An observation

[Bren]

I cannot help but noticing that tatty, rusty old heaps seem to be making something of a comeback.

 

In the past few days I have seen BMW's and Hyundai coupe's sporting rot that was commonplace 25 years ago. I mean that a good kick would be enough remove large sections of panel.

 

I am not saying that cars are more likely to rust, it seems that people cannot afford to change, so they are keeping their cars until large swathes of bodywork fall off.

 

I predict another scrappage scheme in the future, however old oil burners will be in the government's sights - the damage they do to the environment is now becoming apparent.

 

The government harp on about car production being fantastic in this country - how many are for export?

[UmBongo]

I see a lot of rusty Ford Ka things creeping around the streets.

 

They ain't even that old.

[fordperv]

yes i have been noticing similar rocking about

[DVee8]

Around 85% of what we make goes for export.

 

It mostly depends on what is selling,a lot is now going to Russia.

[Bren]

My brother works at Land Rover - nearly everything going out of the country.

[Partridge]

Yes, I've noticed there's a few more rusty heaps around...I'm not complaining

[Timewaster]

I passed a V reg Galaxy walking home earlier. It looked as if you pulled the tailgate handle it would come off in your hand surrounded by jagged rust.

 

The rest of it didn't look at all bad.

[richardmorris]

As I parked in Waitrose this morning I noticed the very rusty front wing of a merc. estate pull alongside. As I got out I noticed it was a 56 reg. - more rust than mine despite being 12 years younger.

[crapcarcollector]

My garage owning mate says he's doing more welding now than he's done in the last 10 years. He reckons the switch to water based paint and less rustproofing is to blame.....

[rml2345]

I've been noticing more shonky heaps too. It's not just rust either as mismatched panels are making a comeback too.

[Jim Bell]

I fucking love mismatched panels. They're the mark of a man who truly does not give a fuck what you think, and likes his car.

[cort1977]

Waterbased paint seems to be the culprit for a lot of this.   Mercedes cars and vans from the late 90's / 2000s suffer badly.   What kind of twat would knowingly buy a W210 estate with rotten wings?  

 

Hello, I'm here all week.  

[garethj]

Water based paint can't be the culprit, it was used from the early 90s on Peugeots and 205s didn't suffer from rust.

 

Perhaps fewer dips in the primer to save cost?  Also, at work we sometimes get galvanised steel painted and the paint actually lifts off under corrosion testing.  I think the glav does it's protective thing by oxidising and that forces the paint away.  I haven't got to the bottom of it yet, but under testing the paint can be peeled away in sheets!

[mercrocker]

I fucking love mismatched panels. They're the mark of a man who truly does not give a fuck what you think, and likes his car.

My absolute favourite memory of this was when I was still at school....There was a Standard Ten which somebody had painted white to the middle of the roof and red on the other side of the car.   On the red half he painted white dots and on the white side, red dots...Inevitably it died soon afterwards and went to the local scrappy.   For years afterwards various local Eights and Tens sported a polka dot door or bonnet.    

[RoadworkUK]

What I find galling is that the wrong cars seem to rust. Loads of big, expensive barges that I lust after are condemned to death by tinworn, while myriad bloody Civics, Corollas and other chariots of tedium remain un-nibbled.

[Partridge]

My absolute favourite memory of this was when I was still at school....There was a Standard Ten which somebody had painted white to the middle of the roof and red on the other side of the car.   On the red half he painted white dots and on the white side, red dots...Inevitably it died soon afterwards and went to the local scrappy.   For years afterwards various local Eights and Tens sported a polka dot door or bonnet.    

That genuinely made me laugh out loud!

[cort1977]

Water based paint can't be the culprit, it was used from the early 90s on Peugeots and 205s didn't suffer from rust.

 

Perhaps fewer dips in the primer to save cost?  Also, at work we sometimes get galvanised steel painted and the paint actually lifts off under corrosion testing.  I think the glav does it's protective thing by oxidising and that forces the paint away.  I haven't got to the bottom of it yet, but under testing the paint can be peeled away in sheets!

Well I would guess that each manufacturer has a different but similar paint process involving water based paint.   I have read that it is the culprit for Mercedes in several places but it may not be the case and MB certainly never admitted anything publically.

 

Galvanising does protect by sacrificial oxidation when the base steel is damaged and the zinc layer will oxidise slowly when exposed.   But if the paint is working it should not allow oxygen to get to the zinc layer or the steel below for oxidation.   Therefore if it's coming off in sheets I would guess that poor paint adhesion is the problem.    Maybe that is the problem with cars though, some primers stick to galvanized coatings better than others.

 

I think member Scooters has a corrosion protection business, would be interesting to hear what he thinks.

[Spiny Norman]

I've been noticing more shonky heaps too. It's not just rust either as mismatched panels are making a comeback too.

 

That's what you get when you go to a Scotoshite meet. Rust, cable ties, duck tape and underpants, often on the same car.

[DVee8]

In the 90's and early 2000's we used coils of steel that had an organic film on one side to protect the unpainted panel side,since around 2004 we no longer use this.

[dave21478]

It seems that some moderns are even fully painted. I know on my citroen the underside of the bonnet and much of the engine bay are not top-coated. If they havent painted there, its doubtful its been painted on the backs of the wheelarches etc. Seen quite a few like this.