Hello Zip!

** On Wednesday 21.01.26 - 20:39, Zip wrote to Sean Dennis:

Myself, I've been hunting possible causes for a returning (on Christmas Eve, of course!) fault code on my now 23-year-old Volvo V70. Happens only sometimes, during highway driving, on flat road and at steady throttle, so really unexpected.

[...]

23yr old vehicle.. wow. Any body corrosion issues?
I have a 18yr old Rav4. It has been extremely reliableall these years, but the body corrosion from underneath is not looking very good.


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../|ug

--- OpenXP 5.0.64
* Origin: (618:400/23.10)

Hello August!

On 21 Jan 2026, August Abolins said the following...

23yr old vehicle.. wow. Any body corrosion issues?

No, not really -- some very light surface rust on the weldings of the muffler and the neck of the towbar and a couple of bolts here and there on the underside, but that's about it. Exhaust, muffler and cat still original, same thing for the lambda sensors, wheel bearings, alternator and fuel pump... Actually rather surprising when I think of it. :-O

Most of the underside was sprayed from the factory with some kind of clear, epoxy-like anti-corrosion wax. I'm the second owner and bought the car in 2008 when it was 5 years old -- back then it had 16600 km (103,000 mi) and quite a lot of stone chips in the paint (probably from lots of freeway driving), but those were shallow and easy to fix with a touch-up pen.

I sprayed another layer of rust proofing wax (Dinitrol) on the underside when I got it, which was more "rubbery" than the factory one, just for the sake of it, and it has held up very well.

I did get some stone chips on the driver's door a couple of years ago, and hadn't washed the car for a couple of months during winter season (they put a *lot* of salt on the roads here, sadly!). Noticed the corrosion way too late (it was hidden near the edge of a piece of plastic trim on the door), so ended up having that rust removed and the door repainted... Oh well.

All in all, I'm very satisfied with the car. Just wish there were less sensors and stuff everywhere. :)

I have a 18yr old Rav4. It has been extremely reliableall these years,
but the body corrosion from underneath is not looking very good.

Those seem to be very reliable cars, yes. Corrosion is always a PITA...

Best regards
Zip

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Star Collision BBS, Uppsala, Sweden (618:500/27)

Most of the underside was sprayed from the factory with some kind of clear, e

>y-like anti-corrosion wax. I'm the second owner and bought the car in 2008 wh
>it was 5 years old -- back then it had 16600 km (103,000 mi)

I got my car done with probably the same sort of rust proofing.
I always used to have my cars done annually but the dealership had
a special treatment that is supposed to be good for 6 years.

BTW.. just because it's the second time you mentioned this number..
You mean 166,000 km to equal 103,000 miles. Slipped a zero there. B)

---
* SLMR Rob * Of course I'm paying attention... Who are you again?
* Origin: Capitol City Online (618:250/1)

Hello Rob!

On 24 Jan 2026, Rob Mccart said the following...

I always used to have my cars done annually but the dealership had
a special treatment that is supposed to be good for 6 years.

Sounds good!

I guess new car rustproofing would be a one-time application, and undercoating could need some periodic maintenance, as you would probably want to avoid corrosion from water, salt etc. getting beneath the coating...

BTW.. just because it's the second time you mentioned this number..
You mean 166,000 km to equal 103,000 miles. Slipped a zero there. B)

Thanks! I didn't want to confuse everyone with Swedish/Norwegian miles (10 km) vs US miles (1.609 km), and goofed with the digits... :-D

Best regards
Zip

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Star Collision BBS, Uppsala, Sweden (618:500/27)

I always used to have my cars done annually but the dealership had
a special treatment that is supposed to be good for 6 years.

Sounds good!

I guess new car rustproofing would be a one-time application, and undercoatin

>ould need some periodic maintenance, as you would probably want to avoid corr
>on from water, salt etc. getting beneath the coating...

Factory rustproofing is okay but, as you suggested, doesn't stand up
forever. Usually you can trust it for 5 or 6 years but then should
start getting the thinner oily type rust proofing done which is
sprayed inside of doors through holes they drill and elsewhere all
over the car. It tends to 'creep' into every tiny space helping to
stop rust from forming.

My rust proofing guy has a great price, about $50 cheaper than
most people because he said that, over the years, he learned you
can't trust the warranty the rust proofers give you, that they
go way out of their way to void every claim.. So he tells people
that rust proofing slows down rust, but nothing can stop it, so
he does the application but doesn't charge you the extra cost for
the insurance.

i.e.. One of his regular clients had an old classic car and he had
it rustproofed there every year for 10 years, and then noticed a
little paint bubbling around the fenders. They called in the
rustproof people to have the warranty pay for repairs, and the
guy sat there and went through the whole 10 years of records and
then turned to them and said, Oh, gee, 6 years ago you were a month
late getting it done so the warranty is void..

That will depend on the company as well. My sister has had repairs
made to her car a couple of times without too much trouble..

BTW.. just because it's the second time you mentioned this number..
You mean 166,000 km to equal 103,000 miles. Slipped a zero there. B)

Thanks! I didn't want to confuse everyone with Swedish/Norwegian

>miles (10 km) vs US miles (1.609 km), and goofed with the digits... :-D

I didn't realize there was a different system there.. (Another one!)

They must give fuel economy there in gallons per mile rather than
miles per gallon. B)

---
* SLMR Rob * Please save the above drivel for future reference!
* Origin: Capitol City Online (618:250/1)

Hello Rob!

