Not everyone can afford to change cars every few years, and even fewer people know how to buy a car that will not rust on the street. Therefore, if you have already decided to save money to buy a car, then you should find out in advance about what cars with a galvanized body are found. Having bought such a car in advance, you will protect yourself from the destruction of the car body. Even in 5-10 years this problem will be minimal.
Now let's consider what are the ways of factory galvanizing the body:
- Hot. It is considered the best type of galvanizing. Provides the best corrosion resistance for any vehicle model.
- Galvanic. Treat good types of zinc plating. The soil and paint are well applied to the body after such treatment.
- Zincrometal. This method provides mediocre anti-corrosion properties.
- Cold galvanized. Some car models are also covered in this way. It is cheap, weakly resistant to corrosion.
When deep scratches appear on the body, zinc suffers first of all, while the metal does not rust. This is the main advantage of the cars in question.
Choosing a car in a car dealership
When you look at different brands of cars, wandering through car dealerships, you can find out whether the body is galvanized or nget right on the spot. Look in the technical documentation of a particular model, if the term "full galvanization" is indicated there, then only in this case the entire body is covered with zinc and protected from corrosion. Consider what other processing methods exist:
- Partial. Treatment of welded seams and body vulnerabilities (bottom, sills, doors).
- Processing of nodal connections. Only the places of stampings, fasteners, welds between body sections are covered with zinc.
Also keep in mind that regardless of the car model you choose, when buying a galvanized body, there must be a warranty card. Almost all manufacturers, even Chinese ones, give a warranty on the galvanized body of the car, and quite a large one. This document gives you the right to file a claim with the dealer if the machine starts to rust during the warranty period.
Models of cars with galvanized body
Now look at specific brands and models of cars with galvanized bodies. The list will turn out to be quite extensive, so we classify the machines in the same way according to the method of applying anti-corrosion material.
Hot dip galvanized
For the first time this method was used in the distant past by Volkswagen, they also use it to this day. In addition to VW, bodies are also treated in this way by Audi, Porsche, Volvo, as well as many other car manufacturers. Considering the cost of processing the machine by this method, it should be recalled that it is exposed to rather expensive premium and business class models. List of car brands, in the model range of which there are models with a fully galvanized body according to the hot method:
- Porsche (the first of the models with such a body is the famous Porsche 911).
- Audi.
- Volvo.
- Ford.
- Chevrolet (Lacetti).
- Opel (Astra and Vectra).
The first production car with a fully galvanized body was the famous Audi 80. After it, most of the cars of this company came with a mandatory anti-corrosion coating. Depending on the brand, the coating could have a thickness of 2 to 10 microns.
Electroplating method
Galvanic treatment of the body with zinc differs from the previous method in lower cost. More often this method is found in American and Japanese cars, a little less often in European ones. By reducing the cost of processing, the reliability of such processing has also significantly decreased. The coating did not provide a 100% guarantee of protection. European manufacturers decided to go their own way, using the developed new technology. List of technological operations carried out by BMW and Mercedes concerns:
Car list
Now let's look at which machines are covered by the classical electroplating method:
- Alfa Romeo.
- Mitsubishi
- Skoda (Octavia, Fabia).
- Toyota.
- Honda (Legend).
- Lexus
- Renault (Logan).
- Peugeot.
- Chrysler (model 300).
- Cadillac.
Toyota car models deserve special attention. Since the company previously paid little attention to anti-corrosion treatment, now a zinc layer in nodes, sills and doors is present in most cars.
Domestic cars
In terms of the domestic automotive industry, everything is somewhat simpler. If galvanized cars were produced, then they were made from foreign sheet steel. At the present time, at AvtoVAZ factories, bodies are made of local steel. Body elements are cold-galvanized and then used in the assembly of the machine.
The method of cataphoresis treatment is also used.
For example, delving into the technical documentation, you can find that the VAZ 2110 car has 47 galvanized parts, which make up 50% of the weight of the car. With this in mind, we can say that the most vulnerable parts are processed here. This includes sills, floor inside and bottom outside, dashboard, fenders and bottom of doors. Such processing allows to slightly extend the service life of the vehicles.
