Rust

03-31-2005, 01:13 PM

My 11 month old 2004 Alero is rusting! it's on the trunk and all down the sides, little rust spots are forming all over the car. Has anyone else had this problem?

The dealer will not do anything about it since it has not rusted through, but said to fix it the car would require a complete paint job minus the bumpers and hood!

03-31-2005, 01:19 PM

How many miles/kms does it have? It should cover corrosion for a while, then rust through for longer. Mine (2000) is rusting and they won't fix it because it isn't rusted though, but yours should still be covered under corrosion, unless you have a lot of miles on it.

03-31-2005, 01:26 PM

it's a 2004 with about 30,000 miles roughly, not sure on the conversion.

it's under the 3/36 warranty, but they still want cover it. said because it has to rust from the inside out.

03-31-2005, 01:29 PM

That sounds like BS. I'd take it to a few other dealers and ask, then call GM direct and ask if it should be covered.

03-31-2005, 01:36 PM

here is a pic of the worst part of the rust, it looks a lot worse in person

I cant imagine what it will look like when it's two years old.

03-31-2005, 02:08 PM

I'd send that pic to GM with your VIN number and rase hell. Its a 2004, a new car. misslindseysue is right though, take it to a few dealers, might not get an arshole somewhere. gl

sound_xtreme · 03-31-2005, 02:27 PM

im confused, since the part ALERO is on is plastic......

03-31-2005, 02:46 PM

yeah that doesn't make any sence if you are right... Hmmm

03-31-2005, 02:49 PM

lol, yea plastic dosent rust....hmmmm.

doubleN0alero · 03-31-2005, 02:53 PM

maybe you should try some bug and tar remover first...

03-31-2005, 02:57 PM

ya I took it to another dealer and he said that too, that it was plastic. It's definatly rust though.

What happens is that metal particles in the air have landed on my car, they are caused by brake dust, railways, etc.

CN railway was doing a lot of maintenace on the tracks by my house so that might have caused it.

basically what happens is that these metal fragments land on the paint on the car, and then those tiny peices of metal rust. It's called Industrail fallout.

So thats the good news, the bad part is that to remove it you have to by a chemical that is not available to the general public. He said that you have to get a shop to do it and quoted me $300 bucks to do the entire car.

I am concerned about what the chemical will do to the clearcoat, but it cant be anyworse then it is now.

03-31-2005, 02:59 PM

ouch tenny!!

id be flippin if my 04 was rusted like that!!

sound_xtreme · 03-31-2005, 02:59 PM

um have you tried wax? buffing it would take it off for sure.

03-31-2005, 03:03 PM

yea, if its that stuff use some good wax and elbo grease. Maybe invest in a polisher/buffer.

03-31-2005, 03:12 PM

wax will not take it off, I waxed the entire car when I noticed the rust spots at first

its right in the clear coat.

the chemical you use to take it off is highly corrosive, I cannot find anywhere that even sells it.

sound_xtreme · 03-31-2005, 10:14 PM

then have someone buff it, or if you know how, buff it yourself.

00oldsalero · 03-31-2005, 10:59 PM

i have some spots like that on my car and on the bumpers confused wit it being on the bumpers but mine is not that bad

slowandlow · 04-01-2005, 12:18 AM

i have a spot of rust on the wheel whell lip i will be makeing it look like it was rusted throgh by fileing it so it is not strait and letting it rust and boom i get it fixed.

04-01-2005, 06:53 AM

I doubt if buffing it would work, the rust is right in the clear coat, it eats away at it so you need something that actualy takes up a bit of clear coat.

I got the bug and tar remover so i'm going to try that, does not hurt to try these cheaper methods first!

sound_xtreme · 04-01-2005, 09:26 AM

buffing it will take some of the clear right off.