Here's what they said on the RENAULT hotline
All exterior panels of the Renault Sandero are galvanized, galvanized on both sides. Thresholds also belong to external panels.
The side members, engine shield and bottom are not galvanized, but have powerful cataphoretic protection and mastic treatment.

The following parts are also galvanized in the car:
RENFORT CENTRAL ESSUIE-VITRE - central wiper mounting bracket
TRAVERSE INF BAIE PARTIE SUP - lower cross member of the windshield opening
RENFORT APPUI BEQUILLE CAPOT AV - hood support reinforcement
SUPPORT CENTRAL TRV SUP FACE AV - upper central cross member strut of the engine compartment
TRAVERSE SUP FACE AV - upper cross member of the engine compartment
RENFORT G ESSUIE-VITRE - left windshield wiper mounting bracket
APPUI RESSORT SUSPENSION AR - rear suspension spring support
EQUERRE RENFORT BAC ROUE SECOURS - rear wheel mounting bracket
PATTE FIXATION INF AILE AV G, AV D - front fender mounting plate right/left
EQUERRE SUPPORT CADRE AV P/AV D, G - bracket for fastening the sliding window guide of the front left/right door
EQUERRE CADRE MOBILE P/AV D, G - sliding glass guide movable
EQUERRE SUP CADRE MOBILE P/AR D NU, G - bracket for fastening the sliding glass door guide, rear left/right
EQUERRE SUPPORT PROJECTEUR AV D, G - front headlight mounting bracket left/right
PATTE FX CENTRALE AILE AV D, G - mounting plate for the central wing of the front left/right
PATTE FX CENTRALE AILE AV G, D
CADRE PORTE AV D PARTIE AV, AR - front sliding glass guide
CADRE PORTE AV G PARTIE AV, AR - front sliding glass guide
CADRE AR PORTE AR D, G - sliding glass guide dz l/r rear
CADRE PORTE AR D, G PARTIE AV - sliding window guide rear part
SUPPORT CDE OUVERTURE EXT PORTE COFFRE - mounting bracket for trunk lid opening control
CADRE MOBILE PORTE AV D, G - front door sliding window guide frame
EQUERRE INF CADRE MOBILE P/AR D, G NU - lowering guide mounting bracket. glass base
CADRE MOBILE PORTE AR D, G - front door sliding window guide frame

When buying a car, people always check whether the manufacturer has galvanized the body or not. The reasons for this interest are clear.

Galvanization extends the service life of the metal and reliably protects against corrosion.

What other advantages of galvanizing are worth highlighting? How to determine whether the body is galvanized on Renault cars (Sandero, Logan or Duster), Lada Vesta, Ford Focus, Opel and other models? What galvanizing methods are in demand? Let's figure it out.

Advantages

The power part of the car is characterized by a long service life, amounting to hundreds of thousands of kilometers. In this case, the weak link is the body.

After only 2-3 years of operation, rust appears on it, which requires urgent repairs and subsequent touch-up of problem areas.

To extend the life of metal, car manufacturers and car enthusiasts resort to galvanizing the metal, which provides the following effect:

• Resistant chemical protection from external influences;
• Resistant to moisture and chemicals. Coating the metal base with zinc guarantees reliable protection of the body and gives the car enthusiast a chance to forget about the problems of operation.

On the other hand, it is worth highlighting a number of disadvantages:

• Full galvanization is a minus from an environmental point of view. Scientists have proven that such coatings are harmful and affect the state of the atmosphere and human health;
• Galvanized body elements must not be sanded or cleaned. Otherwise, the treated area will instantly become covered with a layer of rust.

There are situations when paint comes off from galvanizing. This requires the involvement of craftsmen who will remove the necessary layer and properly treat the surface.

Recently, there has been a widespread myth that galvanized metal does not rust at all. This is wrong.

In practice, galvanizing inhibits corrosion, but without an additional layer of zinc is not a guarantee of salvation.

Few people know, but the zinc layer is a couple of microns, which does not protect the body part from chemicals.

The zinc “shield” of any car, be it a Lada Vesta, Ford Focus, Opel or Renault (Logan, Sandero, Duster), decreases over time.

Mechanical damage, such as a stone impact, accelerates the corrosion process. But that's not all.

