Folding chair broken

[Chris Hardern]

Has anyone been given a replacement chair when the warranty has run out. Seems tp me that it is not uncommon for it to happen. Mine is May 2015.

 

[Borris]

Has anyone been given a replacement chair when the warranty has run out. Seems tp me that it is not uncommon for it to happen. Mine is May 2015.

The first chair was replaced under the original three year warrantee. The second has now broken in the same place - across the plastic element of the top front leg joint.

I purchased the two year extended manufacturers warrantee on our van and I am now expecting VW to replace this second chair without quibble. I am saving DomiT6's new metal joints for the next time they break. I will keep this thread informed of their response. I am expecting them to try and avoid giving me a replacement. My experience to date, is that seems to be their default position.

 

[TripleBee]

The only problem I had once with 1 chair of 7 years old was the stitching that broke.
Had that mend by a shoemaker (cordonnier) in the E. Leclerc of Vendôme for €4. Didn't really look that nice, but works.

The screws get tightened when I feel they come loose.

 

[Chris Hardern]

The first chair was replaced under the original three year warrantee. The second has now broken in the same place - across the plastic element of the top front leg joint.

I purchased the two year extended manufacturers warrantee on our van and I am now expecting VW to replace this second chair without quibble. I am saving DomiT6's new metal joints for the next time they break. I will keep this thread informed of their response. I am expecting them to try and avoid giving me a replacement. My experience to date, is that seems to be their default position.

Many thanks for the reply. I have tried glueing it but because of the angle, any weight on it just opens up the cracked joint. To add insult to injury, the sliding door in the back cupboard has broken as well. Nearly 200 quid between them and it's only 4 years old! It all seems to well made when you first look at it.

 

[Califorian]

As others have stated I also highly recommend contacting Domi and buying a set of 4 aluminium repair joints. First class quality and perfect fit. Fix the front joints in each chair. When I removed the plastic joints from my ‘good chair’ they were cracked as well so it’s only a matter of time before they break. It takes about 15 minutes for each chair. All you need is 2 drill sizes and an Allen key.

I met Domi just outside Stuttgart on my way back home to Ireland from trip to Austria, and collected my repair joints, but he posts to UK no problem. A really nice genuine guy thanks again Domi

 

[Chris Hardern]

As others have stated I also highly recommend contacting Domi and buying a set of 4 aluminium repair joints. First class quality and perfect fit. Fix the front joints in each chair. When I removed the plastic joints from my ‘good chair’ they were cracked as well so it’s only a matter of time before they break. It takes about 15 minutes for each chair. All you need is 2 drill sizes and an Allen key.

I met Domi just outside Stuttgart on my way back home to Ireland from trip to Austria, and collected my repair joints, but he posts to UK no problem. A really nice genuine guy thanks again Domi

Thanks to all for replying. I have ordered a set from Domi. He sends instructions on how to change them over. So I should be ok.

 

[Spotlight Kid]

I bought a set of bolts from Domi when one of the original plastic ones broke on my chair. I've replaced all four bolts so that both chairs are now much sturdier than before. I have to say that the new bolts are fantastic! Thanks Domi!

 

[calikev]

They now sell a complete repair kit in the club shop

 

[Califorian]

Is that not to repair a different problem to the repair brackets that’s Domi sells??

 

[calikev]

Don’t know.

 

[DomiT6]

The repair Kit in the Shop is for a different Problem...

 

[GSX1300R]

We actually take 2 £15 Aldi camping chairs with us when we go away.. They are 10 times more comfortable than the VW chairs and we just use the van chairs when we have a meal. Always make sure we lock them away and the table if we wander off anywhere. The 2 chairs and the table come to over £500 if you need to replace them.

