SCIROCCO REGISTER FAQ

CHECKING FOR RUST ON MK2 MODELS

Now that almost all Mk2′s still on the road today are 16 + years old, and thanks to our wonderful wet British weather and salt covered winter roads, rust is always going to become a problem at some point. Now, with earlier non body kitted models its not too difficult to spot the early stages of corrosion, but with the body kitted models, its a different story. Most body kitted cars on the surface may look perfectly sound, but some can have some nasty hidden surprises in store for unsuspecting owners or indeed , would be owners.
So iv’e put together this short thread to help anyone who is thinking of buying their first Scirocco, or anyone pre-MOTing their own car.
The main areas to suffer are the rear wheel arches underneath the plastic body kit. The easiest way to check is to very carefully ( you dont want to cut your fingers !) feel around the wheel arch edge for rusty, crumbled edges. Also if the self tapping screws that hold the body kit in place are securely fastened, if the screws are’nt holding, and the kit can be easily pulled away from the body, then you’ve got problems !
Heres a picture of a body kitted car, with the plastic arch still attached, but the damage is obvious….

Heres the same car with the plastic arch removed, and the extent of the rust can be easily seen….

The point i’m trying to make is that this car looked perfectly ok from the outside, so new buyer beware ! Unfortunately, new repair wheel arches for mk2′s are very difficult to get hold of in the UK, and will need to be sourced from abroad.
Other areas to check are the sills forward of the rear arches….

Also the body kits can hide problems with the front wings, although replacement wings are available, and easy to change, as they just bolt on.

The best way to check behind the body kit without completely removing it, is to remove all the screws from the lower edges, and then gently pull the kit away from the body just enough so you can look behind with a torch and check for corrosion. Doing it this way means you wont disturb the adhesive that hold the upper edges of the kit to the body, and providing everythings in good condition , you can refit the screws and everything fits back together nicely.
Obviously this isnt an option for someone checking over a car, that they wish to buy, but after reading this, you are aware of the problems that may be lurking under the body kit. Another common corrosion hot spot that sometimes can be missed, is inside the boot, on the drivers side wheel well. On some models this area can be hidden by foam boot liners or cardboard trim, but these can be easily removed to check behind.
This is an idea of what you are looking for, though it may not be this severe….

Areas that are easier to check, include around the rear beam mounts, the bottom edges of the doors and the tailgate, and around the corners of the front screen.
I hope you find this thread useful.

Markh.