During operation, the metal is subjected to vibrations and shocks, which leads to the appearance of microcracks and dents, which act as an aid to the onset of corrosion.

We must not forget that galvanizing is different from galvanizing. Here it is worth highlighting the following options - full or partial, one-sided or two-sided.

At the same time, the methods for applying the protective layer also differ (more on this below).

In addition, each car has a group of hidden elements - pillars, boxes and sills, where rust first appears.

So the treatment is good only in combination with additional treatment with an anti-corrosion compound.

How does galvanizing happen?

As already mentioned, several galvanizing techniques have been developed. Among them:

1. Galvanic.

The principle here is to dip the metal elements into a prepared electrolyte with a high zinc content.

The galvanic type of processing is popular among manufacturers in Europe and Japan. But here it is worth highlighting a number of nuances.

Full treatment involves covering all metal elements of the body.

If there is no such attachment, then only some elements are processed - sills, bottom and others, which are more susceptible to rust.

But in both the first and second cases, the fact of galvanizing is stated in the technical specifications.

Parameters of galvanic galvanization:

• Zinc coating - 5 microns;
• Two layers of soil - 5 and 20 microns;
• Base - 10 microns;
• Varnish - 20 microns;
• Base - 10 microns;
• Varnish - 20 microns.

2. Cold galvanizing.

This type of processing is considered popular among a number of European and Asian manufacturers.

The principle is a two-stage body treatment:

1. Coating the surface with phosphate salts of iron, manganese or zinc;
2. Applying primer or paint with the addition of finely dispersed zinc.

Cold galvanizing is equivalent to high-quality painting.

Craftsmen claim that this galvanizing method is a marketing ploy. However, it does not provide reliable protection against corrosion if the integrity of the paintwork is damaged.

Characteristics:

• Zinc-containing primer - 10 microns;
• Two layers of soil - 15 and 35 microns;
• Base - 15 microns.

3. Hot galvanized.

This type of galvanizing is done on one or both sides. In this case, the methods for applying a protective coating are as follows:

• Immersion of a body element in a molten zinc solution;
• Application of a protective composition to the body sheet at the rental stage.

Hot-dip galvanizing is believed to guarantee performance and corrosion resistance. It is popular with manufacturers Ford, Porsche and Volvo.

Options:

• Zinc coating - 12-15 microns;
• Two layers of primer - 20-30 microns;
• Base - 20 microns;
• Enamel - 40 microns;
• Varnish - 5 microns.

How to find out if a car body is galvanized?

When buying a car, people check whether there is a galvanized layer on the body or not.

It is worth highlighting two methods of determination:

1. Using the capabilities of special equipment.

For a single use, this option is not justified, because the cost of the device is high. To be fair, it is worth noting that not even all service stations buy such devices.

If the device is available to the service, then the cost of checking will be such that it is easier to add money and buy a car whose body is galvanized exactly.

2. Study of technical documentation.

As a rule, manufacturers indicate the presence of galvanization and type. In addition, it is written down whether the body is fully galvanized or only partially galvanized.

When choosing the second option, consider the following rules:

1. On cheap cars, the galvanic or hot-dip galvanizing method is not used due to the high cost of the process;

2. If the manual states that galvanization is applied to the body, then this may indicate the following:

3. The car is galvanized in compliance with the rules only in the situation if the instructions indicate complete processing.

4. Don’t forget to go online and check whether the car body is really galvanized or whether this is an advertising ploy by the seller to get rid of the “iron horse”.

Below we will consider some models and nuances of galvanizing:

1. Renault Sandero has a partial body treatment. Type - zinc metal. During the processing process, a layer of oxides containing zinc elements is applied. Protection lasts for an average of 5-6 years.

   

2. Renault Duster has partial processing. Type: cyclometal. Here, the technique of spraying a layer containing zinc particles or applying protection at the rolling stage is used. The quality is acceptable, but the first corrosion often appears after 2-3 years.

   

3. Renault Logan. The latest models, starting from 2013, are fully processed. Method: galvanic (double-sided) galvanizing. The principle of operation is to immerse body elements in a zinc electrolyte and apply current. The final layer of zinc coating is 9-15 microns. The average service life of a body without corrosion is 7-8 years.

