Leaking pop tops on 2023 California Oceans

[flying banana]

Probably wrong type of rain though!

Hey!!! Leave that one alone. Only the railways can use that one

 

[bullibuskombi]

Hey!!! Leave that one alone. Only the railways can use that one

I think VW have bought the rights to the excuse book.

 

[UrbanSplash]

I’ve just read the entire thread…. In one go. Phew. I really feel for people that have this issue. I was about to buy a new ocean with the current offers but will hold off now. I’m genuinely shocked some people are happy to still purchase knowing it will leak without some sort of cover. I just simply couldn’t live with it. It’s a fundamental function. What happens when you come to sell, nobody is going to buy it second hand with serious known fault.

Cali Chris on YT deleting messages relating to this issue is extremely disappointing. Appreciate it’s his job to sell, but I think still posting videos with this known issue and ignoring it is disrespectful. Unfollowed and I won’t give him views or likes again.

Hope you all get it sorted. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Sheffield10]

I’ve just read the entire thread…. In one go. Phew. I really feel for people that have this issue. I was about to buy a new ocean with the current offers but will hold off now. I’m genuinely shocked some people are happy to still purchase knowing it will leak without some sort of cover. I just simply couldn’t live with it. It’s a fundamental function. What happens when you come to sell, nobody is going to buy it second hand with serious known fault.

Cali Chris on YT deleting messages relating to this issue is extremely disappointing. Appreciate it’s his job to sell, but I think still posting videos with this known issue and ignoring it is disrespectful. Unfollowed and I won’t give him views or likes again.

Hope you all get it sorted. Thanks for sharing.

To be fair, he hasn't deleted my YT message - been there 8 days now! But not much of an answer either.

@furniss32​

8 days ago
Chris, why do you keep deleting peoples comments and questions about the widely reported issues of water ingress with the latest double skinned bellows? Instead you could be telling us what VW are doing to resolve the issue to give your customers confidence they will be able to use their £75K campervan investment to go... ....camping

@CaliforniaChris
8 days ago
Hi, no comments are being deleted. All I can say is that if you're having issues with your roof bellows, you need to contact your point of purchase.

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Allow me to chime in, mine were deleted

 

[Ryanrunsfar123]

Are any of you using an understanding VW California dealer in the midlands / Warwickshire area to deal with leaking bellows issue? At least one that is trying anyway... or is my only hope Breeze Poole 3hrs away. Thx

 

[CaliforniaPhil]

Are any of you using an understanding VW California dealer in the midlands / Warwickshire area to deal with leaking bellows issue? At least one that is trying anyway... or is my only hope Breeze Poole 3hrs away. Thx

When I was trying to find a commercial dealer closer to me, (Northamptonshire). I decided to take it back to Peterborough, were I purchased it, but Coventry contacted me and said they they would look if I couldn't find anywhere. Not sure if they are actually Cali dealers though. It might be worth a call.

 

[Andy C Berks.]

Are any of you using an understanding VW California dealer in the midlands / Warwickshire area to deal with leaking bellows issue? At least one that is trying anyway... or is my only hope Breeze Poole 3hrs away. Thx

I have been corresponding with Marshall’s at Reading and have been helpful thus far - albeit they haven’t physically had their hands on my Ocean yet. But 1) they agreed to order the replacement bellows in off the back of my pics and the fact that it’s a known issue, rather than doing a water test on it which I think is the correct process before they should order the parts, and 2) they have never tried to pretend it’s not an issue. I didn’t buy the vehicle from them and to date I have no actual work done, but coupled with their general tone so far and seemingly an absence of adverse noise on here about them, then I am happy with what I have seen and heard so far. Bit closer to you than Poole so maybe worth reaching out to. Mine is booked in for mid November when the bellows they have on back order for me are due in to them so will be able to give more useful feedback then.

FYI an email exchange I had a few days ago with the Exec Office suggests that the early feedback on the new bellows seems to be that some are working and some aren’t, and that they are monitoring the situation. Early days hence I am prepared to slip my fitting date back a while longer if it seems that the problem still isn‘t solved (as seems increasingly likely)

 

[Jimmylondon07]

That sounds like a dealer worth seeing. Just adds to the confusion that some are insisting on doing tests (and all the inconvenience that brings the customer) while others are just acknowledging the issue for what it is and ordering the part in with no fuss.

Based on some very recent exchanges I understood it was a VW-requirement that it's tested in order for the dealer to be able to order the bellows but clearly not. I wonder what other motive dealers might have to insist on bringing them in for a test......"we've sold them a dodgy van, may as well make some money off VW as well".

 

[Betsycalifornia]

Are any of you using an understanding VW California dealer in the midlands / Warwickshire area to deal with leaking bellows issue? At least one that is trying anyway... or is my only hope Breeze Poole 3hrs away. Thx

I’m using Listers of Droitwich. So far all good. They have more than just mine with leaks. Going in again this Friday.

 

[Tressle]

Just had a couple of wet days away in the new van and the replacement bellows leaked like a sieve - drips at each end of the horizontal seam below the front opener literally every 3 seconds plus drips along the whole seam. Just to add a little extra annoyance we also have a leaking drivers side sliding window. Altogether really disappointing and this morning I rejected the van as not fit for purpose. If VW redesign the bellows before ceasing production I might re order in 2024 but the shine has been taken off the experience (never had any issues with my new Beach in 2019). I never received a reply from the Exec Office regarding how the new bellows were different and how they have addressed the fault but they did email me while we were away to ask how we were getting on with the "fix".

