How Rust is no longer a big talking point in the modern vehicles.

Axle! I think anti corrosion technology is better and design with drains in panels are better! A natural progression I guess! I remember those days! Michael

Yep! Salt is a problem of its own! Michael

Yep, but it is still a hot topic if you buy a new vehicle.
The amount of people that get suckered into a "protection package" that includes rust proofing a brand new vehicle!
Every dealer will offer this conjob. I had this 2 years ago and I just said if it needs rust proofing, then you expect it to rust, so maybe I should get another brand.....
My last 2 vehicles were 13 & 11 years old when I turned them over. Good maintenance = no rust

Cheers

Axle,
I remember having a mk2 zephyr ute that the seat was held up with a couple of peices of 3/2 hardwood because there as no floor left.

I don't miss those vehicles one bit. 1929 coventry eagle, Bsa Bantam, Trumpy Tiger, Trumpy Bonneville, Honda 4, Honda 175, Honda 250, FJ, FC, Zcar, FE, 2xHR, 2 x austin freeways,2 x fergie tractors, yanmar tractor, EH, VC dunny, XC And XB, HK Monaro 327, Landrovers x 3 (sad time in my life), J model Bedford, International Transtar 4200, 2x troopcarriers. Mighty Hyundai excel 2 door sports ( very ucking fast) Hundai I30, Now a Ranger.

Now I can't remember which one rusted the worst.

In a quiet day in this country you can here my old vehicles rusting.

I don't think there was any vehicle as bad as the early Nissans for rust.... you could see the rust eating away while you looked at it...LOL. Here is my 1976 model...engine and gearbox still strong but the body is all but gone.

I think there are two things in play...yes definite improvements in body design, painting methods and materials....probably more the painting materials.

But we also tend to run our vehicles for less years these days.

People generally turn their cars over sooner and the used cars are generally younger and cheaper.

he other thing is its just not worth the dealers fiddling with dodgy cars any more.

If ya try to trade a car with rust in it these days...the respons is more like.."try the wreckers"

Even the many of wreckers aren't interested in it if its over 10 years old and rusty.

Some of these older cars seem to be worth more in scrap value than for stripping.

cheers

On a still day with no wind you could hear 55 and 60 series Landcruisers rusting.lol

Like they say metal coatings are much better nowadays, most car companies give a warranty against rust thse days.

Axle

As well as better quality steel, better surface treatments and paints, I reckon construction techniques have improved so that water pooling and trapping is less likely.

My first car in 1970 was an Austin Lancer (given to me by my grandmother when she became to dangerous to allow behind the wheel). The car was a dog, but the best feature were the Fred Fintstone floors - you could put your legs through the rust holes and run when the drive train otherwise failed.

When I became more affluent I had a series of Lancias. Italian steel made British steel look like 316 stainless.

Since the mid 80s when I ditched the Lancias there have been five BMWs, a Lexus, an Audi, two VWs, two MX5s, two Pajeros, two Land Rovers and two Porsches. And not a gram of Fe2O3 between them.

We used to be able to buy a good cheap car that looked crappy with rust, bog it up, drive it for a while and sell it a couple of years later for more than we paid.
Pretty hard to do that now!