Wood grain vinyl furniture covering issue

Our motorhome has just been back to our dealer to get the tracker replaced as we couldn’t take out a subscription via Auto Sleepers AS Monitor. The dealer Choose Leisure in Chartham, Kent have been really good I have to say. Our best dealer experience to date so far. Interesting to find Dave Williams who worked at Auto Sleepers as their Sales & Marketing Director is now the Managing Director at Choose Leisure, had a brief chat with him about both ASOF & ASOC They are also dealers for Auto-Sleepers.

Anyway I gave them a very small snagging list to look at while we were back, the TV booster had to be replaced, also the wardrobe light, but also there was a couple of areas where the wood grain effect vinyl furniture covering was coming away (seem to recall reading on the forum this is a known issue on Auto Sleeper motorhome around this age) anyway they glued down an area beside the microwave satisfactorily but the side panel as you come in through the habitation door where the grab handle is I’m not happy with the repair & wish I’d sorted it myself as it’s worse now, you can see what now appears like a stain at the top end of the grab handle in the photo I think? but you can’t really see in the photo it’s still loose or detached in places, but now also has some light bubbling & creasing where they’ve attempted sorting it, would have thought peeling it back adding glue & squeegeeing the glue & air out would be relatively quite straight forward hence wishing I’d tackled it myself now.

They said it’s difficult & really the whole side furniture board ideally needs to be replaced, not a quick job as the cooker would need to come out, then there’s the grab handle & electric switches for the step etc need re fitting, have contacted Auto Sleepers service dept but not very hopeful of getting a satisfactory response & I’m guessing if I do the cost is going to be excessive, so was wondering if the vinyl can just be removed in situ & new vinyl applied instead? 

I know it’s very difficult to see in the photo & you might even think I’m being pedantic, but I really don’t think I can live with it as it currently is after such a big investment, it’s the very first thing you see when you step inside the motorhome. 

I would consider over boarding that if it’s bothering you, but it still isn’t  an easy task unless you are competent with a router and making trims. Personally I try to stop looking at it.

Toffee wrote:I would consider over boarding that if it’s bothering you, but it still isn’t  an easy task unless you are competent with a router and making trims. Personally I try to stop looking at it.

I know people will think as I’ve said previously I’m being pedantic but it does look quite noticeable in the flesh, the photo doesn’t really show the issue, did try a video but our forum says it’s too large to upload despite only being about 40secs long. 

Will see what Auto-Sleepers come back with, providing I get a response of course which I’m not overly confident, might even see if I can buy the panel if I can, then maybe get the dealer to replace existing one, guessing it’s about a mornings work.

Annoying, but it is a used vehicle that has seen some life, and probably seen some rain through the door.

It doesn't look difficult to replace the panel since it is seemingly secured in typical naff AS fashion with angled screws under those horrible great plastic covers, unless of course AS have glued it as well!! It might just unscrew and will then serve as a template to cut a new one.

I’m afraid I can’t see the problem area in the photo. Personally I’d ignore it, because fixing a solution will surely cost a tidy sum. Toffee’s suggestion is pragmatic - so long as the carpenter is sufficiently skilled. But even then you’ll always inspect it, won’t you?

Can you try to live with it for a season?  And if it still causes frustration, then face the cost. 

I know that there are many things in our van which aggravate me, but my stoical wife has taught me to ignore them and worry about other issues in life. Not easy mind: once seen, your bubbles would always annoy me, I confess, but I’d bite my tongue!!!

Cymro

Yes I understand it’s a minor thing to most but our last 2010 Broadway had nothing like this going on & I have to say I think it was a better built Motorhome, that aside this is a 60k motorhome & having spent that kind of money I can’t just accept & ignore the vinyl coming away in such a prominent & visible area, something will have to be done, actually hoping I can get it sorted under the dealers warranty, like I said they have attempted to make it right so no complaints with them, the service manager actually suggested replacement of the entire panel is really the way to go, wish I could just ignore it & look beyond it but I’m the first to admit that I’m finicky old sod, everyone that saw our last Broadway commended us on its condition & commented on how well it had been looked after, so it comes hard finding stuff like this for me & I know it will always bother me especially when I observe how my bank account has decreased…  

Could you put a razor blade through the bubble and slip adhesive in then smooth it down using a wallpaper edge roller to squeeze excess out. If that didn't work then go the replacement way.

Paulmold wrote:Could you put a razor blade through the bubble and slip adhesive in then smooth it down using a wallpaper edge roller to squeeze excess out. If that didn't work then go the replacement way.

Yes have thought of that Paul or even make a pin prick with a syringe with some evo stik in it, then use a credit card to squeegee the air & spread the glue, reluctant to have a go till I know what’s what with warranty & getting a response from Auto Sleeper, just wish the photo would show the issue better, I get that most people looking at the photo will think what the heck is he talking about, but when you are actually aware then it’s impossible to put out of your mind, it also spoils the enjoyment of my purchase, but as said I appreciate I’m fussier than most ‘Normal’ people  

Just managed to take a couple more photos which hopefully shows the vinyl lifting & bubbles a bit clearer for anyone interested as I realise my initial photo couldn’t really show the issue, it’s surprisingly difficult to get it to show as it depends on angle & light, hopefully you can see the areas in question?

Can definitely see the problem now.

Ah. That’s better (I.e.worse!). I retract my previous comments. It would vex me, too. 
The repair isn’t acceptable. I’d discuss with a view to getting them to re-do properly or reimburse you for someone local to repair it. 

