Whenever we get a new car, we always hope that they're going to last forever. While that may not always be the case, we at least want it to be sturdy, reliable, and safe. But, some cars fall short in all of those areas. And one of the most common issues is rust.

Also known as corrosion, this natural occurrence is every car owner's worst nightmare. Luckily, there are many things owners can do to fend it off. According to motoringresearch.com, the best advice for warding off rust includes regularly washing your car, inspecting its underbelly, and keeping it stored away from the elements. Another interesting tip is waxing your car, as the wax creates a layer that repels water from the car's surface (if the paint's already doing a bad job).

Then again, if a car is just lackluster, with poor protection and made from cheap metals, the elements are bound to tear it apart sooner than a well-made car. And when it comes to the cars made in the '00s, there are perhaps no cars more notorious for rusting than the 15 you're about to see.

15 Pontiac Wave

'07_Pontiac_Wave_Sedan
via Wikimedia

The Pontiac Wave was known as the G3 in the United States, and it was certainly not going to get away from being on this list. The car is not appealing in the slightest, and it’s hardly powerful with just 106 bhp. Safety is also bad, so you are going to get an unsafe rust bucket. To us, that doesn’t sound fun.

14 Chevrolet Cobalt

Rusty Chevrolet Cobalt
via GM Inside News

You can really tell that this is a cheap car can’t ya? Yeah, it is. And it shows when driving the thing. It was designed and built as a successor to the Cavalier, and while it certainly looked more refined inside and out, it had some pretty major issues. It had dodgy power steering and it rusted like crazy.

13 Saturn Relay

2007 Saturn Relay
Top Speed

The Saturn Relay is one of the bulkiest looking cars on this list. It was only in production from 2005 to 2007, and then it was very quickly dropped by Saturn. Why? Well, it was highly prone to corrosion, and the exterior could become incredibly damaged after just a short amount of time.

12 Mazda 3

Mazda 3 Rust
via Curbside Classics

The Mazda 3 is currently in its third generation, but it has not always been plain sailing for the company and this model. It was introduced in 2003, and despite various improvements coming to the car, the Mazda 3 does still suffer from rusting and corrosion issues, which isn’t great over fifteen years down the line.

RELATED: These 15 Pickups Are At Major Risk For Rust Problems

11 Ford Focus

focus_estate
via AutoCar

Ford is often highly regarded for the quality of its cars. But the Ford Focus has certainly gone through a few rough patches. The Focus had become one of the brand's least reliable vehicles in the 2000s, and older models were quite prone to rust. Thankfully, that has changed a lot come 2020 and the Focus is a much better car.

10 Suzuki XL7

Suzuki XL7
via Used Car Sales

The Suzuki XL7 is certainly an ugly machine. Forgetting the rust issues for a moment, it really does look terrible. Apart from that, it also had a pretty appalling reliability record, and it's just a very subpar product in general. Rust was never its worst issue, but it just added to the problems the car faced.

9 Nissan Altima

2009 Nissan Altima
via YouTube

It might surprise many to find a Nissan on this list. But hey, look where we are! The Nissan Altima is not a bad car, but it has been prone to some rusting over the years, even if those issues have improved over time. It’s a shame it suffers, as it's a pretty reliable car and has plenty to offer when it comes to fuel economy.

8 Chrysler Town and Country

2006_chrysler_town___country
via Car Gurus

The Chrysler Town and Country has been with us for a long time. Over 27 years in fact! But despite this longevity, it does have its problems. The car disappeared in 2016, which is perhaps just as well, really. Corrosion was something that plagued a lot of minivans and the Town and Country was no exception.

RELATED: 13 Rusty 4x4s Found Alone In The Jungle

7 Ford Ka

Ford Ka Rusty
via Flikr

The Ford Ka is a very weird-looking car. Yet it did seem to be quite popular when it was first launched. But you couldn’t help but feel it was quite flimsy and just a bit…cheap? No surprise then that the thing was quite prone to rust and bodywork damage. Is it any wonder the car was prone to them?

6 Subaru Tribeca

2006-2007_Subaru_Tribeca
via Wikipedia

You only have to look at the front end of this car once to be instantly put off by it. Its face looks as if it saw itself in the mirror, and that grill Is just insanely small. As expected, the car didn’t sell all too well, and it was nowhere near being the best SUV that you could buy at the time.

5 Suzuki Jimmy

Suzuki Samurai Rust
via YouTube

The Suzuki Jimmy, or Samurai, has undergone a lot of transformations over the years. But one thing that has always remained a constant with the car is rust. It's a continuous theme with this car. Thankfully, later editions of the car have not suffered quite as badly. It’s just always been there in some form.

4 Infiniti QX56

Infiniti QX56
via E Car List

The QX56 was an attempt by Nissan/Infiniti to compete with Range Rover, but they failed big time. The brakes would apparently wear out after less than 3,000 miles and it would need constant oil changes. The car was overweight with tiny brakes, which meant it took a lot of braking power to stop the thing which of course, is going to knacker up said brakes.

3 Mini Cooper

top-rust-bucket-mini-cooper
via Paint Pearls

We were actually quite surprised to having included the Mini Cooper on this list. But it's here nonetheless. This does, of course, refer to the models in the 2000s, although the original Mini Coopers that became legendary were also prone to some forms of rust and corrosion. Modern Minis aren’t as bad, but they did have their issues.

RELATED: 25 Stunning Images Of Weddings In Rusty Junkyards

2 Pontiac G5

Pontiac-G5
via R Vinyl

The GT5 was another sporty American car that wasn't quite so sporty. While not the worst of sports cars out there at the time, its looks were pretty underwhelming and it did leave a lot to be desired performance-wise. Plus the poor build quality showed in the amount of rust that it would gain over time.

1 Pontiac Aztek

2005_orange_pontiac_aztek
via 95octane

The Pontiac Aztek was a bit of a weird one. Certainly, it was an intriguing machine in the looks department and raised a lot of eyebrows when first launched. But the build quality was not what many had hoped, and it did suffer quite a bit. It’s a bit of a shame, as the Aztek could have been pretty great, had there not been for the rust (and its looks).

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Sources: 95octane, Wikimedia, Wikipedia, Car Gurus, AutoCar