Cars manufactured at the IZH plant and the products of the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant can also boast of cold galvanizing of body elements. UAZ off-road vehicles after such treatment last longer. Similar variants of cars previously produced cannot boast of the durability that modern variants of cars with a galvanized body have.
The body of a car is one of the most expensive parts of it. It is exposed to temperatures, moisture. If the body corrodes, then this is very bad, because all parts of the car, except for the body, can be replaced. Therefore, it is extremely important to keep the bodywork intact and in good condition. Therefore, many buyers want to know which cars have a galvanized body. The list of such models will be quite large. After all, almost every manufacturer in advertising brochures indicates that galvanizing takes place. But it can be different.
How to choose a car with a galvanized body?
The buyer who decides to pick up a car should not only see a complete list of cars with galvanized bodies. It is necessary to understand what methods of zinc coating exist, because one car boasts full galvanization, the other - partial. The lifespan of these machines will vary. Some models of machines are generally coated with a primer with a small zinc content and are passed off as galvanized.
The list of vehicles with galvanized body is presented below. It includes brands of cars with fully galvanized bodies:
- Volkswagen.
- Porsche.
- Audi.
- Seat.
- Shkoda.
- Mercedes.
- Volvo.
- Opel.
- Ford.
- Chevrolet.
True, not all cars of these brands are fully galvanized. As for the partial anti-corrosion treatment of some parts, it is observed in Honda, Toyota, Mazda cars. But the list of VAZ cars with a galvanized body will be empty, since this manufacturer only adds zinc to the primer. This method of galvanizing cannot be called complete. However, this can significantly reduce the cost of developing a car. Hence the low price for VAZ cars. This also applies to Chinese cars Chery, Geely and partly the Korean brand Hyundai.
Hot-dip galvanized
The zinc layer allows to extend the life of the metal and to protect it from corrosion, but the galvanizing method plays a very important role. The very first and most effective way is hot-dip galvanizing. The main essence of the technology: a one-piece car body is dipped in a special bath with a zinc-containing solution, then it is heated to a high temperature, under the influence of which the metal of the body is covered with zinc particles.
This technology is available to the automotive industry and therefore to all the brands it owns. That is, Skoda, Seat, Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche is a list of cars whose galvanized bodies are made according to the thermal method of applying an anti-corrosion coating and are the best.
The advantages of such bodies:
- Manufacturers give a 30-year warranty for bodies that have been heat-galvanized.
- This coating is the most durable and surpasses in this indicator zinc coatings applied by any other method.
- Hot-dip galvanized metal resists not only corrosion, but also mechanical damage.
The only drawback of this method is the high cost of implementing the technology. Therefore, cars with such bodies are very expensive.
Best Technology
Audi cars after 1986 are considered to be the most resistant to corrosion. In addition to the Volkswagen concern, the technology is also used by Volvo, Opel (Astra and Vectra), Ford (Sierra, Escort), Chevrolet (Lacetti, Epica). As far as Volvo is concerned, these vehicles use a lot of aluminum, which itself does not corrode. But the manufacturer does not skimp on thermal zinc coating at all on steel parts. Make a note of this list of vehicles with galvanized bodies that are thermally treated with anti-corrosion coating technology.
Galvanized
Electroplating baths have been used for a long time, and this method of applying an anti-corrosion coating is very popular. This technology is much cheaper to implement, which is why many manufacturers use it to coat the bodies of their cars.
The essence of the technology is as follows: the car body is placed in a galvanic bath containing a zinc solution. Then two conductors (plus and minus) are connected to the body and to the bathroom and voltage is applied. As a result, the zinc particles contained in the solution melt and adhere to the metal in a thin layer.
Galvanized Cars
Some of the most successful electroplating compounds were developed by Mercedes and BMW. These manufacturers apply a zinc layer with a thickness of 9-15 microns to the surface of the body. Such a thick anti-corrosion layer can even rival the thermally applied layer in terms of efficiency and durability. However, the list of vehicles with galvanized bodywork does not end with these two brands. Honda, Toyota, Lexus - these manufacturers also use this technology. But cars like the Honda Pilot or CR-V only have a few galvanized body parts. In particular, galvanized sills, bottoms, fenders are installed on these machines - those body parts that are most susceptible to corrosion. The best corrosion resistance among Japanese manufacturers is Honda, not Toyota or Mazda.
