Re: Cybertruck Owners Say They're Already Rusting

[Junkmobilesq]

On 07 Dec 2021, RichA <rande...@gmail.com> posted some
news:soonok$kus$1...@news.dns-netz.com:

> Ha! There are no charging stations in forests.

It's only been a couple months since Tesla started delivering its long-
awaited Cybertruck to customers.

And as expected, its unusual stainless steel exoskeleton, which can ward
off bullets but not stains, is already turning out to be a headache for
owners.

One Cybertruck Owners Club forum member says they started noticing small
orange flecks appearing on his truck after driving it in the rain for just
two days.

"Just picked up my Cybertruck today," they wrote. "The advisor
specifically mentioned the cybertrucks develop orange rust marks in the
rain and that required the vehicle to be buffed out."

The Cybertruck owner posted followup photos after washing the vehicle down
with soap, and they didn't inspire much confidence, showing body panels
already pockmarked with small orange spots.

Another user noticed similar orange specks on his truck after driving it
through rain in Los Angeles.

"They documented the corrosion, and told me they'll give me a call next
month when the tools have arrived and they can perform the
service/repair," the user wrote after taking their vehicle to their local
service center. "The Cybertruck has 381 miles on it, and has spent much of
the 11 days in my custody parked in front of my house."

Debate raged in response to the threads, with some arguing that the
discoloration could be due to carbon dust, stray filings, or other
contaminants.

It's worth noting, though, that Tesla does mention the possibility of
corrosion in the owner's manual, in a passage that makes maintenance for
the brutalist pickup sound exceedingly fussy.

"To prevent damage to the exterior, immediately remove corrosive
substances (such as grease, oil, bird droppings, tree resin, dead insects,
tar spots, road salt, industrial fallout, etc.)," the company's
documentation reads. "Do not wait until Cybertruck is due for a complete
wash."

"The Cybertruck’s exterior is susceptible to corrosion, as acknowledged in
the manual," one Cybertruck Owners Club forum member, who posted
screenshots of the documentation, wrote. "Once the oxide barrier is
compromised, corrosion initiates."

Cybertruck owners are instructed to remove spots and grease stains "with
water and a mild, non-detergent soap."

The use of stainless steel, which technically can stain and rust, is a
baffling design decision. The Cybertruck is meant to be a workhorse that
can go anywhere at any time, per the EV maker's own marketing materials —
not an expensive collector's item that you only take out under ideal
conditions.

Regardless, it's not clear that all is lost. Another poster wrote that
their Cybertruck had showed similar marks, but that cleaning with Bar
Keepers Friend and Windex had restored it to its previous shininess.

There's also precedent. The last time a car company chose stainless steel
for a mass-produced vehicle was the DeLorean, an eye-catching sports car
famously featured in the iconic sci-fi romp "Back to the Future" in 1985.

Users are already sharing tips on how to keep their trucks shiny by
referring to tried-and-true methods discovered by DeLorean owners decades
ago.

And others are just leaning into the limitations.

"I think as long as you don't drive it in the rain, or get it wet, it will
be fine," wrote one.

"I know I’m a weirdo but I actually kinda like the corrosion and hopefully
the associated patina that will come with it," wrote another.

Then there's the option of having the truck wrapped, of course — and Tesla
will gladly take even more of your money to make that happen.

https://news.yahoo.com/cybertruck-owners-theyre-already-rusting-
154649229.html