Cali paintwork probs?

Has anyone (else) had any issues with the paintwork quality on the front roof panel (the bit between windscreen & raising roof)?
Mine has already, (on a 2010 van), started to show a couple of bad patches (bubbling & underpaint corosion) around is edges & @ Trim area. It is going to be checked & hopefully fixed under warranty later this week.

It's not easy to spot at first but worth a look when you are next up in that area.

Hi

This as been mentioned on another forum recently and the problem appears to be be the paint adhering to aluminium that the roof part is made from. As you have a 2010 model you should have no problems with the warranty.

I am off now to wash my van and will check to see if there are any problems!

Yes, I am hoping it will get sorted soon before the season really gets underway. I did not realise at first that this bit at the front of the roof was aluminium as well as the raising bit. I just wonder how it is fixed to the steel part of the roof (as I can well remember that steel & aluminium panels don't join together very well!)

Here you are Symcro these are a few posts from our brilliant membership from months back. that may help.

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Stephen Clarkson
15 months ago
'The Bus' recently went in for replacement of the water pump (covered by warranty). Whilst in I asked the technicians to take a look a couple of bubble spots on the roof.

Spot 1 is above the near side wing mirror on the front part of the roof above the windscreen (i.e. the bit the does not go up) close to the black plastic end fascia for the side rail. Photos were taken and VW have given clearance for remedial work.

Spot 2 is on the actual roof, but can only be seen if the rubber surround is removed when the roof is partially/fully up. Technician berated me for even considering taking it off saying doing so will wear the paint away, however after a season the rubber strip gets very mouldy and I only take it off and wax/WD40 the edge. I was advised that this was unlikely to be covered by the warranty as (1) you shouldn't remove the rubber edging and (2) this was probably just a lumpy patch of fibre glass.

Is the roof fibre glass?

Bearing in mind that 'The Bus' is not garaged, anyone with warranty nearing its term should certainly check Spot 1.

S
Alasdair Woodfield
15 months ago
It is my understanding the lifting roof panel is aluminium, I'm not sure of the front portion. I had exactly the same problem as you describe on the front section. It was resprayed under warranty at 2.5yrs old. The sprayers in Ipswich did an excellent job and so far problem has not reoccurred :-)
Tim Batten
15 months ago
I think you will find that the rising part of the roof is made from a type of abs plastic - I think similar to front/rear bumpers on most modern cars. I know from experience that if the roof gets kinked due to the bellows canvas falling outwards and getting stuck between the scissor roof mechanism, it straightens itself out when the roof is next put up/down. ie it is a reformable material - which aluminium isn't!
John Towers
15 months ago
I Had the same problem as Alasdair and Stephen and was repaired under warranty. Reference to Tim i also was told that the raising roof was aluminium, my roof did kink but it was ok.
Stephen Clarkson
15 months ago
Thanks gents for your responses. Caught the front just time so hopefully the resolution is not far off.
Dave Pendleton
15 months ago
mine was repaired under warranty. mind it took them ages to agree to do it. apparently its quite common for it to bubble. just remember your bodywork is covered for 10 years as they tried wriggling out of doing mine
Steve Bailey
15 months ago
I noticed the same panel has bubbling over the drivers side, just at the point where the panel and lifting roof meet. It has thre appearance of paint lifting over a rust patch. My warranty runs out in June 2011 so it is on the list to be rectified in the spring.
• Ali Cleveland
15 months ago
This is starting to look like a really common issue. Our 07 Cali had a bubble spot in the middle of the front roof panel just where it joins the windscreen. Repaired last year under warranty but started to show again earlier this year so back to the body repairers. Although our local VWVC are pretty helpful (despite not selling many Calis,) they sub all their bodywork repairs out to an independent VW/Audi/BMW approved company. Unfortunately, their standards of workmanship and customer care are not so good! However, all looks ok now.

Darren

Cali is away having its roof paint done now. Not an easy job getting the top rails off so I'm not going to see it for a few days. Got withdrawal symptoms already

SYMCRO wrote:Cali is away having its roof paint done now. Not an easy job getting the top rails off so I'm not going to see it for a few days. Got withdrawal symptoms already

Good luck with it... hopefully it'll all be sorted.

Rgds

Mark