Zincrometal
Speaking about the galvanized body of the car, the list of models must be replenished with Korean Kia cars. However, this manufacturer has found his own special way - he uses a special zinc metal in the manufacture of his machines. This material has three layers:
- The bottom and thickest stand is steel.
- The middle layer is made of special oxides with a zinc content in the composition.
- The top layer is an organic compound with a high zinc content.
That is, at the Kia factories, the metal itself is galvanized even at the rolling stage. Then the body is made from it. This metal is highly susceptible to welding, forming, it is easy to paint. However, its effectiveness in protecting against corrosion is low, especially in areas where damage occurs.
If hot-dip galvanizing can be called the best, galvanic - good, then zinc-metal is an acceptable type of galvanizing, which prolongs the life of the body. It has far from the best anti-corrosion properties.
It is difficult to name the body of which would be produced in a similar way. Kia is known to be practicing this technology.
Cold galvanized
This is the most primitive and cheapest technology used in the manufacture of budget cars. In this case, we are talking about the coating of parts with a cataphoresis primer containing zinc in the composition. It is easy to find out which cars have a galvanized body using the cold method. Looking at the cost of a car, you can immediately understand how much the car is protected from corrosion. Which are galvanized in this way include: domestic VAZ cars, Chinese Chery, Geely, some Korean Hyundai and Kia models.
Finally
Now you know which cars with a galvanized body. We cannot provide a list of specific models, since it is not always reliably known which manufacturers use which method. For some cars, the galvanizing method can be used, for others the cold one. But even in the latter case, manufacturers insist that the car has a galvanized body. And although this is true, the quality of the anti-corrosion coating in the latter case is so poor that one can even assume that it simply does not exist.
Remember: a cheap car cannot be thermally or electroplated with zinc. And even if the instructions indicate that the car is galvanized, this may mean that only some parts of the body are covered with an anti-corrosion coating (for example, the bottom and sills). It can also mean that the body or parts are coated with a zinc-containing primer. There are many options. Unfortunately, all these options are used in budget cars.
Many automobile concerns write "galvanized body" in the characteristics of their cars. It is the body that is the most valuable element of the car. The operational properties of a car determine its power characteristics, and the properties of the material of manufacture and the processing technology are responsible for the degree of resistance to wear and the appearance of corrosion.
Many foreign cars and a number of domestic vehicles are declared as cars with a galvanized body Is this always true or is it just a good marketing ploy? We will tell you about the methods of galvanizing, their advantages and disadvantages, and you will also receive an answer to the main question, which brands of cars have a body with zinc protection: manufacturers, models, technologies used.
Comparative characteristics of different types of galvanized metal
A regular body made of steel, without additional processing, in the presence of damage in the paintwork of the car, will begin to oxidize immediately after moisture ingress. The resulting corrosion center will begin to grow, and the car needs to be repaired. To increase the service life of the vehicle, the body surface is additionally processed.
One of the most common methods of protecting steel from rust is applying a zinc-containing coating. Galvanizing the body gives it the most balanced protective qualities. Automotive manufacturers give a 5-30 year warranty on the galvanized body. The duration depends on the thickness of the layer and the technology of galvanizing the metal, of which there are three types today:
- Hot.
- Electroplating.
- Cold.
The first type - hot - is the best technology, taking into account the obtained performance. Heat treatment provides the anti-corrosion resistance of steel 3-4 times higher than with galvanized zinc. The resistance of the metal to the appearance of corrosion lasts from 15 to 30 years and depends on the thickness of the zinc-containing coating.
The galvanized body has excellent resistance to mechanical stress, the ability to regenerate (self-repair) at the local level. This is the most expensive method of galvanizing steel and therefore only applies to premium and business class car models.
The second type of galvanizing of body metal - galvanic - is cheaper and has a much lower resistance to the occurrence and spread of corrosion. Galvanic galvanizing does not guarantee one hundred percent protection and will provide only with the use of a set of additional protective measures. As for the cold form of applying a zinc-containing coating, it is a cataphoresis primer with a zinc content.
