RUST!.. Is there a future without it?

[Kend0]

Apologies if this should be in the bodywork section, but deemed it more discussion than advise...

After speaking to a few forum guys and the issues they have had with rust and the constant maintenance or investigation or preventative work, it did get me thinking.

Now I'm not completely naive as it's an organic/natural process and massive consideration has to be took in the range of climates and road types all over the world, especially in here in UK and places like Russia/etc... But will we ever get to a stage where cars will be rust free, or at least as minimal as possible on the bodies?

Was hoping we maybe have some metallurgists or people who work in vehicle development/etc. on the forum that could share some input/expertise of the future of cars and their bodies/methods...

With the obvious 'cheap metal' years for lots of brands, and documented switch of some marques like Jaguar going (all/mostly?) aluminium, is 'rust free' something that is a genuine goal of car companies, or are they happy for the rot to continue as long as possible?

 

[Ted]

 

[PobodY]

Yes Delorean already brought it to market; stainless steel bodywork.

 

[BTB 500]

Plenty of cars are effectively rust free nowadays as far as the body goes. None of our three (10, 10 and 20 years old respectively) have any that I'm aware of. The last car I had with bodywork rust was a 1980s Montego.

 

[markjay]

All of my recent cars:

Vauxhall Omega 1998-2001
Vauxhall Omega 2001-2008
W203 2008-2017
W204 2017-

Were 100% rust free when sold.

I am not saying cars no longer rust, just that some do some don't... so it's not a given that car will rust these days.

 

[Kend0]

With all the advancements and many press releases that demonstrate continuous developments on engines, we are making cars with KERS systems, hybrid or electric cars, active/driverless cars...

I am curious that if car makers are also striving to continue developing car bodies and if there was a goal... Like rust free (in any climate)/or lighter cars?

Presume there has to be some development, or has it literally plateaued and we've already reached as best as we are going to get for car bodies and materials?

 

[PobodY]

Carbon fibre monocoques (e.g. McLaren) are also rust-free, so you could argue that there is development.

 

[ScotCLS]

I was looking at a review of a BMW i3, it's a combination of aluminium, carbon fibre and plastics, so maybe a rust free future not too far away?

 

[Deleted member 126969]

Rust free perhaps, but corrosion (or deterioration) free, probably not.

 

[190]

Recent cars are better. With galvanised steel and aluminium wings (W204) it shouldn't be a problem making the external body work last a very long time.

Underneath is the problem with things like suspension components, springs and brake pipes actually getting worse in terms of corrosion protection instead of better. Of course it's possible to make all those things rust free at a cost.

 

[Stardelta]

I have a lovely rust free bodied s204, can't say the same for the brake pipes which rusted through and dumped all the brake fluid down the road, cars is just 9 years old

 

[Deleted member 11979]

We've got a 3 year old discovery with surface rust on the "chassis " at the back, each and every one on the forecourt where we bought it had rust underneath too, even a 16 plate!

 

[Kend0]

I have a lovely rust free bodied s204, can't say the same for the brake pipes which rusted through and dumped all the brake fluid down the road, cars is just 9 years old

It's something I see all of the time when under cars, brake pipes seem to be extremely bad and on some not very old cars I may add...

Also really seeing a lot of really badly corroded suspension components these days like @190 mentioned

Maybe the rust/corrosion problem is moving out of site and on to the components instead?

Will be interesting to see the condition of i3's in future you mentioned @ScotCLS

 

[kid-jensen]

I think once the manufacturers got to the point where rust is not the reason that cars get scrapped, they will consider the rust issue not worthy of further developemnt.

The "big" mechanical assemblies seem to outlast the car these days. Most modern cars are not sent to the scrapyard due to rust, but mainly some obscure electrical fault that would cost more to diagnose/fix than the car is worth.

I presume manufacturers are aware of this and are working hard to make their electronics more relaible and have more comprehensive self-diagnosis.

On the other hand, they want to sell you a new one, so maybe not...