General 165T Sport - small rust spot

[austenw90]

Hi all,

I've just recently noticed a very small spot of rust at the bottom of my passenger side front wing where is lips round into the wheel arch and wandered if anyone could advise what best to do??

The car is in Maserati Blue, a 59 plate and has covered only 16k miles. It is in very good condition and I do look after my cars well, washing weekly when possible with good products such as Autoglym and Meguairs and also polish and wax regularly so it is frustrating that this has come about on a car that is less than 3 years old with such low mileage.

I have cleaned the area of the wing up and sprayed a little WD40 on the area to push out any water. The dealer gave me a touch up laquer (the clear paint coating solution) and have applied a small amount however this seems to just cover up the problem, which I don't want to spread!

Apparently the warranty only covers rust that has come from the inside out and not damage caused by outside damage (e.g. stone chips, scratches etc).

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Earandir]

Go to a Fiat garage... If I remember correctly, Fiat gives a 5-year warranty on the paintwork...

 

[Mal126]

Go to a Fiat garage... If I remember correctly, Fiat gives a 5-year warranty on the paintwork...

3yr paint warranty and 8yr anti-perforation warranty, unfortunately won't be covered under warranty.
I have a Croma purchased new with corrosion / paint blistering on /under drivers door window seal. After going all avenues not covered.

 

[Earandir]

Must be different in UK then... Here in Portugal it's 5 year warranty, on my Punto Mk2 it was actually a 7 year warranty, also covering corrosion...

 

[austenw90]

The dealer were adament that it wasn't covered which is ashame as really the panel / paintwork is faulty. They also advised that the only preventative measure which is fitting mudflaps also voids anti corosion paintwork warranty as they fix into the panels... didn't quite understand this.

It just seems the only way to cure the problem would be to have the entire wing re-sprayed (an unexpected expense on a car less than 3 years old) or do a temporary touch up job which would only cover up the problem.

Just wanted to see really if anyone else has had this problem and what they have done about it.

Thanks

 

[Big Black Stilo]

is it on the outside edge (bright edge) of the car? if its the inside of the arch i would be tempted to sand back the little area, apply rust killer and touch up the spot, let the touch up harden (about a week) sand with really mega fine sand paper the excess as smooth as possible and then polish it.

 

[Big Black Stilo]

if you're brave, this better explains it

 

[drifting]

Have you got a picture?

 

[austenw90]

Have you got a picture?

Hi, I've taken a few photo's. Here you go... This is the first time I've attached photo's on this site so hopefully it will work!

Thanks

 

[drifting]

I would get some deox gel and prime it and then carefully repair it

 

[austenw90]

I would get some deox gel and prime it and then carefully repair it

Thanks very much for your help, will give it a go

 

[Big Black Stilo]

looking at the photos thats been damaged badly by stones, and also the front of the side skirt is painted black which looks as though someones tried to cover this up before

 

[jay1464]

Ignore the dealers. Go straight to Fiat UK. This looks more like a design flaw to me. Clearly if a stone is chucked up by the wheel it could hit the edge of the wing causing rust. I had bobbling paint on the boot. The dealer said they wouldn't fix it. I went to Fiat UK and they agreed to pay 90% of the repair costs.

 

[austenw90]

looking at the photos thats been damaged badly by stones, and also the front of the side skirt is painted black which looks as though someones tried to cover this up before

I think the level of damage is fairly common when mudflaps aren't fitted... but not on a car with on 16k miles on the clock! I only do regular town and motorway driving so I think I will be contacting Fiat UK to try and sort this with them. With regard to the side skirt damage, do you think that is what has been done? I thought the paint had just been completely blasted by stones and therefore gone back to the plastic material these skirts are made from?

I had an Alfa MiTo previously in Alfa Red. The paintwork was absolutely appalling and I have never seen a car get so many stonechips on the wheel arches, bonnet and where the rear wheel arch bulges out slightly. This Fiat Maserati Blue does seem to be made of stronger stuff but it just seems the wheel arches are a problem!

 

[jay1464]

I have to agree. The paint on my bravo is nowhere near as resistant to chips and scratches than the two Renaults I have owned previously. That being said my Bravo is far better put together than my previous Renault Megane so I can forgive Fiat for a bit of softer paint!

 

[Big Black Stilo]

With regard to the side skirt damage, do you think that is what has been done?

The part of the skirt on the inside of the arch is sprayed black, the skirts on mine have the body colour going right round on this is face. spraying parts like this black is a common trick to avoid repainting a body colour on a small, hidden part like this. I have done it myself on classic cars suffering surface rust in these areas or to tidy up boot closures if the car had black plastic interior panels.

my thinking is the skirt and arch could have been damaged at some point and repaired, only the metalwork of the wing is suffering. especially as the bottom of the wing isnt meeting neatly.

it could have been sprayed black just to cover chips (as if like mine theres more white showing than colour), but if say a large stone or brick had flicked up, smashed the front of the skirt and buggering the bottom of the wing, the black could be hiding filler.

 

[austenw90]

Ignore the dealers. Go straight to Fiat UK. This looks more like a design flaw to me. Clearly if a stone is chucked up by the wheel it could hit the edge of the wing causing rust. I had bobbling paint on the boot. The dealer said they wouldn't fix it. I went to Fiat UK and they agreed to pay 90% of the repair costs.

Didn't get anywhere with Fiat UK or the dealer. Fiat UK refered me to the dealer who said they can't repair paintwork damaged by stone chips and wouldn't even give me a free touch up stick!!

Just went to Halfords, got a small fine sanding sponge and 100ml colour matched touch up and have repaired the damage for now. Also applied lacquer over the paint to harden it up.

Looks like new again

 

[Big Black Stilo]

did you put some rust killer on first?

 

[austenw90]

did you put some rust killer on first?

I didn't no, but did sand it until there wasn't any trace of rust at all.

Do you think it will creep back up on me?

 

[Big Black Stilo]

it might do but it may take a while. The rust killers i have used actually react with the rust to make a rust proofed surface to paint on