Corrosion on UK cars

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3 phase

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Joined
Nov 2, 2008
Messages
225
Location
Estepona, Spain
Car
A bloody Opel
Silly question but do the Europeans use something else to de ice the roads other than the road salt used in the UK??

I read with interest about bodywork corrosion issues that many of you seem to have in the UK, brought on no doubt by the salt used on the roads. My 1995 W124 spent 2 years in Germany then the rest of its life in the Madrid area until this summer when it came to the south coast and I bought it in October. There is absolutely no rust whatsoever on any of the metalwork on the car, in fact when it was hit by a van recently the front wing was damaged but on its removal the metal was as new, I know it's warmer down here but not so in Madrid in the winter, they have sub zero temperatures in winter and snowfall is common in the surrounding areas, just wondered what they do that's all.
 
Yeh, I seem to remember reading somewhere that the Scandinavians just drive on top of the snow and ice. I don't think many countries do what we do. Anyone know better?
Oh how I hate the salt. Got a 24 year old Mazda rotary and it means that I now try and workaround going out in such hostile (as in corrosive) conditions.
 
I wonder if its year round humidity? Further south and cars dry quickly due to the heat, further north and the snow etc is actually 'locked in' moisture. Having been in -30 in December I was amazed how dry the air felt because of that very fact.

Our climate is constantly being moistened by the atlantic or north sea so I think ours is simply the perfect breeding ground for rust.
 
I wonder if its year round humidity? Further south and cars dry quickly due to the heat, further north and the snow etc is actually 'locked in' moisture. Having been in -30 in December I was amazed how dry the air felt because of that very fact.

Our climate is constantly being moistened by the atlantic or north sea so I think ours is simply the perfect breeding ground for rust.

Good theory, but it does not explain why Southern Irish cars do not rust like UK ones (including northern Irish) which you would expect if it were due to the climate, the salt on UK roads is the major difference, they have only really started gritting roads here pretty recently and its not very widespread at all.
 
Hopefully when the Gulf stream switches off due to global warming and we turn into Scandanavia they'll have to give up gritting and all the idiot drivers will just skid into a ditch and die leaving the nice salt free snowy roads for us to play on in our non rusting Benz's.
 
Yeh, I seem to remember reading somewhere that the Scandinavians just drive on top of the snow and ice.
Yep, with studded tyres, and they learn how to drive on it. Amazing in Norway to see moms on the school run giving it hand brake turns and opposite lock. In Germany, they spray some kind of antifreeze liquid. Salt and a damp climate is asking for it.
 
You can get the underside waxoyled. Ask at your local TVR service centre. :crazy:

Done - did it with waxoyl. I've no corrosion at all but I'm manic about salty roads. Although in fairness I suppose I'd rather be alive and kicking with a rusty car than be upside down in a ditch with a rust free one.
 
I live in Norway, they salt the roads like mad over here.. ...Big merc rust issues here too.
I'm originally Irish and there is no/little salt used... no rust
Salt is evil:devil:
 

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