ATTENTION: Galant 2001 > 2003 saloon & estate owners

[HMG1K]

If you own a Galant saloon or estate, 2001 to 2003 model years - I'd love your help...

Have you got rusting rear wheel arches...? Are the inner lips of your rear wheel arches bubbling or starting to rust..? If so I'd really appreciate photos showing the problem as I want to highlight to Colt Car Company that this is an inherent manufacturing fault.

I've got slight blistering and bubbling on the inner lips of my rear wheel arches on my 2003 Elegance - still under Mitsubishi's 6-year anti-perforation warranty until February 2009 - and although it is clearly an inside-out rust problem and a lack of protection on the edges of the lips at manufacture, Colt Car Company is trying it on.

I had the dealer (MotorWey Putney in south west London and part of Colt Car Company) take photos of the problem. It submited these and its report to Colt's warranty department and it has been rejected.

Here is where the 'fun' starts. I've asked the dealer to email me the photos it submitted and its report to Colt so I can see the quality of the snaps and what was said. After agreeing, the dealer now says HQ will not allow it to pass these details on to me. Likewise, Colt's warranty department response to the photos and report sounds like a 4 line terms and conditions report. I say "sounds like" as the dealer is only allowed, it says, to read me the report, it is not allowed to fax, email or send me a copy as this. It says this is what it's been told by Coly's warranty department because any photos, reports and emails must stay internal to Colt and must not be released to third parties, even though it is my car and I am not a third party!

If you have any photos, my email address to send them to is my username on here followed by @aol.com

If your car is suffering like mine, and is still in its 6-year anti-rust warranty, hopefully together we can get them to repair the problems...

Thank you for your help and time in advance.

[elnevio]

If they're being arsey, you can request the details from them under the Data Protection Act. They're allowed to charge a fee, but the most they can charge you is £10, no matter how much info you want. As long as it identifies you in some way (which it must do, but even if not, your car could qualify anyway), then you can request copies of any information held.

Or you can use the threat thereof as a lever and hopefully one of them will see sense and provide you with the information.

[Zaid]

Just had a look mine, I guess I have got some rust as well, but not sure how bad it is compared to yours. I dont any have any warrenty on my car but will get you some photos soon.

[bradc]

Could send a letter to a few newspapers and get them to run a story, get them to pay you a few thousand pounds for all the evidence, then get the rust repaired with that money :)

[Kieran]

The problem is Mitsubishi Japan (whom Colt Cars are likely to go running to) will deny there's a problem, simply because in Japan there's no such issue. Hell, you get a 80,000km import off the boat over here and the underneath is still unmarked.

It is as you say a lack of protection against the road conditions in the UK. However, proving that may be a bit difficult. Good luck though, and I hope you get a good result!

[bradc]

How else could they explain it happening?

And yes, the bottom of my car is perfect and it came into NZ at 110km and is now up to 135km or so. Even the screw heads don't have rust on them.

[MPBVr4]

And yes, the bottom of my car is perfect and it came into NZ at 110km and is now up to 135km or so. Even the screw heads don't have rust on them.

Ditto.

The paint is still shiny on the inside of the arch as is all the suspension parts.

[HMG1K]

Thanks for your feedback folks - and Zaid, look forward to the photos... thank you...

Mine are slightly rusting, with slight blistering beneath the paint - all this is on the inner lips of the arches...

The paint in part feels like it's been Hammerite'd...

I've seen what happens when these cars get to 10 years etc, so I don't fancy that happpening to my pride and joy!

[AncientOfMu]

All you need to do is look at the adverts on ebay to see that there is a generic problem.

I think that the design encourages build up of grot this sits there damp and accelerates the corrosion.

Playing Devils advocate I would say if you cleaned the arches properly then they wouldnt rust.

[Zaid]

Thanks for your feedback folks - and Zaid, look forward to the photos... thank you...


Photos sent.

[HMG1K]

Thank you, Zaid... Really appreciate your help and time with the images... Your rusting problem and the extent of the rusting it is exactly the same as my 03 model...

What year is yours..?

Will keep you all posted how I get on...

Thanks again...

[n13l pm]

Just read this thread..

I dont believe I have any rust but I check it out tonight and will report back.

[Nevman]

Mine looks fine.

[Paul Beazer]

my n/s rear has rust :-(

[Zaid]

I spoke to Mitsi dealer today while my car was been serviced about the rust on the arches... the lady at the reception desk told me that they had stopped doing Mitsi warrenty since last week! typical! and then she goes "try the other Mitsi dealer up the road!" Apparently their are 2 Mitsi dealers on the same road!!!

[HMG1K]

Just to update this thread - I've sent my lengthy letter to Dave Green, Head of Customer Services & Warranty at Colt and CC'd Rob Ayland, Managing Director of Colt's retail dealerships.

Colt's warranty department's basis to throw out my claim originally, according to its warranty clerk, was:

“This is clearly not a manufacturing defect. This is not anti-perforation as not a central body panel holed from the inside out. Warranty also does not cover under anti-perforation corrosion from joints, seams edges.”

Clearly this is a cut and paste that I'm sure they apply to any claim they want to throw out.

[elnevio]

"This is not anti-perforation as not a central body panel holed from the inside out. Warranty also does not cover under anti-perforation corrosion from joints, seams edges.”
Surely they could offer a twenty-five year warranty then, coz it's always going to happen from the edges!