I had to replace the petrol tank not long after buying the car due to it leaking. The clutch cable snapped at about 114,000 miles, R.A.C. called out to fix it. Accelerator cable went not long after, fixed that myself. Front seats starting to squeak. Burning oil, especially when started up. Rust starting to creep in on rear wheel arches, front driver`s side wing and both rear doors. Why do they seem to rust out underneath the rear door windows?
This car is a very reliable work horse, capable of carrying great loads (20 boxes of ceramic tiles plus 3 passengers!). Mine does not look too bad for it`s age;I have seen a lot worse on the road.
The reason that the rear doors rust high up, is that although most rainwater exits at the bottom, some residual moisture remains and condenses out high up the panel.
Early doors had ventilation slots by the door catch which allowed some moisture to leave, but these slots were phased out on later models, although you can still see where they used to be.
Retro-fitting ventilation holes at this point can help reduce the problem. Alternatively, strip down each door and spray the inside skin with a rust inhibitor.
Winding the windows down on fine days also helps!
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