Recommend car that won't rust

youtheman

Looking for some advice please. My folks (retired and in their late 70's) need to replace the car (currently drive an '98 Megane). Looking for something along the lines of Fiesta/Corsa/Fabia/Ibiza.

They live close to the sea, and salt water corrosion is always a problem. I'd recommend they stay away for French and Italian cars because of the reliability, and my impression is that the Japanese cars aren't the greatest in the salt laden atmosphere.

Can any recommend a model ?.

samsemtex

Volvo are pretty rust free as far as I know. I think they are designed in Sweden with gritting roads in mind. Then again that may just be my imagination.

youtheman

Volvo - Hmmmmm - hadn't thought about that (should have though). Not sure what small model they make, but certainly worth a look. My auld man would like something with a bit of weight behind it, my mother would like something more manageable. Mike be some bargains to be had.

Thank's for that Sam.

RobertM

Ford maybe ?

Henry Ford III

All modern cars shouldn't rust. Most/all have a long warranty against it.

smash

Buy a TVR - they're made of plastic!

vectra

youtheman wrote: »

They live close to the sea, and salt water corrosion is always a problem. I'd recommend they stay away for French and Italian cars because of the reliability, and my impression is that the Japanese cars aren't the greatest in the salt laden atmosphere.

Can any recommend a model ?.

EPM

Audi A2?

Small, solid and made of Aluminum.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Audi/A2/1.4-75BH/201013197441198/advert?channel=CARS

pcardin

Trabant!

mike65

Renault A610

Hair Ball

yes all cars built from about 1988 on wards don't have rust problems
I would recommend a Toyota Corolla you can't beat the Japs .
My apologies if any little yellow people are reading this ,but you
do make good Cars and fast food .:)

bazz26

youtheman wrote: »

Volvo - Hmmmmm - hadn't thought about that (should have though). Not sure what small model they make, but certainly worth a look. My auld man would like something with a bit of weight behind it, my mother would like something more manageable. Mike be some bargains to be had.

Thank's for that Sam.

The smallest car Volvo make is the C30:



Not the most practical car for it's size, more of a coupe than a hatchback. Interior is a bit tight and I cannot see it appealing much to a retired couple to be honest. The smallest engine in them is 1.6 litre also.

youtheman

Hair Ball wrote: »

yes all cars built from about 1988 on wards don't have rust problems

I beg to differ. Looked under the bonnet of the folks 98 Megane and there was major evidence of salt water corrosion on the engine, bulkhead and every other piece of metal.

L1011

Hair Ball wrote: »

yes all cars built from about 1988 on wards don't have rust problems
I would recommend a Toyota Corolla you can't beat the Japs .
My apologies if any little yellow people are reading this ,but you
do make good Cars and fast food .:)

Take a look at any older type Ford Ka or recent enough Merc C class if you want to see a well post 1988 car rusting.

Also, Japanese fast food is fecking VILE

robtri

Henry Ford III wrote: »

All modern cars shouldn't rust. Most/all have a long warranty against it.

RobertM wrote: »

Ford maybe ?

Hair Ball wrote: »

yes all cars built from about 1988 on wards don't have rust problems
I would recommend a Toyota Corolla you can't beat the Japs .
My apologies if any little yellow people are reading this ,but you
do make good Cars and fast food .:)

i will have to disagree here lads....
cant find the thread but there was a thread recently here about brand new cars rusted badly upon delivery......

stimpson

defo something aluminium like a Honda NSX, Audi A8, or indeed the A2 if you want to be all sensible

robtri

if they are mad....

lotus elise or opel speedster :D

af_thefragile

Lotus Elite.
The whole thing was made out of fiberglass!

Guy:Incognito

robtri wrote: »

i will have to disagree here lads....
cant find the thread but there was a thread recently here about brand new cars rusted badly upon delivery......

It was a couple of Transit connects and 1 or 2 Mondeo's iirc.

