Rust is the bane of every long-term car owner, body shop mechanic and classic collector’s existence. It is one of the biggest causes of depreciation on older cars, not just classics. While the primer and paint job at the manufacturer does a good job of providing coverage from rust, if the coating gets damaged it will allow moisture to seep into bare metal and wreck all sorts of nastiness.
In many cases, that moisture will get through via dents and chips but even light scratches have been known to cause problems. With that said, moisture isn’t the only thing to worry about. One common substance is sales. Unlike plain old water, salt water carries can at as a fare more potent electrolyte so if you live near a salt-heavy body of water you are far more susceptible. Some manufacturers use higher quality paint and primer to coat their vehicles when they make it to dealerships. For those who are concerned, one good way to protect your car, short of avoiding scratches and other accidents is to wash your car regularly. Many argue that applying wax every couple of months helps further coat the paint. Others will opt for protective lubricants or anti-rust spray, which could get pricey but has been shown to help.
Here is a list of 15 cars that have a history of poor rust protection, and 15 that have been known to have very low chances of picking up the bronze-colored infection.
29 Will rust: Chevrolet Vega
You’ll need to turn back the clock for this Chevrolet Vega, a subcompact from back in 1970. Initially, the Vega won several awards that included the 1971 Car of the Year by Motor Trend and Best Economy Sedan awards from 1971-1973 from Car and Driver. There were, however, problems brewing under the surface, literally. Rust, rust and more rust.
While GM touted extensive anti-rust improvements to the body in 1976, earlier models were notorious for being one of the biggest rust-magnets in the vehicle industry. Fixes included a six-stage zinc phosphate rustproofing process, which includes submerging the car in a 65,000-gallon electro-coating paint job.
28 Won't rust: Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Mercedes-Benz launched the fourth generation C-class, the W205 in 2015, everyone was blown away with the more elegant design. It is arguably the most luxurious-looking C-class to date, so much so that it is easily mistaken for an E or S-class based on the front, or rear-end design.
Unlike the sportier design of the third generation, Mercedes-Benz went for opulence and class this time around.
One thing they did not change is their excellent paint priming and coating process from previous generations, all of which have stood the test of time, avoiding rust for the most part. Mercedes-Benz is famous for repairing rust issues for free in many cases.
27 Will rust: Range Rover Sport
One of the most iconic British SUVs has got to be Land Rover Range Rover Sport. It is the vehicle of choice for the rich and famous, over other Land Rover variants purchased by the less fortunate. Here in North America however, the Range Rover Sport faces significant chassis corrosion especially in States and Provinces where significant salt and liquid snow melters are used.
According to a popular blog called Rob Is On Service, areas to check on older Sport HSE models are the brake and fuel pipes and lower control arms, all of which tend to rust out before the rest of the frame.
26 Won't rust: BMW 3-Series
BMW’s 3-series has been the brand’s most important car for over 40 years. Now in its seventh generation, it has the difficult task of reinventing itself to stave off competition not only from rivals but from within. With SUVs easily outselling sedans, it will be interesting to see whether the all-new 2019 3-Series can earn itself a spot on driveways across the globe.
According to Autonet.ca, the 3-Series has, for the most part, offered its customers great rust protection before even hitting the dealership.
In fact, BMW even offers a comprehensive corrosion protection treatment that culminates in a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty. That is among the very best of assurances among manufacturers.
25 Will rust: Jeep Wrangler
Another victim of The Sun’s published study sees the Jeep Wrangler as another car that is highly susceptible to rust. The U.K.-based tabloid quotes the used vehicle database Cazanza.com, which analyzed information on second-hand cars around the U.K. to find out which models show up with the most warnings for rust and corrosions during their Ministry of Transportation checks.
That is unfortunate for a brand whose history spans over 30 years. My only hope is that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has fixed these problems in the current generation, which launched earlier this year. The Wrangler has seen a real resurgence in sales since 2012, now averaging over 200,000 units annually. That makes it well over twice the average in the early-to-mid 2000’s.
24 Won't rust: Audi A3
Audis have been rated very highly by several car websites as being virtually rust-free. This applies more so to the A3 and A4 sedans, which share the same platform so, it really is no surprise. The A3 continues to evolve and the latest generation is great, all be it much larger than older models.
