Tiny blisters on roof
- Thread starter ClaireDe
- Start date
Steven rhodes
Member
True , hopefully this issue won't return further down the road, like out of warranty although I took an extra two year extension on mine so that makes me feels a bit happier knowing I'm covered for longer I hope !!
LadyEdiSpencer
New Member
I received a call today confirming that MB Germany had agreed to replace the roof. It should, should, should arrive in the UK................May! There must be a lot of blistered rooves out there. That will be 5 months from first taking it in to potential resolution. Not great, from a company like MB, but at least I now know it will be fixed.
GeorgeG
Active Member
Looked at my roof this morning........... b****y blisters. Spoke to my local dealer and mentioned the issue was now quite common as it was being raised in Marco Polo forums. The service guy told me “we don’t take any notice of forums”! He’d not come across the problem, so I’ll have to take it in and go through the motions.
I’ll also speak to my contact at the Westfalia factory in Rheda-Wiedenbrück to see if he can throw any light on the problem.
I’ll also speak to my contact at the Westfalia factory in Rheda-Wiedenbrück to see if he can throw any light on the problem.
DWB
New Member
Hi Steve,
I would just keep an eye on it as I`ve had mine for a year now and they only appeared last month and am in the process of a Warranty Claim. I know for a fact they were not visible in the first 10 months of ownership as I made a particular point to check the roof and clean it down on a regular basis.
I would just keep an eye on it as I`ve had mine for a year now and they only appeared last month and am in the process of a Warranty Claim. I know for a fact they were not visible in the first 10 months of ownership as I made a particular point to check the roof and clean it down on a regular basis.
GeorgeG
Active Member
I’ve heard back from my contact at the Westfalia factory where the MP’s are converted. He says the GRP roof is produced by a vacuum process rather than the traditional build up of layers of mat and there are generally no problems. However, they have seen “one or two with this type of fault”, as he puts it. He wasn’t able to come up with a cause for the blisters.
Worryingly, he suggests I arrange to have the roof replaced at a German Mercedes dealer because he understands that in the UK it will be difficult to find a dealer who knows how to replace the roof! I had actually wondered the same thing myself. I may wait until I can find a dealer who has carried out the work on someone else’s MP and thereby ‘learnt on the job’.
Worryingly, he suggests I arrange to have the roof replaced at a German Mercedes dealer because he understands that in the UK it will be difficult to find a dealer who knows how to replace the roof! I had actually wondered the same thing myself. I may wait until I can find a dealer who has carried out the work on someone else’s MP and thereby ‘learnt on the job’.
mptripsaway
Active Member
Good information GeorgeG. Thank you.
GeorgeG
Active Member
My mole tells me Westfalia think the problem has arisen because the roofs in question were stored in a cold part of the factory after production and presumably before they were painted. However, this is the current hypothesis and they are still investigating.
There is a lot of info on blistering in GRP paintwork on various car and boat owners forums. According to a Lotus forum it can take a year for the problem to arise and it can be brought on after vehicles are left outside in very cold weather.
On a side note, when visiting the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf 2015, I was particularly impressed with the Wingam range of motor homes/campervans. The conversions are based on GRP monocoque bodies added to VW and Fiat chassis. When researching the brand I discovered that paintwork problems were being reported on forums. Blisters were occurring on the outside of the GRP body which were sanded off and re-painted under warranty. However, the blisters often reappeared leading to some owners regretting their purchase - because it’s clearly not realistic to replace the whole body. I seem to remember the issue was thought to arise because of steam/water vapour migrating through the GRP and being trapped by the paint/lacquer coat.
From the above (sorry about length of post) it would seem sensible to replace the roof. Also, I imagine the fabric pop-top will provide adequate ventilation to prevent the steam problem causing blistering. Sadly, MP owners no longer have bragging rights over Cali owners when it comes to roof quality!
There is a lot of info on blistering in GRP paintwork on various car and boat owners forums. According to a Lotus forum it can take a year for the problem to arise and it can be brought on after vehicles are left outside in very cold weather.
