Rust

MrMoots · Mar 5, 2015

Hi

I am looking for a 996 and saw a 2000 model c4 today and was surprised at the rust on it.

There was quite a lot of bubbling along the lower edge of the near side rear wing where it meets the rear bumper, I imagine this was a poor accident repair job.

There was rust around each door strike plate, one significantly worse than the other. Is this a common place for the 996 to rust?

Just to add I am not considering this car, it had far too many other bits as well, but just interested in the rust and if there are any other common 996 rust spots.

Thanks

Ross

Richard_Hamilton · Mar 5, 2015

The door striker plate was an issue on some of the early 996s. It is just movement between the plate and the body, and is usually cosmetic. On later cars they put a plastic film under the plate, which stopped it happening. Under the car they suffer from rusty heat shields, and occasionally brake pipes, but other than that body rust is very rare. You are probably right that it was as a result of a cheap repair.

andywill · Mar 5, 2015

Totally agree with Richard, rust is not a word normally associated with the 996 bodywork.

MrMoots · Mar 6, 2015

Thanks, that's good to hear rust is not common at this stage in the cars life. The search for a decent car continues....... Ross

richardjjs1 · Mar 7, 2015

Good luck keep us informed

Ripmax · Mar 7, 2015

I had rust on my front offside wing - pic attached. I ended up putting on a new one... I think that strip of foam traps mud and moisture and really doesn't help at all... The rest of the car is fine (so far)...

MrMoots · Mar 8, 2015

What did the foam do, close the gap between the arch liner and wing?

Ripmax · Mar 8, 2015

I don't know what it did, other than be a perfect trap for water.

Mike 911 · Mar 9, 2015

Bottom edge of engine cover (where the outer skin folds around to join inner skin). Improved design has additional drianage holes and sealant along the seam.

Richard_Hamilton · Mar 9, 2015

ORIGINAL: Mike 911 Bottom edge of engine cover (where the outer skin folds around to join inner skin). Improved design has additional drianage holes and sealant along the seam.

Well remembered Mike - I had forgotten about that one. It was recall campaign W103, and should be stamped in the book if it was done.

vf289 · Mar 19, 2015

I need to beg to differ with all these learned folk on this forum. I have a 1998 C2 and was shocked at the amount of rust I found. A few jobs for he MOT has turned into a restoration project. Not the body which I think is fine but a lot of the steel parts which attach to it. Radiator brackets and front struts were very rusty though superficially they looked fine. I used to spend every weekend restoring MG Midgets, MGB's and Marinas so I am no stranger to rust but the exhaust fixings were the worst I have ever seen. The rear bumper supports had disintegrated. I thought a previous owner had been parking it in the sea. It is a 17 year old car so I guess you need to expect this sort of thing and I have taken everything off cleaned, painted and/or bought new parts where necessary. It will be fine when I have finished and last another 17 years. It is a wonderful car and a keeper so I have not resented one minute of all the time I have spent in a cold garage this winter. Just don't assume it is Ok just because it appears to look OK from a casual inspection. If you find some rusty parts deal with them, it is only going to get worse.

Richard_Hamilton · Mar 19, 2015

Welcome Vaughan! We (or at least I) were talking about bodywork, rather than underbody fixings. You are right, the exhaust clamps rust dreadfully, and at 17 years of age on a car that hasn't been wrapped in cotton wool, you can't hold back the progress of water on steel. The bodywork is fairly well protected fortunately.