Just wondering if anyone here can confirm that just like the previous model, Fiat still does not galvanise the rear axel on the latest Panda as well as not galvanising the oil sump?

If that’s true it’s a bit off putting on the decision to buy one. My current Panda suffers from these issues and it’d be disappointing to think Fiat continued to leave these parts vulnerable.

Though saying that; what is the situation with other small cars out there? Do they have such parts galvanised or is this an industry standard thing?

It’s hard to know what elements to overlook and what to avoid!

No the rear beam is not galvanized, most cars are the same on suspension parts and subframes. Powder coat is no use as the finish is brittle and with our weather a pin hole or crack allows water in and the corrosion starts. My Panda spent 3 years at a coastal town and surface rust and peeling had started, I've ground off the rust, treated it with Bilt Hamber Dynax rust killer, painted and treated with their wax treatment and a year later looks perfect.
On a new car I'd be inclined to treat it with a quality wax rust proofer ASAP.
My daughters 15 plate MG3 has so much corrosion on its suspension and subframes that it will be eaten through by the time its 5 or 6 years old.
A friend in the trade says that makes with alleged good build quality are now grim on those areas. He puts Fiat as one of the best but says an hour spent on a new car with a wax rust inhibitor spray would make a big difference to any car........ I totally agree with him.

My advice has always been to look at the car you fancy at ones three or four years old, look at seams, suspension parts and subframes, one reason the Sandero and the Picanto went off my shopping list. Listen to doors when shutting them and look for plugs where they spray in cavity wax on building, its not all down to alleged reliability, engines etc can be fixed but a Rusty underbody is a veritable nightmare.

Just put dinitrol all over the metal parts of the rear suspension on my golf as it was showing early signs of surface rust, completely normal on almost all cars, my car has done 47k in 2 years so the underside of the car has seen a lot of abuse from rain dirt and road salt, especially after the very harsh few months we had over winter just gone.

Buy the car you want and protect it early to avoid problems in the future.

One very useful way to help prevent this rusting (and on any car - everyone is affected) is to routinely wash under the car with the jet from a hose. Its doesn't need a pressure wash - a garden hose is enough.

This is especially important over the winter when salt is being spread. And one final time after the last frosts pass. Do it after a period of rain so the dirt (mud laden with salt) is wet and it will easily wash away. Those winter salts are the cause of the issue here.

My 2013 4x4 (which yes, gets used off road too, and has covered 66k miles now) gets this done regularly and I can say that in the time I've had it (from 6 months old to now) there is no sign of rust on any of the suspension etc. The rear suspension around the base of the springs is still covered in Fiat's black, shiny paint, and the drain holes in the suspension cups are clear and let water drain freely away.

I agree washing is best, but powder coats do crack so even keeping it all clean still can mean there is a chance of rust.
A twenty quid spray tin of wax, dinitrol, bilt hamber or WHO, will do a good job and of course a soaking with a garden hose every now and again and the rust will never appear.

Salt is a cars structure worst enemy!!

Herts Hillhopper said:

One very useful way to help prevent this rusting (and on any car - everyone is affected) is to routinely wash under the car with the jet from a hose. Its doesn't need a pressure wash - a garden hose is enough.

Click to expand...

Someone on here suggested fitting a sprinkler attachment to your hose, then driving back and forth over it, so the water jets spray up and around the underside of the car and give it a good clean.

Easily sorted on a brand new car,5 litre tin of black hammerite and paint the whole underside before you take it out onto the road,my Doblo cargo van was in my garage for 6 weeks when I bought it new before it went on the road,I painted everything,wax injected every hole and cavity.15 years on and all this work is still paying dividends.

Herts Hillhopper said:

One very useful way to help prevent this rusting (and on any car - everyone is affected) is to routinely wash under the car with the jet from a hose. Its doesn't need a pressure wash - a garden hose is enough.

This is especially important over the winter when salt is being spread. And one final time after the last frosts pass. Do it after a period of rain so the dirt (mud laden with salt) is wet and it will easily wash away. Those winter salts are the cause of the issue here.

My 2013 4x4 (which yes, gets used off road too, and has covered 66k miles now) gets this done regularly and I can say that in the time I've had it (from 6 months old to now) there is no sign of rust on any of the suspension etc. The rear suspension around the base of the springs is still covered in Fiat's black, shiny paint, and the drain holes in the suspension cups are clear and let water drain freely away.

Click to expand...

Also have a 2013 4x4 and the same applies, as it did to the 100HP that preceded it. Mrs b_u's 8-year-old 1.2 hasn't had the same degree of coddling - I'll take a look at the underside.