[Senna]

Hi folks,
I removed my wheels today for a final inspection and clean-up & I discovered a few things that may be worth noting:
First, to my horror, the wheels have knock-on lead balance weights on the inner rims, normally used only on steel wheels, (mine now removed as part of the tyre change) and this had chipped the wheel rim paint on one wheel (about an inch long) which I repainted.
Steel clips used to hold the weights on will corrode and this is very bad news on alloy wheels.
Quite what the hell Subaru are thinking of there is beyond me! VERY Poor! 

Next I discovered mild rust on the top of the end of the steering arms which also needed a dab of paint to protect. I found rust like this at all 4 corners...

In truth it looked worse than the photo portrays...

It seems ironic that they have sprayed green goo almost everywhere but missed areas like this where there isn't even any paint.
Finally I had to remove the green goo, thick black goo, and old wheel weight adhesive and clean and seal (Autoglym) the inside of the wheels.
Might be worth checking yours...

I now have nice sealed and shiny wheels all round...lovely !

Edited by: Senna

 

[Stu]

My previous experience with Subarus has been great body panels but awful quality fittings and fixings which corrode badly over time. I hope i wont have to relive my old impreza woes with the gt86.

 

[StevenGt86]

Will check mine today, if its the same will go back to dealer to be sorted.

 

[Senna]

I am expecting they will all be identical TBH ...

 

[Ade]

Yep I noticed this one mine. Truthfully though, it a huge chunk of metal, it wont cause mechanical problems jsut asthetic ones....



Other than that I thought they did a great job covering all the joints ..ect..

 

[Senna]

Have a closer look...top of rear suspension arms also with corrosion from factory!

Not likely to lead to suspension failure, so newbies / those not related to Ron Dennis can relax...

 

[Ade]

those not related to Ron Dennis can relax...

 

[rob275]

it's just surface rust, not many cars have them bits painted, because it's not in view it and it doesn't need protecting.

 

[Senna]

it's just surface rust, not many cars have them bits painted, because it's not in view it and it doesn't need protecting.

I do not really agree. If that theory was applied to the rest of the car It would fall to bits in 12 months...

 

[ianf]

Just a word of warning when cleaning the wheels. The pad retaining clips on the top of the calipers is really f...img sharp, guess how I know?

 

[ob1kxb]

first time you've seen rust on a car?

 

[Senna]

Just a word of warning when cleaning the wheels. The pad retaining clips on the top of the calipers is really f...img sharp, guess how I know?

Ouch !

That's why I took mine off.

 

[rob275]

it's just surface rust, not many cars have them bits painted, because it's not in view it and it doesn't need protecting.

I do not really agree. If that theory was applied to the rest of the car It would fall to bits in 12 months...

you misunderstand, its surface rust. The arm will not corrode, hence they do not paint it. You can brush it off with a wire brush and paint it if you wish. But the car will not be falling apart. Look at any car, it will have surface rust.

 

[Senna]

it's just surface rust, not many cars have them bits painted, because it's not in view it and it doesn't need protecting.

I do not really agree. If that theory was applied to the rest of the car It would fall to bits in 12 months...

you misunderstand, its surface rust. The arm will not corrode, hence they do not paint it. You can brush it off with a wire brush and paint it if you wish. But the car will not be falling apart. Look at any car, it will have surface rust.

They painted the rest of the arm...this just got missed.

 

[Mike_89]

I think you should write a letter to Subaru/ Toyota telling them how to build cars..... it is only surface rust its out of sight and won't corrode much further than what you can already see. The wheel weights won't corrode faster than your tires will wear, so when you change your tires the mildly corroded clips will be switched for new ones.

 

[StevenGt86]

Subaru should just do the job right or will Toyota put there name to the product long term?
Edited by: StevenGt86

 

[Stu]

I think some folk should look under some other cars before casting opinion about what is right and wrong!

 

[en8wall]

I looked at mine,(through alloy wheel) there's a little bit of surface rust but there would be as its a machined bit of bare metal. Doesn't bother me at all if i'm honest.

 

[Senna]

I think some folk should look under some other cars before casting opinion about what is right and wrong!

Hmmm...not really sure why some of you think it's ok for a manufacturer to make a car that leaves the factory not propery painted and with rust on the car already before it even gets to the customer?

If we defend the indefensible then this is the standard of poor quality we will continue to get...

Edited by: Senna

 

[ob1kxb]

you forget that every sinlge one of our cars has already been exposed to salt sea air on it's journey to europe.