Are cars in the UK prone to rust?
Discussion
There is the famous 'snow belt' in the US- basically the rule is to avoid buying any car in the northern part of the US.
Are our cars in worst nick than say northern US cars, or Norway, Sweden etc? We do have a lot of rain but do we really have that much salt on the road as our winters are relatively mild.
Are our cars in worst nick than say northern US cars, or Norway, Sweden etc? We do have a lot of rain but do we really have that much salt on the road as our winters are relatively mild.
Would suggest not buying a car from Scotland, unless it's been stored offroad during the winter. There's salt on the roads for 5-6 months of the year up here. Also lots of rain in the central belt.
A specialist dealer I was talking to a few months back said he always tried to source his cars from southern England or the Channel Islands as the climate is more benign and salt is not put down as often.
Also avoid coastal cars - salt from the sea can spread quite a way inland when the winds are high and stirring up the sea.
A specialist dealer I was talking to a few months back said he always tried to source his cars from southern England or the Channel Islands as the climate is more benign and salt is not put down as often.
Also avoid coastal cars - salt from the sea can spread quite a way inland when the winds are high and stirring up the sea.
My dad always made a point of avoiding cars with a S as the 2nd or 3rd letter in the old style number plates as these were Scottish & more prone to rust due to road salt etc - didn't take into account if the car had lived most of it's life elsewhere though but usually a good HU.
A local small dealer down here has Scottish connections and you often see cars with S at the start of their plates and these sometimes appear rougher than similar cars around here (may be how he buys stuff though).
Having had a E46 which, although 'English' registered, spend it's life as a company car for a Tyne ship yard, that was quite ripe underneath needing brake lines etc quite early in it's life. Mine you E46s don't have the best corrosion record.
A local small dealer down here has Scottish connections and you often see cars with S at the start of their plates and these sometimes appear rougher than similar cars around here (may be how he buys stuff though).
Having had a E46 which, although 'English' registered, spend it's life as a company car for a Tyne ship yard, that was quite ripe underneath needing brake lines etc quite early in it's life. Mine you E46s don't have the best corrosion record.
8Ace said:
This. Saw a mid 90s C class in Cornwall and it was the rustiest car I have ever seen on the road. Even the roof had gone rusty.
They'd only driven there for the day. ;-)Seriously though mid-90's was the height of MB's poor years and their cars from that era are rust-buckets.
vexed said:
MX5.
Am I doing it right?
Absolutely, look at the state of most mk1 MX5 sills, back arches, inner wings, subframe mounting points.Am I doing it right?
People used to say the imports were the best as the Japanese don't use road salt, they also don't put much in the way of underseal on their cars either so a fair number of once clean Jap imports and as rusty or worse than their UK relatives that have endured 20+ years of our climate.
8Ace said:
BGarside said:
Also avoid coastal cars - salt from the sea can spread quite a way inland when the winds are high and stirring up the sea.
This. Saw a mid 90s C class in Cornwall and it was the rustiest car I have ever seen on the road. Even the roof had gone rusty.Morningside said:
Rule round here was NEVER buy a car from a fisherman as it spends its life by the sea edge.
Good logic.I had a car from a relative who lives by the seaside, the exterior paintwork was absolutely fine with no real signs of wear just natural fading which you would expect since it had been parked up for a while.
The underside including all suspension/steering components, the exhaust system, the spare wheel bracket and brake lines looked at least another 20 years older than they really were.
This lower arm actually looked like it had been on the sea floor for years
Early E36s were bad anyway for rust, but my dad's 325i had quite extensive rust by the time it was 10 years old and became mine. My folks live across the road from the Sea and this no doubt played a big part even though the car was kept very clean and always garaged.
His E46 330d is now 12 years old and is also now starting to go around the arches and rear panel.
His E46 330d is now 12 years old and is also now starting to go around the arches and rear panel.
aka_kerrly said:
vexed said:
MX5.
Am I doing it right?
Absolutely, look at the state of most mk1 MX5 sills, back arches, inner wings, subframe mounting points.Am I doing it right?
People used to say the imports were the best as the Japanese don't use road salt, they also don't put much in the way of underseal on their cars either so a fair number of once clean Jap imports and as rusty or worse than their UK relatives that have endured 20+ years of our climate.
The worst are mk2.5 the front chassis rails are rusting inside out due to the crash protection built into it, as its covered by undertrays its hard to see.
This issue has been raised by the owners club to vosa for a special notice to go to all mot station because of the issue. Its an engine out sub frame off job to fully repair it. Mk3 are also rusting badly too see a 2 year old mk3 which looks like its been parked in a sea for 2 years underneath it.
BGarside said:
Would suggest not buying a car from Scotland, unless it's been stored offroad during the winter. There's salt on the roads for 5-6 months of the year up here. Also lots of rain in the central belt.
A specialist dealer I was talking to a few months back said he always tried to source his cars from southern England or the Channel Islands as the climate is more benign and salt is not put down as often.
Also avoid coastal cars - salt from the sea can spread quite a way inland when the winds are high and stirring up the sea.
This is excellent advice :-)A specialist dealer I was talking to a few months back said he always tried to source his cars from southern England or the Channel Islands as the climate is more benign and salt is not put down as often.
Also avoid coastal cars - salt from the sea can spread quite a way inland when the winds are high and stirring up the sea.
8Ace said:
BGarside said:
Also avoid coastal cars - salt from the sea can spread quite a way inland when the winds are high and stirring up the sea.
This. Saw a mid 90s C class in Cornwall and it was the rustiest car I have ever seen on the road. Even the roof had gone rusty.I took a photo of it last time I was there because if never seen anything like it.
A car which should have been silver (iirc) was mostly brown!
161BMW said:
BGarside said:
Would suggest not buying a car from Scotland, unless it's been stored offroad during the winter. There's salt on the roads for 5-6 months of the year up here. Also lots of rain in the central belt.
A specialist dealer I was talking to a few months back said he always tried to source his cars from southern England or the Channel Islands as the climate is more benign and salt is not put down as often.
Also avoid coastal cars - salt from the sea can spread quite a way inland when the winds are high and stirring up the sea.
This is excellent advice :-)A specialist dealer I was talking to a few months back said he always tried to source his cars from southern England or the Channel Islands as the climate is more benign and salt is not put down as often.
Also avoid coastal cars - salt from the sea can spread quite a way inland when the winds are high and stirring up the sea.
I live on the Isle of Wight and cars are run for what seems a lengthier than on the mainland. Not many rusty wrecks. This year I don't think the roads were gritted and usually they get done once or twice a year.....
Gary C said:
Also imported cars strapped to the top deck of ships and lashed with sea water before they get to the uk, and then sit wet in a field for weeks.
Most car carriers are enclosed. Plus the cars have a thick coat of transport wax all over it and plastic film on areas where water/dirt can sit - roof, bonnet, shoulder lines etc so sitting in a field isn't a problem.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff