Originally Posted by
m4v3r1ck
Dealer in The Hague claims 10 years or so for body rust. I asked other dealer and local garage they said the cars nowadays has different kind of metal/protection to prevent rust. I can't find any "Ziebart" anti rust protection in Holland.
Unless this "metal" they speak of is plastic, I am still skeptical. Conditions of moisture, salt (which attracts and holds moisture), sand/gravel (abrasion), UV rays and temperature fluctuations (expansion/contraction), are difficult to resist for just about any material. Even aluminum will oxidize, fiberglass with chalk/check, and steel will rust unless encapsulated in paint or some other barrier. Certainly some metal is better than others, and modern cars do seem to do well, especially if kept clean and in a garage, but 10 years down the road, most vehicles around here have some rust.
Another issue I face is that the body rust on my Focus is relatively minimal and can easily be touched up from time to time. However, the corrosion of other parts frequently costs me money. Every time my brakes need work, for example, the mechanic points out the rusted-together parts that need replacing. It isn't just the body that suffers from rust, but all exposed metal.
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