[Vwdiesel] Plastic VW parts-what falls apart?

[William J Toensing]

James Hanson is absolutely correct, climate has a great effect on what lasts & what goes bad on cars. In LA, the heat & smog causes rubber & plastic parts to go, Chrome looses its luster due to smog, but sheet metal lasts. However, in Texas, New Mexico, & Ariz,, chrome often lasts due to no smog. In Minn., cars rust out due to road salt but if a car is stored inside, rubber will last. Plastic appears often to be time rather than environment related. Back in the '50s in Minn., car engines would often need an overhaul in 50,000 miles where as in Calif., the cars would go for 100,000 miles. Now much improved oils will make engines last longer everywhere. In parts of the snowbelt where they don't use road salt, cars will rust much less rapidly. The best cars would probably be "snowbird" cars from Northern Minn., Wisc., & Mich. where cars are just used during the summer month & stored "Up on blocks" for winter while their owners "go south". In the meantime, you who live in the rust belt please save your good parts, especially good seats, upholstery, & other good parts to replace those baked parts you get in the rust free southwest cars you get, & for those of us who live there.