T6 California roof corrosion

[Loz]

So while soft/uncured paint doesn't exactly help, the root cause is bi-metallic corrosion. For those who know feel they're being made to suck eggs, apologies!

I agree with the bi metal corrosion for some of the pictures I've seen but not all of them, @Snowy55 pic with the tramlines just looks like a problem with the process and not allowing the paint to harden as @T6 Dave explained.
Plus I saw another one of the underside hinge bracket (was that you again @Snowy55) and that one just looked like a shoddy prep with paint only and no primer or etch etc.??

The T6 doesn't have those hinge brackets and looks completely different with a much larger bonded section that holds the bellows.

 

[former member]

I agree with the bi metal corrosion for some of the pictures I've seen but not all of them, @Snowy55 pic with the tramlines just looks like a problem with the process and not allowing the paint to harden as @T6 Dave explained.
Plus I saw another one of the underside hinge bracket (was that you again @Snowy55) and that one just looked like a shoddy prep with paint only and no primer or etch etc.??

Maybe it's a bit of both - but our T5.1 was definitely almost all down to corrosion - usually it's the area around the front of the roof but often seems to appear around the entire roof section; we had the lot in ours but it still wasn't as bad as some. A few I saw looked truly awful and possibly structurally unsound.

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

So it would appear there are two causes for the corrosion of these rooves, paintwork as stated by @T6 Dave and bimetal corrosion as stated by @Polzeylad, both of which indicate a manufacturing defect that VW should be able to fix easily providing they admit that a problem exists at the manufacturing and or assembly point.

 

[former member]

So it would appear there are two causes for the corrosion of these rooves, paintwork as stated by @T6 Dave and bimetal corrosion as stated by @Polzeylad, both of which indicate a manufacturing defect that VW should be able to fix easily providing they admit that a problem exists at the manufacturing and or assembly point.

If only it was so simple - it's been happening since 2006 (when the first California was released) - 1000s have complained, VW has a big programme for getting affected vans re-done (usually doesn't work) but they've STILL got it wrong; arrrghhhhh!!!

 

[T6 Dave]

F&£k me, something that corrodes quicker than my Defender! I feel for all you Cali owners

 

[former member]

F&£k me, something that corrodes quicker than my Defender! I feel for all you Cali owners

Oh how I miss the days on annual Waxoyling and having to rub down and paint the bumpers of a three year old vehicle....

 

[T6 Dave]

@Polzeylad , at least it wasn't the roof, and it made it to 3 yrs

 

[Roadrunner]

Oh how I miss the days on annual Waxoyling and having to rub down and paint the bumpers of a three year old vehicle....

I don't, messy stuff

 

[former member]

@Polzeylad , at least it wasn't the roof, and it made it to 3 yrs

They were often rusty on delivery.

 

[T6 Dave]

You have that wrong @Polzeylad , they were the first truly "green" vehicle, they were biodegradable from the start!

 

[Davenjo]

F&£k me, something that corrodes quicker than my Defender! I feel for all you Cali owners

2.5 years in and still no (visible) rot on my Defender - can guarantee it will start to rust when the warranty runs out in 6 months!! lol

 

[former member]

Haha! Wife's grandad has a 14 plate 90; love it but glad he's maintaining it not me.

 

[T6 Dave]

More problems with the wheel bearings than corrosion on my L reg 90

 

[former member]

Mine had all sorts of issues but I still miss it ever so slightly.

The S reg HM Coastguard Defender we use (owned by HM Coastguard) is still going strong; ultra low miles though.

 

[Davenjo]

Mine had all sorts of issues but I still miss it ever so slightly.

Our S reg Coastguard Defender is still going strong; ultra low miles though.

Level of thefts (including some local - I had a dodgy character knocking my door a few weeks back) are detracting from the enjoyment of it and making me a bit nervous and paranoid about whether its still going to be there in the morning. Plus, with now having 3 vehicles between 2 of us its getting used less and less - even the snow they have been promising us all week has failed to arrive here!! Have considered selling but know I'll regret it forever the moment I do!!

 

[former member]

If you have the space and don't need the money, I'd hang onto it.
Is it the 300TDi?

 

[T6 Dave]

Always carry a full set of Timkin wheel bearing kits, and a spare stub axle kit for the front and back!

 

[Davenjo]

If you have the space and don't need the money, I'd hang onto it.
Is it the 300TDi?

I think that is where I am (for now). No its the 2.2 Puma (purist don't like them - a bit like T4/T5 owners and T6s )

 

[former member]

I think that is where I am (for now). No its the 2.2 Puma (purist don't like them - a bit like T4/T5 owners and T6s )

Sorry I was getting my Defender owners mixed up! It's T6 Dave with the L reg one! Ours was the 2.4 Puma (ahem Transit engine). Good engine IMO.

 

[T6 Dave]

200tdi, no electronic brain to give grief, and all the goodies on it, from 2 people I know to me... Just unreliable in the wheels dept, still F1 pit stop has nothing on my bearing changes!Carry spare HD UJ kits, belts, hoses etc etc, it is a Defender after all!