[Hockeydad]

Has anyone else had rust issues with your Karma? I've attached a picture of it here but this just doesn't look right. I've had the car since October and we just started salting the roads a week ago so if this trend continues, I'm gonna have serious issues mid-winter. If this pipe is rusted, I'd hate to think of what the underbelly of the car looks like.

Oh, and Toronto hasn't even had snowfall that has lasted more than a few hours on the ground and right now it's +8 celsius.

Now before I get all of the suggestions to get rustproofing or grounding wires, what disappoints me is that I shouldn't need to do this with a new car. I never had to rust proof my Audi and it was fine for 3 years without a spot of rust anywhere.

Does anyone else have rust issues?

 

[Fabulist]

Has anyone else had rust issues with your Karma? I've attached a picture of it here but this just doesn't look right. I've had the car since October and we just started salting the roads a week ago so if this trend continues, I'm gonna have serious issues mid-winter. If this pipe is rusted, I'd hate to think of what the underbelly of the car looks like.

Oh, and Toronto hasn't even had snowfall that has lasted more than a few hours on the ground and right now it's +8 celsius.

Now before I get all of the suggestions to get rustproofing or grounding wires, what disappoints me is that I shouldn't need to do this with a new car. I never had to rust proof my Audi and it was fine for 3 years without a spot of rust anywhere.

Does anyone else have rust issues?

The Karma's structure is made entirely from Aluminium or composite material, so there is no rust issues with the car's structure. That's just the tip of the exhaust pipe. Not sure if it is possible to protect that since it tends to get very hot when the ICE is operating. It's not a big issue in California. Maybe some of our cold-weather fellow owners can provide better insight here.

 

[doug]

I wouldn't worry about that too much. That's an exhaust pipe. Those things get hot and then react with oxygen. Just make sure there's no rust on the frame. which IIRC is aluminum, so shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Hockeydad]

so I should just live with the rust on the exhaust pipe? Is it just me or does that just not look very nice on a fine looking automobile.

that's good to know about the aluminum body structure, thanks!

 

[doug]

um... yeah, you should live with it.. those things tend to be hidden for a reason.

 

[Hockeydad]

*sigh* ok... but it looked quite nice when they were shiny and new

I'm certain an owner of a mercedes wouldn't stand for that if his exhaust tips started to rust... even though they're sort of hidden, they wouldn't have been done in chrome if it weren't a bit noticeable, no?

oh well... i'll leave it then. I'll let you guys know what happens when Fisker gets back to me. I sent the pics to my service manager and he forwarded it to the execs so we'll see what they say.

 

[flying dutchman]

*sigh* ok... but it looked quite nice when they were shiny and new

I'm certain an owner of a mercedes wouldn't stand for that if his exhaust tips started to rust... even though they're sort of hidden, they wouldn't have been done in chrome if it weren't a bit noticeable, no?

oh well... i'll leave it then. I'll let you guys know what happens when Fisker gets back to me. I sent the pics to my service manager and he forwarded it to the execs so we'll see what they say.

Exhaust pipes are rusty on all cars. A chrome cover is often used to hide it but it does not prevent oxidation.

 

[Antonin]

I agree with Hockeydad that it looks rather awful. On Porsche 997T they sell exhaust endings made from stainless chromed steel. Perhaps something can be made out of chrome to attach to the actual steel exhaust pipe.

 

[Michael]

i had my karma at a center for rustprotection and we checked under the car. they didnt find anything to protect because it was already wellprotected against rust

 

[Weird Fishes]

I agree with other posters that exhaust pipes are rarely pretty which is why there is an aftermarket for chrome tipped accessories.

 

[doug]

I agree with Hockeydad that it looks rather awful. On Porsche 997T they sell exhaust endings made from stainless chromed steel. Perhaps something can be made out of chrome to attach to the actual steel exhaust pipe.

Not a lot of space there for cosmetic exhaust tips.

Packaging a proper exhaust in there was one of the last minute engineering challenges with the Karma and part of the reason Fisker had to dial back performance (for NVH concerns).

 

[Sigurd]

I looked closely at my car today. No rust first of all. But more importantly, did you sit on your knees when you took this picture cause I can hardly see the tip when I stand next to my car? I had to bend over to see it.

 

[Karma31]

My Karma has gone through one winter and I see a little pitting but nothing as bad as your car. No doubt it will get worse over time. On my race cars we ceramic coat the exhaust headers to keep heat in but it also keeps them from rusting. The coating is relatively inexpensive but I don't know about the labor involved in removing and reinstalling the exhaust tips.