Washing your California

[larrylamb]

There are no plastic trims in the middle of the doors

Only just spotted T6 vans don't have the side protection, tbh I think they are a good idea, they stop a lot of supermarket dings etc.

 

[motacyclist]

Only just spotted T6 vans don't have the side protection, tbh I think they are a good idea, they stop a lot of supermarket dings etc.

? No trims on our T5.
VW forget to fit them?

 

[larrylamb]

? No trims on our T5.
VW forget to fit them?

Have you got the Chrome pack option? This was instead of the side protection.

 

[motacyclist]

Have you got the Chrome pack option? This was instead of the side protection.

No, no chrome - have you got a pic?

 

[GrannyJen]

Have you got the Chrome pack option? This was instead of the side protection.

It only comes as standard if you have the "clean air" pack with the charcoal canister and air-filtering rear privacy glass feature

 

[larrylamb]

No, no chrome - have you got a pic?

I have found some of your pics and agree you don't have the side strips or chrome trim. Not sure why, I understood it was one or the other.

 

[Borris]

I have just bought a very expensive water filter (£109) to provide clean water for washing our black Cali. As mentioned earlier, we live in the south east where the water is very hard. The result is that mains water can leave nasty calcium marks if you don't towel it off immediately. They are very difficult to get rid of. This filter is surposed to filter the water down to 0 ppm and leave the vehicle spotless. However I have just read the instructions and they recommend using another inline filter before this enormous one? They also recommend using a pressure reducing valve! As I intend to buy a water butt and an electronic submersible pump to supply the rain water through the new filter, I shouldn't need the PR valve.The purpose of this approach is to prolong the life of the filter and prevent these un-sightly marks.

Has anyone had any experience of these filters? And how long do they last ?

At this rate it will be cheaper to just buy a new Cali in a different colour, any colour but not black.

The instructions also say that you have to keep the filter in the dark or it will seriously reduce its working life. Is it really worth it?

 

[motacyclist]

I have found some of your pics and agree you don't have the side strips or chrome trim. Not sure why, I understood it was one or the other.
View attachment 12816

It's odd. I just looked at the pics of our previous Cali and that did have the strips, it's took me this long to realise ours were missing!

I looked back at some of the pics we took at the dealers of the models that were available when we bought ours, some had strips and some didn't, Beach and SE's mixed, the model didn't seem to matter.

I'll just have to be careful where I park it!

 

[motacyclist]

Ju

I have just bought a very expensive water filter (£109) to provide clean water for washing our black Cali. As mentioned earlier, we live in the south east where the water is very hard. The result is that mains water can leave nasty calcium marks if you don't towel it off immediately. They are very difficult to get rid of. This filter is surposed to filter the water down to 0 ppm and leave the vehicle spotless. However I have just read the instructions and they recommend using another inline filter before this enormous one? They also recommend using a pressure reducing valve! As I intend to buy a water butt and an electronic submersible pump to supply the rain water through the new filter, I shouldn't need the PR valve.The purpose of this approach is to prolong the life of the filter and prevent these un-sightly marks.

Has anyone had any experience of these filters? And how long do they last ?

At this rate it will be cheaper to just buy a new Cali in a different colour, any colour but not black.

The instructions also say that you have to keep the filter in the dark or it will seriously reduce its working life. Is it really worth it?

Just wash it in the rain, we never have to wait long in these parts!

BTW I bought a window cleaning kit a while back, extending poles etc, and this came with a filter I could use but I'm too lazy to connect it up, and our water is not too hard.

I mostly just use water to clean the Cali (using a very soft brush on a pole) with some "Mer" added, and dry off with a micro fibre cloth.

Wasn't there was another recent thread on this subject, or was it this thread? Hard to check as I'm using a mobile.

 

[Borris]

Ju

Just wash it in the rain, we never have to wait long in these parts!

BTW I bought a window cleaning kit a while back, extending poles etc, and this came with a filter I could use but I'm too lazy to connect it up, and our water is not too hard.

I mostly just use water to clean the Cali (using a very soft brush on a pole) with some "Mer" added, and dry off with a micro fibre cloth.

