VW California T5 ONLY Roof Corrosion - General Discussion

[Kano]

Am I correct that later models of the California do not have the roof corrosion issue? If so from what year? Looking at a Beach 2014 for sale..

 

[reserves]

Am I correct that later models of the California do not have the roof corrosion issue? If so from what year? Looking at a Beach 2014 for sale..

There are two types of 'corrosion' the front panel (requires new front panel, new canvas, resprayed roof) and the elevating roof (this requires the roof to be resprayed)

2014 models still potentially suffer from the elevating roof corrosion

I've never seen a 2014 with front panel corrosion.

Both types will be covered under warranty.

 

[Kano]

Many thanks reserves. It seems if I buy a 2014 Beach it will be just a matter of time before signs of corrosion. As you say the warranty should cover so should be a worthy purchase still..

 

[adrian]

gregspam, What number of the list were you with Shorade?

 

[gregspam]

gregspam, What number of the list were you with Shorade?

Not sure I'm afraid. If it helps, looking at paperwork Shorade were instructed end Jun 2014. I'm now booked in for end of Oct.

 

[Raggedroy]

I was No.18 ish and ours went in to Shorade about 1 month ago.

 

[Italiahorse]

What is the average wait time? Must be 12 Months for me so far.

 

[Freeley]

Think it depends on whether you need the replacement loan cali or not.
Our claim was accepted around February this year, when I rang Heritage in August we were still 99 on their list but seeing as we don't need the loaner ours is going in at the end of this month.

Sent from my Galaxy S6

 

[scraynes]

12 months for me to get the call and will be 16months by the time it goes off, and that is without a replacement vehicle.

 

[Cwoods1405]

I have some small amounts of paint blistering on the roof and front panel of my 2011 se. I went to heritage westbury who took photos and I waited! I left it a couple of months after hearing nothing contacted vw customer care. I have to say they were excellent. Ensured the work was authorised and emailed me confirmation. Chased it again recently and I now have a date booked early in the new year, I do not need a courtesy vehicle which reduces delay considerably. The repair was further speeded up by me taking the van to the dealer and not waiting for a low loader. I have to say I prefer this option as I don't fancy my pride and joy teetering around on a lorry!!! The repair will take two weeks as the bellows will be replaced. I'm sure that this sort of thing has been posted before but I just wanted to relay my experience. If the repair is good then it has been relatively painless. Perhaps some credit to vw customer service which seems to get quite a bit of flack recently!!

 

[Tntoast]

2 years ago i was 28 th on the list at heritage, i just contacted VWCC and now im 18th.
i was told it should be next year.
now i dont know about the rest of you but im getting a bit annoyed by all the que jumping, ive had no contact from heritage to ask if i need a loan vehicle or not.
to move 10 places in 2 years is rubbish. i dont blame people trying to jump the que, youll always get that sort of behaviuor, i put the blame at VW's door alowing this to happen in the first place.
when i sopke to VW about this, they denyed its happening, well, someone is lying!
its shambolic.

its dead easy to take peoples money off them but you can only judge a company on how they react when problems occur, VW have shown themselves to be absolutely rubbish. wee wee poor. ive got zero faith in the brand.

i mentioned that i was planning to sell my van, his response was 'we can give you a piece of paper to tell the future owner the repair has been agreed to' no understanding and not the slightest bit interested.

sorry if this post runs against the 'arent calis ace' sentiment of the site but it had to be said.

 

[Rich20]

I guess it could be the old chestnut of "who shouts the loudest." Not fair really but companies tend to deal with the people who are giving them a bit of hassle to get them to go away.

 

[Tntoast]

understand that pal, as i say, i dont blame them. just stand in a que or at a bar theres plenty of people willing to push in, its just how it is.
its up to VW to manage it better, and theyre not.

 

[Ricotansky]

I don't think the people not taking the loan van are jumping the queue and increasing the wait for those ahead of them, it just means they can have the work done earlier as they don't have to queue up to borrow a van.

 

[scraynes]

I'm not sure that what is going on is wrong - or indeed Q jumping.