That, however, seems to be the way with all sedans though, with the A4 also growing in size over the years.
US News’ Car subsite rates the A3 consistently in the 8 out of 10 bracket, citing excellent performance options even from the base engine, solid fuel economy, a high-quality cabin that keeps getting better and an IIHS top safety pick year over year.
23 Will rust: Mini Cooper
The Mini Cooper, or simply the Mini has been around since 2000. It was a very well-received car, even earning the coveted North American Car of the Year award back in 2003. There was little to argue about, with the Mini winning hearts thanks to BMW maintaining many elements of its original iconic design, peppy 4-cylinder engine, zippy handling, and above-average fuel economy.
If you are the owner of an older model, take note that rust issues are quite common among legacy models as reported by a host of owners on North American Motoring and enthusiast website, Mini Mania. Most plaintiffs argue that rust is mostly visible on door panels so it shouldn’t be too hard to spot.
22 Won't rust: Acura TL
The Acura TL is an excellent car, end to end. For a car that was to replace the Acura Vigor, it absolutely had to live up to the nameplate. For the first three generations, the TL was considered a compact luxury sedan but was re-categorized to a midsize sedan in 2009.
It was eventually rebranded under as the TLX in 2014, slotting in between the likes of the Lexus IS and ES/GS series of cars.
There are very few registered complaints with respect to rust and corrosion for the TL, and this is in part due to Acura’s Appearance Protection, which features excellent full body panel, undercarriage, surface, and complete paint-finish protection.
21 Will rust: Toyota Rav4
There is little argument about the successes of the Toyota RAV4. It has consistently ranked among the top-selling SUVs on the planet for several years. For 2017 the RAV4 not only replaced the Toyota Camry sedan as the top-selling Toyota, but it also overtook everyone else to become the top-seller vehicle in the country (excluding trucks).
With that said, according to Consumer Affairs there have been several complaints by owners of older Toyota RAV4’s about peeling or bubbling paint. Many have gone on to say their cars have shown signs of early rust wear compared to newer models or competitor cars, like the Honda CR-V.
20 Won't rust: Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is the ultimate mid-size family sedan packing immense value, an age-old history of reliability, and really enjoyable battle with what is its only real competitor, the Honda Accord. Despite losing some ground to the Accord in early years, it has gone on to consistently outsell its fiercest rival across the continent since 2001.
More recently, like the Accord, Toyota has reshaped what was has been a historically conservative style to attract a younger audience.
It seems to have paid off given the widening gap between the two competitors. Unlike the RAV4 and some Corollas, the Camry offers great rust protection from the factory and has been noted among the best rust-resistant cars according to Autonet.ca.
19 Will rust: Nissan Altima
It has been widely reported in the media that the Nissan Altima has a dangerous problem bubbling right under their feet. Third generation sedan floorboards are very susceptible to corrosion. While floorboard rust can occur in any vehicle, the Altima’s concave floorboard allows more moisture to accumulate, and without proper drainage causes gaping holes under the carpet.
Fortunately, Nissan recognized this issue and rectified the problem in the following generation, which means Altima and Maxima owners with models produced after 2007 are mostly in the clear. For the rest, if you haven’t already, do take a peek under that carpet.
18 Won't rust: Volkswagen Passat
Volkswagen’s Passat has been around since 1972 and is now in its eight-generation in Europe. They launched in North America just 2 years later before having a generation designed specifically for the market in 2011. Still, the original Passats were excellent cars with a comfortable interior, fun to drive and excellent safety ratings.
Where it lost out was in pricing, easily more expensive than other non-luxury competitors, all of whom maintained far superior resale value and overall reliability.
Where the Volkswagen shone was in the Germany-based manufacturer’s ability to keep the car rust free thanks to a great job in priming and paint coating. There are 100s upon 100s of Passats available in the market since the 2000 model which appear in great condition, and coupled with the low resale value are priced to sell.
17 Will rust: Pontiac G5
The Pontiac G5 was a relatively successful compact car, despite its short 4-year history. However given the significant overlap with the Chevrolet Cobalt, things eventually went downhill for the G5, and the Pontiac brand overall. It was eventually replaced by the Chevrolet Cruze.
