Rust spots on boot lid, is this corrosion?

[heners54]

Hi all,

 

Not very impressed really, having washed my car a few days ago  I noticed a small rust blister to the right of the Skoda badge on the boot. It looked to have a small chip at the centre, so thought it's just one of those things. Having had a closer look though, under the sill where the boot release and number plate lights are there are many of these blemishes, none of which have broken through the paint. 

 

The car is an 08, and has covered a mere 40k. All servicing done at main dealers, regularly washed, polished and waxed as it's something I enjoy doing. So from the pictures below (they hide the imperfections quite well, poor phone camera and reflections), do I have a chance of a corrosion claim? Or am I going to have to grumble my way to a paint booth/ smart repairer to get it touched up:

 

On the boot lip, very visible

 

 

 

Underneath on both sides of the sill

 

 

 

[skoda1982]

Has it ever had a bump 2nd pic looks like it has. There is a crater near the bottom right. looks like the filler has not been sanded right

[heners54]

Has it ever had a bump 2nd pic looks like it has. There is a crater near the bottom right. looks like the filler has not been sanded right

 

Not while I've owned the car (2 years next month), I can't honestly say if it has had any previously, although there isn't over spray or orange peel or any other obvious signs of a repair that isn't up to scratch.

[fabiamk2SE]

If you want to know whether it has had a bump or not, a trained eye at a body repair centre should be able to spot it.

[tamiyaandy]

Looks like it may have done from the pics, I'm a 20yr plus paint sprayer, another way to check would be to remove the number plate lights and see if there is any "layering" signs.

As above a trained eye would tell you straight away.

The first pics is water under the paint, hence you see the "vains" coming from it, if the paint isn't broken it will barely get larger year by year.

[heners54]

Having had a look carefully at the boot as a whole, you could well be right. Will take some more pictures when I have time. I will pop the number plate lights out as well and have a proper poke about.

The paint isn't broken so that is some good news, although I take it that previous damage means I'll be paying for any repairs. Luckily I know a man who preps cars for Manheim auctions so I will have to give him a bell and have an eye cast over it.

[Outofthi5world]

You'd probably be paying for repairs anyway if VW is anything to go by. There's a patch of corrosion on the back right wheel arch on my dads Jetta that hasn't broken the paint but just blebbed it about the size of 2 50p pieces, I told him that vag have 10 year corrosion warranty and he should take it in since it's only a 56 reg,so he did, and the guy said that it was down to the age of the car (cheeky ****) and that maybe VW would do it out of good will. So he got told where to stick it. Absolutely shocking customer services from Lookers, every time without fail.

[fabiamk2SE]

and the guy said that it was down to the age of the car (cheeky ****)

wtf.

Thats not a ten year warranty then, thats a when the cars new warranty.

Thats rediculous.

[heners54]

Right, I've took the numberplate lights out to inspect the paint, and pretty much straight away found the likely cause of the problems:

 

 

 

It really was quite rotten at the edges of the metal, had a good look with a torch and poking around it looks to be cosmetic only. Once again though, not very impressed at the use of foam/sponge being used to protect the metal from the plastic numberplate light holder rather than rubber. Rubber seals, foam absorbs and holds water....

 

Anyway, I took half an hour cleaning and coating all the rust I could see in some 'Kurust' rust treatment that we had tucked away, leaving it all looking as if it won't get much worse before I get it taken care of properly.

 

Edited 20 May, 2014 by heners54

[fabiamk2SE]

Any signs of a respray mate?

[heners54]

Yeah it seems to have had paint on the boot at some point, if you open the boot and look at the seam on the inside there are some paint blobs where it looks to have run, will have to take a picture when it stops raining.

The old dear who had it before me seemed to like opening the boot onto the garage door/roof as there were touched up scratches on the boot when I got it, not far from the blemishes. She must have had it sprayed at some point but still managed it again which I wasnt aware of till now.

Suppose I feel a bit better that it seems to just be a bad smart repair rather than a big prang I'd missed when buying it. I still double checked the rear bumper and anywhere else I could get access to again, everything else looks original.

I knew the bodywork wasn't mint when I got it, there was a scuff on the front ns, crease on the rear ns wheel arch and the scratches on the top boot ledge, but never thought it had been repaired and damaged again! Feel a bit silly for missing it but without staring at the boot release handle area you wouldn't really know.

[Ootohere]

Sorry but your OP says regularly Washed Polished and waxed.

and you have had it for 2 years,

 no idea how you could miss seeing how badly repaired it was long before the rust broke out.

 

Corrosion Warranties are usually on 'Holed Panels' which is rare these days, within the Warranty Periods,

& Paint Warranties have the T&C's about Repairs etc.

