2016 Mk7 Golf GTi rust

2016 Mk7 Golf GTi rust

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burger81

Original Poster:

249 posts

155 months

Thursday 12th September 2019
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Try and cut a long story short...I'm after peoples experiences of rust and maybe any paint sprayers/experts.

So found some rust bubbles a while back, size of a thumb nail on lower back part of the sill on the car, say just above the side skirt in front of the rear wheel.

Took it to VW, warranty guy had a look, found 2 more spots nearby it. Said it looked like a paint defect and he'd send it to the next level who approve paint repairs.

Next level up say it's a stone chip that's caused it and wash their hands of it. Warranty guy says he thinks it isn't, can they take another look. (they only go on his photos, they don't view in person). They look again and say nope, still think it's a stone chip.

Now it's obviously not a stone chip as there is no chip. The paint has lifted up from the surface in all 3 of these spots.

I went to a paint specialist some where local and he reckoned it's rusted underneath the spots He had a good look round the car and found one more spot and 2 even worse bits.

The 2 worst being under the front doors, on both sides of the car! Pics attached of these...paint has actually come away. There is no way stones have chipped identical places on my doors!

So I'm booked in to go back to the warranty guy and to go from there. I can't see how they can say stone chip now.

But my worry is if there is more to this? Is the paint bad everywhere and it's just not festered to the surface yet? The warranty guy did a paint thickness test and said it's as it should be.
I'm just worried I may have a lemon of a car, paint or rust wise.

I'm the 2nd owner. Car was bought from a VW dealer who ran it as a demo for 6 months.




Neil1b24

67 posts

141 months

Thursday 12th September 2019
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Don’t know if it’s related but I ran a 2016 Golf 7 R for 2 years from new and was appalled how easily it picked up stone chips on the bonnet. The paint appeared to be wafer thin all over really and very orange peely. I could make an imprint with my thumbnail on the bumpers. Some of the larger chips were down to the metal and had started to corrode.

I did have some photos but seems I’ve deleted them.

Would be interested to see if this becomes a “thing” with the MK7 as they get older.

I’m running an old MK4 now as a station car. 16 years old, 175k and barely a chip and no rust to speak of.

Hope you get it sorted.

Initforthemoney

743 posts

143 months

Thursday 12th September 2019
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Take it to another VW dealer.

davebem

746 posts

176 months

Thursday 12th September 2019
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Thats strange that the paint almost looks like its scraped/flaked off in the same spot each side, have you had the car from new and know all its history?
Mine is ok on that area although theres some surface rust forming on the front subframe.

Novexx

346 posts

73 months

Thursday 12th September 2019
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Just got rid of a 15 plate GTI with plenty of miles on & with the exception of a couple of chips on the bonnet (which hadn't rusted or grown) it was clean as a whistle.

It's pretty regular form for cases like this to be initially knocked back by warranty (most brands) & it can sometimes take a bit of perseverance from both the claimant & the dealer involved to get a resolution...... Going to an alternative dealer may help, but if it's getting knocked back at the approval stage by warranty rather than by the dealer it may not help.

I would suggest going down the formal complaint route with VW, mentioning the word "lawyer" & consider getting a written appraisal of the issue from an approved bodyshop - likely to get a faster resolution by doing so.

227bhp

10,203 posts

127 months

Thursday 12th September 2019
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Where are these places exactly on the car? One looks like a door, the other not.
The door one could have been caused by someone opening it onto a low wall or something.
If it's in front of the rear wheel then they are not stone chips.

burger81

Original Poster:

249 posts

155 months

Friday 13th September 2019
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If I don't get a good result from the 2nd appointment then I will have no choice but to complain and take things further. Members of VW complaints department have been copied in on emails to be made aware I wasn't happy with the outcome of the first decision.

I've included a photo to show where the defects are.

A is where the previous attached photos are, but 1 photo is from the other side of the car.

B is where the original rust bubbles were found that were said to be stone chips. I can't get a good enough photo to show them clearly.

I am the 2nd owner of the car, bought from VW dealership and one of the staff used it as their demo for 6 months.

My main worry is still if they sort this issue does it point to an inherent issue with rust on the car? I'm worried about this because of how early in its life it's showing rust already and in such odd places.

Independent report sounds like a good idea from another sprayer.

Novexx

346 posts

73 months

Friday 13th September 2019
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burger81 said:
My main worry is still if they sort this issue does it point to an inherent issue with rust on the car? I'm worried about this because of how early in its life it's showing rust already and in such odd places.
I understand your concern, but don't think you will get any dice by bringing it up. If it gets repaired this will be carried out in the context of the hear & now without any "future proofing" or consideration to preventative work. While not quite the same, it's a bit like taking a healthy car in & requesting the injectors or whatever changed as other have had an issue that you don't have, but want to avoid the possibility of in the future - it's not going to happen, not broke / don't fix.