Beta1

I see all the cars that have been recommended, and they are great, but if you are looking for value for Money, a car that has given no trouble since it came out in 2007 is the Fiat Bravo. I think they have a 7 year anti-corrosion warranty ( could be wrong), and the one I had ( passed on to my Parents) is a fantastic car. The car has been in Cork for the last 2 years down the East Coast near Ballycotton, and is still excellent !. i have seen other cars with surface rust come on them a few years old, but not on the Fiat's - they really have sorted it out.

i'm just saying this because they are great value for money.

Hair Ball

Beta1 wrote: »

I see all the cars that have been recommended, and they are great, but if you are looking for value for Money, a car that has given no trouble since it came out in 2007 is the Fiat Bravo. I think they have a 7 year anti-corrosion warranty ( could be wrong), and the one I had ( passed on to my Parents) is a fantastic car. The car has been in Cork for the last 2 years down the East Coast near Ballycotton, and is still excellent !. i have seen other cars with surface rust come on them a few years old, but not on the Fiat's - they really have sorted it out.

i'm just saying this because they are great value for money.

If you want to loose money about 40% for the first year, then buy a fiat.
I'M sticking with my Yellow friends in Japo land ,or a VW Golf The Hun make
a bloody good Car.
As for the rust on your parents car, is it rust or a little dog poo a Quick
Sniff should confirm

youtheman

Beta1 wrote: »

I see all the cars that have been recommended, and they are great, but if you are looking for value for Money, a car that has given no trouble since it came out in 2007 is the Fiat Bravo. I think they have a 7 year anti-corrosion warranty ( could be wrong), and the one I had ( passed on to my Parents) is a fantastic car. The car has been in Cork for the last 2 years down the East Coast near Ballycotton, and is still excellent !. i have seen other cars with surface rust come on them a few years old, but not on the Fiat's - they really have sorted it out.

i'm just saying this because they are great value for money.

I think the Fiats maybe galvanised. I believe the Punto was (my wife drivers a Grande Punto, need to check to see if it is galvanised). If my folks were to consider a Fiat then they would have to balance the corrosion resistance with the undoubted unreliability (sorry Fiat owner, but I speak with some experience here).

EPM

Hair Ball wrote: »

If you want to loose money about 40% for the first year, then buy a fiat.
I'M sticking with my Yellow friends in Japo land ,or a VW Golf The Hun make
a bloody good Car.
As for the rust on your parents car, is it rust or a little dog poo a Quick
Sniff should confirm

I really don't know where to start with that one

L1011

youtheman wrote: »

I think the Fiats maybe galvanised. I believe the Punto was (my wife drivers a Grande Punto, need to check to see if it is galvanised). If my folks were to consider a Fiat then they would have to balance the corrosion resistance with the undoubted unreliability (sorry Fiat owner, but I speak with some experience here).

I would have assumed ALL cars were galvanised these days.

We've had nearly nothing other than Fiat's in this house and not one has had rust since the 1994 reg one. 5 to 8 year anti perforation warranty on any recent model.

Don't live beside the sea but the cars spend enough time on an offshore island in Donegal or sitting on the pierside in the ferry port!

Anan1

The only post-2000 cars i've ever seen with rust were Mercedes.

testicle

Alfasud !

L1011

testicle wrote: »

Alfasud !

That only won't rust by virtue of there being no solid metal left to rust

galwaytt

Hair Ball wrote: »

If you want to loose money about 40% for the first year, then buy a fiat.
I'M sticking with my Yellow friends in Japo land ,or a VW Golf The Hun make
a bloody good Car.

Obviously then: you've never owned a Fiat, or a VW 1.4 petrol. Fiat's haven't rusted in a long, long time (sic), and VW out-do anyone with the ball of shyte, that is their 1.4 engine.

youtheman wrote: »

I think the Fiats maybe galvanised. I believe the Punto was (my wife drivers a Grande Punto, need to check to see if it is galvanised). If my folks were to consider a Fiat then they would have to balance the corrosion resistance with the undoubted unreliability (sorry Fiat owner, but I speak with some experience here).

