[77SudTi]

Hey fellas,

Does anyone here that owns a boxer engined car live near the beach? Im moving house in the next week and Im horrified to be living so close to the beach, about <100m infact.

My 88 series II 33 actually doesnt have very much rust right now and Im looking at keeping it that way. The car will be stored in a garage and is sheltered from the direct wind coming off the sea (whole house is) and certainly wont get any direct salt spray.
But I am worried that just being in that sort of environment the body will soon deteriorate right in front of me....
I plan on using a cavity wax on every acessable nook and cranny - ie inside of doors, inside the boot, bonnet, sills etc just go nuts with the stuff!!!!!!!!
I always wash it once a week, and I always wash the wheel wells and squirt the underside and generally give it a good waxing bi-monthly.

Should I be concerned, or will the love and attention I give my Alfa keep the rust away??

Experiences of others needed!!

 

[darkcue33]

I live about 5 min drive from the beach, i havnt had any trouble with rust although whilst my series 1 33 was in getting a new bumber and fender and headlights i got them to take out the rear window and fix up the bits of rust on each corner at the bottom of the rear window, we will see how long that stays rust free. I have heard that the salt air can take its toll on cars after time.
I moved over here from scotland 7 years ago and my black 1990 1.5ie 33 was a daily driver and in the winter when the trucks sprayed salt on the roads to melt the snow and ice i used to hose my 33 down including underbody every day but my 33 still rusted as you would expect in that sort of climate.

My series 1 here in perth is always garaged and only comes out a couple of times a week and i try and avoid taking it out in the wet weather whatsoever thus my 33 is rust free. I just dust my 33 and polish it weekly or fortnightly.

 

[77SudTi]

thanks for the reply. I have a feeling that if the car is maintained to a good standard and kept from the actual salt spray coming off the water in windy weather then rust issues shouldn't be a real issue, and washing it down once a week is key to keeping it rust free.
I have the same rust issue with the bottom corner of the hatch, what 33 doesnt! And I plan on repairing that soon anyways.
I still think cavity wax will give added protection from the inside.

I also think that the series 2 33's are better protected from rust than the earlier series 1's, as mine has a lot of under body sealer on it (with paint over the top) and the rear wheel arch seams are better sealed for example.

 

[flatfour]

I live across the road from the beach in Melbourne and my Sprint is under an open car port behind my building. I always keep a cover on it and wash it once a fortnight and so far so good.

Cheers

 

[OZe]

Hey fellas,

Does anyone here that owns a boxer engined car live near the beach? Im moving house in the next week and Im horrified to be living so close to the beach, about <100m infact.

My 88 series II 33 actually doesnt have very much rust right now and Im looking at keeping it that way. The car will be stored in a garage and is sheltered from the direct wind coming off the sea (whole house is) and certainly wont get any direct salt spray.
But I am worried that just being in that sort of environment the body will soon deteriorate right in front of me....
I plan on using a cavity wax on every acessable nook and cranny - ie inside of doors, inside the boot, bonnet, sills etc just go nuts with the stuff!!!!!!!!
I always wash it once a week, and I always wash the wheel wells and squirt the underside and generally give it a good waxing bi-monthly.

Should I be concerned, or will the love and attention I give my Alfa keep the rust away??

Experiences of others needed!!

You`re going to be living in whats considered to be a Severe Marine Environment. If you were building a house < 100m from a surf beach for example, stainless steel wall ties would be required inside of the walls, galv isnt good enough, your location is corrosive to metal.
Keeping the car in a garage is a good idea especially if you can keep the temperature stable to avoid condensation. Rust becomes an issue when there`s moisture on the body. Driving around your suburb in the dry wont make your car rust any more quickly than anywhere else, unless it gets wet.
As you suggest, cavity wax is a good idea as is not driving in the rain and parking the car wet. Ive lived in a desert where rust was a non issue and currently live near a beach where tools rust after being left out for a day. Beach living has its problems but with extra care it shouldnt be impossible to keep the rust at bay, it just takes a little more effort. Good luck.

 

[dave.armstrong]

What a nice problem to have!

So jealous!!

I live nowhere near the beach in cold & wet England and just have to cope with the salt being spread on the roads by gritter trucks.

I spray all my cavities with wax on a regular basis and make sure the paintwork is polished with a quality protective wax/sealant.