The bottleneck in the whole process at one point was the supply of the front roof panel, this has now been resolved I understand and the bottleneck has not moved to the loan vehicles. My understanding is that a loan vehicle is send out, swopped with the one to be returned and taken back to the repair facility. This takes some time, at least a day but often more. Then the whole delay is repeated when it comes to returning the repaired vehicle. During that time the repair facility is sat waiting. If an owner is happy to give up the right to a loan vehicle then the low loader can be sent out when it would otherwise be sat idle and ensure that there is a constant stream of vehicles available for repair and hence the whole backlog can be dealt with much faster.

The question is wether a loan vehicle is required or not. Yes we all have the right to it, but to exercise it will slow the process down. The repair facilities are offering the chance to have your vehicle repairs quicker if you don't need the loan vehicle.

In my case, AB Crush phoned and asked if I needed the loan vehicle. On balance, I decided that I didn't real need it, it's only away for just over 2 weeks and it will be in the winter - so if anything it saves me some space on the driveway. Maybe Heritage aren't phone people in the order that claims have been registered and are just dealing with people that are proactively asking to not have the loan vehicle?

It some ways, I've been keep to delay the repair - it's not stopping me from using the vehicle, and the later it is done, the new it will be for longer should I wish to sell and further more, that's a change of getting a newer modified bellow fitted.

I think the only real reason to push would be if you were planning to sell, it would be easier to sell with the work having been completed rather than a piece of paper saying that it will be done.

In the meantime, enjoy the freedom.

 

[Cwoods1405]

I

understand that pal, as i say, i dont blame them. just stand in a que or at a bar theres plenty of people willing to push in, its just how it is.
its up to VW to manage it better, and theyre not.

I wrote my post with the view that others may see my own personal experience. Some of it may be useful to others, who like me are new to Cali ownership. My post seems to have angered some but it was not my intention. I believe a lot of the delay is due to owners wanting replacements and their vehicle picked up and dropped off. Not que jumpers and moaners!!! as others have eluded to. This is a country wide issue with each owner having their own agenda. I make no apology for trying to get the best outcome for my own circumstances.

 

[markh]

To move up 10 places in two years means that the loan vehicle should have only gone out 10 times in that period. That's pretty poor and, if true, almost certainly means that non-loan vehicle repairs are delaying loan vehicle ones. If that's the case, then there really should be two lists and everyone should be given the chance to get on the faster non-loan vehicle list.

I'm actually on the Shorade list and, as far as I know, they don't allow non-loan vehicle repairs to move up the queue. I'm not actually that bothered personally about the wait, as long as it gets done in the end. I can see how others, that might be thinking of selling, would be though.

 

[CannellWalker]

Can anyone actually confirm how much warranty we get on the work once it is done and from whom?
VWCS are saying it is 12 months but I'm sure I had read it is 3 years.

 

[Raggedroy]

I believe the only warranty you get is on workmanship from the body shop. VW state they don't give warranty on warranty work. This is what VW customer services tell me. There is a good chance they have told other people something different, but that seems to the norm with them.

 

[storma63]

Found this article recently......

 

[CannellWalker]

Well found this the last time I cleaned the van...

 

[Raggedroy]

You only just noticed that?

 

[CannellWalker]

No, been waiting for 2 years to have the repair done.

 

[Meoncoast]

My little paint blisters along the front top panel and even smaller ones under the main roof rubber (which I can not see) I can live with until repaired but I think if it looked like "CannellWalker"s roof I would want to be and feel I should be jumped to near the front of the repair list.

 

[shambly]

Can anyone actually confirm how much warranty we get on the work once it is done and from whom?
VWCS are saying it is 12 months but I'm sure I had read it is 3 years.

VWCS appear to be back-tracking on this...

I have a letter that states 3 years warranty by VW. But I had to fight for it.

Given that VW have taken away our choice of repairer, the front roof repair is following a methodology prescripted by VW, and different body shops are performing the main roof repair differently I argued my case that it was down to VW to centrally underwrite the repair rather than the individual body shop.