Metal...body?

[floydv]

Climate makes a big difference in the longevity of materials. I live in Phoenix and a Saturn's plastic panels will fade and crack long before you see the first spot of rust on a steel car body.

I live in Cantaffordia, and you can literally feel your car's value evaporating each day.

 

[wizard of ahs]

I vote that Elio offers a stainless option!

yes - Stainless ...... I like the thought of a Delorean type...can we get a gullwing door??

I was thinking an Elio decked out to look like the Delorean time machine would be pretty sweet looking.

It COULD be done........but then, you'd all have to be posting in the "Whining" thread because of the price

 

[bighammer]

I guess with such a low price, I would think galvanized may be overkill. Rust prevention has improved a lot, and let's face it, this is not a car that's built to last forever. My Dodge Ram is almost 14 years old and has just begun to get some holes here and there. (I would guess some of that is because of its regular plow duty) It's almost 8000lbs that had an equally hefty price, so I feel I need to keep it for as long as possible. The Cummins engine and everything else under its thin skin is heavy duty, and should last for a very long time.

If I can get 7 or 8 years out of my Elio, I'll be very happy.

 

[Jim H]

I they use stainless it will look like a air plane that lost it's wings. I am wondering how many people will drive this in the winter anyway?

Not a problem in sunny New Mexico year round

 

[NSTG8R]

It is called the rust belt because of all the factories that have closed and are rusting in disrepair. This is from years of neglect nothing really to do with anything else.

Tell that to my Ford F250. It would beg to differ.


[PS - A huge Chrysler plant 'used to be' in Fenton, MO. and a Ford plant 'used to be' in Bridgeton, MO. a mile or so from Boeing, but a GM plant in Wentzville, MO did just reopen. Over half of the UAW workers in and around the St. Louis area now work at Boeing. the auto industry in the St. Louis area]

 

[Elio Amazed]

My '04 Stang got it's first rust spot on the inside fold of the left rear fender wheel well last year.
I've neglected to fix it and it's spread a bit. Rust spreads quickly once it gets under the paint.
I realize that the fact that it's spread is my own fault. All this talk in this thread has me thinking.
I'll probably buy the materials and fix it today. Sometimes you just need some motivation.

Thanks Elio Owners.

 

[dbatch1715]

Do the Ziebart Franchises still exist anywhere? My Father had a 1973 Chevy Pickup that had the full Ziebart Rustproofing treatment when new and had no rust ever, even after 20 years. If anyone remembers GM Trucks of this era, they were rustbuckets in 2-3 years otherwise.

 

[Darrellh]

Do the Ziebart Franchises still exist anywhere? My Father had a 1973 Chevy Pickup that had the full Ziebart Rustproofing treatment when new and had no rust ever, even after 20 years. If anyone remembers GM Trucks of this era, they were rustbuckets in 2-3 years otherwise.

I believe Ziebart went out of business, but there are similar applications available, especially in Canada. This is supposed to be touched up annually, but still has limited ability to protect the painted sheet metal. It is better for protecting the under carriage and the bottom of your doors.

 

[Chaz]

Tell that to my Ford F250. It would beg to differ.


[PS - A huge Chrysler plant 'used to be' in Fenton, MO. and a Ford plant 'used to be' in Bridgeton, MO. a mile or so from Boeing, but a GM plant in Wentzville, MO did just reopen. Over half of the UAW workers in and around the St. Louis area now work at Boeing. the auto industry in the St. Louis area]

It is not because of the "rust belt" moniker it is the way that Ford treated their metal parts and how your community takes care of the snow issue in the winter. As for the Boeing factory opening it is only because our state showered them with $229 million in tax breaks.

 

[NSTG8R]

It is not because of the "rust belt" moniker it is the way that Ford treated their metal parts and how your community takes care of the snow issue in the winter. As for the Boeing factory opening it is only because our state showered them with $229 million in tax breaks.

Maybe I should've mentioned that my F250 is a '97, and the "typical" rust issues well known to this body style is in the design of the inner fender supports collecting water and debris creating the perfect conditions for corrosion.

As for Boeing opening a factory, they've been in St. Louis, MO since '97 when they merged with my original employer, McDonnell Douglas...Which goes back to the '60's if the pictures of F-4 phantoms and early F-15's on the wall across the aisle are any indication. As for MO "showering" millions on Boeing in the form of tax breaks, talk to Jay Nixon about that. I do know that half of our building [101] is getting cleared out to make room for the 777X flap and slat assemblies, and another building north of us is getting added on to for the same commercial aircraft structures. With my son now working for Boeing [1 yr], and fighter contracts going only up to the year 2022 [so far], I'm glad to see the new work heading this way for the younger guys/gals.

I could go on for hours on "why" Boeing is spreading its work around...But that has nothing at all to do with the Elio now getting metal body panels [BOT segway ].

Which I'm cool with by the way.