Leaking pop tops on 2023 California Oceans

[Jimmylondon07]

@CaliforniaCylus any word on yours?

 

[RockinNRollin]

Up until this point I was fairly confident things would be sorted. A dialogue was going, a “new” part was on the way, VW seemed to be taking it seriously. Now, with the obvious exception that VW are clearly aware and accept there is a problem, it feels like we’re back to square one again. I couldn’t get through to EO earlier. Not surprising really!

 

[Corradobrit]

Up until this point I was fairly confident things would be sorted. A dialogue was going, a “new” part was on the way, VW seemed to be taking it seriously. Now, with the obvious exception that VW are clearly aware and accept there is a problem, it feels like we’re back to square one again. I could get through to EO earlier. Not surprising really!

Exactly. I'm seriously contemplating canceling my visit to the dealer on Monday and just wait until VW get it right and some confirmed in-field positive feedback is reported, before I let them muck about with the bellows. I think it's pretty clear there is a good reason why they didn't change the part number...... cos they did sweet FA. The poptop construction requires a complete redesign.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

... The poptop construction requires a complete redesign.

Or reversion to the previous tried and tested waterproof bellows, as I have posited before, with the best chance of that happening if all disgruntled 'twin skins' push for just that.

However I don't think many see it like that: hoping instead to hang onto to the undeniably more attractive interior of the new bellows.

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

Exactly. I'm seriously contemplating canceling my visit to the dealer on Monday and just wait until VW get it right and some confirmed in-field positive feedback is reported, before I let them muck about with the bellows. I think it's pretty clear there is a good reason why they didn't change the part number...... cos they did sweet FA. The poptop construction requires a complete redesign.

If your profile is accurate you're in Germany. Is the same message being sent out over there that there is a new version, same part number and that all stock in the supply chain has been cleared so all bellows are now 'C' but version 2??

 

[Corradobrit]

If your profile is accurate you're in Germany. Is the same message being sent out over there that there is a new version, same part number and that all stock in the supply chain has been cleared so all bellows are now 'C' but version 2??

Yes, I'm in Hannover and feel like heading over to the factory and knocking heads together. It's been very quiet recently on Calibord. The latest posts by owners with new new 'E' (manual) bellow replacements is that the water infiltration along the lower seam is less but it still enters along the zipper seams. Early complaints focussed on the horizontal seam which 'might' have been addressed in the 'C' variant. But nothing was done at other points of leakage like the zips and vertical seams.

 

[Tressle]

Mine original bellows and replacement bellows leaked at the seams and also where the bellows meet the roof along the black rubber seam. It was coming in through the holes at the base of the bellows. Is this where yours is leaking?

yes, it looks as though it's coming in by the rubber seam as well as various points on the canvas seams.

 

[babble]

Add me to the list then...Jesus. This van is unusable in bad weather like this clearly. First time up in the rain. Maybe an hour of light rain and 20 minutes heavyish, but not much wind.


Same on the other side, but a bit less.

 

[Corradobrit]

Add me to the list then...Jesus. This van is unusable in bad weather like this clearly. First time up in the rain. Maybe an hour of light rain and 20 minutes heavyish, but not much wind.
View attachment 115458View attachment 115459

Same on the other side, but a bit less.

Welcome to the club. Anyone who thinks their's isn't blighted is just kidding themselves. They will all leak under the same conditions of constant saturating rain. I have decided to postpone my visit to the dealers until VW get their act together and offer a water tight solution.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Add me to the list then...Jesus. This van is unusable in bad weather like this clearly. First time up in the rain. Maybe an hour of light rain and 20 minutes heavyish, but not much wind.
View attachment 115458View attachment 115459

Same on the other side, but a bit less.

That’s absolutely awful.

 

[babble]

I have spent many a lovely evening and night in my T6 cali with the roof up and wet and wild weather outside, all warm and cosy inside. Never a drop came in. I love that feeling about camping. It's good in a tent you trust, but an order of magnitude better in a van because it's so much more waterproof with a hard roof. I asked my 83 year old mum about it today and she reminded me of the T2 van we had for twenty years with a side opening pop-top. Never leaked a drop. This situation is utterly ridiculous, and i fear for the reaction of the belgian VW..... but let's see what happens when i tell them. I suspect they will simply say it's not a problem and no-one else has complained, but you never know. (it is just vaguely possible they will know about it and deal with it better than in the UK...) Worst case i guess there will end up being a €1000 after market fix (i.e. alternative bellows) available in Germany at some point soon.

 

[CaliforniaPhil]

I have bought a Cali Wrap. Got fed up waiting for a solution and want to use the van. VW refused to get me one, so ordered one off the club shop. Great service, ordered Monday and received today.

Anybody on here got their van in at Peterborough for new bellows? The guy I'm dealing with said they would look at mine when they have finished with another on.

 

[Jimmylondon07]

I have bought a Cali Wrap. Got fed up waiting for a solution and want to use the van. VW refused to get me one, so ordered one off the club shop. Great service, ordered Monday and received today.

Anybody on here got their van in at Peterborough for new bellows? The guy I'm dealing with said they would look at mine when they have finished with another on.

