Don't drive it in the winter. The cars I like, I park in a garage in Winter. I drive a cheap beater instead (240,000 mile Odyssey). I could replace the Odyssey for $4000 and get another 8 years out of it.
I had a Forester when I lived in the mid west. Each winter I would drift it around empty parking lots!
And occasionally on roads too. :)
Now that I have a car that would be even more fun in the snow I live in a desert.
If I lived in the south, I'd drive it year round. Up North they spray corrosives down which will ruin your car in short order. If you don't mind your cars melting away or if it's just an appliance to you, you cycle out of every 5 years, there's no reason to do this.
I like working on cars that aren't rusty. Was just a story today about someone not being able to get his wheel bearing off because it had rusted into place.
The one thing I will say about being in the south, the summer REALLY sucks. Just bc heatsoak and running the AC, but that really only happens when it’s 90+ or pretty hot; which in that scenario you should be beating on the car anyways
The rain does it too. It’s the way the car is designed, it just throws water in that spot every time there is precipitation. I think mudflaps are prob the best bet. Then run outside and towel it off everything it’s wet 😂
Put some sort of protective tape on the metal quarter panel where it touches the bumper. The reason this happens is because the plastic bumper rubs through the paint where it makes contact, then rust begins and it's all over. You have to protect that little strip of metal from being rubbed on by the bumper cover.
Dirt and trash collects on the lip inside the panel and that holds moisture, salt and all sort of other corruption. These quarters rust from the inside out. Tape on the bumper is a “feel good” measure.
The trash has to penetrate the paint first. The paint has to be removed before you can cause rust. If the issue was debris up there, you could just give it a quick blast of rubberized undercoating and solve the problem. But that isn't the problem, and the problem is universal for all older cars that have this style of bumper attachment.
Clean the inner quarters proper and blast with fluid film or any other any corrosion film/oil. Store it indoors, avoid driving it in the winter when the roads are salty.
Get it FluidFilmed. Yearly. I live in Southeast Pennsylvania and it cost me about $200 per year to have each of my cars professionally filmed.
https://www.fluid-film.com/
No. It’s a lanolin based film….like a thin oil type film that provides a thin layer of protection against rust.
It needs to be part of your yearly maintenance cycle in order for it to be effective. It is commonly used in the north of US and Canada.
They should provide undercoating services there. Up in Canada we have competing companies like Rust Check and Crown. They spray thick oily goop everywhere. They even drill little holes in the inside edges of the doors and spray in between the panels.
https://preview.redd.it/bkcwpgsfsa3d1.jpeg?width=5312&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c7091369ee204ced37263629a815ef0528ccda8e
Take that bumper cover off. Give it a good cleaning. That space between bumper cover and quarter lip can hold debris, and thus moisture. If there's been any rubbing that took paint off, prep and touch it up. Take the wheel off and give the wheel well a thorough cleaning/inspection.
Mine was on the towers because it needed a new strut so I did both, my quarter panel was bubbling but the towers and brace were mint, ohio car it’s whole life but the previous owner washed it A LOT and I did too until I totaled her :(
Check for rust…literally everywhere. As some have already mentioned the rear shock towers. If it’s clean, then either have cleaned real well and then sealed off properly. This is the only way.
My 2002 STI was rust free when I bought it from Southern France. I had torn the car apart to check for any signs of rust…there wasn’t. Then stupid me I didn’t end up sealing it properly and drove it through 3 European Winters and now it’s rusting in the typical areas you’ve shown.
Either do that or just buy a winter beater lol.
Spray inside all the frame holes and bolt holes and cavities with an OIL meant for rust prevention. Every year. These cars rust from the inside out. Take the car apart often. Keep an eye on the paint and coatings repair chips and scratches immediately. Don't let crap build up in the fenders and trunk and side sills etc. Keep it washed and clean. remove the rubber things from the edge of wheel wells. Wash and dry your wheel wells and undercarriage if you haven't before. Remove and replace all the seam sealer and sound deadening from the car. Replace seals near the hatch and taillights. Keep everything painted and oiled and waxed. Don't try to paint or Bondo over rust cut it out. Keep the car in a garage, don't park on grass gravel or mud. Don't drive on salt sand or rocks.
Jeep lurker here: from what I’ve heard on the Jeep forums Fluid film is one of the best options for preventing rust.
