10 Year Old Audi Has Rust

MyThoughtsExactly

So until i can upload pictures all i can do is actually explain.

I washed my car today and after looking at the front wheel arch i saw bubbles under the paint had formed. I pressed one and it popped and i saw that it had rust behind it.

For a 10 year old car im really suprised i have rust. Its only on this wheel arch. I did a little looking online and was told Audi hold a 15 year rust policy however many members complaining that Audi refused to help if you took your car to be serviced at any other garages apart from Audi approved.

Any idea where i go with this? Anybody been in this sotuation before.
Thanks

Marktheshark

Mercs are even worse.
Its something we got away from and is now on its way back.

dannyrst

Have you owned the car from new?

If so, have you had any paint work done in that area?

If not, previous owner probably had some paint work done in that area.

Shaka_Zulu

Get it sorted no doubt it was a stone chip. If you haven't followed the term of the warranty then you have no chance. What do you expect cheap servicing plus all the perks?

Anyway a ten year old car is already passed its design life.

droopsnoot

My 15-year-old Audi has rust on the nearside wheelarches and none on the offside. I can only assume it's been damaged and poorly repaired before I bought it, bodywork corrosion warranties are generally quite specific and at this age, quite difficult to claim on. Even though the bodywork will have been galvanised at that age, it's still only a coating that can be damaged like any paint coating can. Or is it one of the aluminium models?

Horizon81

Is there a paint check service page in your logbook? If so, it'll never have been stamped. Manufacturers anti corrosion warranties are worthless, and at 10 years they'll not want to know.

Retrogamer

A lot of Audis, Seats, VWs and Skodas have a big bit of sponge behind the front wings. This absorbs water and ends up rusting the wings from the back towards the front. I've a 2006 Ibiza and it's the same.

EdGasket

Shaka_Zulu wrote: »

Get it sorted no doubt it was a stone chip. If you haven't followed the term of the warranty then you have no chance. What do you expect cheap servicing plus all the perks?

Anyway a ten year old car is already passed its design life.

No it won't be a stone chip, it will be rusting from the inside out. This is because the wheel liner and wing are not sealed on the inside causing dirt and moisture to collect and rust the wheel arch from the inside. Not much you can do about it except rub it down and paint over each year and when it finally 'holes', fill it and paint again. As I drive old cars, I've had to do this on several models over the years; latest one to go is my Mercedes as someone mentioned above; they are not exempt from the problem.

BeenThroughItAll

MyThoughtsExactly wrote: »

So until i can upload pictures all i can do is actually explain.

I washed my car today and after looking at the front wheel arch i saw bubbles under the paint had formed. I pressed one and it popped and i saw that it had rust behind it.

For a 10 year old car im really suprised i have rust. Its only on this wheel arch. I did a little looking online and was told Audi hold a 15 year rust policy however many members complaining that Audi refused to help if you took your car to be serviced at any other garages apart from Audi approved.

Any idea where i go with this? Anybody been in this sotuation before.
Thanks

Which Audi is it? I've noticed a lot of very bubbly A3s recently.

mrmot

It doesn't sound too bad for a 10 year old car. I wrote off a 15 year old car from a premium manufacturer the other day.

I put my fingers through the floor in 4 places and tapped a hole in the rear sub frame with a bit of plastic on a 6 inch handle.

DominicH

Late 90s to about 2004 (when they started galvanising the panels) was a bad time for Mercedes, and for cars of that vintage it must be one of the most rust-prone makes, despite the premium image. However, they are supposed to be galvanised on both sides. I wonder if VAG skimped on that?