Rust on new Defender

[chally]

Picked up my new 2013 Defender 110 and have had it for 2 weeks and travelled 2000 kms and love it!
Only gripe I have is when checking the undercarriage I noticed that many of the uncoated metal items have surface rust. Many of the engine components (belt pulleys etc) are covered with surface rust.
I forwarded a couple of photos to the dealer and he responded that was normal for a new Defender.
This is the first brand new vehicle I have ever owned so am I being too pedantic or is this surface rust common with other owners experiences with new Defenders? Should I be concerned about it?

[juddy]

Normal for a Defender, only because its traveled along way to get there, and also may have sat in a storage yard for a while, I would not be ovely concerned about slight surface rust, but for peace of mind, get a letter from your dealer with there words saying it will be fine.

[chook73]

Picked up my new 2013 Defender 110 and have had it for 2 weeks and travelled 2000 kms and love it!
Only gripe I have is when checking the undercarriage I noticed that many of the uncoated metal items have surface rust. Many of the engine components (belt pulleys etc) are covered with surface rust.
I forwarded a couple of photos to the dealer and he responded that was normal for a new Defender.
This is the first brand new vehicle I have ever owned so am I being too pedantic or is this surface rust common with other owners experiences with new Defenders? Should I be concerned about it?

I felt exactly the same as you when I picked it up, four years on and the rust is still there but as Juddy said its no big drama. Just a bit disappointing really but it wont affect it in the long run.

[Babs]

Normal. Same story here when I picked up my, MY12.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[isuzurover]

Isn't the block unpainted on Pumas??? So the whole engine will be covered with surface rust...

Nothing a couple of cans of lanotec can't fix.

[RVR110]

This is the first brand new vehicle I have ever owned so am I being too pedantic or is this surface rust common with other owners experiences with new Defenders? Should I be concerned about it?

Not really - having the vehicle delivered with rust will save you years of waiting

[fonfe]

Had a customer try and demand a new injection pump on a rangie once due to surface rust when I was working for a dealer back in the uk.....didnt get one!
It's pretty normal mate like the others have said, if you wanted to improve the under bonnet look you could always whip the pulleys off and have a local machinist make you one up out of billet on a lathe but that's a whole chunk of change just for it to be shiny.

I just got my classic out of the sea....she's well rusty now! Haha

[gcl381]

Well you can tick that box now (pre-installed rust).
Lets see if you're able to tick the 'water on the outside means water on the inside' one as well shortly

I must say my 10 yr old subaru had better fit & finish, less rust, dry interior and more leg room....and yet I wouldn't go back.

Gav

[fonfe]

Well you can tick that box now (pre-installed rust).
Lets see if you're able to tick the 'water on the outside means water on the inside' one as well shortly

I must say my 10 yr old subaru had better fit & finish, less rust, dry interior and more leg room....and yet I wouldn't go back.

Gav

That's because it wasn't built with cups of tea, under an overcast sky by us wingeing poms
We may build it with leaks but the love is definitely there

[BlueWagon]

Not worried about the surface rust under the car, but the first time it rained outside the showroom... rust appeared on the bonnet attachments (see photo).
Must be using water soluble paint or galvanising now on fittings!

You'd think they'd make an effort for highly visible parts like the bonnet. I paid extra for metallic paint but apparently that doesn't cover bolts, screws etc.

Mark