Considering the age of the cars they have done well rust wise. I can imagine it's because you have looked after them and know where to look to tackle possible problem areas. These cars are probably quite rare now. We've 2 Rover 75 tourers from 2004. I can drive for weeks without seeing another one.
@@michaeldranfield7140 I must admit that I was surprised in one of your previous videos where you showed inside a wheel arch and it was galvanised. My first thought was that Fiat did this to shed their past as being the manufacturers of cars that rusted incredibly quickly. You reckon you could take yours to car shows as they are in excellent condition.
@@michaeldranfield7140 I had 2 Citroën Xantia (1997 & 2000 vintage). They had excellent galvanising. So good that on one MOT test they pushed in (substantial dent) a section 12" long on a sill but didn't fail it, as they couldn't create a hole! When I later investigated, there was nothing there but anti-chip paint and the galvanising! (Paint still well adhered to the galvanising. Not really any paint blistering). It didn't stop the steel rusting away from the inside though. Always check the sill drainage holes are clear. ("Gaps" in the bottom seam, probably 2 or 3 of them. Probably only visible with your head under the car floor looking at the sill bottom seam). You will probably be able to pull flakes of rust out through the drainage holes with a stiff bent wire hook. The bottom of the sill seam is probably folded over below the drain holes to protect against water splashing upwards into the drain holes. You'd probably need to temporarily straighten that folded splash guard, to get straight access into the drain hole with the hook.
I think the biggest problem is that it says “FIAT” on the front of the car. The ones that we get here in the US have been nothing but junk for decades.
They're fine in my experience, but you have to take care of them like any car. Over here, most people driving a Fiat get them as their first vehicle, or use them as town cars because they're relatively inexpensive - same goes for Peugeots and Citroens. Most drivers in that demographic don't necessarily take good care of their cars. Also, they're not likely to want to keep paying for a full service for a budget car. Meanwhile the enthusiast that owns a relatively more expensive Japanese/German/US car and spends lots of time in it, will also spend more time and money to maintain it because they care about the car more. I don't think it says too much about Fiats when my friend doesn't keep his engine oil topped-up and the engine in his Fiat Punto gives up.
Those things would be pence each for you and me, less for a bulk manufacturer. Would cost more in labour to fit. On one side only it's either negligence or deliberate, place your bets.....
Fiat do some odd things sometimes, I run a Ducato and they leave open holes in the front wheel arches where the subframe captive bolts are, so all the spray goes right into the chassis. We’ve had a couple of Bipper vans that are Fiat made and the sills rotted out on them at 6 years old. A bit of duct tape and a smear of CT1 works great over missing grommet holes. Also, beware of the flexi brake hoses, the ferrule under the rubber boots corrode really fast and we’ve had a few pop the brake hoses😯
Its difficult to understand how a large manufacture can make these simple mistakes but there again if they didn't cars and vans would possibly last too long .
Ford like to let water run or pass though the internal panels it’s why 2000-2013 transits rust so bad on the arch’s and steps there are a few points which the water gets in way above and it runs down
Those holes where the grommets go are probably there to spray in some anti corrosion coating on the inside of the sill. Now you sealed in any moisture that was currently inside that sill. It should have been dried out and brought to a shop where they can do the proper anti corrosion treatment and seal that hole after that.
Each sill will have 2 or 3 drainage holes at the bottom, so nothings exactly _sealed in._ I think there's also open ventilation to the centre door post - so again, not exactly sealed. The drainage holes may be getting blocked with flakes of rust, on a vehicle that age. It will be worth seeing what debris can be pulled out through the drainage holes with a hooked wire, to check they're clear.
you would have thought the holes were there for way injection but since Fiat started making the whole of the shell with pre galvanised steel they no longer do any wax injection at the factory .
This is obviously a Fiat design feature to ensure the car turns to rust. What other reason could there be for putting an unnecessary hole in the wheel arch and then bunging it up?
only reason I can see for these holes is to get the primer coat in when the shell is dipped, since Fiat started using full galvanisation of the shell they no longer way inject cavity's .
Odd the grommets missing just on the drivers side on 2 cars maybe the man who normally fitted them after filling with underseal was on holiday that week
Those grommets underneath need to be pulled out and sprayed with 'fluid film', it comes in a rattle can and is made up of lanolin , sheep fat. In my opinion it is the best, it creeps and lasts for years when not exposed.
I tried one of these and it was rubbish , by the next year it had all disappeared on my wifes car but it wasnt the most famous one , might have been a copy but it was more expensive .
Why would spraying the grommet help? Surely you should spray "waxoil"®inside the sill. Or, as I do, expanding brown foam (but don't try welding afterwards!)
There will be drain holes in the bottom flange of the sill. (Likely to be blocked by rust flakes at this age). Sills are also likely to be open to the centre door pillars, so water vapor can get out of the sills that way (into the car). Drain holes will be _hidden_ on the inside of sill, so you can't see them just by kneeling at the side of the car. Run your fingers along the inside of the sill bottom seam. You're looking for a 3mm bulge over a 25/30mm section of the sill bottom seam. (That isn't associated with something like the reinforcement for the jacking points). If you get your head under the car at that point, you'll see a horizontal oval drain hole associated with that bulge. My current Citroën has 2 sill drain holes. Strangely, they are about 35cm appart, near the centre of the length of the sill. (Doesn't feel like that's the best place for them).
Considering the age of the cars they have done well rust wise. I can imagine it's because you have looked after them and know where to look to tackle possible problem areas. These cars are probably quite rare now.
We've 2 Rover 75 tourers from 2004. I can drive for weeks without seeing another one.
These are fully galvanised from new but even galvanised steel rusts eventually .
