G'day

[Rohan]

Hi Everybody,
My wife and I spent 2 weeks in a Hiace camper travelling between Sydney and Brisbane during the Easter holidays in 2015. Easter is evidently the peak season for renting in Australia and the ancient Hiace conversion (called a "Paradise Shower Toilet", honestly!) that we hired must have been brought back into service to make up numbers. Despite the wreck of a van, we had a fantastic holiday and dreamed of a camper for exploring back home in UK and Europe.
After much consideration, we pushed the financial boat out for a Cali rather than a conversion and collected an almost as new 2015 SE 140 DSG last Wednesday. I have already read many threads on this forum and taken advice on kitting it out and we are currently awaiting carpets from Germany etc.. Thanks to all of you who have posted such useful information and opinions.
I was however somewhat disturbed to read the discussion about roof corrosion this evening and will check ours with some trepidation in the morning. Not quite what we were expecting as I drove our beautiful Cali home last week. Nevertheless (most of) you seem pretty pleased with your Calis, whatever the spec(!) and we very much look forward to our first adventure in ours.

 

[WelshGas]

Hi Everybody,
My wife and I spent 2 weeks in a Hiace camper travelling between Sydney and Brisbane during the Easter holidays in 2015. Easter is evidently the peak season for renting in Australia and the ancient Hiace conversion (called a "Paradise Shower Toilet", honestly!) that we hired must have been brought back into service to make up numbers. Despite the wreck of a van, we had a fantastic holiday and dreamed of a camper for exploring back home in UK and Europe.
After much consideration, we pushed the financial boat out for a Cali rather than a conversion and collected an almost as new 2015 SE 140 DSG last Wednesday. I have already read many threads on this forum and taken advice on kitting it out and we are currently awaiting carpets from Germany etc.. Thanks to all of you who have posted such useful information and opinions.
I was however somewhat disturbed to read the discussion about roof corrosion this evening and will check ours with some trepidation in the morning. Not quite what we were expecting as I drove our beautiful Cali home last week. Nevertheless (most of) you seem pretty pleased with your Calis, whatever the spec(!) and we very much look forward to our first adventure in ours.

.
One word of advice. Enjoy your California.

You have a 3 year warranty. Don't worry about the roof until 2 years and 11 months into the warranty, and, and this is my own personal preference, I would argue against pulling the roof seal on and off checking for something that may or may not be present BUT could be caused by removing and replacing the seal. Just enjoy until the end of the warranty.

 

[GrannyJen]

Live the dream.

Even if it has a problem it's not going to interrupt the dream.

A

 

[GrannyJen]

Hi Everybody,
My wife and I spent 2 weeks in a Hiace camper travelling between Sydney and Brisbane during the Easter holidays in 2015. Easter is evidently the peak season for renting in Australia and the ancient Hiace conversion (called a "Paradise Shower Toilet", honestly!) that we hired must have been brought back into service to make up numbers. Despite the wreck of a van, we had a fantastic holiday and dreamed of a camper for exploring back home in UK and Europe.
After much consideration, we pushed the financial boat out for a Cali rather than a conversion and collected an almost as new 2015 SE 140 DSG last Wednesday. I have already read many threads on this forum and taken advice on kitting it out and we are currently awaiting carpets from Germany etc.. Thanks to all of you who have posted such useful information and opinions.
I was however somewhat disturbed to read the discussion about roof corrosion this evening and will check ours with some trepidation in the morning. Not quite what we were expecting as I drove our beautiful Cali home last week. Nevertheless (most of) you seem pretty pleased with your Calis, whatever the spec(!) and we very much look forward to our first adventure in ours.

Must have been pretty hot.

I was in Adelaide many years ago wandering around in a 4WD and living in a caravan and came to know what the inside of a camping oven must be like.

 

[Hotel California]

Welcome on board , one advise ....enjoy!

 

[Rohan]

Thank you all for your immediate welcome.
WelshGas, I think I will go with your advice and check without disturbing the seal for the time being.
GrannyJen. Sydney was cool, it rained while we were in the Blue Mountains and we enjoyed the rest of it without problem. Maybe that's why the Easter season is so popular for camper rental. Our rented Hiace camper was white and our Cali is silver metallic, we particularly wanted a white or silver one to reflect the heat in the summer (if we're lucky!) and in southern Europe.

 

[sapto]

Welcome Rohan! enjoy and post as much photos here as you like from your next trips

 

[WelshGas]

Thank you all for your immediate welcome.
WelshGas, I think I will go with your advice and check without disturbing the seal for the time being.
GrannyJen. Sydney was cool, it rained while we were in the Blue Mountains and we enjoyed the rest of it without problem. Maybe that's why the Easter season is so popular for camper rental. Our rented Hiace camper was white and our Cali is silver metallic, we particularly wanted a white or silver one to reflect the heat in the summer (if we're lucky!) and in southern Europe.

I'll find out about the Blue Mountains and Sydney next week. Visiting Nos 4 son and his wife for 2 weeks but no camper this time. It will be having a holiday at Heathrow.

 

[Rohan]

Welsh Gas, Have safe journeys and a great holiday in Australia. Enjoy the cockatoos and parakeets! They're everywhere.

 

[Salty]

.
One word of advice. Enjoy your California.

You have a 3 year warranty. Don't worry about the roof until 2 years and 11 months into the warranty, and, and this is my own personal preference, I would argue against pulling the roof seal on and off checking for something that may or may not be present BUT could be caused by removing and replacing the seal. Just enjoy until the end of the warranty.

Thanks for advice, I am taking delivery of a new Beach in March. Do you suggest looking at the end of the warranty, because that's when you should sell it, or that you should log the problem with the dealer?

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks for advice, I am taking delivery of a new Beach in March. Do you suggest looking at the end of the warranty, because that's when you should sell it, or that you should log the problem with the dealer?

Log the problem, if there is one, as it does seem that not all vehicles are affected.

Personally, at the end of 3 years if I can't see any problem on inspecting the roof close to the seal then I might not even try and remove the seal to look under. Mine is pretty tight and will need some force to remove it, which means it may be looser afterwards allowing water etc: to get in. Who knows!
I think, any 3 yr old vehicle, used every day in all weathers, as mine is, would probably have something somewhere if you looked closely enough and removed seals etc:.

 

[Salty]

Log the problem, if there is one, as it does seem that not all vehicles are affected.

Personally, at the end of 3 years if I can't see any problem on inspecting the roof close to the seal then I might not even try and remove the seal to look under. Mine is pretty tight and will need some force to remove it, which means it may be looser afterwards allowing water etc: to get in. Who knows!
I think, any 3 yr old vehicle, used every day in all weathers, as mine is, would probably have something somewhere if you looked closely enough and removed seals etc:.

Well that's my view as well. If it doesn't let water in, and doesn't look unsightly, and I get a good few years from it, then I'll live with it. It might cost a few quid, but I'm not going to stress on what might be a few years down the road. After all, we're not on planet for that long...

 

[blondebier]

Well that's my view as well. If it doesn't let water in, and doesn't look unsightly, and I get a good few years from it, then I'll live with it. It might cost a few quid, but I'm not going to stress on what might be a few years down the road. After all, we're not on planet for that long...

Well said. Get out there and enjoy it.

Welcome Rohan. Where are you going on your first trip?

 

[Rohan]

I have not disturbed the seal and the roof looks fine. Now time to get on with equipping and making it home.
We have not decided where to travel for our first trip but it will be fairly close and unadventurous so we can see what works and what doesn't before we strike out.