Bought an 05 Ford Escape at auction for $500.00 if October. Really needed a spare car as we had lost 2 out of 4 cars in a month and driving the 9mpg F350 was killing me. Nice little car, wife claimed it right off the bat. It did have a banging noise in the rear I put down to a rusted out gas filler neck mount. Anyway, it finally needed it's first oil change and an inspection, so off to the garage it goes. Turns out the left rear shock mount was rusted away. In this car it's basically the inner fender wheel sheet metal assy that serves as the mount. Found I can get a RIGHT side inner fender well for a reasonable price but not the left. 20 minutes of searching resulted in my finding an outfit in Quebec that makes a simple angle iron mount that attaches directly to the frame! A much better way to mount a shock IMO. It's a bit pricey at $200.00, which is about what the replacement inner fender for the other side runs, but still is only a fraction of what having someone fabricate a new sheet metal mount would be (my MIG skills aren't so hot!).
Not badmouthing Ford, but I really wish the car makers would take rust into consideration when they build these things. I also look at Fluid Films videos on protecting your car from rust and I'm pretty sure I'll be investing in a kit to do my own rust proofing!
Not badmouthing Ford, but I really wish the car makers would take rust into consideration when they build these things. I also look at Fluid Films videos on protecting your car from rust and I'm pretty sure I'll be investing in a kit to do my own rust proofing!