   

4. Hyundai Solaris. The body of these cars is processed by cold galvanizing. The method involves applying a coating containing zinc. The average service life without corrosion is 4-5 years.

   

5. . Since 2014, the manufacturer has been using the hot-dip galvanizing method for the entire body. The principle is to immerse metal elements in a zinc composition. The finished assembly has a zinc layer with a thickness of 2 to 10 microns. According to the developers, the first traces of rust will appear only after 20-22 years.

   

On cars from the inexpensive segment, galvanized bodies are found, but this happens extremely rarely. The fact is that not every manufacturer can afford such expenses, because in today’s crisis every penny counts. But the partial method of galvanic and cold coating is used by automakers quite often. We will find out from the article whether the Renault Logan body is galvanized or not.

Difference in years of manufacture

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According to official data, both the Logan body and the Duster body are galvanized. On the contrary, unofficial sources assure that only some parts of the body are subject to protective coating against the effects of through corrosion. This is its outer side, wings and a certain section of the front glass frame.

Yes, but this applies to Renault Logan manufactured before 2007. More modern models have galvanized doors, trunk lid and even a zinc-treated roof! Agree, for a budget car like Logan, this deserves approval.

And that is not all. In order to provide additional protection against the effects of rust, the company's engineers use “sacrificial anode” technology, which involves installing special inserts in weak points of the body, such as door hinges. This is done so that these same inserts rust instead of body parts.

The reason to think about the issue of galvanizing was the big problem caused by corrosion. After several years of operation, the bodies of public sector Renault Logan and Duster vehicles were literally eaten away by rust. This mainly concerned cars produced in 2005-2006. The manufacturer then explained what happened as an unsuccessful choice of paintwork.

In fact, according to reliable sources, the culprits of the “weak” paintwork were the AvtoFramos employees themselves. They incorrectly applied special mastic to the body, which ultimately had a negative effect on the paint.

Today, quality control is carried out seriously. If the problem described above occurs, the owner is recommended to urgently contact Renault service, where the car body should be repainted free of charge.

Renault Logan and Duster resist Russian cold well. If earlier the bodies often rotted, then after the modernization and the transfer of quality control to another level, this problem is not observed at all. A test was even carried out, the results of which drew only approving comments. On a Duster car, driven all year round and kept outdoors, not a single hint of corrosion was found.

Does galvanization provide 100% protection?

It will be interesting to know that galvanization itself, even complete, does not provide a 100% guarantee of protection against corrosion. This fact has been confirmed more than once by tests and studies. In fact, the metal of a zinc-coated body will be protected from corrosion exactly until the surface is subjected to mechanical impact.

Note. In other words, as soon as the car encounters any obstacle on the road, the corrosion process will inevitably begin in the place where the metal came into contact with the foreign object.

Watch a video about where rust appears on a Duster after a year of operation

Galvanization and its advantages

The most expensive and important component of the car is the body. The manufacturer knows this and tries to provide a reliable level of protection for the metal case from the effects of negative reactions.

Today, several technologies can be used, the purpose of which is to apply zinc to the body. Let's look at them.

1. Galvanizing treatment.
2. Thermal coating.
3. Cold application option.

The first application method is considered simplified, providing relatively longer protection for the metal part of the frame. On the other hand, this method also has major disadvantages. Zinc, as mentioned above, is able to protect the coating, but only for a while. In addition, galvanizing only protects smooth and even surfaces, and zinc becomes useless on edges and uneven areas.

The electroplating method is also the cheapest. It is often used in Asian countries, the USA and Europe when processing cars in the budget segment.

Note. The galvanic deposition method can be considered effective only if several simultaneous stages are combined aimed at safety from corrosive effects.

We must always remember that no matter how galvanized the body is, it requires constant diagnostics and timely anti-corrosion treatment. If you neglect these rules, then soon the car will become impossible to operate. On the contrary, if you do everything correctly, the service life of a car with OK can be extended to 10 years or more.

Many manufacturers, like Renault, galvanize only individual elements. The technical process itself regarding zinc processing is not simple. It requires expensive and special equipment, special qualifications of workers, etc. In addition, to completely immerse the body in zinc, special large-sized galvanic baths are needed.

