15 replies to this topic

[Carvell]

Lets say that a garage has put a new front end on a mini. They have not cut any corners and have used normal rust preventative measures.

The mini is then used as a daily driver and not stored in a garage. How long until rust reappears? Realise it's a bit if a piece of string answer but looking for a general estimate.

Also if the mini is still being used daily, what measures would make a significant difference to the answer?

Thanks

[lsto]

A lot of it depends what you do to it, if you wash it and wax it every weekend then it should last a long time. Every year I re underseal mine if it needs it anywhere. And just keep an eye on bodywork. Touch up paint goes a long way, get any stone chips etc and you should be ok.

But nothing helps better than a good coat of wax.

All minis rust but you can long it out by years and years with good care.

[andyb16fun]

To be honest, if genuine panels are used and the underside is properly undersealed then it's down to how well looked after it is afterwards.  There's no reason that rust should reappear for many years IF the car is cleaned regularly including making sure that al the underside areas are kept clean and free from road muck.  Where there are wheel arch spats, these trap muck and so need to be cleaned out regularly.  If you get stone chips in the paint, touch them back in straight away to prevent water from getting underneith the paint.  It really is down to how you look after it.

Andy.

Edited by andyb16fun, 09 February 2014 - 10:03 AM.

[Carlos W]

You could also consider wheel arch liners, they're quite pricey, but cheaper than a front end!

[Carvell]

But what is many years? 3,5,10,15? Don't worry this isn't legally binding :)

[Jordie]

Could be as little as 3 or as long as 20. Totally dependent on weather, stone chips, maintenance (reguarly waxoil and paint work protection) and so on...

[Carvell]

I guess I'm doing a bit of a cost benefit analysis I don't have a grand to spend every three years

[sonikk4]

It's down to how much time was taken in preparation before panel fit, during panel fit and after panel fit.

So before panel fit was all of the mating faces clear of rust, I'm looking at the inner wings and A post here. If they are Heritage panels the E coat is ok to leave but if pattern was it removed completely and then a decent primer used??

During panel fit was Zinc rich weld through primer used on all of the mating faces??

After panel fit was a good quality seam sealer used on the rear of all of the fitted panels especially in all of the awkward places??

Then obviously it's down to paint prep / stonechip on the underside etc and paint prep outside.

If all of this has been done to a good quality standard and you do regular maintenance on the bodywork then anywhere between 5 to 15 years ( it depends on weather conditions etc so could be longer.)

BUT the onus is on you to do the maintenance.

[SMP]

You perhaps don't want to hear this but a grand every three years is cheap motoring. However I think you would really have to not look after it or have poor job done for to only last three years. Definitely get some arch liners

[Carlos W]

The other issue is, you live near the sea so there is likely to be more salt in the air!

 

If you want a number, lets go with 10!

 

A proper job, and proper care and it may well last longer!

 

Have a chat with any garages who you are considering getting to do the work and tell them what you want, or do the work yourself and take advice from Sonikk4 above

[vx220]

I guess I'm doing a bit of a cost benefit analysis I don't have a grand to spend every three years

Put a pound a week away in a jar labelled "rust fund"

[Bungle]

i bought my mini new almost 24 years ago, one of my first jobs with it was to spray waxoyl into as many areas as i could

 

although my mini now is a weekend toy that lives in a garage it was my only every day car for about 15 years, used what ever the weather

 

it still has it's original front end

[AVV IT]

Try looking at it another way. 

 

If you buy a modern car today that's say five years old, and worth around £6k, then with depreciation it'll probably be worth about £1,500 in five years time. Realistically you'll probably be looking to replace it by then, and so you'll need to find at least another £4.5k to buy yourself another five year old example. With say a 90's classic mini though, you'll probably pay around the £2.5k mark to buy it in the first place. If you keep it for five years, then you may have to pay a thousand or so out in resto work in that time, but then in five years time it'll still be worth what you paid for it and hopefully a little more, and you won't be needing to find a big wad of cash to replace it.

 

Basically the cost of depreciation in a modern car will generally outweigh the on-going cost of keeping a classic mini alive

[vx220]

I guess I'm doing a bit of a cost benefit analysis I don't have a grand to spend every three years

Put a pound a week away in a jar labelled "rust fund"

Try to ignore my man flu maths!

It's a pound a day! How embarrassing...

[Tamworthbay]

I guess I'm doing a bit of a cost benefit analysis I don't have a grand to spend every three years

Put a pound a week away in a jar labelled "rust fund"

Try to ignore my man flu maths!
It's a pound a day! How embarrassing...

Or perhaps you were planning on a bit of underseal making it last twenty years