steve t wrote:

If I had bough it from a main dealer it would be going back regardless and playing hell if needed mate

Any cars from the north are usually covered in corrosion! All cars that I have bought that have lived most of their lives up north have been rust buckets. Southern kept cars are the way to go if you want a corrosion reduced/free example.

Controversial

From the first picture, in the recesses there is no dirt, as someone said, some aggressive cleaning agent and high power washing has gone on in there, definitely get something done, once corrosion starts it doesn't stop!!

But what to do?

Might be worth trying some ACF-50. http://www.acf-50.co.uk/acf-50.htm

ACF-50 is amazing. Use it every six months on my motorbike and cars. super stuff

BossBob wrote:

Might be worth trying some ACF-50. http://www.acf-50.co.uk/acf-50.htm

Did the dealer and the car come from the Carlisle area? Stornaway grey SE auto with 18" alloys

Car was supplied from new in Sep 2010 by dealer in Carlisle then lived in Croglin, Cumbria. The same dealer then sold it on to me in Jan this year.

Mine lived in Torver nr. Coniston for the first 10 months of it's life (Lakeland Land Rover), and it has NONE of that corrosion on it anywhere! Foraging near Gaydon....
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MY13 HSE Lux SD4, Baltic Blue - current, 30,000> miles without fault
MY12 HSE 2.2 SD4, Sumatra Black - gone after 10 months/43,000 fault-free miles

Lets see if I can put forwards some comments and thoughts and a possible holding solution.

I have a 2010 GS and have just looked under my bonnet and whilst the aluminium shows a little white powdery surface, all the steel bolts look fine.
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Corrosion is a naturally occurring action where nature wants to turn articles back to their original natural state of ‘mineral deposit’ in the ground. Corrosion is the generally used name which applies to all metals. The name ‘rust’ specifically applies to steel and iron. Corrosion is when oxygen and water react in certain circumstances with the base metal and, taking steel as example, the brown crust starts, its an oxide. Rust once started is self perpetuating and continues to grow, depleting the original base metal until it has all converted to this new state.
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Once you have rust, each time it dries out, say your engine is warm, it then reabsorbs fresh moisture and oxygen as the engine chill out and the rust accelerates.
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So what to do in your example. I would take a good look first under the car, does this show the same level of corrosion and rust? I rather expect that the earlier comment is correct and that the valeters have used a strong acid soap cleaner, normally used on the wheels. Most have typically a Phosphoric base, the acid, and detergents but also a corrosion inhibitor element as well.
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The inhibitor element may be the reason that you have only just noticed the rust as the inhibitor has now washed away.
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The problem is that the initial clean by the valeters has stripped off the electric plated finish off the steel bolts / nuts / brackets / pipes and done similar to the aluminium skin’.
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To replace all the bolts and nuts one by one isn’t really the answer.
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My theory is to clean all down and then apply a sealant to keep the water out.
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My thoughts are first to copy the valeters action. Buy a bottle of ‘Swarfega metal cleaner’ this being a Phosphoric based detergent cleaner and inhibitor. Dilute as per instructions and use a toothbrush and other brushes and work in to the area chosen. This will lift out surface rust / corrosion which you can then wash off with water and allow to dry, take the car for a decent run so it gets all warm..
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Back home the action now is to seal the surface, I suggest aerosol Waxoyl. Spray all over the areas and wipe clean with rag to get the ‘lifted muck’ off and then apply a second Waxoyling to finish seal the area, ragging off with a rag soaked in waxoyl so you leave a ‘wet’ surface.
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Waxoyl is a dilute Lanolin type wax held in suspension in white spirit and when the solvent evaporated it leaves the ‘beeswaxy’ type surface which will repel moisture.
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Rust needs 3 things; the metal, the oxygen, the water. Stop one of them and you have no rust.
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These are my thoughts, no doubt others will not agree and maybe find fault with my theories however it might provoke other comments. I do hope this helps.
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Kind regards from Fred
. 2010GS Auto ex Celeb, Santorini Black, 2011 facelift , spoiler, spats, mudflaps, LED footwell lamps, Witter detach,
Other cars:-
1958 & 1959 Austin J40 Pedal Cars under restoration (I make many J40 parts)
If you have an Austin J40 or Pathfinder Pedal Car looking for a new home pls PM me.
2009 Meriva

Thanks Fred. I really appreciate the time you took to write that. Definite food for thought.

"To replace all the bolts and nuts one by one isn’t really the answer."
also all pipes and unions showing the same signs. Unfortunately that is the answer, the question is who pays? my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

What Fred said is correct and that is what ACF-50 does. As I said I've used it on an 1982 SR500 motorcycle with a fairly unknown past. Cleaned it up first, then lightly coated with ACF-50. Used a cloth where there were any runs. The bike gets infrequent use and is stored in an unheated damp garage. The wife thought it looked aweful but at the end of winter at MOT time it cleans up really well.