When I was tiny, I remember people were surprised to see a car that more than 5 years old, let lone 10.
Almost nobody, other than car enthusiasts had heard of rustproofing, let alone underselling, and if you wanted that sort of thing, then it was a case of getting your old rags on, buying tins of what looked, and stuck, like tar, and lying under your car with brushes you were never going to use again.
Sad to say, it was probably largely a waste of time, as most cars had run around with big salt poultices stuck to them during their first British winter, so the damage was done, and just being sealed in, especially in seams and box sections, and anywhere that had a stone chip.
Things changed, and no carmaker can afford NOT to rustproof AND offer 10-year warranties.
Especially where model year variants are subtle, I’m regularly surprised to find the cars behind the personalised registrations I check are not only 15 years, or more, old, but the vehicles often look like they’re not that long out of the showroom.
Take BOB, for example.
This pic’s been unseen for a decade, but when I wondered what BOB 189B had been attached to 10 years later, was slightly surprised to see it was still living on this black 2009 Audi A4 😊
It’s relatively rare to find anyone keeping the same car for so long nowadays, and I’m used to finding I’ve missed my chance regarding details if I don’t check at the time I catch the plate, as it usually moves every few years, or even less for some people, who seem to change their car depending on which way the wind’s blowing.
Then there’s the company car, still not killed off by ‘The Government’, and leasing, meaning changes every 2 or 3 years depending on company policy.
However, I still prefer BOB’s mindset.
Secret Scotland 