Both often require the Vehicle to have had Inspections at Specified Times,

often that is at the Major Inspection Services.

 

Best that you get someone good to do the necessary, proper preparation, rust inhibitor etc.

 

george

[heners54]

Sorry but your OP says regularly Washed Polished and waxed.

and you have had it for 2 years,

no idea how you could miss seeing how badly repaired it was long before the rust broke out.

The only sign of a repair is small blobs of paint along the bottom edge of the boot on the inside. They are nearly uniform in distance on the panel, and without another Fabia boot to look at foolishly assumed it was from the manufacturing process.

I take it the rust from the numberplate light holes is an issue others have had, and this may well be the cause of the rust in my case and not be related to any previous paintwork, I'm purely speculating the paint may have been bad also. The blister on the visible part of the boot has appeared in the last two weeks, I generally just rub the unseen bit with detailing spray and don't get under and stare at it, so I'm not sure how long it has been there.

[Ootohere]

It looks like there is plenty of Filler or filler putty under the paint,

when someone starts rubbing it down the will see just how much.

[seboni121]

The images are shocking the rust surely should be covered in the warranty ? Where is the filler ?

Edited 20 May, 2014 by seboni121

[heners54]

The rust is from the numberplate light holders rubbing and holding water against the metal, VAG call this a 'mechanical' defect from what I've read, and as such is covered by the 3yr warranty not the corrosion one, which has to be defects from the inside of the panel out.

The filler comments are from one small dimple, which the magnified picture highlights. I can't see any real signs of filler, I might even sit and polish it up to a decent standard and photograph again to get a better perspective.

[Ootohere]

The filler is usually covering the metal were somebody sanded back, then filled before sanding and painting.

 

If not filled, then thats a fair thickness of paint someone sprayed.

[fabiamk2SE]

I doubt theyd cover any bodywork thats been painted by somebody else.

They'll just say it wouldnt of corroded if it was painted to a higher standard. Which is true..

[seboni121]

The first image with the coin is definately rust and it's coming from under the paint although the shot near the number plate shows a small dink its not close enough to a effect the rust with the coin and I'm with you as the number plate light is where the rust is coming from , that's a warranty job and the rust around the light fitting should be also

[Ootohere]

It could have been before it was painted badly by someone,

it might not even be the Original Hatch that was on that car when new.

[fabiamk2SE]

It could have been there, yeah, but how do you prove that?

Personally, i dont think you stand a chance trying to claim on warranty.

Paint protects the metal. If somebodys been messing around the with paint and layers of protective coatings, then the manufacturers wont take responsibility for the results that occur.

[heners54]

I wouldn't expect them to, I am unsure it has had any though. If someone can confirm that blobs like this are not on their fabia's boot in a similar way then it's likely it may have done.

 

 

However, even if it's had paint, I'm confident it will have been for minor scratches to edge of the boot; the tallest part where it opens. I can't see why there would have been filler or even the need to spray in the area of the rust spots in the case of a smart repair.

 

Here are some pictures now I've properly cleaned up the area:

 

The most visible blemish, in context now with a larger area of the car shown

 

The right light, I can't see the dent very easily, it's quite tiny, the paint looks even and smooth apart from the blemishes. They are more concentrated in the areas surrounding the light fittings.

 

 

Basically, I'm not going to bother trying to prove what caused it, although I think the pictures show where any rust was introduced into the panel. It may have had some paint, it may have not. There isn't obvious signs of filler or panel damage, any imperfections there now are from the rust that has set in around the tailgate. Until the paint began to turn like this, I would have had no idea there was rust forming behind the lights, and it's something that people need to check, there are other topics for other models of Skoda (Mk2 Octavia Springs to mind) and other VAG cars suffering this. It will get fixed in time (I'm not yet 21, so can't have a hire car, nor can I be without it), and when it gets looked at I should find out the condition of the panel; you never know goneoffSKi, I could be the one fitting a new hatch!

[Ootohere]

I was a car spray painter & refinisher and that included doing warranty repairs, so i was just looking at what your pictures show to my eyes.

 

See what your friend says about it.

[heners54]

I was a car spray painter & refinisher and that included doing warranty repairs, so i was just looking at what your pictures show to my eyes.

See what your friend says about it.

You could well be right, I'm not saying you aren't.

I'll be sure to let you all know how it progresses.

Eta: If I have offended you in anyway then I am sorry. If there is underlying damage then that would be a bit of a blow, and I feel silly that I have not noticed the blemishes forming when I do try to keep the car looking nice. I value all the comments that people have made and their relevant experience.

It's something I will want to get sorted properly and will play on my mind till I do.

Edited 20 May, 2014 by heners54