On a side note, when visiting the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf 2015, I was particularly impressed with the Wingam range of motor homes/campervans. The conversions are based on GRP monocoque bodies added to VW and Fiat chassis. When researching the brand I discovered that paintwork problems were being reported on forums. Blisters were occurring on the outside of the GRP body which were sanded off and re-painted under warranty. However, the blisters often reappeared leading to some owners regretting their purchase - because it’s clearly not realistic to replace the whole body. I seem to remember the issue was thought to arise because of steam/water vapour migrating through the GRP and being trapped by the paint/lacquer coat.
From the above (sorry about length of post) it would seem sensible to replace the roof. Also, I imagine the fabric pop-top will provide adequate ventilation to prevent the steam problem causing blistering. Sadly, MP owners no longer have bragging rights over Cali owners when it comes to roof quality!
I've also been told that May is the earliest that my roof will be replaced. So I may wait until after summer to get it replaced as I'll be wanting to use the van in the (hopefully) nice weather. And like GeorgeG - I'd like them to practise replacing a roof on someone else's vehicle first...
Carol
Active Member
It is booked in MB body shop local to us it is a full new roof under warranty
Phil nalton
Member
VIP Member
Good to meet you the other week! Did you get in touch re the awning wrapping. Wanted to check status on your blistered roof. Dealer (&MB) being difficult with me!
mptripsaway
Active Member
Good to meet you also and thanks for the details of your "wrapper" I've not done anything with the awning yet as been busy over the past few weeks. As for the roof I spoke to Barons, (Robinson's MB body shop) today and they told me that they are waiting for authorisation from MB technical and it could take a couple of months.
Hi,
Please would someone be kind enough to let me know which dealer they used after they’ve had their roof replaced under warranty and if possible a contact name at the dealer?
I’m based in Wiltshire but can easily travel a couple of hours in order to use a dealer who has experience with this task.
(I had a bad experience at my local dealer with a question over how to open the bonnet and was told by a rude receptionist to “ask the dealer who sold me it how it opened”! I tried to buy it locally but they weren’t interested so am loathed to use them to change the roof!)
Would really appreciate this feedback after someone has had their roof changed and it hopefully having been a good experience.
Thank-you.
Ridgeway.
Please would someone be kind enough to let me know which dealer they used after they’ve had their roof replaced under warranty and if possible a contact name at the dealer?
I’m based in Wiltshire but can easily travel a couple of hours in order to use a dealer who has experience with this task.
(I had a bad experience at my local dealer with a question over how to open the bonnet and was told by a rude receptionist to “ask the dealer who sold me it how it opened”! I tried to buy it locally but they weren’t interested so am loathed to use them to change the roof!)
Would really appreciate this feedback after someone has had their roof changed and it hopefully having been a good experience.
Thank-you.
Ridgeway.
GeorgeG
Active Member
Like you Ridgeway, I’m reluctant to risk a roof replacement by a dealer who has no experience of this job, particularly in the light of my Westfalia contact recommending I get the job done in Germany!
I visited my local dealer in Dorchester and had difficulty persuading them it wasn’t just a case of respraying the roof. When I mentioned that I thought the Poole dealer (in the same Mercedes group as Dorchester) had seen one or two ‘vans with this problem, he was quick to suggest I should go there.
The person in Poole who deals with such things was in Germany when I contacted Poole and I’m waiting to hear from them, tomorrow I hope. I’ll post something here as soon as I make some progress. I think it’s very important to find a dealer who does
I visited my local dealer in Dorchester and had difficulty persuading them it wasn’t just a case of respraying the roof. When I mentioned that I thought the Poole dealer (in the same Mercedes group as Dorchester) had seen one or two ‘vans with this problem, he was quick to suggest I should go there.
The person in Poole who deals with such things was in Germany when I contacted Poole and I’m waiting to hear from them, tomorrow I hope. I’ll post something here as soon as I make some progress. I think it’s very important to find a dealer who does
Thanks for your comment GeorgeG. If / when anyone has had a good experience with a dealer replacing it if they could share it on here then I’ll speak to to that dealer. I wouldn’t mind being a guinea pig with my van if the local dealer was helpful!
My MP was new in June 2018 so I assume the issue will need logging before a year is a up?
Sandown Poole sounded helpful according to one of the contributors on here so that’s an option but I could travel anywhere across the southern half of the country. Thanks again!
My MP was new in June 2018 so I assume the issue will need logging before a year is a up?
Sandown Poole sounded helpful according to one of the contributors on here so that’s an option but I could travel anywhere across the southern half of the country. Thanks again!