Cymro

Cymro wrote:Ah. That’s better (I.e.worse!). I retract my previous comments. It would vex me, too. 
The repair isn’t acceptable. I’d discuss with a view to getting them to re-do properly or reimburse you for someone local to repair it. 

Cymro

Thanks Cymro for confirming, know I’m pedantic but it didn’t seem acceptable to me… Have heard back promptly from the Service Manager at Choose Leisure, after sending them the same photos. in fairness to them they do seem to be on the ball as he’s stated it’s not acceptable & needs replacing, they are now in touch with Auto Sleepers & should be back in touch once they know availability of side panel, unlike other dealer experiences I have to say I’m really impressed with how they deal with things & in such a polite, friendly way.

Well the MD,  Dave Williams of Choose Leisure is former Sales Director of AS , if only the rest of AS followed his example. He was regularly mentioned as the one to get things done at AS.

3 weeks or more after contacting them I’m still waiting to get a response from Auto-Sleepers regarding my enquiry about a replacement side panel, more worryingly Choose Leisure don’t seem to be any further forward either & are saying Auto Sleeper are ‘Notoriously Bad’ at getting back to them… I’m concerned that we’re half way into our short 3month warranty which is my only criticism of Choose Leisure as 3 months is rather mean imo especially as the camper we traded in we got 12 months warranty with & still 8months remaining at the point we traded it. Anyway I don’t seem to be any further forward in getting this sorted, & starting to get a little peed off now… What would others do & how long would you wait?

Surely Dave Williams the MD must have personal contact with his former colleagues at AS. Get him involved.

Paulmold wrote:Surely Dave Williams the MD must have personal contact with his former colleagues at AS. Get him involved.

Yes what’s what I’d have thought also Paul, find it hard to believe that a main Auto-Sleeper dealer with an ex Auto Sleepers managing director at their helm struggles to get a response from Auto Sleepers, wonder if they are trying to stall things as the service department did say they weren’t sure if the colour of wood grain was still available which lead me to think maybe they have communicated with them   will have to gee them up I think or as you say make Dave Williams aware of my disappointment.

You need to give A/S or Choose Leisure the job number. That is the build number of the vehicle, written on a label inside the glove box. From that, A/S will identify the panel you want, with the correct grain and give you a price either for supply only or supply and fit. 
You won't find any vinyl supplier able to supply the grain - my son in law works for a vinyl wrapping company and they deal with about 100,000 different vinyls and he couldn't get one to match my Bourton.
You won't get it under warranty from A/S, it is five years old, or more. If it were mine, yes that wrinkling is unacceptable to an owner and I would buy and fit a new panel. I was quoted £880 for a new wardrobe front panel, but that was big, and had big holes cut into it with a router, and the vinyl wrapped right round the edges so I think your sraightforward rectangular panel would be a lot less.
I didn't buy it, I did something else.

I'd borrow wifey's iron, set it to 1 or 2 (whatever that is!!) get some brown paper, and put the paper on the vinyl, then apply the iron and hold for a wee while, moving it but not the paper.

Nothing to lose and most glues are temperature sensitive?

Trouble with that idea Ian is that the vinyl has probably stretched, and your idea would be relying on it shrinking again.
My son in law who does wrapping for a living would remove all the trimmings - handle, and the brown circular plugs that hide the screws, waft a hair drier or heat gun a long way off, and peel the vinyl back. Then gradually squeegey it back with a special silicone wiper blade. The adhesive has probably either dried out a bit or sunk into the wood panel it sticks to. Logic says that you should be able to apply a spray adhesive to the vinyl while it is peeled back, but I wouldn't know what type of adhesive. Certainly not an upholstery adhesive, I can't think of a suficiently thin adhesive that would do it without showing afterwards. It would need to be a mist when applying it, not a spray as such, and you certainly couldn't get away with brushing anything on.

The pragmatic approach would be to spend £20 on some adhesive and try it, then if it doesn't work you are no worse off and still have to buy a new panel anyway. Whatever adhesive you use, if it is to be successful it will have to be micro-thin, and then you would have to replace the vinyl without stretching it.

gassygassy wrote:The pragmatic approach would be to spend £20 on some adhesive and try it, then if it doesn't work you are no worse off and still have to buy a new panel anyway. Whatever adhesive you use, if it is to be successful it will have to be micro-thin, and then you would have to replace the vinyl without stretching it.

It could even be a paper facing, not vinyl? Difficult job and worth a try but I doubt that a totally acceptable repair will result.

I noticed that Magnum Motorhomes at Grimsby offer a "Chambord" 15mm furniture board and 3mm wallboard that looks, on screen, like a good match. They will supply samples but you have to buy a full 8x4 sheet of FB or 4 sheets of WB, which would be annoying but still a lot cheaper than an AS board.

The damage has almost certainly been caused by rain water, or perhaps by overflow from the worktop / cooker?

Personally I am not sure I would even try to replace like for like. I would look at perhaps using a more water resistant board such as shower board or even varnished waterproof plywood. Given the location, perhaps mostly only seen when entering the van, I am not sure I would even worry about a perfect match. perhaps even a total contrast!

The Bargee wrote:


The damage has almost certainly been caused by rain water, or perhaps by overflow from the worktop / cooker?

Another possibility is that heat from the sun got to it and softened the adhesive. This happened on some doors in the parents (both in their 90's now!) fitted kitchen. Virtually impossible to do a decent diy repair on.

I think it was down to a poor choice of adhesive by the fabricator in their case. 

Wetwall board then.

White, waterproof by definition, glue over existing wipe clean

Yes, a contrast plain colour would look better than a near-mismatch woodgrain pattern. Perhaps the same colour as the fridge door?