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Is rust an issue?

Specific discussion about the E89 2009 Z4 (sDrive35is, sDrive35i, sDrive30i, sDrive23i)
Lazza
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Is rust an issue?

Post by Lazza » Sun Nov 12, 2017 11:33 am

I come from a Mazda MX5 background so take this with a very healthy dose of pessimism but my E89 is going to be my daily, will be used in all weathers and is going to live outside. Are they well protected or should I take any precautions to make sure it stays in the perfect condition it is in? Are there any particular weak areas I should be aware of i.e. drain holes that can get blocked?

Thanks. Any advice will be gladly accepted.
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Zed Five
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Is rust an issue?

Post by Zed Five » Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:37 pm

No rust in my 7years of ownership.daily driver. Side badges and boot badge deteriorate, but thats it.
Why is it that people who can't take advice always insist on giving it? 

E89 35is | BMW S1000rr Motorsport Ed.

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Is rust an issue?

Post by Maniac » Sun Nov 12, 2017 4:29 pm

Main rust you will find is underneath, structural reinforcement bars and similar. It’s surface rust and will likely be 20 years before requiring replacement. No body issues I’m aware of.

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Is rust an issue?

Post by flybobbie » Sun Nov 12, 2017 8:36 pm

My cars coming up to eight years old, the only rust i have seen is on, discs and rear brake calipers, the rear axle support frame work which is thinly painted steel, a few brackets in that area and the rubber strips along the bottom of the side windows where corrosion is causing the rubber to bubble slightly as that used to on my old TR7 (that was a rust bucket), so nothing has advanced there in 40 years. Why the internal strip is not made of stainless, would have prevented that.
Also the badges in the centre of the wheels corrode and my original BMW alloy wheels i don't think were as good quality as the ones i had on Rover MGTF and that's saying something.
I think the Zed will look tidy for a long time seeing that it is mostly aluminium and plastic.

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Is rust an issue?

Post by Lazza » Sun Nov 12, 2017 10:07 pm

All good then. MX5s rust for fun in the sills, rear arches and front chassis rails so to have one as a “keeper” it needs a healthy dose of underseal on anything exposed and in all the box sections.
In the spring I will get under my Z4 and clean up any exposed metal I can find and give it a coat of hammerite and stop worrying so much :thumbsup:
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Mr Tidy
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Is rust an issue?

Post by Mr Tidy » Sun Nov 12, 2017 10:21 pm

My E86 will is now 11 years old, and the only corrosion issue I've had was rear brake lines just behind where they pass under the passenger seat - but I don't know if E89s have the same arrangement.

Still "Ducklakeview" replaced them in copper for me a couple of months ago, so that's my advisories sorted! :thumbsup:
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makeshiftuk
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Is rust an issue?

Post by makeshiftuk » Thu Mar 10, 2022 10:44 pm

Just bumping this thread up - has the consensus changed when it comes to rust protection/undersealing E89s or should I be comfortable going without? Rustbusters in Spalding are an outfit that were recommended to me: https://www.rust.co.uk/product/cat/our- ... service-24

I noticed some minor surface rust before I bought our E89, but it sounds like tin worm doesn't plague these cars much like it can/does with my other two cars.
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RobbiZ4
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Is rust an issue?

Post by RobbiZ4 » Thu Mar 10, 2022 10:55 pm

Well, rust could be more or less an issue under the E89, very rarely on the surface.
Check out our discussions:
https://www-zroadster-com.translate.goo ... st-3204455
Pardon, je suis Allemand :oops:
:ant:
E89 Roof Maintenance
viewtopic.php?t=130932

Y3 Roof Diagnostic System
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=129048
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makeshiftuk
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Is rust an issue?

Post by makeshiftuk » Thu Mar 10, 2022 11:13 pm

RobbiZ4 wrote: Thu Mar 10, 2022 10:55 pm Well, rust could be more or less an issue under the E89, very rarely on the surface.
Check out our discussions:
https://www-zroadster-com.translate.goo ... st-3204455
Thanks for sharing - I'll have the car up on a 2-post lift next week for a better look, but given this is going to be used all year round I'm tempted to get her undersealed anyway. I've also bookmarked your preventative roof maintenance thread :)
Current:
- 2010 Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S
- 2010 BMW 'E89' sDrive30i
- 2002 BMW 'E39' 530i Sport Touring

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- '07 Maserati GranSport, '02 Jag XK8 Coupe, '03 BMW 530i Saloon, '02 MG ZR 105+, '94 Ford Probe 24v, '95 Renault Clio RT

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Is rust an issue?

Post by flybobbie » Thu Mar 10, 2022 11:37 pm

My car now 12 years old. No body corrosion, but usual suspects rust, so get annual lick of black paint.
Mainly rear trailing arm links and wheel mounts at front and rear are steel.
Few brackets for the lamp levelers, tension bars, bump plate stiffener.
Discs can spray up. I used just cheap silver paint does the job and rear caliper is steel so might need a few coats to stop rusting.
Nearly everything else is alloy.

When i pulled off one plastic side sill to replace due to a mark, there was a lot of dirt behind it.
I keep meaning to pull the other side to clean, but no sill corrosion.

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Is rust an issue?

Post by flybobbie » Mon Mar 14, 2022 9:33 am

Under plastic sills where mud gathers.
20161003_104329.jpg
20161003_104329.jpg (135.27 KiB) Viewed 545 times
My original 17 inch wheels from factory. I think this damage done by BMW fitting tyres, something to look out for.
2013-06-21 12.00.25.jpg
2013-06-21 12.00.25.jpg (138.73 KiB) Viewed 545 times

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Is rust an issue?

Post by SSF » Wed Mar 16, 2022 3:46 pm

Isn't the body made of aluminium? So rust is out of the question for the panels, basically, maybe just some parts underneath.
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Is rust an issue?

Post by Pondrew » Wed Mar 16, 2022 7:04 pm

SSF wrote: Wed Mar 16, 2022 3:46 pm Isn't the body made of aluminium? So rust is out of the question for the panels, basically, maybe just some parts underneath.
Only the bonnet, front wings and roof panels are aluminium. The bootlid, doors and rear wings are steel. It's to do with BMW's famous 'near 50-50 weight distribution' thing. The roof being ally helps in lowering the centre of gravity and means smaller motors and hydraulics to move it.
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enuff_zed
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Is rust an issue?

Post by enuff_zed » Wed Mar 16, 2022 7:07 pm

SSF wrote: Wed Mar 16, 2022 3:46 pm Isn't the body made of aluminium? So rust is out of the question for the panels, basically, maybe just some parts underneath.
But rust is just the name given to corrosion on iron or steel. Aluminium can corrode too.
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RobbiZ4
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Is rust an issue?

Post by RobbiZ4 » Thu Mar 17, 2022 5:21 am

Correct.
And there were lots of E89 with corrosion on the roof panels made of alloy.
Pardon, je suis Allemand :oops:
:ant:
E89 Roof Maintenance
viewtopic.php?t=130932

Y3 Roof Diagnostic System
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=129048
Image

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