Pop up roof damaged canvas repair?

[Brianandjoy]

we bought our California Ocean back in January but only began using it in May. we have been very careful to close the roof with a window and door open and have only used the roof up half a dozen times.I noticed a screw on the roof edge going a bit rusty under where the roof closes on ,so examined the other side which is the passenger side. When I looked up I noticed two tears about an inch long in the fabric by the scissor mechanism. It’s in the material that covers the plastic supporting strip, on the outside. This must have happened before we bought it but as it is on the other side of the van to the sliding door, we never noticed it. I think It must have got caught when the previous owner shut the roof with the windows and doors closed. I’ve emailed the vw van centre we bought it from but 36 hours later have had no reply. The tear isn’t visible from inside the sleeping area. If they refuse liability has anyone got suggestions how to repair it? I’m concerned that water may get inside if the roof is up in the rain. The van is only 18 months old.Help!

 

[MattBW]

Tear aid is the best product and recommended within the forum. There are two types one for tears and one for for perforations.

It is an unfortunate part of the design of the cali that it can get caught in the scissors during wind etc. Many cali owners use a bellows bungee to ensure its always pulled inwards as the roof closes.

 

[Meoncoast]

If they refuse liability has anyone got suggestions

If, When.
My view,
can not see them accepting it is their liability

1. After the lengh of time
2. A small tears is like a cosmetic issue on a 2nd hand Cali like a paint chip on the body If you had spotted when you were looking at the van you could have said repair it as part of the deal.

 

[Max-Felix]

Agree for sure with above - you did not buy a new vehicle therefore all used vehicles will come with some blemishes - anything significant should be sorted by the dealer pre-sale or as an agreement to be done before pick up as part of the buying negotiation. If you did not notice or inspect carefully enough and point out the tear at purchase time then it cannot be considered a subsequent area for dealer liability. They will hold you responsible and however careful we all are it is ultra easy to catch the Cali roof sadly...

It's different of course with a mechanical issue(eg steering fault or whatever) that crops up relatively soon after purchase and within UK consumer law is therefore deemed to have been present retrospectively and therefore the dealer is liable (up to a certain time period).

 

[Brianandjoy]

For £46000 on an 18 month old vehicle that shows very little camping use you expect a near perfect vehicle.We visited the vehicle on a wet Saturday afternoon in January,There were only 2 staff on duty both were busy,we had driven 150 miles to view,it was up against a fence so not easy to view the passenger side,no one showed us over the vehicle.We had faulty leisure batteries,faulty fresh water pump,on delivery,both replaced under warranty showing the van had not been properly inspected.We are both new to campervans,it’s not helpful on this very helpful friendly forum to blame us as newbies for not noticing a tear in the fabric,it’s not what you expect to find having paid so much money to a vw dealer.

 

[Ady77]

Sorry to hear this but I think the problem for you is going to be the amount of time that has lapsed, if I was you I would buy some tear aid from the club shop and get on with enjoying your van.

As for dealer not returning your calls, you will just have to get used to this as it is standard practice with Volkswagen commercial

 

[Meoncoast]

I am afraid sometimes the truth hurts. You did ask on a forum for "views" You might be very lucky and get it sorted by your dealer. The warranty issues re pump and batteries were fixed by warranty.

For £46000 on an 18 month old vehicle that shows very little camping use you expect a near perfect vehicle.We visited the vehicle on a wet Saturday afternoon in January,There were only 2 staff on duty both were busy,we had driven 150 miles to view,it was up against a fence so not easy to view the passenger side,no one showed us over the vehicle

Spending nearly £46k on anything - you need to satisfy yourself you are happy with your purchase. Did you test drive it,this would have got it away from fence. Your Cali would have been one of the most expensive vans for sale and I am sure the staff would have worked for their % if they had too, if you had wanted one of them to moved it to get a full view can not see that being a issue.
On buying our van's I checked them inside and out using check lists offered by the forum not only when signing on the dotted line but before handing over the cash on pick up. On our T6 picking up in the winter VW missed the air con was not working and I did not notice until the summer and it got hot.

it’s not helpful on this very helpful friendly forum to blame us

After the fact you could have checked your van more closer and it is easy to say that but I do not feel replies are blaming you. Your dealer should reply to your e-mail, try ringing and speak to the sales manager. Rain is unlikley to get in on small canvas holes.