The heat treatment method is considered more expensive and labor-intensive than the electroplating method. But in this case, a good result is achieved, giving a full guarantee for the metal component (10-30 years). The effectiveness of this technology is easy to prove, because a thick layer of zinc is applied to the body surface, which penetrates into the metal as a result of heat treatment.

Note. This method was first used at Volkswagen, where they still continue to process bodies using thermal effects. As for the complete galvanization of the car body, Audi is considered to be the pioneer in this case.

Cold processing technology also provides good protection for the car. In the process of such application, finely dispersed zinc is necessarily used. This method turns out to be incredibly effective only with subsequent high-quality painting of the body.

You can learn more about the methods of galvanizing the body of Renault Logan and Duster from videos, photo materials and other articles on our website.

Diverse and harsh climates create serious requirements for anti-corrosion treatment of their cars. Sudden temperature changes, high air humidity, salt, and de-icing agents can eat away at the body of a car in just a few years. For this reason, in order to take a strong place in the Russian market, the designers of the Renault Logan car had to seriously rack their brains. But first things first.

Renault Logan I generation

The Renault Logan car began its journey on Russian roads in 2005, when the still completely new model uncertainly occupied the automobile market, gaining the trust of potential buyers. In the first year of serial production of cars, problem areas appeared on a certain percentage of cars in the form of spots and traces of corrosion on various parts of the body.

Problem areas

These turned out to be: wheel arches, trunk opening, windshield frame and parts of the roof under the door seals.

And among other things, cracks were found in the paintwork near the joints of the rear pillars and the roof of the car. As they say, the first pancake turned out to be lumpy. However, due to the fact that the release of the new model was widely announced by the media and caused a great stir, such problems in Renault Logan were not only overgrown with many myths and rumors, but were sometimes completely exaggerated.

One of the most problematic places in old Logan is the doors. Foci of corrosion appeared on cars produced mainly between 2005 and 2006.

Formally speaking, such violations in the paintwork (paint and varnish coating) did not require any warranty service, since they appeared after its completion.

Often the door opening begins to rust

However, the fact remains that the real problem has been identified. Then the Renault concern took unprecedented measures to extend the warranty on paintwork, and in order not to lose the trust of customers, it recognized all facts of corrosion as a warranty case.

Underbody of the car

The bottom of the car practically does not suffer from rust. The ground clearance allows you to catch road unevenness less and scratch the bottom from potholes.

The decision to fully galvanize the body

The concern claims that the Renault Logan body is galvanized during production, but many Renault Logan owners do not trust this information

In order to avoid future problems with manufactured cars, it was decided to galvanize almost all external parts.

In addition, for the purpose of additional protection of the body, the technology of “sacrificial anodes” was used, which were installed mainly in door hinges in the form of inserts and corroded instead of iron. The guarantee for the anti-corrosion protection of the car is within 15 years, which is a sufficient period even for cars in a more expensive price segment.

A piece of paint fell off the fender, the galvanized body is visible, but rust still began to appear

The result of the work done by the Renault concern was not long in coming. Rumors about a new budget and inexpensive car, with a galvanized body, quickly spread among the people and rightfully lost claims about the quality of the coating on the Logans. Few modern automakers can boast of such a result in the field of service and understanding of the problems of their customers.

Most owners agree that the Renault Logan body is well galvanized and practically not subject to corrosion

When designing the radically changed appearance of the 2nd generation Renault Logan, the designers took a different look at the anti-corrosion treatment of the body.

From 2013 to the present, on Renault conveyors, Logan models are subject to complete body treatment, including hidden cavities, by double-sided galvanizing (combines well with paint and primer) using the method of immersion in a zinc electrolyte under the influence of current.

Rust on a Logan that is less than a year old (under the front right door - under the trim)

With this treatment, the zinc layer is about 9-15 microns. Thus, under normal operating conditions, the first traces of corrosion may appear no earlier than after 10 years of use of the vehicle.

Only numbers!

• 5-15 microns (micrometers) is the ideal thickness of zinc coating to protect against corrosion on a car.
• From 1 to 6 microns - this is the rate of destruction of the zinc layer per year when the paintwork is damaged. Destruction occurs more actively at positive temperatures.

