What cars are the most rust-proof? ~2000-2005 era

Just out of curiousity. I know Mazdas were rust-prone... what cars were above average for staying clean? Any make or model...

Corvettes

Spoolpigeon wrote: Corvettes

I bet a creeper will prove otherwise! (Unless you weren't trying to be humorous and the undercarriage is rust-resistant too?)

Southern, non-rust belt cars

Spoolpigeon wrote: Corvettes

HAHAHAHAHA no.

Basically anything VWAG, the Audi-er the better. They simply don't rust, although components like subframes and B5 rear shock tower/upper control arm mounts do fail. You fix that with wrenches, though.

'04.5-up Volvo S40s and all other Volvos from the 00s.

fasted58 wrote: Southern, non-rust belt cars

Those rust the hardest when exposed to salt!

It's sad.

Lexus vehicles in general seem to resist Michigan's corrosive efforts. Although the fancy suspension on the LX 470 of this era (lines/accumulators/control valves mounted near the running boards) do like to rust. Bottom line though, if it's 10-15 years old, driven year round and has significant miles here in Michigan, it's got rust. It's more a matter of how much.

Volvos & VAG products for sure. This was the beginning of the generation where Honda really seemed to get it down too.

Isn't it true that VW dipped their cars in molten crayons?

ebonyandivory wrote:

Spoolpigeon wrote: Corvettes

I bet a creeper will prove otherwise! (Unless you weren't trying to be humorous and the undercarriage is rust-resistant too?)

Nah, I was totally being a dick.

In reply to Spoolpigeon:

I can respect that!

ebonyandivory wrote: Isn't it true that VW dipped their cars in molten crayons?

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Volvo did that, totally smells like a crayon when the roof is open.

Plastic paneled Saturns will give you the appearance of no rust. I'm not saying that they won't rust on the underside but the bodies will look respectable.

Saturn S series until '02
Saturn Ion until' 07
Saturn Vue until '07

There's not a whole lot of rustable material in a Lotus Elise.

VAG & Volvo products, as previously mentioned; Saab 9-5 - only the truly neglected ones show rust here.

Toyota cars seem to hold up pretty good. Though really anything made of steel and driven on salted roads will rot out eventually, perhaps with the exception of religious annual cavity and underbody waxing and stone chip touch up, maybe. I've even seen W126 Mercedes with holes in them before, given I was like 10 minutes from the Detroit salt mine at the time, but it happens.

Spoolpigeon wrote: Corvettes

All were steel underneath until the aluminum frame C6 Z06 came out (2006 MY).

Subarus of the early 2000s tend to get pretty rusty. Dodge trucks tend to have bed sides and fenders that flap in the wind.

All the Volvos I've checked out here in CT have been amazingly rust free.

another Audi vote. Even the late 90's stuff is in good shape here in Michigan. (unless very abused)

ebonyandivory wrote: Isn't it true that VW dipped their cars in molten crayons?

I had heard the same

The most rust proof cars would be the ones stored inside the gas filled storage balloons in the climate controlled storage facility that never see sunshine, drivers or roads.

Knurled wrote:

Spoolpigeon wrote: Corvettes

HAHAHAHAHA no. Basically anything VWAG, the Audi-er the better. They simply don't rust, although components like subframes and B5 rear shock tower/upper control arm mounts do fail. You fix that with wrenches, though. '04.5-up Volvo S40s and all other Volvos from the 00s.

Volvos yes, VWs not quite. They had a TON of rust recall for foam in the fender wells rotting through and were fixing them even 10 years later on MKiV cars. They offered a 12 year corrosion warranty for rust through. Theres a TSB about it and might just depend on your area.

Volvo's....there is no contest. Audis are good as far as their bodies go, but all the hardware underneath rusts as bad as the rest of them.

I live in the Midatlantic and they salt pretty heavily. I never see rusty E46s.

JohnRW1621 wrote: Plastic paneled Saturns will give you the appearance of no rust. I'm not saying that they won't rust on the underside but the bodies will look respectable. Saturn S series until '02 Saturn Ion until' 07 Saturn Vue until '07

The S-series had some pretty severe rust problems. The subframes would get so weak that they would break if you tapped a curb, and the chassis generally starts to come apart in the rear crossbeam area and/or the rear door sills.

Even steel-skinned cars will look great up to the point where they are structurally unsafe.