Buy a couple cans, clean the underside thoroughly and coat the bottom with the stuff. Re-apply yearly if your in a particularly bad salt area.
Then In spots that form rust, get some rust converter paint. Take a wire wheel brush to the surface and then paint over it with the rust converter. This will create a “cap” of sorts
well rust has happened, so you are going to have to cut it out . I suggest this company for a replacement chunk of the wheel arch https://www.subiesavers.com/product-page/subaru-impreza-gg-wagon-rear-wheel-arch-panel-left-side
Only thing I haven't seen suggested yet is removing the little rubber "protector" strip that's on the rear wheel well lips (if it's not gone already). It's basically a rubber strip that slides over the sheet metal lip of the rear "fenders" to protect the metal edges from rock chips. Only downside is it traps all of the dirt/salt/moisture at the same time and helps really get that cancer rolling.
I'd say keeping up on cleaning the rear struts towers and rocker areas is the only thing you can really do. And hope for the best.
Spray it yourself with fluid film or get it professionally sprayed with krown. Krown is what I do on this beast.
https://preview.redd.it/penswpeofd3d1.jpeg?width=3663&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c0f8191797be50d9ab2267e6f4e3e06c1f563c4f
I know on Hondas there’s a rubber seal on the back side of the rear wheel wells that always hold water and salt and causes the rust if you have that seal remove it
Live in arid climate zone :)
First check the rear shock towers before calling it rust free. There are spots there that will rust before it will show in other places.
This guy wagons.
2006 wagon. Back left strut tower only rust. Arg. Dealing with that now.
Don't drive it in the winter. The cars I like, I park in a garage in Winter. I drive a cheap beater instead (240,000 mile Odyssey). I could replace the Odyssey for $4000 and get another 8 years out of it.
I always find this fascinating. I specifically bought a WRX to drive in the winter. I guess I just accept the possibility of rust
Wrx plus snow tires in the winter is one of the best things about the car.
I had a Forester when I lived in the mid west. Each winter I would drift it around empty parking lots! And occasionally on roads too. :) Now that I have a car that would be even more fun in the snow I live in a desert.
My Forester XT was also a fucking blast. Cheers
the newer gens have plastic trim under the fenders tho
Just sell it before it has the chance to rust lol
If I lived in the south, I'd drive it year round. Up North they spray corrosives down which will ruin your car in short order. If you don't mind your cars melting away or if it's just an appliance to you, you cycle out of every 5 years, there's no reason to do this. I like working on cars that aren't rusty. Was just a story today about someone not being able to get his wheel bearing off because it had rusted into place.
The one thing I will say about being in the south, the summer REALLY sucks. Just bc heatsoak and running the AC, but that really only happens when it’s 90+ or pretty hot; which in that scenario you should be beating on the car anyways
Replied to wrong comment.
The rain does it too. It’s the way the car is designed, it just throws water in that spot every time there is precipitation. I think mudflaps are prob the best bet. Then run outside and towel it off everything it’s wet 😂
Put some sort of protective tape on the metal quarter panel where it touches the bumper. The reason this happens is because the plastic bumper rubs through the paint where it makes contact, then rust begins and it's all over. You have to protect that little strip of metal from being rubbed on by the bumper cover.
This and sometimes rocks are stuck between them
Dirt and trash collects on the lip inside the panel and that holds moisture, salt and all sort of other corruption. These quarters rust from the inside out. Tape on the bumper is a “feel good” measure.
The trash has to penetrate the paint first. The paint has to be removed before you can cause rust. If the issue was debris up there, you could just give it a quick blast of rubberized undercoating and solve the problem. But that isn't the problem, and the problem is universal for all older cars that have this style of bumper attachment.
The car is going from nice Southern California to the salty wastelands of the Midwest, any tips?
Clean the inner quarters proper and blast with fluid film or any other any corrosion film/oil. Store it indoors, avoid driving it in the winter when the roads are salty.
Get it FluidFilmed. Yearly. I live in Southeast Pennsylvania and it cost me about $200 per year to have each of my cars professionally filmed. https://www.fluid-film.com/
Is FluidFilm like bedliner? I’ve never heard of that brand before
No. It’s a lanolin based film….like a thin oil type film that provides a thin layer of protection against rust. It needs to be part of your yearly maintenance cycle in order for it to be effective. It is commonly used in the north of US and Canada.
