The days when we feared corrosion after just a few years of driving a new car are long gone, and many drivers today hardly think about this problem.
However, that doesn't mean that rust is gone. Modern car manufacturers typically offer warranties against corrosion and paint damage that last six, ten, or even twelve years (while paint is usually three to five years), but that doesn't mean that all risks have been completely eliminated.
To begin with, you need to know exactly what is covered by this warranty, because it does not apply to every rust occurrence on a vehicle, although you might think so. That is why it is especially important to check specifically for each make and model of vehicle how long the warranty lasts and what exactly it covers, reports N1.
For example, the formulation that many manufacturers like to use says that rust refers to perforations in the bodywork that have penetrated from the inside out, caused by manufacturing defects or materials used.
Surface rust, on the other hand, is often lumped in with paint, so in that case you should expect a three or five year warranty, not 10 or 12.
In addition, some of them also prescribe what exactly is considered a body, and in doing so, they list doors and engine and trunk lids, but on the other hand, they do not recognize parts such as bumpers or hinges as part of it.
So, in this case, it is especially important to read all, even the smallest letters on the warranty card. If we add to all this the fact that used cars, especially cars five to ten years old, are being imported and resold more than ever, there will certainly be no shortage of work for bodyshops, but also for painters who deal with the repair of the aforementioned and similar problems, writes HAK Revija.
Corrosion, of course, is not something to be afraid of, but it should definitely be taken into account, which is confirmed by the profession.
"In the case of corrosion on the bodywork, early prevention is in any case the most important thing, so as not to go too far. It should also be noted that thorough washing of the vehicle is mandatory to remove all dirt and salt, including the undercarriage. Furthermore, it would be a good idea to polish or wax the bodywork twice a year, both because of ultraviolet rays in the summer and because of salt deposits in the winter," explains Drago Novačić, an experienced body painter, for HAK Magazine.
Apart from washing, which is the most important thing in the case of corrosion, he adds, any minor damage should be repaired as soon as possible. The rust should be cleaned and the area should be coated with a quality anti-corrosion agent, with the next steps being a two-component epoxy primer and a coat of paint.
Rust most often appears on the edges, or at the joints of two sheets of metal, i.e. on the sills, the edges of the fenders or hood, as well as on the edges of the doors.
In addition, even the slightest damage caused, for example, by a stone impact, can trigger the formation of corrosion, and it is especially important to know that if a car has been damaged and repaired, it is more likely that the first traces of corrosion will appear on it.
As for the chassis, the same applies again, mud accumulations in mud holes contain moisture and can therefore cause corrosion. In other words, cleanliness is half the battle here too.
The chassis suffers from bridges, shoulders and body joints. Because of all this, the expert points out, after ten years almost every car is a good candidate for a thorough washing and cleaning and possible protection with bitumen.
Therefore, the rust needs to be thoroughly cleaned, or removed to a clean, completely healthy part. In some cases, it is also necessary to sandblast in places (in more severe cases) or at least brush cleaning (in milder cases), as well as coating with an anti-corrosion agent or two-component primer, and protecting with bitumen, and on the inside with wax.
Novačić agrees that with the import of more and more used cars from abroad, problems with rust in sheet metal and oxidation in aluminum are becoming more common. To prevent buyers of such vehicles from incurring large losses instead of savings, it is wise to have the target car thoroughly inspected by a professional body shop, as the costs of quality protection are high.
If done according to the rules, it is an expensive and very demanding job that must be performed exclusively by experts.
But apart from them, he warns, on the market today you can find more and more other "masters" who for relatively little money just spray the lower part of the vehicle with bitumen, but they do it without any prior cleaning. This not only does not solve the problem, but only masks it and thereby destroys the possibility of any subsequent quality repair. That is why it is especially important who you entrust with the performance of this and similar work at the body shop.
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