Crappy build quality of cars from the 00s

[Franco Cozzo]

The amount of cars you see getting around with oxidised paint and yellow lenses on headlights from cars from the 00s is ridiculous.

I bought this thing new in 2009, WS Fiesta in 'Morello' which is a metallic purple, this is what the roof and bonnet look like after 11 years.

The whole roof is completely halal, it's oxidised AF, the bonnet is the same and parts of the hatch are also oxidised, the clear is peeling on the rear wing.



It's also got corroded wiper arms, in a country that doesn't salt it's roads.

Even the Ford badge has lost its blue paint and clear coat



This deterioration started happening about 5 years of the car sitting outside and it's been as bad as this at about the 7 year old point.

The headlight assemblies have started splitting and turning yellow on their outside edges.

I've seen this happen with red Honda Accord Euros of the same era where they turned a lovely oxidised pink after 4 years.

To me this is the epitome of European cars and how they just do not stand up to Australian conditions - car has 91,000km on the clock and it looks like the Titanic.

What have you seen where things crap out real quick? I'd hate to be that bloke that says they don't build em like they used to but we've also got a 1999 WF Festiva that's got a decade on the Fiesta and the paint is in better shape, it too sat in the same driveway and it didn't go as bad as this.

[Itsme]

You should know better; cars are not meant to be built to last these days, just be grateful your car is still in one piece running.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Officemanager

You should know better; cars are not meant to be built to last these days, just be grateful your car is still in one piece running especially with your driving.

Corrected for truth

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

Corrected for truth

I don't need brakes none of my cars go fast enough

*May be a bit rough on my cars

[oldel]

Enviro friendly (thin and cheap) paint and clear coat started in the mid-late 90s I think. Shame, as they just worked out how to stop cars rusting so much around 1990.
So the 1990s are the golden years, especially if you didn't buy a metallic paint car. I can polish up my white 1990 E34 to look like new.

[Rallye Sport]

Nothings really changed in my opinion its just down to how its treated.
If you left a 70's car outside without any body maintenance it'd rust, nowadays the clearcoat fails...
I bought my Escort when it was 16 years old and interior wise the plastics had gone brittle, the fibreboard parcel shelf was fingered and the C-pillar trims had turned to dust.
My AU T1 was about the same age when I picked it up and suffered much the same faults.
Now I'm onto the FG at ten years old and I can see it going the same way unless I keep on top of it.

[XR Martin]

With a 60/70s car you'd be out polishing it once a month otherwise it would of resembled your Fiesta in no time...

All brand headlights fade, especially if any part of it is horizontal.

The late model local stuff fairs better than most imo, but I did see a VF with the top area of the the light yellowed the other day.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by oldel

Enviro friendly (thin and cheap) paint and clear coat started in the mid-late 90s I think. Shame, as they just worked out how to stop cars rusting so much around 1990.
So the 1990s are the golden years, especially if you didn't buy a metallic paint car. I can polish up my white 1990 E34 to look like new.

Paint coat & top coat is definitely thinner and these days your paints are most likely Water based acrylic polyurethane paint.

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I don't need brakes none of my cars go fast enough

*May be a bit rough on my cars

Brakes, Good drivers Don't need them & Bad drivers Don't deserve Them...

As for the paint fading & clear coat peeling!

Wasn't there some EPA ruling on paint? from memory about the same time they brought in Unleaded Fuel...

[CyberWasp]

I think most cars are designed to last 10 years out in the open.
To extend beyond that it gets back to Maintenance and keeping it under cover as much as possible.
There are some great products now with uv inhibitors for paint and plastics which seem to help.
The clear coat on my XR6 is shot and is hanging on by thread by use such products. Which has delayed it peeling.

[MITCHAY]

My paint on my 03 WRX is pretty good. No fading at all despite being in the sun all day. Just wash and wax and the colour looks really good. I can't remember when I last washed it to be honest.

The only issue is I tried to do a cut and polish one time and it ****ed the paint on the bonnet scoop so it has flaked off

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by oldel

Enviro friendly (thin and cheap) paint and clear coat started in the mid-late 90s I think. Shame, as they just worked out how to stop cars rusting so much around 1990.
So the 1990s are the golden years, especially if you didn't buy a metallic paint car. I can polish up my white 1990 E34 to look like new.

Maybe white is more resistant to the sun? I've got a Frozen White Focus that is a year younger than the Fiesta and while it's 'faded' a little the paint is in much better condition compared to the Fiesta.