 

[Bazz Bash]

We've just returned from a month away and one of the chairs has broken at the arm end and the down aluminium tube. Seems to be a common problem. I'm out of warranty by three months and have just been rejected by "The Factory" through Breeze Havant. I've noted a few in this thread that broke from 2016 Californias. I've emailed customer care with a few comments and quoting the Consumer Goods Act 2015 that it extends to six years for 'suitable quality' issues. If they don't take me seriously it's the small claims process for replacement of both chairs as I think the second will also go. If anyone has also the same issue and they got a warranty replacement can you please comment again in this thread. Thanks

 

[Borris]

Contact DomiT6 by Email. He can supply beefed up metal joints for replacing these sub-standard plastic ones. This issue is very common, I've had two chairs go. It's about time VW took their supplier to task.

You can contact him via his Email D.Baeurle@gmx.de

He's a very nice chap.

 

[GSX1300R]

We've just returned from a month away and one of the chairs has broken at the arm end and the down aluminium tube. Seems to be a common problem. I'm out of warranty by three months and have just been rejected by "The Factory" through Breeze Havant. I've noted a few in this thread that broke from 2016 Californias. I've emailed customer care with a few comments and quoting the Consumer Goods Act 2015 that it extends to six years for 'suitable quality' issues. If they don't take me seriously it's the small claims process for replacement of both chairs as I think the second will also go. If anyone has also the same issue and they got a warranty replacement can you please comment again in this thread. Thanks

View attachment 52787

Small claims is your absolute last resort... You can say anything but there is NO guarantee that it will be successful.. Best bet is to repair it yourself.. Also just because one is broken doesnt mean the other will break. Thats what they would say..

 

[Borris]

The first of our chairs were replaced under the original warranty and the second under the factory extended warranty although not without a fight. The dealer said it wasn't covered so I referred the matter to VW quoting the T's and C's of the FEW. They had no choice but to agree as it states that the FEW offers exactly the same level of cover as the original 3 year warranty. As they had already replaced one under the OW they had to replace the second.
My advice would be not to give up. This is a known fault and IMO these seats are not currently fit for purpose.

 

[Amarillo]

Both our chairs have been replaced. The first after ~15 months the second after ~27 months.

Given that replacements cost £120, they are really are not fit for purpose, however, repair would be relatively cheap.

I have had four camping chairs from John Lewis for twenty years - they are still as good as new. If my van was out of warranty and the VW chairs broke I'd be looking at ways to reconfigure the tailgate bag to hold those four chairs.

 

[WelshGas]

Isn't the whole idea of a Warranty is that manufacturers, any manufacturer, expects a certain percentage of failures during a defined warranty period. To manufacture an item so that it will not fail means the cost could spiral. In the case of a camping chair VW and the chair maker have no control over how it is used in practice nor the weight of the person using it .
The number of individual posts regarding this problem are relatively small compared with the number of Forum members. To say " It's not fit for purpose " based on personal experience is a little over the top. Mine are still going strong after 5 yrs of frequent use.
If the problem was frequent then the chair manufacturer, who bears the cost of the warranty replacement, not VW, would have changed the design and I don't think they have.
I very much doubt if the Small Claims Court would succeed out of the warranty.

 

[Bazz Bash]

The Consumer Rights Act of 2015 is quite clear in one area and the term is "not of satisfactory quality". The coverage is for 6 years. As expressed here, if it is in VW warranty they replace immediately. The day after nothing. The fact this is a common problem, as it appears in the same area of the chair (and also 2016 Californias?)

At £120 a chair, the comparison to a £15 chair is interesting. After three years of an Aldi chair I'd be ok at replacing that. The old term is "you get what you pay for". So should I expect 24 years? No because the VW chair is a better product but it's still a chair. But replacement after 3 years and 3 months is frankly poor. This is a design/manufacturing issue with the spec of the joint. Hence the replacement parts being made in aluminium to replace a OEM plastic part. With VW prices I'm happy to pay, but only if the product is of a quality that represents VW and their pricing.

