Rust on Mk3 Astras - where does it strike?

[John Orrell]

Ok chaps, what's the low-down on rust on Mk3 Astras? I've just got an R-reg 1.4 LS and I want to know where, if indeed anywhere, I need to be treating with Waxoyl/Underseal to keep the rust at bay.

At the moment, the car seems rust-free, but it's not a local car (reg plate indicates it was registered at Luton) so it's not used to Blackpool's salty winds & rain (poor bugger; it soon will be).

Perhaps there's no weak points at all on Mk3 Astras? I notice that the tailgate has no drainholes at all ... is Vauxhall being over optomistic or does it really never rust?

You'll have to forgive me if I seem to have a bit of a 'rust paranoia': my recent cars have been an MG Metro and numerous MG Maestros (I still have a Turbo) and chasing the grot on these cars is a full-time job, if they haven't been looked after really well when new. My Turbo is miraculously still mint, but that's only because it's mainly used as a show-car, and covered up with a cotton cloth in a dry garage for 300+ days of the year...

[Coppen]

I'd also like to know this b4 my respray from pink back to Red.

Mines a 95 and the only rust, albeit minor surface, i've got is on the underside of the spare wheel well.

[astraderv]

Rear arches rear arches rear arches!!!!

Seriously, remove the trim from inside the car's rear quarters and get plenty of wax inbetween this box section.

Also, it'll run down to the base of the sills (they start rusting right at the back first).
Doors/bootlid/bonnet f.wings are generally fine and don't need attention (especially on the 'R'). However, if the cars' had a knock and subsequently new front wing/s - make sure they're painted underneath. The only front wings I've seen rusty on Mk3 Astra's are where they've been replaced & not painted underneath.

Other than that it'll be fine if u keep it clean!

[John Orrell]

Thats for that. When I got the car last week, I flushed out about 5 yrs of muck from the rear arches. I think that's why all cars seem to go there first: rubbish gets blasted up from the road, lodges on the inside of the wheel-arch lip and rusts the arch from the inside out. You can prevent this by regular cleaning out, but how many folk do it ... not many!

[John Orrell]

Sorry can't spell: first words should have said "Thanks for that"

[adamSRi]

rear arches
sills

edge of doors ie: where door meets rest of bodywork

[astraderv]

Well, you're right when it comes to removing the mud/salt/general crud from the arches - I can't believe that so many people who care about their cars don't do this.

However, with the rear arches, they rot from in between the inner and outer arch panels. Moisture sits in there and eats away at the metal - that's why injecting the wax from inside the car is a top idea.

[John Orrell]

Cheers, I'll get onto it as soon as the weather warms up (car will probably be in a scrapyard by then LOL!)

[AndyMk3Astra]

Also, be aware of behind the rub-strips.
Mine's on a 97 P and found it once i removed the rub-strips, though there's not a lot you can do to prevent it.

[astraderv]

Also, be aware of behind the rub-strips

Yeah - that's a funny one. I had a 'K' plate 5 years ago that had the odd scab under the rubbing strips. Surely, if the paint is intact, the damp can't get to the metal?

[astramojo]

I would imagine the rubstrip to act as a shelf on the top for dirt grime and water which would slowly corrode the bodywork.