How do you stop / prevent a mk3 from rusting?

Discussion in 'Mk3' started by paceo, Nov 11, 2013.

  1. paceo Forum Member

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    just wondering whats the best way to look after the car and stopping the floorpan from rotting etc? :thumbup:
     
  2. TJ2727 Forum Member

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    There is a good guid in the mk3 section as to were to look. As for how to prevent it, I don't know but will be keeping an eye on any suggestions.
     
  3. danTbone Forum Member

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    thing is if it ant broke dont fix it. thing to do is have look ,look for areas where mud/water traps / build up under arches if still have arch plastic iner arch cover worth removing mud and grit can build up behind it be worth a clean up and maybe coat up with something like por/epoxi mastic. then put back iner arch. cills/jacking points can have rot there du to poor jacking damage welding/clean up might be needed again with por/epoximastic. floor pan look for splits in under sill also theres plastic bungs in floor plan that can rust cant always see them due to undersill. could coat up all floor plan and under/iner arches for more protection .
    other things to clean out scuttle so water run free. be good for car if have garage/car port to keep it in this time of year bad weather of car
     
  4. Trev16v

    Trev16v Paid Member Paid Member

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    If you're keen then get underneath it regularly and take a good look for areas where the underseal has failed and corrosion has started on the metal beneath. The trouble with the VW underseal is that as well as being great at protecting the underside, it's also great at hiding problems. Once you're used to looking at it, you can spot the telltale signs of rust beneath the underseal; you start to see the brown rust stains through a blister in the underseal, and you will also commonly see rust developing through the underseal particularly along seams (of which there are many on the underside) because seams are prone to rust. If an area has got to the stage where the underseal is already flaking away, it usually means the rust underneath is pretty bad.

    It's amazing how bad some people's cars have turned out to be on the underside, looking at some of the horror stories on here in the past. It's like some people just don't bother to look underneath at all and then it's a surprise to them that an entire sill is rotten! As danTbone says the areas commonly used to jack up against are prone to rust because the underseal / zinc coating gets stripped away, and those areas are prone to being crushed upwards.
     
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  5. tshirt2k

    tshirt2k Forum Junkie

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    Best thing is to remove the plastic arches and sills which are a mud/water trap.
     
  6. paceo Forum Member

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    thank you, yes some of my underseal the front is cracking, looks a bit like dry mud when its had no water for months! grind it all back i guess then a new coating? the floor pan is rust free, ive had all the interior out due to a sunroof drain leak! left it for 3 months without interior in just incase there were other leaks and yes there were! front windscreen bonding silicone was so i ripped it out and fitted a new screen!

    any links to some good primer and hard underseal i can use that is over paintable?
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2013
  7. tshirt2k

    tshirt2k Forum Junkie

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    Use rustbusters 121 epoxy paint. I've used bilt hammer cavity wax and underbody wax to cover it and other areas.
     
  8. madmanmart Forum Member

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    A garage!
     
  9. simonsays74 New Member

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    Where is the Mk3 guide?
     
  10. GVK

    GVK Paid Member Paid Member

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  11. snozan Forum Member

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    Put some extra underseal, wash it under once a week winter time. Always keep the car outside (the wind will dry it, instead of putting it in the garage and it will never dry).

    I use my as a daily driver in rain snow and whatever, and i have no preoblem with rust. I also removed the plastic arches and sill covers and fixed underneath. Before putting the wheel arches on i oput underseal under it, to preventing water and dirt to be collected.

    Wash it often.

    My daily: MK3 GTI 16v Colour Concept:

    [​IMG]
     

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