mrj
most of the modern cars have zink plated body sheets; but, in a time where shareholder value is more important than good quality, the cars are getting worse. I am working at a dealership including a body shop, and you get grey hair when you see 3 to 4 year old cars rusting.... the guys in the body shop shake their heads and promise a lot of MOT welding in the next couple of years.... just an example: compare the Mk2 golf with the Mk3 : i have one here from 1986 (average condition), no rust... but i have seen a lot of Mk3 Golfs already going with chassis rails rusting away.... not to mention the 20 year old Mk2 Scirocco, one of the highest build quality available ever...
most of the modern cars have zink plated body sheets; but, in a time where shareholder value is more important than good quality, the cars are getting worse. I am working at a dealership including a body shop, and you get grey hair when you see 3 to 4 year old cars rusting.... the guys in the body shop shake their heads and promise a lot of MOT welding in the next couple of years.... just an example: compare the Mk2 golf with the Mk3 : i have one here from 1986 (average condition), no rust... but i have seen a lot of Mk3 Golfs already going with chassis rails rusting away.... not to mention the 20 year old Mk2 Scirocco, one of the highest build quality available ever...
From all my years of messing with various old vehicles (No-hopers?) I have been getting the impression that manufacturers have been skimping on rust preventative measures again (say last 12 or so years).
As we all know 60’s and 70’S stuff was the worst but by 80’s some manufacturers really were ‘giving it best’ to help combat rust, however by 1995 although cars of this age onwards will not be terminally rotten I think there does start to be thin paint in prominent places (e.g. parts of inner wings and front floor pans are only having a ‘blow over’) …almost remanisant of 60’s and 70’s …BUT metal is thinner on these modern cars so I hate to think what it will be like to weld up in say 20 years time!?
I say most were good in the 80’s unfortunately I do think Ford could have done a little better (but then it seemed to be where said Ford was made …I found if made in Cologne it was fine, but if made in Dagenham or Liverpool or Valencia in Spain it rusted!)
VW …totally agree with regards to Golf’s in Germany my friends MK1 Golf rag top of 91 is in Great condition despite being used as every day transport all year round however his wife’s 93 MK3 Golf has rusted very bad …in fact the bottom of the bottom edge of the front wings (were it bolts to sill area) have actually rotted off! …as for the tailgate …don’t ask
.I WILL however be checking the front chassis rails as you state! …that really does SUPPRISE me!
As for MK2 siroccos not to sure
, there used to be quite a few round my neck of the woods but you hardly see them now so I presume they must have in fact rotted. 