Such applications in the specifications are, rather, a marketing ploy by manufacturers of economy class vehicles.
What is partial galvanizing of a car
Today, almost all manufacturers claim that they produce cars with a galvanized body, but this is not always true. The body, galvanized completely, has those vehicles, the technical characteristics of which indicate: full galvanized. Another definition means that the protection of the metal against corrosion is partially completed.
Incomplete galvanizing of the vehicle body is also indicated by its cost. In addition, for anti-corrosion protection of budget models, a simple cataphoresis primer with the addition of zinc (cold galvanizing) is often used. Zinc coating treatment can be:
- full - the body is fully galvanized, including places with difficult access and hidden structural elements;
- partial - the coating is applied to all steel assemblies and parts of the body that are most vulnerable to scratches and, as a result, corrosion: bottom, lower part of doors, sills, fenders;
- nodal joints - processing only the place of fasteners, welding, stamping and other small elements.
Leading car manufacturers produce car models with a plastic body. The modern level of development of innovative technologies allows the production of plastic materials that are not inferior in strength to steel, and at the same time are lighter and more wear-resistant. Considering the high cost of manufacturing a plastic body, it is not put on stream, and only small-scale cars have such bodies.
Considering all of the above nuances and pitfalls, many will be interested to know which cars, ours and foreign cars, have a galvanized body. 
List of galvanized cars
The hot-dip galvanizing method requires significant financial investments and is rather difficult to implement, and therefore this technology is used at large concerns, such as the VW Group. All brands of cars of this manufacturer (see the list, which models of cars) have such body protection.
- Audi (Audi)
- VolksWagen (Volkswagen);
- Porsche (Porsche);
- Seat
- Skoda (Skoda).
The first production car with a galvanized body was the already legendary Audi 80.Since 1986, all cars of this company came off the assembly line with a zinc layer on all metal surfaces, the coating thickness was 2-10 microns. The company is constantly improving technologies and is the author of the methodology for double-sided protection of the hull and restructured welded joints.
What other automakers make galvanized cars? Concern General Motors also uses this first-class protection method in serial production, but not for all cars. Which General Motors models have galvanized most of the parts and elements of the body, are listed in the list:
- Buick (Buick);
- Cadillac (Cadillac);
- Fiat Albea (Fiat Albea);
- Fiat Marea (Fiat Marea);
- Chevrolet Lacetti (Chevrolet Lacetti);
- Chevrolet Epica
- Opel Vectra (Opel Vectra);
- Opel Astra (Opel Astra).
Ford has several models with this body. These are Ford Escort (Ford Escort), Ford Sierra (Ford Sierra), and Ford Mondeo (Ford Mondeo) exclusively of Belgian production. Body parts of Volvo vehicles are also hot-applied.
All hot-dip galvanized machines are tested in a salt chamber and show excellent resistance to corrosion.
Modern products of Auto VAZ, Izhevsk car industry, UAZ are completed with body parts, which are hot-dip galvanized, and then the car is assembled and painted. The most vulnerable elements of the body are treated with zinc: fenders, sidewalls, floor and door panels, sills.
Electroplated body treatment
Electroplating is much cheaper than hot, and is therefore more commonly used by car manufacturers. With this method of protection, the thickness of the zinc-containing layer is much smaller, which does not give a 100% guarantee of metal corrosion. Vehicle manufacturers, in addition to galvanizing, use various methods to protect the body, which makes it possible to increase resistance to corrosive processes.
Answering the question of which car manufacturers' models were treated with galvanized galvanizing, first of all, it is necessary to name the products of Mercedes and BMW. These giants of the auto industry have developed their own multi-stage protection methods, which include the use of high-alloy steel, treated with electroplating, and in the final stage, paint is applied as a thick layer of protection.
Many motorists are wondering which Asian manufacturers' cars have a galvanized body. New generations of Japanese Toyota and Honda vehicles have zinc coating on some structures. Kia uses a special material in the production of its vehicles - zinc metal, which increases the degree of corrosion resistance and the service life of the vehicles.
