GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: 8vgti on 14 July 2003, 13:31
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Has anyone had any experience of corrosion on mk3 gti sills. Noticed the black plastic trim covering the sills was lumpy in parts and when I pushed it in it was either dried dirt or rust.....I'm hoping it was the first option. Havent had a chance to take the trim off yet and was just interested to know of any similar probs. The car is a mint '97 P 8v and i would hope it is not corroding but as the trim makes a perfect place for 6 years worth of driving it may be. Thats tonights job then!
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The same has happened on mine. They just clip on though and you can get replacements for (I think) about ?17 from VW.
I Haven't got around to it yet though.
Albo
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Albo, excuse my ignorance but do you mean that you have got rusty sills or knackered plastic trim (or both)? The plastic trims are not damaged noticeably and I notice that there are screws on the underside to take it off. No doubt the plastic will be all brittle and break off though!! Will let you know how I get on
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I noticed smaLL amount of rust on my sills the other day. It's in the same place on both sides, in the centre of the sill top edge just under where the two ends of the door seal rubber meet. I think this is quite a common place for them to go. Has anyone else noticed this?
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Do you mean there is metal inside the plastic strip? so it's not the car rotting?
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My sills have started to corrode under the door seal rubbers and not under the protective trim which covers them. You'll need to gently lift the rubber where the two ends meet to see if yours has the same problem.
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Same question as jontom, so is it the actual trim that is likely to be corroding? Just need to find the time to actually take the trim off and then i will know!!
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On mine it is just the trim as you say that is corroding. The plastic trim has a maleable metal strip running through it which corrodes, bubbling the paint/plastic finish. The bodywork underneath is fine, and you can just replace the trim, which simply clips on.
Albo
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Cheers albo, hopefully the same will be true on mine. I was a little surprised when I thought that it could be the sills corroding.
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The plastic trim cover which is below the doors has a metal strip running inside it so that the plastic keeps its shape, this metal rusts and bubbles up making the plastic bubble up, when you push the sill your pushing the metal thats inside the strip and not the car, As golfVR6 said above you can by them from a dealer for peanuts and its an easy job to unclip the old and clip in the new
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Either my car is the only Mk3 with rust under the door seal rubbers or everybody else here has been extremely lucky!
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I had a quick look at mine this morning, yep the trim bubbles up when the metal in the trim corrodes, actual sill is solid though.
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The corrosion on mine is NOT under the "GTI" sill protector plate. You need to look carefully under the rubber door seal to spot it.
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I would guess that the paint has been chipped off by something being put in the car and that the seal has trapped water there which has caused the corrosion, MK3's don't go rusty if looked after, they are too well made for that, Best bet is to get it sorted out now before it gets too late, also seeing as its inside the door jamb it should be fairly cheap as you shouldn't need to blow the colour in too match to original paint down the side of the car.
The MK2 had a problem if you remember on the little rubber boots that carry the wires into the tailgate, rust would form around the boot and eventually the boot wouldn't have any metal to hold too. the little gromets and boots on cars are terrible water traps and it might be a good idea to go round the car with waxoyl or similar just to give them a coating to prevent rust.
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Seems you are confusing two differenr parts of the sill here.
The clip-on plastic trim along the bottom of the car, as previously mentioned can be bought form your local VW dealer. The meta strip in both of mine had corroded and bubbled.
The corrosion on the actual sill is where the rubber door seal joins at the bottom which can only be seen when the door is open. The water must lie in here an corrode over time. I have found this to be common on numerous mark 3's.
I have repaired both sides on my car by rubing down, treating with rust remover, filling, sanding and respraying, the rubber covers most of the area so a professional job isn't really needed. My mates Aniversary has the same on both sides as well.