Why Do MB's and Volvos not seem quite as prone to rust as the US auto makers
 

Seems like you regularly see rust free Volvos (probably more than MB's) and MB's from the early 80's to early 90's.

At the same time you see 10 year old GM trucks with cab corners rusted out regularly Fords aren't much better.

It's interesting. I shouldn't say MB's are immune. Seems like the bottoms of doors rot out due to window weather stripping rot or worse yet missing. Seems like GM's and Fords are much more prone to rust though. I wonder what they're doing wrong in comparison.

It has a lot to do with the prep and the type of steel used. My 99 (new style) Jetta is lightyears better than my MB for rust prevention... fully galvanized body. The MB rustproofing cracks over time and lets salt / moisture wick in, creating pockets of really bad rust.

-J

I'd guess the older MB's have the usual E-coating?

I think it's because the 80s and 90s MBs and Volvos you still see on the road were probably better cared for. My experience living in the Midwest was they were no better, and sometimes worse, than American cars from the same era.

My 1986 Volvo 240 had rust holes big enough to put your fist through in the door sills. I used to pop-rivet patches over the rust holes on the tailgate area so water wouldn't get in. Eventually the floor pan gave out around the driveshaft center bearing...and this was a car that had already had one floor pan replacement!

My 1983 Mercedes 300D had the hood hinge area rust out until the hinge pulled free. You also couldn't lift it by the jacking points because the sills were rusted away.

I wonder if its also just a pure numbers thing. There are ALOT more Chevys and Fords running around the US that there are MBs or Volvos. Maybe the proportion of rusty to non rusty is the same for all of them, but there are more Chevys and Fords running about, so you see more rusty ones them.

But I also think about all the Ford trucks and Dodge minivans I've seen with large section of pain that have just pealed or chipped off. Like whole hoods, body sections, or roofs. I've never seen a MB or Volvo do that.

My car has just so much rust its not funny.http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...83130132_n.jpg

+1
I've got several rust free high mileage american cars, and know of plenty others...
granted I'm not in the rust belt, but I see PLENTY of total rustbuckets from lack of cleaning, and such. rainfall can do in a car just as bad as salt from roads!
cleaning, and service make ALL the difference in a car's life...

and lets face it.

a 30K investment garners far better habits of care, than a 10K car... especially when there are so few others with the same car! uniqueness has it's attractions!

That looks pretty deadly! how are the floors?

Well I was just taking my dog out and decided to clean out my car, and I noticed a 2x.5 inch hole in the floor on the rear drivers side. Yikes!

If I were you, id make sure the seatbelt lower attachment point and outside mount point for the seat are actually still attached to metal.

This was a major problem for my 240, with two arms I was able to push the seat out of the floor pivoting forward. Seatbelt pulled right out of the B pillar, was attached to only a thin gauge metal that would fold up and follow the belt. A dangerous situation

In an accident, you would be belted to and seated on rust, chances of you, the seat, and the seatbelt going forward out the window would be there.

I would have thought a reasonably big part of the answer to this question would be obvious...


THE PAINT!

the paint on these cars obviously seems better to me than even some american cars less than 10 years old! from what i've seen it almost seems like white chevy trucks have to have some of the worst paint around. the stuff chips off when you look at it wrong, and i can't say for sure if it's the lack of heat shielding, or again just the paint - but the paint just peels off the hoods like crazy on the early 90's models. the truck i grew up in had it to a comical level, and one of the ones at work has it but not quite so bad since its a diesel. i drove a white '04 at an old job and the paint chipped off it like crazy when it was only 3-4 years old. we definitely don't get a lot of rust here...

The paint *might* have something to do with it. The US markets always seem to have more restrictive environmental concerns. But remember the M series and I think E series with bad paint? Something to do with water-based paint I think. They would rust SO easily. Granted, these are newer than 80s. But I wonder if some US cars used a paint process that was similar earlier one.

My Mark was galvanized (except the roof) and held up fine. Sure, rust could be fond but usually on the underside where Ford never seemed to like to paint anything unless is HAD to. Such as the rear evap tray. I doubt there is a 97/98 on the road right now with a tray intact.

NO question there! my 92 white chebby pu, totally lost all paint from the hood, and many parts of the fenders, and bed... a body shop blamed the primer used on the panels, too smooth for the paint to adhere properly... or maybe an oil coating in the primer process... who knows for sure...
my 94 is pristine, as is my black 97 burb...
but no rust... YET, as I keep it clean... and the diesel oil leaks keep the majority of the vehicle well protected...:rolleyes:

You have to love all the 90s GMs where the paint comes off in sheets :rolleyes:

-J

Or better yet EVERY Dodge or Chrysler that i've seen with that purple paint....

:D