Front window blinds

[gordon1988golf]

Is it possible to retrofit internal front window blinds in a 2008 California?

 

[Hawthorn37]

As the blinds coil back to a housing in the A pillar trim, you’d be looking to replace this trim with blind mechanism from a later van. Not sure that’s going to be dimensionally the same ? But, I’d say why bother? We never use ours as they let too much light through the gaps, and don’t keep the windscreen from misting up. We use a simple internal thermal screen.

 

[Lee.Van.Cleef]

The Cali has several features which seem like a good idea but are poorly executed. The front blinds are very near the top of that list. Ours have creased & beginning to fray to the point where I avoid using them for fear of breaking them. I really wouldn't bother.

 

[California Dreamer]

As the blinds coil back to a housing in the A pillar trim, you’d be looking to replace this trim with blind mechanism from a later van. Not sure that’s going to be dimensionally the same ? But, I’d say why bother? We never use ours as they let too much light through the gaps, and don’t keep the windscreen from misting up. We use a simple internal thermal screen.

Which screen do you use? Am thinking of getting one but don’t want anything bulky.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RedWhiteMonkey]

I'm with Lee.Van.Cleef on this one, in theory they seem like a great idea but in reality they are a poor design. We still use them but will probably convert to a normal blackout screen at some point.

 

[Meoncoast]

Personally, I also think they are not an item I bother with having had a van with and without them and had one side replaced under warranty due to sticking and excessive creasing. We never use them.

 

[Corradobrit]

I used the integrated blinds once but they are so prone to damage and light infiltration I opted for this solution. Easy to install in seconds, black reverse fabric for stealth and thermally efficient. They also reduce the condensation on the windows they cover.

They slid on top of the Real Useful Boxes and solar panel, under the parcel shelf in the boot.

 

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Where are those from?

 

[Corradobrit]

Where are those from?

Project Camper in Hamburg.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Which screen do you use? Am thinking of getting one but don’t want anything bulky.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We’ve got thin Isolite thermal screens for the side windows and windscreen. The sides just have little Velcro tabs, the front has Velcro but it stays in place without this. When not using they slip into the top bed space (nice and thin and flat, no poles to assemble). We bought them from the Club shop, about £110 at the time.

 

[Lee.Van.Cleef]

Which screen do you use? Am thinking of getting one but don’t want anything bulky.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We default to the Comfortz version (on profile pic). It's a little padded but still small enough to go inside a chair in the boot cavity. As with all external screens you may need to give it a shake on a wet morning before packing away, but we find it dries off very quickly once we've shaken the big drops off.

We do still use the fitted blinds as a fall back for quick stops, plus I've recently sent off for the old cloth version of the Cali screen blinds (from eBay). I gather the thin brandrup internal/isolite screens are also popular.

 

[California Dreamer]

We default to the Comfortz version (on profile pic). It's a little padded but still small enough to go inside a chair in the boot cavity. As with all external screens you may need to give it a shake on a wet morning before packing away, but we find it dries off very quickly once we've shaken the big drops off.

We do still use the fitted blinds as a fall back for quick stops, plus I've recently sent off for the old cloth version of the Cali screen blinds (from eBay). I gather the thin brandrup internal/isolite screens are also popular.

Thank you, we also have the comfortz external one and it’s good but I am trying to get a smaller internal one for wet weather. Perhaps I should just stop looking for new stuff! I really like the magnetic side blinds, wish the front was the same.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lee.Van.Cleef]

Thank you, we also have the comfortz external one and it’s good but I am trying to get a smaller internal one for wet weather. Perhaps I should just stop looking for new stuff! I really like the magnetic side blinds, wish the front was the same.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You can pick up the front blind to match the side magnetic ones, but inevitably they're rarely cheap. There's a few on eBay at the moment.

 

[Perfectos]

You can pick up the front blind to match the side magnetic ones, but inevitably they're rarely cheap. There's a few on eBay at the moment.

Full set on ebay ATM

 

[Perfectos]

Also the Ocean A pillar type

 

[Perfectos]

Or internal thermal

 

[gordon1988golf]

Bought a generic one for 10 € in Feu Vert, works just fine

 

[Lee.Van.Cleef]

As it happens I ordered this previous generation VW cloth blind from eBay last week & it just arrived today. I think this is the later version (without tent poles/rods) which fastens on over the visors and around the rear view mirror. The lower part is thicker & padded to wedge in the bottom of the dash. There are no magnets or clips, so as you can see it sort of hangs down. Certainly not black out and possibly more useful at keeping the sun out of the cab during the day, but packs down very small and probably a decent occasional solution if for any reason I didn't want to use the comfortz outer. I imagine I'll use it in preference to the fitted roll out blinds. Same material as the side magnetic blinds.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

We have external thermal screens from Pucer. Easy to fit. Pack down quite small. They work for us.
We also have a pop top screen from Pucer.

 

[Ernest Driveaway]

I used the integrated blinds once but they are so prone to damage and light infiltration I opted for this solution. Easy to install in seconds, black reverse fabric for stealth and thermally efficient. They also reduce the condensation on the windows they cover.

They slid on top of the Real Useful Boxes and solar panel, under the parcel shelf in the boot.View attachment 114082

I can see how these would work on the side windows, how do the magnets work for the screen? Worked my way around the Project Camper German site but can't work that out.

 

[Corradobrit]

I can see how these would work on the side windows, how do the magnets work for the screen? Worked my way around the Project Camper German site but can't work that out.

Magnets are not part of the installation for the windscreen. The metal rods slot into the gap in front of the dash and the center split section goes behind the mirror. To finally force the blind up against the windscreen the sun vizors are dropped. There is enough rigidity in the fabric in addition to the rods to create a blackout.

 

[Ernest Driveaway]

Magnets are not part of the installation for the windscreen. The metal rods slot into the gap in front of the dash and the center split section goes behind the mirror. To finally force the blind up against the windscreen the sun vizors are dropped. There is enough rigidity in the fabric in addition to the rods to create a blackout.

Thanks for that, very helpful.