 

[Digger]

Brianandjoy, Don't be despondent as to the responses. No one is blaming you but members can be very matter of fact in their replies. We all have experience in the Cali and know fine well some dealers are excellent and some are awful. If you purchased from a California VW dealer they should have spent time showing you the vehicle and it should have been subject to a pre sale inspection by them. Try and be positive as a California is a great vehicle and can provide you with many adventures.

 

[Max-Felix]

Also surprised by your reply OP. Sorry to be frank but unbelievable that you would spend so much and buy a vehicle in this way, indeed any vehicle let alone something this complex and expensive. It's up to the buyer to inspect, check and satisfy themselves - not break every rule on the 'how to buy a used car' rule book. Last Cali I bought we were probably three hours there and more than half that before we got to the test drive stage. And that was a £24k purchase. It takes a *long* time to check a potential Cali purchase over properly. Don't believe that just because it's a shiny VW franchise they will have really done all the 100 point check BS and be any more trustworthy than any other garage. Some are good, some are bad but if the only issue is a small tear in the canvas then hopefully you'll have a great future with it.

Caveat Emptor.

And dealers hardly ever respond to emails, phone calls yes.

 

[sapto]

Hello @Brianandjoy , sorry to hear about your troubles instead of instant fun with your lovely new California. I just found a couple of vids. They might help to get an idea how to repair:

I hope that helps and you're soon on the road.
Happy camping!

 

[Brianandjoy]

Thanks for the replies,We took a lot of advice from a camper van dealership in Burgess Hill who advised us to buy a van still with a good vw warranty as their warranty was very good.We travelled all the way to Preston from Somerset to view one advertised on the form then to see another at a dealership half way back on a Saturday that closed at 2.30 getting there half an hour before it closed.We were told it would sell very quickly and indeed it was the best on offer on Vw websites.As I’ve said we believed the 18 month warranty left would fix anything wrong as indeed so far it has.We were due in 2 weeks in January to go volunteering for 3 months to Israel and needed a van for May.When the van was delivered 10 days later we didn’t touch it or tax it until we came back in April and didn’t use it until May.We believed that everything would be thoroughly checked before we got it as the van centre at Burgess Hill does.Unfortunately it wasn’t and as I’ve said before there was not time for a test drive as they were short staffed and we had the assurance of the warranty.The van had only done 8000 miles.Thanks for those who have given helpful replies I really only wanted advice on how to repair

 

[ArunAlec]

If you had seen the tears prior to handing over your cash I think the best you would have got from the dealer would have been the offer to patch them. Rather like scratches on the paintwork they would be seen as wear and tear. Your best bet is Tear Aid, if you want a patch.
When I bought my van there wasn't a mark on it, so I thought! But after a while some appeared. I think most dealers use the coloured polishes which hide minor scratches and treat as they would minor damage to the bellows, as cosmetic.

 

[soulstyledevon]

When I bought my Cali back at the start of 2013. It was a September 2012 van and had only 50 miles on it.
I viewed it twice and on the second viewing went over the vehicle with a fine tooth comb, much to the annoyance of the salesman.
The canvas had some minor tears and I decided I would pay full asking price providing they replaced the canvas. Which they did.
This was all part of the sale agreement.

Really sorry you have this issue, but when spending the kind of money you have, I would have taken my time and fully checked over the vehicle.

Car salesmen should never be trusted, along with estate agents and solicitors.

I can imagine it’s disheartening, however we all here have small nicks on the canvas somewhere. I bet all of us here are super careful, but it’s difficult to fully avoid no damage. Patch it up and enjoy the Cali. It honest won’t make a lot of difference. Have a look at other members vans that are well used and I’m sure you will see the odd warrior wound.

