Rust ! - Vantage V8 2006
Discussion
I recently took my Vantage into a local specialist (in France) and whilst on the lift I took a look underneath.
Horror - the rear subframe, mountings and various suspension parts have started to corrode.
Is this usual ? Perhaps not many owner have the opportunity or desire to look into the dark void at the rear of their cars?
I intend getting it back on the lift soon and armed with a wire brush and a tin of POR-15 satin black, hope to make it look as nice underneath as it does on top.
Any comments much appreciated....
Horror - the rear subframe, mountings and various suspension parts have started to corrode.
Is this usual ? Perhaps not many owner have the opportunity or desire to look into the dark void at the rear of their cars?
I intend getting it back on the lift soon and armed with a wire brush and a tin of POR-15 satin black, hope to make it look as nice underneath as it does on top.
Any comments much appreciated....
Thank you all for your comments.
I suppose that it is inevitable to see some surface rust after 13 years. Looking back at my earlier years of car ownership the Mini's that I owned back in the late 60's would be rusted right through the floor after 3 years!
It was just a shock to find rust as this is my first Aston after dreaming of owning one since my teenage years.
I have a Porsche 996 that is 16 years old and rust free!
Living in France does leave me a little on my own when it comes to comparing notes with other AM owners but I do get down to Le Mans every year where chatting with other owners is invaluable.
The upside of living here is that my car is so "unusual" it is a real head turner and a offers a photo opportunity for so many!
I suppose that it is inevitable to see some surface rust after 13 years. Looking back at my earlier years of car ownership the Mini's that I owned back in the late 60's would be rusted right through the floor after 3 years!
It was just a shock to find rust as this is my first Aston after dreaming of owning one since my teenage years.
I have a Porsche 996 that is 16 years old and rust free!
Living in France does leave me a little on my own when it comes to comparing notes with other AM owners but I do get down to Le Mans every year where chatting with other owners is invaluable.
The upside of living here is that my car is so "unusual" it is a real head turner and a offers a photo opportunity for so many!
There is no substitute for cleaning off as much as possible before treatment. Then all rust converters are based in phosphoric acid, which leaves a hard coating ready for overpainting and other external treatments. Scrubbing with a wire brush helps the converter to eat up the rust. The end result depends on the effort expended - that is unless you take the frame off for shot blasting and re-powder coating
[quote=moncontourist]I have a Porsche 996 that is 16 years old and rust free!/quote]
Did some work helping a major manufacturer benchmark performance cars. The engineers said of all cars they had compared, Porsche was the best for the stuff that becomes important years into a purchase like seam sealing, quality of fasteners etc and so on.
To clarify. The manufacture was not Porsche or related to them.
Did some work helping a major manufacturer benchmark performance cars. The engineers said of all cars they had compared, Porsche was the best for the stuff that becomes important years into a purchase like seam sealing, quality of fasteners etc and so on.
To clarify. The manufacture was not Porsche or related to them.
davek_964 said:
I had a 996 turbo, and it was no better underneath than my Vantage is.
Does make me chuckle... so the Porsche cooling system comprising aluminium pipes and steel collars is a really good idea? Had to replace the ENTIRE cooling system of a ten year old Cayman due to this idiocy of bimetallic corrosion, with the a/c condensers, luckily knew about it pre-purchase so bargain.Every car has its foibles, 13 years with some surface corrosion is ok. We use salt, it causes corrosion...
vernierMike said:
Does make me chuckle... so the Porsche cooling system comprising aluminium pipes and steel collars is a really good idea? Had to replace the ENTIRE cooling system of a ten year old Cayman due to this idiocy of bimetallic corrosion, with the a/c condensers, luckily knew about it pre-purchase so bargain.
Every car has its foibles, 13 years with some surface corrosion is ok. We use salt, it causes corrosion...
I've had three 911s and had to change the front condensers on all of them after 2/3 years due to corrosion, they're made of chocolate!!!!Every car has its foibles, 13 years with some surface corrosion is ok. We use salt, it causes corrosion...
Jon39 said:
There now seem to be many products described as rust converters.
Do any of you have a favourite, which perhaps works better than most ?