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Just had a couple of wet days away in the new van and the replacement bellows leaked like a sieve - drips at each end of the horizontal seam below the front opener literally every 3 seconds plus drips along the whole seam. Just to add a little extra annoyance we also have a leaking drivers side sliding window. Altogether really disappointing and this morning I rejected the van as not fit for purpose. If VW redesign the bellows before ceasing production I might re order in 2024 but the shine has been taken off the experience (never had any issues with my new Beach in 2019). I never received a reply from the Exec Office regarding how the new bellows were different and how they have addressed the fault but they did email me while we were away to ask how we were getting on with the "fix".

How long have you had the van Tressle?

 

[babble]

Just had a couple of wet days away in the new van and the replacement bellows leaked like a sieve - drips at each end of the horizontal seam below the front opener literally every 3 seconds plus drips along the whole seam. Just to add a little extra annoyance we also have a leaking drivers side sliding window. Altogether really disappointing and this morning I rejected the van as not fit for purpose. If VW redesign the bellows before ceasing production I might re order in 2024 but the shine has been taken off the experience (never had any issues with my new Beach in 2019). I never received a reply from the Exec Office regarding how the new bellows were different and how they have addressed the fault but they did email me while we were away to ask how we were getting on with the "fix".

My god Tressle, what a disaster. It is simply beyond belief that something faulty can be replaced with something with exactly the problems.

 

[Tressle]

picked up beginning of September, tested it in the rain at home with original bellows and then a number of times with the new ones. I think the problem is when they become saturated they just wick any moisture from the outside to the inside. First night away and it was hardly raining but by morning we had water running down the inside and pooling. We've been backwards and forwards about handing it back as it was a huge decision to commit both financially and emotionally - all things considered we don't want to be having the conversation with VW over the next 6 months/5 years only to find they won't/can't fix it. I've never bought a tent and then had to buy another tent to make it fit for purpose and the same applies to the van. There's plenty of other options, maybe another fixed Cali or something else....

 

[Corradobrit]

financially

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. It's unconscionable that VW are installing replacement bellows KNOWING they also leak. Even more troubling to hear you are not an isolated case. NOONE from my understanding has water tight bellows, neither original nor replacement.
Did the dealer charge a per mile usage fee to hand the keys back?

 

[Tressle]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. It's unconscionable that VW are installing replacement bellows KNOWING they also leak. Even more troubling to hear you are not an isolated case. NOONE from my understanding has water tight bellows, neither original nor replacement.
Did the dealer charge a per mile usage fee to hand the keys back?

just starting the process now and waiting for an initial reply from the dealer. I'm hoping that they take full responsibility and make the hand back easy and reasonable. I'll let you know how I get on...

 

[Kayleigh]

just starting the process now and waiting for an initial reply from the dealer. I'm hoping that they take full responsibility and make the hand back easy and reasonable. I'll let you know how I get on...

So has the dealer formally accepted your rejection of the California?

 

[Corradobrit]

just starting the process now and waiting for an initial reply from the dealer. I'm hoping that they take full responsibility and make the hand back easy and reasonable. I'll let you know how I get on...

Surely there should be no additional charges as you presented the leak problem within the 30 days after handover. And then gave VW the opportunity to fix the problem, hence the replacement bellows which then also failed. Did you get something in writing before it was worked on?

 

[flying banana]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. It's unconscionable that VW are installing replacement bellows KNOWING they also leak. Even more troubling to hear you are not an isolated case. NOONE from my understanding has water tight bellows, neither original nor replacement.
Did the dealer charge a per mile usage fee to hand the keys back?

So that means vw r right, because they all leak? To some extent the old ones leak yes. But nothing compared to new. My old bellows do not leak like I see on this thread

 

[Corradobrit]

So that means vw r right, because they all leak? To some extent the old ones leak yes. But nothing compared to new. My old bellows do not leak like I see on this thread

You misunderstood. I'm only speaking of the MY23 double skinned bellows. The original ones supplied with the 23 Cali and their "C" replacements.

 

[ArunAlec]

There’s a VW Commercial Face Book ad for the California that someone has made a comment regarding the leaky roof….. or there was, appears to have been removed! Along with my response!

 

[Joncali2023!!]

I’ve just read the entire thread…. In one go. Phew. I really feel for people that have this issue. I was about to buy a new ocean with the current offers but will hold off now. I’m genuinely shocked some people are happy to still purchase knowing it will leak without some sort of cover. I just simply couldn’t live with it. It’s a fundamental function. What happens when you come to sell, nobody is going to buy it second hand with serious known fault.

Cali Chris on YT deleting messages relating to this issue is extremely disappointing. Appreciate it’s his job to sell, but I think still posting videos with this known issue and ignoring it is disrespectful. Unfollowed and I won’t give him views or likes again.

Hope you all get it sorted. Thanks for sharing.

Excellent choice mate, stay well clear of these until they have a fully functioning and fit for purpose vehicle available.

 

[Joncali2023!!]

I can’t understand why anyone would keep these vehicles if they are in their rejection period.
VW won’t be fixing any bellows or spending any serious money on replacements before they cease production and release the new one next year. Why would they?
I told everyone my contact in Germany said the new bellows / modified bellows still leak, return the vehicles if you can asap.
And let vw know what you think!!

Horrendous service for an extremely overpriced vehicle.

 

[RockinNRollin]

There’s a VW Commercial Face Book ad for the California that someone has made a comment regarding the leaky roof….. or there was, appears to have been removed! Along with my response!

Interesting; wonder how the ASA would view that?

 

[larrylamb]

There’s a VW Commercial Face Book ad for the California that someone has made a comment regarding the leaky roof….. or there was, appears to have been removed! Along with my response!

I saw a VW ad on Facey re the Happy Camper promotion showing a Caddy California. Loads of people giving them grief as they are still waiting for their Caddy Cali after nearly 2 years. Horrendous delays.