Let's sum it up

To sum up all of the above, you can be sure that most P cars Eno Logan on our roads have a galvanized body with a high degree of corrosion protection. Having such a car, you can be prepared for all the troubles of the Russian climate and operating conditions.

Among the disasters that supporters of buying a used, but premium used car predict for buyers of new budget cars, corrosion is a must. They say that before the buyers of public sector employees have time to look around, they will turn from owners of brand new cars into owners of rusty and leaky tin cans. But are there prophets in their own country?

We had to answer this question during an examination of the corrosion state of the 2012 Renault Sandero Stepway. In the same year, the car was purchased new in Minsk, used daily, and traveled 46 thousand km since purchase. According to the owner, the car has driven no more than 2-3 thousand km outside the city. Considering that this is no more than 5% of the total mileage of the car, it can be stated that the test object is used mainly in the city, where in winter road workers spare no expense in combating ice, which is why city operation involves regular “bathing” in metal-aggressive conditions. reagents. At the same time, again according to the owner, Stepway visited car washes about once a month. In general, you couldn’t think of a better object to check.

From the outside, the car looked perfect, but we decided to find out what was going on behind the outer shell while the object of inspection was waiting to enter the lift.

Under the hood, corrosion was found in the niche of the battery, the proximity of which always poses a threat to the metal. The shock absorber strut fasteners also began to rust. That's all, and although the catch is not large, it suggests that other finds should await us.

In the interior, it immediately caught my eye that rust had taken a liking to the seat slides...

... and in the trunk there are fastening parts.

Having searched under the door seals and floor covering, we found small pockets of corrosion in the doorways.

However, the rust has still not touched the lower parts of the doors, and yet these elements constantly appear in the list of places that suffer the most from corrosion in a variety of cars. But now Stepway drives onto a lift, which means you can see what’s happening on the bottom, which is one of the first on the list of body elements, especially those suffering from corrosion.

We note that the bottom is treated with an anti-corrosion agent. True, the protective coating was not applied in a continuous layer, but selectively in places that the person who treated the car considered most vulnerable to rust.

Typically, this is the nature of the factory anti-corrosion treatment. Based on the results of the inspection of the car that was tested by us, we do not recommend that Stepway owners rely on the high durability of the existing protective coating. Cracks were found in the coating in the area where the front stabilizer bar was attached. Their danger lies in the fact that moisture does not disappear from them for a long time, which, having reached the metal, creates conditions for rapid and at the same time imperceptible corrosion.

But we found few obvious spots of rust on the bottom of the Stepway we tested. One of them is directly above the rear suspension beam.

Another was the area around the access hole on the power cross member behind the front suspension.

Rust has also appeared on the suspension parts...

... and spring support cups. Given the damage that corrosion managed to cause to the tested Stepway over 4 years of operation, we were once again convinced of the correctness of the now popular words from the Gospel that there are no prophets in their own country.

However, let's give the prophets one more chance. As you know, the greatest threat to body parts is not external, but internal corrosion in hidden and therefore poorly ventilated cavities. In addition, hidden cavities are difficult to access and troubleshoot. We have an endoscope that will show what is happening in such cavities of the object being examined.

We did not see any corrosion on the endoscope screen. But they discovered that the hidden cavities were also treated with an anti-corrosion agent.

The director of the authorized Krown anti-corrosion treatment center, Alexey Mukhlaev, with whom we carried out the examination, noted that the condition of this Stepway can be called ideal for a four-year-old car that was used daily and only in the city.

But in order for the tested machine to continue to remain in this state, it is advisable to repeat the treatment. This is indicated by the presence of cracks in the old coating, and by the fact that in places subject to sandblasting, the coating is already worn out.

Sergei BOYARSKIKH
website

We thank the authorized Krown anti-corrosion treatment center for advice and assistance in photographing

“It won’t rust behind us” - a joint project of the site and the “Authorized anti-corrosion treatment center KROWN . In our materials we will demonstrate corrosion testing of the most popular used cars. Let's talk about the weak points of anti-corrosion treatment of cars that have just rolled off the assembly line. We will advise you on what you need to do to protect the body of your car as much as possible from the red plague.