Discussion
Dodsy said:
My 11 year old Golf Mk4 is still pristine thanks to having galvanised body panels. Stone chips and scrapes are there but just dont rust.
My Y reg Polo GTI I sold at 9 years old had no hints of rust on it at all. You see a lot more older Polos on the road than any of the equivalent era superminis
Steffan said:
Buggles said:
Steffan said:
Whereas my 2000 Volvo S40 just gone 250,000 miles, no rust, not a spot, absolutely immaculate inside and out everything worked sunroof, central locking, windows, stereo, lights by far the best car I ever owned.
Still!
A Magnificent workhorse towed a 2 ton trailer with race cars on still on the original clutch. You could not ask for better quality.
Slightly O/T but I one million percent agree with this. We've a 2002 S40 and it is an absolutely faultless machine. Has taken everything in it's stride, everything works, and is still going stronger than ever. Still!
A Magnificent workhorse towed a 2 ton trailer with race cars on still on the original clutch. You could not ask for better quality.
Other manufacturers may make sexier cars, quicker cars, more fun cars.
Reliability = Volvo.
The last car I remember rusting was my dad's 1990 XJ-S. It was just starting to bubble around the sills after 15 years. My '74 Beetle was rotten to the core. I saw an '04 Clio a few months ago that had rotten rear quarters and arches.
Urban Sports said:
My neighbour had until very recently a 2004 Mercedes Vito Mk1, every time he washed it more of it fell off 
it had only done 55,000 miles and was that badly rusted he sold it and bought a newish VW instead.
It literally was rusting away!
We had Vitos in work about 2 years ago, we do a lot of miles. They literally fell apart, terrible things. We didn't have them long enough for the rust to set in. it had only done 55,000 miles and was that badly rusted he sold it and bought a newish VW instead.It literally was rusting away!
I think these people that say that cars don't rust anymore are either on a wind-up or walking about with their eyes closed. They're still all rusting in the same places at the same age as previous generation cars; BMWs, Ford and Vauxhall especially.
On a 6yr old 330Cd the rear arches were toast and the fronts were well on their way
On a 4yr old Astravan with only 45k on it the front floorpan, kick plate and underside of engine bay were shockingly rusty for the age and mileage.
On a 4yr old Focus both the door bottoms were completely gone. Even on my 28k Puma (albeit 12 yrs old but been in dry storage for much of that time) there is surface rust on the front sills and also enough on the rear sill lip where it meets the rear arches to require immediate attention.
They're just as bad as they were 10,20 years ago.
On a 6yr old 330Cd the rear arches were toast and the fronts were well on their way
On a 4yr old Astravan with only 45k on it the front floorpan, kick plate and underside of engine bay were shockingly rusty for the age and mileage.
On a 4yr old Focus both the door bottoms were completely gone. Even on my 28k Puma (albeit 12 yrs old but been in dry storage for much of that time) there is surface rust on the front sills and also enough on the rear sill lip where it meets the rear arches to require immediate attention.
They're just as bad as they were 10,20 years ago.
My 2000 VW Bora with 58K on it was rusting it's arches away quite merrily when I sold it almost 5 years ago, the 306 that it had replaced didn't have a mark on it. Just had both rear arches on my e36 (1999) sorted this winter and my daily A6 TDI has plenty rust on it's front arches.
When I used to walk to college about 7-8 years ago, we used to always pass an S-Class mercedes that was only a year or two old at the time and it had visible rust on the sills, my uncles W123 was in much better condition than it.
I don't think that a day goes past when I don't see a completely rotten hanging Merc Sprinter either, I don't think that rust is finished just yet!
When I used to walk to college about 7-8 years ago, we used to always pass an S-Class mercedes that was only a year or two old at the time and it had visible rust on the sills, my uncles W123 was in much better condition than it.