Galvanized body repair rules
Being the happy owner of a car with a galvanized body, do not forget that paint can crack on it too, so regular inspection is necessary, anti-corrosion treatment, which you can do yourself. If paint falls off on some part of the body, then it should be painted. In the event of damage to the car as a result of a road traffic accident, the body is repaired and painted.
When carrying out these works with your own hands, the zinc layer of the metal can be damaged, and in the case of welding, it burns out. Thus, the use of traditional repair technology can cause rust foci, resulting in new repairs, painting, and a decrease in wear resistance. These problems can be avoided by using special methods and materials (special primer and paint):
- application of the soldering-welding method;
- painting using technologies in which a protective oxide layer is formed on the metal;
- primer and paint containing zinc (cold galvanized).
In brazing welding, parts are joined at several points at low temperatures, without melting the base material (only filler wires melt). This method can be easily applied when repairing a car with your own hands. A zinc-rich primer is applied to the prepared surface to be painted to ensure adhesion.
If rust appears on the treated surface, then it is necessary to use a special primer for rust, reactive primer. The next layer is paint, applied after the primer has dried. The best effect and protection of the galvanized car body will be provided by paint, to which finely dispersed zinc is added. Painting is done with a spray gun.
When repairing a vehicle body with a zinc-containing coating with your own hands, it is important to know and remember that galvanized metal should never be skinned.
Almost every car company claims to equip their models with galvanized steel. First of all, this is evidenced by advertising brochures, in which it is beautifully painted how long the car will serve you faithfully. However, in reality, everything is quite different. In this regard, every motorist should have information on how to recognize a galvanized body. This will help not to fall for the tricky marketers and.
The role of galvanizing
Currently, there are three types of auto body zinc plating that are used by car manufacturers - thermal, cold and galvanic. Cold galvanizing technology means high-quality painting of the entire car with paint that contains fine zinc. Any galvanizing assumes.
The fact is that the metal from which car bodies are made, even the highest quality,. This is due to its constant contact with moisture.
Usually in advertising, automakers talk about galvanizing a car body, in fact they mean galvanizing only its individual parts, the most vulnerable. Most often, the most vulnerable to corrosion elements of a car are the bottom and sills.
Determining the galvanized body
The video shows the galvanizing of the Niva car body:
So, in order not to be left in the fool after and after a few years not to find rust on the body, first of all, you need to be attentive to details and not let the sellers speak your teeth to you.
If in a car dealership you are wondering how to find out if the body of a car you like is galvanized, then first take a look at its technical specifications. fully galvanized only if it says "full galvanized". Any other inscription indicates that the car body is only partially protected from corrosion.
Incomplete protection is also indicated by the cost of the car. Car bodies are usually treated with inexpensive materials and paints. These cars include multi-series economy versions of Asian manufacturers. In this case, you will not be able to verify the truth of this statement in any way, since the galvanizing test will cost you a tidy sum, which you can add to the cost of a cheap car and buy yourself something of a higher quality.
When buying a car from Asian or European manufacturers, be aware that its body is most likely galvanized.
Cars of brands, Volvo, Ford undergo heat treatment. They are well protected against corrosion and road chemicals.
The giant of the automotive industry uses a special material - zinc metal - for the production of the bodies of its cars. This makes the car more reliable, and its service life increases several times.
Along with the description of the technical characteristics of the car, when buying it, you will receive a warranty card, which indicates the guarantee for galvanized car bodies against perforating corrosion. This is a very important document, which, in the event of a defect, you can present and receive a considerable amount to fix it, or exchange the goods.
Many motorists are interested in whether the body is galvanized and whether it can be done independently. Experts say that it is possible to check the presence of galvanizing of the car body and its quality only on special expensive equipment. It is not present at every service station, not to mention personal garages. Just to satisfy your own interest, the study of this characteristic of the car body will cost you a tidy sum.
The conclusion suggests itself: look less and more carefully study the technical characteristics and the warranty card of the car you like. It is in the small details that you will find most of the answers to your questions, including about the galvanizing of the car body of this model. Also pay attention to the manufacturer and the cost of the car.
Any car is repairable. Not only standard consumables are subject to replacement, but also key components designed for long-term operation. Therefore, sometimes not only the oil and filters are changed on the car, but also the motors and gearboxes.