Also the headlight assemblies are yet to deteriorate, except one tail light assembly has gone completely yellow where as the other is perfectly fine.

Same driveway and only a year less sun exposure.

[Pis-ton broke]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Maybe white is more resistant to the sun? I've got a Frozen White Focus that is a year younger than the Fiesta and while it's 'faded' a little the paint is in much better condition compared to the Fiesta.

Also the headlight assemblies are yet to deteriorate, except one tail light assembly has gone completely yellow where as the other is perfectly fine.

Same driveway and only a year less sun exposure.

my 2002 landcruiser is white, i'd guess a 2pac no clear. when it came up for sale i was very happy that it's white.

no clear to fuss over, easy to paint if needed, doesn't show the dirt like a dark colour. i haven't washed it in months but it still shows a reflection. for and old car, it has stood up very well.

[XR Martin]

White simply lasts longer as it reflects more of the sun.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by XR Martin

White simply lasts longer as it reflects more of the sun.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by XR Martin

White simply lasts longer as it reflects more of the sun.

You don't think that paint quality and application may have just a little to do with it

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

You don't think that paint quality and application may have just a little to do with it

I'm quite disappointed by the lack of 'wives tales' that should have been circulating this thread, where is our resident Greek guy who only uses oven cleaner on his mint condition 1970s Valiant?

Or the woman who believes you can fix everything with chicken soup? I swear women over a certain age have religious views over chicken soup's ability to fix all ailments - answers all questions fixes all problems.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

You don't think that paint quality and application may have just a little to do with it

The 1976 Kenworth original imron paint still looks like new. Even after not washing it for months. The Cannondale mountain bikes all painted with the same Imron paint system have lasted well too, oldest one being a 1993 model, regularly bashing through the bush.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

The 1976 Kenworth original imron paint still looks like new. Even after not washing it for months. The Cannondale mountain bikes all painted with the same Imron paint system have lasted well too, oldest one being a 1993 model, regularly bashing through the bush.

The guy who sprayed it when it went down the production line probably died 25 years ago though

[mondeomatureguy]

Hi Guys,
Leyland didn't build great cars and a lot of things used to fall off them.
The Rover SD1 was a good example. Then you had Jaguar cars fitted with Lucas Electrical ( the prince of Darkness).

Mind you some cars built by Chrysler weren't that great also!

[CyberWasp]

How come the Headlights on the BA oxidise but the Red Tail Lights still seem new?
What would the difference in plastic be?

[BA-XT]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

The amount of cars you see getting around with oxidised paint and yellow lenses on headlights from cars from the 00s is ridiculous.

I bought this thing new in 2009, WS Fiesta in 'Morello' which is a metallic purple, this is what the roof and bonnet look like after 11 years.

The whole roof is completely halal, it's oxidised AF, the bonnet is the same and parts of the hatch are also oxidised, the clear is peeling on the rear wing.

image

It's also got corroded wiper arms, in a country that doesn't salt it's roads.

Even the Ford badge has lost its blue paint and clear coat

image

This deterioration started happening about 5 years of the car sitting outside and it's been as bad as this at about the 7 year old point.

The headlight assemblies have started splitting and turning yellow on their outside edges.

I've seen this happen with red Honda Accord Euros of the same era where they turned a lovely oxidised pink after 4 years.

To me this is the epitome of European cars and how they just do not stand up to Australian conditions - car has 91,000km on the clock and it looks like the Titanic.

What have you seen where things crap out real quick? I'd hate to be that bloke that says they don't build em like they used to but we've also got a 1999 WF Festiva that's got a decade on the Fiesta and the paint is in better shape, it too sat in the same driveway and it didn't go as bad as this.

The Australian sun is brutal, yes. However, paint requires care and attention. Admittedly I'm fussy with my car, but if you just wash the car and leave it in the sun 24/7 any paint will oxidise and fade. If you hand polished the car twice a year and applied wax 3 times (it takes about an hour) the paint would still be glowing.

My car sat outside before I got it. Still sits at the station every day, but I look after the paint and apart from the usual chips and deep scratches, look remarkably well for a 17yo car.

[PG2]

Not enough people use this sort of stuff these days. Real men used to polish their cars with this...



