Hello

 

So, a buddy of mine is buying a car. And he came across a very good deal for a 2016 Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI. We went to check it out, and the car is like new. I mean really, somebody took good care of it, at least on the inside.

However, there is a concern about the car. When we opened the bonnet, we saw alot of rust/corrosion on the steel parts.

See pictures for detail.

The dealer told us, that it is normal to build up corrrosion/rust on these parts, becouse the car was left still for a while (he said 1-2 months).

I mean i get it, that it builds up some amount. But this was not little.

 

Otherwise the car runs smooth, with non issues.

 

What do you think, can this be  a huge problem? 

 

 

 

Your buddies name is "So" ?

 

I can only see one corroded steel part, well a pair of them actually, the bonnet catch fixing screws and that would be quite normal because they dont have any specific anti-corrosion treatment unlike the plated catch which simply shows normal tarnishing from the atmosphere but no breakdown of the passivated zinc plating.

 

All the other parts are unfinished aluminium castings and the oxidisation is quite normal.

Sorry, i was trying to start the thread totally different, and when i erased it,  I didnt check if i erased everything,

 

Yeah ok, i understand that, but is this much oxidation normal?

 

 

 

 

 

 

It looks like the part was in the water for some time.

 

 

 

I have a 2015 car and the above components look just like they did when I drove it off the forecourt ...

A seaside car, the alloy oxidisation is nothing to worry about, like tarnishing it effectively creates a protective layer, not what you want on alloy wheels but to be expected under the bonnet of such an oiltight vehicle.

 

The steel powder coated parts look pristine, they would be the first to corrode in a seaside car.

 

My MK2 had lived by the sea for a few years looking at the service history, all the brake disc backplates were severely corroded, they go anyway but this was advanced, the rear suspension components all have surface rust and were an advisory on the MOT but to date all the fasteners have come undone when required.

 

Friends with valuable classics wont use them after the first salts are put on the road in winter as their alloy engine blocks, cylinder heads etc would look like yours.

 

It may even have followed a gritter before being laid up while damp in an unventilated storage.

Edited 21 January, 20206 yr by J.R.

OK, I was also thinking it might been a seaside car.

So it is same to assume that it is ok if it looks like this. Sorry but my friend is not really satisfied with the anwsear 🤣

He kinda just wants to know if it is ok, so he can buy it 😂😅

 

Anyway thank you for the quick reponses 😀

I am so upset to have left your friend so unsatisfied.

 

Not "so unsatisfied" but to have left "So" (your friend) really unsatisfied.

 

I will try harder, - tell him that its OK and that he can buy it, sounds like thats what he wants to hear.

It may also come from salty roads in winter to remove ice... Not very nice for sure, but should be an issue.  

Haha jeah that is what i didnt wanna say to him
But yeah, he now doesnt bealive you

I will go check the car with him tommorow, and will report back if it really is as good as he is saying

Somehow i am sceptical from the pictures.

For a 4 year old car, the aluminium parts aside it looks to be in very good condition under the bonnet.

 

The alloy parts are not at risk of further corrosion, its purely cosmetic, everybodys front crossmember will look like that on the exposed surfaces which makes me think of another possibility, I wonder if it is missing the undertray or the one fitted looks suspiciously new? That could account for the increased oxidisation.

 

The metal bits that I would expect to witness exposure to a hostile saline rich environment all look pristine.

1 hour ago, Bap33 said:

It may also come from salty roads in winter to remove ice... Not very nice for sure, but should not be an issue.  

 

Sorry, forgot THE word that changes the meaning... 🙄 😁

Edited 21 January, 20206 yr by Bap33

Is the radiator core alloy? - If it had a similar level of corrosion I'd walk away.  Attached are 2 photos of my "16 plate" 2.0 TDI with 31k miles. One of the radiator through the grill and second one replicating the OP's  photos.  

I wonder if the root cause is pressure washer detergent applied at low pressure but not washed off - any "exterior" alloy parts without corrosion? - under the engine cover?

 

Edited 22 January, 20206 yr by peter_k

Thank you for the referance photos. We did check the radiator today. It looked normal.

I mean not like the photo above, but nothing covered with  corosion or rust. y

 

All in all, I must admit that the car is in very good condition. He wasnt exaggerating 😅

I just wanted to see under the hood, and i was suprised at the clean engine. And the corossion is not visible so much. You have too look more closely to see the corroded parts.

I wouldn't be worried about the engine bay, the engine will be the last thing to rot away, its the state of the body, suspension components, nuts and bolts, brake discs and weather shields, basically anything underneath the car you want to be paying attention to.

 

 

 

 

I've seen something like this before where someone was into cleaning / detailing their car including under the engine bay and some of the chemicals used reacted with some of the alloy materials and caused pitting.  Most of the materials are really thick though.

 

If it is it could be why the radiator is OK as it is out of sight so could have been left alone!

 

I myself am a big fan of Owatrol oil to stabilise/protect metals (steel or alloy!) - remains more or less clear and seems to set to a kind of resin. I paint on suspension, subframes, backplates etc - it's even worked well on MRS BJ's Panda where the sump was starting to really rust!

 

 

 

Edited 22 January, 20206 yr by bigjohn