There are a number of elements that are not difficult to replace as needed. But the same cannot be said for the body parts. Conventionally, the easiest to replace are the doors, hood and trunk lid. It is quite another matter when you have to change the bottom or racks. This is almost impossible to do.
At the same time, the body is exposed to the strongest influence of various provoking factors, including mechanical damage, contact with aggressive chemical substances, water, moisture, snow, sand, etc. The formation of even a small focus of corrosion over time can lead to a significant growth of rust throughout the car. It is imperative to provide the body with a high level of protection. The paintwork does not cope well with such tasks.
The most effective way to combat corrosion is rightly considered to be the coating of the metal with a layer of zinc. This procedure is called galvanizing. Moreover, the highest quality zinc plating takes place in a factory industrial environment. The level of galvanizing is largely reflected in the durability of the machines. Some rust in literally 5-10 years, others are quietly operated for 30-40 years, without forcing their owner to invest a lot of money in the fight against corrosion and body repair.
What zinc is used for
It is also a thermal treatment method, but it already requires less resources and financial costs for implementation. Therefore, the method has become the most widespread, and it is much easier to find cars with such a body.
Mostly Japanese and American automakers have switched to electroplating. They are much less common among European companies. Given the low efficiency compared to hot-dip galvanizing, leading car manufacturers are developing improved methods for applying zinc, thereby modernizing the galvanic principle. In particular, these are companies such as Mercedes and BMW.
In order to improve the quality and efficiency of galvanizing, the following steps are used:
- In the production of the body parts themselves, it is high-alloy steel grades that are used. Their advantage is that the amount of impurities in such steel is minimal.
- A thicker layer of zinc itself is applied. The thickness can be from 9 to 15 microns.
- In addition to galvanizing, the body is additionally primed with a thick layer and the layer of paintwork applied on top of the zinc is made thicker.
- The adhesion properties of surfaces are increased, providing a stronger and more durable bond between all layers.
Before publishing, which have a galvanized car body, it is worth noting one regularity. Japanese cars were initially inferior to European ones in terms of the quality of galvanizing and durability of the body. But then the situation began to change, and they went to about the same level. This was due to the fact that the Japanese began to use zinc for the production of machines somewhat later.
The highest quality cars are considered Toyota and Lexus. They exhibit excellent corrosion resistance properties. Largely due to a fairly thick layer of protective coating.
The galvanic method of galvanizing car bodies was used in the production of such cars:
- Alfa Romeo (after 1993 only).
- Audi A4.
- Mitsubishi Lancer 9.
- Mercedes W124.
- Mercedes W201.
- Lexus (all models).
- Volkswagen (all cars after 2000).
- Toyota lineup (after 1991).
- Skoda Fabia.
- Skoda Octavia.
- Peugeot.
- Honda Legend.
- Renault Espace 3 generations.
- Renaul Logan.
- Chrysler 300M.
The same Renault Logan has far from exemplary paintwork quality. But due to a good level of protection by means of galvanic galvanizing, their bodies can be attacked for a long time by moisture and chemical reagents, preventing the appearance of foci of corrosion.
The situation with the domestic auto industry
Many motorists are naturally interested in domestic cars that come with a galvanized body. Some even question whether they even exist.
The overall picture with the galvanizing of domestic machines looks pretty bad. Previously, cars of the AvtoVAZ family were assembled on the basis of ready-made elements that were imported from other countries. At the same time, some of the components, it is likely, were made by preliminary galvanizing of the metal, but this was not mass production.
Even in the absence of anti-corrosion factory coating, ordering parts from foreign suppliers turned out to be unprofitable, the production cost of the machines was high. To reduce prices for Russian cars, it was decided to switch to domestic steel.
If we return to the question of what kind of cars in Russia are available with a body galvanized from the factory, then we can say the following. Galvanizing began to be used everywhere. The only question is which method was used. And the technique was used cold. As you already know, in terms of efficiency, this is the weakest option for galvanizing. Plus, only individual components were galvanized. This is the answer to which cars in Russia were fully processed. There are virtually no fully galvanized cars among the Russian car industry. There is simply nothing to make a list of them.
