Are Anti Perforation Warranty Inspections worth it?

[SB1500]

This applies to all cars, but I was down at the DS dealership with the DS3 and the warranty guy told me if I bring it in every few years for a £60 inspection of the bodywork I'll get 12 years of warranty against and issues... It sounds good, but how does reality meet this promise to protect the bodywork?


Surely the real killer, like stone chips all around from driving over the years starting rust isn't covered -wear and tear / not their problem. That's fine.


How about some kind of part that's prone to filling with water and rusting? I'm sure on the Panda's there were some parts like that - (back axle or am I making that up?). Surely any dealer will have an excuse to overlook things like that too?

Has anybody here ever found this warranty worthwhile?

 

[DaveMcT]

I would have it done, if only to make the car easier to sell when the time comes. But as always read the small print. It might be no better than credit card payment protection.

 

[varesecrazy]

Wifes 1st panda was 'like new'

Every panel was replaced under warranty

'Worth a fortune now'....?

The remodelling between trees meant it didnt see 1990

 

[StevenRB45]

On a DS3 abso-fudgin-lutely.

They can rot on the doors below the mirrors (poorly fitted seals can let water in)..so any missed inspections gets them an out.

 

[SB1500]

On a DS3 abso-fudgin-lutely.

They can rot on the doors below the mirrors (poorly fitted seals can let water in)..so any missed inspections gets them an out.

Ah when I went down recently about the alloys, the guy went around and checked both wing mirrors (didn't even mention to him) and explained the defect to me. Saw some bad photos on the FB group of this on 2012 models. He reckoned because there wann't any movement that mines was fine, but said to come back if I ever have any issues as it's a known problem.


He's going to send me an email in January to book the bodywork inspection... can't remember how often he said it needed done, but not every year.


Let's hope it saves the day for my DS.. lol

 

[DaveMcT]

Maybe you can remove the mirrors to access the backs of the vulnerable panels and treat with Waxoyl spray. It needs to be redone every few years** but better than letting it rot. It wont help if the problem is more fundamental but it wont do any harm either.

I did the undersides of my 1970s Suzuki mudguards with Waxoyl. Years later, they were still dry rusty where the stuff should have soaked into the rust, but to be fair had not got any worse. Quite a feat with the weatherproof abilities of 1970s Japanese bikes.

My brother swears by chain saw oil thinned with white spirit. His Italian market Alfa 156 basically wore out in spite of being in UK for the latter half of it's 16 years life. Just wipe it off surfaces you DON'T want treated as it soon goes sticky.

 

[StevenRB45]

Let's hope it saves the day for my DS.. lol

In general if it's a clean car they stay clean, most of the ones with rust issues had paint issues day 1.

Ours had lifting paint on the doors and few other things but it was company car and I didn't trust the dealer after the wheel debacle so it got left with the odd small blemish rather than a crap paint job. Took them 3 attempts to get the wheels right didn't want to see what they did with a paint job.

Later in the life of the DS3 we took it to the dealer we use for the C3 and got most of the issues resolved but the first dealer was awful.

Just got rid before it had a chance to deteriorate, it needed it's exhaust welded back on at 2 years old..it was quite the machine

 

[SB1500]

Maybe you can remove the mirrors to access the backs of the vulnerable panels and treat with Waxoyl spray. It needs to be redone every few years** but better than letting it rot. It wont help if the problem is more fundamental but it wont do any harm either.

I did the undersides of my 1970s Suzuki mudguards with Waxoyl. Years later, they were still dry rusty where the stuff should have soaked into the rust, but to be fair had not got any worse. Quite a feat with the weatherproof abilities of 1970s Japanese bikes.

My brother swears by chain saw oil thinned with white spirit. His Italian market Alfa 156 basically wore out in spite of being in UK for the latter half of it's 16 years life. Just wipe it off surfaces you DON'T want treated as it soon goes sticky.

I watched a video on YouTube of a guy doing a repair on the DS3 and removing the doors and all of the soundproofing etc seemed like there was a lot for me to screw up. When I did the window motor on the Panda, I screwed up the plastic sheet and had to tape it back together which was fine, but I’m scared to if it´s not essential on the DS with all the wiring for the mirrors and the folding mechanisms etc very scared to mess with it.

I saw a video of an Audi door being removed once, the damn thing had it´s own ECU!!! Lol

 

[AndyRKett]

The main argument here is who keeps a car for 12 years?

If you are buying a new or nearly new car then in 12 years time the of course its going to be showing its age.

The warranty is not against rust but against perforation, so the rust has to be sufficient to put holes through the panels that can mean a very badly rusted car still doesn't meet the criteria for a claim.

If you plan to keep the car all that time then it might be worth paying for the inspections, however if you are not sure you'll keep the car or think you will definitely replace the car before 12 years is up then i'd not bother.

It won't make the car any easier to sell or any more valuable as most people won't care about it or give it a second thought.

The money is better spent on rust protection early on and maybe having the front of the car clear wrapped against stone chips.

 

[StevenRB45]

Andy, while you make a valid point in general.

There have been people getting used whole cars resprayed under the warranty due to paint issues and there are also known faults that they do have a good record of rectifying before it gets to a hole in the door stage.

While the quality is patchy at best they are pretty good at working on it before the car is a pile of brown dust.

Obviously as it gets to 6-7 years old probably less relevant but early on I'd recommend getting them done.

 

[dave]

The warranty is not against rust but against perforation, so the rust has to be sufficient to put holes through the panels that can mean a very badly rusted car still doesn't meet the criteria for a claim.

I thought that was the catch too. not many cars will rust that bad nowadays unless they have had a bad crash repair

 

[DaveMcT]

I watched a video on YouTube of a guy doing a repair on the DS3 and removing the doors and all of the soundproofing etc seemed like there was a lot for me to screw up. When I did the window motor on the Panda, I screwed up the plastic sheet and had to tape it back together which was fine, but I’m scared to if it´s not essential on the DS with all the wiring for the mirrors and the folding mechanisms etc very scared to mess with it.

I saw a video of an Audi door being removed once, the damn thing had it´s own ECU!!! Lol

The door interior plastic film almost always gets damaged. Repair with waterproof tape or replacing it is fine. Getting access to spray rust proofing solution should not need any wiring disconnecting. But they are all plug-in.
Door trims do need the correct tools - forked separation pliers and plastic pry bars, etc.