A rusty car is a depressing sight to the eyes of a motorist. Rust appears imperceptibly, and gradually renders the car unusable. The site novate.ru has compiled a list of the fastest rusting cars in Russia.
7. Hyundai Creta
The black list of the most rusty cars opens with a Korean brand passenger car assembled at a plant in St. Petersburg. Because of the bad body painting, the car starts to rust quickly. Numerous "bugs" appear all over the car, so if you bought a brand new Hyundai Creta, do not spare money on high-quality anti-corrosion treatment of the body.
6. Mazda 6 (2002-2012)
The elegant and expensive Mazda 6 of the first and second generations did not have good rust protection. Because of this, even small chips and scratches led to rapid corrosive damage to the body, and in the event of an accident, rust "eaten up" the body after a couple of years.
5. Nissan Almera
It's hard to believe that another Japanese car has ended up in the anti-rating of the cars most prone to corrosion. However, in the first and second generation Nissan Almera sedan, susceptibility to rust is one of the weak points. Thresholds, trunk lids and hood lids, doors, as well as the engine compartment are the fastest to "bloom".
4. UAZ Patriot
A rare creation of the domestic auto industry can boast of high-quality corrosion protection. Unfortunately, one of the best-selling cars with manual transmission in Russia - UAZ Patriot - does not belong to such lucky ones. This expensive SUV, according to many owners, is highly susceptible to corrosion. This is facilitated by the low quality of the body painting and, possibly, violations in the preparation of the body for painting.
3. Opel Astra
Although cars made in Germany are considered reliable and durable, there are outsiders among them. The latter includes the compact sedan Opel Astra. The bodies of the second generation Opel Astra G, produced from 1998 to 2004, are especially susceptible to rust. They were covered with "bugs" in a couple of years after leaving the factory. The most susceptible to corrosion are window frames, fenders, bonnet and boot lid, and welds. Newer versions also have corrosion problems.
2. Ford Mondeo (2007-2014)
This popular sedan is among the vehicles most at risk of costly corrosion problems. Corrosion was previously thought to be a more common problem for SUVs, as they are much more susceptible to adverse weather conditions than the typical city car.
The European-assembled Mondeo quickly begins to corrode the body, especially in winter, when Russian roads are abundantly sprinkled with salt. In the third generation Ford Mondeo, rust most often appears on the hood, floor, the junction of the fender with the sill and doors.
1. Volga
Not every citizen of the USSR could afford to buy a car of the Volga brand. This car was prestigious and expensive. It was popular even after the collapse of the USSR, in the 1990s and early 2000s.
The Volga beauties were produced until 2009, but nowadays they are rarely seen on Russian roads. And the reason for this lies not only in the loss of popularity.Car owners, who are well acquainted with the "sores" of the "Volga", jokingly assure that by listening, you can hear how this car rusts.
How to keep your car from rusting
Here are some helpful tips on how to get rid of corrosion on your car body:
- The machine needs regular maintenance. It may seem obvious, but many car owners neglect systematic repairs. But the sooner rust is found, the easier it will be to get rid of it.
- Check your car regularly and touch up scratches and chips as quickly as possible.
- Wash your car at least once every couple of weeks. And don't forget to clean the underside of the car.
- Keep your vehicle in a protected area. If you are fortunate enough to have a garage or an enclosed parking area, use this space to keep your vehicle safe from harsh weather. If you don't have a secure parking space, consider booking a body high quality polyurethane films.
- Rub your car with special car wax twice a year (especially if you live near the sea).
- Keep the inside of your car clean. Washing the car outside is half the battle; remember that the interior also needs cleaning, especially in winter when there is a lot of salt on the roads.
Remember that any metal is susceptible to rust, but to varying degrees. Careful care and booking can preserve the metal and paintwork of the car for many years.