Re: Wood grain vinyl furniture covering issue

by CC Tue Jul 09, 2024 11:10 am

As I’ve said previously me repairing this panel is a last resort… it’s covered under the dealers warranty & the dealer has agreed to fix it, the issue is obtaining a replacement from Auto-Sleepers, have contacted them once again today in the hope of getting some kind of response, otherwise my dealer is going to start feeling the heat very soon!

by The Bargee Tue Jul 09, 2024 11:23 am

Let's hope they respond OK and you get a perfect new panel. I wouldn't accept anything less under warranty.

One of the benefits of these forums is that issues can be discussed for the benefit of all readers, indeed others who may face a similar issue without the backing of a warranty.

by CC Tue Jul 09, 2024 3:50 pm

The Bargee wrote:Let's hope they respond OK and you get a perfect new panel. I wouldn't accept anything less under warranty.

One of the benefits of these forums is that issues can be discussed for the benefit of all readers, indeed others who may face a similar issue without the backing of a warranty.

Thanks Bargee… have had a reply from both Choose Leisure & Auto-Sleepers pretty much saying the same thing, it seems Auto-Sleepers don’t seem to know if they have this vinyl colour any longer, as I’ve pointed out to AS I understood they supported motorhomes for 10yrs so why haven’t they got the vinyl I require at 5yrs old, not very impressed that they can’t answer at this stage what should be a relatively straightforward enquiry shrugg

by The Bargee Tue Jul 09, 2024 7:16 pm

CC wrote:

Thanks Bargee… have had a reply from both Choose Leisure & Auto-Sleepers pretty much saying the same thing, it seems Auto-Sleepers don’t seem to know if they have this vinyl colour any longer, as I’ve pointed out to AS I understood they supported motorhomes for 10yrs so why haven’t they got the vinyl I require at 5yrs old, not very impressed that they can’t answer at this stage what should be a relatively straightforward enquiry

That seems to be a very poor response. It is very difficult to tell from photographs on screens but the present production (as per AS website) appears to use a remarkably similar finish. Might it be worth taking something like a locker door or drawer along to the nearest AS dealer and comparing with a new model. You shouldn't have to do that but if it is the only way to expedit then it could help.

by CC Tue Jul 09, 2024 8:54 pm

They seem to know the colour “Elmdunkel Wood” from the AS build number I guess, the issue is Auto-Sleepers don’t seem to know if they have it or not…

Auto-Sleepers told my dealer on the 4th July they would need to check if they have the Elmdunkel Wood vinyl in stock & will update them as soon as possible, the dealer says they have since requested an update from AS but heard nothing more.

by CC Wed Jul 10, 2024 12:41 pm

Further response from AS today states the furniture board colour is no longer available, so the next time you read they support vehicles for 10 yrs take no notice, our motorhome is half that age…

Interestingly our dealer has told us today they’ve ordered a replacement panel, but Auto Sleepers need 6 weeks to produce the panel, so I’m expecting when the panel eventually gets fitted for there to be a colour difference in light of AS telling me it’s no longer available.

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by gassygassy Wed Jul 10, 2024 6:27 pm

That's interesting CC. I asked for a quote to replace my 1999 wardrobe front panel and the pattern posed no problem.
Now, I have accepted a quote for another job but they haven't told me a date . . .I must remember to start the one-or-more-phone-calls-a-day process which seems to be necessary for anything to happen. Plus the obligatory email per day of course.
Having said that, I think that the A/S service manager is not a job I would seek wholeheartedly. He must get over a hundred calls a day and must be running ragged not knowing how to prioritise them.

by CC Sun Jul 21, 2024 12:23 pm

Whilst still awaiting getting my side panel rectified under warranty… My task for today is having a go at sticking back more of the wood grain vinyl covering that’s come unstuck, at least these bits are inside the locker, still flippin annoying that a Motorhome you’ve paid £60,000 for has stuff like this going on… Clearly somone at Willersey decided it was a good idea to skimp on the adhesive rolleyes

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by CC Sun Jul 21, 2024 1:01 pm

Looks like previous owner has attempted a rather crude fix in the past, clearly no idea what they were doing rolleyes

so pulling back as much as possible & re-gluing entire surface then using an old credit card to squeegee the vinyl smooth again, seems to have worked well on the bits in my earlier post…

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by IanH Sun Jul 21, 2024 2:39 pm

Would have been very difficult to make more of a mess of that glue job, I usually get more glue than that on my fingers!

by gassygassy Sun Jul 21, 2024 6:11 pm

Just out of interest JJ what adhesive have you used? A while ago I did some upholstery work and used special upholstery spray adhesive. It came out of the aerosol tin in a peculiar spider-web sort of almost mist. Like mist but in joined-together spider web. It would leave a very very thin layer which I don't think would show through the vinyl. You would have to be accurate putting the vinyl back, as you can't move it once you have pressed it down.
In the upholstery world it is used to fix two layers of foam together. It is common for a foam seat base to be made of two different densities of foam so they have to be stuck together.

by CC Mon Jul 22, 2024 10:52 am

Just a word of caution to others, having used contact adhesive I can say it’s not suitable, it went back lovely but as it dries it tends to soften the vinyl (maybe because of solvent?) & causes slight rippling, bubbling in places as it dries similar to what happened with the side panel repair that the dealers carried out, except not as bad, might have been better with a water based adhesive like PVA maybe, or as others have said a spray adhesive, anyway at least it’s no longer hanging off the walls rolleyes