IanU
Member
- Messages
- 336
I looked into this earlier this year at one of the stands at the Restoration Classic show at the NEC, and it turns out there is an approved specialist only a few miles down the road from me near Bicester.
I've been thinking that on an '09 plate QPV with just on 50k miles (I've had it a year now), it would be prudent to protect my investment
and never have to worry about the dreaded blisters appearing.
SO, I took the plunge a few weeks ago and took it along for an assessment and an opportunity to get a good look underneath it. It's fair to say Maserati obviously expect their customers to live in hot places where it never rains and when it does it'll have dried out in the heat within minutes. There is not a lot of rust protection around underneath and mainly on the large flat panels of the floor pan where it's probably least needed.
Generally though, all was in good order with mostly superficial surface rust on exposed areas and nothing to cause alarm. Inspection in all the box sections confirmed all was sound too
The process they follow is basically a full pressure clean and steam clean in the air with all the wheels off. Removal of all the liners and any panels that can be removed and then left for a thorough drying out process. I was lucky as we were in the middle of the mini heat wave so it didn't take long.
They then remove any visible surface rust and apply a penetrating neutralising fluid everywhere and leave it to.....penetrate. Then followed by a full application of wax/sealant/protection layer everywhere the sun doesn't shine and more...etc etc. etc. doors, boot lid, sills, bonnet, arches - you get the idea.
Engine bay was treated with a clearer wax coating behind all the panels and cavities. They had the car a week.
HOWEVER 2 things. Firstly the front wheel arch steel panels that sit forward of the wheel behind the arch liner were rotten - easy enough to replace at £44 each and were coated as part of the process. I've seen that this is not uncommon so wasn't unduly worried about it.
Secondly, I got a call from them regarding the front drivers side chassis rail around the wishbone mounting. The apparent surface rust had become 2 holes right through - picture below. No choice but to deal with the rust and then weld a substantial plate back in. What was shocking about this was that a) only 50k miles b) didn't look obvious from even a close inspection c) less than 10 years old and d) if I hadn't have been having the work done it'd most likely have been discovered during an MOT .
Anyway, all sorted and I'm absolutely chuffed to bits with the treatment and the relief that I've averted catastrophe. All in including welding and 2 replacement panels just shy of 1300 quid
Dare I recommend that anyone who has one of these and never taken a look underneath, the front wishbone mounting is a dirt trap for stones and road silt which I'd spotted when I first got the car and cleaned both sides out, to check before they catch you out no matter how shiny it looks on the bodywork. It obviously doesn't take much for it to eat through the weight saving tin these are made of.
Finally, I can't recommend enough the service I got from Pro-Tect Services, 2 chaps run it Frankie and Dave and they are based at Tingewick just outside Bicester. www.pro-tectservices.co.uk
They take a photo log as they go too which is quite nice - enjoy:
Cheers for listening.
Ian.
I've been thinking that on an '09 plate QPV with just on 50k miles (I've had it a year now), it would be prudent to protect my investment
and never have to worry about the dreaded blisters appearing.SO, I took the plunge a few weeks ago and took it along for an assessment and an opportunity to get a good look underneath it. It's fair to say Maserati obviously expect their customers to live in hot places where it never rains and when it does it'll have dried out in the heat within minutes. There is not a lot of rust protection around underneath and mainly on the large flat panels of the floor pan where it's probably least needed.
Generally though, all was in good order with mostly superficial surface rust on exposed areas and nothing to cause alarm. Inspection in all the box sections confirmed all was sound too
The process they follow is basically a full pressure clean and steam clean in the air with all the wheels off. Removal of all the liners and any panels that can be removed and then left for a thorough drying out process. I was lucky as we were in the middle of the mini heat wave so it didn't take long.
They then remove any visible surface rust and apply a penetrating neutralising fluid everywhere and leave it to.....penetrate
. Then followed by a full application of wax/sealant/protection layer everywhere the sun doesn't shine and more...etc etc. etc. doors, boot lid, sills, bonnet, arches - you get the idea.Engine bay was treated with a clearer wax coating behind all the panels and cavities. They had the car a week.
HOWEVER
2 things. Firstly the front wheel arch steel panels that sit forward of the wheel behind the arch liner were rotten - easy enough to replace at £44 each and were coated as part of the process. I've seen that this is not uncommon so wasn't unduly worried about it.Secondly, I got a call from them regarding the front drivers side chassis rail around the wishbone mounting
. The apparent surface rust had become 2 holes right through - picture below. No choice but to deal with the rust and then weld a substantial plate back in. What was shocking about this was that a) only 50k miles b) didn't look obvious from even a close inspection c) less than 10 years old and d) if I hadn't have been having the work done it'd most likely have been discovered during an MOT .Anyway, all sorted and I'm absolutely chuffed to bits with the treatment and the relief that I've averted catastrophe. All in including welding and 2 replacement panels just shy of 1300 quid
Dare I recommend that anyone who has one of these and never taken a look underneath, the front wishbone mounting is a dirt trap for stones and road silt which I'd spotted when I first got the car and cleaned both sides out, to check before they catch you out no matter how shiny it looks on the bodywork. It obviously doesn't take much for it to eat through the weight saving tin these are made of.
Finally, I can't recommend enough the service I got from Pro-Tect Services, 2 chaps run it Frankie and Dave and they are based at Tingewick just outside Bicester. www.pro-tectservices.co.uk
They take a photo log as they go too which is quite nice - enjoy:
Cheers for listening.
Ian.
