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Rust on Roof


s2000king
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I visited Listers VW in Leamington Spa on Friday to make a warranty claim on my GTi. It has the typical bubbling in the roof gutters, and since the car is currently 11 years and 360 days old, I thought I better get the claim in while it's just within the 12 year warranty.

The guy at VW took a load of photos of the corrosion, and took several paint depth measurements on and around the roof. Worryingly, or perhaps not, his depth meter was recording 225-300 (microns?) everywhere on the roof except for the corroded areas which were showing as low as 100!

I was told that VW's head office would make the judgement based on the evidence he sends to them, and if it is classed as a 'paint issue' then it won't be covered, but if it is deemed a 'corrosion issue' which it clearly is then it should be covered.

After reading this thread I can't say I'm expecting an easy ride, but I won't be taking no for an answer...and wont be settling for a 'goodwill' payment as he kept referring to, they shouldn't offer a warranty if they're not going to honour it!

I will report back what the outcome is...

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I went to the one a kings Lynn a few weeks back he looked at the part of the roof where paint was bubbling the got his camera snapped some pics and he sed he would send them of to someone higher up and let me no so will report how I get on

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I've heard back from the bodyshop, after reviewing the photos they believe this is a corrosion issue as opposed to a paint issue (you dont say!) and they have asked me to take the car in on Friday afternoon for a closer look.

Unfortunately, I'll be 3 days over my 12 year warranty by the time I get to the bodyshop...although if they do dispute this, I shall argue that my initial warranty claim was made last Friday, so a few days before the 12 year deadline.

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I've had to concede defeat after meeting with the body shop, and numerous phone calls to customer care.

Apparently they won't cover this at all under the corrosion warranty, as it's considered an 'external influence' due to the gutter infills rubbing the paint away in the channels, as opposed to the rust coming through from underneath. I tried to argue that this is clearly a design issue but no joy.

They checked with VW to see if a goodwill payment could be made, but unfortunately they will only do this within 10 years, so if you have an 03- it might still be worth a try...

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  • 3 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Just had a quote from a body shop to do my roof and they want approx £650-£700 do do the job! Looks like I'll be giving it a go when the weather improves then!!

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  • 3 months later...

Lift it slightly from the rear and slide them out backwards. There is a lip on the front end which sits under the screen seal.

R

Oops! Long time ago!

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  • 2 years later...

I've just been doing this job at the weekend. There were the common rust spots on my car, Roof front left edge in the gutter, and both back arch sills.

All I did was sand it down to metal, worked out the rust wasn't terrible, fill it in with filler (the usual golf ball to a pea) and I took my time on masking it up once prepped. Primer on, nothing special, more sanding, then more primer to build the layers. Waited for it to dry and put the first layer of topcoat on. Weekends work really. Leave it to dry for a week like I am currently. Then I plan to add another layer of the topcoat (blue in my cased mixed at a specialist paint place for about £17) and just spray the area smoothly basically and make sure it doesn't run.

Once I have finished that, I will use teacut to smooth the edges to blend it. I'll post photos if anyone wants. I've started the work but haven't finished it quite but I think it looks alot smarter than it did as It looked tatty before I did it.

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It will look much smarter, for now... Unfortunately the rust will come back for sure as you haven't treated it by the sounds of things -_-

Just sanding it back an covering with a layer of bodge is a 6 month -1 year fix at best IME.

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  • 4 months later...

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