Out of interest who said no to the wrap, your dealer or VWCC? That people are having to go out and spend more money on a wrap is frankly outrageous, VW should be bending over backwards to sort this kind of stuff out for owners. They’re lucky they have so many customers willing to tolerate it

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

@CaliforniaCylus any word on yours?

Still with Eurovans being or awaiting test.

I do know they went out and bought a new hosepipe and sprinkler so it seems they are going to do a thorough test.

 

[Jimmylondon07]

I was

Still with Eurovans being or awaiting test.

I do know they went out and bought a new hosepipe and sprinkler so it seems they are going to do a thorough test.

I thought they already did a thorough test with a hose for a few hours on Thursday and it hadn’t leaked?

 

[CaliforniaPhil]

Out of interest who said no to the wrap, your dealer or VWCC? That people are having to go out and spend more money on a wrap is frankly outrageous, VW should be bending over backwards to sort this kind of stuff out for owners. They’re lucky they have so many customers willing to tolerate it

Initially in an email VWCV said they would find out how I could get one supplied. Then, on a call, they said they hadn't been tested so not approving them. If it changes they could reimburse me, let us know if you get anything out of them.

Annoyed, I pointed out their error and suggested they should not call me anymore and just email me. They did stop being ridiculous wanting me to get a second test on my bellows. Looking at the recent posts, I assume they would have got the dealer to sit the van outside and wait for it to rain. Think they will attemp every trick in the book to squirm out of this. As my van is a demonstrator, I probably don't have as much consumer rights as somebody buying a new one.

I think a video of new and old bellows set up next eachother with the ladder and hose on spray would be good. Or even to see the same test on the single skin bellows. This would show the new do not perform as well as the old.

I did comment at the start of all this that they should perform like the old. There was a short reply by somebody saying "old bellows leak too". I have never seen anybody reporting this though, just condensation.

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Initially in an email VWCV said they would find out how I could get one supplied. Then, on a call, they said they hadn't been tested so not approving them. If it changes they could reimburse me, let us know if you get anything out of them.

Annoyed, I pointed out their error and suggested they should not call me anymore and just email me. They did stop being ridiculous wanting me to get a second test on my bellows. Looking at the recent posts, I assume they would have got the dealer to sit the van outside and wait for it to rain. Think they will attemp every trick in the book to squirm out of this. As my van is a demonstrator, I probably don't have as much consumer rights as somebody buying a new one.

I think a video of new and old bellows set up next eachother with the ladder and hose on spray would be good. Or even to see the same test on the single skin bellows. This would show the new do not perform as well as the old.

I did comment at the start of all this that they should perform like the old. There was a short reply by somebody saying "old bellows leak too". I have never seen anybody reporting this though, just condensation.

You might want to ask someone else about the wrap re-imbursement mate, both VWCC and the dealer have stopped responding to me at this point. I can only assume they’re waiting for the outcome of CC’s tests before being kind enough to reply. Either that or they don’t want to put anything more in writing which probably says it all.

I wouldn’t worry about your rights on the ex-demo either, the moment anyone’s had theirs for longer than 30 days we’re all sailing in the same boat.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

... The poptop construction requires a complete redesign.

Or reversion to the previous tried and tested waterproof bellows, as I have posited before, with the best chance of that happening if all disgruntled 'twin skins' push for just that.

However I don't think many see it like that: hoping instead to hang onto to the undeniably more attractive interior of the new bellows.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Or reversion to the previous tried and tested waterproof bellows, as I have posited before, with the best chance of that happening if all disgruntled 'twin skins' push for just that.

However I don't think many see it like that: hoping instead to hang onto to the undeniably more attractive interior of the new bellows.

I would disappointedly accept this. Second best option but it would solve the problem.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Or reversion to the previous tried and tested waterproof bellows, as I have posited before, with the best chance of that happening if all disgruntled 'twin skins' push for just that.

However I don't think many see it like that: hoping instead to hang onto to the undeniably more attractive interior of the new bellows.

I require my camper van to be centred around function not form. Bring back the single skin fully functioning bellows. I had a T6 Ocean for four years no leaks, not even a worry that you had to check the weather forecast before retiring. It simply did not entre our thinking that we should check for fear of water ingress.

 

[babble]

If anyone raises this up a level and takes VW to court, they will win pretty easily I suspect. We also need a consumer TV show or camper van magazine to take this up. I mean, it is utterly ridiculous. It's pretty clear the only one's that don't leak are the one's that haven't been out in the rain.

 

[Jimmylondon07]

If anyone raises this up a level and takes VW to court, they will win pretty easily I suspect. We also need a consumer TV show or camper van magazine to take this up. I mean, it is utterly ridiculous. It's pretty clear the only one's that don't leak are the one's that haven't been out in the rain.

Was thinking the same earlier, I’ve taken it to the MO but it’s going to be protracted. Are Watchdog still going? Pretty sure that Matt Allwright chap actually has a Cali…

If anyone does decide to do it then I’d be delighted to provide input.

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Sod it, done it myself. Here's the link if anyone else wants to.

Send your story to Watchdog - Watchdog - Send - BBC

 

[Corradobrit]

Sod it, done it myself. Here's the link if anyone else wants to.

Send your story to Watchdog - Watchdog - Send - BBC

My 2c delivered

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

My 2c delivered

? Delivered where. Thought you'd cancelled your booking...