Could my Octy have had a new roof

[justinbarrow]

Well i have been battling a leak in the roof of my 1998 ocavia but someone looked at it today with all the headlining removed and said they were almost certain it has had a new roof at some point when I asked how he knew he said because it had a yellow sticker on the roof witch said "Skoda Octavia Mk1 Rf Panel 08/2000.

Also the front screen was replaced at this time aswell. He said this is why the car is leaking as it is a very complex job to fit a new roof and more so to get it water tight. Thankfully he dosent think it was anything bad prob just something has hit the roof and took out the screen and if the car was in its early years at the time then the insurance would have sorted it.

I have never heard of this job being done as insurance companies tend to write off cars just for a shopping trolly dinting a panel.

But then i think why would the sticker read 08/2000 when my car was built in 1998, just dosent make sense and have filled the roof rail runners in now and the think is still leaking. Arrrrgggghhhh

Has anyone heard of a roof being replaced? its doing my head in now...i dred it when i wake up at night and find its raining.

Thanks

[RobKnapp2]

My brother in law (before he owned his bodyshop) worked for a big shop in Swindon. Although not common place, he has replaced a few roof sections in his time...

I have seen them rebuild cars that I thought had been cubed at the scrap metal brokers!

Im only repeating things Ive heard, but on panels like bonnets and roofs, if there is a dent, its very easy to end up 'chasing' the dent all over the panel when trying to beat it back out, the deeper the filler, the more chance of it 'sinking' over time and looking naff. Hence the replacement panels sometimes....

cheers

Rob

[smstext]

i heard the easiest way to write a car off was to put a nail through the roof. after reading this i now dont beleive it as much.

[jimvrs]

New roofs are surprisingly common and easy to do.......If you work in the trade

[KenONeill]

Personally I'd be surprised by that.

Many moons ago my Dad drove into the back of a parked Datsun 120Y estate (and now the older members have an idea just how many moons that was) at under 30mph, and it was written off on the spot due to a bent roof.

[mannyo]

With a modern car, a bent roof will not right it off. The roof is simply a skin which is welded onto the main structure. As long as the main structure is sound then the roof can be easily replaced.

As for sealing a leak, you will need to remove the headlining and then sit in the car whilst water is being poured onto the car. It maybe possible to add a UV dye to the water and this will help locate the source much easier than feeling around for wet patches.

[justinbarrow]

Thanks but how do you use a uv de in the water to try and source the leak, i have the headlining removed but water is still comming in and it appears to be underneath both roof rail channels.

thanks again

[KenONeill]

I think you put the dye in some water, spray the water on the roof, and look at the inside with a UV lamp.

[cheezemonkhai]

As said, put the UV dye in the pressure washer tank, pressure wash the car until the thing is leaking then take a UV lamp to it.

Often you can get dye that stains UV even when dry.

Another option is to powder the roof area and pressure wash the car. Where the leak is will be free from powder.