On both of My DMC's and nearly every other DMC I have seen that lives in a rust-prone environment (like up here in Oregon), I have seen rusting engine cover hinges. Since the problem areas on the hinge are the inner hinge portiotion where the surfaces slide across each other, it does not appear that repainting or powercoating the engine cover hinges would really provide a permanent solution to avoid thie unsightly rust. Does anyone have a real/permanent solution to the slight rust typical on the engine cover hinges? Knut