Wasn't there was another recent thread on this subject, or was it this thread? Hard to check as I'm using a mobile.

I do wash in the rain when I can but often comittments prevent me from doing it when its raining. The other thing we seem to get a lot of in the south east is sand from the Sahara. Just the other night we had a good storm with plenty of wind a rain and in the morning the Cali looked like it had been on a rally stage through the dessert.
I wasn't aware of the other thread, I will have a look for it.

 

[Flood51]

Adding to this, what products? I always use Autoglym?

Zaino. First wash using Fairy Platinum to remove whatever VW put on then I clayed one panel but it wasn't really necessary thankfully. Then Z-AOI foundation followed by Z-2 Pro polish followed by Z-6 Gloss Enhancer. Well I am retired and it kept me busy for a day.

 

[larrylamb]

Zaino. First wash using Fairy Platinum to remove whatever VW put on then I clayed one panel but it wasn't really necessary thankfully. Then Z-AOI foundation followed by Z-2 Pro polish followed by Z-6 Gloss Enhancer. Well I am retired and it kept me busy for a day.

Why clay a new vehicle?

 

[Rich20]

I clayed mine last year when it was new and followed that by meguiars paint cleaner, Polish and wax. This was topped up throughout the year with detailer wax. I have just done a "spring clean" on the bodywork with just the paint cleaner, Polish and wax. The finish is superb. I think the clay gave me a flawless base to start from because the finish from new did not feel as smooth as it does now.

 

[larrylamb]

Thanks for the explanation

 

[Flood51]

It depends how long your "new vehicle" has been stored in a yard before you get it. With the California and the hold up with the cheat software mine was standing around in some yard for over 3 months. Horizontal surfaces would collect most of the pollution fallout so I just clayed the roof.

 

[ETOCWEN]

Advice needed please!

My new California has just arrived at the dealer ready for collection next week: They are offering to coat the outside and the inside including the seats (alcantara) with Autoglym plus I receive a presentation case of the product with cloths etc. The cost is normally £299 ha, ha. Surprisingly its now on special offer at £249.
I know this is a small price to pay compared to the cost of the new California, However Ai I missing something here? All comments and advice welcome.

 

[DM]

Advice needed please!

My new California has just arrived at the dealer ready for collection next week: They are offering to coat the outside and the inside including the seats (alcantara) with Autoglym plus I receive a presentation case of the product with cloths etc. The cost is normally £299 ha, ha. Surprisingly its now on special offer at £249.
I know this is a small price to pay compared to the cost of the new California, However Ai I missing something here? All comments and advice welcome.

I've never been a fan of these treatments. I think they can be more trouble than they are worth - especially if they are not applied perfectly.

Re the inside - we have got the alcantara. It is an incredible material. It looks great and the inserts look and feel just like Suede. It is naturally stain resistant and non-absorbent. Proven when my other half spilt coffee on it first trip out. She wiped it immediately with a damp cloth and you wouldn't know there had been a spill. So I wouldn't bother with anything further on the seats. We arguing to leave them natural, look after them as best we can, and then have them re-upholstered in a few years if they start to get tatty.

PS. We have an extra large dog rug which we use as a throw on the bench seat so we're even happy for the dogs to sleep on the bench. http://www.muddypaws.co.uk/dog-beds/blankets-throws/luxury-fleece-snuggle-throw/blanket
Just wish we'd got the charcoal rather than chocolate now - it'd have matched the Cali interior perfectly

 

[DM]

Very good car wash , fully automatic, at the Magor Services on the M4 in Wales. I've never seen another like it. No rollers or brushes. Washes all over including underneath. Then dries using a Dyson like high pressure dryer.

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=184300

Good thinking WelshGas. Is that one of the laser guided ones! We have one of those close to us - might give it a try.

 

[WelshGas]

Advice needed please!

My new California has just arrived at the dealer ready for collection next week: They are offering to coat the outside and the inside including the seats (alcantara) with Autoglym plus I receive a presentation case of the product with cloths etc. The cost is normally £299 ha, ha. Surprisingly its now on special offer at £249.
I know this is a small price to pay compared to the cost of the new California, However Ai I missing something here? All comments and advice welcome.