Don't apply too much, wipe off the excess and cover your brakes!
https://www.hammerite.co.uk/product/waxoyl/
_Sorted_]oncontourist]I have a Porsche 996 that is 16 years old and rust free!/quote said:
Did some work helping a major manufacturer benchmark performance cars. The engineers said of all cars they had compared, Porsche was the best for the stuff that becomes important years into a purchase like seam sealing, quality of fasteners etc and so on.
To clarify. The manufacture was not Porsche or related to them.
Those engineers were pulling you leg - at least regarding flxings. Porsche are renowned for corroded fixings on 996 on. Ask 996 /997 owners how many exhaust fixings, studs, wheel nuts, cooling pipes, tandem pumps, heat shields etc they have had? Forums are full of complaints. Many owners have since upgraded with aftermarket stainless fittings.To clarify. The manufacture was not Porsche or related to them.
it depends on how well the car has been looked after. Some never see the wet, let alone salty roads 
I have the same rear subframe corrosion with my Vantage (2009). Similarly I noticed during a service when it was up on the ramps and set my mind to rectifying it myself, having heard worrying quotes of £10k to replace the front subframe on the early Vanquish, I thought it best to nip it in the bud before it does become structural.
It's now been off the road for 12 months while I valiantly do battle with corrosion resulting from 9 years (66k miles) of use in the best and worst conditions that the UK has to offer.
The subframe was just surface corrosion, and that has now been sorted by removal, shot blasting and painting with a 3 layer wet paint system of offshore grade. Various brackets, rear grills, coil springs and anti-roll bar etc done at the same time.
What was more concerning was the number of seized bolts and other badly corroded items that I've now had to replace. Such as inlet and outlet pipes for the transmission cooler, handbrake adjusters and wishbone bushes. The latter particularly annoying as it's impossible to get hold of new bushes, so new lower arms were required.
I've had all the fasteners zinc plated or replaced the really bad ones, and I'm now in the process of reassembling using a liberal application of marine grade grease to prevent any of the galvanic corrosion that's caused a lot of the issues I've found along the way. Once it's all back together everything painted will get a dousing in Bilt Hamber Dynax S50, and exposed aluminium will get Bilt Hamber UC (clear), that should keep things ship shape for a while.
Having seen what I have during this process I would encourage regular inspection and early treatment with underbody wax to prevent this. Oh and the bit of copper ease that garages slap on to bolts to make it look like they've checked things over, does nothing to prevent things like the toe/camber adjusting bolts seizing up, which makes for an interesting time when it comes to getting the wheels aligned, just saying.
I'm looking forward to getting it back on the road, then there's just the issue of wheel refurb and corroded wing mirror brackets to sort out, seems like a never ending list, but I still wouldn't dream of selling it for all the joy it brings me.
It's now been off the road for 12 months while I valiantly do battle with corrosion resulting from 9 years (66k miles) of use in the best and worst conditions that the UK has to offer.
The subframe was just surface corrosion, and that has now been sorted by removal, shot blasting and painting with a 3 layer wet paint system of offshore grade. Various brackets, rear grills, coil springs and anti-roll bar etc done at the same time.
What was more concerning was the number of seized bolts and other badly corroded items that I've now had to replace. Such as inlet and outlet pipes for the transmission cooler, handbrake adjusters and wishbone bushes. The latter particularly annoying as it's impossible to get hold of new bushes, so new lower arms were required.
I've had all the fasteners zinc plated or replaced the really bad ones, and I'm now in the process of reassembling using a liberal application of marine grade grease to prevent any of the galvanic corrosion that's caused a lot of the issues I've found along the way. Once it's all back together everything painted will get a dousing in Bilt Hamber Dynax S50, and exposed aluminium will get Bilt Hamber UC (clear), that should keep things ship shape for a while.
Having seen what I have during this process I would encourage regular inspection and early treatment with underbody wax to prevent this. Oh and the bit of copper ease that garages slap on to bolts to make it look like they've checked things over, does nothing to prevent things like the toe/camber adjusting bolts seizing up, which makes for an interesting time when it comes to getting the wheels aligned, just saying.
I'm looking forward to getting it back on the road, then there's just the issue of wheel refurb and corroded wing mirror brackets to sort out, seems like a never ending list, but I still wouldn't dream of selling it for all the joy it brings me.
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