At present, in the manufacture of machines, the so-called cataphoresis method of anti-corrosion treatment can also be used, in which zinc is not used at all.
Galvanizing Machine at Factory
Alas, it is impossible to say exactly where there is or where there is no zinc layer. This information is usually hidden or partially disclosed. This also does not allow us to say which Chinese cars can have a galvanized body. Surely all machines have partial processing. If we talk about, then here we can cite the following facts:
- On cars VAZ 2110 and its family (VAZ 2111, VAZ 2112), about 30% of body elements were galvanized.
- Niva or Lada 4 × 4 has an exclusively cataphoresis primer layer. Zinc compounds are not used here.
- Lada Kalina in the first generation used about 52% of galvanized elements.
- On the second generation Lada Kalina, conditionally full galvanization is used, since there is no corresponding layer on the hood, side members and on the roof.
- Lada Priora initially had 29% of galvanized body parts, and since 2009 zinc has been applied to all metal elements.
- Lada Granta in the body of a liftback boasts galvanized doors and fenders. In the sedan body, galvanizing is not provided at all.
- Lada Vesta was conditionally completely galvanized. After all, a special protective compound was not applied to the bottom and sills. Plus, for some reason, the sedan did not protect the roof.
- Lada Xray, like Xray Cross, is almost completely galvanized. The only exception was the roof.
Among domestic automakers, until 1999, such a concept as galvanizing in the manufacture of cars did not exist at all. Only since 2009 have companies switched to the zinc cold working method. Moreover, in the overwhelming majority of cases, only some of the components were covered. The partial processing method is used not only by AvtoVAZ factories, but also at UAZ, GAZ and other factories. Unfortunately, the desire to reduce the cost of production makes it possible to use only the most ineffective method of anti-corrosion protection. Therefore, on domestic cars, when damage to the paintwork appears, the oxidative process starts rather quickly, followed by the formation of rust, if this is not noticed in a timely manner and nothing is done.
Is it possible to find out about the presence of galvanized on the body
Car enthusiasts are rightly interested in buying a car with a high-quality and corrosion-resistant body. Be prepared to overpay right away for such an advantage, since a processed machine with the same characteristics and equipment will cost more.
There is no major obstacle to knowing if a new or used car was coated and what method was used. You can't trust the sellers for sure, even if they assure you of and exclusively in the use of hot-dip galvanizing. Everything needs to be checked.
The simplest and at the same time available method is to study the technical characteristics. Information can be found in the owner's manual, or simply study the history of a particular model in a particular body. If the concept of galvanizing is not mentioned anywhere, there are probably no processed elements, or their minimum amount. Others write that the body is galvanized, but do not say which specific components were processed. You need to look for a car where they claim it is full galvanization. This makes it possible to assume that such a car was processed at the factory in whole, and not partially.
In the overwhelming majority of cases, you will come across a partial galvanizing of the body. Moreover, most often this is a galvanic method.
There are no tools or methods that allow you to determine the degree and type of factory anti-corrosion coating with your own hands. Some car services, which have the appropriate expensive equipment, offer a car inspection service for galvanizing. But meeting such service stations is quite problematic, especially in Russia. Plus, the service is too expensive, and few people are interested in buying it.
Summarizing
From all that has been said before, we can say that most often on the market there will be cars with a galvanic method of anti-corrosion body treatment. The thermal or hot method is much less common. Although the German auto giants are actively working to reduce the cost of hot-dip galvanizing. It really is gradually approaching the price of high-quality electroplating.
Nothing was said about one method of protection. This is the zinc-metal method. But there is no need to talk about high characteristics and properties. Only a few manufacturers use this method. The most famous of these is the South Korean brand Kia.
Advice for those buying a relatively new car. Each car manufacturer issues a warranty card, which specifies the warranty period for the appearance of through holes in the body caused by oxidative processes (corrosion). If such defects appeared earlier than the manufacturer foresaw, you can officially demand compensation from him in the form of free repairs. Sometimes companies take more serious steps by replacing a defective car with a new one. After all, a factory defect cannot be ruled out either, and not all cars of the same model and even release dates have a completely identical level of anti-corrosion protection.
