05 caravan rusty hood

My '04 2500 is rusting all over. Same basic thing, crappy paint (way too thin) and a total lack of any consideration towards the buyers. The big question is "How much will this hurt them in the future when we (who are totally dissatisfied with their vehicles) don't buy from them, and tell others our sad stories."

As to repairing it, you need to put it on a lift, and look at the entire chassies. I'd guess your hood is just the beginning of the story, that there will be substantial rust underneath, too.

The Neons and "cloud cars" all rusted the leading edge of the hood long before anything else got bad - most of the vans too. Often even before the fuel lines and brake lines.

And the ones that didn't rust just started peeling. I had 2 caravans with naked hoods, and the mother in law had a Stratus that peeled clean.

Too many vehicles (American made in particular) aren't designed with longevity in mind; in fact, it seems like they're designed so that they WILL start to rust and fall apart. Take pickups for example, and not just Dodge. Rusty wheelwells as far as the eye can see. And not to mention doors: folded over at the bottom (don't know the technical term) with poor drainage/ventilation. Practically a breeding ground for rust. Another example is rear bumpers. They're designed in such a way that water and other garbage gets up in there but can't drain out. Why not design the bumper so the bottom flange is on a 15 degree slant so that stuff can run out of there?

I owned two vehicles that the paint started to peel one was a Dodge and one was a Chevy. The Chevy was fixed under warranty and I had the dodge repainted by a local body shop after the warranty expired. It seems that both manufactures had an issue with the paint. Speaking with the local body shop, he mention the problem was not the paint itself but the primer. The primer and paint were reacting causing the paint to peel. The problems started when the manufactures switch to a a low VOC (volitale Organic compound) type primer and paint.

MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) was used in a lot of paint thinnng and to prepare surfaces for painting prior to the problem. The US government started a campaign to reduce MEK use in the US due to it being listed a VOC and it potential health effects. I hace seen the effects of the US government wanting to ban the use of MEK. I worked in a chemical plant that had a unit that produced MEK that was shutdown due to lack of sales after the US goverment started bannng its use.

Despite the goverments attempt to totally ban the use of MEK, they still allow its use in manufacturing of products such as resins, plastic and some others. One of its biggest use prior to the attempt to ban it was in paint thinners.

Uh, it ain't a paint issue. It looks fine, other than typical sloppy edges. It is a rust issue, coming from inside the seam at leading edge of hood. A bad design there traps road crud. Nothing short of potting that whole joint with epoxy would keep the crud from starting rot in there.

-- aem sends...

Actually, if the material in the joint was properly treated, it wouln't rust in there - and PART of that is a primer issue. They don't USE an actual primer any more - the metal is just 'electro-koted" - basically etched, (generally a dip process) and then the part is electrostatically painted. Nothing gets into the joint area to seal and protect it, so it rusts from the inside out.

Well, if anyone cares- as expected, Chrysler basically told me 'too bad', after I wasted a couple of phone calls and another trip to dealer to have the rust 'evaluated'. Apparently, even if I had noticed the rust before the cutoff, the 'perforation' warranty only applies if you can see daylight through the hole. Bubbled paint on both sides of a 2 or 3 layer section, is not considered a perforation.

At this point, since salt season starts in a couple weeks, I guess I'll let it ride till spring, at which time the front edge of hood will look like lace. I stopped by a real body shop, and found that I am looking at $600 or more to have a fresh hood painted and installed. So unless I can find a non-rusty same color hood in a yard somewhere for less money, I'm probably gonna be walking bowlegged at some point. Apparently even the used hoods are expensive, this being a crash part and all, and prone to rust up north here. Maybe I can find one on vacation down south, if I drive instead of fly next year.

aem sends.....

Just spray some gray primer on it and get on with life.

OK then use primer *and* duct tape. Sheesh.

I'd say head to the American Southwest and hit every wrecking yard in a 50 mile circle from wherever you bunk down - almost guaranteed to find a rustless one the right color - might have "rod rash" though.

I got a dent in a nasty spot on the hood of my PT cruiser - I'll be checking wreckers in the spring to see what's available. I can buy new for the same price as used (chinese import or whatever) but if I can get one I don't have to paint it saves me a fair amount - and the factory paint is generally better than a repaint.

Or do like we did on my daughter's Neon. I picked up a "bra" from a heap at the wreckers, greased the good and slipped the bra on. Pulled it off and re-greased it a couple times over 2 years. Power bulge Neon hoods were not easy to find at the wreckers, and for the first while they were not available from the aftermarket - and the regular ones would not fit over the TwinCam engine.

Yea, a helper is useful! Just buy him a beer when the job is done.

Around here, the town recycling center accepts metal for free. Never a problem to dump old auto parts (they sell it for scrap and make money on it.)

Around here, we put it at the curb with a large "$50" sign on it. Usually gone by morning.

FMB (North Mexico)

LOL! Good idea.

I take it that means SoCal... ;)

Although SoCal would and does fit the name, I'm closer to Sac.

FMB (North Mexico)