Rusty door

[travellingman]

Hi all. Just purchased a 2005 Mondeo TcCi130 Ghia from a non Ford dealer. Had it a few days and I was admiring it from my kitcen window when I thought I saw a dirty area on the rear passenger side door. Closer inspection revealed that it wasn't as simple as dirt it was RUST!!! :o It's bubbling away virtually the whole length of the bottom of the door. assuming that Ford has an anti corrosion warranty like all other motor manufacturers and the car had FSH I rushed it down to my local dealer only to be informed that the service history means nothing unless the service book had the bodywork check stamps done as well. These were rather cleverly placed on a different page to the rest of the service stamp pages. These body stamps also have to be paid for as an extra to the normal car service. Never heard anything like that before as having always owned Renaults in the past the bodywork check is part of the main service. The Mondeo was previously a lease car so I don't know if they weren't aware of these bodywork check stamps or whether they just didn't want to pay for them. I've been in touch with the dealer where i purchased the car and I'm hoping that he may be able to sort this out for me. I appreciate the rust was probably there when I inspected the car but you tend not to look for it on a car which is less than 4 years old, (lesson learnt!). Anyway, just to warn you future Mondeo purchasers out there, check those stamps as FSH doesn't necessarily mean what it says.

[Scandic18]

I had a similar experience a year or two ago and had the same arguments with the Ford Dealer. The car was also an ex-lease car. It turned out that a new door skin had been applied to the door obviously following a bump. During the fitting of the door-skin the drain holes in the door had been blocked up and therefore water could not escape - result - rust along the bottom of the door. The dealer told me they were not liable and that they were unaware that the car had previously been in an accident causing a new door skin to be fitted. I trawled scrap car dealers until I found a sound replacement door (£30) plus the cost of a door spray job which didn't cost a lot as I got a mate to do it.

[travellingman]

Hi Scandic18 and thanks for your reply. Closer inspection revealed that there was more to my rust than meets the eye. Still can't get my head round it though. Showing the car to my mate and he opened the door and discovered that instead of the usual, (welded?), seal around the door, this one had actually been sealed with Mastik. Just can't understand why though as both drainage holes at the bottom of the door are clear so it shouldn't be because of damaging water ingress. I would say that the door was possibly accident damaged like yours was but even then why Mastik up the seal around the inner door? Guess this will remain a mystery but I think my only option is to buy a door as you did and get it sprayed up. Mind you the Mondeo is silver so with a bit of luck I may be able to get hold of a fairly well matched one.

[Scandic18]

Sounds like a bit of a cowboy job to me with shotcuts taken on the preparation. As you say, I guess it will remain a mystery. My experience has certainly taught me to look a lot closer before buying. A hard lesson! Hope you track down a door - be prepared to haggle though!