On the positive side;

If the job is done via warranty, any diligent shop would have a reasonable check of the concerned area & rework accordingly (within the limits of what VW authorise though..) as they will not want a repeat job arriving back on their doorstep.

Should the issue raise its head again after repair & within the warranty period, records will show that there is previous form with the issue which should make things easier (request some form of physical documentation from the repairer if / when the initial job is complete - may come in useful down the line!).

Sa Calobra

37,011 posts

210 months

Friday 13th September 2019
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Didn't VW cost down quite drastically and show off their production savings from the MK5 through to the MK7?

I remember thinking where have they cut corners?

Novexx

346 posts

73 months

Saturday 14th September 2019
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Sa Calobra said:
Didn't VW cost down quite drastically and show off their production savings from the MK5 through to the MK7?

I remember thinking where have they cut corners?
Can only speak from personal experience, but the Mk5 was solid, Mk6 was like a thrown together, corner cut Mk5 & Mk7 solid.

burger81

Original Poster:

249 posts

155 months

Saturday 14th September 2019
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Here are the areas on the car

A is the bad rust shown in previous post

B is the area originally found bubbling under the paint work


Chris32345

2,082 posts

61 months

Saturday 14th September 2019
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I expect the next excuse would be car has not had it's annual anti corrosion Inspection done often at additional cost on top of standard inspection/service

stewies_minion

1,165 posts

186 months

Saturday 14th September 2019
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Strikes me as a VW anti corrosion problem. I expect once you've pushed a tad harder you'll be met with a very sensible answer and it will be dealt with.

If not, IME VW central complaints are very helpful.

Sa Calobra

37,011 posts

210 months

Sunday 15th September 2019
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burger81 said:
Here are the areas on the car

A is the bad rust shown in previous post

B is the area originally found bubbling under the paint work

It'd be interesting to see if you could get some sort of a mini camera into the sills

burger81

Original Poster:

249 posts

155 months

Sunday 15th September 2019
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Sa Calobra said:
burger81 said:
Here are the areas on the car

A is the bad rust shown in previous post

B is the area originally found bubbling under the paint work

It'd be interesting to see if you could get some sort of a mini camera into the sills
Me too. Wonder if VW would go to that effort for me

gweaver

906 posts

157 months

Sunday 15th September 2019
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burger81 said:
But my worry is if there is more to this? Is the paint bad everywhere and it's just not festered to the surface yet? The warranty guy did a paint thickness test and said it's as it should be.
I'm just worried I may have a lemon of a car, paint or rust wise.
This would be my concern too. Even with stone chips, I wouldn't expect blistering like that so early in the life of the car. What you've seen already could be the tip of the iceberg, so I'd be looking to get rid.

warch

2,941 posts

153 months

Sunday 15th September 2019
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My previous generation Golf had dreadful superficial rust issues, and was starting to deteriorate structurally by the time I offloaded last year. I think it's just an issue they have, presumably down to corrosion protection or paint deficiencies.

Sheepshanks

32,531 posts

118 months

Sunday 15th September 2019
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burger81 said:
Took it to VW, warranty guy had a look, found 2 more spots nearby it. Said it looked like a paint defect and he'd send it to the next level who approve paint repairs.

Next level up say it's a stone chip that's caused it and wash their hands of it. Warranty guy says he thinks it isn't, can they take another look. (they only go on his photos, they don't view in person). They look again and say nope, still think it's a stone chip.
Who / where is the "next level up" person?

I had an issue with diamond cut wheels which VW had bizarelly fitted to the very basic mk6 Golf Twist. Dealer warranty guy said they weren't bad enough to do anything with. VW wouldn't get involved at all and said it entirely rests with the dealer.

Patch1875

4,893 posts

131 months

Sunday 15th September 2019
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Not the same car but I’ve a 2017 Octavia and that’s got paint bubbling under the rear number plate.

Awaiting Skoda to approve repair. The body shop took pictures and confirmed the car is accident free but Skoda are wanting even more taken before authorising.

chan61922

535 posts

61 months

Tuesday 17th September 2019
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Slighty off topic and your situation, but I have a 2016 golf R in black, only bought back in June as an approved used car from VW, car looked mint in show room, took it home and a few days later after there polish wore off car was covered in swirl marks a few fair size scratches and stone chips peppered over the front end. Annoyed! Just last month I had it 4 stage machine polished and most the swirls are gone as are the scratches, car is black so stands out like a sore thumb. God knows what clown Owed before me it’s only on 26k and paint was shocking. Previous car was a 10 year old bmw also in black, even though that car was 10 years old it shamed my 3 year golf by far. In fact my last 4 cars have Been BMW’s all 9/10 year old plus and every single one of them had better paint work, point of the story VW are skimping on the paint work nowadays, god knows what thin rubbish they are using. I’m kicking myself had my heart set on a white or lapiz blue but the black just ticked all the boxes spec wise grrr. Back to your situation if get on to some some sort of consumer rights/ law firm? Worth a pop right?