1. The Product Pack, if priced up at somewhere like Halfords, is worth about £80.
2. The outside and inside is treated etc:
3. Autoglym provide the cleaning products and basically if they don't work Autoglym will fix it.
4. You have a 3 year Warranty from Autoglym.
So Basically you are being charged £149 for a 3 yr Insurance Policy.

If you plan on putting seat covers on to save the seats etc: for the next buyer then probably not worth it.

I've got this, because I bought the vehicle for my use and do not plan on covering the seats in Grey waterproof seat covers, but then I have no dogs or children and I'm old enough to blame myself if I spill the red wine.

 

[Flood51]

Advice needed please!

My new California has just arrived at the dealer ready for collection next week: They are offering to coat the outside and the inside including the seats (alcantara) with Autoglym plus I receive a presentation case of the product with cloths etc. The cost is normally £299 ha, ha. Surprisingly its now on special offer at £249.
I know this is a small price to pay compared to the cost of the new California, However Ai I missing something here? All comments and advice welcome.

It depends how busy you are. These products are polymer based that bond to the paint surface, the surface has to be pristine for the process to work hence the earlier exchange regarding "claying". This claying technique was first developed in Japan. In the old days people would T-cut an old paint surface removing the gloop and a layer a paint or clear lacquer, claying removes just the contaminates, road tar etc etc. If you pay someone to put a polymer based protection on they will not clay the vehicle first which maybe ok but remember your Cali originated as a Transporter/Caravelle and then sat around in the open for some months before being put into the California build cycle. Mine was outside for 14 weeks, check the VIN for build date of the base van. If you have the time and inclination I decided to do it myself. I used Zainol rather than Autoglym after advice from a detailer's forum but I am sure they are both good products. All this advice only covers the outside. When my inside gets tatty I intend to recover it in leather anyway, an option that VW didn't offer but one that is competitive with the Alacantra option.

 

[teeboy]

I think it is fair to say that the actual product that is used in this process is pretty cheap.

It is also fair to say that it will not be applied very carefully by the car cleaning person at the dealership.

So if you actually want the treatment doing then you will be better off doing it yourself or getting a proper car valeter to do it for you (someone with good references).

Welshgas makes a good point on the insurance you get with this, especially on the interior, if you get a stain on the seats then Autoglym will give them a proper clean for you.

However for £250 you can get a lot of car valeting done.

Personally I never touch any "value add" services from a dealer:

• Paint protector - I DIY
• Gap insurance - I don't bother, but if I did I would go elsewhere
• Finance - I go elsewhere - unless getting the £750 dealer contribution
• I will accept free mats and a free tank of diesel
• I quite like service packs and warranty extensions

 

[GrannyJen]

Why do I, every time I hear of a "laser guided carwash", have an image of yet another far-off terrorist camp being bombed to bits with carwashes?

 

[WelshGas]

It depends how busy you are. These products are polymer based that bond to the paint surface, the surface has to be pristine for the process to work hence the earlier exchange regarding "claying". This claying technique was first developed in Japan. In the old days people would T-cut an old paint surface removing the gloop and a layer a paint or clear lacquer, claying removes just the contaminates, road tar etc etc. If you pay someone to put a polymer based protection on they will not clay the vehicle first which maybe ok but remember your Cali originated as a Transporter/Caravelle and then sat around in the open for some months before being put into the California build cycle. Mine was outside for 14 weeks, check the VIN for build date of the base van. If you have the time and inclination I decided to do it myself. I used Zainol rather than Autoglym after advice from a detailer's forum but I am sure they are both good products. All this advice only covers the outside. When my inside gets tatty I intend to recover it in leather anyway, an option that VW didn't offer but one that is competitive with the Alacantra option.

Sorry but one of your comments is not quite accurate. The California is built on the Transport production line, but built without the normal Transporter roof. It is then passed to the VW Special vehicles "California" assembly hall. At no time does the vehicle sit around in the open during the actual build cycle as it has no roof.

However, it can spend time at the Docks awaiting ship transportation.