@@michaeldranfield7140 I must admit that I was surprised in one of your previous videos where you showed inside a wheel arch and it was galvanised. My first thought was that Fiat did this to shed their past as being the manufacturers of cars that rusted incredibly quickly.
You reckon you could take yours to car shows as they are in excellent condition.
I don’t know, that suspension swing arm looks very well rusted and not just surface rust.
@@michaeldranfield7140 I had 2 Citroën Xantia (1997 & 2000 vintage). They had excellent galvanising. So good that on one MOT test they pushed in (substantial dent) a section 12" long on a sill but didn't fail it, as they couldn't create a hole! When I later investigated, there was nothing there but anti-chip paint and the galvanising! (Paint still well adhered to the galvanising. Not really any paint blistering). It didn't stop the steel rusting away from the inside though.
Always check the sill drainage holes are clear. ("Gaps" in the bottom seam, probably 2 or 3 of them. Probably only visible with your head under the car floor looking at the sill bottom seam). You will probably be able to pull flakes of rust out through the drainage holes with a stiff bent wire hook. The bottom of the sill seam is probably folded over below the drain holes to protect against water splashing upwards into the drain holes. You'd probably need to temporarily straighten that folded splash guard, to get straight access into the drain hole with the hook.
@@steve83803 Its not rusted like you think , just looks like it, its dirt stuck to the grease I painted on to stop it rusting .
I think the biggest problem is that it says “FIAT” on the front of the car. The ones that we get here in the US have been nothing but junk for decades.
They're fine in my experience, but you have to take care of them like any car. Over here, most people driving a Fiat get them as their first vehicle, or use them as town cars because they're relatively inexpensive - same goes for Peugeots and Citroens. Most drivers in that demographic don't necessarily take good care of their cars. Also, they're not likely to want to keep paying for a full service for a budget car.
Meanwhile the enthusiast that owns a relatively more expensive Japanese/German/US car and spends lots of time in it, will also spend more time and money to maintain it because they care about the car more. I don't think it says too much about Fiats when my friend doesn't keep his engine oil topped-up and the engine in his Fiat Punto gives up.
a couple of pounds a grommet missing from a few hundred thousands of cars adds up.
Does make you wonder if this has been done deliberately though ?
Those things would be pence each for you and me, less for a bulk manufacturer. Would cost more in labour to fit. On one side only it's either negligence or deliberate, place your bets.....
Fiat do some odd things sometimes, I run a Ducato and they leave open holes in the front wheel arches where the subframe captive bolts are, so all the spray goes right into the chassis. We’ve had a couple of Bipper vans that are Fiat made and the sills rotted out on them at 6 years old.
A bit of duct tape and a smear of CT1 works great over missing grommet holes.
Also, beware of the flexi brake hoses, the ferrule under the rubber boots corrode really fast and we’ve had a few pop the brake hoses😯
Its difficult to understand how a large manufacture can make these simple mistakes but there again if they didn't cars and vans would possibly last too long .
Ford like to let water run or pass though the internal panels it’s why 2000-2013 transits rust so bad on the arch’s and steps there are a few points which the water gets in way above and it runs down
possibly because they don't want them lasting too long , a sort of built in obsolescence ?
@@Stop..carry-on Ford also fitted sponge like items in plastic bags between the panels holding moisture in so panels rotted from inside out
Those holes where the grommets go are probably there to spray in some anti corrosion coating on the inside of the sill. Now you sealed in any moisture that was currently inside that sill. It should have been dried out and brought to a shop where they can do the proper anti corrosion treatment and seal that hole after that.
Each sill will have 2 or 3 drainage holes at the bottom, so nothings exactly _sealed in._ I think there's also open ventilation to the centre door post - so again, not exactly sealed.
The drainage holes may be getting blocked with flakes of rust, on a vehicle that age. It will be worth seeing what debris can be pulled out through the drainage holes with a hooked wire, to check they're clear.
you would have thought the holes were there for way injection but since Fiat started making the whole of the shell with pre galvanised steel they no longer do any wax injection at the factory .
This is obviously a Fiat design feature to ensure the car turns to rust. What other reason could there be for putting an unnecessary hole in the wheel arch and then bunging it up?
only reason I can see for these holes is to get the primer coat in when the shell is dipped, since Fiat started using full galvanisation of the shell they no longer way inject cavity's .
Odd the grommets missing just on the drivers side on 2 cars maybe the man who normally fitted them after filling with underseal was on holiday that week
Be interesting to hear from more grande punto owners and see if im just unlucky with 2 cars or if its on every single one .
Those grommets underneath need to be pulled out and sprayed with 'fluid film', it comes in a rattle can and is made up of lanolin , sheep fat. In my opinion it is the best, it creeps and lasts for years when not exposed.
I tried one of these and it was rubbish , by the next year it had all disappeared on my wifes car but it wasnt the most famous one , might have been a copy but it was more expensive .
Why would spraying the grommet help? Surely you should spray "waxoil"®inside the sill. Or, as I do, expanding brown foam (but don't try welding afterwards!)
How would one dry out the volume ?
Sit the car outside in the sunshine with all the grommets removed .
There will be drain holes in the bottom flange of the sill. (Likely to be blocked by rust flakes at this age). Sills are also likely to be open to the centre door pillars, so water vapor can get out of the sills that way (into the car).
Drain holes will be _hidden_ on the inside of sill, so you can't see them just by kneeling at the side of the car.
Run your fingers along the inside of the sill bottom seam. You're looking for a 3mm bulge over a 25/30mm section of the sill bottom seam. (That isn't associated with something like the reinforcement for the jacking points). If you get your head under the car at that point, you'll see a horizontal oval drain hole associated with that bulge.
My current Citroën has 2 sill drain holes. Strangely, they are about 35cm appart, near the centre of the length of the sill. (Doesn't feel like that's the best place for them).