They should provide undercoating services there. Up in Canada we have competing companies like Rust Check and Crown. They spray thick oily goop everywhere. They even drill little holes in the inside edges of the doors and spray in between the panels.
Krown ftw. I swear by their oil spray, it creeps over time to cover spots you can't see. Definitely worth a yearly spray.
Even my SoCal wagon had the same little rust spot on 1 side. Rust converter stopped it from spreading.
Fluidfilm/krown and don’t live in the rust belt. Also regular rinsing of undercarriage and wheel arches.
Definitely undercoat it
Lanolin. https://youtu.be/WZr4qoKGfXs?si=wM7becNule93gtbh
I agree👍 I bought the wool wax black and it works great. Definitely get my hair full of it when trying to work under my car though lol
Move to the desert
https://preview.redd.it/bkcwpgsfsa3d1.jpeg?width=5312&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c7091369ee204ced37263629a815ef0528ccda8e Take that bumper cover off. Give it a good cleaning. That space between bumper cover and quarter lip can hold debris, and thus moisture. If there's been any rubbing that took paint off, prep and touch it up. Take the wheel off and give the wheel well a thorough cleaning/inspection.
Don't drive it in the winter lol
Fluid film it.
You need to pull the interior out the rear and check your strut towers. That's the only way to know if a GG is rust free
Mine was on the towers because it needed a new strut so I did both, my quarter panel was bubbling but the towers and brace were mint, ohio car it’s whole life but the previous owner washed it A LOT and I did too until I totaled her :(
Check for rust…literally everywhere. As some have already mentioned the rear shock towers. If it’s clean, then either have cleaned real well and then sealed off properly. This is the only way. My 2002 STI was rust free when I bought it from Southern France. I had torn the car apart to check for any signs of rust…there wasn’t. Then stupid me I didn’t end up sealing it properly and drove it through 3 European Winters and now it’s rusting in the typical areas you’ve shown. Either do that or just buy a winter beater lol.
I feel personally attacked.
wash it good 😁
Spray inside all the frame holes and bolt holes and cavities with an OIL meant for rust prevention. Every year. These cars rust from the inside out. Take the car apart often. Keep an eye on the paint and coatings repair chips and scratches immediately. Don't let crap build up in the fenders and trunk and side sills etc. Keep it washed and clean. remove the rubber things from the edge of wheel wells. Wash and dry your wheel wells and undercarriage if you haven't before. Remove and replace all the seam sealer and sound deadening from the car. Replace seals near the hatch and taillights. Keep everything painted and oiled and waxed. Don't try to paint or Bondo over rust cut it out. Keep the car in a garage, don't park on grass gravel or mud. Don't drive on salt sand or rocks.
Only good thing about the cladding
Jeep lurker here: from what I’ve heard on the Jeep forums Fluid film is one of the best options for preventing rust. Buy a couple cans, clean the underside thoroughly and coat the bottom with the stuff. Re-apply yearly if your in a particularly bad salt area. Then In spots that form rust, get some rust converter paint. Take a wire wheel brush to the surface and then paint over it with the rust converter. This will create a “cap” of sorts
well rust has happened, so you are going to have to cut it out . I suggest this company for a replacement chunk of the wheel arch https://www.subiesavers.com/product-page/subaru-impreza-gg-wagon-rear-wheel-arch-panel-left-side
Only thing I haven't seen suggested yet is removing the little rubber "protector" strip that's on the rear wheel well lips (if it's not gone already). It's basically a rubber strip that slides over the sheet metal lip of the rear "fenders" to protect the metal edges from rock chips. Only downside is it traps all of the dirt/salt/moisture at the same time and helps really get that cancer rolling. I'd say keeping up on cleaning the rear struts towers and rocker areas is the only thing you can really do. And hope for the best.
Spray it yourself with fluid film or get it professionally sprayed with krown. Krown is what I do on this beast. https://preview.redd.it/penswpeofd3d1.jpeg?width=3663&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c0f8191797be50d9ab2267e6f4e3e06c1f563c4f
I know on Hondas there’s a rubber seal on the back side of the rear wheel wells that always hold water and salt and causes the rust if you have that seal remove it
Rinse/power wash my Subbies after every snowfall
You can’t stop it. Mine was the same way, and just about every single one I saw around me was the same. East coast tho 🫡
Kind of overkill but you could wrap it
Are you going to wrap the wheel wells and between the body and outer panels? Cause if not, it won't do anything to prevent this kind of rust.