Same story here. 1992 wagon with no rust. When I cleaned it about two
years ago using a high-pressure nozzle a chip of paint broke off from
the left front door. I applied a few drops of paint, but no rust seems
to develop. That's the only visible damage to the paint after 11 years
on the roads, with salt in winter. It has been taken care of, but not
meticulously.
The 940 (and later 740) bodies were made from zinc coated steel. I don't
think it is correct to call it "galvanized", because that usually means
that the steel has been dipped in melted zinc. For car bodies I think
the zinc is not so thick and gets applied in some electrolytic process.
Volvo are not alone with this material. Audi were the first I think.
Did you see a rusty Audi from early 90's?
Our other car, the 240 has had a lot of welding done to it by a previous
owner. Too bad Volvo did not make the 240s of the zinced steel...
The hood on all 940s and the rear door on the 940 wagons _never_ will
rust, because they are aluminum! It does not rust, but corrodes in other
ways. Occasionally you see 940 wagons with paint chipping from the rear
door. Aluminum is supposedly harder to paint. Even when the paint falls
off, the rear doors dont go brown, the bare metal is greyish.
--
Gunnar
240 Turbo Wagon '84 200 K Miles
940 Wagon '92 150 K Miles
on Swedish roads
