Leaking pop tops on 2023 California Oceans

[Elmo3]

Breeze fitted my 06S this week. In and out in a day, fab service and a great job. Lovely walk on the coast whilst it was being done. Just need some rain to test it now. Hopeful this will be the end of the saga…

 

[acer]

Bellows update.

We had a family trip to Poole on Thursday. Dropped the van into Breeze Van Centre in the morning. The lovely team booked us in and gave us a combi van to use. The next morning we collected our van fitted perfectly with a set of 06S bellows. Have to give credit to Breeze for a wonderful, helpful service. No quibbles, they just ran the leak test and fitted the new bellows under warranty. There today they leak tested the new bellows and sent us on our way. Brilliant.

Poole was nice too. We stayed in Holes Bay Premier Inn and did some sightseeing. Well worth the journey if you have a leaky California.

Just wondered how you chose Poole for your bellows swap. Was it positive reviews on here? Or, perhaps you bought your vehicle from them? I must live quite near to you and I’m wondering who to use as my service centre.

Also, Poole didn’t need to do the leak test and then book you back at a late date as some others have said?

Finally, what was the lead-in time from you telling them you wanted your leak fixed to booking you in please?

I haven’t tested mine yet, but they are the 04S variant so I’m not holding out too much hope! Your replies might help others like me. TIA.

 

[Ryanrunsfar123]

Breeze fitted my 06S this week. In and out in a day, fab service and a great job. Lovely walk on the coast whilst it was being done. Just need some rain to test it now. Hopeful this will be the end of the saga…

Exactly the same experience for me from Breeze Poole - really good. I went from 03S to 06S with no drama at all - and we fully tested them in very wet weather last weekend! Very pleased to finally not be worrying about this.

 

[I feel camping]

Hi,
According to todays situation would you swap one layer non leaking bellows with 06S version?

 

[Corradobrit]

Hi,
According to todays situation would you swap one layer non leaking bellows with 06S version?

Only if the single layer leaked or damaged.

 

[I feel camping]

So there is no benifit having new style two layer bellows?

 

[Elmo3]

So there is no benifit having new style two layer bellows?

It’s a far nicer bellows IMHO, as long as it doesn’t leak of course. Fingers crossed the 06S will be all good.

 

[RockinNRollin]

As above, the ambience inside is dramatically nicer, especially with the bed elevated. The new material makes the space brighter, feel bigger and it certainly feels like it's both better insulated for temperature and sound.

 

[Pucci Mike]

I have just picked my van up from the dealership in exeter, they have replaced my bellows with 05S. They kept it overnight so some sealant could cure? Would anybody know if it's a sealant needed to install the bellows or if they have put something onto the bellows as a kind of waterproofing? View attachment 129644

I know this may not help you but I bought my 24 Ocean from the Exeter Dealership and insisted they fit 6S bellows which they agreed to. Fitting imminent so I’ll update with outcome. They do want it overnight to let the sealant (not for the canvas) to set

 

[harryredchow]

Just wondered how you chose Poole for your bellows swap. Was it positive reviews on here? Or, perhaps you bought your vehicle from them? I must live quite near to you and I’m wondering who to use as my service centre.

Also, Poole didn’t need to do the leak test and then book you back at a late date as some others have said?

Finally, what was the lead-in time from you telling them you wanted your leak fixed to booking you in please?

I haven’t tested mine yet, but they are the 04S variant so I’m not holding out too much hope! Your replies might help others like me. TIA.

I bought my van from Collindale. They denied that the bellows leak. First outing in the rain and the water came in. I made a video of it. When I rang all the local dealers they seemed naive to bellows replacement. I phoned Breeze as they have good reviews on here. They were brilliant. Hard to tell you on lead time as I booked for half term a long time ago. They took my video as evidence that they leaked, but still ranaleak test to confirm. They kept the van overnight to let the adhesive cure and leak tested again the morning I collected.

Well worth the trip.

 

[acer]

I bought my van from Collindale. They denied that the bellows leak. First outing in the rain and the water came in. I made a video of it. When I rang all the local dealers they seemed naive to bellows replacement. I phoned Breeze as they have good reviews on here. They were brilliant. Hard to tell you on lead time as I booked for half term a long time ago. They took my video as evidence that they leaked, but still ranaleak test to confirm. They kept the van overnight to let the adhesive cure and leak tested again the morning I collected.