Well I bought a new Fiat in 96, and I'm sorry I sold it, tbh, years later. Best car experience I ever had. Have had other relatives/friends buy them since, with no issues.

stimpson wrote: »

defo something aluminium like a Honda NSX, Audi A8, or indeed the A2 if you want to be all sensible

Why do people think Aluminium doesn't corrode ? Oh yes it does, and unprotected, a heck of a lot faster than steel, actually.....

Anan1 wrote: »

The only post-2000 cars i've ever seen with rust were Mercedes.

LOL, funny you should say that: my old 01 W201 would agree !

bmw535d

i don't think they have made such a car yet...all cars will rust

what a bout a corvette they have fiberglass body's:P

would suit a pensioner to the ground:D

we had an 89 jap import pajeroe once that was under coated with a rubber like gunk underneath,at the same time we bought a uk spec 97 shogun and it actully had 10 times more rust on it

so id look into the japs if i were you

mayoman ngalway

saab's, should be ok, as far as i know their in the same boat as the volvos.

Andrew33

Hair Ball wrote: »

yes all cars built from about 1988 on wards don't have rust problems
I would recommend a Toyota Corolla you can't beat the Japs .
My apologies if any little yellow people are reading this ,but you
do make good Cars and fast food .:)

Fast food? Japan???? are you thinking of their neighbours????

Once they get it washed regularly most modern car should be fine, as said they will all rust eventually probably. Dunno where the post 88 cars won't rust comes from, all of the following had bits and pieces of rust (minor) on them while I had them 1990 rover 414 (tiny bit inside drivers door), 1995 rover 214 SEi (above the hatch where the water used to hang around), 1997 Rover 400 (bottom of rear arches), 1993 Prelude (rear archs) & 1992 Merc 250 (tailgate, rear windscreen, odd blister here and there).

The ones that haven't 1999 Rover 600 and 1995 Celica, just got a 1993 520i tourer this week and she has minor bits that have been touched up, nothing structural.

My Dad has a 1999 Hyundai Accent from new and it's mint, sister has a 2001 Ka and I haven't found any rust despite looking for it once or twice.

As other folks have said the 95 on Mercs were shocking for rust, especially ones who were driven on salted roads.

Tea 1000

galwaytt wrote: »

Obviously then: you've never owned a Fiat, or a VW 1.4 petrol. Fiat's haven't rusted in a long, long time (sic), and VW out-do anyone with the ball of shyte, that is their 1.4 engine.


Well I bought a new Fiat in 96, and I'm sorry I sold it, tbh, years later. Best car experience I ever had. Have had other relatives/friends buy them since, with no issues.

Why do people think Aluminium doesn't corrode ? Oh yes it does, and unprotected, a heck of a lot faster than steel, actually.....

LOL, funny you should say that: my old 01 W201 would agree !

Aluminium is very resistant to corrosion due to it's oxide coating. I've seen first hand how well aluminium resists corrosion... we have a steel boat, which requires the proper treatment for obvious reasons to protect from rust. However there's an aluminium boat beside us which is on the go and literally abused and neglected for the past 22 years now, and it's still perfect.
Agree on the Fiats though, one in my family is around for 5 years with us now and is 9 years old, and never missed a beat.
Might be worth noting that Fiats 150bhp TJet 1.4 petrol has no known issues, which can't be said of VW's 1.4 turbo effort... Maybe it's because VW were new to the idea of building a proper petrol engine after years of utter shyte.

galwaytt

20 years old this year, stripped as you can see, no finished paint under the wings/etc, and yet.........not a speck of rust. Must be made of unobtainium...:D

Hagar

Reliant Robin is all fibreglass afaik plus you'd save 25% on tyres.