You didn't use sissy stuff like foam pads and numerous amounts of microfiber towels - you used an old singlet to apply the stuff and your oldest T-shirt (or a T-shirt that you got for Christmas that you didn't like) to wipe it off. Actually wiping it off sounds too easy - you used to have to chisel it off.

That is what is wrong with paints these days.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

How come the Headlights on the BA oxidise but the Red Tail Lights still seem new?
What would the difference in plastic be?

Explain this witchcraft:

Like a bought one



Yellower than me teeth:



Both on the same car, and the same magic paint destroying driveway

[PG2]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

How come the Headlights on the BA oxidise but the Red Tail Lights still seem new?
What would the difference in plastic be?

They are generally different plastics.

Your headlights are made out of polycarbonate. You will find a lot of headlight lenses are very flexible. You can actually push the lenses in with your thumbs. If not, hammer strike one with a fist. You will generally feel the lenses flex (but not break).

[BA-XT]

Originally Posted by PG2

Not enough people use this sort of stuff these days. Real men used to polish their cars with this...

image

You didn't use sissy stuff like foam pads and numerous amounts of microfiber towels - you used an old singlet to apply the stuff and your oldest T-shirt (or a T-shirt that you got for Christmas that you didn't like) to wipe it off. Actually wiping it off sounds too easy - you used to have to chisel it off.

That is what is wrong with paints these days.

"Kitten cut & Polish?"

You mean 400 grit sand paper

Can't believe that:

A.) This stuff is still for sale.
B.) People still use this!

[Pis-ton broke]

Originally Posted by PG2

Not enough people use this sort of stuff these days. Real men used to polish their cars with this...

image

You didn't use sissy stuff like foam pads and numerous amounts of microfiber towels - you used an old singlet to apply the stuff and your oldest T-shirt (or a T-shirt that you got for Christmas that you didn't like) to wipe it off. Actually wiping it off sounds too easy - you used to have to chisel it off.

That is what is wrong with paints these days.

or the old turtle wax

https://www.ebay.com.au/i/3035222358...hoCSKIQAvD_BwE

[Sprintey]

The AU was better built than the BA - was a topic of debate here.

Terry, now 13 and 300,000+... headlining is caving in. I've seen that on Fords from AU era onwards, especially the wagons. Wipers have corroded the black off them. 1969 Fairmont, still perfect headlining, perfect chromed wipers

Terry's paint isn't too bad - got it's scratches, but not peeling away. And it still works. But it's rusted since early on in its life, eg the bottom of the tailgate surround... That one hangs over the question "should I upgrade to a 2016 model?". As does a Control Blade rebuild.

Leathers from the 2000s to today, many look absolutely terrible in a short period of time. Check out the VF Calais and how the leather has aged... Cloth is a better option in this regard, but I reckon even vinyl would age better. Some of the leather in an AUII LTD, or NL Ghia looks way better. For that matter, check out a Rover 75 from the late 90's/early 2000s, those things have aged really well in terms of their leather/paint.

When looking for an XR6 with the young one, the BAs really looked worn inside - maybe that was 200,000km+ dealer stock. He found a mint interior FG XR6 Limited edition with the luxury pack style leather, which still looks great.

Some of the build quality woes were purposefully designed complexity, like a control blade IRS or a VW Twincharger 1.4 or any of those small 1 to 2L direct injected motors that built up carbon on the back of their valves from a very early age, choking the motor. Some of it was like the GM Alloytec V6 and its timing chains, or the VW dual clutch auto 7 speed dry clutch... Dusted turbos and motors in the diesel V8 Cruisers, and more recently Prados and Hiluxes laying smoke screens. Then there were the stop-start battery depleting fuel saving systems.

90's paint tended to peel off the clear coat, this has happened in a couple of places on our dark metallic ED - but overall, that example has kept it's colour well and with a polish in the fading light, wow. It helps to be kept garaged indoors for a decade!

Edit: Urethane steering wheels - or whatever they made base model steering wheels out of: shocker. The electric window actuators on the Falcons and Terrys, those things seizing up the window. Or the switches for it going.

[PG2]

Originally Posted by Pis-ton broke

or the old turtle wax

https://www.ebay.com.au/i/3035222358...hoCSKIQAvD_BwE

I used to swear by this stuff...



I still have some in the shed somewhere.

[Pis-ton broke]

xd to xf interiors and paint were much more durable than ba on. ba to bf interiors are ridiculously flimsy ****. and **** paint. an embarrassment to the brand. imo.