 

[Amarillo]

I also bought four of these:

4x Outdoor Portable Folding Chair Camping Hiking Beach Seat Stool For BBQ Picnic

<font rwr="1" size="4" style="font-family:Arial"><font rwr="1" size="4" style="font-family:Arial"><div>2 in 1 folding Black Picnic Chair light weight an compact with out being to small x4</div><div><br></div><div>¢ 600D x 300D Oxford Black Material

wheelsnbits.co.uk

One broke on first use, another we left on the train after a whole school trip to Broadstairs.

On that basis, £120 for a chair which lasts 2 or 3 years is quite reasonable.

 

[GSX1300R]

The Consumer Rights Act of 2015 is quite clear in one area and the term is "not of satisfactory quality". The coverage is for 6 years. As expressed here, if it is in VW warranty they replace immediately. The day after nothing. The fact this is a common problem, as it appears in the same area of the chair (and also 2016 Californias?)

At £120 a chair, the comparison to a £15 chair is interesting. After three years of an Aldi chair I'd be ok at replacing that. The old term is "you get what you pay for". So should I expect 24 years? No because the VW chair is a better product but it's still a chair. But replacement after 3 years and 3 months is frankly poor. This is a design/manufacturing issue with the spec of the joint. Hence the replacement parts being made in aluminium to replace a OEM plastic part. With VW prices I'm happy to pay, but only if the product is of a quality that represents VW and their pricing.

If you realistically look at anything in the VW California there is nothing that warrants the Huge prices they charge. You just have to accept that some things are going to last and others are not going to last.
My wife is 8 stone and I am 12 stone the chair would probably last 20 years. The person in the van next to me is 25 stone and the chair will last 10 minutes. Thats why we only use ours when we have a meal outside. And the rest of the time we use our £15 Aldi chairs...

 

[flying banana]

Isn't the whole idea of a Warranty is that manufacturers, any manufacturer, expects a certain percentage of failures during a defined warranty period. To manufacture an item so that it will not fail means the cost could spiral. In the case of a camping chair VW and the chair maker have no control over how it is used in practice nor the weight of the person using it .
The number of individual posts regarding this problem are relatively small compared with the number of Forum members. To say " It's not fit for purpose " based on personal experience is a little over the top. Mine are still going strong after 5 yrs of frequent use.
If the problem was frequent then the chair manufacturer, who bears the cost of the warranty replacement, not VW, would have changed the design and I don't think they have.
I very much doubt if the Small Claims Court would succeed out of the warranty.

Are you saying we're all fat b'stards?

 

[WelshGas]

Are you saying we're all fat b'stards?

Some have admitted to being heavier than 75kgms and the upper bed is supposed to have a maximum weight capacity of 150kgms, so I presume the chairs might have a similar restriction/chair.

 

[GSX1300R]

Are you saying we're all fat b'stards?

As the saying goes.....If the cap fits......

 

[Borris]

Blaming the owners for these breakages is a cop out. Any reference to the weight of the occupants is rather beside the point. These chairs are designed to fit in with the California lifestyle and within reason, they should be fit for purpose for a wide range of owners sizes and weights reflecting their customer base.

The problem we are discussing here is the failure of a cheap plastic component that forms the lower part of the joint that connects the front chair frame to both arms. This component slides inside the front chair frame tubing and is secured by a rivet. The failure is always as a result of the weakness caused by the rivet hole in this cheap plastic part. If you think about it, this part is not load bearing and I suspect that it's premature failure has more to do with the way chair is used. Never the less, they should not break. IMO they only do so because of a poorly designed part costing tuppence ha-penny. Further more, I suspect that if there was no rivet hole and instead this part was bonded to the tubular leg, the problem would be resolved. Alternatively the manufacturer should use a different material.

I rarely use these chairs as I don't find them comfortable. Instead I either rotate and use one of the front seats or use one of our two fold up picnic chairs which I purchased from a motorway service station about twenty years ago. From memory they cost £15 each and are still as good as new.