Yes, quite a popular colour for Fiestas as well back then.

One of my sons has a mk1 focus ghia in this colour . It’s a 2004 model with no rust whatsoever anywhere.

I sometimes wonder if one of the factors re rust is the luck of the draw re steel quality at manufacture. I've know very similar cars over the years that have fared very differently re rust. Clearly how you look after a car matters but some seem much more susceptible than others.

<< I sometimes wonder if one of the factors re rust is the luck of the draw re steel quality at manufacture. I've know very similar cars over the years that have fared very differently re rust. >>

You probably remember the time - I think it was the 1980s - when some Japanese makes used notoriously bad steel for rusting ?

Alfasud's were notorious for rusting, it was believed the steel was badly recycled scrap and salt air from the coast.

The plant was near Naples, due to the same kind of pork-barrel politics that located the initial Imp factory near Glasgow. (i.e. unemployment is high there, so we'll encourage makers to give them a car plant, even though there isn't any background of car making skills or component supply.)

You probably remember the time - I think it was the 1980s - when some Japanese makes used notoriously bad steel for rusting ?

Indeed - I had a 76 Datsun 100A back in the early 80's - perfect in 83 then suddenly broke out in rust measles and didn't last long despite my best efforts. Shame as it was mechanically amazing compared to alternatives at the time - eg Viva, Allegro etc. It would easily achieve 50mpg on a run - many modern small petrol cars struggle to do that even today.

My point was though that the quality of steel seems to vary. Mrs BJ had a 1984 Polo from new and the body was still great after 19 years of ownership. Only parted company with it after it dawned on us how rubbish crash protection was after a slow speed parking incident - but that's another story.

My sister had a 1990 Polo and it was terrible re rust despite what looked like loads of rustproofing. It suddenly started falling apart - A pillar holed, top of doors, front/rear valance, rear hatch, rear wings especially around fuel filler. The earlier 1984 outlived it by some margin, shame as the 1990 car was mechanically superior.

Likewise my 2001 mk 1 Octavia under family ownership for 19 years (a theme?) remained amazing re rust but I saw many later examples with bad sill / rear wheel arch rust etc.

Edited by Big John on 20/08/2022 at 23:02

I had an old Polo MK2 that did that. I think it's because the rust is eating its way inside out, so by the time you see it the damage is done. Certainly my old Polo went from immaculate to quite shabby in a couple of years, along the wheel arches and sills especially.

Just passed its MOT today. Only advisories are those reported for the last ten years and never seems to progress to failure:

• Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement inner rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))
• Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement inner rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

I guess £200 to £300 when the times comes? Might do another ten years though...

Good news! But it's mileage rather than years which wear out bushes, unless the metal bits corrode. Our Mk1 Focus estate workhorse did almost double your current mileage with no bush or spring replacement. However, at around 19yrs old, one of the long (about 5" IIRC) thin bolts linking the anti-roll bar to the rear suspension rusted through; might be worth a crawl underneath and the application of some old engine oil here.