 

[vmaxkiddy]

we bought our California Ocean back in January but only began using it in May. we have been very careful to close the roof with a window and door open and have only used the roof up half a dozen times.I noticed a screw on the roof edge going a bit rusty under where the roof closes on ,so examined the other side which is the passenger side. When I looked up I noticed two tears about an inch long in the fabric by the scissor mechanism. It’s in the material that covers the plastic supporting strip, on the outside. This must have happened before we bought it but as it is on the other side of the van to the sliding door, we never noticed it. I think It must have got caught when the previous owner shut the roof with the windows and doors closed. I’ve emailed the vw van centre we bought it from but 36 hours later have had no reply. The tear isn’t visible from inside the sleeping area. If they refuse liability has anyone got suggestions how to repair it? I’m concerned that water may get inside if the roof is up in the rain. The van is only 18 months old.Help!

As mentioned by others, a bellows bungee helps during roof closing. When you have a door or window open during closing make sure it's on the downwind side of the van. As the fabric on your van is damaged I would have a quick look at the metal roof adjacent to make sure it hasn't been kinked.
Happy Campervaning.

 

[BillyCasper]

My views are, but they are just personal views:

1. Call the dealer and explain the circumstances with the objective of seeking a resolution.

2. If the canvas was supplied with holes, then it is not of satisfactory quality or fit for the intended purpose.

3. You have reported the defect within six months of purchase so you are entitled to a repair or replacement and as it is less than six months from purchase, the onus is on the seller to prove that the defect wasn’t there at the time of purchase.

Do you have the original advert or sales spec sheet? If yes, what does it say?

Regards


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[motacyclist]

I’m concerned that water may get inside if the roof is up in the rain.

Unlikely, but while you’re waiting for the solution to be resolved you could slide a piece of sleeping mat or polystyrene up behind the scissor mechanism to cover the damaged area while the roof is up. Maybe some of that silvery coated polystyrene stuff they put behind radiators? You would need a piece long enough to go under the roof overhang.

 

[GrannyJen]

we bought our California Ocean back in January but only began using it in May. we have been very careful to close the roof with a window and door open and have only used the roof up half a dozen times.I noticed a screw on the roof edge going a bit rusty under where the roof closes on ,so examined the other side which is the passenger side. When I looked up I noticed two tears about an inch long in the fabric by the scissor mechanism. It’s in the material that covers the plastic supporting strip, on the outside. This must have happened before we bought it but as it is on the other side of the van to the sliding door, we never noticed it. I think It must have got caught when the previous owner shut the roof with the windows and doors closed. I’ve emailed the vw van centre we bought it from but 36 hours later have had no reply. The tear isn’t visible from inside the sleeping area. If they refuse liability has anyone got suggestions how to repair it? I’m concerned that water may get inside if the roof is up in the rain. The van is only 18 months old.Help!

Tear Aid.

Highly unlikely any rain will get in anyway but tear aid will cover the tear, it will be barely noticeable, no rain will get in and you can just forget about it.

As an observation, you suggest the tears occurred because the previous owners closed the roof with the windows and door closed. Not necessarily. I caught my bellows once, a perfectly still day, doors and windows open, it just didn't fold properly for whatever reason.

It was totally my fault. It was one of the very few times that I did not rely on mark 1 Eyeball! You can take all the care in the world but for your future camping happiness can I suggest yo do not neglect the walk around when the roof is about 2/3rds lowered. To just slip out of the drivers seat, walk around ensuring the canvas is folding in as it should, takes a few seconds but can save days and nights of heartache. What comes to mind was a really nasty day on the coast near Aberdeen, my walk round showed the bellows getting caught, I manually folded it in, started to lower again and had another walk round to catch it happening again! It seemed to have a mind of it''s own!

Don't get over fraught, I have raised and lowered my roof probably around 500 times at least and had no problems, but you only ever have to have one It's not the end of the world. Buy some tear aid, plonk it over the tears, forget about it.