On 26 Jan 2026, Rob Mccart said the following...

Factory rustproofing is okay but, as you suggested, doesn't stand up forever. Usually you can trust it for 5 or 6 years but then should
start getting the thinner oily type rust proofing done which is
sprayed inside of doors through holes they drill and elsewhere all
over the car. It tends to 'creep' into every tiny space helping to
stop rust from forming.

Yep! I believe some people -- who know they'll keep the car for many years to come -- visit a rust proofing company right away when the car is brand new, and get that drilling + thin wax from the beginning. I'm not sure how much of that (if any of it) is actually performed at the car factories by default these days...

then turned to them and said, Oh, gee, 6 years ago you were a month
late getting it done so the warranty is void..

Oh yes, same thing for regular inspections/maintenance -- I heard e.g. Kia are very strict about this, at least here... Even though the waiting time for the appointment might be the cause for "missing" the required interval.

I didn't realize there was a different system there.. (Another one!)

Actually, I was (until now) convinced that more countries than Sweden and Norway use those 10 km "miles" as a convenient way of "ditching" a digit, but I guess not... :-D

They must give fuel economy there in gallons per mile rather than
miles per gallon. B)

Yep, kind of -- fuel economy is usually specified as litres per 100 km in Europe, I believe, both in ads and in the car itself (on the trip computer).

But, in Sweden -- as we have those 10-km Swedish "miles" :-D -- people (but not companies or the trip computers) usually state litres per (Swedish) "mile" when talking about fuel economy. Where anything below 1 litre per "mile" is good for an older or larger car (gas), and anything above it is... not as efficient as one would wish. :)

Although I remember seeing those bumper stickers stating that any car that doesn't consume at least 2 litres per (Swedish) "mile" isn't a real car. :-D

Best regards
Zip

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Star Collision BBS, Uppsala, Sweden (618:500/27)

Zip wrote to Rob Mccart <=-

But, in Sweden -- as we have those 10-km Swedish "miles"

Is it "meatballs per mile" (referencing IKEA's "Swedish meatball" dish it serves in its cafeteria)?

-- digi <8D~

... IKEA instructions are the real escape room challenge.
--- MultiMail/Linux
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (618:618/1)

Hello Sean!

On 26 Jan 2026, digimaus said the following...

Is it "meatballs per mile" (referencing IKEA's "Swedish meatball" dish it serves in its cafeteria)?

Haha -- yeah, that would be the ultimate metric. :-D

... IKEA instructions are the real escape room challenge.

Oh yes -- back in time, there always seemed to be some screws missing. Nowadays, I think they're throwing in a couple of extra ones just to confuse you. :-D

Best regards
Zip

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Star Collision BBS, Uppsala, Sweden (618:500/27)

Factory rustproofing is okay but, as you suggested, doesn't stand up forever. Usually you can trust it for 5 or 6 years but then should
start getting the thinner oily type rust proofing done which is
sprayed inside of doors through holes they drill and elsewhere all
over the car. It tends to 'creep' into every tiny space helping to
stop rust from forming.

Yep! I believe some people -- who know they'll keep the car for many years to

>me -- visit a rust proofing company right away when the car is brand new, and
>t that drilling + thin wax from the beginning. I'm not sure how much of that
> any of it) is actually performed at the car factories by default these days.

Maybe the more expensive cars are different but I don't think the factory
rust proofing is very good. I'm sure they use some because there is
usually a period of a few years where rust is covered by warranty but
the good stuff is costly. The 6 year coating I got costs close to $1000.

I felt good though when my usual mechanic when doing an oil change
and totat car checkup for me called me out into the shop to show
me my car up on the hoist so I could see the heavy off-white coating
of that material. He was quite impressed.

Actually, I was (until now) convinced that more countries than Sweden and Nor

> use those 10 km "miles" as a convenient way of "ditching" a digit, but I gue
>not... :-D

They must give fuel economy there in gallons per mile rather than
miles per gallon. B)

Yep, kind of -- fuel economy is usually specified as litres per 100 km in Eur

>, I believe, both in ads and in the car itself (on the trip computer).

Yes.. I'm old enough I still think in gallons and miles and when I
see my fuel economy on the car computer, I later have to convert it
to MPG since that's what I know best.

But, in Sweden -- as we have those 10-km Swedish "miles" :-D -- people (but n

>companies or the trip computers) usually state litres per (Swedish) "mile" wh
>talking about fuel economy. Where anything below 1 litre per "mile" is good f
>an older or larger car (gas), and anything above it is... not as efficient as
>e would wish. :)

Although I remember seeing those bumper stickers stating that any car that do

>'t consume at least 2 litres per (Swedish) "mile" isn't a real car. :-D

Ha.. right.. My current car works out slightly better than that 1 litre
per mile, but not by as much as I'd hoped when I bought it..

My first car, that 575 HP Chevelle SS, started off using about 4 litres
per your 'mile'.. Good thing gas was cheap back then.

It was maybe 425 HP when I bought it but my major rebuild greatly
boosted that HP, but I expected the fuel economy to get even worse.
The big surprise was the fuel economy almost doubled, as long as I
was driving calmly at normal speeds. B)

Have a good one Zip..

---
* SLMR Rob * I've got a pornographic memory
* Origin: Capitol City Online (618:250/1)