (they are obliged via warranty, but it will help if you've already raised the issue with the service manager - which incidentally is the person you need to convince, not a salesman who will have nothing to do with your vehicle once you've been given the keys).

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

Morning all,

I am considering buying an Ocean which was registered in the early part of 2023 from a vw dealer. I have been told they are unaware of any leaking issues and there were no visible signs. Should I be worried or just go for it and accept it could be a warranty issue if it does leak?

Thanks for any advice.

There's a fair chance it will leak and then you'll need a warranty claim to get the issue resolved.

Will the dealer you are buying from also be the one with whom you will have it serviced and warranty work done? You have a lot more clout with the purchasing dealer for getting it sorted...

 

[DanKavanagh]

Thanks for all your comments, it really helps to hear from those more experienced.

Does anyone know about the finance offer on nearly new Calis at the moment? I am a cash buyer but can get £3500 deposit contribution if I take out PCP finance. Am I right in thinking I could take the discount and cancel the finance, repay immediately with minimal interest to pay and no fees? Or possibly even withdraw within the 14 day cooling off period?

Many thanks.

We’re in a similar position - were going to buy cash from a VW dealer on a 2,000 mile Ocean, but have just set up the finance to take advantage of the £3,500 deposit contribution and a servicing deal.

Having just gone through the documents there’s no penalty for early cancellation with full repayment.

However I believe that would leave the dealer out of pocket to VW Finance.

I calculate we’ll still save plenty of money if we cancel after 12 months, and that keeps the dealer sweet. That may prove helpful if we head back there in a couple of months with a warranty claim for leaky bellows. Ours is a 2023 model too.

Perhaps I’m being naive?

Anyway - really looking forward to collecting the van in a few days after much research (mostly here) and a long wait!

Good luck with yours…


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[Ghostbuster]

We’re in a similar position - were going to buy cash from a VW dealer on a 2,000 mile Ocean, but have just set up the finance to take advantage of the £3,500 deposit contribution and a servicing deal.

Having just gone through the documents there’s no penalty for early cancellation with full repayment.

However I believe that would leave the dealer out of pocket to VW Finance.

I calculate we’ll still save plenty of money if we cancel after 12 months, and that keeps the dealer sweet. That may prove helpful if we head back there in a couple of months with a warranty claim for leaky bellows. Ours is a 2023 model too.

Perhaps I’m being naive?

Anyway - really looking forward to collecting the van in a few days after much research (mostly here) and a long wait!

Good luck with yours…


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Sorry for going off from the original topic but me too, I am looking to do the same. Do you happen to know what the penalty will be for settling the finance early?

 

[DanKavanagh]

Sorry for going off from the original topic but me too, I am looking to do the same. Do you happen to know what the penalty will be for settling the finance early?

For the buyer - nothing. For the dealer - after 12 months no clawback penalty I think.

I based my calculations on an Ocean at approx £65,000, receiving £3,500 deposit contribution and a service plan worth approx £1,000.

APR = 8.9%

Deposit approx £10,000

Loan period 24 months.

Earning 2% interest on the amount that stays in my bank for longer, offsetting to an extent the interest paid on the loan.

I believe we still save about £5,000 off the cash price if we pay the loan off after a year. The saving is greater if you are getting more than 2% on your capital.

I don’t buy stuff this big often, so am a bit nervous, but pretty confident this option works well.

I’d be grateful if anyone had any other views!


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