405 MI16

[Captain Slow]

After chatting with a few people on Sunday, they wanted to see the 405 MI16 that I purchased from Scotland which has put me off Scottish cars forever.

Rather than recount the whole topic, I have included the link to the topic on Pistonheads.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topi ... mid=204631

If you want to see possibly the rustiest pile of French scrap ever, then have a read. Page 10 is the interesting bit.

Simon

[messerschmitt owner]

Simon

having read all 15 pages, I would have checked under before I bought anything for it.

Not all Scottish cars are that bad, but I guess you bought blind from 450 miles away.

Irvine is by the sea - my tip is don't buy a car from beside the sea ...

Some of us Scottish people used to hose under our cars every couple of weeks in wintertime.

[robert_e_smart]

Aouch, thats bad. Thank the thick underseal thats meant to protect the car for making matters worse. The moisture creeps under it and makes it rot behind the underseal, bluffing people by looking nice and rust free on the surface at least.

[addo]

I have a 405 Mi16, series 1½.

It's called Paris. Because (a) it's French, (b) it's high mileage and (c) it's not pretty - these latter two points referring to Miss Paris H, in my opinion...

Despite the looks, it's a cracking car and is barely rusted. A small bubble in the rear boot seal recess, at the base of the rear screen. That's about the worst of its bodywork.

So - I urge our OP not to lose heart altogether, but consider reverse importing one from Australia! Plastics will be shagged, but zero corrosion, pretty much.

[Peter.N.]

Strange, we have quite a lot of 405s down here, mostly diesel estates and most of them are almost rust free.

Peter

[Dieselman]

The underside of that 405 looks just like an XM can go.

[Captain Slow]

I was a firm believer that French cars fight off tin worm quite well. This changed my mind, although I believe this was an exception rather than a rule

[robert_e_smart]

Its neither the exception or the rule. Your 405 is at the far end of the scale. A lot of people don't really know how bad their cars are.

[messerschmitt owner]

Its neither the exception or the rule. Your 405 is at the far end of the scale. A lot of people don't really know how bad their cars are.

I think that's true - especially of the bits they never see.

[Captain Slow]

I managed to sell it on for £400 so was only out of pocket by around a £100.