 

[andrew bazeley]

I won't get involved in the "whose fault" arguments, but - as a 10-year Cali owner - I've learnt how to patch up little problems, like broken cupboard shutters, trapped blinds, torn pole pockets in the cloth windscreen blinds and - yes - self-inflicted tears in the roof canvas. I know we've spent a lot of money, but, as a seasoned camper, mending things becomes part of the spirit! Anyway, the torn canvas was very cheaply fixed with some see-through tent repair kits from Millets (in the UK). Worked perfectly; hardly visible, and still waterproof 9 years later.

 

[Brianandjoy]

Thanks again,Ive heard from the dealer today,they are going to sort it out on Tuesday what is to be done.As very newbies Ive learned an awful lot from this thread and will be sure in future to have someone watching from the outside

 

[Meoncoast]

Ive learned an awful lot from this thread and will be sure in future to have someone watching from the outside

I often put the roof down solo. - if you put ones head up through the hatch you will see the canvas tent pulling in and all is well (or not). As a double check you can stop part way down and have a walk around.
You say you are new to campervan's - also remember if you put roof down damp or wet the tent will grow mould so you need to get the roof up to dry off asap.

 

[Geesvw]

we bought our California Ocean back in January but only began using it in May. we have been very careful to close the roof with a window and door open and have only used the roof up half a dozen times.I noticed a screw on the roof edge going a bit rusty under where the roof closes on ,so examined the other side which is the passenger side. When I looked up I noticed two tears about an inch long in the fabric by the scissor mechanism. It’s in the material that covers the plastic supporting strip, on the outside. This must have happened before we bought it but as it is on the other side of the van to the sliding door, we never noticed it. I think It must have got caught when the previous owner shut the roof with the windows and doors closed. I’ve emailed the vw van centre we bought it from but 36 hours later have had no reply. The tear isn’t visible from inside the sleeping area. If they refuse liability has anyone got suggestions how to repair it? I’m concerned that water may get inside if the roof is up in the rain. The van is only 18 months old.Help!

To prevent damage by the roof scissors cutting the canvas, I've bought a bungee that goes around the circumstances of the canvas, so as the roof is lowered it doesn't trap the material in the scissors. Bought on eBay for £12, but I'm sure it would be easy to make one out of burgee cord, you just need to measure the length you need

 

[Iron Van]

To prevent damage by the roof scissors cutting the canvas, I've bought a bungee that goes around the circumstances of the canvas, so as the roof is lowered it doesn't trap the material in the scissors. Bought on eBay for £12, but I'm sure it would be easy to make one out of burgee cord, you just need to measure the length you need

I believe the forum shop does one for £9.99

 

[Sculliod]

Help please!

I bought a bungee cord for the pop top bellows on our Beach. Is this supposed to stay on permanently?

Somehow we have picked up two fang holes in the bellows on the n/s/r it is a manual roof. Plan to use tear aid type a to repair do i need to tape inside and out? Grateful for any feedback received.

 

[GrannyJen]

Help please!

I bought a bungee cord for the pop top bellows on our Beach. Is this supposed to stay on permanently?

Somehow we have picked up two fang holes in the bellows on the n/s/r it is a manual roof. Plan to use tear aid type a to repair do i need to tape inside and out? Grateful for any feedback received.

I just taped over from the outside.

Plonk it on, with time forget about the holes and just enjoy the van.

I don't use a bungee but I know lots of people who just leave it in place all the time.

 

[GSX1300R]

Help please!

I bought a bungee cord for the pop top bellows on our Beach. Is this supposed to stay on permanently?

Somehow we have picked up two fang holes in the bellows on the n/s/r it is a manual roof. Plan to use tear aid type a to repair do i need to tape inside and out? Grateful for any feedback received.

Yes the bungee stays on all the time...Really they are directed at the electric roof owners but obviously can happen to the Manual roof as well. I had a slight mishap early on in our ownership but luckily only 2 tiny holes..I put a patch on the inside only as it can look a bit unsightly if yo put it on the outside..I suppose it depends how bad it is...I even considered sowing it but I’m happy with the way it’s turned out...