that would have to be the worst iv seen (in an AU/BA)
so would you see that with the cover around the windscreen wippers off? and im guessing thats behind the front quarter panel?

Cheers Cam

Jeez Ash that doesn't look too good mate, the rust has eaten it's way through that metal quick smart.. Pretty bad considering it's age too, luckily it's an AU your wrecking and not the ute hey.

Come to think of it, the old man's EF XR has a bit of rust around the door hinge area, hopefully if we start pulling panels off it doesn't turn out to be anywhere near as bad as this

I wrecked a 98 AU Fairmont last year that had done 110K. It was absolutely rotten with rust under the front guards & in around the tail lights - Holes as big as your palm.

Sounds like AU's are the new XD's when it comes to being rust buckets.

Yep - that was the one!

I bought it from East Maitland - One owner & well looked after till the son borrowed it one night and smashed it. Maybe they worked in town & parked it by the waterfront?

My wife parks her AU on the waterfront at Honeysuckle everyday - Lots of salt air! I should pull the guards off every year to see how it handles these conditions?

The '98 EL wagon I wrecked had some nasty rust spots in weird places too. I was surprised to find it actually as my ED has exactly zero rust anywhere! Just remind me not to by an AU.....

s**t that is pretty bad cancer.
Luckily the boat seems pretty clean.
On another note Ash do you still have the steering wheel off it? If so whats it like?

[quote="racedirector"]The '98 EL wagon I wrecked had some nasty rust spots in weird places too.

I know the burgandy EL wagon that you are referring to......

Thats the one!

[quote="ashcook"]Lets hope the XR wagon doesn't get some rot like this parking in at Honeysuckle. This one came from Sydney, but who knows where.

I've come across it in real weird places in EL's as well. Still nothing like this though. And when I was searching for BA's, some of them were terrible.

I think the paint they are applying is getting thinner and thinner. Under the bonnets of the late cars there is barely a coat at all. Maybe the steel they are using is getting poorer quality over time too?

I don't drive my XR6 wagon much these days - maybe once on the weekend? It just sits in the shed. I have been working over at the coal loader - the Landcruiser ute gets those duties.

The guy next door traded his VS ute on an 02 AU last year & within 6 months rust popped out in the sills,doglegs & in the cowl panel - He quickly traded it on a new Mazda 3.

You are right about the thin AU paint. I bought an AU XLS trayback new in 01 - The paint was that thin behind the cab & under the sills that you could see the undercoat. Klosters wasn't very happy when they had to pull the tray back off to repaint it.

I must say that is the first AU I have seen rusting there!
XR-XY used to rust out the lower part of the A pillar behind the guard and of course XD-XF bot lid rust, the list is endless but I thought Ford had found the fix for Caner there?
I am lucky Lucifa has NO RUST anywhere that is visible and none underneath, maybe it got better looked after? A lot of people never hose out the plenum chamber either.