According to the G5 Club website, many Pontiac G5 owners report metal corrosion mostly in the fuel lines, doors, and rocker panels. There are even several tutorials on how to self-repair damage on the website, Fix My Rust. This isn’t the only Pontiac notorious for rust, and that would make sense considering most of their sedans shared the same platform.
16 Won't rust: Honda Civic
The Civic has done extremely well, repeatedly ranked among the most sold cars across the globe. The Civic even enjoyed more success than the Corolla throughout the 1990s before waning but has again surged since in 2012. The latest Civic is a work of real technological mastery and design brilliance, showing the world that Honda still has a heck of a lot more to offer.
Virtually all Civic generations have seen little to no signs of rust over the years when compared against others in the segment.
While the current Civic generation is the technology-packed compact car of the future, even the earlier generations offered plenty from terrific fuel economy and a smooth-shifting transmission to quality materials and adequate power.
15 Will rust: Suzuki XL7
The Suzuki XL7 never really had a good time in the market, despite its 9-year history spanning two generations. Not only did it have a low-reliability rating from most car review websites, but it also offers very low safety scores and sub-par interior quality. Perhaps the only things going for the SUV was the introduction of a standard third row in 2009, its last year of production and a revised six-speed transmission.
While early rust was never the XL7’s biggest-reported issue, it was enough to garner interest from several forums and blogs. Some of the bigger problems were with the ignition, with many complaining about starting problems in the second generation.
14 Won't rust: Hyundai Sonata
Back in 1985, Hyundai introduced the Sonata, as an alternative to the industry leaders, the Accord and Camry. The Sonata has averaged over 200,000 units in sales per year since 2010 and even the Altima, which joined the party 7 years later in 1992, has oversold it by 100,000 units.
In spite of this, the Sonata holds its ground with terrific safety scores, competitive fuel economy, and an upscale interior.
Many have said it was a far superior car overall compared to the Altima over the last decade, despite the Altima’s bolder and sleeker exterior. Unlike the Altima though, the Sonata seems to record fewer rust issues than its older brother, the Hyundai Azera which was plagued with issues in the early 2010’s.
13 Will rust: Saturn VUE
Another Saturn with a short history was the VUE, a compact SUV that actually had a good sales record in North America; it was Saturn's top-seller. Sales state-side averaged 85,000 units per year and for that reason, the VUE made it into its second generation in 2008. Unfortunately, the Pontiac brand folded just 2 years later.
While key issues with the VUE were mostly related to the transmission, steering and door latch issues were also quite common. Similar to other Saturns, rust issues around the rear gate were also widely reported. Just take a gander at Edmunds and Saturn Fans’ forums for details.
12 Won't rust: Volkswagen Golf
Another Germany-based brand with a near-equally long history is the Volkswagen Golf. It has consistently ranked as a top brand, earning awards from the European Car of the Year but even state-side with Kelley Blue Book and Motor Trend, giving it Car of the Year awards.
It is also one of Car and Driver’s 10Best Cars, yet again for 2018, reaching 12 consecutive years on that list.
Despite such a long history, there are very few problems with VW Golf. Even after extensive research across forums and blogs, most customers are thoroughly satisfied with their cars and this is further underpinned by an excellent warranty. The brand offers a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty for its customers.
11 Will rust: Buick Rendez-vous
It was the early 2000's and the mid-size SUV segment had absolutely lit up. Buick didn't do itself any favors by releasing the Rendez-vous in 2001. Despite needing this car to be successful, in a bid to win over a younger customer demographic, they did not deliver at all. Not only was the exterior styling flat, but sales figures were also far from impressive given the wide-scale interest in SUVs from the overall population.
Some of the biggest issues plaguing the Rendez-vous were leaking intake manifolds, but it was no stranger to corrosive unibody chassis and hood. Heck, even the spare tire hanger was known to pick up rust.
10 Won't rust: Volvo S60
Volvos have always been known for their high safety scores and build structure. Lately, though, they’ve stepped up and showcased some of the best-designed cars you will find anywhere on the planet. Their latest design language is a huge step into a more modern car. Even their newer wagons make you rethink what it’s like to own one.
One thing they have not strayed from is their impeccable quality rating.
You will find several used Volvo S60s in the market in pristine condition, paint-job wise. Provided the car hasn’t been involved in any collisions, it retains its paint job even a decade later, and this has resulted in fewer rust issues for the model, and brand as a whole.
