7th Oct 2020, 21:04
That's true, but in many countries, rust in the wrong places (like structural areas) can lead to an inspection failure, which may mean the car can't be registered until it is properly fixed.
8th Oct 2020, 08:26
Who said these cars don't have "actual problems" too? Like needing to change the dual mass flywheel after a few years? That's a 1500 Euro repair, thank you.
8th Oct 2020, 18:56
Normal wear and tear like in any vehicle which is 7 years old and over 100k kilometers.
9th Oct 2020, 18:12
And what if there is actual rust holes, cover them with duct tape prior to painting?
10th Oct 2020, 04:46
That’s a pretty clever idea. Might need some spackle if there’s literally a hole punched all the way through, but if it can repair walls, it can also repair a rusty panel on a car.
14th Oct 2020, 15:45
As far as I am aware (in the UK at least), MOT inspection regulations say cosmetic rust such as spots on your door or bonnet does not really matter on any car.
Mechanically, the thing that might make it fail inspection is if suspension, brakes pipes are corroded or discs (obviously).
Bodywork rust (anything that compromises structural strength) near sills, seat belt attachment, and lift points will fail if they cannot be welded.
15th Oct 2020, 22:08
Those areas can still be painted over. The lift points for instance are large, flat areas which are easily paintable.
18th Oct 2020, 14:35
All VW from those years have this problem. I see them regularly at the junkyard. All rusted along the lower bottom under the doors, on both sides. These and the Mazda.
28th Oct 2020, 12:40
There is a 2007 Passat outside mine in Manchester UK with a fair bit of cosmetic rust, and I own a 2008/2009 Golf so will have to keep an eye on it over the coming years.
6th Oct 2020, 19:24
I’d rather have rust than actual problems. Rust is irrelevant to the vehicle’s actual operation.