700 Series and RUST

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone here has experienced any rust with their 700's and if so where?

I have a wonderful 740 that needs a little TLC to get her going again. The interior is fantastic (albeit in need of a good clean)and the engine looks good from the exterior (haven't started her yet so don't know how she runs).

The only problem I have is the amount of corrosion evident and I'm not convinced it's normal. I'll start with the outside. The roof has a number of stonechips which have started to bubble up and blister the surrounding paint. There are also a couple of pound coin sized patches of rusty bodywork, one near the front corner of the sunroof and one near the rear of the car. The nearside door has an inch an a half patch of rust around the window frame and the offside reasr wheel arch is showing some rust too. There are others too such as the windscreen pillars but the ones mentioned in detail are the worst ones.

Thing is, on any other car I would not have worried about this because I'd say it's normal. However, this is a Volvo. They don't rust (well, OK, they do if neglected, but not that easily!).

Moving on to the out of sight bits. Under the bonnet the manifold is covered in surface rust (again normal on some cars but this is a Volvo). Behind the headlamps there is corrosion and there is a hole in the plate that supports the battery. Under the front wheel arches there are signs of rust and the suspension struts are caked in it. I haven't got to looking at the rear underside yet.

You may think I'm being overly worried here I don't know but it just seems that there is more corrosion here than there should be for a Volvo. I don't THINK any of the corrosion is serious enough to require any welding yet but left to continue it's path of destruction will kill this wonderful piece of engineering off in a year or two.

Any comments/suggestions? Anyone any experience of treating such underbody corrosion? Anyone know a good paint finisher who could sort the bodywork without charging the earth?

I want to get this car going again and keep her going for as long as possible. She was rescued from the possibility of being broken for bits and I'd like to keep her from such a fate.

Thanks again folks

Andy

[BillB]

They're generally pretty good on body panels - for small areas near edges I think Volvo touch-up is OK. Anything more extensive needs spraying professionally - expensive though. Check underneath for broken underseal and wire brush and re-coat or if you're in a hurry apply grease - best preserver there is!

I assume by manifold you mean the exhaust one- rust is normal here. Also struts are typically rust coated - wire brush and underseal if extensive. Don't give up - the 740 is a fantastic car, maybe Volvo's best. Regards.

Andy

The places my 1990 760 suffered from rust problems were:

N/S Rear wheel arch lip, for some reason the arch liner was missing from new. I had that replaced

Rear valance quarters underneath the lights, where the valance joins the rear wings.

The n/s boot channel, where there were panel seams, worst part was just under the rear screen.

I had the rust cut out and the relevant panels resprayed.
Apart from that no other rust problems at all. The only bodywork I need to get done now, is to have a small ding removed on the o/s front wing, just above the bumper.

In comparison our 1998 Mercedes E320 AMG has had the following problems all repaired under warranty due to rust:
Bootlid & Bonnet replaced, 3 doors resprayed and n/s Ft wing resprayed.

[niloc]

I know of 2 700 series that have rusted under the passenger footwell. 1 on the chassis rail, and one on the actual floor immediately beside the chassis rail. Good idea to check this area and treat as necessary. BTW, 1 is 1986, the other 1990.

I had a 740 front wing resprayed and repaired last year through the garage (independent) that does the main work on my 740. The price was £140 ex vat. I don't know how this compares to the normal rate for respraying but they made a pretty tidy job and got the colour (metallic grey) pretty much spot on.