I don't think that a day goes past when I don't see a completely rotten hanging Merc Sprinter either, I don't think that rust is finished just yet!
ciaranthemurph said:
My 2000 VW Bora with 58K on it was rusting it's arches away quite merrily when I sold it almost 5 years ago, the 306 that it had replaced didn't have a mark on it. Just had both rear arches on my e36 (1999) sorted this winter and my daily A6 TDI has plenty rust on it's front arches.
When I used to walk to college about 7-8 years ago, we used to always pass an S-Class mercedes that was only a year or two old at the time and it had visible rust on the sills, my uncles W123 was in much better condition than it.
I don't think that a day goes past when I don't see a completely rotten hanging Merc Sprinter either, I don't think that rust is finished just yet!
I am selling a Bora of that vintage and I cant see any rust anywhere ?When I used to walk to college about 7-8 years ago, we used to always pass an S-Class mercedes that was only a year or two old at the time and it had visible rust on the sills, my uncles W123 was in much better condition than it.
I don't think that a day goes past when I don't see a completely rotten hanging Merc Sprinter either, I don't think that rust is finished just yet!
Not on a wind up, cars just dont seem to rust nowadays in my experience.
I am surprised that the car industry has not come up with some sort of sacrificial cathode bolted to the steel body made from a metal that gradually disintegrates instead of the steel. Changeable every 3 or four years.
I have seen this frequently on sailing boats. The Cathode definitely reduces the electrolytic action of salt water on the iron and steel in the hull and mechanics.
But never on a car. It should be possible. I am surprised no one has produced one.
Any chemists about? I know rust is a complex compound but surely there is a way?
I have seen this frequently on sailing boats. The Cathode definitely reduces the electrolytic action of salt water on the iron and steel in the hull and mechanics.
But never on a car. It should be possible. I am surprised no one has produced one.
Any chemists about? I know rust is a complex compound but surely there is a way?
Wife's Puma - rear arches going for the second time. Wet carpet for wheelarch liners? What were Ford thinking!?
MX-5 - o/s sill/arch needs attention. Thin poor quality metal IMHO with rust traps
Saab 900 - Never seen such good quality thick gauge steel, but essentially a 60s design it has plenty of rust traps. Spent a lot of time and money chasing it but still finding new bits...
Saab 9000 - good quality metal and better design - couple of tiny bits of surface rust but not too bad.
Rust is definitely here to stay, but it does make me angry that some manufacturers seem to care so little. Ford in particular, but so-called quality brands like Mercedes and BMW. Pretty disappointed with the state of most e36s I see - very few have no rust, but look at an equivalent aged Saab or Volvo and most are solid. Even my brother's mint 98 e36 coupe had the obligatory rear arches done recently...
MX-5 - o/s sill/arch needs attention. Thin poor quality metal IMHO with rust traps
Saab 900 - Never seen such good quality thick gauge steel, but essentially a 60s design it has plenty of rust traps. Spent a lot of time and money chasing it but still finding new bits...
Saab 9000 - good quality metal and better design - couple of tiny bits of surface rust but not too bad.
Rust is definitely here to stay, but it does make me angry that some manufacturers seem to care so little. Ford in particular, but so-called quality brands like Mercedes and BMW. Pretty disappointed with the state of most e36s I see - very few have no rust, but look at an equivalent aged Saab or Volvo and most are solid. Even my brother's mint 98 e36 coupe had the obligatory rear arches done recently...
J4CKO said:
I am selling a Bora of that vintage and I cant see any rust anywhere ?
Not on a wind up, cars just dont seem to rust nowadays in my experience.
Possibly due to where the car spent its life, mine spent the whole time in Scotland where there could possibly have been harsher winters meaning more salt on the roads. Both front arches had visible bubbling and the car was kept in good condition in my care, cleaned and polished regularly. A friend also bought a Golf mk4 of similar vintage and it was rotting in the same places.Not on a wind up, cars just dont seem to rust nowadays in my experience.
I don't know if it's very common with these cars, but mine definitely was.
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