Well worth the trip.

Thanks Harryredchow. Sometimes it sounds as though Breeze are the only firm worth dealing with. It’s a pity that they are so far from me.

Misty, you disagreed. Do you have a different experience that I missed?

 

[RockinNRollin]

Misty, you disagreed. Do you have a different experience that I missed?

Misty seems to be exhibiting troll-like features - they have "disagreed" with another helpful post I've seen elsewhere.

 

[sbmcd]

I'm currently considering a 2024 California, manufacturing given by VW commenced 12 Feb 24. Should that have the latest 6S bellows?

 

[acer]

I'm currently considering a 2024 California, manufacturing given by VW commenced 12 Feb 24. Should that have the latest 6S bellows?

Unfortunately not. Mine was made in March ‘24 and has the O4S variety.

 

[sbmcd]

Unfortunately not. Mine was made in March ‘24 and has the O4S variety.

Thanks, does yours leak?

 

[acer]

I’m yet to test it. I’ve been sorting out other issues. I couldn’t bare to open another front with my dealer! I’ll report back after the first moderate dump of rain.

 

[SusiBus]

I'm currently considering a 2024 California, manufacturing given by VW commenced 12 Feb 24. Should that have the latest 6S bellows?

Sorry can't give you our build date, but we placed our order on 7th March 24 and it came June with O5S bellows that leaked. These have subsequently been changed to O6S bellows by SMG Tonbridge.
So l think a Feb build will have O5S bellows.

 

[sbmcd]

I’m yet to test it. I’ve been sorting out other issues. I couldn’t bare to open another front with my dealer! I’ll report back after the first moderate dump of rain.

Good luck with that, do keep us posted. We us our van all year round and it sees all weather conditions so I need something that does not leak, like my 2014 Cali.

 

[acer]

Good luck with that, do keep us posted. We us our van all year round and it sees all weather conditions so I need something that does not leak, like my 2014 Cali.

Yes us too. And, we gave up a perfectly good 2015 SE also.

 

[Cavvy]

Unfortunately not. Mine was made in March ‘24 and has the O4S variety.

I too had 04S bellows on a March 24 build, first moderate rain shower they leaked quite badly. To be fair Liverpool VWVC have been great, no quibble as you would expect and replaced straight away but a shame some people have less positive experiences. Good luck with your first test in the rain.

 

[Ben's Ocean]

Would it help to treat the fabric with water repellent sprays as you do on shoes and jackets?

 

[lohr500]

Would it help to treat the fabric with water repellent sprays as you do on shoes and jackets?

Several of us with leaking bellows (mainly the 04S version) decided to use Aquatex earlier this year as we had little confidence in VW's ability to replace with anything better. (Which turned out to be a good decision in my opinion, given it took until version 06S to apparently solve the issue).

The issue isn't with the fabric. Just the stitching holding the fabric panels together and the other areas where stitching goes through the fabric.

As far as I am aware VW never officially approved the use of Aquatex. But in my case they did say that so long as it hadn't affected the integrity of the bellows, they would replace them under warranty if they started leaking again.

I don't think I have read a single report so far of anyone who's bellows have started to leak again since using Aquatex. But I may have missed this as there have been so many posts on the subject!!!

 

[Jw155]

I have the leaking bellows , used 2 cans of aquatex externally and my bellows leaked still. in the van centre having them replaced at the moment after declining the warranty claim until I raised a complete with customer service, who agreed to replace them as a goodwill gesture which I thought was a bit cheeky on 2023 van with 5 years warranty

 

[RockinNRollin]

I have the leaking bellows , used 2 cans of aquatex externally and my bellows leaked still. in the van centre having them replaced at the moment after declining the warranty claim until I raised a complete with customer service, who agreed to replace them as a goodwill gesture which I thought was a bit cheeky on 2023 van with 5 years warranty

Did they decline the warranty claim because of the Aquatex?

 

[Jw155]

No, didn’t tell them I had applied it, the declined it on the grounds it wasn’t leaking enough and said the bellows aren’t waterproof,, but a call to customer care and it was sorted